Fantasy Genre Pieces in the Scary Movies 2 - Research Paper Example

Scary Movie 2 entails a parody film produced in the year 2002. This is the second film production, in Scary Movie Franchise. This film parodies several horror thriller films like; The Exorcist, The Legend of Hell House, Hollow Man, The Changeling, What Lies beneath, Poltergeist, The Haunting, and Hannibal. Scary Movie 2 is presently the final film series to feature the Wayans Siblings. This film is also the last in the series directed by Keeneen Wayans (Wright 2005, p. 11). Suture System in Scary Movie 2 is clearly illustrated. Suture entails the process where we become “stitched” in the fabric of the film or in the story world. It illustrates the process of “drawing into” or occupying positions of subjects in the film. This ensures that the audiences view the film world as enclosed. This enables the audiences to understand and react to representations of the film, as it is encouraged as part of the film – this is according to the terms of the film. The most common suture approach entails the audience identification with a particular character. Suturing involves the audience taking a position, as an observer of the characters’ actions, or as a fellow participant in the film. This is according to the various approaches and perspective involved in stitching together the film (Green 2003). Suture explains how the film world stitches together the imaginary reality that increases semblance to wholesomeness and coherence. Suture theory illustrates how a film works in the psyches of the audience, “to ensure they enter the imaginary world and narrative fictional films” (Green 2003, p. 78). This enables the audience to look and also listen to the techniques, conventions, means and codes that are part of the film world. The audience lose themselves to the film, and allows it to surround and absorb the thoughts and actions of the audience. Suture theory analyzes these film aspects, to ensure invisibility and inaudibility of the individual components. Imaginary suture occurs when the audience or spectators identify with the characters; while symbolic suture takes place when the audiences identify with the world views illustrated by the film. Scary Movie 2 utilizes suture concept in various aspects. Imagery suture is illustrated through understanding the exorcism process as illustrated in the film environment. In The Exorcist, the teenager called Megan Voorhees is possessed through the spirit of the previous house owner, Hugh Kane. The audience understands that the exorcism is only performed by priests; for instance Father McFeely and Father Harris. The priests attempt to take out the Hugh’s ghost, but the process unexpectedly leads to continuous vomiting and incidences of pedophilia. This process also leads the audiences to empathize with the possessed teenager, due to the painful experiences resulting from ghost possession and exorcism. Hugh is then shot by McFeely, after he insulted his mother. Scary Movie 2 utilizes symbolic suture to illustrate the abuse cases and exploitation faced by teenagers worldwide. In the film clueless teens are used for research study purposes, without their consent, by Professor Oldman and his assistant called Dwight Hartman. The study involves the unordinary activities in the Hell House. Sexual abuse of teenagers is shown in various ways: Hugh Kane’s ghost performs sex with the teenager Alex in the bedroom, and then leaves in the morning after Alex proposes becoming new Mrs. Kane. Ray is also illustrated raping the toy clown that attempted to kill him. The Incidence of pedophilia on Megan Voorhees is also seen during the exorcism exercise (Green 2003). Realism in the Scary Movie 2 is clearly described. Realism entails depiction of the characters and their actions truthfully, in a film or piece of art. For instance, “McFeely responds to an insult towards his mother by shooting Megan” (Wright 2005, p.81). This explains that violence and death is the result of unhealthy human relationships. The realism movement began in the 19th century as part of the theatre art movement; it is now represented in almost all the other art forms. The theatre realism concentrated on illustrated real life fidelity to the theatre performances and texts. Realism is broadly categorized into two: direct realism, and indirect realism. The representational realism in the visual arts arises due to perception philosophy and mind philosophy, over the conscious experience. It involves epistemological issues of; whether the surrounding world is real, or simple a perceptual copy generated by the brains neural processes (Wright 2005). Direct or naïve realism explains that the philosophical positioning of the conscious experience of the audience is not the real world, but an internal representation or a virtual-reality representation of the world. Scary Movie 2 illustrates the direct realism in several ways. For instance, the audiences are made to believe that ghosts exist as illustrated in the film. The film further states that ghosts are responsible for the negative issues affecting the society; like reckless teenage sexual behaviors, and violent attacks. The movie illustrates that the teenager Cindy participates in fist fight with Mr. Kittles, the house cat. Also, a toy clown is shown in the film trying to kill Ray. The film clearly illustrates that ghosts can kill people because Oldman is killed by murdered mistress’s ghost; following a trap through seduction. The film also makes the audiences believe that exorcism removes ghosts. This is seen when the two priests are invited to perform the exorcism exercise on Megan (Wright 2005). Indirect realism illustrates that the audience cannot view the external world the way it really is, but relies on only the audiences’ interpretations and ideas of how the world really is. “The audiences are seen to understand the world according to their own experiences” (Green 2003, p.176). The Scary Movies 2 shows that the audiences understood the external word according to their interpretations, instead of what it really is. For instance, the existence of ghosts in the real world is basically based on the views of the audience. The real scientific position is that ghosts do not exist. The movie interpretations explain that ghosts have the ability of raping people, this does not happen in the real world. For instance, Hugh Kane’s ghost performs sex in the bedroom with Alex. The film also makes the audience to interpret that the world environment is mainly made up of violent activities. This is untrue in real life, because violence cases are controlled and minimal. Megan is shot by Father McFeely, after he insults his mother. Parody and Pastiche are represented in Scary Movie 2. Parody entails a film work that copies the ridiculous and absurd aspects of another visual or performing art. For instance Brenda illustrates in a previous film “her death was a near-death experience” (McCreery 2006, 203). This is in order to generate ridicule, affectionate fun and ironic comment. It also entails cultural practices that generate polemical allusive representation of other different cultural practices (McCreery 2006). Scary Movies 2 utilize parody in various aspects. For example, Scary Movies 2 uses majority of characters who died in the previous film, Scary Movies. One of the characters, Brenda, illustrated that their death in the previous film, entailed near-death experience. This represents an ironical twist in the film. Ray, one of the teenage characters, is shown as confused regarding the nature of his sexuality; this is absurd and ironical (McCreecy 2006). The vulgar parrot in the Hell House also generates aspects of fun in the film. This is seen when Cindy encounters the parrot. It is also funny, that Cindy engaged in a fight with a cat, Mr. Kittles. The flashbacks that Cindy experience when analyzing the dead wife; are a representation of the Night Scream movie. Pastiche illustrates fantasy genre pieces. It represents respectful jocular aspects of a work piece. This is clearly illustrated in the Scary Movies 2. For instance Buddy disappears without the knowledge of Cindy; when Cindy, near the hot dog stand, discovers Hanson. Poltergeist section illustrates pastiche, when the marijuana plant becomes large and also comes to life. There is also a scene where “the clown hides under the bed of Ray” (Wright 2005, 69), and then drags him beneath. The dialogue scene of Cindy and Buddy dialoging and performing hand job in the Freezer, is borrowed from Titanic. Wishmaster scene is also shown when the skeleton is seen chasing Cindy. The reaction of Brenda, towards walking skeleton involves commentary on imagery use that is no longer viewed as scary today. Scary Movie 2 initial rating was NC-17 in relation to sexuality; however, it was later reviewed for the R-rating. This ensured that the cut material reemerged during the release of the home video. Even though the tagline of the Scary Movie read “…No Sequel,” the Scary Movie 2 compensated for the tagline through including “We Lied.” Bibliography Green, Alex. (2003). “The Empirical Description of Conscious Experience.” The Science and Philosophy of Consciousness. McCreery, C. (2006). Perception and Hallucination: the Case for Continuity. Oxford: Oxford Forum. Scary Movie 2 at the Internet Movie Database Wright, Edmond (2005), Narrative, Perception, Language, and Faith, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Read More