This document discusses film analysis techniques of genre analysis and auteur theory. Genre analysis examines films based on their genre using seven key areas like codes, characters, themes. Auteur theory looks at films of a director who imparts an individual style. Examples provided are the works of Quentin Tarantino and Stanley Kubrick. The document then analyzes the 1994 film "Leon" directed by Luc Besson using the seven genre analysis areas. It also briefly summarizes and compares the opening sequences of the action films "The Italian Job" and "Reservoir Dogs" to illustrate genre conventions.

1. Samantha Rogan
How do we analyse film?
When analysing films there are certain areas to take into consideration. There
are two ways to go about film analysis these are genre analysis and auteur
theory. In this essay i will be showing my understanding for both of these.
Genre analysis is where you analyse the film by its genre using 7 key areas.
who there are examples of generic films such as reservoir dogs which is a crime
thriller, cowboys and aliens which is a western/sci-fi and war of the worlds
which is a sci-fi/thriller. Auteur theory is French for author it refers to a
filmmaker making films with an individual style; these different styles will often
appear in different films/genres by the same director. Examples of films made
by auteur are Quentin Tarentino who has made such films as Kill Bill, Reservoir
Dogs and Pulp fiction. And another example is Stanley Kubrick he produced
such films as, a clockwork orange and the shining.
When analysing a film using genre analysis there are 7 keys areas; codes and
conventions, location, character, iconography, narrative, themes and
ideological method. I am going to analyse the
film Leon using these 7 key areas. Leon is a
film directed by Luc Besson in 1994. Besson is
an auteur because he adds his own sense of
authorship. The film uses the conventions of
the crime thriller genre but throughout the
film there is a lot of action. The film starts off
with a camera going through little Italy New
York this instantly shows the viewer the
location of the film. This is different to other
action thriller films; it hasn’t started with a
chase scene or action scene. The beginning of
Leon is peaceful and makes little Italy New York look like a nice place. After the
opening scene is then goes into Leon being given a job, then the action begins.
In leon there are the usual characters; police men, corrupt police officers,
assassins, and innocent people. The narrative of the film is an assassin which is
leon who isn’t the typical assassin you would find in an action film. There is a
young girl called mathilda who lives in the same apartments as leon, she lives

2. Samantha Rogan
with her family and her father hides drugs in his apartment for a corrupt
policeman, one day the corrupt policeman Norman stansfield takes revenge on
her father for stretching the drugs and kills the whole family whilst mathilda is
out shopping so she survives and takes refuge in Leon’s apartment. She soon
realises leon’s profession and seeks his help in taking revenge for her little
brother. The policeman soon realises mathilda is living with leon after she
herself tries to kill him. The climax of the film shows 100’s of policeman going
into an apartment to kill leon. Mathilda escapes but leon dies. Throughout the
film leon drinks glasses of milk this is very different to James Bond drinking his
martini. I think this is an iconic part of the film and makes you think of Leon.
The themes that are used in Leon are; revenge, sex, corruption and death.
Throughout the film mathilda has an inappropriate crush on leon and thinks
she ‘loves’ him. The public have different views on Leon and mathilda’s
relationship; some see it as sexual and others as a father and daughter
relationship. From my point of view I see Leon being a father figure to mathilda
but because she’s so young and leon shows her affection which she probably
isn’t used to. She mistakes her feelings for something else. The revenge theme
takes place throughout leon as that is what the film is mainly about mathilda
taking revenge on Norman for her little brother. As leon is an assassin we
continuously see death in the film and also corruption as Norman takes part
with things that are against the law.
I am going to analyse the beginning sequence of an action movie using genre
analysis. The film I am analysing is the Italian job. The Italian job is a film about
a man called Charlie Croker (Michael Caine) and
his fellow gang members. Charlie has just been
released from prison he finds out one of his
friends has attempted a high risk job in Italy
under the noses of the mafia. Charlie’s friend
doesn’t get very far so he takes over the ‘job’.
He acquires a very talented and well equipped
gang. They create a large traffic jam which gives
them time to pull off a theft of gold bullion; they
all get away using three mini coopers, a couple of
jaguars and a bus. The beginning sequence
starts with roger Beckerman who has just left

3. Samantha Rogan
Turin driving a Lamborghini Miura through the Italian alps, with plans of an
Italian heist but the mafia stops him when he drives into a tunnel the car
explodes and they get rid of the remains of the by using a bulldozer to get rid
of it down the side of a cliff. They use typical codes and conventions for this
action ‘heist’ movie. They have the fancy car which is a Lamborghini Miura, a
beautiful location which is the Italian Alps, a team of
experts which in this case is the mafia who use
explosives to kill him. And there is a twist at the end
of the first scene; you don’t expect roger Beckerman
to be killed straight away. But all these codes and
conventions are typically used as they would be for an
action movie. I am now going to compare the Italian
job with reservoir dogs. Reservoir dogs (1992) written
and directed by Quentin Tarentino, Quentin is an
auteur because his action movie (Reservoir Dogs)
breaks the convention of the genre. Reservoir Dogs is
a film about six criminals who are strangers to
eachother are hired by a crime boss to carry out a
diamond robbery. They are all given false names so they don’t get too close,
some of the names are; Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink and Mr. White. They go ahead
with the robbery and think it all goes well until the police show up; they are all
told to meet at the premeditated rendezvous which is a warehouse they then
think there might be a rat in the group.