127 Hours is a Docudrama directed by Danny Boyle, who also directed Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire, and stars James Franco from Spiderman, Freaks & Geeks, Pineapple Express amongst others. It centres around rock climber Aron Ralston who's arm becomes trapped by a boulder in Utah for almost 5 days, resulting in him having to amputate his own arm to set himself free. Aron Ralston himself said of the film, "it's as close to a documentary as you can get, whilst still being a drama". This is unique for a docudrama, specifically due to the style in which its presented. Whilst there seems to be much used for dramatic effect, the director Danny Boyle had been careful to keep the linear events as accurate as possible.

The film has a number of unique traits through its presentation and production. Much of the plot, according to the real Ralston, is extremely accurate, despite a few dramatic changes to the opening scenes. The film itself is almost entirely carried by Franco, who portrays Ralston's journey in surviving and attempting to escape the situation. There are many fantasy sequences, which often highlight Ralston's growing unhealthy state as he begins to hallucinate. In some scenes, diagetic sounds within the situation are heightened to add realism and intensity to the scene. In particular, a climactic scene where Ralston must self-amputate his own arm increases and highlights the sound of him slicing into flesh and through nerves to give a sense of unease.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vo3INoJZLA - Arm Amputation Scene.

The soundtrack for the film isn't in relation to the film's time period, but reflects the personal selection of the character of Aron Ralston. It's possible that Ralston himself had a say in the music selection to add authenticity to the film. These include the likes of Bill Withers and Dido. A score was also produced amongst this for scenes which required fitting music for accompaniment.

One particular scene sees Ralston recording a video message that he prepares should he die and and his body be discovered. This scene is based on real video footage made by Ralston whilst he was trapped by the boulder in 2003. Though the film footage is not available on YouTube, the real footage is and is here. The movie captures this video from the same viewpoint of the camcorder with Franco's words being identical to Ralston's:

The movie uses several different viewpoints, cutaways, and establishing shots. In many scenes, the temperature and its affect on Ralston is made clear through the diagetic sound and camera work, his delirious state being echoed by the shots. The movie is entirely unique of the docudrama genre, and attempts to capture the 127 hours that Ralston was trapped in as much accurate detail as possible.

Freaks & Geeks was a television series set in 1980-1981 Michegan, America. It centres around a group of teenagers during their high school year. After 18 episodes, the network that showed the series NBC decided to cancel it, leaving it to become a cult phenomenon. The show's name comes from the opposing groups the series focusses on. As a period television show, there is great attention to detail in the characters, clothing, setting, soundtrack and cultural references. Though not like many "costume dramas", a sub-genre that period drama is generally related to - the show is technically a period drama as its set in a certain era.

Much of the show is character driven over plot, following the lives of the students. The soundtrack accompanies the time in which the series takes place, often using popular songs from that particular time period, like singles that may have been in the charts, such as Van Halen, The Who, Billy Joel and others. The show's premise circulates around the different social groups in a 1980s high school, with the main character Lindsay Weir being influenced into a group known on the show as "Freaks", who aren't academically motivated or accepting of the rules.

Much of the show has fairly standard use of camera work for a single camera drama, but some of the scenes, specifically the Dodgeball scene located below is shot in such a way as to perceive the danger and violence of the game to the "Geeks" who are being attacked by the opposing team of jockish figures. The camera work is swift and shaky, almost echoing the fear of the characters being attacked. There's use of slow motion almost making it like a parody of battle scenes or shootouts in action and war movies. This may be from the point of view of the Geeks who are more used to staying at home watching movies:

Another notable use of camera and sound is in the opening sequence of the show. A prolonged intro sequence which introduces each character through the school norm of a student photograph. This manages to not only establish their setting, but also the characters, through the ways they react, respond and present themselves through this. Along with that is a popular song of the time "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.

Overall, the series is unique in a number of ways but keeps to some of the norms of a television series, and specifically a period drama. Influences seem to come from 80s movies, such as John Hughes films.