Introduction
Across the world, the debate about the importance of vocational education has been going on for decades. While some systems of education value vocational education, others disregard it as irrelevant to the dynamic needs of education and job markets. Opponents of vocational education argue that vocational education is irrelevant to high school students because it does not prepare them well for the competitive job markets.
Moreover, the opponents of vocational education point out that vocational education is not only expensive but also a waste of invaluable time of students. On the other hand, the proponents of vocational education assert vocational education is an essential part of the education system because it equips students with appropriate knowledge and skills so that they can provide essential human resources that are lacking or insufficient in labor markets.
In this view, a significant number of students graduate from high schools, but they lack the appropriate knowledge and skills for them to enter the job markets (Holzer 2). Employers in the labor markets are experiencing a shortage of technical skills because high school students directly go into colleges and universities without acquiring basic technical skills. Therefore, as a contribution to the ongoing debate, this essay argues that equipping students with vocational education improves their suitability for the job market.
Career Development
Since high school students have no specific careers, vocational education gives them a platform where they can build their careers based on the technical skills that they acquire and thus making them suitable for the job market. Although opponents of vocational education argue that vocational education is irrelevant in career development, it has the capacity to build the careers of numerous students, who graduate from high schools.
Career building is a complex phenomenon among students because they have diverse ambitions. The proponents of vocational education hold that high school graduates require hands-on experiences so that they can shape their careers basing on them. According to Tripney and Hombrados, high school students are unable to make informed choices of their careers because they do have practical skills and knowledge of various forms of professions (6).
In this view, students, who go through vocational education, attain new perspectives of their careers; and hence, they build a solid foundation of their careers. Hence, vocational training forms the basis of career development among high school graduates, which is critical in their entry to competitive job markets.
Vocational education is important because it fills the career development gap exists in the career path of students, who are in colleges because they do not have crucial knowledge, skills, and experience of apprenticeship. Holzer argues that employers have been complaining about the lack of appropriate human resources (4). A significant number of people terminate their studies at the high school level, while others proceed to colleges and universities, and thus create a career gap due to lack of vocational education.
As employers look for people with more than high school education, but with less than college and university education, they do not get enough number. Moreover, employers are complaining that college and university graduates do not have essential technical skills.
Agrawal recommends that high school students, who proceed to colleges and universities, should undergo vocational training because it acts as a bridge that links high school and colleges or universities (21). Although critics of vocational education view it as an unnecessary step in career development, technical skills remain to be key human resources that employers seek.
Motivation
Acquisition of technical knowledge and skills motivates students to perform complex tasks, which they can only perform if they undergo vocational education. Usually, high school education equips students with knowledge and skills, which prepare them to perform non-technical tasks. The opponents of vocational education assert that non-technical knowledge and skills are important than technical knowledge and skills because high school students are too young to acquire them (Jha 3).
However, the proponents of vocational education perceive that vocational education motivates students to acquire technical knowledge and skills with a view of providing solutions to human problems that are common in society. Since technical careers rank low in the job markets, students dislike and disregard them (Holzer 12). Nevertheless, vocational education changes the perceptions of students and thus motivates them to acquire technical knowledge and skills.
In essence, vocational education motivates students to perform technical tasks and therefore makes them appropriate employees with technical knowledge and skills. Hence, the acquisition of technical knowledge and skills motivates high school students to perform technical tasks, which are essential in the job markets.
Vocational education motivates students, who end their learning at the high school level and lose hope about the development of their careers, to acquire technical knowledge and skills, and consequently, provide human resources that technical careers require. Students from colleges and universities flood the employment market and increasing unemployment rates among youths.
Increased rates of unemployment compel students to pursue higher levels of education with the objective of increasing their competitiveness in the job markets. Since high school students get skills that increase their level of preparedness to the challenges in the workplace and various adaptation strategies, they become flexible and ready to tackle technical tasks.
Although critics discredit the essence of motivation, proponents state that knowledge and skills that students acquire from vocational education motivate them to pursue their studies (Agrawal 22). Motivation emanates from the encouragement that students develop after meeting the desired career objectives. Fundamentally, motivation creates a self-drive among students and increases the zeal of working in technical fields, which make students be ready and suitable for job markets.
Enhancement of Creativity and Innovation
Vocational education prepares students and makes them suitable for the job market by improving their levels of creativity and innovation. Critics of vocational education argue that training of students on aspects of the job market in high school is irrelevant because the students are too young to acquire technical skills. However, effective vocational education empowers the students at their tender ages and makes them creative and innovative.
Vocational education imparts the students with the required knowledge and skills, which prepares them to work in technical fields. Holzer argues that what is lacking in diverse education systems is the creativity and innovation among students (7). Proponents of vocational education argue that students in colleges and universities lack creativity because they by-pass vocational education.
According to Scherer, the literacy of the 21st century entails the acquisition of technical knowledge and skills due to the advent of information technology (19). Since technical skills and knowledge forms part of literacy in the 21st century, their acquisition promotes creativity and innovation among high school students, and thus enables students to understand the dynamics of the job market.
Since vocational education improves creativity and innovation among students, it enhances the discovery and invention of products, devices, and equipment, which essential in industrial development. Technical skills and knowledge that students acquire through vocational education trigger discoveries and innovations.
Although critics argue that students would take the training for granted due to their tender ages, proponents explain that imparting technical skills and knowledge on the students from their tender ages make them creative and innovative (Scherer 23). Industrial development requires advanced discoveries and innovation, which are dependent on the creative and innovative minds of the students.
Fundamentally, vocational training facilitates industrial development by supporting the creative and innovative minds of the students. Holzer states that through vocational education, high school graduates are able to provide their input in the process of making discoveries and innovations (16). Thus, vocational education nurtures the creative and innovative minds of young people and prepares them for job opportunities in the industrial sector.
Competitiveness in Labor Markets
The skills and knowledge that students acquire in vocational education equip them effectively and thus make them competent and competitive in the labor markets. Although opponents of vocational education argue that students in college and university levels are suitable to undergo vocational education, the competitiveness of labor markets does not allow people with certain educational level to monopolize the job opportunities.
Hence, it is important to equip high school students with technical skills and knowledge so that they can compete effectively with other people in the job market, irrespective of their educational levels. According to Agrawal, vocational education empowers high school students to develop their technical careers, which are in high demand in the labor markets (18).
Modern employers are seeking people with technical skills because they are indispensable in various organizations. Consequently, students, who have undergone vocational education are more competitive than the students, who have not undergone vocational education.
Increased creativity and innovation, which high school students acquire, enhance their competitiveness in labor markets. The technical skills and knowledge are central to industrial development. The employees that industries need should have technical skills and must be in tandem with technological innovations and inventions.
Although critics explain that vocational training is not practical, especially among students eyeing white-collar jobs, opponents discuss that vocational training increases the intellectual capacity and widens the perspective of an individual on professional development. Vocational education is very important as it empowers the students and makes them ready and suitable for jobs that need a practical application in industrial setups (Tripney and Hombrados 8).
Therefore, vocational education helps high school students to keep abreast with technological inventions and discoveries and contribute to industrial development. Therefore, vocational education equips students and makes them competitive in industrial setups, which require technical skills and knowledge.
Improved Performance, High Productivity, and Job Placement
Vocational education improves the performance of employees in their workplaces. Employers usually grapple with the challenge of underperformance and unproductive employees. When employees enter the job market with the relevant skills and expertise acquired from vocational education, they perform exemplary. Opponents of vocational education argue that improved productivity has its basis on the individual personality and cognitive behavior, but not on vocational education.
However, proponents argue that since vocational education help individuals to become creative and adaptive to diverse technical tasks, they enter the job market when they are suitable and ready to work well. Therefore, the individuals easily adapt and learn the requirements of the organization in terms of performance and provision of quality services.
Jha argues that skills and knowledge acquired from vocational training enhance the performance of employees because they have crucial expertise (4). Thus, high performance among employees, who have gone through vocational education, confirms the essence of vocational education among high school students.
Given that vocational education equips students with essential skills and knowledge in the technical fields, it prepares them for the job markets that focus on the productiveness of employees rather than qualification. Employees face challenges of recruiting employees, who are very productive and ready to meet the demanding obligations in organizations. Although the opponents explain that vocational education is not an effective way of enhancing productivity in the workplace, it instills the students with the skills and expertise required for career development, and so, their productivity increases soon after their employment in various organizations.
Increased productivity that takes place after the individuals enter the job markets is due to the skills and expertise that they acquire from vocational education. According to Tripney and Hombrados, vocational educational helps increase the productivity of individuals in workplaces (12).
Therefore, when students enter the labor market, they exhibit a high level of productivity because they do not require extensive training to adapt to the workplace environment. The outcome of reduced challenges experienced by the new employees is minimal because students integrate themselves into the duties of the organizational system and culture.
Vocational education enables students to secure job opportunities in various aspects of their expertise due to their empirical experience. Following economic recessions, which have occurred intermittently, unemployment rates have increased exponentially. In this view, creative and innovative minds that students exhibit in terms of technical skills and knowledge enable them to maneuver through turbulent labor markets and secure meaningful employment.
Critics of vocational education assert that vocational education is only essential after students have finished colleges and universities. Such an argument is not rational because it does not consider that a considerable number of students are high school graduates, who do not have the capacity to proceed with their studies.
Moreover, the argument fails to recognize the fact that employers require human resources with basic technical skills. Holzer asserts that enhanced acquisition and retention of jobs among employees, who have technical expertise highlights the significance of vocational education (14). Thus, employers find it easy to absorb students on vocational training because they have empirical knowledge and skills.
Conclusion
Diverse education systems around the world recommend integration of vocational education into their educational curricula. However, due to divergence imperceptions, some educational experts criticize the relevance of vocational education. The ongoing debate regarding the importance of vocational education indicates that it is imperative in equipping high school students with appropriate knowledge and skills that labor market demand.
In the present labor markets, vocational education is imperative because it equip students with essential knowledge and skills so that they suit the demands of the labor markets. The arguments in this essay indicate that vocational education enables high school students to build their careers, motivates them to pursue their careers, promote creativity and innovation, improve performance and productivity, and enhance competitiveness in labor markets.
From the arguments, it is evident that vocational education is very crucial if education system and labor markets need to harmonize the demands for labor with a view of improving underemployment and unemployment rates, which are quite high among the young people.
Works Cited
Agrawal, Tushar. “Vocational education and training programs (VET): An Asian perspective.” Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education 14.1 (2013): 15-26. Print.
Holzer, Harry. “Good workers for good jobs: Improving education and workforce system in the United States.” IZA Journal of Labor Policy 1.5 (2012): 1-19. Print.
Jha, Shankaranand. “Vocational education and communicative English.” Indian Streams Research Journal 4.2 (2014): 1-4. Print.
Scherer, Marge. “Transforming education with technology.” Educational Leadership 68.5 (2011): 16-22. Print.
Tripney, Janice, and Jorge Hombrados. “Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for young people in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training 5.3 (2013): 1-14. Print.
“Beauty” By Jane Martin Drama
Introduction
Carla and Bethany are the main characters in the play ‘Beauty’ by Jane Martin. Both characters can be regarded as the protagonists in the play. Carla and Bethany share some common traits, most of which are apparent among young American women. For instance, Bethany is a very fun-, loving young woman, ready to say or do anything to fulfill her whims. Bethany explains to Carla that she had to lie at her place of work about her dying uncle for her to go to the beach (Kirszner and Mandell 541).
In this essay, the author will critically analyze self-image with regards to the two characters. In “Beauty,” Carla and Bethany are struggling with their individual self-image, especially in relation to their physical appearances.
Beauty and Self-Image: Critique
Carla is boasting of three modeling job proposals for the night. However, she intends to meet a date in the process (Kirszner and Mandell 541). Here, Carla and Bethany exhibit the characteristics of an independent and free modern young woman. Martin brings out the traits of the two through dialogue and actions. Actually, the play revolves around the dialogue between the two. For instance, Bethany’s fun-loving attitude is made apparent when she tells Carla how she lied at her place of work to be given a day off.
Martin may have developed the theme of self-image in the two characters to reflect her experiences and those of her closest friends. Her background is a secret to many. However, her identity as a Kentucky-based modern woman strengthens the notion of developing two characters to mirror her life. In spite of their struggles with self-identity, Carla and Bethany seem to maintain a very close friendship. The friendship element in the drama may be borrowed from Martin’s real-life experiences, most probably as a young woman in America.
Martin portrays the characters as all-rounded, but uncomplicated, young individuals. For instance, both women are professionals in their respective fields. Bethany is a public accountant (Kirszner and Mandell 543), while Carla is a model. The dialogue between the two characters reveals a lot about their nature.
In spite of their character strengths, both Carla and Bethany are struggling with internal urges, which are hard to discern without their disclosure. Bethany tells Carla, “I want to be like you” (Kirszner and Mandell, p. 542). The proclamation is an indication of the fact that she is not comfortable or content with herself. After requesting two magical wishes from a genie, Bethany feels that she needs to beautiful like Carla. The ensuing argument is an illustration of varying points of view in relation to the concept of beauty and self-image.
According to many individuals, beauty is defined on the basis of good looks and physical appeal. It appears that Bethany holds this notion of beauty. She exhibits a strong urge to achieve this form of physical appeal. The desire is made apparent when she tells Carla that “I want to be beautiful” (Kirszner and Mandell p. 542). On her part, Carla feels that Bethany is beautiful and pretty. However, the latter is not satisfied with her appearance.
Most young women struggle with their physical appearances. The struggle is apparent in the sale of cosmetic and beauty products. Most of these products are consumed by young women. Such consumers are pursuing beauty in life. Young women are struggling to modify their physical images in the name of beauty.
Like Bethany, a large number of young women define beauty based on the comments made by their friends. They also regard physical appeal from the perspective of the appearance of other women, especially those who are famous. For instance, in spite of being regarded as beautiful by her friend, Bethany still finds flaws in her appearances. Carla tells Bethany, “you are beautiful” (Kirszner and Mandell p. 543), but this appears not to be enough.
On her part, Carla feels that Bethany has the charm and the personality that she herself lacks (Kirszner and Mandell 543). In most cases, the majority of the young women who envy the beauty of their peers are only blinded by one aspect of their existence, which is their physical appearance. In addition, the women crave for the kind of life led by their ‘beautiful’ peers. In actual sense, they disregard the viewpoints of their role models. For instance, Bethany wishes to be like Carla. She is attracted to her friend’s physical beauty (Kirszner and Mandell, 543). Carla, on the other hand, envies Bethany, especially with regards to her intellect (Kirszner and Mandell 543).
Bethany is physically attractive and pretty. However, she still feels that beauty will make her life more satisfying (Kirszner and Mandell, 543). On the contrary, Carla has experienced what others consider to be beautiful. She dislikes the pressure associated with these ‘good looks.’ For instance, she tells Bethany that being beautiful “is not a picnic” (Kirszner and Mandell p. 543). She feels that beautiful women are treated as mere objects to be adored.
The two characters manifest a major flaw, which is tragic to both of them. The last wish granted by the magical genie interchanges their personalities and physical attributes. Carla becomes Bethany, whereas the latter becomes the former (Kirszner and Mandell 543). The girls realize the mistake they have made too late. None of them wants to be the other in spite of the envious comments.
Conclusion
Martin uses Carla and Bethany to communicate to the reader, especially to those women who covet beauty. Beauty should not be defined solely from the viewpoints of others. Everyone is beautiful. The truth is that different people exhibit varying forms of beauty. Carla and Bethany learn this the hard way.
Works Cited
Kirszner, L., and Stephen M. LIT. 1st ed. 2011. New York: Cengage Learning. Print.
The Film “Die Hard’
Introduction
Over the last few years, the entertainment industry has gone through exponential growth. The film industry is among the ever-expanding industries across the entire globe. The rate at which movies are churned out today transcends the production ceilings that could only be envisioned only a few years back. This phenomenon seems to be working in tandem with the increased consumerism that is witnessed in most nations across the world.
Film fanatics no doubt have a vast directory of movies from across a wide variety of genres at their disposal to choose from and this unprecedented growth has led to the metamorphosis of the conventional film genres of ancient times into a plethora of sub-genres and hybrids of the sub-genres. Although the traditional film genres still exist, films that exclusively fall within a single distinct genre are hard to come by in today’s movies.
This aspect has made an analysis of a movie quite a complex engagement, which calls for a systematic and carefully planned approach to accomplish. This essay seeks to scrutinize the movie, Die Hard (1988) in the context of its genre by specifically considering the story type, the act structure, principles of design, genre-specific tropes in the film, historical influences on the development of the genre, and any narrative developments that are particular to it.
A synopsis of Die Hard (1988)
The movie Die Hard (1988), despite being two decades old, is still touted today as among the best action movies of all time. Directed by John McTiernan, the movie casts John McLane (Bruce Willis), a New York detective who arrives in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve to have time with his estranged wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia).
A party organized at his wife’s workplace turns tragic when terrorists, under the command of Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), plan to make way with 600 million dollars in Nakatomi Corporation building’s high-tech safe and take the revelers hostage, in the pretext of political motivation.
Bruce Willis, having been left in the washrooms by his unwelcoming wife, is still there at the time of the attack. When it dawns on him that his wife is a hostage, he is determined than ever to rescue her. His resolve almost costs him his life, but he takes out the terrorists, one after the other, using his antics probably from his job.
Die Hard (1988) hit the theater screens on 15 July 1988 and runs for approximately one hour and fifty-four minutes. The movie hit the entertainment scene like a thunderbolt and captivated an audience that cuts across all ages. It has solicited many positive criticisms and of course negative criticism as well from different quarters of viewers and critics. This movie is touted as having brought the lead actor, Bruce Willis, into the limelight of action movie scene.
Its unrivaled success prompted the production of other movies such as Die Hard 2, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and A Good Day to Die Hard among others.
Going by events that followed the release of the movie, it is evident that the movie was a hit and as such, changed so much on the entertainment scene. An analysis of this movie is thus anticipated to give an insight into the numerous aspects that its producers pooled together to deliver it as a chef-d’oeuvre.
Die Hard (1988) in Perspective
The process of movie analysis calls for a balance between the analyst’s view of the movie and the views of others within the guidance of the principles of movie production and analysis (Neale 170).
Die Hard (1988) movie changed so much on the movie scene, right from its lead actor to the manner in which action movies needed to be tailor-made to captivate the target audience as this masterpiece did. In a bid to deliver credible scrutiny of this movie, this essay shall now consider it systematically using the criteria outlined in the introduction.
Story-type and Act Structure Configuration
The debate on movie genres has been given a rather pragmatic approach in the field of film studies. Everything is purportedly in order, and as such, there seems to be no need to delve into genre issues (Altman 6).
However, this phenomenon should not be the case as those undergoing training to take over the industry later need to understand every single detail of all that pertains to genres and how they have evolved to come to what is in existence at present (Allen and Smith 94).
The movie, Die Hard, would be classified as falling within action genre by a quick scan through it. However, a closer look at this movie yields more information concerning its classification. The movie, from other perspectives, can be viewed as being a buddy film as well as a crime fiction movie among many other classifications.
Its classification as simply an action movie hinges on the fact that it exhibits a lot of physical stunts and activities in its story line (Sukhum 16). The story in Die Hard is about rescue and the lead star, McLane, is quite resourceful in his efforts even though he against many odds including menacing circumstances to wrestle the hostages from the villains. This element depicts the movie as a conventional action film.
As a buddy film, Mr. McLane kills one of the terrorists to access a machine gun and a radio. Through the radio, he manages to run conversations with Al, a sympathetic black cop, who is the first to arrive at the scene. Unfortunately, the buddies’ efforts to help one another are frustrated when F.B.I officers arrive at the scene.
The buddies only get to meet at the end of the entire action. The act structure of the movie can thus be examined with the knowledge of the movie being a majorly an action movie.
Blockbuster movies achieved notable success in Hollywood in the 1970s and 1980s, which prompted studios to rely heavily on the three-act plot structures as the gateway to successful movies (Trottier 51). The three-act structure is the idea that films should follow given plot points all through three acts to ensure that character development is achieved and the audience is kept interested in the story as well (Trottier 53).
In this structure, the entire movie is divided into three sections, viz. Act I, Act II, and Act II where in the first act; there are three important structure points; that is, the big opening, a catalyst, and the big event (Trottier 55). This aspect implies that right at the beginning of the movie, viewers need to be captivated already and then the main character presented to achieve in the movie.
The big event closes the first act and sets precedence for the second act. In Die Hard, McLane arrives at the airport in Los Angeles with a large teddy bear, probably a present for his estranged wife.
This part can be seen as being intended to captivate the viewer by making them want to know why he had to carry such a burden. Little time goes by and right there, McLane’s wife becomes a hostage yet he has not yet succeeded in patching up things with his wife, which gives a big reason why he just had to save her.
In the second act, action in a movie rises and focuses more emphatically on the conflict (Trottier 53). The lead actor emerges from act one with a motivation to do something about the difficult situation depicted by the big event in the first act. Putting Die Hard into this perspective, at this point, McLane already knows that his wife and her co-workers have been taken hostages and by the look of things, he is better placed to salvage the situation.
Therefore, he goes ahead to defy directives from the authorities surrounding the building to take on the villains. In Act II, the lead actor is normally portrayed as likely to fail, by only achieving short-lived triumphs, which may force him/her to change his/her action plan in order to succeed.
McLane at first decides to play hide and seek as he is portrayed as being somewhat frightened by the situation. However, when he kills a terrorist and takes the machine gun and the radio, he wants to use it to persuade Al, the cop, for instance, to follow his advice. However, this move fails and he is forced to open fire on the cop’s car to make him realize that there is a problem in the building.
He also goes ahead to expose himself, albeit sparingly, to the villains to act as a bait and have the advantage of eliminating them as they go after him. When the lead terrorist asks his men to shoot glass to impair McLane ability to move around easily, he is portrayed as almost failing due to his bare feet being cut by the glass on the floor.
At some point, he passes a message, via Hans Gruber, to his wife on radio, thus portraying him as almost giving up. His desire to succeed propels him forward despite all odds. All this action falls within the two plot points in act two, viz. the midpoint and the crisis (Trottier 52).
In Act III, the story merely gets to be summarized and it comes under two plot points, viz. the showdown and the realization (Trottier 52). In the showdown, commonly known as the climax of a movie, the protagonist and the antagonist face off one on one. At this point, Gruber comes face to face with McLane.
McLane seems to have gone through so much such that his chances of emerging triumphant are slim. However, his antics play to his advantage in the whole situation. The moment of realization in Die Hard comes when McLane learns that, after all the antagonism, the presumed terrorists are merely common thieves whose main agenda is to steal from the building. This even lowers his opinion of their leader, Gruber.
The Protagonist Vs the Antagonist
The relationship between these two characters in a typical action movie has never been cordial. The protagonist steers the action from a somewhat flawed world with the main aim of effecting some change.
On the other hand, the antagonist’s major role is to frustrate the efforts of the protagonist and cause failure and thus maintain the status quo. However, the two always explore the same thematic values, only in opposition (Barnwell 72). This relationship is also examinable at three levels, viz. in each of the three acts.
The relationship between the two in act one is such that, at the end of this act, the protagonist decides irreversibly to distance himself from the flawed world into which the antagonist tries to keep him, thus marking the first turning point (Barnwell 72). In Die Hard, this part plays out at the time when McLane decides to help free the hostages at any cost. This decision puts him on a directly conflicting path with the villains.
At the end of act two, the protagonist reaches a point where all seems to be lost to the advantage of the antagonist (Barnwell 76). The relationship between the two is such that at some point, the antagonist may even try to persuade the protagonist to join his/her course of action. At the point when McLane has no gun, running on barefoot, and being hunted down by the terrorists, who shoot glass to impair his movement, all seems to be lost.
All he can do is duck under barriers to evade bullets and spare his life. This scene captures the relationship between the two at this point. In the third act, the protagonist makes a firm decision to stay in the new world or pursue a course of action that propels him/her in that direction and fight or revert to the old familiar flawed world to resolve (Barnwell 84).
McLane decides to stay in the new world and fight. His antics and iron desire to succeed take him through this part successfully.
Principles of Design and Genre Specific Tropes
Principles of design dictate that certain guidelines should be followed in designing whatever it is that one wants to produce. The movie industry is no exception to this requirement as all movie genres have to follow certain guidelines to meet the genre criteria (Swales 60). In this respect, action movies need to be designed in a manner that observes balance, rhythm, proportion, emphasis, as well as harmony.
Pointing out the specific elements of design encompassed in Die Hard is quite a task; however, it should be noted that this movie, though slightly deviate from the norms of action movies at the time, captivated a wide audience so much that it never seems to age.
This aspect implies that great efforts were expended to bring this movie to the viewers. Right from the screenplay, choice of the lead actor, and the supporting actors. Somehow, unknown actors of the time were chosen to deviate from the normal superhero actors of the time. McLane’s demeanor was that of someone afraid of squarely facing the villains as other movies would have put it. He hid, ducked, swore, cursed, and bled to achieve his goal.
Genre-specific tropes in the movie were somewhat restricted since the movie takes place within the confines of a large building. This element implies that scenes such as chase scenes were not part of the movie and that aspect eliminates the idea of the chase scene tropes. However, what should come out clearly in this movie are the ‘just in time tropes’, which again are largely lacking in Die hard.
Historical Influences on the Action Genre and their Implications in ‘Die Hard’
The development of the action genre has undergone numerous influences to develop into what it is today. Historical influences on the movie Die Hard, as part of the action genre, largely comes from the James Bond movies of the 1960s and 1970s (Hill 17). The concept of a resourceful hero, who takes on villains despite all odds and succeeds, was first developed in the James Bond series (Hill 21).
Looking at Die Hard carefully, the James Bond issue is the main example of historical influence on the action genre that comes out vividly in the movie. McLane, with his antics, which enable him to succeed, is no doubt a resourceful hero who beats the villains before the authorities can offer any meaningful help.
Die Hard was a departure from the conventional action films of the time in which the protagonist was a superhero with abilities beyond normal human beings and could face any situation squarely and sort it out without any difficulty. Its uniqueness has influenced the action genre instead as the movies that followed seemed to borrow heavily from its ideas.
Discussion of the Findings
The examination of the movie has brought so much about it to light. The movie is a hit that has refused to age even to date. It still finds a place among the best action movies of all time. This aspect is attributable to a carefully planned production process by the movie manufacturers or utter chance.
However, the chances of this movie being a product of sheer chance are reduced greatly by considering all aspects pertaining to its production; for instance, the selection of the lead actor. During the time of the movie’s production, the famous actors were Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone among others. These actors would face any situation squarely in their larger than life depiction in most movies.
Mr. McTiernan decides to deliberately ignore these actors and go for a little known Bruce Willis whose tactics against the villains are somewhat human. He gets frightened, he hides, but in the end, he succeeds in getting on cordial terms with his wife. People would go to great extents to rescue their loved ones, but still, keep in mind the fact that they are human and have to stay alive before rescuing others.
Action movies of the time would encompass scenes of car chases in the town center or the countryside (Bozilovic 495). Die Hard displays no such scene except when the authorities responded to a distress call from the building, which again it is something not out of the ordinary. Choosing to set the action of the movie entirely within a building could not have been a result of chance, but a deliberate move by the director.
This choice is an effort to depart from what was then the hype of action movies. Clearly, in light of this movie, Mr. McTiernan decided to be a maverick rather than letting his lead actor be one. Die Hard played a major role in changing the action movie landscape and it should be given the due credit as having been cleverly crafted.
In terms of the act structure configuration, the movie followed most of the laid down rules of its genre, which makes it possible to classify it as an action movie. However, the difference of this movie from others of this category at the time comes out clearly in the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist. In conventional action movies, the protagonist would walk straight to the villains and square it off with them.
However, the case is different with Die Hard because a normal man, who is on a mission to patch up things with the wife and despite being a detective, he does not show any extraordinary abilities except for his antics. He only comes to face the villains when there is no other way around the task. This uniqueness seemed to have captivated the hearts of many and as such, it dictated the course of the action genre in numerous ways.
Conclusion
Many movies have come after Die Hard (1988), but a few will have ever captivated the movie industry as this masterpiece did. It did well in soliciting positive as well as negative criticisms.
Its attempt to depart from the norm has led many producers to pursue the same course of action with some succeeding and some failing. From Die Hard, producers need to learn that before venturing into the production of any movie, they should do their homework carefully if any remarkable results are to be realized.
Works Cited
Allen, Richard, and Murray Smith. Film Theory and Philosophy, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Print.
Altman, Rick. “A Semantic/Syntactic approach to Film Genre.” Cinema Journal 23.3 (1984): 6-18. Print.
Barnwell, Jane. The Fundamentals of Film Making, Switzerland: AVA Publishing, 2008. Print.
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