character flaw / inner journey, transformational arc : The Grudge, The Return ?

[Randall_Oelerich]

Numerous 'How-To' books, including Dara Marks, discuss the importance of giving the protagonist a flaw, an inner journey to work through (transformational arc) in order to resolve the external goal. And yes I see this a lot in good films (e.g. Will must come to grips with his true nature as a pirate if he is to win the love of Elizabeth). But as I was analyzing a few supernatural thriller films-- The Return (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Dark Water (Jennifer Connelly), What Lies Beneath (Michelle Pfeiffer), and The Grudge (Sarah Michelle Gellar),

(1) I am having some problems identifying a inner flaw to be worked through by the protag. in The Grudge and also in What Lies Beneath (perhaps overly trusting of her husband, but beyond that I can not see an obvious flaw).

(2) In The Return, if anybody has seen it, the protag. has psychological issues (cuts herself since age 10). But contrary to the typical transformational arc where the hero solves their inner flaw in order to resolve the external goal/journey, in this film it is the reverse-- resolving the external story is what fixes the hero's inner flaw. I just find this interesting, and counter to tradition. Granted, this film did not do so well at the box office, but that might be in part because it was marketed as a horror film (including the poster) whereas it is more of a murder mystery with a little supernatural sprinkled into the story plotline.

Anyhow, I could use some help if anybody cares to chime in and identify the protag's 'flaw' in The Grudge especially (a huge box office success), and also in What Lies Beneath. Or, is a flaw and its associated transformation arc not necessarily needed for a good supernatural thriller story and box office success?

 

[Bill Clar]

I haven't seen "The Grudge" in years but I'm due for a repeat viewing. I'll keep an eye out.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

I haven't seen "The Grudge" in years but I'm due for a repeat viewing. I'll keep an eye out.

Greatly appreciated.
I picked up yet another copy of The Grudge at Best Buy yesterday, on sale at a display near the entrance for a mere $5, yeah $5 for blu ray, good deal. If you have not turned on the special features cast commentary while watching The Grudge, it is kind of fun, Sarah Gellar yaps quite a bit during the movie, and you learn some fun things like how it was the heat of summer but she had to wear a winter coat to give the illusion of a Toyko winter, so they duct taped a boatload of that blue ice stuff you put in picnic coolers all around her torso so she would not overheat.



For that matter, I think also of the other great box office success, The Ring (Naomi Watts); I can't really think of any transformational inner journey arc the protag goes through in the Ring either. So we have The Grudge, The Ring, both remakes of j-horror, both hugely profitable, and if they do not have a flawed hero going through an inner transformational arc, well then i have to ask myself is that highly spouted inner arc really needed in all genres, especially snts (supernatural thrillers)? In fact such an inner arc might perhaps distract from the ghostly events, the mystery to be solved (typical in snt ghost stories)?

I need to watch The Ring again, also The Grudge (Fast, before Halloween lol. The Ring is out on blu ray now, a recent blu ray release, so I have yet to watch it on blu ray.

 

[vcassel]

In The Grudge, as in many horror films, the flaw isn't the protagonist's but somebody else's (even society's flaw in many successful horror films). The protagonist has to find a way to clean up someone else's mess before he or she perishes. This ties into deep rooted societal fears we all share.

Again, in In What Lies Beneath, the flaw isn't the hero's. She's victimized by the flaws of others or by the construct of society, relationships, things out of her control.

The ghostly antagonists of both these films are former victims themselves. Dark mirrors of the heroes. What may happen to them if they don't rectify an imbalance.

Beyond just these films or horror as a genre, not every protagonist arcs or course. These characters are tragic heroes and their lack of transformation can be emotionally effective.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

In ...many horror films, the flaw isn't the protagonist's but somebody else's (even society's flaw in many successful horror films). The protagonist has to find a way to clean up someone else's mess before he or she perishes. This ties into deep rooted societal fears we all share.....

Surely seems to fit for horror films like Hostel (I definitely do not recall any protagonist's flaw in that flick!)

 

[nycineaste]

theres actually a more easily understood and applyable technique for injecting theme/moral into a story. trust me on this and youll see it everywhere:

towArds the end of the story, the main character is given an opportunity to SACRIFICE himself or RISK LOSING by trusting or adhering to a greater good or a greater moral IDEA. If the character DOES It, then the audience then believes that he/she DESERVES TO WIN and then the hero wins.

it sounds overly simplistic, but:

in hostel, this sacrifical act is the hero going back into the torture chamber to rescue the japanese chick (i find hostel otherwise homo/xenophobic and i hate it, but there it is)

in "the gold watch" , butch goes back in to rescue marcellus , retro-actively "earning" the ropes coming loose.

in "sugar", near the end, sugar is given an opportunity to cheat. he does. doesnt end too well for him. (as a matter of fact watchin the movie I then KNEW it would be a mostly down /bittersweet ending).

In nightmare on elm street, Nancy TURNS HER BACK on freddy, trusting that he will vanish.

neo TRUSTS in his belief in no-fate, and risks going back in to rescue morpheus

and of course, luke closes his eyes and trusts the force.

so character change as a way to communicate theme is a good technqiue, but its not the only one.