Mainstream Vs Non-Mainstream Comedy

Comparing a Mainstream and a non mainstream Film

The Matrix and Bowling for Columbine

Then Matrix opens with a green Warner Brother's logo over a stormy sky. This shows the situation of the real world where the weather has been altered to stop the machines from using solar energy. The village pictures logo comes up with scrolling characters, which are supposed to be the Matrix's programme code. It suggests to the audience that they are in the Matrix. These idents show that the film had a big budget and high production values. It also reflects the science fiction genre that the film is in

The screen goes black and we see a shot of a computer screen. The green tint of the computer graphics is a lot like the early apple computers. A message appears on the screen with a mechanical sound effect. We then see the matrix code start to scroll down the screen. As an audience we see that none of the characters make any sense, as it is so busy and complex. This is much in the same way humankind are unable to see that they are linked up to a massive computer system and the code is so complex that we are unable to decipher it as a virtual reality.

We hear a telephone conversation. The narrative expectation is that the People about to speak are important characters in the film's plot. We know this as we have been waiting too long already to see a important character for there to be anyone else there. It is now that we realise that we are looking at the screen from another person's perspective.

When the phone is picked up we see the text: call Trans opt. 2-19-98 13:24:18 REC:log. This sets the date and time that the action is taking place. It also shows that the conversation has relevance to the computer.

The conversation we hear suggests that the two people talking are spying on someone. We know this as an audience because we would have heard it before in gangster, detective or police films. This is the sort of thing an audience would expect from a film noir style drama. We see the enigma code up on screen. This with the conversation suggests that they are involved in some kind of computer hacking (which we later find out is their breaking in and out of the matrix).

"Are you sure this line is clean?" this question suggests that they could be in some kind of danger. Or that they are up to something that they shouldn't be and are afraid of being caught.

The code on screen starts to show a series of numbers. This builds up tension in the film as the audience is anticipating that something will happen once the series of numbers is complete. The camera zooms into the numbers on the screen and we see that they are 3d shapes, which have many more layers of the computer code than had originally met the eye. The camera then moves forward into the number and we feel the Matrix has surrounded us. We then see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is much in the way that when Neo is awoken from the Matrix he is born into the real universe. This is a device to show the transition from one plane to the next. As we move forward we find ourselves looking at the flashlight of a policeman.

We see that he is holding a gun and strategically aiming the beam and the weapon. His college moves past with his weapon poised ready to shoot whatever may be behind the door. The low angle at which this is shot is filmed gives the police an appearance of increased power. And therefore more of a threat. The setting is very film noir. It is very gloomy and dark with the harsh light of the police's torch casting shadows around the building. When they bust through the door we see a worms eye view of the polices boot kicking the door in. This is again to increase the police's power from the audience's point of view. We see a Pov shot of the person the police are after. This puts the audience right there in the film with the action which is going on on screen. The fast movement of the camera, the suspense and the fast edits work alongside the binary opposites of dark and light in order to entertain and thrill the audience. This is common of a mainstream film, as it is important to keep an audience happy and entertained. The film needs to be popular to make up the massive budget that it cost to make the film and also to make a profit.

The police shot "Freeze! Police!" This mode of address connotes that the woman we have just seen a glimpse of is who they are looking for and is potentially dangerous but it also shows the audience that she is in danger herself.

The camera quickly pans across the police as they are stood in the doorway. This reveals that there are a number of men pointing guns at the woman. We don't get to acknowledge them as individual people because they are important as a "force" rather than individuals. This way collectively they are a much bigger threat. It also means that these people are not important and they are disposable which we see in the next action sequence when Trinity quickly despatches them. This condenses the narrative.

The camera cranes up from behind the computer the woman is sitting at to reveal the woman's face. She raises her hands up slowly we see the flashlight are back lighting her which is commonly used in shots of a female love interest as it creates a halo effect around her head. We also see from this that there are many flashlights, which obviously means there are that many people holding their guns ready to fire at her.

This is an unexpected perspective. It is completely different from the first shot of her where she seems small in her barren and empty surroundings, which also bring the viewers attention towards her.

We then cut to an exterior shot of the building. The dark city is only lit up by artificial signs and police headlights. The many cars that are there show the seriousness of the situation, as there wouldn't be so many if the matter was being taken lightly.

In Bowling for Columbine an important point is raised in that