Historical Text

The historical text that I have chosen to look back on and to compare Apocalypto to is, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. This movie/film is based on a guy who has had everything of his stripped from and he has to survive. That plot is very similar to Apocalypto as in Apocalypto Jaguar Paw has to survive attacks from the evil Mayan Village in order to save his family so we can instantly the generic conventions taken from previous action movies that have been used in Apocalypto.



The extract that I have taken from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a battle scene between Mad Max and his evil opponent. In this scene there are many stereotypical generic conventions used that you would expect in an Action movie. For example, the sound is a typical action sounding track where the tempo of the music increases and decreases according to whats happening on the scene. This generic convention is also implemented in Apocalypto where Jaguar Paw is running through the jungle surviving attacks from his opponents. Not only that the other similarity in these two movies are the fast cuts. This use of cinematography is also a generic convention as in most action films fast cuts are to increase the tension and entertainment factor of the movie. One specific part of the scene where there is a consistent use of fast cuts is where Mel Gibson who is playing Mad Max is swinging on the rope while his opponent batters him then throws him towards a weapon, It is here where there is a frequent use of fast cuts between Mel Gibson and the weapon to help increase the excitment. This is very similar to Apocalypto as when Jaguar Paw is running through the jungle there many fast cuts of him, his opponents and his obsticales. The overall use of the fast cut is to keep the target audience on the edge of their seat.

Alongside the similarities in the two movies, it is also seen that Mel Gibson the director of Apocalypto is the starring role in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome therefore, we can make the judgement that he has used his experience in that movie to help create Apocalypto. As seen above there are definitely many similarities between the movies therefore, it is seen that he has used generic conventions used in that movie and implemented them in Apocalypto to help create the great action movie it is.

There is also differences between the two movies. One difference that I spotted between the two fighting scenes were that in Apocalypto some of the fighting scenes had the action music playing over it whereas, in Mad Max Beyong Thunderdome the actual fighting scene had no music playing over it to increase the entertainment although it did have some at the start of it. Therefore, it is seen that Mel Gibson chose to reject that generic convention and implemented his own idea of a fighting scene.

Moving on the next extract I took from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was the trailer of film. With the trailer we will be able to see the generic conventions used in that trailer and the ones used in Apocalypto to help find the similarities and the differences.



After viewing the Mad Max trailer it seen that there are many similarities between the Apocalypto trailer and the Max Max trailer. In both the trailers the music playing over the trailer is a typical action sounding track where the tempo and pitch increases and decreases throughout to help increase the tension. Not only that but the frequent use of fast cuts is also visible throughout this is also used to help create tension and the entertainment factor. Another similarity seen in the two trailers is the setting of the movies. In Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome it is seen there are shots of Mad Max standing in the desert and other deserted area to help extend the idea that he has to survive in that habitat alone. This is also similar to Apocalypto Jaguar Paw is seen in a jungle which is also normally a deserted area and that also helps the audience understand that he is alone and has to survive in that hard area where there is a lack of food etc. Therefore, we can make the judgement that Mel Gibson chose to actually use a similar surrounding in Apocalypto to the one Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome to help create that entertainment factor.

The one generic convention that Mel Gibson chose to reject when creating the trailer was the dominant sounding voice of god throughout the trailer. In Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome you can hear the dominant voice of god telling us the story of the movie and the problems to help the audience and also create that tension. Whereas, in Apocalypto there is no use of voice of god therefore, it is seen Mel Gibson chose to reject that generic convention.