Codes and Conventions between two Films

In this article, I will be analysing the different narrative codes and conventions of two films in
different genres. The films that I will be using will be Taken, an action film, and The Amityville
Horror, a horror film. I will compare the strategies that the directors use to reach the intended genre
and I will analyse the elements of the films, which attract their audience.

A similarity between the films is that the story picks up pace during the duration of the film, this is
because there is a lot happening in a short space of time, this engages the audience of both films
because of the nature of the films and how fast they are progressing.

The Amityville Horror is a film based on real events. Based in the 1970s, the film focuses on a house
where the mass murder of a family, committed by Ronald Joseph, a member of the family. The film
looks through the eyes of a family who moved in 18 months after the murders, the family stayed in
the house experiencing a string traumatic events which led them to flee the house just 29 days after
moving in. The Amityville Horror uses point of view (POV) narrative throughout the film, this is
because it is a true story through the perspective of the people who it effects; this is different to the
traditional point of view narrative structure which uses the perspective of one individual. The
director does this for the attention to detail that it creates to emphasise that it is a true story.

The film Taken is a fictional story about a former CIA agent’s daughter being abducted by lethal sex
traffickers. Although the film is of a fictional nature, the plot of the film may relate to events that
happen in reality, this relates to the inspiration of the setting. Unlike the Amityville Horror, the
narrative of Taken is closed, this is identifiable by the conclusion of the film, there is a secure ending
where the antagonists are defeated and daughter is rescued by the father (The Hero). The end of the
Amityville Horror is arguably an open narrative, this is because there is no defined conclusion of
what happened to the family after they abandon the house; the end scene concludes with written
details towards the effect that traumatic events had on the family.

The exposition of the film is calm, there are very little events happening, the father sees his daughter
to the airport. The scene then links to when his daughter gets off of the plane, during this scene
there are aspects of the multi-stranded narrative, this is where there are two different stories
happening at once, the daughter is in Paris and the father is in Los Angeles. The film then goes into
the rising action, in this scene there is a technique called “in media res” this is where a significant
part of the story is happening. In The Amityville Horror, the raising action and the climax uses a
series plot twists, used to shock the audience and to keep the story developing.

The film Taken uses violence, pride and determination themes in the film, this makes the film fit into
the genre intended by the director, action. These themes also separate the film from other genres
such as horror or thrillers. The way a director or producer of a film and its themes evaluates the
target audience. The director of The Amityville Horror uses violence, anger and sinister elements in
the film to make it a horror/thriller.