The Hunger Games Analysis

From a Color Force/Lionsgate Production they present The Hunger Games. Color Force is a small studio, who mainly turn books into films and their most well-known previous production is The Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. Lionsgate seems to be a well-known distributor for action films, so I will probably use this in my project.

The story is based around a 'reality TV show' which is played in the Capitol, which is called The Hunger Games. Due to the districits uprising, every year a boy and a girl are sent as 'tributes' to partake in the Hunger Games. Here, they have to fight for their life as their can only be one winner.

As the production starts, they show their distributors and studio setting up the film for the audience...

The start of this film is extremely unusual, as it starts by showing titles, setting out the film rather than showing an opening title sequence with actors/actresses names. A black background is used with white plain writing placed on top outlining the story to the audience, slowly using transitions to fade the text out. When the text is shown, it slowly moves into the screen gathering a sense of suspence for the audience. Also, as the text fades out, it fades out so slowly allowing the audience to reflect on what they're just read. On the end title, the words of the title, The Hunger Games, stay in focus as the rest of the text fades out.

The non-diagetic sound that is being played is extremely relaxing music, some you'd hear in a beauty salon, which is constrasting as the story that is being played is serious and not light-hearted. This represents the 'calm before the storm' as the citizens of district 12 are waiting for the "reaping".

The opening sequence starts off with the start of the game show host talking to the organiser of the Hunger Games and a SRS is used to voice their conversation:

The SRS then switches to a few close-up's to show the emotions on both faces, allowing the audience to gather a sense of how each are feeling about the gruesome entertainment.

When the game show host asks how he feels about the games, it cuts to District 12, where there is an overpowing diagetic scream from Prim:

This then cuts to a location where Prim and Katniss are sat and Prim has awoken from an awful dream where it was her that got picked as 'tribute'. Katniss comforts her and this is shown through a range of different angles and camera work...

The use of the different angles allow the audience to gather a feel of emotions as they're viewing it from a different view point. The dark lighting reinforces which District they come from as they're poor and they are the coal-mining district. The angles also show that Katniss is comforting her sister in every possible way. This represents sister love and how sisters are willing to do anything for one another to make sure that they're ok.

As I mentioned the dim-light, the use of their clothing is also effective. Both Prim and Katniss are in plain, light colours, contrasting the light of the rest of the room, representing that they're good people, even though they live in poor conditions - this shows that the mise en scene has been clearly thought out.



As Katniss is singing, a MS/CU is shown to present their features, showing her scruffy hair. This symbolises the normality of her life and the purity that surrounds her. She is a typical teenager that isn't bothered about their appearance at home, however when they go out, they make an effort...

Katniss has changed her clothes to go out and tidied up her hair, showing that she fits into the category of a stereotyical teenage, trying to make an effort on her appearance before she goes out of the house. The use of the lighting is also reinforced here as it is minimal, again showing the audience that she is from a lower-class background.

Throughout the opening sequence, an unsteady camera movement is used to portray the 'unsteady emotions' in which the citizens are going through. As Katniss ventures into the outside world, there are jump-cuts between Katniss running and the rest of the district, making the audience feel uncomfortable and not right, jarring their sense of reality.

Many low angle shots of feet are used and above, the camera cuts from the little boys playing in the mud with sticks and then the low angle cuts and pans up from the feet of the coal miners, giving it a very edgy feel.

The unsteady camera movements jar the sense of reality and the jump cuts show the jarred sense of reality - between Katniss and the District. Katniss runs through the district so that she can break into the wasteland between the districts and the dangers become to clear to the audience. Also, as she is on her way there, there are close up's of her feet signifying the fast-paced movements in which is taking to get there...

The use of the CU's of the signs marking out the danger represents the risks in which she is willing to take in order to get into the wasteland to practise her shooting skills - this highlights the stereotypical teenage view that they're willing to take dangerous risks in which they're willing to take as they feel 'invincible'.

The unsteady camera movements continue as Katniss enters the woodland and a number of different camera angles and movements are used to represent the unsteady nature of the surroundings as the district prepares for the '"reaping". 

Throughout most of this, the 180 degree is broken, however it is done deliberately to make the audience feel uneasy and unaware of what's going on. This allows them to reflect on the current situation of the district.

This opening sequence is extremely long as it tells the story of the "Hunger Games" and the why they happen etc, however it then shows the poorest district getting ready for the "reaping" and their reactions as they find out who the tributes are. I haven't included that as I think this part of the opening sequence has the most action in it as Katniss is running to the wasteland. 

Throughout the rest of the film, it cross-cuts between the reality show and the action of 'The Hunger Games' taking place, which is extremely interesting, giving the audience time to reflect on what's been going on.

The idea of the Capitol being extremely wealthy and 'well-off' is shown through the use of their outrageous clothing and ways of life, bringing a sense of comedy into it, giving the film another sub-genre.

Also, the idea of having a 'superior race' is brought in through the use of the "Ayrans", such as Kato with the blonde hair and blue eyes, and the poorer districts are just worthless to them. 

Representation is brought in throughout through the use of the protagonists, Katniss and Peeta, as they aren't the stereotpyical protagonists, as Katniss wouldn't be seen to the stereotypically beautiful. Also, the use of the 'superior race' highlights that just because you're seen to the wealthy and think you're better than everyone else, it isn't always the case. 

"Never judge a book by it's cover"...