This week’s lecture was about “Narrative”, which I think is one of the most interesting things to study in media.
The seven basic plots points was a highlight of the lecture, as it is nearly impossible to find a single narrative media text that does go by this seemingly simple basic plot line.
The seven basic plots:
-Overcoming the monster
-Rag to riches
-The quest
-Voyage and Return
-Comedy
-Tragedy
-Rebirth
In all these examples, I cannot help but think of novels that relate to this. As I am more of a fan of fictional novels, I could not think of a story that isn’t vaguely related to the seven basic plot points. I was very impressed of this (essential) summary into story telling.
The readings of this week Eco reading of this week. I think that novels that turned into films are sometimes a great achievement to cinema, or an utter failure as a film. I have not seen Casablanca, nor have I read the play of it, so I cannot comment on it. I can relate this to a film that I have seen in media studies in high school. Charles Laughton’s 1955 film, The Night of the Hunter is viewed as one of the best American films to be created. However, it was based on a novel by the same name by Davis Grubb. Grubb offered many suggestions to the film which were used during the production of the film, which help created a wonderful film that was heavily inspired by the novel. However, The Night of the Hunter was remade into an American TV made in the 1990s, which was panned by critics and did not follow the plot lines by the 1955 film nor the novel itself. I do agree with Eco in saying that a cult following is helpful in the success of a film that adapts from a novel, and I also agree with the author of this text in saying that the film should not stray from the world that has been created in the novel.