Compare and contrast 28 days later with Shaun of the dead

commenting on the structuralist or post- structuralist

qualities.
In this essay I will be comparing 28 days later with Shaun of the dead. I
will be identifying the meaning of the structuralism and poststructuralism, I will then use these qualities to explore how they have
been used, and why they have been used discussing the extent in
which they may in some way share the same qualities.
Structuralism is based on the concept that, something is bound to
happen (destined to go wrong) which creates the plot. It follows closely
on the codes and conventions set, for example always having an
existing paradigm whether it is a knife, chain saw, or an axe.
Structuralism consists of four main elements within the narration code;
you have the action code which usually entails an explosion going off,
the enigmatic code is where things are made to create a mystery and
the audience is left with little information, and also the symbolic codes
binary opposites such as the conflict and clash of genres male vs.
female and good vs. evil.
Evidence of where structuralist qualities have been applied is in the
film 28 days later. An example of the action code being used, is where
a tone card had been used saying Devastation. Soon after a jump cut
displays an extreme high angle of an explosion this is evidence that it
follows the codes and conventions of a structuralist type of film. This is
to exaggerate the thrill of the film with the intention of maintaining the
audiences focus on the plot.
Furthermore the enigmatic code is also used within the 28 days later
trailer, as we are made to believe by the use of tone cards that the an
infection has largely turned into an epidemic. However the
enigmatic code comes from the idea of, where did the disease come
from? Although this is a structuralist film the enigmatic code to some
extent is revealed, in the sense that a small section of the trailer shows
a swarm of rodents running wildly, which would have had some baring
to the epidemic. Whereas in Shaun of the dead the spread of the
disease and how people became zombies remains a mystery, even
though it is a post structuralist type of film therefore maintaining the
narrative code of structuralism. Therefore the 28 days later film is
made to contradict itself even though it is a structuralist film and to
some extent gives away the enigma code.
Symbolic codes binary opposites are displayed in the distinctive
difference between the none infected people and the infected people,
this feature of structuralism is both displayed in both films Shaun of

the dead and also in in 28days later where there are fewer numbers of
humans and larger quantities of dehumanized beings. This is how
structuralist qualities have been distributed between these two films.
28 days later and Shaun of the dead convey similar qualities of enigma
coding from the aspect of structuralism. This is demonstrated in the
first couple of seconds of the trailer a male actor is displayed roaming
helplessly in an isolated environment , which exposes the audience to
ambiguous ideas of thinking what is going on. From this sense of
mystery (enigma code) stimulating ambiguity causes free
interpretation. The scene where the man is standing on the bridge with
clutter surrounding his feet portrayed a deliberate representation of
London the unsettlement of his environment.
Furthermore during the scene of Oblivious to the Zombies the actors
is shown not phased by his surroundings unaware of what is going on
he continues walking, with the scene displaying rubbish on the ground
and the car road sign being knocked over. This distraught setting is
common within both films but however in this case it more or less
makes some reference to the audience and society itself. In another
scene a notice on the wall reads sort your life out. This more or less
indicates that we need to open our eyes a bit more and be aware of
our surroundings. Therefore this idea of free interpretation has been
generalized on society.
Poststructuralist is the opposite of structuralism from where it
originates. Post structuralist films provide room for free interpretation
where more than one meaning can be identified and are developed
through the perspectives of the audience. It deviates for filling the
conventions of structuralism but occasionally makes some references
to it. The technique used is `doing the expected in a knowing way.
In addition where this has been clearly demonstrated in Shaun of the
Dead in the scene located in the pub. Not very often do they have
people who are being haunted by the threat assemble in a pub, quite
an unusual location, but this is an example of being able to freely
make interpretations; the location was made to appeal to a certain
demographic (over 18s) who can access a pub.
Another poststructuralist example is when the first zombie enters the
room. We find that the zombie villain is an elderly man, when usually
you would expect at the highest, a middle aged man, this goes to show
the deliberate change in conventions in a `knowing way the audience
are free to make their own interpretations about this particular scene
as it can be looked at in two different ways (the scene where the
protagonists are beating the zombie with pool table sticks, as

supposed to be a knife (A) can be seen as brutal how the characters

are beating the old man with sticks and (B) the characters are anxious
to kill the zombie because of how much of a threat it is. Unlike 28 days
later judgments and perceptions can be made when viewing a post
structuralist film.
Overall structuralist films such as 28 days later have so much structure
and conventions that it needs to follow that it disregards the
audiences cognitive involvements. Whereas with post a structuralist
film allows you to mentally engage with the characters and consider
the circumstances that they are in, imposing judgments and their
perception.