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UNDER THE SKIN (Cinematography: (hidden dash cams in the van as the alien…
UNDER THE SKIN
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Narrative:
Much of the narrative is communicated purely visually in the film, there is a lack of any dialogue.
- We can see this in the opening sequence when we are given no backstory to establish the characters or their relationship to each other.
- The relationship between the motorcyclist and the alien remains mysterious throughout and we are often left to deduct character motivation from looks alone.
- The characters in the film lack names, which makes identification with them very difficult, and challenges mainstream narrative conventions.
- Characters lack much personality in that they seem to lack emotion or thought in their actions.
Cinematography:
- hidden dash cams in the van as the alien drives around trying to pick up men.
- close-ups of Johansson’s expressionless face as she prowls the streets, which only becomes expressive as she engages with her intended victims.
- victims from a distance through hidden, short focal length cameras which capture unscripted conversations with the A-List star Johansson.
- sense of spontaneity and realism is very powerful and positions us with the alien in the van.
- long-shot as alien drags victim from the beach intensifies the sense of vulnerability and isolation of the baby who is left alone crying for its parents.
- The alien’s lack of empathy becomes more horrific later as the motorcyclist clears up the scene and ignoring the crying baby.
- traumatic final mid close-up of the distraught baby unable to walk and isolated on the beach
- creates separation from film and spectator - feelings of helplessness, destabilising feel.
In the opening sequence, we see the female alien through close-ups, establishing her character through detailed views of parts of her body. The character is literally constructed before our very eyes.
graphics/shapes - planets? an eye? - otherworldly, creates enigma
camera on motorbike - underlines their facelessness, shows their relentless, always on the move
shots which represent both male & female gaze - subverting typical feature films which usually use male gaze
body in mirror scene - female gaze as she questions herself & her body - perhaps only chance of identification with her character (females, body image etc), could make her seem less alien
Mise-en-Scene:
white van - idea of 'white van man' is subverted, woman has the power/is the predator
- outfit - awkwardly dressed, alien doesn't know what she's wearing, like a child dressing up in mum's clothes
- makeup - applies makeup after observing women in the mall, suggesting society's beauty standards for women
- enigmatic visuals in the opening sequence carry some connotations of the science fiction and horror genres.
- blinding lights and dark objects that look like planets or body parts, an eye in extreme close-up with pupil dilating.
enigma of a motorcyclist riding down an isolated road and then stopping mysteriously to retrieve a body. It's very dark and the situation/causes of it are withheld.
very bright and stark white room in which a female character undresses the body.The figures are very dark against the white background, creating an otherworldly contrast.
location
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Glasgow & highlands are isolated, suitable for alien so she can get away with her missions
Scottish environment - hostile & harsh, Glasgow = rough/industrial, has harsh social signifiers
character being in that location makes her seem more alien, doesn't fit in
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Representation
- women - still objectified, but takes role of predator
- she represents male gaze - red lipstick, low-cut top, fur coat - attractive features but outdated
- men - 1 track minded, only driven by lust
- also aggressive e.g. in scene when they attack the van
- this is subverted by Adam Pearson's character who is more gentle & doesn't feel worthy of her - he's the only one who looks 'under her skin'
- also by the guy she meets in town who takes her back to his house & gives her food/shelter
however, is reinforced again by the logger in the forest - overly-friendly, asks lots of questions, (repeats her pick-up tactics), tries to assault her & then kills her
- shows representation of women in film/media & the dehumanising effect it has
- these industries often objectify women - they are female flesh, a body, not a person
- she is the epitome of a sexual predator, a literal man eater
- she's valued for the first time beyond her appearance by the disfigured man - her character doesn't fit role of mother & outgrows role of sexual predator - has to be killed
- she is the embodiment of the hollowness of female depiction who tried to break free into a developed character, but was punished for it
displays how damaging these depictions are to real women:
- we witness her attempted rape & therefore her rejection of sexual partner role
- by dehumanising the women, Under The Skin is a wake up call to us, bombarded & numbed by the objectification of women.
- Under The Skin suggests that for a woman to be liberated , she must be inhuman
gender politics: for a woman to act this way, and get away with it, she must be alien
- femme fatale undermines patriarchal systems, testing male unity through her rare sexuality.
- femme fatale manipulates structures of human sexual selection (where man is dominant) by using her allure to 'arouse & control male desire'
- she uses her allure to subvert male hegemony
- she is built to signify sex, but is denied its pleasure
- her sexuality is commoditized to the point where her pleasure is eliminated from the scenario