Trance As Neo Noir Film : A Study Of Film Genre

A Thesis

Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty

In partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Strata One

By:

WARDATUL ADAWIYAH 1110026000080

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF

HIDAYATULLAH

JAKARTA

2016

i

ABSTRACT

Wardatul Adawiyah, Trance as Neo Noir Film : A Study of Film Genre. A Thesis : English Letters Department. Faculty of Adab and Humanities. State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. 2016.

Trance (2013) film which is directed by Danny Boyle is the unit analysis of this research. In this research, i use the structural method with the descriptive analysis. The research is aimed to find Neo Noir contructed in this film which is revealed through six of genre‘s conventions: setting, location, iconography, narrative events, character, and plot structure. The analysis uses genre‘s convention concept proposed by Jane Stokes.

The research finds six conventions of Neo Noir in this film. The

results are the convention in Trance film more dominant contain Neo Noir

elements than psychological thriller. The convention is setting which uses the city as the background, location which uses abandoned building, iconography which appears weapon, low-key lighting and deep focus technique, narrative events which make the storyline being confusing and there is romantic narration, character who appear; amnesia man and

femme fatale, then flashback plot. These indicate Trance as Neo Noir film.

Keywords: structural, convention, Neo Noir, psychological thriller, genre convention theory, Jane Stokes.

iv

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

Jakarta, December 2015

v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I will give appreciation and many thanks to Allah SWT, the lord of the universe, the most beneficent and the most merciful who created and gave everything to human being. Then, peace and blessing is upon to our beloved prophet Muhammad SAW and all of his followers.

This paper is presented to English Letters Department of Letters and Humanities faculty UIN of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta as partial fulfillment of the requirement for strata one degree.

I will express the highest gratitude to my family; my parents, brothers and sisters who giving spirit everyday. Most of all, my dedicated this thesis for all of my beloved family for the support all this time.

I am very thankful to my advisor Ms. Inayatul Chusna, M.Hum and Mr. Arief Rahman Hakim, M.Hum. for the great patients and contributions on finishing this paper. Thanks for all of the advices that have been given to me, and may Allah SWT bless them and their family.

I also will convey my sincere gratitude particularly to:

1. Prof. Dr. Sukron Kamil, M. Ag., the Dean of Letters and

Humanities Faculty.

2. Drs. Saefudin, M.Pd., the Head of English Letters Department.

3. Elve Oktafiyani, M.Hum., the Secretary of English Letters

vi

4. All lectures of English Letters Department for their encouragement

to the writer.

5. The beloved parents, H. Sarmili and Siti Aisyah and beloved

brothers and sisters, who have patiently taken care of me and given motivation in doing anything that relates to my thesis.

6. My bestfriend, Dinar, Odi, Fafaw, Fani, Aida Soraya, Echa, Sulton

Naba, and Ziah, Vivi for support all the time

7. All my beloved friends at English Letters Department ‗10, KKN

TUNAS, ELTD, and others for giving great support during the process of making this thesis.

May Allah bless all of them. Finally, i hope that this paper would be useful for me in particular and for students of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, and also the readers in general.

Jakarta, 1 December 2015

The Writer

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT……….……… i

APPROVAL SHEET ………. ii

LEGALIZATION ..……….…….…….. iii

DECLARATION ……… iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ………. v

TABLE OF CONTENT………...………... vii

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ………. 1

A. Background of the Study……….. 1

B. Focus of Study ……….…….... 4

C. Research Question ………....…….…..…... 4

D. The Significance of the Study ………...… 4

E. The Methodology of the Research ………...……. 4

1. The Objectives of the Research ………... 4

2. The Method of Research………..…... 4

3. The Technique of Data Analysis………..….… 5

4. The Instrument of the Research …..………... 5

5. The Unit of Analysis ………..………… 5

6. Place and Time of the Research ……… 5

7. Research Design ... 6

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL DESCRIPTION..…….…. 8

viii

B. The Meaning of Genre ………... 9

C. Genre Classification ………....……. 10

D. Convention of Genre ... ……….…..…... 12

1. Setting ... 12

2. Location ... 14

3. Iconography ... 14

4. Narrative Events ... 14

5. Character ... 15

6. Plot Structure ... 16

E. Crime Genre...……….…..…... 18

1. Noir and Neo Noir Genre ... 19

F. Cinematography...……….…... 21

CHAPTER III DATA ANALYSIS ………….…..…………...… 23

1. Setting ... 23

2. Location ... 27

3. Iconography ... 29

4. Narrative Events ... 34

5. Character ... 36

6. Plot Structure ... 43

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS…... 44

A. Conclusion ….………...…... 44

ix

BIBLIOGRAPHY………..…..….. 47

1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Film has entertaining values, education values, and artistic values.1 It is

important because almost film intend to entertain, educate and offers the feeling of beautifulness. In this modern era, people still look at film apartly. Film is usually only judged by story or theme, acting of actor or actress, and a little bit of cinematography. The depth understanding art of film is still limit. Knowledge about film as an art still in the college spaces, meanwhile in reality, film not only for academics but also for people who watch film as hobby.

The discussion of literary works and film cannot be separated from genre. Genre itself is a term that is used to classify media text into groups with the same

characteristic.2 Genre concept becomes important to raise the expectation up from

audiences and how does they judge and choose the text. The audience become familiar with the codes and conventions from a genre that make the audiences

understand the texts.3 Genre as one of the methods to classify film and the easiest

way to identify because it has been ready for use by film industry, especially

1

Marselli Sumarno. Dasar-Dasar Apresiasi Film (Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 1996), p. 96

2

Philip Rayner, Peter Wall & Stephen Kruger. AS Media Studies : The Essential Introduction

(New York: Psychology Press, 2001), p. 54 3_Ibid

2

Hollywood industry, for marketing purposes.4 Genre has grown up rapidly and

formed many sub-genres.

In 2013, a British director, Danny boyle who produces many films such as Trainspotting (1996) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008) which won in Golden Globes

and Academy Award, made a Trance film. Trance film got people‘s attention in

2013. The movie was released on March 27, 2013. It tells about Simon (James McAvoy) as the main male character who is amnesia in his effort to save the Goya‘s painting from the cruel leader of the gang, Franck. Simon was addictive in gambling and had a lot of debts. In the process to remember his memory, accidentally he met Elizabeth, a therapist who involved a love-affair between therapist-patient in the past. Elizabeth plays an important role in Simon‘s past because she controlled Simon‘s gambling addiction, manipulating him until he is depression thus bring him to gambling habit, debts, and finally working together with the cruel Franck to steal the painting and finally threatening Simon‘s life. Many critics review the genre of this

film as : psychological thriller5 and a psychological London Noir.6 Some critics said

that Trance film contains psychological thriller genre.7 A newspaper at West Virginia

University, The Daily Athenaeum writes that psychological thriller genre is often

4

Jane Stokes, How To Do Media and Cultural Studies (London: Sage Publication, Ltd, 2003), p. 82

5_{Claudia Puig. ―Danny Boyle‘s ‗Trance‘ could put you into one‖}

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1924429/criticreviews accessed on August 29, 2014

6_{Anthony Quinn. ―Film Review : Danny Boyle Falls from an Olympian Height with Trance‖}

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/film-review-danny-boyle-falls-from-an-olympian-height-with-trance-8553954.html accessed on August 29, 2014

7

Sub-genre of thriller. Usually a lot of scaring power, terrifying, dominated by the psychological motivations and emotional relationships of characters.

characterized by providing the audience with a forebiding sense of terror. The plot is often inner demons and mental afflictions. The killer has motive and reasoning and their cause is usually a mental disorder that exist in real life. Their enemy is paranoia, that explores the sickest and darkest aspects of the human psyche.

However, there are some elements in this film that are not consistent with the characteristics of psychological genre. There are some elements which strengthen that

this film is Neo Noir8. The first is from plot structure. In this film, the plot use

flashback. This structure usually makes the story being confusing. The second is narrative events. The narrative uses love romantic narration. The third is character. Characters indicate that this film is Neo Noir because there are amnesia man (Simon)

and femme fatale9 (Elizabeth), Femme fatale usually appears in Noir scene. The last

is setting, iconography and location that reflect Neo Noir characteristic . All of them as the characters are too good to be true to complete the film thus became the Neo Noir film.

This research argues that Trance film has genres which contain Neo Noir.

Therefore i analyze Trance film by using the six genre conventions concept of genre

by Jane Stokes : setting, location, iconography, narrative events, characters and plot structure.

8

Coming after the classic Noir period that contains Noir themes and Noir sensibility but not shot in black and white and don‘t contain play of light and shadow like classic Noir had.

9 _{A French term that literally means "fatal woman‖; an irresistibly attractive woman who} leads men to destruction

4

B. Focus of the Study

Based on the background of the study above, the research focuses on the conventions of genre : (1) Setting, (2) Location, (3) Iconography, (4) Narrative

Events, (5) Characters, and (6) Plot Structure10 in Trance film directed by Danny

Boyle in order to determine and to analyze the Neo Noir genre of the film. C. Research Question

Based on the research focus of the study, the question of the research is : How

Neo Noir genre is constructed in Trancefilm through Jane Stokes‘ conventions ?

D. Significances of the Study

The significance of the research is to give contribution for knowledge understanding, especially in cinema, film genre, and Neo Noir genre.

Secondly, this research is to contribute the understanding of film analysis by using Jane Stokes‘ concept of genre conventions.

E. Methodology of the Research 1. The Objective of the Research

The objective of the research is to analyze and to explain Trance film is Neo

Noir genre construction.

2. The Method of Research

I use structural method in conducting this research. Structural research is a research that emphasizes relationship building in each intrinsic element. Structural

10

research is done in several ways : identificating, reviewing, and describing function

and each intrinsic elements that concerned.11

3. The Technique of Data Analysis

In analyzing data, i use descriptive analysis technique by : a. Collecting data DVD ( picture and text), books, and some references b. Identifying data film

c. Analyzing data of film by using the convention of genre by Jane Stokes in Trance

and focusing the elements that build Neo Noir genre in this film. 4. The Instrument of the Research

This qualitative research sets i myself as the main instrument who do research by formulating the problems of research, collecting data, identifying data, and analyzing data.

5. The Unit of Analysis

The unit of analysis of this research is Trance film produced by director

Danny Boyle which was released in 2013 in DVD format. The film produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

6. Place and Time of the Research

The research is done at English Letters Departement, Faculty of Adab and Humanities, State Islamic of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta during the academic year

11

Burhan Nurgiyantoro. Teori Pengkajian Fiksi. (Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press, 2007). p. 10

6

2014/2015. The research is also done in other places such as : library, class, and my house.

6. Research Design

This thesis is divided into four chapters, which in every chapter has sub chapter.

Chapter I

1) Introduction

a. Background of the Study

b. Focus of The Study

c. Research Question

d. Significances of the Study

e. Methodology of the Research contains of :

a. The Objective of the Research b. The Method of Research

c. The Technique of Data Analysis d. The Instrument of The Research e. The Unit of Analysis

f. Place and Time of the Research g. Research Design.

Chapter II

1) Theoretical description

a. The Explanation of Genre Theory b. The Conventions of Genre.

Chapter III

1) Data analysis

Chapter IV

1) Conclusions and Suggestion contain :

a. Conclusions b. Suggestion

8

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL DESCRIPTION

A. Previous Researches

Genre studies is one of the topics for studying film. Film genre has been chosen by others as research topic. One of them is Fransisca Devita from Universitas

Kristen Petra Surabaya. She analyzes Wreck it Ralph film through code and

convention of Jane Stokes; setting, location, narrative events, plot, character, and

iconography.12 She finds that the film constructed drama, action, and with mixed 10

others genres like science-fiction, fantasy, comedy, criminal, gangster, adventurer and western. From secondary genre, she finds that this film contain disaster, Noir, roman, superhero, and thriller.

Besides that, she finds that Wreck it Ralph has the signs of displacement of

code and convention from Disney Animation Studios on drama and fantasy genre.

This film uses bullying as the main theme which latest becomes popular in the US thus the genre and bullying being comodity to give the advantage for industry.

Different with Devita, other study analyzes Noir in KALA film. Noval Husain

from Airlangga University chose KALA film because it is called as the first Noir film

in Indonesia by the director. The research show the characteristics of Noir genre in

12

Fransisca Devita, ―Wreck It Ralph” : Studi Genre pada Film Disney Animation Studios, Jurnal E- Komunikasi; 2013; 1; Universitas Kristen Petra Surabaya, p. 264

film KALA that very dominate. He also finds horror genre in this film because horror is one of film genres that popular in Indonesia.

Different with the previous researches, i analyze Trance film with the

convention concept of Jane stokes. Through this concept, i try to explain that this film contains Neo Noir genre.

B. Concepts

1. The Meaning of Genre

Genre is reflected in the etymology of the word genre, which is borrowed

from French. On the other hand, genre is related to the Latin word genus, which

refers to ―kind‖ or ―a class of things‖. In various time and study, genre has been defined and used mainly as classificatory tool, a way of sorting and organizing kinds

of texts and other cultural objects.13 Himawan Pratista explains that :

“In film, genre can be defined as kind or classification from film groups which have character or same patterns (spesific) like setting, content, story subject, theme, narrative structure, action or event, period of time, style of situation, icon, mood, and character. Those classification produce popular genres like action, adventure, drama, comedy, horror, western, thriller, Noir, roman etc‖14

The quotation above explains that genre in film has purpose to classify the film based on the characteristics of film itself. Because day to day, film and film genre

13

Anis S Bawarshi and Mary Jo Reiff. Genre An Introduction. (United States: Parlor Press, 2010), p. 4

14

10

grow fastly. Genre is appointed after some of films that represent those genre are succesful become trends.

The simple example is western genre. The storyline is often about cowboy who is

expert in gun and help the victim from the cruel leader. The spesific settings are in jail, small town, main street, and ranch houses. Central plot of the western film is the

classic, normally rooted in archetypal conflict – good vs bad, virtue vs evil. The

typical elements are gun and gun fight (sometimes on horseback), bank robbers and

wore distinctive western clothing (denim, jeans, boots etc).15 Like western, others

genres have their own characteristics.

The main function of genre is to facilitate film classification. Genre help us to choose films based on the spesification. Genre also set up the relationship between the film-maker and audiences. Film industry often uses spesific genre as the marketing strategy. Beside for classification, function of genre is for audiences anticipation in watching.

2. Genre Classification

Genre in film are various. Most of films are combination from genres at the same time. But usually a film still has one or two dominant genres. Himawan Pratista divided film genre into the two major groups, there are primary genre and secondary

genre.16

15_{Tim Dirks. ―Westerns Films‖.Filmsite.org.}

http://www.filmsite.org/westernfilms.html accessed on March 2, 2015

16

a. Primary Genre and Secondary Genre Scheme Primary Genre Action Drama History Epic Fantasy Science-Fiction Horror Comedy Crime Musical Adventure War Western Secondary Genre Disaster Biography Detective Noir Film Melodrama Sport Vacation Roman Superhero Supernatural Spionase Thriller

Primary genre is main genres that existed and popular since the developing of

cinema in 1900-1930.17 Every film at least contains one genre element of primary

genre but literally a film is a combination of some genres. Not every primary genre is successful and popular from era to era. Genres like action, drama, comedy, horror, fantasy and science-fiction still popular until today. But genres like musical, history epic and western are more popular and successful in old time. Different with primary

12

genre, secondary genre is always changing due to the development of primary

genre.18 Like primary genre, secondary genre has characteristics and are still known

until now. Genres like detective, Noir, vacation are famous in old time. Meanwhile,

genres such as thriller, disaster, spionase and superhero are still heroic in last two

decades.

D. Conventions of Genre

Genre study in film is a study that conducting retoric research of texts or a series texts. The kind of hypothesis are based on how far the texts can or can not follow genre conventions. Those conventions maybe semiotic, narrative, or representational. The textual genre study at genre conventions through 6 category; setting, location,

iconography, narrative events, characters, and plot structure.19 While every film

within any particular genre will incorporate sense of these elements, few genre films attempt to include every possible genre convention.

1. Setting

The perfect setting is authentic setting. Setting has to convince audience that the film seems real and happen on location and time as film story context. In film production, planning and designing of setting is art director‘s job. A filmmaker either can use authentic setting as same as with the filmstory or can use artificial setting.

Like in Titanic, the director, James Cameron reconstructed some interior and exterior

18_Ibid,. p. 21 19

of ship by using original photos and did the survey on ship‘s fusilage in the bottom of

Atlantic sea.20

Setting is one of the main elements that supporting narrative film. The main function of setting is as guider place and time to give information or context of the story. Beside as the background of the story, it is able to built mood as story demand. Another function is that setting is capable to give time, era, or season information as narrative context. Daily of time element such as morning, afternoon, evening, and night are absolut to be filled to explain story context. Setting decoration can determine social status of character. Setting for high-class (huge, luxury property) is

contrasly different with low-class‘ setting (small, dark, and simple property) like in

Pride and Prejudice.21

To built mood and situation, setting usually is related to lighting. High-light setting tends to formal and warm. In other side, low-light setting tends to cold, intimate, mysterious, and creepy. Despite to built mood, setting could have certain motives or symbols and supporting active scene. Like in action or comedy film, properties function actively to support action scenes. E.g : Jackie Chan always utilizes the things around him to support his action like window and door, when he

fights with his enemy or in Final Destination when the things around the characters

conspire to kill them.22

20

Pratista. Op. Cit., p. 66 21_Ibid.,

pp. 66-68 22_Ibid.,

14

2. Location

Location is the place where scene occurs. Location consists of indoor and

outdoor.23Location refers to scenes that are shoot in places that exist outside, such as streets and buildings, rather than places that have been constructed especially for the shoot.24

3. Iconography

Iconography is themes or concept expressed by symbolically-charged objects and events. Its visual motives let the audiences to identify certain films on certain genres. Iconography consists of recurring symbolic images that carry meanings from film to film. It helps audiences to understand quickly about information such as character, action, setting, and costume. In genre films, iconography refers to particular objects, archetypal characters, and even spesific actors. Iconography may

also refer to general mise-en-scène of a genre. E.g in western genre, a cowboy who

dresses all in black and wear two guns, holster tied to either thigh, is invariably a

gunfighter. This is the iconography wardrobe of a generic type.25

4. Narrative Events

At simplest level, narrative is the telling of the story. More precisely, it is a movie devoted to convey fictional or fictionalized stories, usually it is organizd in

23

Jason J. Tomaric. The Power Film Making Kit : Make your professional movie on a next-to-nothing-budget. (Burlington: Elsevier, 2008), p. 258

24_{―What is a filming location‖. Primeshootlocation.com}

. Retrieved from

http://www.primeshootlocations.com/32/what-is-a-filming-location/ accessed on March 1, 2015 25

Barry Keith Grant. Film Genre from Iconography to Ideology. (London: Wallflower Press, 2007), p. 11-12

traditional narrative structure, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling

action, and denoument.26

Climax

Rising Action Falling Action

Exposition Denoument

Notes :

 Exposition provides background information on the characters, setting, and basic conflict.

 Rising action, the principal conflict develops and may be complicated

 Climax, the turning point, where, for example, the protagonist may begin to overpower the antagonist, or the opposite

 Falling action, the principal conflict moves toward resolution

 Denoument, the final part, there should be no question about the resolution unless, ambiguity is intended.

5. Character

Character is another essential element of film narrative. Story does not exist if

either plot or characters are missing.27 Character usually has physical appeareance

that commonly can be divided into : human character and non-human character.

26

Richard M. Barsam and Dave Monahan. Looking at Movies : An Introduction to Film

-Third Edition. (United States: W. W. Norton & Company Inc, 2010), p. 114 27_Ibid.,

16

Character does not have just non-physical appearence and animation. Commonly,

film always uses human character as the main character. In some cases, character

doesn‘t have to presence physically, like in telephone conversation or monitor video

or sometimes in playing with the physical and non-physical boundaries.

6. Plot Structure

Plot is a structure for presenting everything that we see and hear in a film.28

The way of movie‘s story is structured—its plot—also helps viewers to determine

what it is genre.29 Through plot, screenwriters and directors can provide structure to

stories and guide viewer‘s emotional responses. Plot of Noir or Neo Noir most twisting and flashbacks and amnesia suffered by the protagonist was a common plot

device.30 The typical Noir plot is the main character is lured into violence and usually

to his own destruction by the femme fatale.31

Jane Stokes gives an example analysis in comparing some conventions of gangster films and television situation comedy by six elements that he mentioned.

This is the example table by Jane Stokes.32

Gangster Film Situation Comedy

Setting The city

Harsh social background

The city Middle-class USA 28_Ibid., p. 120 29_Ibid., p. 83

30_{―Film Noir‖. Filmsite.org.}

Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html accessed on March 2, 2015

31

Mark T. Conard. The Philosophy of Film Noir. (Kentucky: The University of Kentucky, 2007), p.27

32

Location The mob hangout Glamorous clubs Lavish mansions

The home The workplace

Iconography Flash clothes

Guns

Everyday Clothes

Narrative Events

Heists Hits social Double-crossing

Dating Events

Barbeque

Characters Gang Leader

Gangsters Rival Gangsters

Family members Workmates

Plot Structure Closure

Sometimes dies

Sometimes is reformed Sometimes is redeemed

Open-ended

Maintain equilibrum

Endless

Through this table, we can see the different of two genres and their own spesific conventions. By the six elements, we can see the film convention and the differences between main genre and sub genre in film.

18

E. Crime Genre

The crime film is most enduringly popular of all hollywood genres and the only kind of genre that has never once been out of fashion since the dawn of the

sound era seventy years ago.33 Crime film arises from a radical ambivalence toward

the romance of crime like romance that gives the heroic detective (Sherlock Holmes)

as early as 1900 or 1903. Whether crime film focus on criminals, convicts avengers, detectives, attomeys, or victims, it depends on a nearly universal fear of crime and equally strong attraction to the criminal word. It plays on a powerful desire for a modern-day version of the catharsis that Aristotle contended should evoke and purge pity and terror.34

Crime film consists of sub-genre, there are gangster and Noir.35 Crime film

like popular formulas, is defined by relatively small number of consistent plots and plot transformations. Crime film and gangsters usually related to criminal action like bank robbery, theft, gambling, murdered, competition between group and

underground group who work in outside of the legal system.36 This genre are often

based on true story and sometimes this genre shows feuding between criminals and court. Not like action genre, crime films often show cruel violence. The typical of crime action are use club, machine gun, and bomb car. The story usually use setting in the big city with solid citizens. Commonly crime film has three leading role :

33

Thomas Leitch. Crime Film. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), p. 19 34

Barry Keith Grant. Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film. (London: Thomson Gale, 2007), p. 384 35_Ibid.,

p. 384 36

firstly, the criminal who commits the crime. The criminal character is a ambitious man, materialistic, immoral, cruel, and use any way to reach everything they want. Secondly, the victim who suffers it. and thirdly, the avenger of detective who

investigate it even the last one sometimes doesn‘t exist in scene that depends on the

director‘s focus. 37

1. Noir and Neo Noir Genre

Noir or ―the black film‖38, is the cinema of paranoia, of doubt and fear and

uncertainty. Classic Noir period falls between early fourties in 1941 and the late fifties in 1958. Classic Noir film (the constant of light and shadow, tilted camera angles), it‘s the center scene of compositions.39 It takes place in Los Angeles – but it is always in the city and it is always a detective looking for clues to unravel

mystery.40 Noir marked visually by expressionistic lighting and deep focus. Settings

are often interiors with low-key (or single-source) lighting, dark, claustrophobic, and gloomy appearances. Exteriors are often urban night scene, dark alleyways, flashing neon lights and story location are in murky street, low-rent apartments and hotel room

of big cities or abandoned warehouses41

The females in film Noir are two types (or archetypes) - dutiful, reliable,

trustworthy and loving women; and femmes fatales - mysterious, duplicitous,

37

Leitch, Op. Cit., p. 14 38

It was the French reviewer, Nino Frank who first used the term to describe a number of dark and stylised Hollywood movies that began to appear after World War and into the 1950s

39

Conard, Op. Cit., p. 40 40_Ibid.,

p. 16

41 _{―Film Noir‖. Filmsite.org.}

Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html accessed on March 2, 2015

20

crossing, gorgeous, unloving, predatory, tough-sweet, unreliable, irresponsible, manipulative and desperate women. She would use her feminine to manipulate. Noir deals with criminal activity and holds both promise and danger and the character involved always faces of many risks. Films with Noir as the central theme are dominated with despair and violence scene. Indeed, the true domain of the Noir is

night, just as inescapable of the Noir is the city42

The sub-genre of Noir is neo-Noir. The term of neo-Noir describes any film coming after the classic Noir period that contains Noir themes and the Noir

sensibility. These film are likely not shot in black and white and lately don‘t contain

the play of light and shadow like their classic.43 However, it contains the same

alienation, pesimism, moral ambivalence, and disorientation. New Noir of neo-Noir still has all the old trappings of classic Noir, like labyrinths, and femme fatales. Contrasting space can be compared between Noir and neo-Noir to view of a home . Noir lived at space; takes in rooms, halls, and ceilings as they appear. Neo Noir takes builder‘s view, a gutted house with pipes, ducts, wires, grids, circuit breakers, pumps,

furnaces, and compressor suddenly in view.44

Amnesia suffered by the protagonist is a common plot device. This kind of

protagonist is often morally-ambiguous low-lifes from the dark and gloomy underworld of violent crime and corruption. Distinctively, they are obsessive (sexual

42

Wheeler Winston Dixon. Film Noir and the Cinema of Paranoia. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd, 2009), p. 14

43

Conard, Op. Cit., p. 11 44_Ibid.,

or otherwise), frightened and insecure loners (usually men), struggling to survive –

and in the end, ultimately losing.45

F. Cinematography

Cinematography is the act of capturing photographic images in space through the use of a number of controllable elements.46 Cinematography and mise-en-scène47

cannot be separated and related each other. Cinematography works when

mise-en-scèneaspects are available and the scene is ready to take. Cinematography include the quality of the film stock, the manipulation of the camera lens, framing,

scale and movement, and mise-en-scène include actors, lighting, decor, props, and

costume.48 Noir genre has relation with low-key lighting and camera lens deep focus

to build the mood in film. Low-key lighting and camera lens deep focus are some of elements of the Noir film.

a. Low-Key Lighting

Low-key lighting is a lighting scheme that employs very little light that creates strong contrasts between the brightest and the darkest parts or often called chiaroscuro effect.49 Low-key lighting creates strong shadows that obscure parts of

45_{―Film Noir‖}

. Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/filmNoir.html accessed on March 2, 2015

46_{Alexander Bewkes and Trey Hunsucker. ―College Film and Media Studies : A Reference}

Guide‖. Retrieved from https://collegefilmandmediastudies.com/cinematography/ accessed on September 22, 2015

47

In the original French (pronounced meez-ahn-sen) means ―putting into the scene‖ and it was first applied to the practice of directing plays.

48 _{Gabe Moura. ―The Elements of Cinema : A Student‘s Guide to the Fundamenta} ls of filmmaking‖. Retrieved from http://www.elementsofcinema.com/directing/mise-en-scene-in-films/ Accessed on September 15, 2015

49

Anonymous. Retrieved from www.classes.yale.edu/film-analysis accessed on September 17, 2015

22

important subject and associated with ―hard boiled‖ or suspense genres such as film Noir.

b. Camera Lens Deep Focus

Deep focus technique is the result of a technological development in the lens in the late 1930s. Deep focus requires elements at very different depths images, which mean that the foreground, middleground and background of the frame remain

in focus.50 These can be seen in Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) and

Besieged (L'Assedio, Bernardo Bertolucci, 1998).51

picture 1 picture 2

All of the different backgrounds of the images are given equal importance through deep focus, not only to the characters (like the man peeking at the window in the first image), but also to the spaces (Shanduray's basement room in the second).

50

Alexander Bewkes and Trey Hunsucker. College film and medi astudies.com. ―College

Film and Media Studies : A Reference Guide‖. Retrieved from

https://collegefilmandmediastudies.com/cinematography/accessed on September 22, 2015 51_Ibid.,

23 CHAPTER III DATA ANALYSIS

In this chapter, i analyze Trance film through Jane Stokes‘ conventions

concept; setting, location, iconography, narrative events, character and plot structure. This research is to answer the research question ―How Neo Noir genre is constructed in Trancefilm through Jane Stokes‘ conventions?‖ and as the result, the research will

also proves that Trance is Neo Noir film. I use data from the text, pictures, and

dialogues from Trance. Those data are analyzed to show the elements that build Neo

Noir genre.

A. Six ways to analyze Neo Noir genre by Jane Stokes’ convention concept 1. Setting

Setting is a supporting element in film production. Beside as the background of the story, setting can show social status of character and built mood of situation.

Commonly in Noir film or Neo Noir film, the setting is always in city.52 In Trance,

below shows the setting in London city.

picture 1 (00:17:35)

52

Mark T. Conard. The Philosophy of Neo-Noir. (Kentucky: The University of Kentucky, 2007), p. 40

24

City is the inescapable terrain in most of Noir film. The director uses city as

the background setting of the film. In Trance film, the director choose London as the

setting. Picture 1 shows one of the London sides from the top. The different between most of Noir films and this film is that usually classic Noir takes place in Los

Angeles53, meanwhile Trance, takes place in London as the growth of Noir modern or

called Neo Noir.

Setting consists of exteriors and interiors . In Noir film, one of the exteriors that is used is urban night scene, flashing neon lights and the gloomy and dark

appearance interior.54 Using urban night scene can be seen in the picture below.

picture 2 (00:26:13)

Setting in picture 2 takes place in a restaurant, Yauatcha. The scene shows when Franck, the gang leader and Elizabeth meet to deal about something. A restaurant represents the urban night life in this film, when Franck and Elizabeth meet in the night and dinner together. Dinner in restaurant is a lifestyle of society in the city. Setting decoration around can determine social status of character. The picture

53_Ibid., 54_{―Film Noir‖}

. Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/filmNoir.html accessed on March 2, 2015

above shows that the characters are high-class because the clothes that they wear and the property around are seem luxury.

Different with the picture above, in this picture below, the director combines the use of flashing neon light in the night with the gloomy appearance. Night as

setting of time because night is the domain of Noir.55 The director uses these

elements with to build mood and situation in film.

picture 4 (01:15:13 picture 3 (01:15:13)

Mood and situation related with the lighting. Picture 3 shows Simon, Elizabeth and Franck are in parking lot. They are looking for the painting ―Witches in

the Air‖ that is hidden in a car. The director uses the flashing of neon light to build

intimate effect and mysterious mood. Intimate effect and mysterious mood are shown through neon light which make shadows in wet floor and the characters, Simon, Elizabeth and Franck who are walking. In this scene, the director uses the night as true domain of Noir film. This film is closer to neo-Noir because the lighting is not dark like classic Noir did.

The kind of setting in Trance represents setting in Neo Noir film. City as the

background, the urban night scene, and the use of flashing neon light are the elements

55

Wheeler Winston Dixon. Film Noir and the Cinema of Paranoia. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Ltd, 2009), p. 14

26

of Noir. The differences are that Trance is not shot in black and London is chosen as

the background of the city than Los Angeles that has been powerful in most of Noir film before.

2. Location

Location in film usually depends on development of storyline. Usually real

location is the main option because realism effect in real location is more convincing. Like in comedy, the director often uses home and workplace as the main locations to support the story. Different with comedy, location in Noir film usually tends to use

murky street, low-rent apartment or abandoned warehouse.56 The differences between

Noir and Neo Noir are that Noir is takes in rooms, halls and ceilings but Neo Noir takes the building‘s view, a gutted house with pipes or ducts suddenly in view.57

In Trance film, the director tends to show the Neo Noir location. Like in the picture below when the director shows the abandoned building as the filming location.

Picture 4(00:13:11)

Abandoned warehouse is chosen as one of the filming locations in Trance.

The director changes this building to be a temporare basecamp for Franck and the

56_{―Film Noir‖.}

Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/filmNoir.html accessed on March 2, 2015

57

gang. And in this location, Simon gets violence from Franck and the gang to tell the truth where he hides the Goya‘s painting. The abandoned warehouse in Trance represents the vagueness when the criminal act happened, that is violence. Different with the picture above, in this location the director stick pipes and ducts out suddenly in view.

Picture 5 (00:04:37) picture 6 ( 00:07:10)

A gutted house with ducts is one of the locations in Trance like in picture 5 and 6.

The scenes have different actions in picture 5, the location shows the way of Franck and the gang plan to steal the painting. Through this way, they infiltrate the auction house. Otherwise, in picture 6, ducts way is used by Simon to escape and save the painting. The director uses this location besides to built the criminal situation on the scene, but also to represent a place where the criminal action is started or is going on.

Some of locations above represent the Neo Noir film because the locations closed to Neo Noir element. Different with Noir that use rooms or halls, Neo Noir takes a gutted house with ducts or a abandoned building. Location taken either to

build criminal element in this film or to build the criminal action.

28

3. Iconography

Genre‘s iconography usually expressed symbolically object or event58

. It consists recurring symbolic image that carries meaning from film to film. Symbol in film can make audience understand about the genre of the film. Different with symbol in western film that always shows a coboy who has two guns and riding a horse,

some of iconography in Trance film show object or event that close to Neo Noir

genre. Because Neo Noir is a sub-genre of crime film, it contains same elements, that deal with criminal activity like weapon. Weapon is usually used as a device to

support criminal action or to threaten. In addition, low-key lighting and deep focus59

are visually consistent appear as stylistic element in Noir film. a. Weapon

picture 7 (01:13:19) picture 8 (01:09:57)

Weapon is the primary thing in crime film, both gangster film or Noir film. In Neo Noir, weapon is still the important element to support the story because it uses

in criminal activity. In Trance, shotgun is used as device to threaten and often appear

on criminal action film. Like in picture 7, when Simon points the weapon out to

58

Barry Keith Grant. Film Genre from Iconography to Ideology. (London: Wallflower, 2007), p. 11

59

Franck because he feels that he is used by Franck. Different with picture 7, picture 8 reveals that a weapon is able to make someone frightened, that it is shown when Simon is frightened when Franck threatens and points the weapon out to his head. b. Low-key lighting

Low key-lighting relates with mood and situation in film. It is often used in

film that assosiates with suspense genre like in Noir.60 In Trance, the director tends to

use low-key lighting technique like in the picture below.

Picture 9 (00:14:50)

Picture 9 is one of the scenes that use low-key lighting. This place is Franck and the gang‘s temporare basecamp and in this place they injure Simon. The director built the mood by using this technique that shows the place with little dark and with little play of low-lighting creates an mysterious but gloomy mood. Gloomy mood is shown when there are contrast between the dark area and the bright area. Dark area is more dominance on the scene and the lighting comes from the shadow of a hanging-lamp. With this technique, this place suggests where the villain lives. Another scene shows how low-key lighting is used like in picture below.

60

Anonymous. Retrieved from www.classes.yale.edu/film-analysis accessed on September 17, 2015

30

Picture 10 (00:59:05)

The picture above is Elizabeth‘s apartment. In this scene the director uses his

low-key lighting technique to build mysterious mood and high-tense situation by adding rain swept effect on the street. Picture 10 is one of the scenes which the director shows the building‘s view.61

It is neo-Noir technique when the director takes

from the outside then moves to the inside of the building. Trance is not type of classic

Noir film but the picture above successfully creates mysterious mood; there are contrast between the dark and the bright area thus create a lamp-shadow through the rain swept on the street.

c. Deep Focus

Picture 11 (00:12:03)

61_{―Film Noir‖. Filmsite.org.}

Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/filmNoir.html accessed on March 2, 2015

Deep focus technique is camera lens technique when foreground and

background of the picture are equal in focus.62 This camera technique is one of the

characteristics of Noir film eventhough it used occasionally. Like in picture 11, the director uses this technique to focus on the character, Simon and his apartment where he lives. The director tries to demonstrate about part of Simon‘s life through this technique; show the character and his apartment on the background. Deep focus is also used in the scene below when Simon wants to heal his memory.

Picture 12 (00:18:22)

In picture 12, the director uses deep focus technique when Simon comes to Elizabeth‘s clinic. He comes to do hypnotism therapy from Franck‘s suggestion. This scene demonstrates the character; Simon who looks waiting and looking out the window and Elizabeth who is standing behind. Through this picture, the director tries to reveal that deep focus shows there is nothing between both of them. They meet like nothing ever happened and being stranger each other even in this film they had relationship in the past. The director puts the focus on the character‘s face in order to

62

Alexander Bewkes and Trey Hunsucker. College film and medi astudies.com. ―College Film and Media Studies : A Reference Guide‖. Retrieved from

32

catch Simon‘s restless on film. Emphasizing the character is also shown in the picture below when director focuses on the three of the characters who are involved in the scenes.

Picture 13 below shows the strength of the deep focus. Related to Noir film which contain violence that dominates the screen, this scene demonstrates deep focus technique combined with the high-tense situation.

picture 13 (01:15:51)

The equal focus on the three characters; Franck on the foreground, Simon and Elizabeth on the background show the pressure of this scene. The scene shows that Franck with the bleeding-nose is forced by Simon to drive the car and Elizabeth who is afraid with the situation.

From the explanation above, it can be concluded that these iconography are consistently used in Noir film like weapon, low-key lighting and deep focus. Through these, the director tries to convey the situation on the scene and let the audiences to choose which of the picture‘s detail they want freely. Deep focus technique is used according to the director‘s will because each of the directors has different purposes to use this technique in their film.

4. Narrative Events

Narrative events in Trance is about the search of the lost expensive painting,

Witches in the Air then there is a conflict between Simon (amnesia man), Franck (gang leader) and Elizabeth (femme fatale). Through five dramatic structure, narrative is revealed.

a. Exposition : The story is started when Simon works in auction house. In this part, Franck character is introduced as a gang leader who has deals with Simon.

b. Rising action : Simon and Franck work together to steal the painting but Simon loses it because his head is attacked by Franck that causes him amnesia. Because he forgets where he puts the painting, Simon is treated cruely, and gets violence by Franck cs. To heal Simon memory, Franck gives list of therapy and Simon chooses Elizabeth randomly.

c. Climax : Since the appear of Elizabeth, among Simon, Elizabeth and Franck have love-triangle affair. If Simon is with Elizabeth, it always reminds him about something at the past but he does not know. Simon is obsessive with Elizabeth, meanwhile Elizabeth and Franck have secret plan to eliminate Simon. Simon is suspicious and feels cheated then he forces Elizabeth and Franck to come with him to find the lost painting. On the car, Elizabeth reveals that at the past, she was Simon‘s therapist to heal Simon‘s gambling addiction and they had love affair. Simon was rude with her and threatened

34

Elizabeth‘s life. And when the time is coming, Elizabeth does her revenge to damage Simon‘s life.

d. Falling action : Elizabeth‘s story on the car makes Simon angered and disappointed. At parking basement, he orders Elizabeth to take the lost painting in the red car. Meanwhile, Simon burns the car when Franck is still on the car with hand-tied. Elizabeth can not accept what she is looking at and she drives a truck then hits against Simon and the burning car to a river. e. Denoument : After the accident, suddenly, Franck appears from the swimming

pool and he get messages from Elizabeth. She said that she wants the painting and she does not want to send it back to Franck because the painting means so much to her after she works hard for it.

Narrative events based on five dramatic structure conclude that : 1) Trance film

contain Neo Noir film where there are love romatic narration, 2) the character who plays their roles as amnesia man, femme fatale and a gang leader. And 3) the ending is open ending and not clear because the main character, Simon does not appears at the ending of this film and it is not known what happen with him.

5. Character

Commonly, character in film consists of human character, non-human character, non-physical character and animation. In Noir or Neo Noir, the character is human character and usually consists of amnesia protagonist and females called

femme fetale.63 This protagonist is often morally-ambiguous low-lifes from the dark and gloomy underworld of violent crime. They are obsessive, frightened and insecure

loner, struggling to survive and in the end, ultimately losing.64.

The typical of Noir character is amnesia suffered by the protagonist. In Trance, Simon as protagonist has amnesia after Franck knocked on his head.

Simon : [screaming]

Franck : Where is it?

Simon : [sobbing] i don‘t know.I‘m sorry, Franck.

Franck : You must have taken it. You must have put it somewhere

Simon : Yeah, i must have. I know i...

Franck : Well, did you or did you not?

Simon : i can‘t remember! I got hit on the head!

(00:13:14-00:13:36) The conversation above explains that Simon can not remember where he puts

the painting. Franck and Simon have make a deal to steal the painting as Simon‘s

requirement to pay his debt. The conversation: ‖ You must have taken it. You must

have put it somewhere‖ is the evidence of Simon and Franck as a team on the robbery

in auction house and Franck suggests Simon to put the painting on the place that they

have planned. Another dialogue: ―I can‘t remember! I got hit on the head!‖ is the

evidence that the knock on the head made by Franck has made him lose his memory; he cannot remember where he hid the painting, or even why he hid it. The characteristics of the characters in Noir film were obsessive, frightened and insecure loner, struggling to survive and in the end, ultimately losing. Like in the conversation

63_{―Film Noir‖. Filmsite.org.}

Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html accessed on March 2, 2015

36

below, Simon is obsessive with drugs and gambling : two things that close to criminal world and bring him to face many risks.

Simon : I used to buy drugs from Riz. That was is really. Well, the

thing is, i needed money

Elizabeth : What for?

Simon : Gambling debt. I was... I am... [laughing] addicted to

gambling

(00:31:31-00:31:50)

The dialogue above explains that Simon‘s life is close to criminal world. The

dialogue: ―I used to buy drugs from Riz‖ and ―I was...I am [laughing] addicted to

gambling‖ reveal that he used to drugs from Riz, one of Franck cs. He is even still obsessive to gambling then it causes him to have many debts. Meeting with Franck, one of the leader gangs is started when he has many debts and Riz introduces him to Franck. It can be seen in the monologue below.

Simon : ...I panicked. To various people in various ways i am in for

money i don‘t have. Never will.

The painting came in. And i know it sounds ridiculous, an

inside job, but it just seemed like the answer. I didn‘t know

any criminals so i thought Riz might. He brought me here. He introduced me to Franck. Franck cleared my debt in return for the painting. i owe him a lot of money.

(00:32:33-00:33:31) The monologue above explains that Simon owes a lot of money from Franck because Franck cleared his debt. For the return, Franck wants the painting located in Simons‘s workplace. When Simon can not to do his job well, he gets violence from

Franck cs. The main character in Noir often lured into violence65 and face many risks. He always faces violence from Franck and the gang like in the conversation below.

Franck : What did you expect? You assaulted me. I had a shotgun.

Simon, the plan was simple. All you needed to do was take the painting and bring it to me.

Simon : i know... i...

Franck : So, where is it?

Simon : I don‘t know, i can‘t remember! I can‘t remember! I‘m sorry,

I can‘t remember. Franck! [frightening]

Franck :Amnesia ‗s bollocks. Everyone knows amnesia is bollocks.

Simon : No, it‘s not [screaming]

(00:13:14-00:14:12) The conversation above is a dialogue when Simon gets violence from Franck and the gang. Because he does not do his job well, he faces many risks related to the

criminal gang; violence or tortured. The dialogue: ―I can‘t remember, Franck!

[frightening]‖ and ―No, it‘s not [screaming]‖ is Simon‘s expression while he gets violence and tortured even he said the truth.

Noir deals with promises and danger.66 The risks that Simon faces actually

sometimes threaten and make his life in dangered. Like the conversation below when Franck threatens to kill him if he does not finish the job namely giving Franck the painting.

Franck : Hey! [whistle to Simon]. You know what? I ought to kill you

Simon : Why don‘t you?

Franck : Finish the job and put me out of my misery.

Simon : And then... you can find your own fu*king painting.

(00:14:50 - 00:15:09)

65

Conard, Op. Cit., p. 27 66

38

The conversation above reveals that Franck is angry with Simon and threatens

to kill him. He loathes because Simon makes Franck‘s plan to be complicated with

his amnesia. The dialogues: ―Hey! You know what? I ought to kill you‖ is Franck‘s

madness and he will kill Simon because Simon makes Franck‘s plan to be messy.

Besides being obsessive, Simon is also frightened and insecure to Franck and Elizabeth. He thought that both of them have hidden plan to get him out of the plan. It reveals in the conversation below.

Elizabeth : Simon?

Simon : This all part of your plan, yeah?

Elizabeth : What are you talking about?

Simon : The two of you. Planing it together. Gonna get it out of me

and then dump me.

Elizabeth : Simon, will you calm down, please?

Simon : How long have you been fu*king Franck?

Elizabeth : Where did come from?

Simon : It‘s true, though, isn‘t it? You know it isn‘t. Why would

Nate lie about something like that?

(00:59:24-00:59:40)

Simon realizes that there is something wrong between three of them. The

dialogue: ―The two of you. Planing it together. Gonna get it out of me and then dump

me‖ is the evidence that Simon feels alienated from Franck and Elizabeth. The

dialogue: ―It‘s true, though, isnt‘it? you know it isn‘t. Why would Nate lie about

something like that‖ expresses frightened and insecure of Simon. He is frightened and insecure that he will be eliminated from the plan that they made.

In Noir, the females are either of two types (or archetypes) - dutiful, reliable,

tough-sweet, unreliable, irresponsible, manipulative and desperate women.67 In Trance, the female ia close to the role as the femme fetale is Elizabeth.

One of the types of femme fetale is manipulative. Like on the conversation below, Elizabeth talks to Franck about Simon and the painting. He said that Simon can bring the painting for them.

Franck : And then what happens?

Elizabeth : I give him what he wants. He is mine. And after

that, he gives me what i want. What we want.

Franck : Just like that?

(00:51:08 - 00:51:20) In the dialogue above Elizabeth is planning something with Franck to get the painting. The dialogue: ―I give him what he wants. He is mine. And after that, he gives me what i want. What we want‖ is the evidence that she has capability to

manipulate Simon. The sentence: ―He gives me what i want. What we want‖ proves

that Elizabeth wants the painting for herself, not to divide it with Franck.

Femme fatale leads into the main character‘s destruction. In Trance, Elizabeth

does it. She controls Simon‘s mind because Elizabeth has dark experience with

Simon and threaten her life.

Elizabeth : You grow close to the therapist. Too close and so you begin

affair. A strongly sexual affair... you fall in love with a kind of perfection. But then you become possessive. Suspicious. night and day you fear that you will lose her and you become jealous. You start to hate her as much as you love her. She has

to break it off but you won‘t let her go. In the end, she knows

that you will kill her [groaning]... she will take control. So, she perverts the therapy you‘ve insisted on continuing

67_{―Film Noir‖. Filmsite.org.}

Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html accessed on March 2, 2015

40

Simon : You made me forget.

Elizabeth : She makes you want to forget

Simon : But you knew. You knew i‘d come back one day

Elizabeth : Your memory is not destroyed. It is locked in a cage and with

Enough force, enough violence the lock can be broken. It Comes back the memory. Not completely. Not entirely but Enough to drive you to make you feel you have been cheated. Enough to make you angry.

(01:18:22 - 01:24:03) From the conversation above it can be concluded that the last time she meets

Simon, she controlled Simon‘s mind unconsciously. She made Simon forget her

because Simon will kill her. Elizabeth leads Simon into violence through Franck. The dialogue: ―Enough to drive you to make you feel you have been cheated. Enough to make you angry‖ is the evidence that Elizabeth is successfully lured Simon into his own destruction.

Desperate and irresponsible are revealed in the ending of the film when Elizabeth escapes and makes a video call with Franck, with on the screen the painting has been hung on the wall.

Elizabeth : Hello, Franck. It looks good... don‘t you think?

hanging on the wall. I thought it might make me think too much of him, but... instead...i think of

you. You want me to send it back, don‘t you? or sell it... and divide the money. But... you know

i can‘t do that. Not it means so much to me. Not when i‘ve worked hard for it.

(01:33:13 - 01:33:54) Elizabeth makes a video call to Franck and told that the painting is on her hand. Elizabeth is irresponsible because she brokes her promise that she made with Franck about the painting and then she decided to bring the painting for herself. The

dialogue: ―But... you know I can‘t do that. Not it means so much to me. Not when I‘ve worked hard for it‖ is the evidence that Elizabeth has awaken from her dark past with Simon and does all the thing hardly to get the painting. It is a kind of desperate woman who does anything to get what she wants.

Characters in Trance like the character of Simon, a protagonist who is lured

into violence and destruction by femme fatale who is roled by Elizabeth. The

charactersin this film represent the characters in Noir film, include Neo Noir.

6. Plot

Plot of the story is flash-back mostly eventhough in some scenes the plot is flash forward. Simon was ever involved a love affair with his therapist to heal his gambling addiction, Elizabeth, in the past. Elizabeth makes Simon to forget her and makes Simon continues his criminal activity through hypnotherapy. Flashback scenes come when Elizabeth appears while Simon gets amnesia. When Simon with Elizabeth, something always reminds him back but he does not know what it is. This plot has open ending because it still left the question about Simon who does not appear after the accident on the river and Franck who suddenly appears in his swimming pool. In typical Noir or Neo Noir plot, the main character is lured into violence and usually his own destruction by femme fatale. Same with other characters

in Noir film, in Trance, Simon always gets violence and pressure from Franck cs and

42 CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusions

I analyze Trance film by using genre convention concept by Jane Stokes to

understand how Neo Noir genre is constructed through genre convention. This

research uses structural method with Trance film as the unit of analysis. I answer the

research questions through the explanation of the pictures and texts on the film. The other sources besides the film are used to support the analysis.

Based on the analysis of convention in Trance film, the film shows a story

about the main male character, Simon, being sn amnesia man in his efforts to save the Goya‘s painting from the cruel leader of the gang, Franck. Simon was addictive to gambler and had a lot of debts. In the process to remember his memory, accidentally he met Elizabeth, a therapist who is involved in a love-affair between a therapist and a patient in his past. Elizabeth plays an important role in Simon‘s past because she controlled Simon‘s gambling addiction, manipulated Simon for going back to gambling habit, debts, and finally working together with the cruel Franck to steal the painting and finally threatening Simon‘s life.

All of the convention in Trance film; setting, location, iconography, narrative

events, characters, and plot structure contribute to the analysis of Trance as a film

with Neo Noir genre. The first is setting. Trance uses city as the background of this

film because commonly city becomes the setting in Noir or Neo Noir film. The

in Los Angeles. Urban night scenes and the flashing neon light are used in Trance because these are true domain in Noir.

The second is location, when Trance uses abandoned house and gutted house. These

places are used because both Noir and Neo Noir deal with criminal activity where action is started or is going on.

The third is iconography such as weapon, low-key lighting and deep focus. These iconography consistent are used in Noir film and usually the lighting is used to built the mood of the film.

The fourth is narrative events. The narrative events in Trance is contain Neo Noir

element love romantic narration.

The fifth is character. The character that is involved in Trance represents the

character in Noir; an amnesia man who lured into violence and to his own destruction by the femme fatale. Simon who has amnesia lured into violence world and stick

together with Franck, a leader of gang. Simon‘s life is finally destructed by Elizabeth,

the woman who has affair with Simon in the past.

The last is plot structure. Plot mostly uses flashback plot and the ending which still left the question. The main character, Simon who is lured into violence and destruction by femme fatale whois roled by Elizabeth, are typical of Neo Noir plot. B. Suggestions

The writer suggests to the other researchers to use another theory or concept,

because this film could be analyze through many theories or concepts in order to find the different analysis. For example, the other researchers can analyze the character of

44

this film. Therefore, it is hoped this research gives more contribution to all students of English Letters or all students of other universities outside who want to use this concept and theory to analyze a film.

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Anonymous. Retrieved from www.classes.yale.edu/film-analysis accessed on September 17, 2015

Bewkes, Alexander and Trey Hunsucker. College Film and Media Studies : A

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entertainment/films/reviews/film-review-danny-boyle-falls-from-an

48

in Los Angeles. Urban night scenes and the flashing neon light are used in Trance because these are true domain in Noir.

The second is location, when Trance uses abandoned house and gutted house. These places are used because both Noir and Neo Noir deal with criminal activity where action is started or is going on.

The third is iconography such as weapon, low-key lighting and deep focus. These iconography consistent are used in Noir film and usually the lighting is used to built the mood of the film.

The fourth is narrative events. The narrative events in Trance is contain Neo Noir element love romantic narration.

The fifth is character. The character that is involved in Trance represents the character in Noir; an amnesia man who lured into violence and to his own destruction by the femme fatale. Simon who has amnesia lured into violence world and stick together with Franck, a leader of gang. Simon‘s life is finally destructed by Elizabeth, the woman who has affair with Simon in the past.

The last is plot structure. Plot mostly uses flashback plot and the ending which still left the question. The main character, Simon who is lured into violence and destruction by femme fatale whois roled by Elizabeth, are typical of Neo Noir plot. B. Suggestions

The writer suggests to the other researchers to use another theory or concept, because this film could be analyze through many theories or concepts in order to find the different analysis. For example, the other researchers can analyze the character of

this film. Therefore, it is hoped this research gives more contribution to all students of English Letters or all students of other universities outside who want to use this concept and theory to analyze a film.

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