6th November 2017

1.8 Final

“The strong survive, but the courageous triumph.” Michael Scott, The Warlock.

It is noticeable that in all these text and movies, Rabbit Proof Fence” Directed by Phillip Noyce,Touching the void By Joe Simpson, Impossible directed by J.A Bayona and Titanic Directed by James Cameron, all show us that most intelligent and people survive, It’s not just basic necessities we need but also a strong emotional intelligence which is necessary to fulfill our ambitions and achieve what we want And all these texts show this in there own way.                                                        

“Rabbit proof fence” Directed by Phillip Noyce.
The nature of survival was shown in the film ”Rabbit Proof Fence” Directed by Phillip Noyce.

The first aspect of survival that was shown to us as an audience is when Molly had to benefit from her knowledge of survival taught to her by her mother, grandmother and the people around her and her family. This scene was shown to us at the start of the film to introduce the girls in their natural habitat and all the knowledge they know how to survive. Further into the movie a situation comes up Molly is on her way home from jigalong with her cousin and sister. After hours of walking they are after water due to the hot humid weather and the miles they were all walking. They have to survive and find things in the nearby land to prevent dehydration and starvation. In this scene we see Molly picking a cup size leaf from a nearby bush to collect water. This shot was a close up shot of the girls to identify to us the detail and emotion shown on mollys face as she is  scooping water from the holes from the ground, they place the leafs in these holes and drink from them. A close up shot which tightly frames the girls and emphasize their emotional state of Molly as they are desperate to survive. As this displays That by knowing your surrounding and using the natural resources can help you in a life or death situation Molly teaches me it is good to have this knowledge. But Molly also teaches us and makes us  realize how different the cultures are and how they are taught to hunt for there own food and taught to protect themselves in all sorts of environments all taught by their elders family and community.

Another aspect of survival in this film is when The girls meet Mavis- an ex-resident of Moore River who now works on a farm as a maid. Molly is following her gut feeling in being able to trust people. Molly has numerous encounters with people on the way home back to Jigalong. Molly knew she Daisy and Gracie weren’t going to survive if they didn’t take risks in going up to some people and asking for food. A medium shot of Mavis was used to show Mavis staring at the girls as she put out the washing. She explains that she was at Moore river “to scared to leave… You’ve got the furthest 800 miles” she tells the girls to stay with her and she will “get (them) some food.”

With both Mavis and the three girls see what Mavis has been through similar situations as them they soon build trust, enough for the girls to sleep with mavis in the same room for the night.  As the girls wait in Mavis room at night time they hear footsteps. A close up shot of the white man’s boots on the ground. The man then takes off his boots and trousers, pulls back the blanket the three girls are hiding under and see the girls. A low angle shot of this white man to show the shock and expression in his face. Mavis is outside at the door outside and she says “Go away” The white man is angry and leaves. Mavis pleads the girls to stay, ”he come back if you go, he won’t say anything please.” By the three girls this decision to stay the night with mavis was a risk but yet could of saved there life. This showed me  that taking risks can be the wrong decision and comes with consequences, as the three girls were nearly caught.

This moment of survival can also be related to Lucas in the film ”Impossible” By  J.A Bayona when he is helping his family members out in the life and death situation and he has to build up the courage to go talk to strangers and find help or guidance and tips to survive. They both Molly and Lucas are taking a risk in order to help their family members siblings and parents survive.

“Touching the void” By Joe Simpson

The nature of survival was shown in the book and movie “Touching the void” By Joe Simpson an aspect of survival that was shown when Joe uses his equipment to protect himself and stabilizes his knee from further injury and the pain of falling. ”I wrapped it (the sleeping mat) twice around my knee with a strap from my crampons I buckled it tight onto my upper thigh” Joe tells us in this scene that you have to think smart and quickly to survive by using the things he has with him at the time and having a positive outlook on what he wants to do and achieve, Joe says during this scene “There was no question of crawling. Walking was also out, so it would have to be hopping…I was hunched over like an arthritic pensioner…with all my weight on the axe I made a violent hop forward my axe shaft would slip on a loose rock and send me tumbling half-way through a hop, or I would land on some scree and fall sideways into the boulders.” Joe makes it to the camp and crawls into the latrine.” By making smart decisions and thinking ahead and looking into what options you have can lead to great success.

Another  aspect of survival that was shown to us as Joe shows us that an aspect he used to establish his durability getting of the mountain was his inner conscience and the voice inside his head.  A moment of this was when Joe is coming back out of the deep crevasse he fell into and is heading back to base camp. Joe made time goals in order to succeed and get to where he wanted to go and to make his journey down the mountain easier. He says “The voice told me to aim for a spot and hobble there in a certain amount of time.” The voice and the watch,urged Joe into motion he  keep moving. The voice told him to reach that point in half and hour and Joe obeyed. He was being controlled by this “voice” in his head this gives him self confidence and hope to reach his goal and what he wants to achieve and that was to get back to base camp when Simon was there. In this whole book Joe never doubts himself through the whole thing not once. In order to survive Joe teaches me you have to really want something to achieve what you’re doing. “ Now I had a plan” Joe quotes.

Molly also shows this in “The rabbit proof fence” as she was so determined to take a risk and leave the settlement and go back to Jigalong Molly made a goal that she was going to follow the rabbit proof fence all the way home like joe is determined to make it back to the campsite. Because Molly set a goal to aim for she succeed in what she wanted to achieve. The outcome of that was Molly and Joe Both got to live and start a family and have a story to tell to everyone. Molly and Joe teach us in both stories that if you make goals and really want something and set your mind to it and not doubt yourself you can get there and achieve it. “For the three runaways, the fence was a symbol of love, home and security.”

“Titanic” Directed by James Cameron.

The nature of survival was shown in the film “Titanic” Directed by James Cameron.

The first aspect of survival was when Jack Dawson says to Rose As they are holding on tightly onto some of the debris of the titanic sinking after hitting the iceberg; “Listen, Rose. You’re gonna get out of here, you’re gonna go on and you’re gonna make lots of babies, and you’re gonna watch them grow. You’re gonna die an old… an old lady warm in her bed, not here, not this night. Not like this, do you understand me?” This shows us as an audience maintaining a positive attitude and positive self-talk will help you get through the tough times in life. You need something to cling to in the times when things don’t go your way. Keeping your composure can help in a troubled situation. Eye level close up was shown of Jack and Rose talking to each other.They used this camera shot to make us feel connected with the characters. Having the close up shot of Rose shows us what she’s feeling in her facial expressions. In this moment she looks very scared,cold and worried in this scene a low angle is used from the water where Jack and Kate are looking up at the Titanic to show how dominating the ship looks as it is sinking, a high angle shot and a bird’s-eye view shot is used to enhance the height of the ship as it is sinking and is showing the audience how far down it is to the water. It also creates the sense of helplessness for the characters aboard the ship. An eye-level angle is used to show what the disaster looks as if the audience was there with Jack and Kate.

This aspect of survival was also shown in the text of rabbit proof fence as Molly uses positive talk to help her and her siblings get back home to jigalong, As jack is talking to Kate to hold on to survive too. Molly consistently uses ”it’s going to be okay” “we are going to be okay” , even tho molly and Jack know they both themselfs in the film know at any stage they are at risk of dying. This taught me if i use positive talk in things that are tricky of i need to maintain a positive attitude it could determine success or failure.

Impossible Directed By J.A Bayona

The nature of survival was shown in the film “Impossible directed by J.A Bayona”. The first aspect of survival was  when young Lucas and his mum are desperately trying to find land and shelter after the ferocious 30ft wall of water that destroyed everything in its path; the Indian Ocean tsunami. Whilst walking to shelter through the flooded grass and debris. A long shot was taken in this scene to show the wreckage of what had just happened and to show the distance they have walked. Luca’s mum asks Lucas if he can hear the crying of a young boy. Close up shot of Lucas mums face to show the expression and show the pain his mum is in. Lucas replies “Mom, there’s nothing we can do. We are almost there but we have to get to safety.” But his mother Maria tells him they have to save this trapped boy. Lucas continues to doubt the situation in helping this boy trapped under some debris. Lucas tells his mum “If a wave catches us down here, we will die! We have to climb that tree right now.” To get to safety. Maria continues to call for this boy “where are you?” Lucas is worried about his mother’s state as she has sustained serious injuries, a gash on her leg from the wave hitting and a tree going through it; also a big slit throught the top of her right breast. “Mom, look at you. We need help! We can’t risk it Mom,come on.” Lucas has two little brothers and a Dad still lost out in the tsunami as they don’t know if they are alive or dead. His mother then says “Listen, what if that boy was Simon or Thomas (Lucas younger brothers?) What if they needed help? You’d want someone to help them, wouldn’t you?” Lucas shows us in order to survive you sometimes need help someone else you care about to  survival to motivate yourself to as well.

The second aspect of survival in this movie “Impossible” Directed by J.A Bayona. Was shown when Lucas found help and took his mum from a nearby village who were taking loads of injured survivors from the terrifying tsunami to a hospital in the area. Whilst his mother was resting on a hospital bed getting medical attention his Mum says “Lucas, go and help people. You’re good at it.” While awaiting medical care, Maria urges her son Lucas to leave her bedside and insists him to help others who need it. Help is exactly where Lucas shines. A tracking shot is used to show Lucas franticly running around frantically helping people on all hospital floors until he comes across a swedish tourist, Lucas then asks “You’re looking for your family?” The swedish tourist replies “Have you seen them? Actem, Morten, Joseph” Lucas offers to help find his family. A long shot of the long halls in the hospital of sick and injured people. This is telling us that there’s a huge amount of people that were affected by the tsunami and shows us there’s a lot of people that need help. Lucas runs around these crowded halls trying to find this swedish tourists son Actem, Morten, Joseph. He’s yelling this name running through the halls until he finds the swedish tourists son. This moment of survival shows us that you have move forward and continue in order to help others in need to survive,you need to have determination to keep going and push  through the hard times.

A third aspect of survival in this text is when Henry (Dad) Is playing in the pool with the boys whilst his wife is sitting poolside reading a book. Henry hears the noises of the trees getting broken and feels the big rush of wind. Long shot of the resort and them in the pool with in the faint distance you can slowly see the trees getting broken down and big waves splashing in the background. Henry’s first instinct were to grab both kids under his arms for protection,And called for his eldest son to run to him for protection. In this moment is a mid shot of Henry holding the kids tightly preparing for the wave to hit. You can see behind them is the wave about to hit. A mid shot shows the wave dominating the family. A person’s survival is determined by their decision-making, attitude and ability to know their the that they are in.

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