RM - Super 8 Deconstruction

Theatrical release poster

Title: Super 8
Director: J. J. Abrams
Release Date:  2011
Budget: $50,000,000
Takings:  $127,004,179 (USA)

                  

Paramount
Amblin Entertainment
Bad Robot


 

Ttle screen

Eerie music starts as the producer and distribution idents start. Non-diegetic noise – sounds like an old cinema projector and type – title of film also appears on the same screen similar to how it would be projected. – Makes a ticking noise and light goes – out of film? Eerie noise still remains.

Establishing shot of a busy warehouse – days since last accident: 784 significance – signifies an accident is about to take place or has? (Pictured to the left) Person is lifted into frame as the shot pans from a long shot to a close-up as this happens the person removes all the numbers from the billboard – replaced by the number 1 (Pictured to the right).  Significance – will there be a flashback to reveal what has happened. Music changed from eerie to sad.

A secondary establishing shot

An example of a close-up

Jump cut to another establishing shot this time of a small housing estate focusing on one house. A police car is parked on the drive – signifies something has happened – relation to the safety sign? Person on the right on his own on the swings – someone related to what has happened? Cuts to the person of the swings (close-up medium angle) holding a necklace – further anchorage something has happened also the person is in full black clothes signifies funeral? Shot pans up to reveal his face non-diegetic talking starts about the boy on the swing – jump cut to where the talking is taking place which is inside a house, the shot is a group shot two of them are in focus signifies mum and dad or guardians? Mood in the house is depressed everyone wherein black clothes – funeral aspect again – is anchored by characters talking about a girl dying. Focus changes from the parents to four of his friends all thinking about them binary opposite to guardians (?) who are worried about their son. One talks about creating a film – signifies what is to come?

Both of these shots are group shot but contain binary oppositions.

Woman dead is in fact the boy’s mother anchored through dialect. Jump cut back outside to another binary opposite between the depressed boy who is interested in what the man is doing and the adult male who ignores the boy. Followed by an argument – the focus is still on the depressed boy. Several panning shots and shot-reaction-shot of the boy and the fight which has just broken out outside as the male who just entered is being forced outside. Forced into a police car – relation to the victim – followed by “Joseph I’ll be home soon” – further signifies?

An example of a close-up, low angle shot.

A panning shot which pans behind
the protagonist

Cuts to another panning shot behind the boy followed by a low angle close-up of the boy – normally signifies power however this time used to give the opposite effect. Closes the necklace in his hand screen goes black noise echoes out. Anchorage of time passed through text reading “Four Months Later”.

Anchorage that time has past.

A third establishing shot used

Anchorage of the time of year

Music starts completely different to the two previous types of music at the start. Establishing shot of a school then screams of joy are heard. Time set in a binary opposite of the last scene – summer vs. winter. Panning shot with a sign saying “Have a Great Summer” is further anchorage. Shot jumps back to the boy now at school meeting his friend – talking about a new scene for a movie – reference to what the same boy said in the previous scene – continue to do so.

Intertexual reference -
Halloween poster

More intertextual references -
a poster from the "of the dead" series

Jump cut to someone being attacked by a zombie – the same noise as was in the titles – film being projected onto a screen. Film looks like it’s a low or zero budget film – camera pans to reveal the main protagonist in shot. Shot changes to a two-shot – Intertextual reference to Halloween and a film which is part of “of the dead” franchise through posters. Binary opposite between how the director of the movie talks to his parents and his friend.

An over the shoulder, two shot which
includes the male gaze theory.

Panning shot of his family in the dining room – focus is on the blond – male gaze theory comes into play also blonde signifies scream queen? A lot of skin can be seen on the girl further signifies scream queen. All shots in this sequence pan. Shot-reaction-shot between the protagonist’s friend’s mum and the protagonist himself followed by another one but this time instead the protagonist’s friend’s dad instead of mum. Both offering him a place to stay – signifies what could happen? 

Scene finished: 6:45


Imdb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1650062/
Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_8_(film)