EVALUATION - Reception Theory (Inglorious Bastards Opening Analysis)

This can be seen as an extension of the Uses and Gratification Theory. It is more focused on the audience and their response to the text itself. This theory states that no text has one simple meaning. As the audience have their own experiences they can interpret texts in different ways, giving a single text many different meanings. The theory tries to understand how the factors such as, age, race, gender, social class etc, effects our interpretations of texts.

There are three main reading forom this theory; the dominant, negotiated and oppositional readings of text. The dominant reading is where the audience take the same view as intended by the creators of the media text. The negotiated reading is where there is mixed interpretation from the audience of what the text is supposed to mean. And the oppositional reading is where the audience takes the opposite view than intended.

We watched the opening of Inglorious Bastards by Quinton Tarrentino in class. We had to analyse this opening 10 minutes to say which reception theory reading could be taken from this sequence. The dominant reading could be -the Kernel Landy is humorous and appealing to the audience but he is a Natzi and is seeking out the Jews to shoot them. When we first meet him though he is seen as a gentlemen towards the girls. The audience may feel sympathetic towards the Farmer by the look on his face when he knows what is about to happen and a tear runs down his face. However, the second view is negotiated. This can be where the Kernel is seen as just doing his job, otherwise he would get killed himself. Or that the Farmer has put his family in danger looking after the Jewish family and shouldn't have hidden them. Lastly, the oppositional view would be siding with the Kernel seeing him as the 'hero' or not finding him funny at all, just repulsive and horrible.

Drawbacks of this theory are that everyone is unique so the theory cannot comprehend the complexity of our responses to the media. It also doesn't take into account the everyday factors, such as what time of day it is we consume the text, or what mood we are in etc. We also consume texts in different ways as well, whether we are at home in our lounges or out with friends at the cinema. These factors all change our interpretations of the media texts consumed.

Our trailer can be interpreted differently for everyone. Some may find it scary and unnerving, some may find it funny and enjoy the fact that these characters are worse off and in danger.

Nikki Stock