Christian Metz in his book LANGUAGE AND CINEMA [1974], explored the development of genre film and suggested that genres pass through four phases of existence.
(1) THE EXPERIMENTAL - e.g Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr Calligari.
Nosferatu
By experimental we mean the phase of early films, which explored and experimented with horror themes in its narratives.
(2) THE CLASSIC - e.g Frankenstein, Dracula,
By classic we mean the phase of films which established the narratives conventions of the horror genre in its most succesful and defining period.
(3) THE PARODY - e.g Scary Movie, Abbot and Costello.
Scary Movie
By parody we mean films that have mimicked the horror genre in some comical way.
(4) THE DECONSTRUSTION - e.g Se7en, Blair Witch, Scream, The Sixth Sense.
Blair Witch Project.
By deconstruction we mean films that we have taken the generic elements of the horror genre and amiagated them into a varying sub genre.
Love Actually is a British film directed and written by romantic - comedy veteran Richard Curtis, who is responsible for classics like "Bridget Jones Diary", "Notting Hill" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral". It's budget was 30 million est. and it grossed, worldwide, $247,472,278. It was produced by four production companies; Universal Pictures, Studio Canal, Working Title and DNA Films. It's set in London, and begins 5 weeks before Christmas and the plot involves many different couples,whose lives cross paths at one time or another.
Mise en Scene
Billy Nighy as "Billy Mack"
Colin Firth as "Jamie"
The scene itself is very brightly lit, and has high key lighting. The setting is the arrival's gate at Heathrow airport and has people hugging, kissing and running up to one another, glad to be reunited so close to Christmas. It has many different people and types of relationships featured in this opening scene, and the phrase "love actually is all around". The titles are in a white and red which could signify love. It then cuts to a recording studio, where we are introduced to old, retired, rocker character who is recording his comeback Christmas single. He is swearing and comes across as "common". The scene dissolves into a montage of stereotypical scenes of a snowy London at Christmas time. It then cuts again to a bedroom (the titles are still dissolving in and out), and we are introduced to our second character of the film, who is late for a wedding. The scene is then cuts again, to a "study" of some sort. Compared to the other scenes this scene is dark and gloomy, and even though the lighting is still
Liam Neeson as "Daniel"
relatively light, the scene is sad. This is where we meet character 3,who has recently lost his wife,and is now in main custody of his stepson. We then visit other locations like 10 Downing Street, where we meet the new priminister, and his receptionist. We see lots of posh houses and normal houses, so they reach out to people of all classes. Everyone in the first scene remains nameless, and we are only introduced to the beginning of the characters lifestyles. Camera Angles
At the beginning in the Heathrow scene, the angles are close ups, extreme close up, and medium shots. The camera in hand-held and its almost like a documentary style kind of scene, which shows the reality of the shot. There is then a master shot, of a music studio followed by medium shots and close ups of the man singing and his back up singers. When the scene changes location, e.g to a bedroom, or 10 Downing Street, the scene more often than not begins with a master shot, followed by a series of close ups and medium shots, to show the emotion and feelings of the actors and actresses. There is alot of crane shots of a snowy, Christmas-y London from high angles. There is many tilts when we first meet the actors,and actresses and not many long shots at all. Many of the actresses are shot from higher angles.
Martine McCutcheon shot from a higher angle.
Sound
The intro begins with upbeat, slow music, with a narrative over the top of it. The sound then becomes diagetic, as there is a scene, where a man is recording a song. There is also dialogue. A song begins and continues from one scene to another,which could show that their lives of these separate people, may link together, during the film. There is diagetic phones ringing, and a lot of dialogue compared to horrors and thrillers. In a wedding scene there is a Gospel Choir "surprise", which is very out of the blue, and could suggest something similar is going to happen in the story, and people play instruments out of the crowd.
Editing
The editing includes, slow motion at Heathrow airport, and is mixed together almost like a montage. The editing is continuous, with lots of over the shoulder shots, two shots and shot reverse shots.
