Referring specifically to District 9 it is very noticeable that in the modern day use bricolage, this is when they mix different genres and styles and put it in to one film. This opens the film up to a wider range of audience for me people to enjoy.
One of the main genres of District 9 is sci - fi you are able to come to an understanding that this is sci - fi for the different connotations which are used through out the film for example more or less all sci - fi films use aliens and spaceships and this is repeated though out all sci - fi films. Also another key element is the non- diegetic sounds used through out this is used to build up tension through out the film and make it seem dramatic if there was no music being played through out the film then people would struggle to understand when something dramatic is happening and doesn't give you the shock factor.
A key scene which uses connotations of the sci-fi genre is the scene where Wikus is taken in to a hospital/ scientific experiment. In this scene you can see that they are using different scientific experiments on the aliens and using up to date technology this creates the miss en scene of dystopian as the world isnt perfect and this is showing that not everything is perfect at aliens are beginning to take over. Also you are able to see the transformation of Wikus on his arm as he has been infected by another alien his arm is beginning to transform in to an aliens arm, they then begin to use scientific experiments on him to work out what is going on. This is also very similar to 'The fly' as he is infected by another fly you can see that he is going through that transformation and he begins to change in to a fly. In both District 9 and The Fly when they begin to transform in to the alien and the fly the follow through similar steps for example pulling out their finger nails and pulling out their teeth. Although this shows transformation which relates to the sci-fi genre it is also very gruesome this can also include the genre of horror this is because they use very low key lighting to make it seem very dark and to begin to scare you and they also use non-diegetic music to build up tension and dramatise the scene to make the audience understand that it is scary and that they should be scared.
Also in alot of sci-fi films they use the narrative Todorov, most of these films begin with a equilibrium where everything is normal and then there is a dis equilibrium where they aliens begin to take over or the Fly begins to take over someones body. However in District 9 you are not able to see when the aliens come in and start to take over Johannesburg so the movie begins with a dis equilibrium, however at the end the aliens do leave and their equilibrium is then restored. Also to ensure that they have the audiences attention they create enigma codes for people to keep asking questions and the audience want to no the answers so they keep watching until the questions are answered.
Documentary is also used in District 9, they try to create the film as though it is from Wikus's point of view to make it seem more realistic. They create this mise en scene by using hand held cameras this make it seem a lot less professional and as though it is looking from his perspective as it is always looking at other people and the camera is shaky. An example of the scene is the one i referred to earlier of Wikus beginning taken in to do science experiments on him, in this scene they use the hand held camera a lot, when he is using the hand held camera it is of him lying down and looking up at the people in gowns this makes it seem that they are over powering him and he is just insignificant at this point however when they use the shallow depth of field it shows that he is the main focus of attention and is very important. In another clip it shows 4 different view points of looking at Wikus through a cctv camera you are able to confirm this as it is always from the corner of the room and it has letters and numbers going across the screen, this gives the impression that you are always being watched no matter what you do. They have also fast forwarded this clip to show hat time is passing and he hasn't moved any where.
Throughout all films they all have their own genres or mixed genres, you are able to understand what genre the film is as they use repetition in set genres to help people understand which genres they are for example sci- fi uses : Aliens, spaceships,transformation, technology. They also have a heroic character which saves everyone in District 9 although Wikus begins the film by trying to destroy the aliens and trying to get rid of them however by the end after he has begun to go through this transformation he becomes part of the aliens and works together with them to save them and becomes the heroic character. Also in the film 'Invasion of the body snatchers' when the group of people begin to feel threatened by this creature there is one man who stands forwards and does what he can by protecting the women and sending people out to go and help them.
District 9 also relates to E.T as both of the aliens just want to go home that is what they set out to do which shows that this is just a recycles narrative and both use biblical scene such as in District 9 as the alien spec ship begins to fly away it forms the shape of Jesus's cross. Also they use postmodernism's of repetition of the past.
In conclusion more or less all films are use mix genres to entice different audiences to watch these films and give off different effects such as horror is scary, and documentary and sic-fi.
