HW 1a - Existing film still analysis (DYM)

Zoolander, 2001

The above still is of course from cult-comedy 'Zoolander'. But what can we tell from this?

Narrative

You can tell instantly that this character, with his flamboyant, designer outfit and matching suitcase doesn't fit with the gritty, harsh location surrounding him, This implies that he's on a journey which has taken him far out of his comfort zone and away from his regular lifestyle. The location itself suggests a small country town, while the big yellow tractor in the background shows that the man must be entering a place with low technology, possibly with a large physical labour industry. The fact that, despite this location, the man still wears his expensive clothing suggests that he didn't expect to turn up in this situation or alternatively, that he is incredibly naive and doesn't understand what clothing is appropriate in a small labour town.

Genre

The huge amount of contrast and the ridiculous outfit itself make it clear that this film is a comedy. A large cliche of this style of 'absurd character study' comedy is putting a mentally struggling or heavily flawed character into a situation beyond their understanding, which is also shown by the still (Other films in this genre include 'Borat' by Sacha Baron Cohen and 'Sleeper' by Woody Allen). The still is also quite colourful, from the bright lighting to the man's outfit. This makes the still look funny rather than particularly mysterious or scary.

Audience

In this still the audience is very much encouraged to laugh at the character. This is caused by the lack of self-awareness shown by the character and the lack of eye contact he has with the audience, making the audience feel disconnected from him, making it easier to laugh at him. The strange location plus the character walking down a road also makes the viewer anticipate where he's going that's so different from his usual location, keeping them invested in the plot.