NCFOM Essay 24th of February

Explore some of the reasons why spectators may respond in very different ways to the same character. Refer in detail to at least one character from each of your chosen films.

The character of Chigurh in the opening scene lends himself a preferred reading through his malign portrayal. The use of cinematography supports the creation of the sinister tone – a shallow depth of field lightly blurs Chigurh, reducing him to a lurking silhouette, which stands out against the desaturated tan colour palate of the scene. A slow track in mimics Chigurh, as he methodically stalks the back of the police officer as the frame begins to very subtly lessen the distance between the two members. In actuality, this closes the distance between the spectator and Chigurh’s ominous image, to evoke tension caused by the unknown motive of Chigurh. These cinematic features push the spectator to attempt to determine the antagonist’s motives; however, the spectator doesn’t perceive most of the events of the film unfold through the eyes of Chigurh, essentially developing the preferred reading for the character through the characters of Moss, Bell and Wells. This evolves into the spectators preferred reading of Chigurh: a dark knight with a mysterious agenda

Contrastingly, the spectator may develop an oppositional viewing of Chigurh. This stems from the neo-Western qualities of the film. Though it is considered a modern cowboy film, NCFOM retains many elements of the original genre. One convention of the western genre is the way the protagonist is expected to enter a society, influence them deeply, and eventually leave to continue expansionism. A thorough analysis of NCFOM’s narrative will reveal that Chigurh does exactly this -  he enters the lives of the town folk, causes irreversible changes, and continues his unknown path and agenda. This stems the oppositional viewing, as the spectator’s perspective may shift from viewing Chigurh as the antagonist of the narrative, but instead associate him with the conventional protagonist of the western genre. In summary, Chigurh’s complex representation causes the spectator to develop multiple viewings of the character, rather than a assume a definitive one.

No Country For Old Men employs the way in which it’s setting is similar yet incongruous to the traditional Western ambience.

The final shot embraces the spectator with a conclusion, which is conventional of the Western genre. A crane up tracking long shot not only exposes the continuation of Chigurh’s psychopathic pilgrimage, but also marks a case for a negotiated reading of the ending. This develops a negotiated reading due to the lack of consequences of which Chigurh meets for his immoral actions and combines with the anomalous setting of such neo-Western: phone lines and roads juxtaposed with the background of the deserts which used to be uncivilised. The Coen brother’s deliberate decision forges Chigurh’s clashing dynamic. These paradoxical elements of both Chigurh and the settings lead to a spectator making a negotiated decision.

In the “Free The Food” scene, the spectator is immersed into the family's journey, as if they were an additional member of the clan. This encourages a preferred viewing of the ideologies and beliefs of the Cash family in the spectator as a result. This scene specifically glorifies an attack on modern capitalist ideals, all of which are evidently opposed to by Ben. Upon reaching the disposable equipment aisle, obviously juxtaposed with the way Ben leads his life, he begins to perform an impostered heart attack. This appears shocking to the spectator, and causes them to contemplate whether the children would be able to survive in a modern civilized world without Ben as their parental figure. However, the punk rock soundtrack which follows this event, simultaneously heard while the family is robbing the supermarket is juxtaposed with the spectator’s anticipatory fear of Ben’s death. This sudden change of emotions develops a feeling of euphoria which stems from family values, a positive attribute of the families way of life, as well as presents the detribute: the life Ben lives with his family believes in the extortion of legally working establishments for Ben’s personal benefit, or perhaps the benefit of his family.

After Ben and his children have exhumed Leslie’s body, they journey with it on the bus across America’s vast landscapes. Their passage is accompanied by non-diegetic music: major key choral music at once uplifting, ethereal and quasi-religious. The children are finally able to mourn their mother’s passing after so much upheaval, with a sense that equilibrium has been reached: Jack and the rest of the family will assume that Leslie still lies buried; Ben and his family will be able to fulfil the wishes in her last will. A series of close-ups with a shallow depth of field is used of each of the children in mourning, encouraging spectator alignment; we are finally able to share in their grief. So too does Ben seem to have reached a sense of catharsis; a realisation that his “beautiful mistake” was one of not only idealism but also exclusion and marginalisation, with his children pawns in his desire to leave society behind. As well as this, the bus is awash with dawn light, also creating a quasi-religious experience – one of transmogrification. Ideologically, this serves as a metaphor for rebirth. Ben’s ultra-leftist, radical anarchist views have been challenged, but so too have the wider ideological state apparatuses of US society during the course of the film – religion, the family unit, capitalism. The active spectator can, therefore, share in Ben’s catharsis, challenging mainstream ideology, whilst at the same time recognising there are virtues to be found within the broader functions of society.