The March of the Penguins

Introduction

The blogpost this week for us is to find out the documentary elements that could be found in the movie March of the Penguins, which is a French feature-length nature documentary written and directed by Luc Jacquet in year 2005. By that, the goal of this post for me is to study about this movie, watch it, and get to know about what theory is used in it which showed the semantic and syntactic approach to genres for the film. Along my study of this film, by accomplishing my goal, I would also have an attempt to determine the documentary elements that would be found in film by stating it out in the analysis section of my post.

Theory Discussion

Poetic

“The poetic mode is particularly adept at opening up the possibility of alternative forms of knowledge to the straightforward transfer of information, the prosecution of a particular argument or point of view, or the presentation of reasoned propositions about problems in need of solution. This mode stresses mode, tone, and affect much more than displays of knowledge or acts of persuasion. The rhetorical element remains underdeveloped.” (Bill Nichols, Introduction to Documentary, pp 103). Began in the modernism era, it is a way of representing reality via series of fragmented visuals and subjective impressions, incoherent acts and loose associations. Films of this mode breaks up time and space into multiple perspectives, denying coherence and accepting the unconscious, this mode stresses on fragmentation and chooses ambiguity as a prominent feature. For an example, a fighting scene that lasts for 10 minutes. It shows reality in a different way or in other words, in a more stylistic way.

 Expository

“Voice-of-God commentary and poetic perspectives sought to disclose information about the historical world itself and to see that world afresh, even if these views came to seem romantic and didactic.” (Bill Nichols, Representing Reality, pp 32-3). A disembodied and authoritative voiceover that is combined with a series of imageries, all aimed at being descriptive and informative. Films of this mode address audience directly, providing visible information in the imagery and unseen information in the voiceover. It is a classic mode and is now common in TV documentaries. Overall effect of this mode is objectivity, a direct and transparent representation.

Observational

An observational mode of representation allowed the filmmaker to record unobtrusively what people did when they were not explicitly addressing the camera…But the observational mode limited the filmmaker to the present moment and required a disciplined detachment from the events themselves. (Bill Nichols, Representing Reality, pp 33). There is no apparent intervention by the filmmaker in the filmed events. For an instance, there is no voice-of-god voiceover, no intertitles and no interviews. Films of this mode observe and record as the events unfold in real time, resulting in long takes and sound is recorded directly, establishing an intimate relationship with and a sense of the environment without manipulating and distorting the event, thus there’re no dramatic nor unusual moments; making films of this mode significantly known as direct cinema. Overall effect is a neutral and non-judgemental appeal.

Interactive

“Interactive documentary arose from the desire to make the filmmaker’s perspective more evident. Interview styles and interventionist tactics arose, allowing the filmmaker to participate more actively in present events.” (Bill Nichols, Representing Reality, pp 32-3).  The filmmaker’s presence is known to the audience by ways of the filmmaker interacting with the filmed interviewees Films of this mode allow the filmmaker’s presence to be felt by the audience via interviews, posing questions on/off screen as a mediator for interviewees and audience. His power over the documentary is clearly shown, via questions posed as well as editing. The overall effect of this mode exposes the process by which the documentary is made, instead of hiding it like the previous modes. Objectivity is very much restrained.

Reflexive

“Reflexive documentary arose from a desire to make the conventions of representations themselves more apparent and to challenge the impression of reality which the other three modes normally conveyed unproblematic.” (Bill Nichols, Representing Reality, pp 32-3). The filmmaker exposes the techniques employed for representation, challenging the documentary’s means of revealing the truth Films of this mode focuses on film properties and filmmaking process, reminding and informing audience, besides the represented issue, that they are also watching a film that is attempting to represent reality. Overall effect of this mode is lack of objectivity which does not necessarily compromise the impact of documentary but instead, provide more valuable views of the issue at hand.

Performative

“Performative doc. (1980s – 90s): stress subjective aspects of a classically objective discourse. - Possible limitations: loss of referential emphasis may relegate such films to the avant-garde; ‘excessive’ use of style.” Bill Nichols, Blurred Boundaries, pp 95 direct reference to the issue at hand is marginalized while poetic & expressive aspects of film are emphasized. The world is not captured like other modes traditionally do but instead represent it indirectly Films of this mode evoke mood/atmosphere found in fiction films, representing of subject matter stylistically, evocative and expressively. Overall effect of this mode is lack of objectivity, aimed at encouraging audience to experience and feel the events while making audience question the integrity and accuracy of the filmed events

Synopsis

This film is about the journal of the Emperor Penguins. So, at the end of each Antarctic summer, the emperor penguins of the South Pole journey to their traditional breeding grounds in a fascinating mating ritual that is captured in this documentary by intrepid filmmaker Luc Jacquet. The journey across frozen tundra proves to be the simplest part of the ritual, as after the egg is hatched, the female must delicately transfer it to the male and make her way back to the distant sea which had a distance of 70 miles far from the breeding grounds to nourish herself and bring back food to her new born chick.

Analysis

The type of documentary in this film is Expository. Throughout the whole movie, there is Voice-of-God or what we call narration. Expository documentaries try to be objective. It is mostly scripted, descriptive and more idealistic. The stylistic part of the film is due to the tone of narrator. They reveals the historic world, giving us an interpretation of that part of the world. Also, quick transition editing were used in the film. It is used to portray the events of the penguins life. The colours are kept top the original ones of Antartica, to make the documentary even more realistics. The documentary is entirely in the third person, with no interviews at all throughout the film. Again, this is due to the director's vision of an uninterupted portrayal of the Emperor penguins. However, it should be noted that in the other versions that have been translated, the penguins themselves are given voices that portray their thoughts. There was a constant score going throughout the film. The music became quiet when the narrator began speaking, and when the penguins were making noise.

Conclusion

March of the Penguins encompasses principles of expository documentaries by featuring the voice-of-God, using evidentiary editing and generalising a particular situation. It had taught me that what need to be concerned when doing a documentary type film. Although it is quite boring for me but I think that it is worth for me to learn one or two things within the film.