In order to find an answer to the question in how far Wall Street is melodramatic and how that helps to process contemporary moral quests, it is necessary to expound the key elements of Williams and Brooks melodrama theories. The theoretical framework will be followed by a short socio-historical context that is necessary to understand the significance of both the research object and the moral vacuum it tries to fill. Afterwards, the plot of Wall Street will be outlined and analyzed with regard how and why it is melodramatic. Since melodrama heavily relies on visual language, the mise-en-scène will be examined to an equal extent as the story. With those two sub-chapters as an extensive context, in the following subchapter the characters and their motivations will be investigated. They will be also analyzed with a special attention regarding their representative nature and how they are historically conditioned. A main theme in this context will be the question of moral identity and a feeling of belonging. The conclusion will provide an answer to the research question to how and why Oliver Stone’s Wall Street can be classified as being melodramatic. As minor section of the conclusion will also provide a short commentary of the cultural impact of the movie and how it was and is perceived
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Melodrama Theory
3. Historical context: Reaganomics and neoliberalism
4. Analysis of Wall Street
4.1. Wall Street's story and its melodramatic elements
4.2. The characters and their representative function
4.3. Analysis of the Mise-en-scène and the subtext it produces
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This paper examines how Oliver Stone's 1987 film Wall Street utilizes the melodramatic mode to process the cultural, ideological, and moral shifts in the United States during the era of Reaganomics and hypermaterialism.
- Melodrama theory as a framework for American cinema
- The impact of Reaganomics on American identity and social values
- Narrative elements of Wall Street and their melodramatic function
- The role of character archetypes in representing moral conflicts
- Visual storytelling, Mise-en-scène, and non-verbal symbolism
Excerpt from the Book
Analysis of the Mise-en-scène and the subtext it produces
The opening sequence of Wall Street sets the light tone of the film. Even though it can be classified as a finance thriller, the tone is generally light as ironic distance was a contemporary emergence of the Eighties. Instead of using composed film music, the movie mostly relies on recognizable songs as in the opening sequence with Frank Sinatra’s ‘Fly me to the Moon’. In using songs embedded in pop culture, Wall Street is even more “radically democratic” (Brooks 1995: 15) because the sense of familiarity makes the spectator feel more included. Another effect of choosing this song is that the movie puts an emphasis on upward mobility within the first seconds. Despite mostly using pop cultural songs, the movie also features composed film music. In traditional melodrama fashion, the music functions to mark crucial emotional moments. Peter Brooks calls it the “desemantized language of music” (Brooks: 14). In most occasions in Wall Street the music that signal a change in the characters journey is non-diegetic.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research focus on how Wall Street uses the melodramatic mode to reflect the cultural anxieties of the 1980s.
2. Melodrama Theory: Explores the theories of Linda Williams and Peter Brooks regarding the function of melodrama in expressing morality in secularized society.
3. Historical context: Reaganomics and neoliberalism: Analyzes the shift toward economic deregulation and the commodification of private life during the 1980s.
4. Analysis of Wall Street: Examines the film's narrative structure, character dynamics, and visual language as expressions of melodramatic themes.
4.1. Wall Street's story and its melodramatic elements: Analyzes the protagonist Bud Fox's moral journey and his conflict between two opposing father figures.
4.2. The characters and their representative function: Evaluates how characters like Gordon Gekko and Carl Fox serve as symbolic representations of moral polarities.
4.3. Analysis of the Mise-en-scène and the subtext it produces: Investigates how the film's lighting, decor, and objects create a non-verbal commentary on finance capitalism.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, confirming the film's success in capturing the identity struggles of the 1980s.
Keywords
Melodrama, Wall Street, Reaganomics, Neoliberalism, Oliver Stone, Gordon Gekko, Identity, Finance Capitalism, Mise-en-scène, Moral Identity, American Cinema, 1980s, Cultural Analysis, Symbolism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this paper?
The paper explores the intersection of 1980s American cultural history and cinema, specifically analyzing Oliver Stone's film Wall Street through the lens of melodramatic theory.
Which theoretical framework does the author apply?
The analysis primarily utilizes the melodrama theories of Peter Brooks and Linda Williams to interpret the film's narrative and aesthetic choices.
What is the core research question?
The research asks how Wall Street employs the melodramatic mode to process the moral and ideological shifts, such as hypermaterialism and greed, during the Reagan era.
What methodology is used in the study?
The study uses a qualitative film analysis approach, focusing on narrative structure, character archetypes, and the symbolic use of mise-en-scène.
What is discussed in the main section of the paper?
The main section covers the historical context of Reaganomics, the narrative arc of the protagonist Bud Fox, character functions, and the subtext created by visual elements like lighting and props.
Which keywords best describe this research?
The paper is defined by terms such as Melodrama, Wall Street, Neoliberalism, Reaganomics, Identity construction, and Finance capitalism.
How does the film represent the "Greed is good" era?
The film captures the era by juxtaposing the opulence of the financial world with the moral decay of its participants, using Gordon Gekko as a primary symbol of this ideology.
What role does Bud Fox's father, Carl Fox, play?
Carl Fox represents the "old" moral order of working-class virtue, serving as a moral anchor and counterweight to the manipulative influence of Gekko.
Why is the mise-en-scène significant in the film's storytelling?
The mise-en-scène, including the use of specific objects and lighting, functions as a non-verbal narrative tool that comments on the superficiality and artificiality of 1980s materialism.
- Citar trabajo
- Leah Lena Sartoris (Autor), 2021, Is Greed Good? Wall Street and its use of the melodramatic mode, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1176380
