Film Theories

Todorov's Narrative Theory:Believed all stories start with an equilibrium, disruption and a resolution. Theory of Equilibrium:
1. A state of equilibrium- all is as it should be.
2. A disruption of that order by an event.
3. A recognition that the disorder has occured.
4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.
6. A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium.

Vladimir Propp's Folk Tales/ Character Types: Each character has a signified role:
1) Villian, 2) Hero, 3) Donor, 4)Helper, 5)Princess reward for the hero, 6)Father, 7)Dispatcher, 8) False hero.
Claude Levi: Staruss's Oppositions.
Roland Barthes: Action and Enigma codes
Charles Derry:Classified suspense thrillers into 6 sub types, each with a specific plot orientation:
1) The thriller of murderous passion- organised around the love triangle of husband/wife/lover. Centeral scene is generally where one is killed.
2) The political thriller- Organised around a plot to assassinate a political figure or revolution of the essential conspirational nature of governments and the oppositional acts.
3) The thriller of acquired identity- key character steals someone's identity and the consequences which follow. Usually murder.
4) The psychosomatic thriller- psychotic effect of a trauma on a protagonist's current involvement in a love affair, and a crime or intrigue. Protagonist is always the victim, generally post trauma and often of real villians who take advantage of his or her masochistic guilt.
5) Moral Confrontation- good Vs evil organised around an overt artherical between good and bad usually constructed in terms of elaborate dualties.
6)The innocent on the run- innocent victims.

Narratives
Linear narrative- when the story has a start, middle and end.
Non linear narrative- when the story line is not in a particular order.
Protagonist- the main character.
Antagonist- the villian.
Open narrative- no resolution we don't know what the outcome will be.
Closed narrative- there is a resolution, we have an expected outcome.
Restricted narration- we only see it from one point of view. Limited acess to the story.