In preparation for my own film, I decided to view Silence of the Lambs, Psycho, and Inception. I hope that by viewing these films, I can come to a more complete understanding of the Thriller/Horror film genre and apply similar concepts to my own film. To organize my thoughts on these films, I completed Blake Snyder Beat Sheets for each. This project spanned one week.
Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Directed by Jonathan Demme
Opening Image: Camera focuses on a leafless tree in a forest. The weather is foggy, murky. A woman (Clarice) is introduced.
Theme Stated: Clarise, as an FBI agent, is tasked with ascertaining information concerning a serial killer (Buffalo Bill). To do so, she must talk to Hannibal.
Set-up: Before going to the asylum where Hannibal is kept, Clarice is warned that Hannibal will attempt to "get into her head." At the asylum, despite her best efforts, Hannibal does not decide to help her.
Catalyst: An inmate in the asylum acts rudely towards Clarice.
Debate: Hannibal is not someone to be trusted, but following the inmate's rude actions, he takes pity and gives information on how to capture Buffalo Bill. Still questionable wether Hannibal's character is to be fully trusted. Hannibal's tips lead Clarice in the right direction, as she follows the hint and finds a dead body.
Break into Two: Hannibal asks for a room upgrade in the asylum in exchange for the services, but warns that Buffalo Bill will soon strike again.
B Story: Elaborately, Buffalo Bill is able to capture the next victim (the daughter of a Senator).
Fun and Games: Clarice continues her work of investigation, as she meets with experts to determine the source of an exotic moth found on the scene of the crime.
Midpoint: FBI concedes to Hannibal's demands, with condition: the Senator's daughter must be saved and Buffalo Bill caught. Hannibal adds to his demands, as he wants Clarice to reveal more information about herself.
Bad Guys Close In: As Buffalo Bill intimidates the Senator's daughter, Hannibal suggests to Clarice that Bill was turned down for a transsexual operation, which may be the source of his will to kill. The Senator, angered by the little being done to save his daughter, transfers Hannibal to another asylum.
All Is Lost: Hannibal will soon be transferred to another asylum, and she has very little leads.
Dark Night of the Soul: Clarice, without many options, reveals her innermost secret concerning the slaughter of the lambs. Hannibal, following Clarice's departure, kills the guards.
Break into Three: While Clarice investigates more leads and Buffalo Bill continues with his victim, Hannibal is able to escape the asylum.
Finale: Buffalo Bill is seen sewing the skin of the previous victim. Meanwhile, Clarice discovers a connection between the moth victim and Buffalo Bill, and follows this connection. The FBI follow a separate, false, lead from Hannibal. Clarice kills Buffalo Bill and saves the Senator's daughter.
Final Image: On a tropical island, sunny, Hannibal walks in a crowd of people.
Psycho (1960) - Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Opening Image: Sam Loomis and Marion Crane are in a bed.
Theme Stated: Marion hopes to eventually marry Sam, but does not have the money to do so. At her work, a wealthy man deposits money and Marion, given the opportunity, takes it. She feigns illness and decides to travel to Sam and get married.
Set-up: Marion takes the money from her work and goes home to pack. After driving several hours, she pulls over to sleep. The next morning, she wakes when a cop taps on her window. Marion avoids having the police officer look in the car, for fear he might find the money. Frazzled, she decides to ditch her car and trade it for a new one.
Catalyst: Marion trades her car at the dealership, and pays cash. The car dealer is skeptical. Marion also realizes the police officer had followed her.
Debate: A fateful debate... Marion decides to rest at a motel versus continuing to drive in the rain. She pulls into the Bates Motel.
Break into Two: Marion enters the motel lobby and meets Norman Bate, meanwhile her employer begins to worry about her and the customer's money.
B Story: Norman Bates asks Marion to have dinner with him, but "his mother" does not believe that would be a good idea. (The B Story is the potential love interests, terminated prematurely by one of its participants...!)
Fun and Games: As Marion takes a shower, she is stabbed to death by Norman, who immediately begins to clean the room and takes Marion's body in the car to the swamp in her car. Norman dumps the car in the swamp.
Midpoint: Lila, Marion's sister, becomes worried about Marion's absence, and decides to hire a private detective (Milton) to find her. She also decides to go to California to see if Marion is with Sam.
Bad Guys Close In: Milton tracks Marion's activity to the Bates Motel, where he questions Bates extensively. With very little to report, Milton calls Lila and decides to stay in the Motel to continue questioning Bates.
All Is Lost: Milton is attacked by "Mrs. Bates" when he returns to the house.
Dark Night of the Soul: Lila and Sam, worried that they have not heard anything else from the investigator, calls the Sheriff. The Sheriff calls the Bates to demand explanations.
Break into Three: Sam and Lila decide to personally investigate the Bates Motel. They register as a couple, then search the house for Mrs. Bates. Lila finds a dead body in the cellar, presumably Mrs. Bates. Norma, dressed as a woman, attempts to kill Lila but is stopped by Sam.
Finale: The police explain to Sam how Norman impersonates his mother out of grief.
Final Image: Marion's car being pulled from the swap; the mystery is solved.
Inception (2010) - Directed by Christopher Nolan
Opening Image: Along an active shoreline, a man with a beard begins to crawl from the waves. A couple of children build a sand castle, but as the man calls to them, they run and do not look towards him. An armed man forces the bearded man to turn around go to a mansion. In the mansion, the bearded man meets another bearded (older) man. The men speak, and it is clear the older man remembers the (younger) bearded man.
Theme Stated: The overarching theme of the movie, made clear from the lengthy opening image is to constantly question the perception of reality. "We are what dreams are made of" (The old man).
Set-up: The bearded man's name is Dom Cobb, and is found on the beach. Cobb speaks with Saito, before the entire layout is revealed to be the dream of Saito. As the dream collapses (water begins spewing from the windows) "Je ne regrette rien" begins to play. Cobb and a group of people wake up on a train. They leave Saito.
Catalyst: Saito finds Cobb and Arthur and suggests they focus on the concept of Inception. Saito wants his competitor's son (Fisher) to dissolve the competitive company.
Debate: Saito offers Cobb the ability to return to the US in exchange for the service and development of Inception. Cobb debates, then accepts the offer.
Break into Two: Cobb goes to France to find an architect to build the dream in Fisher's mind.
B Story: Ariadne (the architect) must be shown the basics of inhabiting the dreams of others.
Fun and Games: As Ariadne becomes more adept at changing the environments and situations in the dreams, she begins for formulate new concepts to trick Fisher's mind into believing it is dreaming. Cobb et al travel the world and accumulate more individuals. Since Inception relies on sedation, the team get a chemist. Saito grounds the plane of Fisher, forcing Fisher to fly commercially. Saito also buys the airline, which allows them to set up camp in the first class plane lounge. When Fisher enters, they drug him, propelling him to the next stage (sleep).
Midpoint: In the dream, Adriane and Cobb go to the hotel, the other three kidnap Fisher. Fisher's subconscious had been trained, and therefore reacts to Cobb's team.
Bad Guys Close In: Saito is shot by Fisher's militarized subconscious. Since they are sedated, if he dies in the dream his mind will go into limbo. Cobb decides to go into another dream. In the second dream, Cobb and Fisher speak, Cobb turns Fisher against his own subconscious.
All Is Lost: As the third dream phase occurs, Cobb's time is limited, and the team miss the anticipated shock that would wake them up. Cobb, at first, believes they are stuck in limbo, but realizes a second shock will occur when the van in the first dream phase reaches the water.
Dark Night of the Soul: Saito is about to die, and Mal (Cobb's wife) will go to limbo with him.
Break into Three: Cobb decides to also enter the limbo phase, in order to confront Mal.
Finale: Cobb finds Mal, while Saito sacrifices himself. Adriane kills Mal. Fisher finds his father's will, which convinces him that he should dissolve the empire. Inception is therefore achieved. The "kicks" occur, and everyone awakens.
Final Image: The token, spinning. Seeming to wobble, but always spinning.
Cut to black.
Cut to black.
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