NCFOM and Spectatorship Questions

1. Explain what spectatorship is in Film Studies.

Spectatorship is a way of consuming films which is distinguishable from just watching them as the viewer is actively engaging with the film, the meaning presented within it and the way the film is made. Spectatorship also involves watching the film without outside distractions for complete immersion, for example in a cinema or a without your phone near you. Spectatorship is key to the theoretical approach for films as it requires viewers to look deeper into the film and be able to analyse key features and scenes both during the film and once it's over. Within spectatorship comes specific components. These include audience alignment which is who the viewer supports and roots for in the film and who they don't (e.g. in No Country For Old Men; they support Ellis, are neutral on Llewelyn and against Chigurh - although they you could argue that the spectator's interest in those characters are inverse to how supportable they are). Spectatorship also involves a look at deeper meanings and context and looking at key themes, such as the role of women within the film or how the Great Depression effected America. These themes are explored through the lens of key film features as the spectator comments on the profound effect caused by a camera panning left and then proceeding to track the main character whilst they walk, or maybe comment on the dim lighting in the scene. Essentially, a spectator is not just watching the film but immersing oneself into the film.

2. Apply your understanding of spectatorship for one scene in No Country For Old Men

An interesting perspective on spectatorship is found when looking at the role of the spectator in a scene early on in the film, before the main aspects of the film have become apparent. In NCFOM, one of the opening scenes introduces Chigurh, being calmly arrested and taken to a police station where he strangles a police officer to death with his handcuffs. The spectator is immediately given a glimpse into the tone of the film; dark, sudden, cold; before even knowing the name of the character in question. By using this scene, the Coen Brothers visually establish the villain of the story before the spectator even realises and, when the character reappears, their alignment is already against him. The scene also functions as a way to illustrate the point of the film from the get-go: when the law-enforcers can be killed without consequence, there are no more laws in this land. This sentiment sets up the chaos and horrors to come. This is important within structure as the film establishes characters through their actions rather than their words. By doing this, the spectator has to infer certain attributes about the character for themselves and, therefore, their opinion on the character is up for debate and interpretation. Whilst Chigurh is established as a force of evil, there is a part of the spectator which may wonder if Chigurh's view of the world - nothing happens by chance and yet everything is chaotic - is an accurate one. This ambiguity enhances the tone of NCFOM all in one quick three-minute scene.