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Download (15Mb) University of Warwick institutional repository: http://go.warwick.ac.uk/wrap A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of Warwick http://go.warwick.ac.uk/wrap/1294 This thesis is made available online and is protected by original copyright. Please scroll down to view the document itself. Please refer to the repository record for this item for information to help you to cite it. Our policy information is available from the repository home page. Histories of Telefantasy: the Representation of the Fantastic and the Aesthetics of Television Volume 1 of 2 by Catherine Johnson A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Film and Television Studies University of Warwick Department of Film and Television Studies April 2002 Contents Volume 1: Illustrations 4 Acknowledgements 10 Declaration 11 Abstract 12 Introduction: 13 Approaching Telefantasy: History, Industry, Aesthetics Chapter 1: 32 Literature Review: Exploring the Discourses of 'Fantasy' and 'Cult' Chapter 2: 56 Spectacle and Intimacy: The Quatermass Serials (BBC, 1953-59) and the Aesthetics of Early British Television Chapter 3: 104 'Serious Entertainment': The Prisoner (ITV, 1967) and Discourses of Quality in 1960s British Television 2 Chpter4: 164 'Regulated Innovation': Star Trek (NBC, 1967-69) and the Commercial Strategies of 1960s US Television Volume 2: Illustrations 223 Chapter 5: 227 Quality Cult Television: The X-Files (Fox, 1993-), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB, 1997-) and the Economics and Aesthetics of 1990s US Television Chapter 6: 296 Problematic Histories: Scheduling and Producing Contemporary Telefantasy in Britain Conclusion: 341 History, Genre and Aesthetics Bibliography 359 Appendix A: 393 Filmography: The Quatermass Experiment, Quatermass II, Quatermass and the Pit ADpdenix B: 395 Filmography: The Prisoner Appendix C: 399 Filmography: Star Trek Appendix D: 402 Filmography: The X-Files Appendix E: 406 Filmography: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Appendix F: 411 Filmography: Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) 4 Illustrations Volume 1: 2.1 In episode four of Quatermass and the Pit a workman unleashes a 96 wave of telekinetic activity in the alien craft as a lamp begins to rock violently. 2.2 A long-shot depicts cables lashing around him as he tries to escape, 96 displaying the series' special effects. 2.3 There is a pause in the action as the man seeks refuge at a nearby 96 food stall. 2.4 A close-up depicts the workman's anguished face as he tries to ask 97 for help. 2.5 However, the telekinetic activity returns as cups and saucers begin to 97 move of their own volition. 2.6 While the workman moves out of shot, the camera remains focused 97 on the special effects sequence, as cups and saucers fly across the screen. 3.1 The Prisoner's exteriors are filmed in the village of Portmeirion with 139 its bricolage of architectural styles. 3.2 The entrance to Number Two's house is traditionally furnished. 139 3.3 However, this traditional interior leads to a futuristically designed 140 control room. 3.4 The futuristic interior of the control room is combined with the 140 costuming of Number Two (Guy Doleman) in the traditional attire of the British public school boy. 5 3.5 The credit sequence for The Prisoner begins with a shot of clouds 146 and a loud thunderclap. 3.6 Cut to a long shot as a car speeds towards the camera. 146 3.7 Cut to a close-up of the driver's face. 146 3.8 Cut to a low static shot as the car speeds by. 147 3.9 Rapid cut to a fast panning shot over the top of the car. 147 3.10 Rapid cut to a panning shot as the car speeds past the camera. 147 3.11 'Living in Harmony' adopts the visual iconography of the Western. 155 3.12 'The Girl that was Death' is a bizarre pastiche of the fantasy/spy 155 genre, with scenes in which Number Six, dressed as Sherlock Holmes, pursues a young girl through a fairground. 4.1 NBC's advertisement for the first episode of Star Trek, which ran in 190 The Los Angeles Times (8 September 1966) and in the TV Guide (fall preview edition, September 1966), places the youthful human hero Kirk (William Shatner) in the IoregrounX (reproàuceà from Soow and Justman 1996, 264). 4.2 In 'Errand of Mercy', an aside between Kirk and Spock in mid-shot, 197 draws the viewer into the intimate space of the central recurring characters. 4.3 The Act 2 cliff-hanger for 'Errand of Mercy' ends with a track into a 197 close-up of Kirk, accompanied by a dramatic music sting, as he is threatened with death. 6 4.4 The Act 3 cliff-hanger for 'Errand of Mercy' again focuses on the 197 character, as the camera cuts to a mid-shot of Kirk and Spock as they witness the murder of an Organian. 4.5 RCA used Star Trek in a promotional campaign in TV Guide to 204 encourage viewers to purchase colour receivers (reproduced from Solow and Justman 1996, 306). 4.6 The interior design of the Enterprise used bold primary colours 205 (particularly red and yellow) and banks of flashing lights, to create a futuristic looking environment. 4.7 The use of primary colours is also apparent in the lighting design, 205 which frequently back-lights the stars with strong colours in close-up. 4.8 The Enterprise crew is dressed in uniforms that use strong colours to 205 indicate their relative departments, and to give the costumes an intelligible, yet futuristic, appearance. Volume 2: 5.1 In the shadowy scene in which Mulder and Scully enter the dormant 247 ship in 'Dod Kaim', the actors' Xenon flashlights are the only source of lighting. 5.2 The gruesome details of the scene are glimpsed in close-up, 247 illuminated momentarily by the moving beams of light. 5.3 The characters' faces are lit only by the reflected light of the Xenon 247 flashlights. 7 5.4 The pilot episode of The X-Files begins with a series of darkly lit and 250 rapidly edited tracking shots providing mere glimpses of a girl dressed in a night-gown as she stumbles through a forest at night. 5.5 The girl falls into a clearing, and there is a cut to a shot of a bright 250 light fading up behind the trees. 5.6 Cut to a long-shot as a dark figure emerges from the light in 250 silhouette and walks towards the girl. 5.7 Cut to a brief close-up of the girl's face as the wind begins to blow 251 violently and the light continues to increase in brightness. 5.8 As the figure reaches the girl, the image fades to white. 251 5.9 Later in the pilot episode the opening sequence is re-enacted, as 251 Mulder and Scully visit the same spot in the forest late at night. A sequence of shadowy mid-shots depicts Scully walking cautiously towards a light in the clearing. 5.10 Cut to a shot of bright lights fading up behind the trees, mirroring the 252 visual iconography of the opening sequence (see fig. 5.5). 5.11 Cut to a long-shot as a dark figure emerges from the light in 252 sithouette, again mirroring the opening sequence (see fig. 5.6). 5.12 Cut to a close-up of Scully's concerned face, lit by the mysterious 253 light behind the trees. 5.13 Cut to a close-up of the shadowy figure, revealing that despite the 253 similarities between this scene and the opening sequences, in this scene the bright white light and shadowy figure are not unexplained phenomena, but the local sheriff in his car. 8 5.14 The pilot episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer begins with a slow, 268 dark tracking shot outside of Sunnydale High School accompanied by high pitch strings and a low pulsing beat. 5.15 The sequence continues with a series of slow tracking shots along the 268 school's darkened corridors. 5.16 A young couple break into the school. The camera tracks around 269 them in mid-close-up as the girl starts at a noise off-screen. 5.17 Reassured that they are alone, the girl suddenly turns, and the camera 269 cuts to a close-up to reveal her vampire face as the music cuts out. As she bites the boy on the neck the image fades to black. 5.18 The full-page advertisement for the first episode of BuJJji the Vampire 281 Slayer in the TV Guide (8 March 1997) places an emphasis on the character of BufQy Summers, the series' young female lead. 5.19 Promotional image of Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers. 282 5.20 Star shot of Sarah Michelle Gellar. 282 5.21 The centrefold poster in the second edition of the Buj55 the Vampire 284 Slayer magazine (November 1999) is a posed 'action' image emphasising the series' depiction of vampires and slaying. 5.22 The colour plates on the covers of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer 285 novels tend to be posed shots of the characters in soft focus, emphasising the style of the characters' dress and image. 6.1 In episode two of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) Marty asks 325 Wyvem what he looks like, and in a mid-shot Wyvern replies "You don't want to know Marty, believe me, you don't want to know." 9 6.2 Marty and Wyvem then slowly turn to look directly at the camera, in 325 a shot that is marked out by a significant pause in the action, before cutting to a long-shot of the characters as the narrative continues.
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