Research: Intertextuality.

Research: Intertextuality.

 

Intertextuality: Intertextuality is a term used to describe the visual referencing between films. It is when films 'borrow' from each other; they borrow certain camera angles, aspects of mise-en-scene, snippets of sound and/or methods of editing, and as the audience we recognise some of these things.

There are some very iconic and well know pieces of intertextuality; one of the most well know ones is the famous shower scene from 'Psycho'. Various films have 'borrowed' from Psycho such as: 'The stepfather' and 'What lies beneath you'.
This is the famous shower scene from 'Psycho':
 

 

 

 

The Stepfather:

The stepfather is one of the films who have 'borrowed' from Psycho. It has used the same camera angles; when the camera focuses on a certain object(the piece of broken mirror). It also uses the same mise-en-scene; the shower curtain is the same clear white colour as the one is Psycho and it is ripped off the rain when the man falls into the bath and dies, which is exactly what happens in psycho.

What lies beneath you:
What lies beneath you is also another film that has 'borrowed' from Psycho. There is a scene when a woman who is dyeing is placed in a bath tub with the water running. There is also a high angle shot from above the shower looking down at the women, as it does in Psycho.

Intertextuality could influence my own thriller film because if i 'borrowed' from a well known film and used some of the camera shots or mise-en-scene the audience would instantly recognise it and want to watch it.