The Crazies Q&A

The Crazies

1. Does The Crazies follow the CHN? Why or why not?

No, because with the classical Hollywood narrative theory the film would begin with an equilibrium, which is then disrupted by a disequilibrium and eventually over come with the problem solved and a new equilibrium is stored at the end of the film. With The Crazies the very beginning of the film we are shown a flashback to two days before the film starts where there is a building on fire. This means there is going to be a big event which will take place in two days to come. 

2. How many of Propp's character types can be identified in the film?

The villain's would be the zombies who were ordinary people but after the disease hits them they become zombies. Other villain's could also be the army who are killing some innocent town's people who haven't been effected by the disease yet. The hero our main protagonist is David the Sheriff- he tries to protect his wife, deputy Sheriff and a girl called Becca as they try to get out of the town safely. The donor would be Russell as he sacrifices his life to save David and his wife, he knows the disease has hit him and therefor tells the couple to run whilst he distracts the soldiers which leads to the couple getting away safely and Russell being killed. 

3. List five examples of binary oppositions in the film and explain them briefly. 

Some binary oppositions which are apparent in the film is Good/Evil. Good being the people who are still alive and haven't caught the disease yet and Evil being the zombies. The soldiers could be under either or category- they are trying to kill the zombies, but are also killing local people to try and wipe out the disease before it spreads. Humans/Zombies is the main binary opposition in the film, it's a fight to see if the humans can get away from Zombies and kill them in order to survive. Known/Unknown would be that the survivors do not know what is going on, they don't know how the disease has started but they do know that it is to do with the plane that crashed in the water which they were all drinking. Normal/Strange the normal part doesn't last long- it's the town before it's taken over by Zombies, everything is normal until a man named Rory is turned first and he brings a gun out on to the baseball pitch- then more and more people start turning. Male/Female is my final binary opposition for the film. The men are portrayed as being brave, strong and in charge in The Crazies. All of the soldiers
we see are men and the majority of the Zombies are too, also the main characters including David and Russell are the ones who are taking action and the two women Judy and Becca are crying and hugging whilst they journey to get out of the town.

4. Identify the three 'durations' and give an estimate of the time each duration covers.

The three different durations of the film run over 92 minutes of the film screening time. The plot duration is over a three day period, at the beginning of the film we're shown a future scene two days before and it shows the town on fire. The three days is from when we see the first sign of the infection (Rory) to the ending of the film where David and Judy are walking to the next town. The story duration would of most likely taken years. The main story of the disease would of taken a while for it to hit the town and we don't know how long the plane has been in the river for, it would of then taken a while for the disease to function and spread amongst the town. 

5. Give two examples of events that cause later events in the film but which occur before the film 'starts'. 

The fire- in the opening scene we see a house on fire and can see the rest of the town also on fire. We haven't been introduced to any characters as of yet and then it jumps back to '2 days earlier' so we have a clue how the ending of the film is going to happen. We also do not see the spreading of the disease in the town, we don't see how Rory (the first character with this virus) gets ill or how it's passed on, so therefor we have no clue until we carry on watching the film.

6. List two events from the 92 minute film that happen in a different time and space to the one we are shown.

The plane crash- this happens before the time in which we're taken into the film. We do not see the plane crash or know anything about it until David and Russell find it whilst out in a boat on the river. The ending of the scene also- we are shown a news report about the next town David and Judy are walking towards that it is going to be blown up, although we are not shown this. It's in the future as they have not yet got to the town yet and we do not see them go through it.