LANGUAGE AND REPRESENTATION

 1) Write a summary of the notes from our in-class analysis of the episode. You can use your own notes from the screening in class or this Google document of class notes (you'll need your GHS Google login). 

Camerawork and sound:

• Music - theme tune to Doctor Who. Very science-fiction - sets genre from beginning.

• graphics on screen: title of show and episode. Simple text/font. 

• Slow clunky camera movement (due to technology in 1960s). 

• Sound: hum of TARDIS (helps create science-fiction genre).

Mise-en-scene:

• Susan - first introduced dancing and dressed as 1960s teenager (costume). Seems to be both typical teenager and alien.

• Costume and hair typical of 1960s.

• School - creates personal identity for audience. 

Narrative and genre:

• Opening title sequence like a rocket taking off - sci-fi genre and links to 1960s space race.

• Enigma codes: mystery of Susan’s home. French Revolution book - “I’ll have finished it” “That’s not right”... suggests time travel.

2) How can we apply narrative theories to this episode of  Doctor Who? 

Todorov's Equilibrium:

forward in a chronological order with one action following after anothe

Propp's character theory:

tories are character driven and that plots develop from the decisions and actions of characters and how they function in a story

 

3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why?

The most important scene is when they find the telephone box and discover the inside of it. this is important because if they didn't find this then it would me a mystery and they wouldn't have a background story to DR who.  

4) What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode.

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s?