An analysis of Hot Fuzz using Christopher Vogler s The Writer s Journey and Save The Cat by Blake Snyder. MA Scriptwriting: Script Analysis

Transcription

1 An analysis of Hot Fuzz using Christopher Vogler s The Writer s Journey and Save The Cat by Blake Snyder. MA Scriptwriting: Script Analysis Michael J. Lyle Student ID: /01/2013

2 CONTENTS 2. Introduction 3. Hot Fuzz 3. Genre 5. Act 1 Separation/Thesis 5. Hero 6. The Ordinary World 6. Theme 8. Act 2 Descent & Initiation/Anti-Thesis 8. The Special World 8. Allies And Enemies The Archetypes 9. Casting A Shadow 10. Meeting The Mentor 11. Midpoint 11. Approaching The Bad Guys 12. The Sword & The Soul 14. Act 3 Return/Synthesis 14. The Road Into Act Return With Elixir/Final Image 16. Conclusion 16. Summary of Act Summary of Act Summary of Act The Vital Character 19. Appendix 20. Bibliography 1

3 INTRODUCTION The aim of this essay is to analyse and evaluate the chosen text by using the analytical viewpoints of Christopher Vogler and Blake Snyder, which can be found in their respective books, The Writer s Journey and Save The Cat. The Writer s Journey by Christopher Vogler was originally published in 1998 and describes a set of concepts that Vogler calls The Hero s Journey, which is drawn from the mythic studies of Joseph Campbell, author of The Hero With A Thousand Faces. It follows the path of the hero and discusses the various plot points and characters. Save The Cat, written by Blake Snyder, was published in 2005 and similarly to Vogler s The Writer s Journey, Save The Cat introduces readers to various genre s and plot points as defined by Snyder. For this essay I will be analysing the film Hot Fuzz, by using the analytical paradigms of Christopher Vogler and Blake Snyder. Although there are many similarities between the viewpoints of Vogler and Snyder, there are also some differences, both of which this essay will draw attention to. By evaluating the findings of this essay, I will be able to determine what plot points and characters play pivotal roles and are vital to the story telling and character development in Hot Fuzz. 2

4 HOT FUZZ Co-written by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, directed by the former and starring the latter, Hot Fuzz was released in 2007 and tells the story of Nicholas Angel, an outstanding Metropolitan police officer, who is relocated to the countryside after making the other officers look bad. In the village of Sandford, Nicholas Angel uncovers a secret organisation that has been murdering the townsfolk that may have kept them from winning Village of the Year. Hot Fuzz is an action comedy that occasionally parodies other films, mostly Hollywood action films involving law enforcement such as Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys and Point Break, the latter of which are referenced several times throughout the film. Hot Fuzz is also very similar to your typical love story, however, instead of a romantic relationship between a man and a woman, it is the partnership of two police officers. GENRE Hot Fuzz is a film that falls into more than one genre; it is an action comedy film, which also contains elements of a classic thriller. There are several themes that run throughout Hot Fuzz, such as the partnership between Sergeant Angel and PC Danny Butterman, as well as Angel s unrelenting pursuit of justice and dedication to his job. In Save The Cat, Blake Snyder (2005. Pg25-29) is able to describe films using his own set of 10 genres, which he believes nearly all movies can be categorised by. Of these 10 genres the category that Hot Fuzz can be filed under is what Snyder has labelled: Buddy Love. This genre is described as the hero needing someone to debate important story issues with. (Snyder, Pg34). In The Writer s Journey, Christopher Vogler outlines the basic plot points in film, which he has done so by amending the work of Joseph Campbell s The Hero With A Thousand Faces. Campbell s work illustrates the same common themes, however, Campbell uses mythology as examples instead of film. Vogler defines his outline of 12 basic plot points as The Hero s Journey (See appendix Fig.1): The pattern of the Hero s Journey is universal, occurring in every culture, in every time. It is as infinitely varied as the human race itself and yet its basic form remains constant. (Vogler, Pg4.) As stated above there are many other guides that follow the same principles, outlining the basic and most important plot points within the structure of a film. In Save The Cat, Blake Snyder lays out what he believes to be the most vital points in a films structure. He calls this The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (The BS2), which is outlined as 15 beats (See appendix Fig.2). Both The Hero s Journey and The BS2 can be broken down further into three acts, both of which these analysts have given different titles. Vogler (2007, Pg9) has defined the three acts as Separation, Descent/Initiation and Return, whereas Snyder (2005, Pg76) calls these three acts, Thesis, Antithesis and Synthesis. 3

5 Blake Snyder (2005, Pg76) describes a film s first Act as Thesis: the world as it is before the adventure starts. This is directly linked to the first, second and third beats of The BS2, which are the Opening Image, Theme Stated and the Set-Up. The two beats that follow are the Catalyst and Debate, which help the story flow into the second Act that Snyder calls Anti-Thesis. Similarly to Snyder, Christopher Vogler (2007, Pg83-97) outlines the first basic plot point of The Hero s Journey as The Ordinary World, wherein he refers to the Opening Image, Theme, Introduction of the Hero to the Audience and the Backstory and Exposition. The two plot points that follow are the Call To Adventure, which follows the same patterns as Snyder s beat Catalyst, and Refusal Of The Call shares similarities with Snyder s Debate. This is occurs throughout the BS2 and The Hero s Journey, as both analytical paradigms identify the same pivotal plot points within a film. The next section of this essay will be looking at how Hot Fuzz identifies with The Hero s Journey and the BS2, to see whether or not it adheres the guidelines laid out by Vogler and Snyder. 4

6 ACT 1 Separation/Thesis THE HERO The opening image of Hot Fuzz the audience is immediately met by the stern looking, Police Constable Nicholas Angel as he marches towards the camera. Snyder (2005. Pg72) states that the opening image is there to set the tone and mood, although Angel s expression could be seen as angry he is by no means threatening because he is wearing a police officer uniform. What makes the opening image humorous is that the exact image of Angel s stern and angry expression is dwarfed as it is shown in his police ID photograph. The audience knows that this story s hero takes his career as a Metropolitan police officer very seriously, which the audience soon learns during the narration of the Set-Up beat. Displayed great aptitude in field exercises, notably urban pacification and riot control. Academically excelled in theoretical coursework and final year examinations. (Hot Fuzz, Directed by Edgar Wright. UK: Universal Pictures.) This is the introduction of the films hero, Nicholas Angel, who is the focal point of the film and it is his journey that we, as an audience, are witnessing. Vogler (2007. Pg29) mentions that the word Hero derives from a Greek saying which means to protect and serve, coincidentally it is the motto of the Los Angeles Police Department, which is worth noting as Nicholas Angel is a police officer. The title of the book, Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder, refers to a scene which shows the hero performing a good deed in order to get the audience to like them: It s the scene where we meet the hero and the hero does something like saving a cat that defines who he is and makes us, the audience, like him. (Snyder, PgXV) The film s Set-Up beat shows the audience is Angel s achievements: In the last twelve months has received nine special commendations, achieved the highest arrest record of any officer in the Met, and sustained three injuries in the line of duty. This is the Save The Cat moment that Blake Snyder refers too, as all of Angel s good deeds are shown and the audience can see that this police officer is helping to keep the streets of London safe. Through this save the cat scene the audience is given a compelling reason to follow the story s hero, as well as this they can learn from his actions, and the audience wants to see him succeed. These are three characteristics that Snyder (2005. Pg62) claims are vital to any film s lead role. His will and desire is what drives most stories forward The Hero should perform the decisive action of the story, the action that requires taking the most risk or responsibility. (Vogler, Pg31) The above quote rings true in Hot Fuzz as it is Angel s desire to discover the truth about the recent deaths in Sandford that drives the story forward. As none of the other police officers believe him (except Danny), Angel must take full responsibility for his accusations against Simon Skinner, who he 5

7 believes is the cause of the suspicious deaths. This ends up backfiring, causing Angel to become a joke within the Sandford police department, and although downtrodden his determination doesn t waver. THE ORDINARY WORLD What Vogler outlines the first point of The Hero s Journey as The Ordinary World, which can be defined as a comparison between the beginning of the hero s journey and the middle and end, where the hero is placed elsewhere, whether that is physically, mentally or both. The hero grows and changes, making a journey from one way of being to the next: from despair to hope, weakness to strength, folly to wisdom, love to hate, and back again. (Vogler, Pg7) Vogler (2007. Pg87) states that The Ordinary World is there to establish the hero s surroundings and/or mental state that can be compared with the Special World which comes later in the story. This rings true in Hot Fuzz as before Nicholas Angel is put through any changes, the film s Set-Up allows the audience to see the highlights of Angel s career as a police officer in London Metropolitan Police Service. The equivalent beats Call To Adventure (Vogler, Pg99 105) and Catalyst (Snyder, Pg76-77) are described as the scene in which changes are forced upon the hero s current way of life. These changes are introduced by the archetypical role known as Heralds, who provide motivation, offer the hero a challenge, and get the story rolling. (Vogler, Pg56) In Hot Fuzz, Nicholas Angel s first interactions are with his superiors, first of all is the Met Sergeant who acts as the first of several Heralds. It is in this scene that Call To Adventure and Catalyst take place; during their conversation Angel is told he is being promoted and relocated to the countryside. Immediately after this catalytic Call To Adventure we are thrown into the hero s Refusal Of The Call. The hero balks at the threshold of adventure, Refusing The Call or expressing reluctance. After all, she is facing the greatest of all fears, terror of the unknown. (Vogler, Pg11) This is the moment that Blake Snyder (2005. Pg77 78) refers to as Debate, in which the hero weighs their options after the Catalyst has changed the course of the story. In Hot Fuzz the Debate is an actual debate that goes back and forth between Angel and his superiors as he continually refuses the call to adventure. THEME The theme of Hot Fuzz is repeated by many of the cameo appearances who represent Angel s workplace superiors and ex-partner Janine, who as mentioned above are characterised by the title of Heralds. Someone (usually not the main character) will pose a question or make a statement (usually to the main character) that is the theme of the movie. (Snyder, Pg73) 6

8 During the Refusal Of The Call/Debate our hero is told by the Met Police Inspector played by Steve Coogan: It s all about being a team player Nicholas. Which is followed by the Met Sergeant chiming in saying: You can t be the Sheriff of London. Both of these Heralds tell the audience that our hero is a loner and isn t good at relationships, which is hinted at in Angel s failed relationship with Janine. The moment in which Snyder s beat Theme Stated is clearly executed is when Angel goes to see Janine who says: You just can t switch off Nicholas, and until you find a person you care about more than your job you never will. (Hot Fuzz) Angel s inability to switch off is mentioned several times over the course of the film, by Janine, Angel and Danny. This dedication to his career (which could also be construed as an obsession) is what keeps Angel from being able to build steady relationships with other people, both within the work environment and his social life. 7

9 ACT 2 Descent & Initiation/Anti-Thesis THE SPECIAL WORLD Act 1 ends where Act 2 begins with the beats: Crossing The First Threshold and Break Into Two. Crossing The Threshold is defined by Vogler (2007. Pg12) as the hero committing to the adventure, and fully entering the Special World. Just as Snyder (2005. Pg79) defines it as the moment where we leave the old world, the thesis statement, behind and proceed into a world that is the upside down version of that, its antithesis. The clearest indication that Angel has left the old world is the moment the audience is shown the village sign that says Sandford. In this scene Angel has entered the Special World, and everything that follows shows a vast contrast with the way the Ordinary World was presented in the first Act. During Debate the Met Sergeant and Inspector mention the low crime rate in Sandford which indicates the vast contrast between Angel s current lifestyle and what s to come. In my opinion what follows the Crossing Of The First Threshold is steps 4 and 6 of The Hero s Journey. Vogler (2007. Pg13) defines step 6 as Tests, Allies, And Enemies, where new characters are introduced, the hero is put through several challenges, and the rules of the Special World are learned. Once Nicholas Angel has arrived in Sandford, it is as though the audience goes through a repetition of the Set-Up beat from Act 1 in order to introduce the characters and environment of the Special World. Meeting With The Mentor is step 4 of The Hero s Journey which usually occurs at the end of Act 1 but in Hot Fuzz it is directly linked to Tests, Allies, And Enemies. During these beats we are introduced to a wide range of characters, the majority of which are officers in the Sandford Police Service and members of the Neighbourhood Watch Alliance (NWA). Although the audience is not made immediately aware, all but one of the Sandford police officers act as our hero s Allies, and the NWA are the story s Enemies. ALLIES AND ENEMIES THE ARCHETYPES Officers in the Sandford Police Service play the role of Ally, explaining to both Angel and the audience the rules of the Special World. Here we are introduced to the archetypical character roles of the Mentor, Shapeshifter, Allies and Shadow (Vogler, p25-80). The Sandford police are allies to Angel in the sense they are on the same side of the law, however, they are not truly his Allies and a lot of the time they mock him for taking his job so seriously. The Sandford police joke about Angel wearing a stab-proof vest and laugh at the idea of murder in their village, which helps to show a contrast from the Ordinary World in which Angel visits a crime scene where someone was murdered. The Sandford police officers can also be viewed as Shapeshifters, characters whose loyalty and true nature is always in question (Vogler, Pg62-63). The moment in which the Sandford police officers shapeshift is quite evident by their behaviour and can also be seen in their appearance. It is 8

10 the scene at the pub in the third Act, where the officers are now dressed head to toe in riot gear and start to take their job seriously. Their behaviour towards Angel has changed too as they start to trust in his leadership. Two characters that play an interesting role are detectives Andy Wainwright and Andy Cartwright, who can be seen as rivals to Nicholas Angel. They work as a team and are always together, as opposed to Angel who would rather work on his own. The Andys act as though they are trying to be like detectives seen in films and TV, yet never actually doing any work, the opposite to Angel who is constantly working. The Andys are best friends and can easily switch off, they represent a relationship Angel doesn t have (in the beginning.) Just as the Sandford police shapeshift into Angel s Allies, the friendly Neighbourhood Watch Alliance are also Shapeshifters. The NWA begin as welcoming and kind to Angel, however, they eventually turn violent towards him as he discovers the truth about the secret organisations murderous intentions. Through his dialogue and actions, Simon Skinner, is immediately the audience s prime suspect when Martin Blower, Eve Draper and George Merchant are killed. Skinner uses dialogue which constantly hints at what is to come. Before the death of George Merchant when his house is blown up, Skinner says: He ll be in pieces in the morning, referring to a drunken George Merchant. Although it can be said that Simon Skinner is a Shapeshifter, his change can be seen coming a mile away and is so obvious that becomes a red herring for the rest of the films villains, the NWA. There are hints that foreshadow the NWA s villainy such as dialogue ( The Greater Good ) and images. During the first Act the Metropolitan Police Inspector says to Angel; a lovely little place that I think has one village of the year I don t know how many times. Occasionally when something is continuously won, there is some foul play involved, and in Hot Fuzz the names of all those involved are listed on the fountain s restoration plaque. CASTING A SHADOW Arguably the second most important archetype (after the Hero) is the Shadow, an opponent who challenges the hero until the very end (Vogler,2007. Pg66). The ultimate villain in Hot Fuzz, the man who created and orchestrated the NWA, is Inspector Frank Butterman. Many elements of the archetypical characters that Vogler refers to can be seen in Frank, who is the Shadow acting as an Ally under the guise of the friendly Inspector who welcomes Nicholas Angel into Sandford. In many a well-told movie, the hero and the bad guy are very often two halves of the same person struggling for supremacy, and for that reason are almost equal in power and ability. (Snyder, Pg179) Nicholas Angel and Frank Butterman represent both sides of the law, despite both being police officers. Angel s determination to establish law and order in Sandford is what sets him apart from Frank, who stands for the opposite. 9

11 MEETING THE MENTOR Traditionally a Mentor guides the hero into crossing the first threshold, however, I feel as though in Hot Fuzz the role of the Mentor is used to guide the hero after he has crossed the first threshold. PC Danny Butterman is an extremely vital character that acts as several of the character archetypes, such as; Mentor, Ally, Trickster and to some degree the story s love interest. When defining the Buddy Love genre, Snyder (2005. p34) states: At first the buddies hate each other. But their adventure brings out the fact that they need each other; they are in essence, incomplete halves of a whole. During their time together in and out of work, Nicholas and Danny s partnership grows as they become friends and ultimately it is Danny who is the catalyst for Angel s change. This is evident 45 minutes into the film when Angel is taking the time to connect with Danny and we see Angel smile and laugh for the first time. Each lover is united with his or her other half. (Booker, Pg117) Danny is Angel s other half and provides the down to earth comical relief that Angel s stubborn and serious character lacks. This represents the Trickster qualities that the character possesses, which is often expressed in the hero s sidekick (Vogler, Pg77). PC Danny Butterman is the only character (in both the Ordinary World and the Special World) who is truly in awe of Angel and his accomplishments, it is because of this that Danny begins to take his job more seriously and be like Angel. Both Danny and Angel mentor each other as Angel teaches Danny to be a better police officer and Danny teaches Angel how to switch off. At the start of Act 2, Snyder s BS2 outlines two beats: B-Story and Fun & Games. The B-Story for most films, according to Snyder is the love story, which in Hot Fuzz would be the equivalent of Nicholas and Danny s relationship, Snyder (2005. Pg79) follows this by stating: It is also the story that carries the theme of the movie. Therefore we are able to suggest that the A-Story in Hot Fuzz is considered to be Angel s constant focus on his career and trying to uphold the law wherever he may be, and the B-Story is Angel s relationship with Danny. This is played out through the Fun & Games beat which is a lighter section of the film where the audience can relax, and is where the buddies in all buddy movies do their most clashing. (Snyder, Pg82) The Fun & Games beat allows the audience to get to know the characters that we have just been introduced to in the B-Story/Tests, Allies, and Enemies, and discover how they affect our hero and the on-going B-Story. There are many scenes which can be classified as Fun & Games, such as Angel and Danny drinking in the pub, chasing a swan and chasing a shoplifter. 10

12 MIDPOINT Everything building up to the Midpoint beat allows for Nicholas Angel to grow as a person and start to become comfortable in his new surroundings. By the time we reach the Midpoint in Hot Fuzz there have been two incidents where people have died and our characters are at a high point where everything seems to be going well. Nicholas has been able to relax with Danny and for the first time in the film he has been able to shut off. It is at this point when a third incident (the death of Tim Messenger) sends our hero on a downward spiral, as he suspects foul play. The stakes are raised at the midpoint. (Snyder, Pg84) During this beat our hero has an argument with his only friend, Danny Butterman, which puts our Angel back to where he started, alone and unable to switch-off. Although reconciliation with Danny comes quite quickly, our hero continues on a downward spiral after he witnesses the murder of Leslie Tiller and is unable to catch the villain responsible. Eventually Angel is ridiculed (by all but Danny) when he accuses Simon Skinner of Tiller s death. This is one of the greater Tests our hero has encountered, and it is an obstacle that Angel is unable to conquer, which gives the audience and our hero a sense of defeat. It s common for heroes to fall into traps here or trip the Shadow s security alarms. How the hero deals with these traps is part of the Testing. (Volger, Pg137) I do not believe that Skinner was used by the Shadow as bait, because the reason behind Angel accusing Skinner is completely different to the actual reason behind the murders. Threshold Guardians are used as obstacles that prevent the hero from reaching their goal (Vogler, Pg49), therefore Skinner could be seen as displaying these characteristics as he is preventing Angel from upholding the law. Through these actions Angel has tripped the Shadow s security alarms, as the NWA and Frank himself are now concerned that Angel has witnessed one of the murders, and is determined to uncover the truth. Although this is a low point for the A-Story it is a high point for the B-Story as Angel and Danny work together better than ever before. It is Angel s own detective work that misleads him, therefore Skinner played no part in stopping Angel from advancing and was merely there to assist in Angel s downfall. On the other hand Frank shows true characteristics of a Threshold Guardian as he continually discourages Angel s determination to find the real murderer, as Frank says: You ve come from a city where there is danger around every corner, and it s driven you round the bend. He then encourages Angel to return to the hotel, fully aware that Angel would be attacked by Michael the trolley boy. APPROACHING THE BAD GUYS After defeating Michael (another Threshold Guardian), Angel discovers that he was right about Skinner and makes his way to the castle to cross yet another threshold. Before Angel leaves the hotel he is met by Danny, who prepares our hero by putting the flipbook back into Angel s shirt pocket. Later the flipbook stops a knife that Danny uses to stab Nicholas in front of the NWA in order to escape from them. This moment is the brief but vital and serves as the beginning of the segment 11

13 known as Approaching The Inmost Cave, which continues up until Angel confronts the NWA at the castle. This is the Approach to the Inmost Cave, where soon they will encounter supreme wonder and terror. (Vogler, Pg143) The Inmost Cave itself is the revelation that the entire NWA orchestrated the recent deaths in Sandford. The scene that follows can be represented by both Bad Guys Close In from the BS2 and The Ordeal from The Heroes Journey, whereby Angel confronts the NWA and is then himself confronted by Frank Butterman. Blake Snyder (2007. Pg85-86) defines Bad Guys Close In as the moment the enemy regroups and attacks, however, the NWA have been undefeated so far, therefore this scene is simply represented in Hot Fuzz as the enemies closing in around Sergeant Angel. The Ordeal is a black moment for the audience, as we are held in suspense and tension, not knowing if he will live or die. The hero, like Jonah, is in the belly of the beast (Vogler, P15) The above quote fantastically sums up The Ordeal and the way it is represented in Hot Fuzz, as Nicholas Angel is forced into the castles catacombs ( the belly of the beast ) and discovers all the dead bodies of those who have opposed the NWA. All Is Lost is a particular moment within the BS2 when the hero has hit rocked bottom. In this beat there is usually a whiff of death where a central character comes close to death, or does in fact die (Snyder, ). In Hot Fuzz this is executed clearly as Danny Butterman feigns to stab Angel in the chest, leaving the NWA and the audience to believe that Angel has been mortally wounded. The hero must die or appear to die so that she can be born again (Vogler, P15) The audience soon discovers that Danny (the Trickster that he is) deceived the NWA and rescued Angel from certain death. THE SWORD & THE SOUL Vogler s beat Reward (Seizing Of The Sword) is when the hero has obtained what they needed from the villains in order to achieve their goal: Sometimes the sword is knowledge and experience that leads to greater understanding and a reconciliation with hostile forces. (Vogler, Pg16) In Hot Fuzz the reward can be viewed as knowledge; the know-how to defeat the NWA. Sergeant Angel came from the Ordinary World of Law & Order to the Special World without, therefore the sword is the knowledge of what needs to be done to restore Law & Order to the Special World. Alternatively the reward can be viewed as friendship; the bond that has been made between Angel and Danny is strong enough for them to overcome any obstacle. Together they have managed to escape the NWA and despite Danny s father being the head of the secret organisation he never 12

14 betrayed Angel. Or the reward is simply both the knowledge and the relationship, and with the combined efforts of Angel and Danny they will be able to use that knowledge to bring Law & Order to Sandford. The BS2 s matching beat for this is the Dark Night Of The Soul, the moment in which the A-Story and B-Story come together (Snyder, Pg89). In Hot Fuzz this beat is portrayed when Nicholas Angel is at the petrol station and he sees the DVDs of Point Break and Bad Boys II, two films that revolve around police partnership. In this moment Angel decides to return to Sandford and reunite with Danny to defeat the NWA, instead of returning to London. 13

15 ACT 3 Return/Synthesis THE ROAD INTO ACT 3 Break Into Act 3 and The Road Back are beats that mirror one another, they both show the audience our hero s preparation and commitment to the cause, returning to defeat the Shadow and his minions, as expressed by Vogler (2007. Pg17) and Snyder (2005. Pg89). Although the Return is usually the hero returning to the Ordinary World, this is not the case in Hot Fuzz as Sergeant Nicholas Angel returns to the Special World, but he brings the rules of the Ordinary World with him, arresting the entire NWA. The Finale and Resurrection beats are represented in the same scenes which show the re-uniting of Angel and Danny, who bring law and order to Sandford and defeat of NWA. During these beats is the despatching of the right hand man (Skinner) and the final showdown between Angel and Frank: Resurrection is expressed as the biggest confrontation and battle of the story, the showdown or shootout. A showdown pits hero and villains in an ultimate contest with the highest possible stakes, life and death. (Vogler, P200) Both our hero and his sidekick s lives are on the line as Frank holds Danny hostage with a gun aimed at Angel. Yet again Danny comes to the rescue but is unable to pull the trigger and kill his father, much like Danny s mentor Angel, who throughout the film does not kill a single person. Once Frank is out of the picture, thanks to the escaped Swan, the ultimate reward is clear; all remaining members of the Sandford police have been united under the leadership of Sergeant Nicholas Angel, and law and order has been restored in Sandford. The conversation between Angel and his seniors from the Metropolitan Police Service clarifies that Angel has found peace, something that his career and Japanese peace lily never gave him. RETURN WITH ELIXIR/FINAL IMAGE A common and powerful Elixir is for heroes to take wider responsibility at the Return, giving up their loner status for a place of leadership or service within a group. (Vogler, Pg222) Angel has become fully integrated and is now part of the team having earned their respect. In this scene Angel and Danny act almost out of character allowing the audience to see how much they have grown and learnt from one another, Danny refers to the official police rulebook and Angel makes a comment on Dorris sexuality. What follows is a chance for Danny to really prove that he too is a hero just like Angel, by diving in front of a gunshot fired by the last remaining member of the NWA. This final surprise attack is tool used in many films, in Die Hard for example; a member of Hans Gruber s entourage comes back to kill John McClane, but is stopped cold by Al, McClane s partner on the outside. In a similar way, 14

16 Danny is able to save Angel s life one last time, giving the audience another whiff of death moment. The Final Image as expressed by Snyder (2005. Pg90) and Vogler (2007. Pg85) allows the audience to see the contrast between the start of the hero s journey and the end. Compared with the Opening Image of Act 1 where Angel is alone and extremely serious and unhappy, the Final Image in Hot Fuzz shows that Angel is now happy in the village of Sandford, dealing with smaller crime issues and working with his partner and best friend Danny. 15

17 CONCLUSION SUMMARY OF ACT 1 Hot Fuzz begins with a montage, immediately introducing hero showing that he is a career orientated man. His life outside of work does not need to be shown as the dialogue between Angel and his superiors informs us of all we need to know, such as his failed relationship with Janine. The first Act of Hot Fuzz has followed the guidelines of the BS2 and The Hero s Journey, although the order in which these beats are presented is different. Similarly the pacing of Hot Fuzz differs from the BS2 which indicates Act 1 finishing at about 25 minutes into the film, however, due to the fast pace of Hot Fuzz the first Act is over within eight minutes of the film. This is something that I commend, as I believe the fast paced opening engages the audience as they are introduced to the action packed world of PC Nicholas Angel, and it allows the story to unfold quickly. The Hero s Journey as mapped out by Vogler, has one pivotal plot point in the first Act that is not in Hot Fuzz until Act 2. Meeting With The Mentor is a particularly important plot device that allows for the hero to be guided by a character who is there to prepare the hero for changes brought about by the Catalyst/Call To Adventure. The relationship between hero and Mentor is one of the most common themes in mythology, and one of the richest in its symbolic value. It stands for the bond between parent and child, teacher and student, doctor and patient, god and man. (Vogler, Pg12) Because the Mentor is an important and key role in The Hero s Journey, it only helps to emphasise the fact that Nicholas Angel is alone, and has no friends or family to talk to regarding this big change in his life. For that reason I am glad that Wright and Pegg decided to introduce a Mentor figure later in Act 2 of Hot Fuzz. SUMMARY OF ACT 2 Act 2 follows Vogler and Snyder s structured patterns more so than the first Act, and a there is also more of a contrast between the two analytical paradigms. Where the BS2 focuses more on the subplot, The Hero s Journey has a much more detailed description of the archetype roles within the story. Knowing what part the characters play is key to understanding the structured guidelines put forth in both The Hero s Journey and the BS2. The one thing of which we can be certain in a Comedy is that the happy ending cannot be reached until everyone has emerged into the full light of day, all disguises are thrown off and the characters no longer seem to be anything other than what they are. (Booker, Pg117) The true nature of all the characters in Hot Fuzz have been revealed by the time we reach the end of Act 2, the audience is now clear on who are good and bad, as well as what needs to be done in Act 3 for Nicholas Angel to win. 16

18 SUMMARY OF ACT 3 Act 3 is a great action packed finale that follows the guidelines of both the BS2 and The Hero s Journey perfectly, and adding in the additional surprise villain in the end as seen in other films of a similar genre. The films conclusion is clear, everything is out in the open and has been thoroughly explained and made clear for the audience and our hero. The only difference between Hot Fuzz and the structures laid out by Vogler and Snyder is that at no point does Angel return to London where the story began. By doing this the writers have shown the audience a huge change within our hero, as he no longer wants to be in the city and that he is now content living in Sandford. For the most part Wright and Pegg s script adheres to the basic principles outlined by Vogler and Snyder, including the beats of these analytical paradigms that differ between the two. Snyder and Vogler s viewpoints do not contract one another they merely focus on different aspects of film, for instance the BS2 focuses more on theme and subplots, whereas The Hero s Journey helps to define the characters roles and importance. Where Hot Fuzz does stray from these guidelines it improves the story with great effect. In the third Act, Angel s reluctance to leave Danny and return to London speaks volumes, and really emphasises a change in the character. Because Angel did not return to the Ordinary World, it meant that his superiors from London had to come to Sandford, which shows the audience just how desperately they want him back in London. Similarly to this, as stated above the Meeting Of The Mentor is a prime example that the story has more impact by not following the guidelines in a precise order. THE VITAL CHARACTER Before I started this essay I had a clear idea of who the most important character is and that is PC Danny Butterman. Nicholas Angel is the hero of the story, making him arguably the most important character, however, without Danny there would be no way for the hero to evolve. Since exploring the ideas put forth by Vogler and Snyder and evaluating the different pivotal scenes and character archetypes, I have an even greater understanding of just how much Danny brings to the table. The supporting characters add a lot to the story and really exemplify just how alone and determined Nicholas Angel is compared to the rest of the Metropolitan and Sandford police officers. Frank and the rest of the NWA make outrageous villains with insane motives that really adds to the story s humour. But it is Danny who really helps Angel become a different man compared to the one we see at the beginning. Danny s story also shows a vast amount of growth as he tries to become more like Angel and the police seen represented in film and TV. In the Hot Fuzz DVD commentary writers Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg have said that originally a female love interest for Nicholas Angel was in the script, but she was later removed and most of her dialogue was simply given to Danny. There is no love interest in Hot Fuzz, because the dramatised relationship within the film is the friendship between Angel and Danny. Similarly to the film Lethal Weapon where the relationship between officers Riggs and Murtaugh is developed. Although in Lethal Weapon it can be argued who is the hero and who is the sidekick, there is no definitive 17

19 answer because both Riggs and Murtaugh. Nicholas Angel is quite clearly the hero of Hot Fuzz, however, through a different lens Danny can be seen as equally heroic as Angel. Danny s world is upside down due to his father s madness and with the introduction of Angel serving as his Mentor, Danny is guided into becoming a better police officer and assists in the defeat of the NWA. Danny s final challenge is being brave and fast enough to save the life of his Mentor. The character of Danny is undeniably vital to the story of Hot Fuzz, not only does he allow the hero to evolve and keep the theme of the film flowing, he also experience tremendous growth himself. It is almost a shame that Danny is classified as a secondary character due to the need of a hero. Although he isn t always in the limelight, the film would not be able to work without him, which is why I believe this sidekick is greater than the hero. 18

20 Appendix. Fig. 1 Christopher Vogler s The Hero s Journey 1. Ordinary World 2. Call To Adventure 3. Refusal Of The Call 4. Meeting With The Mentor 5. Crossing The First Threshold 6. Tests, Allies, Enemies 7. Approach To The Inmost Cave 8. Ordeal 9. Reward (Seizing The Sword) 10. The Road Back 11. Resurrection 12. Return With The Elixir. Fig. 2 The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (The BS2) 1. Opening Image 2. Theme Stated 3. Set-Up 4. Catalyst 5. Debate 6. Break into Two 7. B Story 8. Fun and Games 9. Midpoint 10. Bad Guys Close In 11. All Is Lost 12. Dark Night of the Soul 13. Break into Three 14. Finale 15. Final Image 19

21 Bibliography VIDEO/DVD: Hot Fuzz, 2007, DVD, Universal Pictures, UK. BOOKS: Snyder, B 2005, Save The Cat!, Michael Wiese Productions, California. Vogler, C 2007, The Writer s Journey, 3 rd edn, Michael Wiese Productions, California. Booker, C 2010, The Seven Basic Plots, Continuum, London. Campbell, J 2008, The Hero With A Thousand Faces, 3 rd edn, New World Library, California. 20