Movies as roller coasters (part 1.5)

A year ago I had some fun with a little project of mine concerning movies as roller coasters (link). And to tell you the truth: I really enjoyed the project; just me having some silly fun.
So I've decided to keep this project of mine going like the 'the mixed tape'-ones. Whenever I feel like it I'll upload some new ones just for the fun of it. But before I do this I wish to use this blogpost to revisit my original plan for the rollercoaster.

Though this update comes with an upgrade; in glorious Technicolor (I even made my own background art- I love symmetry).

I also created some new elements to my coaster ride – just to keep it interesting.

As I wrote before a ‘movie as a roller coaster ride’ is a common term I decided to take literally. So each aspect of my rollercoaster-ride has something to do with structure of the movie (suspense, payoff, a turn in the story, et cetera).
For this I created rules (which I have a tendency to break). I’ll repeat them here:

• The straight track: Nothing really happens. It’s exposition – meeting characters.

E.g. The town where the story is set.

Meeting the main character.

• The low rise: Tension is build upon but it doesn’t require a ‘pay-off’.

E.g. the hero is reading a book –shadows form behind him –

he closes the book and the shadows go away.

• The low rise and drop: Something is bound to happen (tension). It happens! And then things go back to normal – the ‘boo’-moment.

E.g. a character enters a dark room –

then ‘boo’ a friend appears and the tension is nullified.

• The high rise: Something very important is going to happen (tension builds).

E.g. a mysterious mist creeps into a small town.

Something dreadful is bound to happen soon.

Tension rises with each car the mist overtakes. 

• The high rise and drop: Something very important is going to happen – and then it happens.

E.g. A group of people enter a mysterious town and all hell breaks loose.

• The sudden drop: Something unexpected happens.

E.g. The hero is walking down the street and suddenly

-out of nowhere-  a branch falls before his feet.

• The sudden drop and rise: Something (unexpected) happens that causes the story to take on tension.

E.g. The hero is suddenly shot at.

The hero runs away –

knowing that the villain will chase him.

• The rise and straight drop: The hero knows what is about to happen. He prepares himself to face the consequences.

E,g, A killer robot is on the loose.

The hero prepares the weapons he needs to defeat him.

• The tunnel: The storylines that need to be discarded/ are shrouded in mystery (before the climax).

E.g. How did the second-hero arrive just in time to save our hero?

• The looping: The lesser version of ‘the twist’: the world is put upside down.

E.g. A girl goes swimming and a shark grabs her.

• The double looping:  The world is put upside down –and just when you think you got away with it it bites you in the buttocks.

E.g. The girl who goes swimming is attacked by a shark.

She thinks she got a away but alas the beast is back to take her down.

• The twist/corkscrew: Everything you learned in the movie so far is turned on its head.

E.g. The main character is brought as reliable but

suddenly turns the other way.

• The turn: A sudden change in the story.

E.g. At first they were talking about the theme park

– now they are entering it!

There was safety in the mist

– now this mad woman is starting a revolution.

So there you have it: new rules and new coaster parts. I'll get back to this soon.
The full version is here.