Outline for Night Zoo (Part 1)

1. Outline for Night Zoo (Part 1) • I. Introduction to the director - Jean- Claude Lauzon • II. The Personality of the Characters A. The Father B. The Son - Marcel • III. The change of Father & Son’s relationship－isolation to intimacy A. Son’s Affection towards Father B. The Father caring for his son

2. Outline for Night Zoo (Part II) • IV. The Black Society and the Status of Female • V. Discussion of the Background A. Color and its Meaning B. Sound and its Meaning C. Occasion and Its Meaning • VI. Conclusion -How Marcel should deal with the life between the dark world and his father's love world ?

3. Introduction to Jean-Claude Lauzon • A. Born in Montreal (1953-1997) • B. Studied cinema in Los Angeles • C. Won reputation by his film and buoyant incendiary character • D. He indulged in hunting, fishing and flying • E. His two films – Un zoo la nuit, leolo • F. Died through a plane crash with his girlfriend 

4. The Father’s Personality • *Father: weak, lack of masculinity, being oppressed, being ignored. • 1.without personal space, living in his friend’s home, being bothered while showering….. the bird in the cage moved to the tiny, humid bathroom. • 2.bad heart condition, his friend wanted him to move out….. minority among minority. • 3.watching TV, reading the newspaper, a devout Christian. • 4.his wife left him….. being objected by a woman. • 5.his son didn’t care about him….. losing the dignity of a father. • 6.the hunting skills no longer existed….. losing his masculinity.

5. The Son’s Personality (Part I) • *Son: man of action, individualistic, bad at communication, being oppressed, being isolated. Unawarenessoppressionawarenessrevenge. • 1.being trapped by the police into the jail because of hiding the money of the drugs….. innocence. • 2.being 雞姦 in the jail….. weak in the jail, irresistible.

6. The Son’s Personality (Part II) • 3.being seduced by the police but fighting back after being released….. man of action, knowing the black side of the society. • 4.being threatened and oppressed by the police….. being hunted, minority. • 5.communicating with others by the answering machine….. bad at communication. • 6.making love with the ex-girlfriend….. man of action. • 7.taking revenge on the police with his friend….. man of action, revenging directly. • 8.music and art works filling the warehouse….. artistic, isolated.

7. Marcel’s Affection toward his Father－ intends to cheer his father up after sensing his weakness • 1.After Marcel got out from the jail a.he went back to his father’s house b.father took a risk of carrying drugs and money to him • 2.Went fishing [ Clip 2 ] (the park, fishing, birthday party) • 3.Albert being sent to the hospital a.Marcel followed behind the ambulance b.Hunting at the zoo [ Clip 3 ] c.Taking care of Albert at home d.Lied naked beside his father [ Clip 4 ]

8. The Father Caring for his Son - the unidirectional to two-way communication • 1.Before he brought drugs and money to Marcel a. picking him up at the jail [ Clip 1 ] b.talking to the answering machine c.putting the picture of Virgin Mary in substitute for drugs & money • 2.Risking danger to carry money and drugs to Marcel • 3.Went fishing a.sitting behind Marcel on a motor-bike b.birthday party

9. The Black Society • Police supplied the drug----in the jail. Being buggered. (clip5) • Outsider Silence~ In the restroom of the little restaurant----the sound of gun shot didn’t make people care their business. (clip6) • Being chased and spied by the two police. • Minority among minority----oppression from the society • Existence of peek houses----one factor of the black society. • Homosexuality----although it’s approved by the society, there’re still many people against it! Bad effects presented in this film. • As for the religion, there’s no obvious regulation----father didn’t correct the son’s misbehavior.

10. The Status of Female • For the father, women can encourage him. • Lower status----minority among minority (sexual object?).

11. Color and Its Meaning (Part 1) • 1.Character’s color a. Albert’s color: gloomy/ yellow/ orange/red b. Marcel’s color: dark/ black • 2. Background’s color a. Jail: black with the contrasting white b. The society: black c. Natural scene: gray and blue (on the lake) with vague image

12. Color and Its Meaning (Part II) • 3.Object’s color a. Colorful paintings in Marcel’s barn: contrast to his black outfit b. The white car (gift for Albert): contrast to the black money c. The red blanket of Albert: contrast to his weakness d. The white sheet: return to innocence and childhood (lying naked in bed )

13. Sound and Its Meaning • 1. Animal’s howl: indicates the back guys’ (George and Charlie) presence or threats • 2. Messages: representative of Marcel and the relationship with others • 3. Imitation of the moose’s sound: encouragement for Albert and sign of masculinity • 4. Music on the motorcycle: energetic/ young

14. Occasion and Its Meaning • 1.The jail: black side of the society • 2.The little restaurant/ the hotel/ the peek house: cruel reality contains violence • 3.The barn/ home for Albert: confined spaces • 4.The zoo: place of realization with controllable situation • 5. The lake and fishing: beautiful but distant, peaceful but colorless

15. Conclusion • How Marcel should deal with the life between the dark world and his father's love world?