Genre Essay- Barbarella (1968)

The trailer I chose to analyse is a 1968 science-fiction film, Barbarella.Starring Jane Fonda and directed by Roger Vadim.The films genre is science fiction.The film was at first was a box office and criticall failure until its re-release in 1977 as Barbarella:Queen of the Galaxy. Jane Fonda was offered a role that launced her career after Sophia Loren and Brigette Bardot had both turned it down.

Plot- Barabarella is a 41st century astronaunt who lands on planet Lythion.She was sent to retrive Durand Durand, an evil scientists who is threatning the safety of the universe.on her journey she teams up with blind angel Pygar and battles an evil queen.Based on  the french comic.

The first shot is a close up of  gloves being removed,then as the shot continues a woman is removing a spacesuit this immediatly gives away the genre of the film.It then cuts to a long shot of a woman floating in a room.This shot is the first to not be close up so far.The lighting appears to be darker in the background and lighter around the character herself to focus the audiences attention just on her.A line of diolouge is used 'meet the most beautiful creature of the future' adding to the clues of a sci-fi genre.In just one scene the genre is already and is only focused on the character (Jane Fonda).A monatge is used of just Fonda's character in different scenes showing the story reveolves around her and that we are supposed to identify with her.She is in the next 10 shots from different scenes as voice over/narration is used .the only time she isnt in a shot is went there are two spaceships approaching from a long shot,the lighting is dull and dark.Before this Barabarella is being carried by a flying character as she is holding a weapon/gun.the shot of the two characters then disorientates and starts to spin round until she fires.there is then an exlosion in which the only bright light has come from so far.sound effects have comes from these layered on top of dramatic, fast paced music.
Throughout the trailer there are many different close ups of all of the characters but mainly of Jane Fonda's character.This forces us to identify and ocnnect with her as the only lead.Barbarella's costumes and props add to the mise-en-scene of  a sci-fi genre.Her costumes and props/gadgets have a futuristic look to them.
this is also shown through space crafts and the establishing shots.
In the trailer non-diagetic sound is used through voiceover/narration and soundtrack music.
Diagetic sound is also used through sound fx.This could be when there is a gun being fired or an explosion or even a line of dialouge from Barberella.
Iconography of a sci-fi genre is shown mainly through mise-en-scene particularly through costumes.for example the use of aliens/mythical creatures in a science fiction film.it is also shown through the futuristic props used,space setting, and sound fx of explosions.
considering a functional appraoch of binary oppositions.One binary opposition I considered for Barbarella was good vs evil as she encounters villians on her journey but also people willing to help her.