Narrative technique · used in 1 film

Unheeded Warning Structure

Giving a character the truth about a coming disaster, then having everyone around them dismiss it as madness. You watch the warning fail.

Examples

Where you can see it

  1. Twelve Monkeys (1995) poster

    Twelve Monkeys

    Terry Gilliam · 1995

    Railly lectures on the Cassandra complex, the myth of a prophet nobody believes. Cole is that prophet. He tries to warn people about the virus, and the people who could act on it write him off as insane.

    Where to see it: Railly's public lecture in 1996. She explains the Cassandra complex, and soon after the event Cole kidnaps her.

Questions

Quick answers

What is unheeded warning structure in film?
Giving a character the truth about a coming disaster, then having everyone around them dismiss it as madness. You watch the warning fail.
Which films use unheeded warning structure?
Twelve Monkeys (1995).
What kind of technique is unheeded warning structure?
It is a narrative technique. Related narrative techniques include Circular Structure, Symbolic Object, Observational Restraint.

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