Les Revenants - initial discussion and considering narrative

Initial discussion

• Les Revenants is a narrative that is completely based on mysteries, enigmas and hermeneutic codes
• it's narrative is predicated on the fact that not all mysteries will be elaborated to the audience
• potentially this can be very frustrating and suggests a niche and specialised audience
• the genre of the first episode is unclear, comprising of a number of genre conventions from a range of completely different sources
• this show is very difficult to categorise, which means designating a target audience is also difficult
• however, with its themes of characters coming back from the dead to 'terrorise' a small town, the show is arguably a classic example of a zombie narrative, albeit a highly unconventional one
• a highly confusing narrative, completely based on hermeneutic codes is established to the audience
• however, in the closing montage, the audience learns a range of facts that helps them to make some conclusions about the narrative
• however, like many TV serials, there are a number of hermeneutic codes left unresolved in a cliffhanger scenario
• these include:
• who is Victor?
• what happened to the girl?
• how did they come back?
• why was Victor just standing there?
• Why was she freaking out on the bus?
• Les Revenants is less of a conventional narrative and more of a puzzle that is based on feelings and emotions than trying to tell a conventional story
• for example, in the final montage we cross cut between Lena losing her virginity and Camille having a panic attack in the coach
• the audience must come up with their own interpretation of the scene
• whether Camille is somehow psychologically bonded to Lena and is experiencing sexual intercourse or she has foretold that the coach is about to crash
• this complete lack of anchorage gives the audience complete freedom to create their own meaning
• this is highly divisive and again appeals to a niche audience
• however, while the show is highly mysterious, it is still generally conventional of the mystery/drama genre
• the show is about grief, death, madness and sex, all of which are huge and difficult situations to comprehend
• for example, Mr Costa is so traumatised by his wife's return, he murders her, which is a difficult thing for many audiences to comprehend
• yet the difficult thing to comprehend is that in this world, people come back from the dead
• this deeply philosophical mode of address will appeal to certain audiences and completely alienate others

Todorov - Narratives Theory

Narratives move from a state of equilibrium to a state of disequilibrium

Disruptions in Les Revenants include:

• Mr Costa's suicide
• a woman is murdered in the subway
• Mr Costa kills his wife
• everyone comes back
• Victor turns up
• a relationship is established between Lena's dad and the barmaid
• Simon turns up

Todorov's theory is limited here, as disequilibrium occurs constantly throughout the narrative

• single strand or multi strand
• Camille comes back and freaks out her family
• Simon comes back and looks for Adele
• Julie is forced to 'adopt' Victor
• Julie's next door neighbour is a flirt
• Victor crashes the bus
• Lena being mentally connected
• Mr Costa kills his wife and himself
• Claire's new husband and her old husband is going to a support group

There are a multitude of different sub-narratives which occur throughout the episode. This can engage a range of different audiences

Les Revenants uses a non-linear narrative. While the narrative is non-linear, it can be seen as linear as things happen in order. For example, it says 'present day'. The story can be seen as cyclical too; the bus falls off the cliff at the beginning and the end. The narrative is highly complicated.

French word for orgasm is 'le petite mort' and translate to 'the little death' and also translates to "the brief loss or weakening of consciousness"