treatment

Plot summary

We are introduced to Lucy, Eve, and Eve’s boyfriend (nameless.) Our introduction to Lucy is very stylized as we are seeing her through Eve’s eyes. Eve recounts the story of her slaughtered bunny rabbit, Dove, which contrasts with the romantic image and music. Boyfriend takes Eve away from Lucy, and she does not seem happy about it. A CU shows her pressing her nails into her palm with agitation.

A quick snapshot of the girls’ relationship shows Lucy ingesting Eve’s blood from a nosebleed. 

Lucy heavily flirts with Boyfriend, and Eve is watching them. She looks very upset. Lucy sees her watching but acts as is nothing was happening.

A cutaway demonstrates the genuine affection in the girls’ relationship. Returning from a party, Eve is very drunk and Lucy is tipsy. Lucy drags Eve up the stairs and to the bedroom. Lucy undresses Eve and dresses her in pyjamas before putting her in bed. Eve asks Lucy to stay and falls asleep. Lucy gets in bed with her, and they fall asleep in each other’s arms.

Eve confronts Lucy, and Lucy deflects. Eve kisses Lucy. Lucy pushes her off and talks about her with their mutual friend Julie, even though she seemed to like the kiss at first.

Getting ready for a Halloween party, Lucy tries to put some fake blood on Eve. The tube malfunctions and blood sprays on Lucy’s face. Lucy is dressed as a white rabbit and Eve as a red devil. Eve touches the blood on Lucy’s face, and seems to have a moment of realization. 

Three Act Structure

1 . Set up

- Introduction to Lucy, Eve, Boyfriend

- Dove’s story

- Established tension between Lucy and Boyfriend

o Plot point 1- Lucy flirts with Boyfriend

2. Confrontation

- There is a shift in the friendship dynamic

- Eve is unhappy and confronts Lucy

o Plot point 2- Eve kisses Lucy and Julia sees

3. Resolution 

- The relationship dynamic appears even more strained 

o Plot point 3- Lucy spills fake blood on herself, prompting Eve (and hopefully the audience) to realise she was Dove’s murderer 

Themes/motifs

White and red

- The title – Red Dove 

- Eve starts off wearing white. As the narrative progresses, her costume becomes darker and redder until eventually she is dressed as a devil for Halloween

- Lucy starts off wearing red. Her costume becomes lighter and eventually white when she is dressed as a rabbit for Halloween.

- Boyfriend is first pictured in a green top, and then is shown in a red jumper when Lucy is flirting with him. Julie is mentioned to have worn a yellow dress and wears non-red when witnessing the kiss- puts on a red cardigan when walking away with Lucy

- The opening voice over contains the mention of blood (on a white rabbit), when Boyfriend takes Eve away a CU shows red nail marks from Lucy digging her nails into her palm, Lucy ‘drinks’ some of Eve’s blood, the closing shot shows Lucy covered in fake blood

Haloes

- Lucy has a halo of light in the opening shot

- Both girls are shrouded in a halo of warm light in the sleepover scene 

Biblical allusions

- Lucy = Lucifer, Eve = Eve- Eve is good, Lucy is bad 

- We start in garden, the film gets darker throughout (the fall) due to the influence of Lucy (like the traitorous snake)

- Lucy becomes more white while Eve becomes more red- Lucy effectively steals Eve’s identity and manipulates them into changing places 

Rabbits

- Story of the rabbit Dove in the opening voice over

- Lucy dresses as a rabbit for Halloween and, like Dove, ends up covered in blood 

- Jordan Peele- “(Rabbits) are very cuddly but they also have a sociopathic expression”- used in Us

- Alice in wonderland- world of kilter, “You should’ve been Alice for me.”

Appearance v reality

- Stylized cinematography and warm lighting used when Eve is infatuated with Lucy, cold, darker lighting when their relationship becomes darker 

- Dove = symbol of love and loyalty- perverted by Lucy’s obsession

- Lucy’s animal costume (appearance) reveals her true nature (reality)

- Both girls’ feelings about each other are ambiguous 

- Lucy and Boyfriend appear to have some animosity, but then are suggested to be having an affair 

Inspirations

Thirteen

- Two adolescent girls form a very close and affectionate but extremely toxic friendship

- One of the girls turns out to be particularly twisted- she tries to steal her friend’s life

- The (innocent) girl turns to self-harm and drugs due to the twisted girl’s influence 

- Lighting becomes darker throughout the film, until it is in black and white 

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjx-dBY6dtU

Us

- Jordan Peele- “(Rabbits) are very cuddly but they also have a sociopathic expression”

- Lots of white rabbits- creepy feel 

Portrait of a Lady on Fire 

- Each woman has their own colour- Marianne is red and Heloise is green- their relationship makes their colours brighter 

- Lesbian tension 

The Virgin Suicides

- Very idealised, feminine aesthetic and excessive violence

- Male gaze- the boys see the girls as angelic, do not really know them but put them on pedestals 

The Secret History 

- Richard’s descriptions of Camilla- sees her in this heavenly light and not as the very flawed individual she is 

- ‘The sun came suddenly from behind a rain cloud, flooding the room with glorious light that wavered on the walls like water. Camilla’s face burst into glowing bloom. A terrible sweetness boiled up in me. Everything, for a moment – mirror, ceiling, floor – was unstable and radiant as a dream.’

Bones and All

- Adolescent romance- ends with Maren eating Lee- consumption is symbolic of their love

- Vampirism (nosebleed scene) and romanticism 

- Lucy is metaphorically taking the blood from Eve’s life 

Vertigo

- Love and obsession

- Significant colouring- characters switch colours- erosion of identity 

Jennifer’s Body

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdEhNc9vuKI