For Project Brief Four, Bradley, Emily and I were assigned with the topic of Texts and Narratives. Below I analyse one of the academic sources I’ve discovered as part of our research and annotated bibliography.

Chapter sixteen of Contemporary American Cinema exhibits the use of technology in providing spectacle to the narrative of contemporary Hollywood films as well as analyse the growth of sequels from its conception throughout Hollywood Blockbusters. Therefore, the writer argues the positive implications of innovative technology to aid in delivering a new dimension to narrative, while analysing how narrative adapts to particular genre conventions. Mainly relying on expert opinion, film theory and successful blockbuster hits, the writer reiterates and defends the superficiality of CGI and its relationship with reality.

Written in the early 2000s and exploring cinema from 1990s onwards, this chapter is outdated by eleven years and the analysis of contemporary American independent films could expand on their argument. However, it highlights how audience expectations have evolved overtime through narrative and criticisms by expert opinions. Furthermore, the topic of Audience could potentially lead to side-tracking of the controlling concept. Overall, this chapter is heavily on the opinion side rather than the factual, but does provide sufficient amount of reason and logic to consistently support the argument and be relevant on the assigned topic of Texts and Narrative.

Reference: Williams, LR, Hammond, M, & Dawson, B (2005), “Spectacle and Narrative in the Contemporary Blockbuster”, Contemporary American Cinema, McGraw-Hill Education, Maidenhead, pp. 334-349, 352