Genre Essay: Fantasy
One of the most prevalent conventions that take place in
fantasy films is the use of ‘Good vs. Evil’. This is shown in the trailer for ‘Chronicles
of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ when it introduces the
character of the White Witch and the trailer seems to move into a darker tone
with shadows and fire. It introduces the idea of danger in Narnia and something
evil that is trying to take over. The words “A destiny will be fulfilled” and
the shot of the male lead character, Peter, unsheathing a sword connotes that
he will lead a fight to stop the evil witch. This enforces the idea of ‘Good
vs. Evil’ and ‘Freedom vs. Domination’ which takes place in so many other
fantasy films like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings.
Another convention that is used in the plot is the idea of
the ‘Underdog vs. The Aggressor’. This is shown in the trailer for ‘Chronicles
of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ when it shows the battle
against the white witch when the children are forced to lead a battle against
her.
Another convention commonly used in films belonging to the
Fantasy genre is the use of magic. The magic element is shown through the
characters of Aslan, the lion and The White Witch. Magic in fantasy is used to
show contrast between the ‘magical’ world and the ‘real’ world.
In most fantasy films the setting is that of a lush, green countryside
reminiscent of that of the English country. This has been used as early as the
Lord of the Rings, which has cast many of its places of importance in valleys
of rolling green such as the shire. This setting is also used in films such as
Eragon and The Hobbit.
A medieval setting is also a common convention used in
fantasy films. It is shown in this trailer when the battle takes place and all
of the weaponry looks similar to those used by the Saxons. This is used
throughout the range of fantasy films as it created a larger gap between the
magical and real worlds. It is also
linked back to the tolkienesque literature, which drew on the old English mythology
and legends of the Vikings and the Saxons. It creates a contrast to the vast technological
advancements of the modern day.
Another frequent convention used in fantasy films is the
presence of an old advisor. This old soothsayer character is mostly used to
guide the young hot-headed character to be more wise and to think about his
actions before he makes a move. Most of the time this old man will be in the
form of a wizard. This trope has been used throughout the vast collection of
fantasy films. Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings, Dumbledore in Harry Potter. In
this trailer the wise character seems to be in the form of Aslan the lion.
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