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| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZfyBK3m1d0 |
The writers of the book 'New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics : structuralism, post- structuralism, and beyond' agree with Saussure that both paradigmatic (which often called 'associative' by Saussure) and syntagmatic are two fundamental types of relationship which involve signs. (Stam, 1992, page 9) For example in alphabetical language. If words is our paradigm, then when we combine the selected words(paradigms), it will give us a sentence (syntagm). (Adedimeji, 2005) Like what Fiske (2002) state in his book “ Introduction to Communication Studies”, “A paradigm is a set from which a choice is made and only one unit from that set may be chosen…We can sum up by saying ‘where there is choice there is meaning, and the meaning of what was chosen is determined by the meaning of what was not’.” – Fiske, page 57 and 58. Fiske also defined the term syntagm as the collection of chosen paradigm. (Fiske, 2002, page 58)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gfZnWVoqZ8 |
‘300’ is an American action film which is adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by Frank Miller, starring by Gerard Butler as King Leonidas: King of Sparta, Lena Headey as Queen Gorgo: Queen of Sparta and Rodrigo Santoro as King Xerxes: King of Persia. On the other hand, ‘Meet the Spartans’ is a parody film in 2008 which mentioning many movies, TV shows and people pop cultural events. However, it is primarily focused on the film ‘300’ (2007). The film is starring by Sean Maguire as King Leonidas, Carmen Electra as Queen Margo, Ken Davitian as King Xerxes. Both films share the same basic storyline: Warriors of Spartan gloriously fight with a millions of Persian soldiers. And in the end, they died with honors in the battlefield.
When comparing the films, most of paradigms in ‘300’ have been altered. The most obvious one are actors and genre. In ‘Meet the Spartans’, King Leonidas is starring by Sean Maguire while in ‘300’, it is by Gerard Butler. The change of actors does not affect the storyline because as we know the basic storyline of both films is the same since ‘Meet the Spartans’ is the parody of ‘300’. In addition, the genres of the films also change from action to epic comedy. This is because they have change the way the characters speaks. Thus, it alter the paradigm of the film. Both the time setting of the films are suppose to be in the era of Roman Empire. But there are clashes of time in 'Meet of Spartans' where innovation such as car, fashionable cloths and robot can be observe in the film. All of these innovations are the paradigms which symbolize the modern culture, space and time. But, although most of the paradigms are changed, the storyline (syntagm) remains the same.
In conclusion, altering paradigm did not change the syntagm (storyline) of the film. The only thing which can change the syntagm is if the characters change what they says as well as the script. Hence, it will change the entire storyline.
References:
Adedimeji, M. A. 2005. Word Structure in English. Retrieved from: http://www.unilorin.edu.ng/unilorin/publications/ADEDIMEJI/WORD%20STRUCTURE%20IN%20ENGLISH%20final%20submission.htm
Fiske. J. 2002. Introduction to Communication Studies. Retrieves from : http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=J3XzYCuDLNYC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=paradigm+and+syntagm&ots=1-D6TqXbFS&sig=jrOy3UMRZVIZsDpA5JjNjBJBdJg#v=onepage&q=paradigm%20and%20syntagm&f=false
Stam, R. & Brugoyne. R & Flitterman- Lewis, S. 1992. New Vocabularies in Film Semiotics: structuralism, post-structuralism, and beyond. Retrieved from: http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=LeNOhp54ieUC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=syntagm+in+film&ots=BMbHsFJyvU&sig=gQ9fJqZih5Spm8mw5wqeE90Xa1Y#v=onepage&q=syntagm%20in%20film&f=false
