How do the narrative resolution and climactic revelations in Dead Man’s Curve cause the audience to re-evaluate the meanings communicated by the overall narrative structure, using the Robert McKee model and making references to Todorov and Propp where appropriate?-

To begin with there are 3 different plots which are revealed to the audience throughout the movie. The initial plot that is revealed to the audience is the plot between Tim and Chris. From the very start of the film the audience acknowledges that Tim and Chris are plotting to kill their roommate Rand by attempting to make it look as though Rand has committed suicide. The whole reason for the plot is so they both get straight A’s and go to the University of their dreams.

The McKee Narrative Model looks at the most important stages in a movie. These stages include; the inciting incident, progressive complications, crisis, climax and a resolution. The inciting incident is an event that happens which sets off the story. In this case the inciting incident is the plot to kill Rand and make it look like a suicide which is being planned out by Tim and Chris to gain straight A’s. The initial reason why Rand was chosen to be killed by Tim and Chris is because as a character he is presented in a fairly rude and harsh way. For example the disrespect towards Natalie and the general poor manners he has towards most things.
Progressive complications are events which make things worse in the story. In this plot between Tim and Chris a progressive complication is the death of Natalie after she jumped off the cliff after Rands supposed suicide. This is a complication as her death wasn’t intended in Tim and Chris’ plot. Another complication which is revealed in the plot between Tim and Chris is the fact that Rands body was never actually found after his supposed suicide. From Tim and Chris’ this is a major problem as he is most likely still alive, which is an ideal situation coming from a killer’s point of view.
The crisis is when things get even worse in the story. In this plots case the crisis is the fact that Chris now knows that Tim is attempting to kill him after Emma tells him. This is the disruption in the equilibrium as the plan between Tim and Chris was actually a plot against Chris himself.
The climax is when things become seriously bad in the story. For DMC it’s revealed that Chris and Rand were actually working together the whole time. This is revealed at the cliff when Tim is about to kill Chris. At this point in the story the whole plot between Tim and Chris is flipped upside down as it is now understood that Rand and Chris had their own plot throughout the film. This then leads onto the next plot in the film which was Rand and Chris all along.

Once the plot between Rand and Chris is revealed at the cliff side it makes the audience re-evaluate the whole story. It also means the audience has to piece out the clues that were given during the film that they were both working together. From the very start of the film Chris acts as a weak character so he can be taken advantage of by Tim. Another clue in the story is at the party in the Deer hunter scene. Rand shouts to Chris “just me and you” which can be seen as a hidden message talking about Rand and Chris’ relationship and the plot against Tim.

At the cliff side it is also revealed that Emma was with Tim in the plot to try and kill Chris. This makes the audience re-evaluate the plot of the film because the relationship between Emma and Chris was clearly faked the whole time. Much like the relationship between Rand and Chris hints were dropped towards the end of the film and once looked back on, it pieces together. When Tim and Emma are at the bar drinking that isn’t Emma going against the relationship with Tim, that is simply Tim and Emma being a couple and have free time together. Once again when Tim and Emma are in Chris’ room with the roses, that was once again Tim and Emma’s true relationship together. Due to the fact that it is made aware that Rand and Chris are together and Tim and Emma are the villains it is now possible to look back on the relationship between Chris and Emma and realise it was fake in order to help achieve Tim and Emma’s goals of killing Chris.

Rand and Chris finally have their plot come to plan as they push Tim off the cliff and Emma is given the choice of living or dying. This helps complete the plot of Chris and Rand as they got what they first planned which was to kill of Tim. Due to the plan working Rand and Chris of course receive their 4.0s and straight A’s due to the death of Tim. This was all intended and the plot worked out perfectly for the two. In the interview with Dr Ashley with Rand towards the end of the film the audience sees how Rand and Chris planned it all along. Dr Ashely clearly knows what’s happened and looks at Rand in disgust.

The use of Todorov’s theory is quite important during DMC in the fact that the film follows a strict narrative structure. For example the Equilibrium at the start of the film is the initial plot between Tim and Chris to kill Rand. The story then follows the Disruption in Todorov’s theory which are the progressive complications throughout the film. The next step is the recognition of disruption in the movie also known as the climax. This is when the character realise a disruption has occurred. The repair of the disruption is when the characters struggle to deal with the disruption and restore the equilibrium. A new equilibrium is then brought in place which in the case of DMC is the reveal of Rand and Chris working together and the death of Tim.