Blumer and Katzs AND Bathes enigma codes

Blumer & Katzs: 

Blumer and Katzs ‘Uses and Gratification’ theory, sets out 4 elements as to why people choose media. These include: 

Entertainment and Escape

This is very evident in our storyline by exciting the audience through the horror/thriller escapism. For example, the heart inside the jar is not something you would see in everyday life but gives the element of shock, excitement and anticipation. The collector, is clearly leading a more dangerous life than the viewers reality. 

Personal identity/ Relatability 

In our opening sequence the extreme psychotic behaviour does not really relate to this particular element of the theory. On the other hand may view the hoarding of the old collectable items something they can relate to. 

Information and Eduction

There is a subliminal educational aspect in presenting an insight into the mind of a psychopath. For example, the obsessive tendency of the dark and old trophies. It also shows a psychopath having some normal characteristics such as dress code living in a typical old house e.g rugs on the floor and wooden tables.

Barthes enigma codes 

Barthes set out various codes to give meaning of the media to an audience:

Proairetic codes- The implication in our opening sequence is that there will be a series of murders by the collector as indicated by the various trophies that are filmed. E.g the hair, the heart, the Polaroid, a bloody bat suggesting someone is going to be beaten to death etc. It also implies that there will be child murders from the various Polaroid’s he pulls out the draw.

Hermeneutic codes- The sequence does leave us with several unanswered questions and anticipation of what is going to happen in the rest of the film. We don’t know for example what his background is or why he is acting in the way he is acting? We also don't know the extent of his murders?,  The pattern of the murders and why he is selecting the victims he is?  For example, whose heart is in the jar and why has he kept that specific heart? The anticipation for the audience is also how long this will go on the extent of his murders and where will it end? One theory might be, he lost his daughter and he is collecting trophies that represent a similarity to that trauma. 

Referential codes (cultural codes)-  Whilst it does not expressly show where and in which country this is set there is enough pointers to suggest and old house in the English country side. The symbols are things like muddy boots, the old oak style furniture, his dress code (the flannel shirt).