SHREK

ANALYSIS

Shrek’s Character – The beginning

• The film opens like a traditional fairy story, using the well-known beginning 'Once upon a time there was a lovely princess … '.

• This is interrupted by a hand snapping the book shut. Shrek appears.

• Modern rap music suggests that this film will not be a conventional fairy story.

Shrek’s Character – The storybook characters arrive• Shrek threatens them, saying ogres

will ‘shave your liver, squeeze the jelly from your eyes'.

• He tries to frighten them – saying ogres are ‘much worse’ than giants.

• People run away screaming.

Shrek’s Character – Donkey and Shrek meet

• Shrek roars at him, tries to intimidate Donkey.

• Donkey is not frightened: 'You need some Tic-Tacs' – Shrek ridiculed about his bad breath.

• Donkey is persistent and continues to question Shrek.

• Shrek shouts 'What am I?' to emphasise to Donkey that he’s an ogre, but fails to impress.

Shrek’s Character – Donkey and Shrek meet

• Donkey continues to irritate Shrek, bouncing on his chair, peering through the window.

• Shrek fails to stop Donkey – suggests that he isn't a terrifying ogre.

• Mice running over his table and up on his shoulder. Comedy as he fails to catch them. Shouts ‘I'm a terrifying ogre, what do I have to do to get a little privacy?'.

Shrek’s Character – visit to Duloc

• Donkey often argues with Shrek. Says that Shrek should 'pull some ogre stuff' to sort out Lord Farquaad.

• Donkey tells Shrek that he is too soft, that the swamp belongs to him anyway.

• Shrek asks Donkey if he should 'decapitate an entire village [ … ] cut open their spleens … ‘.

Shrek’s Character – visit to Dulco

• Viewers feel that Shrek isn't capable of doing this even if he wanted to. Donkey argues with Shrek. Shrek not even vaguely frightening.

• Instead of accepting the challenge with Lord Farquaad's knights, Shrek offers to 'settle it over a pint'.

Shrek’s Character – rescue of Princess Fiona

• Shrek shakes her violently: 'Wake up now, let's go'.

• She is disappointed that there is no 'romantic moment'.

• Initially Shrek tries to behave in a threatening manner.

Lord Farquaad’s evil side

• Watches torture of the Gingerbread Man. Laughs and taunts him: 'Run, run, run as fast as you can …’. Tries to pull Gingerbread Man's buttons off. Throws Gingerbread Man in the bin. Gingerbread Man screams.

Lord Farquaad’s evil side

• Parody of 'Blind Date': Lord Farquaad has three beautiful women to choose from.

• Lord Farquaad comes for the Princess – language very formal: 'Beautiful, fair, flawless Fiona, will you be the perfect bride for the perfect groom?'.

Lord Farquaad’s evil side• End – Lord Farquaad orders the

knights to 'Get that out of my sight'. Tells knights to arrest Fiona when he sees her after sunset. Still proclaims himself as King, even though the marriage has been abandoned.

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Camera Shots• When Shrek scares the storybook

characters away there is a close up shot of his mouth – to give the impression that he is going to eat them. Darkness creates further unease.

• Again when the storybook characters arrive with orders from Lord Farquaad telling Shrek that he needs to move out of the swamp, the low-angle shot makes Shrek appear threatening as he looks down, towering over these characters. They run away.

Camera Shots• Tension is built as Lord Farquaad is

introduced – his guard is wearing a balaclava, and the first shot we see of Lord Farquaad is of his hands (not his face) – he is putting on a pair of gloves as if he means business.

• His elevated position is emphasised when the camera moves from ground level upwards to reveal his tower. The high angle shot makes Shrek and Donkey seem more vulnerable.

Camera Shots

• Low angle shots are used effectively to show Lord Farquaad looking down on Shrek and his subjects.

• Mid angle shots are used when Shrek and Donkey are relaxing together, and when Shrek has cooked Princess Fiona a meal. Such shots are helpful as they show characters socialising with each other. They are on an equal footing.

Camera Shots

• Close up shots are also useful for focusing the viewer's attention on the characters' emotions. Both Princess Fiona and Shrek can reveal their true happiness through close ups of them smiling. The camera moves from one to the other and back again.

Camera Shots• Sometimes the character's back is

shown rather than their face. This serves to highlight their isolation from the rest of the characters. One such example is where Shrek sits on the edge of the cliff with his back to the camera when Princess Fiona goes off to bed. He also turns his back on the fire. Later on he turns his back on Donkey to signal the end of their friendship.

Presentational Devices- Setting

• – partly set in Shrek's swamp – traditional / expected home of an ogre. Yet Donkey follows Shrek into it and even attempts to set up home there. Not as unwelcoming as it should be.

•  Lord Farquaad's castle – torture of Gingerbread man, hooded figures, tries to defeat Shrek in the courtyard. Violence, secrecy – should be a place of splendour.

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Presentational Devices - Lighting

• When the Princess leaves Shrek at dusk he feels alone. His isolation is emphasised by him sitting away from the fire with his back to the camera. He is staring into the black of night, looking at the moon.

Presentational Devices - Lighting

• After Shrek has met the Princess he is often pictured by the sunset. Shrek and the Princess walk together through the woods – sunny day – birds chirping – Princess singing – contentment.

Presentational Devices - Lighting

• End brilliant light – suggests goodness / magical fairytale ending.

Presentational Devices – Music and Sound Effects

• When we first meet Lord Farquaad and the hooded figure there is marching music – tense – suggests battle.

• When Shrek enters the arena there is organ music – suggests the importance of Shrek's tournament and the importance of the Lord.

• Shrek misinterprets the conversation that he overhears between Donkey and the Princess. The slow music reflects his unhappiness.

Presentational Devices – Music and Sound Effects

• When Shrek goes home there is a song about broken dreams and promises. Even Donkey and the dragon are crying.

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Presentational Devices - Importance of Donkey

• Follows Shrek back to swamp. Ignores 'Beware of ogre' sign.

• Refuses to heed Shrek's advice to leave him alone.

• Lightens atmosphere at tournament – rolls barrels into knights – makes scene funny.

Presentational Devices - Importance of Donkey

• When Donkey returns after finding flowers he looks at Shrek and Princess smiling at each other and says ‘My, isn't this romantic'.

• Acts as Shrek's advisor. Shrek listens to him when he is having difficulties.