Nonlinear Narratives

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODS This chapter details the method of analysis in this research. The narratology, the definition of narratives, the basic elements and components of narratives, the differences and salient features of both non linear and linear narratives were were unde unders rsto tood od.. Base Based d on the the lite litera ratu ture re and and for for the the purp purpos oses es of this this rese resear arch ch I plan plan to stud study y the the proc proces ess s of rese resear arch ch and and deve develo lopm pmen ent, t, the the elements that compose non linear narratives through the analysis of a three films from different directors in a chronological order. Though there are numerous non linear films I have chosen Don’t Look Now (1973), Pulp Fiction (1994) and 21 Grams (2003) for the purpose of the study. These films have been chosen for certain reasons. The film Don’t Look Now can be termed as a masterpiece from the director while the film Pulp Fiction is considered to be an influential film. It can be safely said that Pulp Fiction created a new genre of non linear films. The film 21 Grams stirs up so much emotion in the audience which can never be matched by any other film of its times. The film is noted for its brilliant star cast and techniques. Based on the analysis I would comprehend how the characteristics of non linear linear narrat narrative ives s are used in these these films. films. I would would also also analys analyse e how nonlinea linearit rity y emer emerge ged d in fict fictio iona nall film films s and and what what were were the the main main caus causes es and and influences of its appearance. I will also focus on the development of the elements of nonlinearity and the expansion of this type of narration based on these films. I will examine the style and learn the main characteristics that make nonlinear  narrat narrative ive so distin distincti ctive ve throug through h a profou profound nd resear research ch of the autho authors rs and directors who used the nonlinear technique in the films. I also intend to verify

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NON LINEAR NARRATIVES: HERALDING A REVOLUTION IN FICTIONAL FILMS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.

ABSTRACT-------------------------------------------------------------ABSTRACT-------------------------------------------------------------- 1

2. CHAPTE CHAPTER R 1: INTROD INTRODUCT UCTION ION 1.1.

Background Information ---------------------------------------6

1.2.

Rationale of Research -----------------------------------------7

1.3.

Research Question ---------------------------------------------8

1.4.

Objectives of Research-----------------------------------------8

1.5.

Conclusion --------------------------------------------------------8

3. CHAPTE CHAPTER R 2: ACADEM ACADEMIC IC CONT CONTEXT EXT 2.1. Narratology-----------------------------------------------------------9 2.2. What is Narrative? -------------------------------------------------9 2.3. Elements of Narrative----------------------------------------------9 2.4. Components of Narrative -----------------------------------------10 2.5. Cinematic Narrative ------------------------------------------------13 2.6. Factors that Sustain the Interest of Viewers in Films ------15 2.7. Elements of a Film Narrative -------------------------------------16 2.8. Narrative in Fictional Films ----------------------------------------17 2.9. Narrative Devices ---------------------------------------------------18 2.10. Classical or Linear Narrative ------------------------------------18 2.11. 2.11. Post Modernism and Non Linearity ------------------- ---------19 2.12. Non Linear Narratives----------------------------------------------20 2.13. Linear Vs. Non Linear Narratives in Fictional Films---------21 2.14. Issues in Non Linear Narratives ---------------------------------23 2.15. Non –Linear Editing -------------------------------------------------25 4.

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODS--------------------------------28 METHODS --------------------------------28

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5. CHAPT CHAPTER ER 4: ANA ANAL LYS YSIS IS 4.1. Don’t Look Now---------------------------------------------------------30 4.2. Pulp Fiction---------------------------------------------------------------33 4.3. 21 Grams-----------------------------------------------------------------37 Grams-------------------------------------------------------- ---------37

6.

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION----------------------------------------------40 CONCLUSION ----------------------------------------------40

7.

LIST OF REFERENCES----------------------------------------------------44 REFERENCES ----------------------------------------------------44

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS:

Figure 1: Suspense –Arc and its five act structure-----------------15

Figure 2: Elements of a Narrative---------------------------------------16

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1. 1.1.

Back Backgr grou ound nd Inf Info orm rma atio tion:

Cinema is a medium through which numerous people shared fictional or non fictio fictiona nall stor storie ies. s. In simp simple lerr word words s cine cinema ma cate catere red d to a larg larger er sect sectio ion n of  popula populatio tion n replac replacing ing the storyt storytell eller er with with techno technology logy and manipu manipulat lated ed the viewer’s response to the story (Lindroos, 1999, p.3). Films revolutionized story telling as it was possible to destruct time scales and reconstruct them in any order. The viewer’s perception of the story changed. Cinema offered the viewer a newer form of spatial and temporal experience (Lindroos, 1999, p.4). Tom Gunning in his essay ‘The non-continuous of early film’ talks about early cinema and its contribution to film history. ‘The challenge that early cinema offe offers rs to film film hist histor ory y is a sear search ch for for a meth method od of unde unders rsta tand ndin ing g the the transformations in narrative form in cinema’s first decades; a method that maintains as awareness of early film’s difference from later practices, without defending if simply as relation of divergence from a method of continuity’ (cited by Elsaessar, Elsaessar, 1990, p.86). In his book Manovich emphasises the influence that ‘new media’ has upon film and conseq consequen uently tly how things things can be modified modified..

He argues argues that “new

media media abando abandons ns this this “human “human-ce -centr ntred” ed” repres represent entati ation on altoge altogethe therr – to put repres represent ented ed time fully under under human human control. control.

Time is mappe mapped d onto onto two-

dimensiona dimensionall space, space, where it can be managed, managed, analysed analysed and manipulated manipulated more easily” (Manovich, 2000, p.51).

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