How the movie 'Twister' fits into the Disaster Genre

The film ‘Twister’ fits into a disaster genre through its film techniques, such as action, sound effects, lighting and music to distinctively fit this film into the disaster genre. Action is a main technique because it creates suspense and overall excitement like when the twister comes racing towards the storm chasers rapidly tearing up houses and destroying power lines. This is usually the part in the film where the most problems happen to the characters. Sound effects are greatly needed because it shows how horrible and frightening the twister is. This also shows when the action is coming which creates emotion amongst the characters. The lighting in the film always gets darker when the twister approaches in the local town, with lightning in the background. This is to scare the audience and create tension because you don’t know if the characters are going to survive or not. The music in the film helps to emphasize an eminent disaster by having fast paced orchestra music which creates fear and destruction that can’t be stopped. There is slower paced music at the end of the film which tells the audience the destruction is over and many people are now safe. All these techniques help to bring the film into disaster genre rather than a drama or action genre. There are also shot techniques such as panning, high shots, low shots and close up shots which fit into the film techniques I discussed. This is used as the audience likes to see emotion in the characters which may summarise the characters. Also many shots surround the action of disaster with high and low shots of panning to show how fast paced and terrible the storm is.

Disaster Genre

·Character types - often divided into heroes and villains- there is usually a main character that saves the day or saves the day dying. In a disaster movie there is always more than one main character and they are mainly in different situations throughout a disaster. But these characters usually always meet up in the end even when they get separated.

·Narrative (structure of the story) - motivation (e.g. the reason behind the events- in a Road Movie it’s to get to a certain place for whatever reason, in a Thriller it’s to find the murderer); endings; events. - This is where the character is talking to him, but in the movie the character is actually talking towards the audience about how to save someone or get out of trouble in a disaster film. This is how the character gets ideas and also creates suspense especially when you don’t know what is going to happen.

·Settings - places where the action happens. – In a disaster film the setting is usually in the place where the action and thrill is happening, because that’s where the audience’s attention is captured. And especially in a disaster film you want to see the destruction and chaos that it causes.

·Music - sets the mood of the genre. – music is extremely important in a disaster film because it creates tension and suspense like just before a whole heap of people die or when the main character saves the day or when the disaster is coming towards a city. The music speeds up when people are in trouble or know they are going to die and when the day is saved and it’s over, the music is slow, peaceful and happy.

·Mode of transport - how the characters get from place to place. (This often takes on a symbolic meaning for the characters.) In a disaster film there are usually many modes of transports such as planes, cars, trucks and bikes because of so many people trying to escape. Since in disaster films the characters are usually running there is always more than one use of transport.

·Themes/values - main ideas being presented, the moral principles or standards being shown. – In a disaster genre themes and values are important as it tells you more about the characters and how they act in terrible situations. This also shows the main ideas in the film and how the characters deal with each situation.

·Costume/dress - what characters wear often shows them as representing a certain 'type' of person. – A character may have really nice clothes which show they have a good job and lots of money. There would be other characters which would have average jobs and poor people all determined by how they dress. Someone posh would always have a suit and a poor person, clothes that are dirty, old and second hand. In a disaster genre, there are always different costumes that show what type of person they are throughout the film.

·Objects and symbols - characters are often associated with an object; also something in the film (i.e. a symbol) may represent the characters story or the ideas in the film. – in a disaster genre a symbol of a lost one may keep a main character going and not giving up, such as a possession of a loved one or child. Also if the character is religious like a cross. There are other objects like a rose or dove to symbol peace and fire and darkness to represent hatred and death. This will represent characters feelings and create a story. Objects and symbols in a film will always lead to an idea which could cost life and death.