In the 2014 FM2 British and American Film paper, one of the questions for Section C: American Film - Comparative Study asked candidates to discuss the films' closing sequences in relation to the films as a whole.
This type of question, where you will be asked to discuss key scenes, is not unusual and it is important that you know a couple of scenes from each film in detail. You must be able to relate your chosen scenes to your wider discussion of the films' respective institutional contexts, themes, genre and narrative structure.
In the previous post I have outlined how the films' opening scenes relate to the films as a whole, reflecting the fact that Ocean's Eleven is a mainstream Hollywood movie that strictly conforms to the narrative pattern that audiences would expect to find in a heist movie, whilst Reservoir Dogs (as an independent, low-budget film) deviates from this pattern considerably.
Below, I have included the films' closing scenes, alongside analysis of the ways in which these scenes reflect the films' respective institutional contexts. You could be asked to discuss either the opening or closing scenes - or, the exam board may use the term 'key scenes' (in which case, a discussion of either the opening or closing scenes would be fine). Remember to start by focusing your discussion on the scenes you have been asked to discuss before opening your discussion out to incorporate the films as a whole. You are not required to talk solely about the chosen scene BUT you must make detailed reference to it (particularly in your introduction and conclusion), before discussing the influence that the films' institutional contexts have on the films' presentation of the three act structure.
As is typical of a mainstream Hollywood movie, Ocean's Eleven ends on a positive note. The aftermath also comes in the third act of the film (where audiences would expect it to be) rather than dominating the majority of the narrative, as it does in Reservoir Dogs. In a heist movie, the aftermath can either be positive (with the robbers getting away with the loot - typical in mainstream Hollywood versions of the genre, like Ocean's Eleven) or negative (with the robbers getting caught or killed - more typical of independent versions of the genre, such as Reservoir Dogs). In this sense BOTH films, it could be argued, confrom to audience expectations - once we factor in that Ocean's Eleven is a Hollywood movie and Reservoir Dogs is and independent film). What is unusual about Reservoir Dogs with regards to the third act, is that the aftermath does not appear at the end of the film - instead, it becomes the focal point of the film rather than the heist itself (which we do not even see).
As non-diegetic, upliftingly positive music plays, we witness the SWAT van arrive back at the warehouse where Ocean's crew have been planning the robbery. We witness each member of the crew walk out of the warehouse towards the huge fountain outside the Bellagio casino - their figure behaviour is relaxed and their facial expressions reflect the fact that the robbery has been a success. As they stand around the casino, they silently reflect on the success of the job, before leaving one-by-one. We also witness Tess walking purposefully out of the casino, leaving Terry Benedict behind, as she makes her way towards Danny, who is being placed into a police car. This element is crucial - and typical of the ending of mainstream Hollywood films. In the opening scene, Danny Ocean was established as the film's central protagonist and we were made aware of his goals: robbing the casinos and winning his wife back. The ending of the film reinforces these ideas, showing the protagonist achieving both of his goals - as audiences would expect from a mainstream Hollywood film.
Even the epilogue, tagged onto the end of the film (which sees Danny released from prison after serving a few months for breaking the terms of his parole), conforms to the narrative pattern audiences might expect from a Hollywood movie - it confirms that Danny has won his wife back (she is waiting in the car for him as Rusty picks him up from prison) and also sets up the sequel to the film as we witness two of Benedict's men tailing Rusty's car as it drives off. The most important point to make, however, is the fact that the heist ends successfully and that the aftermath element of the heist genre's narrative structure appears where it should do - in the third act of the film.
In comparison, the closing scene of Reservoir Dogs involves a shootout involving Mr White, Nice Guy Eddie, Joe and Mr Orange - a shootout that leaves all of those involved in the heist dead (with the exception of Mr Pink - though the sound of gunfire outside the warehouse suggest that he, too, is killed). The point to make here is not that the film necessarily ends unconventionally (particularly for a less family-friendly, independently produced version of the genre) but that the aftermath element of the narrative dominates the whole film - with only flashbacks to some of the moments of preparation and planning and an absence of the heist itself. Unlike a mainstream Hollywood film, Reservoir Dogs ends with the the characters not achieving their goals - the heist is unsuccessful - and ends with the deaths of the main protagonists - including Mr Orange, the undercover cop, whose goal it was to successfully infiltrate the gang.
Just remember, if you are discussing the aftermath in detail, you should make reference to other scenes in Reservoir Dogs - there are many to choose from, all of which would be suitable when making the point that the aftermath dominates the film.
This type of question, where you will be asked to discuss key scenes, is not unusual and it is important that you know a couple of scenes from each film in detail. You must be able to relate your chosen scenes to your wider discussion of the films' respective institutional contexts, themes, genre and narrative structure.
In the previous post I have outlined how the films' opening scenes relate to the films as a whole, reflecting the fact that Ocean's Eleven is a mainstream Hollywood movie that strictly conforms to the narrative pattern that audiences would expect to find in a heist movie, whilst Reservoir Dogs (as an independent, low-budget film) deviates from this pattern considerably.
Below, I have included the films' closing scenes, alongside analysis of the ways in which these scenes reflect the films' respective institutional contexts. You could be asked to discuss either the opening or closing scenes - or, the exam board may use the term 'key scenes' (in which case, a discussion of either the opening or closing scenes would be fine). Remember to start by focusing your discussion on the scenes you have been asked to discuss before opening your discussion out to incorporate the films as a whole. You are not required to talk solely about the chosen scene BUT you must make detailed reference to it (particularly in your introduction and conclusion), before discussing the influence that the films' institutional contexts have on the films' presentation of the three act structure.
As is typical of a mainstream Hollywood movie, Ocean's Eleven ends on a positive note. The aftermath also comes in the third act of the film (where audiences would expect it to be) rather than dominating the majority of the narrative, as it does in Reservoir Dogs. In a heist movie, the aftermath can either be positive (with the robbers getting away with the loot - typical in mainstream Hollywood versions of the genre, like Ocean's Eleven) or negative (with the robbers getting caught or killed - more typical of independent versions of the genre, such as Reservoir Dogs). In this sense BOTH films, it could be argued, confrom to audience expectations - once we factor in that Ocean's Eleven is a Hollywood movie and Reservoir Dogs is and independent film). What is unusual about Reservoir Dogs with regards to the third act, is that the aftermath does not appear at the end of the film - instead, it becomes the focal point of the film rather than the heist itself (which we do not even see).
As non-diegetic, upliftingly positive music plays, we witness the SWAT van arrive back at the warehouse where Ocean's crew have been planning the robbery. We witness each member of the crew walk out of the warehouse towards the huge fountain outside the Bellagio casino - their figure behaviour is relaxed and their facial expressions reflect the fact that the robbery has been a success. As they stand around the casino, they silently reflect on the success of the job, before leaving one-by-one. We also witness Tess walking purposefully out of the casino, leaving Terry Benedict behind, as she makes her way towards Danny, who is being placed into a police car. This element is crucial - and typical of the ending of mainstream Hollywood films. In the opening scene, Danny Ocean was established as the film's central protagonist and we were made aware of his goals: robbing the casinos and winning his wife back. The ending of the film reinforces these ideas, showing the protagonist achieving both of his goals - as audiences would expect from a mainstream Hollywood film.
Even the epilogue, tagged onto the end of the film (which sees Danny released from prison after serving a few months for breaking the terms of his parole), conforms to the narrative pattern audiences might expect from a Hollywood movie - it confirms that Danny has won his wife back (she is waiting in the car for him as Rusty picks him up from prison) and also sets up the sequel to the film as we witness two of Benedict's men tailing Rusty's car as it drives off. The most important point to make, however, is the fact that the heist ends successfully and that the aftermath element of the heist genre's narrative structure appears where it should do - in the third act of the film.
In comparison, the closing scene of Reservoir Dogs involves a shootout involving Mr White, Nice Guy Eddie, Joe and Mr Orange - a shootout that leaves all of those involved in the heist dead (with the exception of Mr Pink - though the sound of gunfire outside the warehouse suggest that he, too, is killed). The point to make here is not that the film necessarily ends unconventionally (particularly for a less family-friendly, independently produced version of the genre) but that the aftermath element of the narrative dominates the whole film - with only flashbacks to some of the moments of preparation and planning and an absence of the heist itself. Unlike a mainstream Hollywood film, Reservoir Dogs ends with the the characters not achieving their goals - the heist is unsuccessful - and ends with the deaths of the main protagonists - including Mr Orange, the undercover cop, whose goal it was to successfully infiltrate the gang.
Just remember, if you are discussing the aftermath in detail, you should make reference to other scenes in Reservoir Dogs - there are many to choose from, all of which would be suitable when making the point that the aftermath dominates the film.
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