Film Form + Meaning

 As a practice, by watching a film of my choice I must identify the four film forms used to build the story.

Before getting onto that, the film forms are:

1. Referential Meaning - Simple plot summary.
2. Explicit Meaning - Direct, facts stated whether they were said or read that give context to later events.
3. Implicit Meaning - Undirect. Metaphorical hints, subtle connections and hidden messages the filmmaker drops for the audience to find.
4. Symptomatic Meaning - "Against it's will." The ideology and social values in film.

With that said, for my movie choice: 'The Mummy' (1999).

As my notes feel a mess going back and forth between the forms due to them being made as the film progressed, rather than typing them up in the same matter, they will be sectioned. Starting with the easiest to answer,

Referential Meaning:

Jonathon Carnahan steals an Egyptian trinket and brings it to his sister, Evelyn, who unlocks the puzzle box and finds a map. Returning to he who it belonged to, Rick O'Connell is hired to bring the British siblings to the location in search of the book made of gold, 'The Amun-Ra'.

In doing so, a spirit from the 27th century is released. Imhotep, the Priest of the Pharoah Seti the First. And also the Keeper of the Dead. In rebuilding himself and causing chaos to those around, Imhotep is in goal of bringing back the love of his life whom he had originally died for, and must be stopped.

When getting onto finding points for the next three meaning is where it became difficult. More in the case of I could be overthinking what goes on in the film just to find links. So some of these could be wrong, or even all, but here is what I have managed to gather:

Explicit Meaning:

• Imhotep is the keeper of the dead and can bring Anck-Su-Namun back from the dead.
• The 'Hom-Dai' curse.
• The Magi worked to prevent the very situation that did happen, from not happening.
• Rick to Winston, "You probably wont live through this." Next shot: plane crashes and Winston dies.
• "Death is only the beginning."

Implicit Meaning:

• American V Cowboys stereotype.
• The scarabs being symbolised everywhere.
• Imhotep needed to steal features from the living in regenerating himself. By stealing the character Mr Burns' eyes, who needed glasses to see clearer, Imhotep is in result somewhat blind.
• Imhotep aiming to create the newer, Egyptian generation turning the civilians into mindless zombies, slaves he can control.
• Imhotep brought back the priests that helped him from his early days to do the same.
• The comical scream sequence. Imhotep screams at Rick at which he responds shocking the mummy creature. Becoming a repeated action, in the next attempt Rick screams at the priests who respond scaring Rick back.

Symptomatic Meaning:

• The title is historically inaccurate.
• Quicksand is exaggerated.

That being that, the most difficult one to figure out was the symptomatic meanings. Even currently I am not a hundred percent on what it means. Needing an example that would help, online I can't find any anywhere.

What was fun though, not being the easiest title to identify hidden memento's as such, I did end up watching the 2013 Carrie adaption and found myself picking up little hints that could link with the film forms so that leaves a positive note.