Antagonist Influence

Once devising a fairly strong idea in terms of the sequence narrative, the group decided what type of antagonist would fit within the context of the film. During one lesson, David and I accumulated a series of stars that would successfully influence our character…

Female Antagonist

When pondering over a female who could embody the traits of our own female antagonist, the first actress that came to mind was Jodie Foster. It universally seems she is a hard-shelled lady who is resourceful and impulsive. One could even argue she has influenced Carol Clover’s summarisation of the “final girl”- note how she is seen wearing tank tops in “The Panic Room” and wears all black in “Flight Plan”. Initial signs that tell the audience she is practical and strong-minded.

Foster’s traits would be a marvellous idea, as she could encapsulate a balance between masculine and feminine traits. In a torture scene, I can almost envision her methodically laying out the utensils upon a tray as her victim sits helpless. This generalised balance is seen in her Thriller film Flight Plan, a typical homebound mother, who sends a stranglehold upon an entire flight crew due to the loss of her daughter.
When initially evaluating the mere exterior of Foster, pre-conceived notions tell us she looks somewhat resilient and internally cold, yet there is a refined beauty that lures the audience in, or even possibly a victim?

So after careful deliberation, it appears that Jodie Foster typically stars in psychological Thrillers, ranging from Silence of The Lambs, Flight Plan and The Panic Room. Directors seem to conventionally place her in positions where she overcomes all misdemeanours, stereotyping and trepidation, resulting in an emotionally scarred human being by the conclusion. So, depsite the fact she is typically known for the protagonist roles, it seems a character embodying her traits, who is tough-skinned and forceful enough to break the conventional way we as an audience look upon women would be the way forward, thereby changing the world of cinema forever!

Male Antagonist

When toying over a generalised influence for the potential male antagonist. A wide spectrum of names arose that relate back to the subject matter of a torture scene. Both Dave and I decided that we could either follow the orthodox villain, such as Christopher Walken or Alan Rickman. Both men, in their mid-sixties, have substantial experience playing antagonist roles, in both ominous and comic films.

It does seem however, there is a small quantity of concerns that arise if our media group decides to pursue a prototype of the antagonists above. The first dilemma concerns age- locating a 50/60 year old to perform in an A-level Thriller, which seems somewhat unfeasible.

The second of course is the overriding sense of being too cliché and predictable with such an antagonist, due to their rich history of antagonist roles. Many could argue that this humdrum approach has been done many a time before, and therefore, we may need to devise an antogonist that is more refreshing for the ever-changing market.

A frequent convention seen throughout Thriller’s today is the concentration in terms of realism. Through the use of key micro elements, directors attempt to make every sequence look as genuine as possible before executing a scene, which is why maybe a youthful male protagonist with sparse dialogue and impulsive anger problems would be a good idea. Iconic antagonists that spring to mind that would work within a torture scene are Alex DeLarge from Clockwork Orange (1971 Stanley Kubrick) and Jack Torrance from The Shining (1980 Stanley Kubrick). Both antagonists are spontaneous delinquents, yet equally and fairly a part of everyday society, enhancing the reality and horror unfolding before the audience. It may also be worth noting how costume will be more straightforward if we pursue this option, as in The Shining, he wears a crimson winter jacket, while Alex and his droogs wear white jump suits and masks.