ng, CityVarsity
Television and Film Production Techniques
DIR200
2nd Year Directing
“The Director's POV”
Index: 1. Introduction 4
Section A: My Version 2. 1st Chosen Scene: Original Script 5-8 3. 1st Chosen Scene: Shooting Script 9 4. 1st Chosen Scene: Shot List 9-12 5. 1st Chosen Scene: Floor Plan 13 6. 1st Chosen Scene: Chosen Shots Storyboarded 14-15 7. 1st Chosen Scene: Short Analysis of Scene 16 8. 2nd Chosen Scene: Original Script 17-22 9. 2nd Chosen Scene: Shooting Script 23 10. 2nd Chosen Scene: Shot List 23-26 11. 2nd Chosen Scene: Floor Plan 27 12. 2nd Chosen Scene: Storyboard 28-29 13. 2nd Chosen Scene: Short Analysis of Scene 30 Section B: Their Version 14. 1st Chosen Scene: Floor Plan of Actual Shots 32 15. 1st Chosen Scene: Marked Up Script 33-38 16. 1st Chosen Scene: Various Notes on the Filmed Scene 38-39 17. 2nd Chosen Scene: Floor Plan 40 18. 2nd Chosen Scene: Marked Up Script 41-47 19. 2nd Chosen Scene: Various Notes on the Filmed Scene 48 Section C: Comparison 20. Comparison 49-52
Section D: General Analysis of the film 21. Plot Summary 53-54 22. Tag Line 54 23. 'What if...?' Statement 54 24. List of Locations 55-57 25. Character profiles 57-59 26. Subtext 60-61 27. "Moments" 61 28. Director's Style 62 29. Emotions 62-63 30. Conclusion 63
1. Introduction Initially I was going to choose a black comedy called Eulogy [2004; Michael Clancy], but I was unable to find the script anywhere. I then decided to analyse black comedy horror film Jennifer's Body [2009; Karyn Kusama], which is arguably my favourite film. The script was written by Diablo Cody. Usually I'll go into how underrated this film is, but this is not what the assignment is about. A short plot synopsis will follow. Jennifer Check is the queen bee in the school. The girl every boy adores and every girl loathes. Her best friend, Needy, is oddly enough a huge nerd. The two girls have been inseparable since childhood. Their relationship is close to being obsessive, but this isn't uncommon among 'BFFs.' One day a group of guys from an indie band sacrifices Jennifer to Satan, as they believe sacrificing a virgin will make them successful. Little did they know that Jennifer really is the town slut and she turns into a succubus who eats boys to stay alive.
Section A: My Version 1st Chosen Scene: Pages 72-75 2. Original Script 72.
EXT. THE FALLS (FLASHBACK) - NIGHT The door of the van slides open. Nikolai pulls Jennifer out of the van and hustles her into the clearing. He looks up into the sky. NIKOLAI We got a waxing moon. Perfection. MICK You're the man, Wolf. The four band members surround Jennifer, looking statuesque in their sexy rock 'n roll ensembles. Without warning, Nikolai hauls off and KICKS Jennifer. She yelps and falls onto her back on the dirt. Dirk looks apprehensive. DIRK I don't know if we should go through with this. NIKOLAI (ANGRILY) Do you want to be rich and famous like the guy from Maroon 5? Or do you want to be a huge suicidal loser?
DIRK (SADLY) Maroon 5. NIKOLAI Then grow a pair and fetch me the ritual! God. Dirk obediently heads over to the van. He pushes the intimidating-looking magical books aside and retrieves a single folded piece of computer paper. MICK That's it? NIKOLAI What? I found it on Google. He unfolds the piece of paper and clears his throat.
(CONTINUED) 73. CONTINUED: The guys have dragged Jennifer onto the makeshift altar and are holding her down. She struggles and screams, but Dirk slaps her again. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) We come here tonight to sacrifice the body of... He tries to remember Jennifer's name and fails. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) ...this chick from Devil's Kettle. JENNIFER (WHISPERING) My name is Jennifer. NIKOLAI That's fascinating. Dirk and Mick exchange nervous glances. JENNIFER Please let me go. I'll do anything. Anything you want. Nikolai examines her with an appraising eye. NIKOLAI I only hump nines and tens. You're a seven at best, even with the chicken cutlets. He reaches into Jennifer's bra and casually pulls out a GEL BREAST ENHANCER, tossing it aside. Jennifer rears up and SPITS in his artfully rumpled hair. Nikolai smooths his `do, enraged. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) I'm gonna carve you like a pumpkin, bitch. Don't you know that me and my boys are in league with the Beast himself? He wiggles his menacingly pointy fingers in her face. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) We've spent months making offerings to the "man downstairs," and whaddya know? Satan delivered! We went from college radio to being courted by the majors in two months. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 74. CONTINUED: (2) NIKOLAI (CONT'D) But that's not enough, Jenny. We want designer drugs. We want groupies that have their own groupies. We want speedballs and stadium tours and Skittles sorted by color. In short, we want more. And to get more, we have to butcher you. And bleed you. JENNIFER (DESPERATE) Maybe you could just hire a publicist. Make some T-shirts or something. Hey, I could be on your street team! NIKOLAI Sorry, darling. JENNIFER Please... NIKOLAI (LOUDLY) Start chanting, boys. The group begins chanting jibberish in unison. Jennifer struggles, watching as their eyes go hollow and black. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) With deepest malice, we deliver this virgin unto thee. He unsheathes a huge, gleaming knife and raises it Psycho- style, admiring his reflection in the blade. DIRK Dude, that is a hot murder weapon! NIKOLAI It's a bowie knife. DIRK Bowie. Nice. Snickering, Nikolai begins to sing "Starman" by David Bowie. The group joins in merrily. NIKOLAI "There's a starman waiting in the sky..." BAND "He'd really like to meet us, but he thinks he'd blow our minds..." (CONTINUED) 75. CONTINUED: (3) As the group sings, Nikolai brings the knife down with a grin. We hear Jennifer SCREAMING, sounds of violence and clothes ripping as Nikolai relentlessly beats her and stabs her, his face contorting demonically. The band continues to sing, their voices carrying over the trees. Nikolai walks over to where the "devil side" of the falls rushes into a black hole. He drops the murder weapon into the churning water, smiling.
3. Shooting Script I am going to shoot the original script, since there isn't really anything I can change. I have selected a piece with a lot of dialogue. This is a key scene in the movie, because it's where Jennifer is sacrificed. In this scene a bunch of obnoxious, fame-hungry musicians stab and mutilate Jennifer, so that they can offer her up to Satan, hoping that in return he'll make them into very successful, rich musicians. This scene perfectly embodies everything that makes this movie so ingenious; it's eerie and twisted, yet the humour - especially the abundance of pop culture references and puns - keeps on seeping through. I will now take the script and create a shot list, floor plan and draw a few storyboard frames (I'm horrible at drawing, please understand). 4. Shot List Shot Number | Shot Type | Shot Description | 1 | MS (on van) | Static medium shot on door of the van. Nicolai's reflection is visible in the blacked out window of the van. He slides open van door and Jennifer is revealed. | 2 | WS (high angle, almost top down) | Nicolai opens the van door, hustles Jennifer out of the van, looks up and says, "We got a..." | 3 | MCU (Nikolai) → MS (Mick) (panning) | MCU of Nicolai as he says, "We got a..." Camera pans over to show Mick in MS saying, "You're the man..." | 4 | MLS (low angle) | Camera is behind Jennifer and is at a low angle, showing the band guys in a MLS. Low angle makes them look more menacing. The band guys are looking at Jennifer. Nicolai kicks Jennifer to the floor. Covers everything from Dirk saying, "I don't know..." until Dirk heads over to the van, leans into the van right in front of the camera. Focus pull with him when he does so. | 5 | MS (following) (Jennifer) | Jennifer's reaction as she is kicked to the floor. Camera follows her down to the ground. | 6 | O.Nicolai's.S. (Dirk) | Nicolai's nose & mouth is in frame out of focus. Covers all Dirk's dialogue until he leaves frame to enter the van. | 7 | O.Dirk's.S. (Nicolai) | Covers Nicolai's dialogue. | 8 | LS (interior of van), Dirk comes in, in MS. | Magical books are strewn across the van. Dirk's torso and head come into the van and thus into the frame. He fumbles around, retrieves a single piece of paper and leaves the van and thus the frame again. | 9 | LS (curve track) | From behind Nicolai and the other band members. Dirk is clearly seen handing over the paper to Nicolai. Dolly starts tracking around Nicolai. Dirk and the unnamed band member pick up Jennifer and drag her away and out of frame. Mick asks, "That's it?" Nicolai answers and they both turn around and move towards the altar. Camera pans with them and the other guys are seen putting Jennifer onto the altar. | 10 | MCU (Nicolai) | "What? I found..." | 11 | LS (curve track) | The camera starts on the left side of the altar and curves around throughout the duration of this shot. Focus is on Nicolai with Jennifer and the guys out of focus, but visible in the foreground. Nicolai unfolds his paper and clears his throat while the other band members are wrestling Jennifer onto the altar. Nicolai says, "We come here..." and when he says "chick" focus pull to Jennifer. | 12 | MCU (Jennifer) → CU (Jennifer) → MCU (Jennifer) → CU (Jennifer) | Reaction shot of Jennifer. Covers her lines "My name is..." and "Please let me..." Stays on her face while Nicolai takes her gel breast enhancer out. Jennifer rears up and spits on him, moving into a CU. Continues staying on Jennifer as she falls back into a MCU when she lies back down. She says, "Maybe you could just..." As she's saying this line, the camera moves closer to her, so she's in a CU again. She pleads, "Please..." The camera stays on her for the rest of the scene for reaction shots. | 13 | WS (tracking) | Straight on wide shot that slowly tracks inward covers rest of the scene from where Nicolai says, "We come here..." | 14 | MS (Nicolai) | Covers from "That's fascinating" up until "It's a Bowie knife." | 15 | MLS | Static shot covering all the action at the altar. Mostly used to get band guys' reactions and movements. | 16a | MCU (Nicolai) | Covers from "I'm gonna carve..." up until "Start chanting, boys." Shot slowly moves inward throughout its duration. | 17 | MS (Dirk) | Dirk says, "Dude, that is..." and "Bowie. Nice." | 18 | MS (Nicolai) → LS (top down; all) (jibbing) | Camera starts on Nicolai in a MS when he starts singing "Starman." The camera starts jibbing up and tilting down until it reaches a position where everyone is visible in a top down view. Covers the entire sacrifice scene and where Nicolai walks out of frame towards the river. | 16b | MCU (Nicolai) | Nicolai's reactions while stabbing Jennifer. | 19 | CU | Knife stabbing, blood gushing. | 20 | CU | Knife stabbing, blood gushing. | 21 | CU | Knife stabbing, blood gushing. | 22 | MS (panning) | Band members singing and enjoying themselves while Jennifer is being sacrificed. Pans across their faces. | 23 | MLS (tilting) (low angle) | Starts facing down so you can see the river. Nicolai walks into frame, out of focus and the camera tilts up. It stops when his face is visible and at this point he should also be in focus. The camera is at a low angle, looking upwards at him. Nicolai smiles menacingly and throws the knife into the river. | 24 | O.Nicolai's.S. | The bloody knife is seen in his hands. Nicolai wipes the blood off and his face is visible in the reflection. He smiles and tosses the knife into the river. |
5. Floor Plan
6. Chosen Shots Storyboarded
7. Short Analysis of Scene In this scene, Jennifer is used as a sacrifice to Satan to further the indie band, Low Shoulder's, music career. The band is supposed to sacrifice a virgin - someone pure - which Jennifer definitely isn't, and so the succubus is born. The actions of the band in this scene causes Jennifer's transformation from regular, selfish, self-absorbed popular girl evil into pure evil. She has always been a bad person, who only cares about herself (and obsessively, yet selfishly, cares about Needy), but in this scene she becomes a real monster. The two really aren't very different. As a regular, bratty high school girl she causes emotional pain, whereas when she becomes the succubus, she causes physical pain, by ripping people apart.
Jennifer might appear like she has always been a horrible person, but her strangely intense relationship with her best friend, Needy, shows a different side of her. Needy is completely dependent on Jennifer and thinks the world of her, thus she allows Jennifer to do whatever she pleases. Needy literally needs Jennifer (that's where her name comes from) in her life. On the surface it seems like Needy is the only, well, needy one, but Jennifer is actually just as dependent on Needy as Needy is on Jennifer. Jennifer truly cares for her friend, but these feelings surface in a jealous manner, where she wants Needy all to herself and doesn't want to allow Needy any pleasures outside of their friendship.
This scene, the sacrifice, is a turning point in Jennifer and Needy's relationship, because it is here where Needy starts to realise that Jennifer is turning into a monster and she has to put her feelings aside and stop her.
2nd Chosen Scene: Pages 101 - 106 8. Original Script INT. MURPHY POOL - CONTINUOUS Needy staggers toward the pool, which is surrounded by an extraterrestrial glow. Chip's moaning is almost unbearable. Needy stares into the abyss and claps her hands over her mouth. Jennifer is waist deep in the DIRTY WATER, flinging Chip against the wall like a rag doll. He's still conscious, but his skin on his chest has been RIPPED OFF to expose his ribs. Jennifer is CHEWING happily. Chip looks at Needy, his face a mask of agony. CHIP (MOUTHING) Needy! NEEDY Holy crap! Jennifer begins gnawing on Chip's neck, so engaged in the task that she doesn't notice Needy. Needy climbs up on the diving board and crosses herself. NEEDY (CONT'D) Saint Jude, patron saint of hopeless causes: Please give me the power to crush this bitch. Jennifer looks up with demonic, bloodshot eyes just as Needy leaps off the diving board. Needy lands on Jennifer's shoulders, taking her out. She wraps her legs around Jennifer's neck and drags her under the water. Jennifer emerges. Needy grabs her by the hair and girly- slaps her furiously across the face. Then she spots the PEPPER SPRAY lying by the side of the pool. She grabs it and sprays it in Jennifer's eyes. Jennifer shrieks and vomits NASTY, SPINY GORE all over Needy and Chip.
(CONTINUED)
102. CONTINUED: JENNIFER Fuck this J.V. shit! Jennifer ROCKETS straight up into the air like a goddess, hovering ten feet above the pool. Her eyes burn. Her skin is corpselike. She's drenched from head to toe in the prickly ooze. CHIP (CROAKING) She can fly? NEEDY She's just hovering, CHIP. It's not that impressive. Jennifer speaks in a metallic, demonic-sounding voice. JENNIFER God, do you have to undermine everything I do? You're such a player-hater. Needy glares at Jennifer, surprisingly fearless. NEEDY You're a jerk. JENNIFER Nice insult, Lizzie McGuire. Got any more harsh digs? NEEDY You know what? You were never a good friend. Ever. Even when we were little. You used to steal my toys and pour lemonade on my bed and make me be Ugly Ashley when we played Barbies! JENNIFER And now I'm eating your boyfriend! See? At least I'm consistent. NEEDY Why do you need him? Huh? She begins to weep. NEEDY (CONT'D) (SOBBING) Why do you need the one guy who's ever liked me? You can have anyone, Jennifer! (MORE) (CONTINUED)
103. CONTINUED: (2) NEEDY (CONT'D) The cutest guy in school. The mailman. A teacher. You could probably even have a huge star like Chad Michael Murray. So why Chip? Why him? Is it just to piss me off? Or is it because you're insecure? Jennifer floats in midair toward the pool deck and drifts down, landing on her feet. Needy crawls out of the pool and faces her down. JENNIFER I am not insecure. God, what a joke! How could I be insecure? I was the Snowflake Queen! NEEDY Yeah, two years ago. When you were socially relevant. JENNIFER I AM STILL SOCIALLY RELEVANT! NEEDY You were skinny then, too! A look of ABJECT HORROR on Jennifer's face. She reels back against the chain link fence, her eyes blazing. JENNIFER I'm gonna eat your soul and shit it out, Lesnicki. Her voice is now an unearthly growl. In the background, Chip is slowly, painfully pulling a POOL SKIMMER with an eight-foot handle off the pool deck. NEEDY (TREMBLING) I thought you only murdered boys. JENNIFER I go both ways. She HURTLES herself toward Needy, roaring, her eyes white- hot, her jaws agape. She's monstrous. Chip suddenly stumbles in front of Needy and holds the HANDLE of the POOL SKIMMER in front of them like a spear. As Jennifer flies forward at demonic speed, she IMPALES HER ENTIRE TORSO on the handle. Needy screams. There's a beat of deafening silence. (CONTINUED)
104. CONTINUED: (3) Chip collapses on the pool deck. Jennifer rises uncertainly to her feet, "shishkebabbed" on the giant skimmer. With effort, she pulls the handle out of her body in several stages. JENNIFER (CONT'D) Ow-Ow-Ow. Needy watches, and realizes Jennifer is injured. Blood drips onto the pool deck. NEEDY (SURPRISED) We hurt you... Blood trickles out of Jennifer's wound. She tries to plug the hole with her hand. JENNIFER Got a tampon? Needy shakes her head mutely. JENNIFER (CONT'D) Thought I'd ask. You seemed like you might be pluggin'. She begins to climb the fence, wincing in pain, then glances over her shoulder at Needy and Chip. NEEDY Where are you going? JENNIFER Fuck this noise. I'm out. You losers are more trouble then you're worth. She continues climbing. NEEDY (EMOTIONAL) Why give up now? He's almost dead! Get your bulimic ass back here and kill us both! JENNIFER Nah. I mean, you say I've been a bad friend all these years. I might as well throw you a bone.
(CONTINUED)
105. CONTINUED: (4) She smirks and jumps over the fence, stumbling off into the distance. Needy watches her, her eyes narrowing with hate. Once Jennifer has disappeared, Needy turns her attention to Chip, who is barely alive. She stares in horror at his torn arm and exposed ribs, then falls to her knees over his body. NEEDY Oh, Chip! CHIP Needy. You saved me. NEEDY I'm gonna call for help. She reaches into Chip's pocket and pulls out his beat-up cell phone. She wipes off the prickly ooze with her hand. CHIP Oh no, I'm out of minutes! NEEDY I think 911 is always a free call. CHIP Oh yeah. You're right. Needy dials to no avail. The phone is hopelessly clogged with ooze. She knocks it against the deck. NEEDY It's not working. It's full of Jennifer-goo. Chip begins gagging and coughing. He rolls onto his back, his eyelids fluttering. CHIP (FAINTLY) Hey, I'm going somewhere... NEEDY No! You're not going anywhere! CHIP I'm toast, Needy. I'm definitely gonna die. I think I already died before you were here, but I woke up when I heard your voice.
(CONTINUED)
106. CONTINUED: (5) NEEDY I love you. CHIP Yeah me too. And you look hot in that dress. NEEDY You're clearly delirious. CHIP No. When you're dying, you can see everything a lot clearer. You can see what's true and what's not. The things that are true have this glowing halo of light around them, like a picture of the Baby Jesus, or Barbara Walters when they use the special lens. And I know for sure that you're totally hot. Needy begins to sob hoarsely. CHIP (CONT'D) You'd better get out of here. The police are going to come and I don't want them to, you know, make a mistake. NEEDY I'm never leaving. CHIP But I have to go. NEEDY No! Chip's eyes close. His face relaxes. He's gone. Needy wails at the top of her lungs. She rests her head against his mutilated chest, oblivious to the blood and bone.
9. Shooting Script Since the first scene I chose to analyse was shorter than 4 pages, this scene is a bit longer. In this scene Jennifer pushes Needy over the edge, because she takes and eats Needy's boyfriend, Chip. Needy fights and wounds her, but Jennifer escapes and Chip dies. The previous scene had Jennifer filled with fear, whereas in this one she's more filled with rage and is overcome by her need to feed. The script is already dialogue heavy enough, so I see no need to exchange action for dialogue. This scene is and intense one to shoot, with a lot of action, hovering and dialogue. What follows is a shot list, a floor plan and a few storyboard frames, just like with the first scene I analysed. 10. Shot List Shot Number | Shot Type | Shot Description | 1 | CU on Needy's feet → MCU (Needy) | Camera starts on a close-up of Needy's bloody feet as she staggers towards the pool. Shot starts out, out of focus and her feet come into focus a few seconds in. It then moves up until her face is seen in a MCU where she claps her hand over her face. Stays on her until she says, "Holy crap!" | 2a | WS | The entire pool area is visible. Jennifer is chewing on Chip. | 3 | M2S | Jennifer is chewing on Chip. She moves up from his chest to his neck. Jennifer looks up with Demonic, bloodshot eyes. | 4a | MCU (Chip) | Chip is in pain and mouths Needy's name. | 5 | MLS (Needy) → MS (Needy) → MS (Needy; low angle) (jibbing) | Camera moves with Needy as she rushes over to the diving board. It moves in front of her and shows her in a MS as she crosses herself and says, "Saint Jude, patron..." The camera then moves down, angles upward (Needy in a low angle) and Needy leaps over the camera towards Jennifer. | 2b | WS | Needy jumps on Jennifer's shoulders. Covers everything until Jennifer lands on the side of the pool. | 6 | MS | Needy lands on Jennifer's shoulders, wraps her legs around her neck and drags her under the water. | 7 | MS | Needy wraps her legs around Jennifer's neck, drags her under the water and Jennifer emerges. Needy grabs her by the hair and slaps her across the face. | 8 | CU | Needy grabs Jennifer by the hair and slaps her. | 9 | MS (behind Jennifer) | Needy grabs Jennifer's hair, slaps her and reaches for the pepper spray. | 10a | M2S | Jennifer emerges from the water, Needy grabs her by the hair, slaps her across the face, spots the pepper spray and sprays Jennifer in her face. | 11 | O.Needy's.S. (pepper spray) | Needy Picks up the pepper spray. | 12a | O.Needy's.S. (Jennifer) | Needy sprays Jennifer in the eyes with the pepper spray. Jennifer vomits the nasty gore all over Needy and Chip. | 13 | LS | Jennifer vomits gore all over Needy and Chip. | 12b | O.Needy's.S. (Jennifer) | Jennifer: "Fuck this J.V..." | 14 | LS (Jennifer) → MS (Jennifer) (moves in) | Jennifer rockets into the air. Shot covers Jennifer's dialogue and moves in until it ends on Jennifer in a MS when she says, "And now I'm..." | 15 | Wide | Jennifer rockets into the air. Covers everything until Jennifer lands on the pool deck. | 4b | MCU (Chip) | Chip asks, "She can fly?" | 16 | MS (Needy) →MCU (Needy) (moving in) | Covers all of Needy's dialogue from "She's just hovering..." until "Why do you...?" Shot moves in and her last dialogue piece is in a MCU | 17 | MCU (Needy) | Side on shot of Needy saying, "Why do you...?" | 10b | MS (Needy) | Needy crawls out of the pool. | 18a | MS (Jennifer) | Jennifer lands in frame and says, "I am not..." | 19 | LS | Covers Needy and Jennifer's entire poolside fight until Jennifer leaves. | 20 | O.Jennifer's.S. (Needy) (tracking) | Needy says, "Yeah, two years..." and "You were skinny..." When Needy says this line the camera tracks around Jennifer and while you can still see Needy, chip is seen lifting the pool skimmer. | 21 | MCU (Jennifer) | Covers from "I am still..." up until Jennifer starts moving towards Needy (and camera) after she says," I go both..." | 22a | LS (Jennifer) | Jennifer storms towards camera and the camera moves backwards with her (dolly/jib combo). Chip jumps into frame with the pool skimmer. He impales her torso. | 23 | P.O.V (from Jennifer's perspective) | Jennifer is storming towards Needy when Chip jumps in front of her and impales her with the pool skimmer | 24a | CU | Jennifer is impaled. | 25a | MCU (Needy) | Needy screams | 22b | LS (Jennifer) | Jennifer pulls the skewer ouf of her and says, "Ow-ow-ow." | 24b | CU | Jennifer pulls the skewer out slowly. The wound spews blood and Jennifer tries plugging it. | 25b | MCU (Needy) | Covers Needy's reactions and dialogue until Jennifer has left. Starts with Needy saying, "We hurt you..." and ends when Needy watches her leave. | 18b | MS (Jennifer) | Jennifer says, "Got a tampon?" and "Thought I'd ask..." and climbs the fence in the back of the shot. | 26 | MLS (Jennifer) | Jennifer begins to climb the fence, says, "Fuck this noise..." continues climbing, says, "Nah. I mean...," smirks, jumps over the fence and leaves. | 27 | MS (Jennifer) | Jennifer says, "Nah. I mean...," smirks, hops over the fence and leaves. | 28 | M2S | Chips is lying on the floor. Needy is sitting behind him. Needy looks away from Jennifer and focuses her attention on Chip. Covers the rest of the scene. | 29 | MCU (Needy) (moving in) | Covers all of Needy's dialogue and reactions from "Oh, Chip." until the end of the scene. Moves inwards slightly. | 30 | MCU (Chip) (moving in) | Covers all of Chip's dialogue and reactions from "Needy. You saved..." until the end of the scene. Moves inwards slightly. | 31 | O.Needy'S. | Needy takes the phone out of Chip's pocket. They chat and Needy tries to call 911, but the phone is too beat up. | 32 | MCU (Needy) | Needy cries. The camera jibs up and tilts down to show Needy putting her head down onto Chip's mutilated chest. |
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Short Analysis of Scene This is the scene in which Needy and Jennifer actually physically fight for the first time. Jennifer's hunger for blood, as well as her jealousy over Needy finding happiness with someone that isn't her, reaches a boiling point and she preys on Needy's boyfriend, Chip. Not only does Needy now realise that her best friend is gone and only a monster remains, but that her best friend never really was that great of a friend to begin with, because unlike the real Jennifer, succubus Jennifer doesn't even pretend to hide her jealousy - she just eats Chip. Needy doesn't want to see Jennifer getting hurt, as all of the love she feels for Jennifer won't simply go away. This is apparent in her reaction when Jennifer gets skewered. At the end of the scene when Jennifer gets away and Chip dies, Needy changes. Everything she loves has been taken away from her and it is here that she truly starts hating succubus Jennifer. She has slowly been realising that Jennifer needed to be stopped, but this is basically the final straw - the last push Needy needed in order to go kill her best friend.
Section A: Their Version 1st Chosen Scene: Pages 72-75
10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Floor Plan 15. Marked Up Script 72. EXT. THE FALLS (FLASHBACK) - NIGHT The van is driving towards camera. Nicolai and Dirk get out. Nicolai walks around the van. The door of the van slides open. Nikolai pulls Jennifer out of the van and hustles her into the clearing. Mick gets out of the van. Jennifer tries run away and pushes Mick aside. Nicolai grabs Jennifer. She screams and tries to break free. NIKOLAI Where are you going, huh? He looks up into the sky. NIKOLAI We got a waxing moon tonight you guys. Perfection. Just like the ritual said. MICK You're the man, Wolf. The four band members surround Jennifer, looking statuesque in their sexy rock 'n roll ensembles. Without warning, Nikolai hauls off and KICKS Jennifer. She yelps and falls onto her back on the dirt. The group carries Jennifer to an altar they made. Jennifer is screaming. NIKOLAI Do one of you guys have something to shut her up with? The guys tie her to the altar and gag her. NIKOLAI But get it nice and tight, though, 'cause I don't wanna get fuckin' clawed Nicolai lights a wooden torch.
Dirk looks apprehensive. DIRK I don't know if we should go through with this. NIKOLAI (SIGHS) Dirk. Do you wanna work at Moose Hoof Coffee forever? I don't, okay? Do you wanna be a big loser or NIKOLAI (ANGRILY) Do you want to be rich and famous and awesome like that guy from Maroon 5? Or do you want to be a huge suicidal loser?
DIRK (SADLY) Maroon 5. NIKOLAI Okay, that's what I thought. Then grow a pair and fetch me the ritual! God., brother. Nicolai mouths "What the fuck?" and Dirk fetches the ritual from a bag. Dirk obediently heads over to the van. He pushes the intimidating-looking magical books aside and retrieves a single folded piece of computer paper. NIKOLAI Thank you. Nicolai clears his throat and starts unfolding the piece of paper. NIKOLAI Alright.
MICK That's it? NIKOLAI What? I found it on Google. Yeah, found it online. He unfolds the piece of paper and clears his throat.
(CONTINUED)
73. CONTINUED: The guys have dragged Jennifer onto the makeshift altar and are holding her down. She struggles and screams, but Dirk slaps her again. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) We come here tonight to sacrifice the body of... He tries to remember Jennifer's name and fails. Nicolai takes the gag out of Jennifer's mouth. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) What's your name again? Tiffany?
NIKOLAI (CONT'D) ...this chick from Devil's Kettle. JENNIFER (WHISPERING) My name is Jennifer. NIKOLAI That's fascinating. Super. We come here tonight to sacrifice the body of Jennifer from Devil's Kettle. Dirk and Mick exchange nervous glances. JENNIFER Please let me go. I'll do anything. Anything you want. Nikolai examines her with an appraising eye. NIKOLAI I only hump nines and tens. You're a seven at best, even with the chicken cutlets. Do know how hard it is to make it as an indie band these days? There's so many of us and we're all so cute and it's, like, if you don't get on Letterman or some retarded soundtrack, you're screwed, okay? Satan is our only hope. We're in league with the beast now and we have to make a really big impression on him. And to do that we're going to have to butcher you. And bleed you. And then Dirk here is gonna wear your face. Dirk looks concerned. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) Relax. I'm kidding about the face. The rest is gonna happen, though. He reaches into Jennifer's bra and casually pulls out a GEL BREAST ENHANCER, tossing it aside. Jennifer rears up and SPITS in his artfully rumpled hair. Nikolai smoothes his `do, enraged. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) I'm gonna carve you like a pumpkin, bitch. Don't you know that me and my boys are in league with the Beast himself? He wiggles his menacingly pointy fingers in her face. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) We've spent months making offerings to the "man downstairs," and whaddya know? Satan delivered! We went from college radio to being courted by the majors in two months. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 74. CONTINUED: (2) NIKOLAI (CONT'D) But that's not enough, Jenny. We want designer drugs. We want groupies that have their own groupies. We want speedballs and stadium tours and Skittles sorted by color. In short, we want more. And to get more, we have to butcher you. And bleed you. JENNIFER (DESPERATE) Maybe you could just hire a publicist. Make some T-shirts or something. Hey, I could be on your street team! Why don't you just get a publicist? We can make t-shirts. I can be a part of, I can be a part of your street team, please? NIKOLAI Sorry, darling. no can do. You know what? Maybe we can write a song about you. I think as a fan that's be pretty cool, right? JENNIFER Please... NIKOLAI (LOUDLY) Start chanting, boys. Nicolai takes out a gleaming knife, raises it and clears his throat. The group begins chanting jibberish in unison. Jennifer struggles, watching as their eyes go hollow and black. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) With deepest malice, we deliver this virgin unto thee. He unsheathes a huge, gleaming knife and raises it Psycho- style, admiring his reflection in the blade. DIRK Dude, that is a hot murder weapon! NIKOLAI It's a bowie knife. DIRK Bowie. Nice. NIKOLAI Alright, here we go. It's gonna be gnarly. JENNIFER (PLEADING) Help me, please! Someone, please, god! Nicolai brings the knife back down and leans towards Jennifer. NIKOLAI Wait a second, I just thought of something: 'Jenny, Jenny, you're the girl for me. You don't know me, but you make me so happy. I tried to call you before, but I lost my nerve. Nicolai starts singing and soon the rest of the band joins in. NIKOLAI (CONT'D) "I used my imagination, but I was disturbed. Jenny, I've got your number. I need to make you mine. Jenny, don't change your number..." Snickering, Nikolai begins to sing "Starman" by David Bowie. The group joins in merrily. NIKOLAI "There's a starman waiting in the sky..." BAND "He'd really like to meet us, but he thinks he'd blow our minds..." (CONTINUED) 75. CONTINUED: (3) As the group sings, Nikolai brings the knife down with a grin. We hear Jennifer SCREAMING, sounds of violence and clothes ripping as Nikolai relentlessly beats her and stabs her, his face contorting demonically. The band continues to sing, their voices carrying over the trees. Nikolai walks over to where the "devil side" of the falls rushes into a black hole. He drops the murder weapon into the churning water, smiling. 16. Various Notes on the Filmed Scene The Falls is a wooded area near the creepy waterfall with the bottomless pit. It is based on a real waterfall found in 'Judge C.R. Magney State Park' in the USA. The trees combined with the running water shrouds the scene in a feeling of isolation, and you are immediately aware that no one can hear Jennifer's screams. The director made further use of the trees to create foreground in a few shots and even to add to Jennifer's disorientation, since she obviously has no idea where the heck they are. The location sets the perfect eerie, twisted mood for the scene, that goes hand-in-hand with the entire tone of the scene and which nicely compliments Nicolai's twisted, selfish, manipulative nature. Moving on to some camera techniques, the first thing I wish to note is that Nicolai is always shot at a bit of a high angle, obviously to make him seem more menacing and to show that he's in charge. The rest of the band is covered similarly, just to reinforce the fact that they are in control and Jennifer is at their mercy. Jennifer, in response is mostly shot at a high angle, to make her seem helpless/hopeless (hopeless is a word that is used repeatedly throughout the film). At the beginning of the scene there are quite a few interesting handheld shots that start out with focus on one character and then moves around focusing on another character. They help to keep up the pacing, without having to cut super frequently. There is a shot of Nicolai with the knife where he looks at himself in the reflection. It just goes on to show how twisted and self-absorbed he is. Thematically, this scene is a key part of the story, because it shows what happened to make Jennifer transform from her bitchy self, to a real monster. You feel for Jennifer in this scene, because she is still a helpless teenage girl, begging for her life and you are aware that she isn't 100% horrible.
2nd Chosen Scene: Pages 101 - 106 17. Floor Plan
18. Marked Up Script INT. MURPHY POOL - CONTINUOUS Needy stumbles through the window, falling onto some vines. Needy staggers toward the pool, which is surrounded by an extraterrestrial glow. Chip's moaning is almost unbearable. Needy stares into the abyss and claps her hands over her mouth. Jennifer is waist deep in the DIRTY WATER, flinging Chip against the wall like a rag doll. He's still conscious, but his skin on his chest has been RIPPED OFF to expose his ribs. Jennifer is CHEWING happily on Chip's neck. Chip looks at Needy, his face a mask of agony. Jennifer turns around to look at Needy and roars DEMONICALLY. CHIP (MOUTHING) Needy! NEEDY Holy crap! Jennifer begins gnawing on Chip's neck, so engaged in the task that she doesn't notice Needy. Needy claps her hands over her mouth Needy climbs up on the diving board and crosses herself. NEEDY (CONT'D) Saint Jude, patron saint of hopeless causes: Please give me the power to crush this bitch. Jennifer looks up with demonic, bloodshot eyes just as Needy leaps off the diving board. Needy leaps towards Jennifer and lands just behind her. Jennifer turns towards Needy when Needy takes them both under water. Needy resurfaces. Both her and Chip are now frantically searching the pool with their eyes, trying to find Jennifer. Chip's neck is bleeding profusely. Something starts them underneath the water. CHIP (WHISPERING) Needy! He throws her a can of PEPPER SPRAY. Needy lands on Jennifer's shoulders, taking her out. She wraps her legs around Jennifer's neck and drags her under the water. Jennifer emerges right in front of Needy. Needy grabs her by the hair and girly-slaps her furiously across the face. Then she spots the PEPPER SPRAY lying by the side of the pool. She grabs it and sprays it Needy sprays pepper spray in Jennifer's eyes. Jennifer shrieks and vomits NASTY, SPINY GORE all over Needy and Chip.
(CONTINUED) 102. CONTINUED: JENNIFER Fuck this J.V. shit! Jennifer ROCKETS straight up into the air like a goddess, hovering ten feet above the pool. Her eyes burn. Her skin is corpselike. She's drenched from head to toe in the prickly ooze. Needy and Chip start moving towards the pool ladder. CHIP (CROAKING) She can fly? NEEDY She's just hovering, CHIP. It's not that impressive. Jennifer speaks in a metallic, demonic-sounding voice. JENNIFER God, do you have to undermine everything that I do? You're such a player-hater. At this point Needy has gotten out of the pool and is walking around it. Jennifer is hovering towards the side of the pool. Needy glares at Jennifer, surprisingly fearless. NEEDY You're a jerk. JENNIFER Nice insult, Lizzie McGuire Hannah Montana. You got any more harsh digs? Jennifer lands on the pool deck. NEEDY You know what? You were never a good friend. Ever. Even when we were little. You used to steal my toys and pour lemonade on my bed and make me be Ugly Ashley when we played Barbies!.
JENNIFER And now I'm eating your boyfriend! See? At least I'm consistent. NEEDY Why do you need him? Huh? You could have anybody that you want, Jennifer. She begins to weep. NEEDY (CONT'D) (SOBBING) Why do you need the one guy who's ever liked me? You can have anyone, Jennifer! (MORE) (CONTINUED)
103. CONTINUED: (2) NEEDY (CONT'D) The cutest guy in school. The mailman. A teacher. You could probably even have a huge star like Chad Michael Murray. So why Chip? Why him? Is it just to piss tick me off? Or is it because you're just really insecure? Jennifer floats in midair toward the pool deck and drifts down, landing on her feet. Needy crawls out of the pool and faces her down. JENNIFER I am not insecure, Needy. God, what that's a joke!. How could I ever be insecure? I was the Snowflake Queen!. NEEDY Yeah, two years ago. When you were socially relevant. JENNIFER I AM STILL SOCIALLY RELEVANT! I am still socially relevant. NEEDY You were skinny then, too! And when you didn't need laxatives to stay skinny. A look of ABJECT HORROR on Jennifer's face. She reels back against the chain link fence, her eyes blazing. JENNIFER I'm gonna eat your soul and shit it out, Lesnicki. Her voice is now an unearthly growl. In the background, Chip is slowly, painfully pulling a POOL SKIMMER with an eight-foot handle off the pool deck. NEEDY (TREMBLING) I thought you only murdered boys. JENNIFER I go both ways. She HURTLES herself toward Needy, roaring, her eyes white- hot, her jaws agape. She's monstrous. Chip suddenly stumbles in front of Needy and holds the HANDLE of the POOL SKIMMER in front of them like a spear. As Jennifer flies forward at demonic speed, she IMPALES HER ENTIRE TORSO on the handle. Needy screams. There's a beat of deafening silence. (CONTINUED)
104. CONTINUED: (3) Chip collapses on the pool deck. Jennifer rises uncertainly to her feet, is "shishkebabbed" on the giant skimmer. With effort, she pulls the handle out of her body in several stages. JENNIFER (CONT'D) Ow-Ow-Ow. Needy watches, and realizes Jennifer is injured. Blood drips onto the pool deck. NEEDY (SURPRISED) We hurt you... Blood trickles out of Jennifer's wound. She tries to plug the hole with her hand. JENNIFER You got a tampon? Needy shakes her head mutely. JENNIFER (CONT'D) Thought I'd ask. You seemed like you might be pluggin'. She begins to climb the fence, wincing in pain, then glances over her shoulder at Needy and Chip.
NEEDY Where are you going? Jennifer staggers towards the window and stumbles out. JENNIFER Fuck this noise. I'm out. You losers are more trouble than you're worth. She continues climbing. NEEDY (EMOTIONAL) Why give up now? He's almost dead! Get your bulimic ass back here and kill us both! JENNIFER Nah. I mean, you say I've been a bad friend all these years. I might as well throw you a bone.
(CONTINUED)
105. CONTINUED: (4) She smirks and jumps over the fence, stumbling off into the distance. Needy watches her, her eyes narrowing with hate. in disbelief. Once Jennifer has disappeared, Needy turns her attention to Chip, who is barely alive. She stares in horror at his torn arm and exposed ribs, then falls to her knees over next to his body. She starts sobbing. NEEDY Oh, Chip! CHIP Needy. You saved me. I should have believed you. I'm sorry. NEEDY No, no, listen to me. I'm gonna call for help. get some help, okay? Okay? Okay. She reaches into Chip's pocket and pulls out his beat-up cell phone. She wipes off the prickly ooze with her hand. Chips starts coughing and gagging. CHIP Oh no, I'm out of minutes!
NEEDY I think 911 is always a free call. CHIP Oh yeah. You're right. Needy dials to no avail. The phone is hopelessly clogged with ooze. She knocks it against the deck. NEEDY It's not working. It's full of Jennifer-goo. She knocks the phone against the deck. NEEDY (CONT'D) C'mon! Chip begins continues gagging and coughing. He rolls onto his back, his eyelids fluttering. CHIP (FAINTLY) Hey, hey, I'm going somewhere... NEEDY No!, no, no, no. You're not going anywhere! No. CHIP I'm toast, Needy. I'm definitely gonna die. Yes, I am. I think I already died before you were got here, but I woke up when I heard your voice.
(CONTINUED)
106. CONTINUED: (5) NEEDY I love you. CHIP Yeah me too. I love you too. And you look totally hot in that dress. NEEDY Oh, you're clearly delirious. CHIP No., I'm not. When you're dying, you can see everything a lot clearer. You can see what's true and what's not. The things that are true have this glowing halo of light around them, like a picture of the Baby Jesus, or Barbara Walters when they use the special lens. And I know for sure that you're totally hot. Needy begins to sob hoarsely. CHIP (CONT'D) You'd better get out of here. The police are going to come and I don't want them to, you know, make a mistake. NEEDY I'm never leaving. CHIP But I have to go. NEEDY No! Chip's eyes close. His face relaxes. He's gone. Needy wails at the top of her lungs. NEEDY No! No! No! No! No!
She rests her head against his mutilated chest, oblivious to the blood and bone.
19. Various Notes on the Filmed Scene The abandoned public pool is just another one of those deserted, isolated areas where Jennifer takes her prey. It ties in neatly with the fact that the place where she was turned into a monster was the equally eerie, isolated woods. The Murphy pool is a big location and the film crew made great use of it by doing some high angle shots and by letting Jennifer move underwater, Jaws style. Furthermore, the entire location actually reflects Jennifer's dark and twisted nature nicely, with its grimy surfaces and overgrown vines. The word 'hopeless' is also seen spray painted onto the pool wall. This word is often repeated throughout the film, both thematically and verbally. Jennifer was hopeless when she was being sacrificed and later on she goes on to say that she likes her victims hopeless. Through the strange connection that Jennifer and Needy share, Needy is able to hear when Jennifer says 'hopeless' at one point in the film and then repeats it to herself. Camera wise, they stuck with the handheld theme during Needy and Jennifer's little battle in the pool. They also used some high angles when showing Chip and Needy in the pool, when Jennifer is seen hovering above the pool. This emphasises the supernatural and physical power she has over them. Quite a few jump cuts are used, which is true for the rest of the film as well and one is never thrown by them. In Needy and Jennifer's showdown next to the pool a lot of medium close-ups are used to help create the intensity of their back and forth banter. In this scene Needy is pushed to the edge and Jennifer's real dark side is seen, because it is the first time Jennifer actually starts to physically take it out on Needy. Needy realises that Jennifer was never really a good friend, but she also uses these words to hurt Jennifer. While their friendship has always been an unbalanced one, it will continue to mean a lot to Needy. The theme of this scene is Needy's realisation and the loss of the two things she loves the most - her best friend and her boyfriend. Section C: Comparison 20. Comparison There is quite a difference between the chronology of the script and the chronology of the actual movie. The actual timeline isn't changed, but when you are shown certain things have changed. In the first scene I analysed the scene ends before Nicolai throws the knife into the water in the actual movie, because it cuts back to Needy and Jennifer in Needy's bedroom, and only after that shows Nicolai throwing the knife into the water. Other scenes have been moved around too, for example Needy is shown killing Jennifer early on in the script, but in the movie it is only shown near the end. I feel these changes were a good idea and it helped a lot with the pacing of the movie. You might lose interest in the film if you see Jennifer getting killed early on in the film. The story isn't told linearly and most of the movie is, in fact, a flashback. The flashback isn't heavily graded or edited to look like a flashback, but you are never confused about the timeline. I guess the use of a narration was a big aid in preventing confusion. Jennifer's Body is set in the small town of Devil's Kettle, a fictitious town with a waterfall that runs into a pothole, based on the waterfall of the same name in 'Judge C.R. Magney State Park' in North America. The movie does a great job making you believe that Devil's Kettle is a real small town in America. Small characters often pop up again and again and it is clear that everyone knows each other in town ( it is clearly stated in the dialogue as well). The people act like typical small town people in America, like judging the guys in the band for wearing eyeliner and by hanging out in the town's only bar, that actually burns down, leading to the loss of many lives. This brings the entire town to a standstill, because since the town is so small this tragedy touches everybody in town, except succubus Jennifer. Dialogue, especially lines overly laced with pop culture references and sarcasm, is a intricate part of Jennifer's Body. For certain scenes the film has a lot more of this kind of dialogue than there is in the script and some of the lines are updated to be a bit more recent, since popular culture is constantly changing. This kind of dialogue, as well as speaking in general, seems to be cut down quite a bit in the highly emotional parts. A good example is where Needy is talking to Chip before he passes away. Their conversation is much shorter in the film than it is in the script, which I feel is a clever idea, because it captures the tragedy of the situation a lot better than it would have with a long conversation. Frankly it is also more realistic, because a guy who is dying isn't going to be babbling on for so long anyway. The actions and movements in the film aren't dialled down from the script and replaced with the dialogue very often. I actually feel like there is more movement and physical interaction than in the original script. A few things have been omitted and changed, but it is mostly for practical reasons. For example, when Needy is in the pool, she doesn't find the pepper spray on the ledge of the pool, Chip has it on him, because the water level of the pool is low and Needy wouldn't be able to reach something way up on the ledge. Chip's chest is also not torn open in the actual film, which is great, because I wouldn't easily believe that a guy with his ribs sticking out of his chest can climb the pool ladder and manage to spear Jennifer with the pool skimmer. There is a scene in the film, after Jennifer has killed her 'first' victim where everyone in the town is mourning. It shows the kids in the school hallway. Everybody looks bleak and bland colours such as greys, blues and purples are dominant. Everything also seems to be a bit desaturated. Jennifer, on the other hand comes walking down the hallway in bright pink, practically glowing, because she has just fed and is feeling fantastic. The use of colour to show the contrast between Jennifer's state of mind and the rest of the town's is amazing. In the scene where the guys from Low Shoulder are sacrificing Jennifer (the first scene I analysed), Jennifer is mostly shown in tight shots, shot at a high angle, so you can feel her lack of control and her fear. You sympathise with her, because her panic is evident. This makes the scene hers, because the audience will easily side with the character who is at a disadvantage. Nicolai, however, is quite a scene stealer with his laid back creepiness. He is completely at ease with the fact that they are now going to slaughter and innocent girl. All he does is laugh it off with some quips about Maroon 5 and not wanting to get clawed. The first scene I analysed might have belonged to Jennifer, but the second one, the Murphy pool fight/confrontation was all Needy's. It is probably the first time you properly see her standing up for herself against Jennifer. In this scene she is uncharacteristically strong, but it is also where she changes from Jennifer's wimpy sidekick to someone who is ready to fight. Needy is the protagonist of the film, so naturally you should side with her anyway. Even though she constantly insults Jennifer in this scene, which is very much unlike the old Needy we've come to know, you are still rooting for her, because Jennifer is just that evil and you just want her to suffer. The pacing of the sacrifice scene is relatively even throughout. It speeds up for a second when Jennifer tries to run away (slightly faster cutting and quickly moving handheld shots)., but is back to normal soon after. Then when we get to the actual stabbing, instead of speeding up, the pace slows down as it goes into slow motion, the movements are blurred and the sound becomes echoey and empty. Moving on to the pacing of the 2nd scene I chose to analyse it starts out at a relatively fast pace, where Needy is panicking and Jennifer is munching on Chip. The cutting is relatively fast and the music builds tension. Then Needy jumps Jennifer in the pool and the pace is still quite fast. She loses Jennifer under the water and the pace is broken. Cutting slows down and the music is toned down. When Jennifer is seen swimming towards them underwater, the music's pace increases again and so does the pace of the cutting. I have to note that the cutting speed is never insanely fast, which oddly helps to make you uncomfortable. The pace dies down again after Jennifer shoots into the air. The pacing speeds up again momentarily when Jennifer is rushing towards Needy, but once Chip stabs her with the pool skimmer, it dies down and stays down for the rest of the scene. Karyn Kusama stayed very true to the script regarding the tone of the film. The first scene that I chose to analyse essentially stayed the same, it was only the dialogue that really changed, but the overall mood was exactly as the script sets it out to be. The second scene, however had more changes made to it, even though the dialogue was similar to what was scripted. The scene was less gory, since Chip was less mutilated. Jennifer appeared less evil in the film as well, because she didn't speak with a 'metallic, demonic' voice like it was described in the script. She wasn't nearly as demonic-looking after she stopped eating Chip as she was described either and she I got the impression that she was angrier in the script than she was in the film. In the actual film she only really yells one line out, before that she is just a bit ticked off. These changes probably made the scene a little less heavy than the writer initially intended, but the overall tone still stayed the same. Throughout the film there is use of very distinctive theme music in the creepier, horror scenes, mostly when Jennifer kills. It works brilliantly to build tension and you immediately feel that something familiar is happening when this theme is played. Furthermore they use a very interesting soundtrack. All the songs are basically by artists on the Fuelled by Ramen record label. It is also interesting to note that there is a Fall Out Boy poster on Jennifer's bedroom wall. Two of the members of Fall Out Boy are the creators and owners of Fuelled by Ramen. I am quite impressed with the acting in the film. Megan Fox plays the bitchy popular girl, Jennifer Check, to a t, maybe because she has a similar 'screw-you' attitude in real life, but it still works. Amanda Seyfried is amazing as the nerdy Needy, always perfectly capturing Needy's neurotic awkwardness. Adam Brody also gets a mention for his role as Nicolai, the lead singer of Low Shoulder. He plays a sinister little bastard and he does it brilliantly, maybe even outshining the leads.
Section D: General Analysis of the Film 21. Plot Summary Jennifer Check and Needy Lesnicki are best friends. BFFs is the only 'word' to describe it. Needy is the Nerdy sidekick; Jennifer, on the other hand is the most popular girl in school. She's beautiful and bitchy - the perfect combination. One day Jennifer discovers this indie band from the city, Low Shoulder, on the internet and she finds out that they will be playing the local bar, Melody Lane. She drags Needy with her to the show, where during the setlist the club burns down. Needy and Jennifer escape, but a whole bunch of townspeople die. Nicolai, the lead singer of Low Shoulder, whom Jennifer is infatuated with, easily pulls her into their van and they drive off into the woods. In the woods they sacrifice her to Satan, thinking that if they offer up the perfect virgin sacrifice, it would further their musical career. Little did they know that Jennifer was far from being pure, so she turned into a demonic succubus who has to eat human flesh to survive. Jennifer then goes on to eat several boys in town. Needy realises that her best friend has changed after a scary encounter with a blood-drenched Jennifer and she slowly starts to unravel the truth about what happened to Jennifer. Nobody believes her, of course and she is left to fight the demon alone. On prom night Jennifer chooses Chip, Needy's boyfriend, as her next snack. Needy interrupts Jennifer's feeding session and with Chip's help they manage to injure Jennifer. Jennifer escapes, but sadly Chip ends up dying. Needy now knows Jennifer can be hurt and she wait for Jennifer to grow weak again before she strikes. Needy fights Jennifer and kills her by sticking a box cutter through her heart. In their fight Jennifer bites Needy and Needy inherits some of Jennifer's demonic abilities. Needy, is of course, seen a sociopath and is locked up in an institution, but her newfound powers allow her to escape. She goes to kill the members of Low Shoulder, since they were the ones who caused this whole tragedy. 22. Tag Line Mean girls have never been this evil. 23. 'What If...?' Statement What if an indie band tries to sacrifice a virgin to Satan, but ends up sacrificing the town bicycle?
24. Cast List Here is a list of the main cast members: Actor | Character | Megan Fox | Jennifer Check | Amanda Seyfried | Needy Lesnicki | Johnny Simmons | Chip Dove | Adam Brody | Nicolai | Kyle Gallner | Colin Gray | Chris Pratt | Roman Duda | Josh Emerson | Jonas Kozelle | 25. List of Locations * Leech Lake Women's Correctional Hospital * Needy's Room at Leech Lake * Leech Lake Hospital Recreation Area * Leech Lake Cafeteria * "The Hole" a.k.a. solitary confinement * Devil's Kettle the town * The Falls * Jennifer's house * Jennifer's bedroom * Kettle High Gymnasium * Kettle High hallway * Needy's house * Needy's bedroom * Needy's living room * Melody Lane Bar * Melody Lane bathroom * Outside of Melody Lane Bar * Petrified Forest National Park * Chip's bedroom * Front entry of Needy's house * Needy's hallway * Needy's kitchen * Kettle High classroom * Kettle High Football Field * Woods surrounding school * School parking lot * Lake near school * McCallum Park * Camerford Street * 1004 Camerford (half built house) * Chip's street * Sandbox * Low Shoulder's van * Forest Clearing * Secluded street * Our Lady of Perpetual Blood Cemetery * Kettle High campus * Chip's living room * Chip's house * Chip's front door * Murphy Pool exterior * Murphy Pool interior * County Road 9 * Low Shoulder's hotel 26. Character Studies Jennifer Check: Jennifer Check is the most popular girl in high school, heck, she's probably the most popular girl in town. With long black hair, piercing blue eyes and a body to die for, all the boys lust after her and all the girls wish to be her. She has been best friends with Needy Lesnicki since they were little kids, even though Needy is a big nerd. Nobody really understands their friendship. Selfish and over-confident, Jennifer rules the town. In her friendship with Needy she is always the one in charge and Needy has always looked up to her. Their friendship is very imbalanced, but if you look at it they are very co-dependent. Needy is the one who appears to 'need' Jennifer on the surface, but Jennifer needs Needy just as badly. Jennifer is incredibly jealous and doesn't want Needy to have any happiness outside of their friendship. She wants Needy all too herself and that is why she tries to steal Chip from Needy. She also only goes after Colin Gray after Needy tells Jennifer he is a cool guy. Her relationship with Needy is a very obsessive one and the lines between friendship and romance is quite blurred between the two of them. Jennifer lives with her mom and the rest of her family is never mentioned. They aren't particularly rich, even though Jennifer always tries to put on the persona of being the perfect girl. Needy Lesnicki: Needy Lesnicki is a nerdy little bookworm. She isn't particularly pretty, is very shy and has a great deal of awkwardness mixed in with her personality. Basically she is your typical nerd, with glasses, a bad sense of style and a needy personality. Her best friend is Jennifer Check. Needy thinks the world of Jennifer, easily sacrificing her own happiness for Jennifer's. She is completely dependent on Jennifer and she knows it. This doesn't seem to bother her for the longest time, because she knows if she obeys Jennifer, Jennifer will always be there. It is here where Needy and Jennifer's relationship easily crosses the boundaries between friendship love and romantic love. Chip Dove is Needy's equally nerdy boyfriend. The two seem to really like each other, but Needy still always chooses Jennifer over Chip. Whenever she doesn't Jennifer gets jealous. She is also good friends with a goth boy called Collin Gray. After seeing this Jennifer also swoops in and takes Colin away from Needy. Needy's mother is also a single parent, just like Jennifer's. Her mother works two jobs, the graveyard shift being one of the shifts she works. Her mother seems to be a bit of a screw up and the two aren't very close. Needy has a pet ferret. Chip Dove: Chip Dove is Needy's boyfriend. He is a drummer in the school marching band and is head over heels in love with Needy. Chip seems to be more in love with Needy than she is with him. You only see his mother and younger sister, making you believe that his mother is a single mom as well. It seems to be a theme in the film. His younger sister, Camille is always out to annoy him. Being an outcast himself, Chip and Needy are the perfect match. Jennifer and Needy, on the other hand, are not and Chip sees this. He doesn't approve of Needy and Jennifer's friendship, since he sees how unhealthy and imbalanced it really is. Jennifer definitely isn't one of his favourite people and he tried to keep Needy away from her. Chips has longish brown hair and an awkward frame, which suits his personality perfectly. Nicolai: Nicolai is the twisted lead singer of the indie band Low Shoulder. He is a completely self-absorbed guyliner wearing musician, who will stop at nothing to further his own career. Nicolai doesn't even really care about the rest of his band, only fame. He doesn't mind using anything possible as a publicity stunt. His wardrobe consists of your typical skinny jeans and he even has a creepy tattoo of the 'waxing moon' from the sacrifice ritual on his neck.
27. Subtext I have spoken about most of the subtext in the film throughout this essay, but here is a section solely devoted to the subtext now. It might feel like I am repeating myself at some points, but please bare with me. The first layer of subtext will be the amount of power the popular girls in school have over everyone. They can be the most horrible people, yet people still believe they walk on water. No boy can resist them and girls just want to be associated with them. Succubus Jennifer is just an extension of your typical mean girl. She still just uses boys to get what she wants. The second layer of subtext is the intensity of friendship between teenage girls and how co-dependent they can become. Jennifer and Needy are inseparable. Their friendship is completely imbalanced, because Jennifer has all the power, yet she cannot live without Needy and is just as dependent on Needy as Needy is on Jennifer. As I have said so many times in this essay, their relationship blurs the lines between romance and friendship. One wouldn't necessarily say that the two girls are in love, but rather that these romantic feelings sprout from the intensity of their friendship. There is an undeniable chemistry between the two of them that can go either way. 'Hopeless' is another theme in the film. Jennifer is hopeless when she gets sacrificed and after that she wishes all of her victims to be hopeless. Needy feels and understands this word. It is also seen spray painted on the wall of the Murphy Pool. Religious themes also come up throughout the film and not because the writer is religious, but more because it is a theme that everyone can relate to and recognise. Colin Gray is wearing a rosary around his hand when he is murdered, showing his own superstitious religious beliefs. Needy crosses herself and asks for help from someone she doesn't really believe in before attacking Jennifer. Lastly, in the end of the movie when Needy stabs the box cutter through Jennifer's heart, Jennifer's mother cradles her daughter which is a direct comparison to the pieta, or Madonna and child, image. The pop culture references and the "hip" language crammed into the film is also a commentary on the new generation and the way they live/speak. It could even mock it to a certain extent. 28. "Moments" I will now make a list of all the important moments, or moments that stay with you, in the film. * Needy kicks the doctor's teeth out. You immediately know something dodgy is going on here. * Jennifer and Needy's 'lesbi-gay' waving in the school gym. Here you start seeing the intensity of their frienship. * Jennifer stealing Needy away from Chip to go the Low Shoulder show. * Melody Lane burns down and Jennifer gets into Low Shoulder's van. * Needy meets a blood-drenched, black ooze spewing Jennifer. * Jennifer is feeling great while the whole town is mourning the Melody Lane tragedy. * Jennifer eats Jonas Kozelle, seemingly her first victim. * Needy shows interest in Colin Gray and Jennifer eats him. * Jennifer tells Needy about the events in the forest when she was sacrificed. * Jennifer kills Chip. * Needy kills Jennifer, ripping off Jennifer's BFF necklace. This puts Jennifer into shock and gives Needy the time to kill her. * Needy takes revenge on the guys from Low Shoulder. 29. Director's Style Jennifer's Body is Karyn Kusama's first horror/comedy film. She likes to use handheld shots in panicky situations and the use of music to set the tone is very important. Something that seems to be a theme with her is female empowerment, especially in the physical form. Jennifer has supernatural powers which makes her physically stronger than anyone else in the film. Some people have even suggested that this makes Kusama a part of Third Wave Feminism, because her female characters often take on predominantly male roles or characteristics. 30. Emotions When I watched Jennifer's Body for the first time, I immediately knew I was going to like it. It was hilarious - the pop culture references and wit impressed me straight away -, there was a lot of gore and the music was amazing. Then I slowly started understanding the subtext of the movie which obviously just made me fall in love with this movie.
I will now draw an emotion graph for Jennifer's Body.
31. Conclusion I have to admit that in the past I have read a lot about people's opinions and interpretations of this film and I have done various little analyses of the film in the last few years, so I came into this project with a decent understanding of the themes and subtext in Jennifer's Body. Honestly, during every step of analysis I just grew to love the film more and more. Many people just brush it off as a silly film with cheap scares, a hot actress and unnatural dialogue, but they don't truly pay attention to it. They don't see the tons of subtext and the tiniest little references. I really believe it should become a cult classic.
