sci fi

2. CODES AND CONVENTIONS
This film is along the genres of science fiction due to the fact that the
film have introduced the theme of zombies and the what if question
off, “turning the dead into the living "Throughout the film different
questions are asked about a fantasy world.

3. PROMOTION INFORMATION
The film poster denotes a middle age woman standing in the middle
off the film poster, on top of the main tittle. Both are presented as red
which easily catches the audiences eyes due top the fact that red is
one of the little colours displayed on the poster. The red connotes a
dark nature hidden inside the film, this would most likely get
audiences coming up with different conclusions on what the film is
about. The poster also effectively sells the film because the face
behind the woman would also add other questions which would
consequently lead target audiences on to watching the film.
Additionally judging by the expression of the lady, she is completely
oblivious to what is behind her. This helps sell the film because the
poster contains many elements of thrill that is stimulated from
different aspects like the tittle or the popular film studio “WARNER
BROS”

4. Although every movie studio was obligated to jump upon the 1930s horror bandwagon, not all
of them were equally suited to the task. It is an exciting fact that the two studios most
logically distinct from one another, MGM and Warner Bros. Also the two that experienced the
most difficulty in abusing this new and unexpected film trend. These two studios were, of
course, also the two to bear most distinctly the imprint of their heads, Louis B. Mayer and Jack
Warner. MGM at this time specialised in glossy, star-heavy, “prestige” films; Warners, in
socially conscious tales whose constant realism copied a certain amount of criticism upon
their makers, and in gritty, cynical crime dramas that drew even more. Both studios, in their
own way, specialised in the real world; neither had any feel for, or liking for, the gruesome
efforts that were bringing in the box office for rival outfits such as Universal and RKO. Yes it
was a successful movie because it was 13th greatest movie of all time even today.

5. The main 3 characters are Boris Karloff (John Ellman), Ricardo
Coetwz (Nolan) and Edmund Gwenn (Dr. Beaumont).

6. NARRATIVE:
• AN EX-CONVICT'S ATTEMPT TO REFORM IS THWARTED BY THE A CROOKED LAWYER AND
MOBSTERS WHO MURDER THE JUDGE WHO CONVICTED HIM AND MAKE IT LOOK AS IF HE
DID IT. THOUGH THE EVIDENCE IS PURELY CIRCUMSTANTIAL, HE IS PROMPTLY RETURNED TO
PRISON AND SENTENCED TO DEATH. SHORTLY AFTER HE IS FRIED IN THE ELECTRIC CHAIR,
HIS INNOCENCE IS REVEALED. A SCIENTIST CLAIMS HE KNOWS HOW TO BRING THE DEAD
BACK TO LIFE. THE AUTHORITIES ALLOW THEM TO EXPERIMENT UPON THE DECEASED
CONVICT. THE OPERATION IS A SUCCESS, THE CONVICT HAS A TRULY MONSTROUS LOOK
AND BEHAVES MUCH LIKE A ZOMBIE, A ZOMBIE WHO ESCAPES FOR VENGEANCE.

7. INSTITUTION:
• THE FILM WAS MADE IN THE US BY WARNER BROS
• BUDGET: $217,000
• BOX OFFICE: $300,000
• THE MAIN TREND IN SCI-FI FILMS WAS THE THEME OF MAD SCIENTISTS TRYING
TO REVIVE LIFE (FRANKENSTEIN, JAMES WHALE, 1931)

8. THE 1930S (CONTEXT)
• THIS WAS THE DEPRESSION ERA FOLLOWING THE WALL STREET CRASH IN 1929;
THERE WAS CONTINUED MASS IMMIGRATION (MAINLY EUROPEANS FLEEING
POVERTY AND PERSECUTION)
• FILMS WERE CHEAP AND EASY TO FOLLOW FOR THOSE WHO SPOKE LITTLE
ENGLISH
• TECHNOLOGY BROUGHT THE MEANS FOR MASS ENTERTAINMENT
• SCIENCE FICTION FLOURISHED IN PULP FICTION NOVELS AND COMICS (SUCH AS
BUCK ROGERS)
• THE SCI-FI GENRE STRUGGLED TO ESTABLISH ITSELF WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN A-
FEATURES

9. THE HOLLYWOOD FILM
INDUSTRY
• THIS WAS THE FIRST DECADE OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD
• NOT MANY FILMS COMPANIES SURVIVED THE WALL STREET CRASH- SOME
SURVIVED AND OTHERS AMALGAMATED TO FORM 8 LARGE STUDIOS:
• THE BIG FIVE: PARAMOUNT, MGM, 20TH CENTURY FOX, WARNER BROS & RKO
• THE LITTLE THREE: UNIVERSAL, COLUMBIA AND THE FINANCIER/DISTRIBUTOR UNITED
ARTISTS
 Warner Bros were the first company to introduce sound to their features
(however the sound was bad quality) 0

10. SCI-FI 1930’S TIMELINE
1935 Once in a New Moon Anthony Kimmins
1939 The Phantom Creeps Ford I. Beebe, Saul A. Goodkind
1930 The Voice from the Sky Ben F. Wilson
1931 Frankenstein James Whale
1932 Six Hours to Live William Dieterle
1933 King Kong Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
1933 Ein Unsichtbarer geht durch die Stadt Harry Piel
1934 Die Welt ohne Maske Harry Piel
1936 Flash Gordon Frederick Stephani
1937 Non-Stop New York Robert Stevenson
1938 The Secret of Treasure Island Elmer Clifton
1939 Buck Rogers Ford I. Beebe, Saul A. Goodkind

11. SCIENCE FICTION FILM AND HOLLYWOOD
1895-1920’S
 THE NINETEENTH CENTURY WAS A TIME OF ENORMOUS TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND STEADY URBANISATION.
 IN THE 1920’S ROCKET SCIENCE WAS DEVELOPING IN MANY COUNTRIES.
 IN 1926 1926 AMERICAN ROBERT GODDARD SUCCESSFULLY PROJECTED THE FIRST LIQUID FUELLED ROCKETS, IN THE SAME YEAR HUGO
GERNSBACK FOUNDED THE MAGAZINE AMAZING STORIES REFLECTING SCIENCE FICTION’S NEW EMPHASIS ON FUTURISM, OTHER WORDS AND
ENTERTAINMENT.
 THE FIRST MOVING PICTURES ON FILM PROJECTED ON TO SCREEN WERE PRODUCED AND EXHIBITED FIRST BY THE LUMIERE BROTHERS IN
FRANCE IN 1895.
 THE AMERICAN FILM INDUSTRY BEGAN IN FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY ON THE EAST COAST.
 THE EUROPEAN FILM INDUSTRY ALMOST COLLAPSED DURING WORLD WAR 1 (1914-18) WHICH LEAD TO AMERICAN DOMINATION.
 FRANCE: AUDIENCES ENJOYED THE NEW SPECTACLE OF MOVING PICTURES SUCH AS A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902) THE FIRST FEATURE FILM AT 21
MINUTES LONG AND IMPOSSIBLE VOYAGE (1904)
 GERMANY: METROPOLIS (1926) WAS DIRECTOR FRITZ LANG’S NIGHTMARE FUTURE SET IN 2026. WHICH SET A NEW IMAGINATIVE STANDARD
FOR SCIENCE FICTION FILMS.

12. 1930’S
 THIS WAS THE DEPRESSION FOLLOWING THE WALL STREET CRASH OF 1929 AND A TIME OF CONTINUED IMMIGRATION.
 SCIENCE FICTION FLOURISHED IN PULP FICTION NOVELS AND SYNDICATED COMICS SUCH AS BUCK ROGERS AND FLASH GORDON.
 RADIO ALSO PRODUCED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SCIENCE FICTION EVENT OF THE DECADE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1938)
 THIS WAS THE FIRST DECADE OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD.
To the moon
Metropolis