A look into one of the most fascinating phenomenon of all time…”Star Trek” conventions. This very interesting and humorous film is narrated by Denise Crosby from the original Star Trek series. Looking into the people that attend “Star Trek” conventions she tries to understand how a show that lasted almost three seasons in the 1960’s grew to be so popular and gained so much fame over the years.
There is nothing extremely flashy about the filming techniques used. The people who are interviewed actually draw some of the attention away from the filming because they are so interesting to listen to. The filming does seem rather raw and is definitely a style that is extremely effective for this type of film.
I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who is simply interested in learning about fascinations that others have. It truly amazed me how so many different people are drawn to “Star Trek” as an entity and how it has become so successful as an enterprise. The generations that were visible during the film were also very interesting; there was a wide range of individuals who seemed to be very interested it “Star Trek” and treated the convention as a way to meet up with old friends and to be around people that were just as obsessed as they were. The thing that amazed me the most was how big the market is for “Star Trek” paraphernalia and how a show from the 1960’s is still making money due to loyal Trekkies.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Super Size Me
Morgan Spurlock decides to eat nothing but McDonald’s for an entire month. If they ask if he wants it to be Supersized then he has to accept the offer, he must eat three meals a day from McDonald’s, and cannot eat anything unless it is from McDonald’s. It is a human experiment that no one has ever seen, he puts his health on the line for the project and records every moment of it on film.
Spurlock includes many drawings portraying various scenes involving McDonald’s that depict the transformation that is taking place in his body and in our society. The filming is very candid and at times sickening to watch the transformation taking place.
This film definitely made me aware of the fast food nation that American society is turning into. Everything has to be fast, including what we eat. The idea of a family gathering for dinner every night seems to be long gone and the quicker the better. The most eye-opening part of the film for me was to see the rapid transition that Spurlock went through. He gained a great deal of weight in a short amount of time and it effected everything about him, his mood, energy level, and drive drastically declined simply because of what he was eating. This film was very interesting on so many levels and if anything it showed that we as Americans need to do something about the fast food nation that we are living in.
Spurlock includes many drawings portraying various scenes involving McDonald’s that depict the transformation that is taking place in his body and in our society. The filming is very candid and at times sickening to watch the transformation taking place.
This film definitely made me aware of the fast food nation that American society is turning into. Everything has to be fast, including what we eat. The idea of a family gathering for dinner every night seems to be long gone and the quicker the better. The most eye-opening part of the film for me was to see the rapid transition that Spurlock went through. He gained a great deal of weight in a short amount of time and it effected everything about him, his mood, energy level, and drive drastically declined simply because of what he was eating. This film was very interesting on so many levels and if anything it showed that we as Americans need to do something about the fast food nation that we are living in.
Murder on a Sunday Morning
Brenton Butler is wrongfully accused of shooting a 65 year-old tourist in Florida. As the story unfolds it is a horrible example of what can happen due to racial profiling and being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Throughout the film the filmmaker travels with Patrick McGuinness as he tries to unfold the mystery of the false accusation while also trying to protect Brenton from forceful detectives that are only out to get him.
The filmmaker spends a lot of time traveling in Mr. McGuinness’ car as he drives through Jacksonville again and again tracing the evidence and trying to put all of the pieces together. It makes you feel like you another detective following the case in the car. When Brenton’s mother and father go to visit him in prison the pure emotion that is captured in film is absolutely amazing, it feels like you are holding their hands is prayer.
In watching this film I was very surprised to hear that the case took place in 2000. It seemed like such an issue of race that I had hoped our society had left in the past. Following the struggle and helplessness that Brenton had to endure was incredibly heart wrenching and so sad on so many different levels. The desire that the defense had to make sure that Brenton was set free was touching on so many levels. McGuinness is able to point the finger at three detectives that assaulted Brenton during the confession stage so that he would confess to a crime that he did not commit. An extremely moving film that I would recommend for anyone to watch.
The filmmaker spends a lot of time traveling in Mr. McGuinness’ car as he drives through Jacksonville again and again tracing the evidence and trying to put all of the pieces together. It makes you feel like you another detective following the case in the car. When Brenton’s mother and father go to visit him in prison the pure emotion that is captured in film is absolutely amazing, it feels like you are holding their hands is prayer.
In watching this film I was very surprised to hear that the case took place in 2000. It seemed like such an issue of race that I had hoped our society had left in the past. Following the struggle and helplessness that Brenton had to endure was incredibly heart wrenching and so sad on so many different levels. The desire that the defense had to make sure that Brenton was set free was touching on so many levels. McGuinness is able to point the finger at three detectives that assaulted Brenton during the confession stage so that he would confess to a crime that he did not commit. An extremely moving film that I would recommend for anyone to watch.
Control Room
This film focuses on the media in the Western and the Arab worlds. It highlights the controversial Al Jazeera, a Qatar television news network, and news networks in the United States (i.e. CNN, Fox). The film focuses on the ways in which wars are reported in the Western and Arab worlds, as well as how the news can be manipulated in order to portray a certain situation
This film is continually focusing on individuals as a whole and what their reactions to the situation in Iraq are. I especially like how much of the film is filmed in the control room of Al Jazeera, it offers a unique look at what it would be like to be in there and how non-stop the news is. The images of wounded men, women, and children are especially eye-opening because an image that powerful does not need words to go along with it, much like a McNamara film.
The interview style used in this film is very interesting in the sense that the way in which Americans and Arabs are interviewed differs slightly. Arabs seemed to be much more candid about what was occurring, there were very graphic images that were consistently being shown on the air and the cameras were right in the middle of all of the warfare. One of the most interesting aspects of the film was the press area and how when someone was conducting a news statement they would put on camouflage and make it look like they were in the trenches with the soldiers, as if to make the situation more extreme.
This film is continually focusing on individuals as a whole and what their reactions to the situation in Iraq are. I especially like how much of the film is filmed in the control room of Al Jazeera, it offers a unique look at what it would be like to be in there and how non-stop the news is. The images of wounded men, women, and children are especially eye-opening because an image that powerful does not need words to go along with it, much like a McNamara film.
The interview style used in this film is very interesting in the sense that the way in which Americans and Arabs are interviewed differs slightly. Arabs seemed to be much more candid about what was occurring, there were very graphic images that were consistently being shown on the air and the cameras were right in the middle of all of the warfare. One of the most interesting aspects of the film was the press area and how when someone was conducting a news statement they would put on camouflage and make it look like they were in the trenches with the soldiers, as if to make the situation more extreme.
Born Rich
Jamie Johnson, the heir to Johnson & Johnson, takes an in-depth look at what it means to be born into an extremely rich family where everything is literally given to you on a silver platter. Interviewing everyone from Ivanka Trump to Josiah Hornblower and Georgina Bloomberg, Johnson examines what it means to grow up in such a high society where there are many, many expectations and it is very difficult to deviate from “the plan.”
This film was compiled in a relatively simple manor that was highly effective. The camera captured the emotion on the interviewee’s voices while making it feel like you were really there listening to their thoughts being spilled out on the table.
This film was very eye opening to me in many ways. First and foremost it opened my eyes to see the culture that can be considered high society and how important it is that even as a child, you keep up with the other kids in your class and that you understand where you come from. The pressure and stress that these people endure is particularly interesting because it seems that just as it may be difficult to get out of poverty, it is also difficult to get out of the culture of high rollers and to get people to look at you for who you truly are and not just because of your last name.
This film was compiled in a relatively simple manor that was highly effective. The camera captured the emotion on the interviewee’s voices while making it feel like you were really there listening to their thoughts being spilled out on the table.
This film was very eye opening to me in many ways. First and foremost it opened my eyes to see the culture that can be considered high society and how important it is that even as a child, you keep up with the other kids in your class and that you understand where you come from. The pressure and stress that these people endure is particularly interesting because it seems that just as it may be difficult to get out of poverty, it is also difficult to get out of the culture of high rollers and to get people to look at you for who you truly are and not just because of your last name.
Aileen Wournos: The Selling of a Serial Killer
An in-depth interview of Aileen Wournos, a well known female serial killer. She is one of the first women to commit the number of crimes that she did, and the first woman in Florida to be put to death by lethal injection. She was a prostitute turned serial killer, the documentary highlights much of her life and shows thorough interviews with Aileen, her attorney, mother, lover, and many other people that had been in her life.
The way in which the interviews were conducted are very candid and allow the viewer to allow themselves to act as if they are sitting right beside the interviewer. The choppiness of the piece adds a unique flare to it and the way in which the interviewer and camera crew travel from location to location allows the viewer to go on the journey with them.
One of the most eye-opening parts of this documentary is that the people that you surround yourself with can change at the drop of a dime. When Aileen’s mother granted the camera crew an interview there was a price on everything and the price continued to increase as well as her difficulties. Aileen’s lawyer was also very interesting and how he would take some of her actions and saw that she was thinking one thing when it was quite the opposite. I love the rawness of the documentary and how it did not seem like a lot of the footage was cut, the simplicity of the film offers something that is not seen enough, the low budget of the film shines through and is very effective for the story that is being portrayed.
The way in which the interviews were conducted are very candid and allow the viewer to allow themselves to act as if they are sitting right beside the interviewer. The choppiness of the piece adds a unique flare to it and the way in which the interviewer and camera crew travel from location to location allows the viewer to go on the journey with them.
One of the most eye-opening parts of this documentary is that the people that you surround yourself with can change at the drop of a dime. When Aileen’s mother granted the camera crew an interview there was a price on everything and the price continued to increase as well as her difficulties. Aileen’s lawyer was also very interesting and how he would take some of her actions and saw that she was thinking one thing when it was quite the opposite. I love the rawness of the documentary and how it did not seem like a lot of the footage was cut, the simplicity of the film offers something that is not seen enough, the low budget of the film shines through and is very effective for the story that is being portrayed.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Y Tu Mama Tambien is the first Mexican produced film that I have ever seen, it is also one of the first films that I have seen that very candidly allows sex to be shown on the screen. Although there are many sex scenes throughout the film, I feel that that is not where the director feels the focus of the film should be on.
The film follows the life of two friends, Julio and Tenoch, who seem to be in high school and about to graduate. Both of their girlfriends are traveling through Europe together, thus leaving the two friends in Mexico for the summer. They experiment in everything from drugs to sex. One afternoon they go to a wedding in which Tenoch and Julio meet Luisa, Tenoch's cousins wife. At the wedding Tenoch and Julio talk to Luisa and tell her about this private beach that no one knows about where they want her to go with them. She tells him that she would love to go and she will talk to her husband and see when he might be available, knowing all along that the boys are just trying to sleep with her.
Luisa soon finds out that her husband is cheating on her and calls Julio and Tenoch and tells her that she wants to go to the beach with them. The three travel together to a beach which technically does not exist and this is when the story begins to unfold. Luisa ends up sleeping with Julio and Tenoch and then both of them, until one drunken night when she pushes the two boys together and they start making love. Each boy finds out the the other has slept with their girlfriend and their friendship begins to break apart. Luisa teaches them that they need to grow-up and in doing that they should focus less on masturbating and sexual acts and more on friendships. Luisa decides to stay at the beach and live with a family on the coast there. Within a few months the boys, who have not spoken to one another since the beach, run into each other and discover that Luisa has died of cancer.
Y Tu Mama Tambien is a story of celebrating life, Luisa finally makes the decision to make the last moments of her life amazing and to simply do what her heart wants. It is evident that Luisa married for security and once she let go of that she was a much happier person. Tenoch seems to be going down a similar path, he is doing what is best for his elite family, the pull of society has greatly influenced him. Julio seems to be much more true to himself throughout the film. The film begins by showing the boys being run by their hormones and ends with the boys in a much more wiser state of mind.
The film follows the life of two friends, Julio and Tenoch, who seem to be in high school and about to graduate. Both of their girlfriends are traveling through Europe together, thus leaving the two friends in Mexico for the summer. They experiment in everything from drugs to sex. One afternoon they go to a wedding in which Tenoch and Julio meet Luisa, Tenoch's cousins wife. At the wedding Tenoch and Julio talk to Luisa and tell her about this private beach that no one knows about where they want her to go with them. She tells him that she would love to go and she will talk to her husband and see when he might be available, knowing all along that the boys are just trying to sleep with her.
Luisa soon finds out that her husband is cheating on her and calls Julio and Tenoch and tells her that she wants to go to the beach with them. The three travel together to a beach which technically does not exist and this is when the story begins to unfold. Luisa ends up sleeping with Julio and Tenoch and then both of them, until one drunken night when she pushes the two boys together and they start making love. Each boy finds out the the other has slept with their girlfriend and their friendship begins to break apart. Luisa teaches them that they need to grow-up and in doing that they should focus less on masturbating and sexual acts and more on friendships. Luisa decides to stay at the beach and live with a family on the coast there. Within a few months the boys, who have not spoken to one another since the beach, run into each other and discover that Luisa has died of cancer.
Y Tu Mama Tambien is a story of celebrating life, Luisa finally makes the decision to make the last moments of her life amazing and to simply do what her heart wants. It is evident that Luisa married for security and once she let go of that she was a much happier person. Tenoch seems to be going down a similar path, he is doing what is best for his elite family, the pull of society has greatly influenced him. Julio seems to be much more true to himself throughout the film. The film begins by showing the boys being run by their hormones and ends with the boys in a much more wiser state of mind.
To Live
This was one of the first movies of its kind that I have watched produced by Chinese filmmakers. I was immediately drawn into the story of Fugui who has a gambling problem and who eventually looses all of his money and his home to a fellow gambler. He eventually has to enter both the communist and nationalist armies, while leaving his wife and two children back home to live in a small dwelling among other poverty stricken families. His wife and children work delivering fresh water every morning while he is away at war. When he returns he realizes the life he has created for his family is not how it should be. He continually realizes that he has ruined his family. The area of China that he lives in is suddenly forced to deposit all of their iron towards the war effort. Fugui's only son dies in an accident when the young boys were asked to help collect the iron from burning. His daughter is also unable to speak because of an illness from when she was younger.
To Live was particularly moving for me because of the constant struggle that the Xu family was faced with. The loss of their son, Youqing, was horrific for the family, but brought them together in the end. The lose of their daughter, Fengxia, during childbirth was also much more than what the family thought that they could endure. Yet, the birth of their grandchild was so that it signified the beginning of a new life. The film focuses on many different plots and as the Xu family struggles so does China. The final message of the film is that life goes on. Despite the terrible luck the Xu family had from the beginning, it only made them stronger.
I loved this film! I would highly recommend it to anyone you enjoys experiencing the true struggling of a family that ends in a seemingly horrible way. Yet, when looked at closely the film shows that there can be happiness in such horrible circumstances.
To Live was particularly moving for me because of the constant struggle that the Xu family was faced with. The loss of their son, Youqing, was horrific for the family, but brought them together in the end. The lose of their daughter, Fengxia, during childbirth was also much more than what the family thought that they could endure. Yet, the birth of their grandchild was so that it signified the beginning of a new life. The film focuses on many different plots and as the Xu family struggles so does China. The final message of the film is that life goes on. Despite the terrible luck the Xu family had from the beginning, it only made them stronger.
I loved this film! I would highly recommend it to anyone you enjoys experiencing the true struggling of a family that ends in a seemingly horrible way. Yet, when looked at closely the film shows that there can be happiness in such horrible circumstances.
Wings of Desire
I think that I have to admit that I lied in a previous blog. When I said that The Seventh Seal was one of the only movies that I just did not understand I should have included Wings of Desire in the mix as well. It is not that I did not appreciate the film for its cinematic elements, but it was just one that I would more so understand the third time around. So...in order to try to understand it more I have read several reviews and looked up information in text books regarding the film and the vision behind it. Much of the information I am about to blog about is what I have read in books or gathered from online resources.
Wings of Desire is about two angels that can hear people's thoughts and they continually help people along their journey. Damiel soon decides that he does not want to be an angel anymore because he has fallen in love with a acrobat in a local circus. He continually chases after her and watches out for her as he is going through his spiritual journey. The film portrays several messages throughout that portray the angels' feelings about themselves and the human world. There are many philosophical questions that are asked such as, what does it mean to be human? and What does it mean to be spiritual? The angels are also witnessing the human impulse towards the spiritual. Humans more the possibility of feeling, whereas angels do not. More importantly I think it is important to look at the film's stylistic elements.
The film begins in a setting that seems much older than the film really is, and ends at a punk rock show that is estimated to be in the 80's. The film has constant rapid frames that flash in and out that show the diversity of what the film has to offer. Marion is the acrobat that the angel falls in love with, when he is pictured looking at her the film changes from black and white to color. This transition throughout the movie is the most interesting of all to me. I think that the black and white to color transitions are incredibly interesting and add a truly amazing effect for the viewer. I absolutely love the stylistic properties used throughout the film.
Wings of Desire is about two angels that can hear people's thoughts and they continually help people along their journey. Damiel soon decides that he does not want to be an angel anymore because he has fallen in love with a acrobat in a local circus. He continually chases after her and watches out for her as he is going through his spiritual journey. The film portrays several messages throughout that portray the angels' feelings about themselves and the human world. There are many philosophical questions that are asked such as, what does it mean to be human? and What does it mean to be spiritual? The angels are also witnessing the human impulse towards the spiritual. Humans more the possibility of feeling, whereas angels do not. More importantly I think it is important to look at the film's stylistic elements.
The film begins in a setting that seems much older than the film really is, and ends at a punk rock show that is estimated to be in the 80's. The film has constant rapid frames that flash in and out that show the diversity of what the film has to offer. Marion is the acrobat that the angel falls in love with, when he is pictured looking at her the film changes from black and white to color. This transition throughout the movie is the most interesting of all to me. I think that the black and white to color transitions are incredibly interesting and add a truly amazing effect for the viewer. I absolutely love the stylistic properties used throughout the film.
The Graduate
The Graduate is quite possibly one of my favorite films of all time. Its combination of an amazing cast, a great screenplay, humor, and music is truly amazing and makes me want to watch it all the time.
The Graduate is based mainly around two characters, Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) who is a recent college graduate and Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) who is the wife of one of his father's business partners and someone that he has grown up around. One evening after a party Mrs. Robinson asks Ben to drive her home, at that point an affair between the two begins. Things get tricky when Ben begins seeing Mrs. Robinson's daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross). There is a sudden outbreak where Mrs. Robinson tries to destroy their relationship but Ben is consistent in trying to mend the relationship and eventually ends up breaking up Elaine's marriage with another man and riding away with her on a bus at the end of the film.
This was the breakout film for Dustin Hoffman and I think that it truly shows the naiveness that he captures as a young actor and a young college graduate. The use of various songs by Simon & Garfunkel was what added a whole new look at the film. Classical Hollywood cinema did not center soundtracks around a film, or did they ever dream of doing so. The director, Mike Nichols, was among a group of young directors that were trained in film making and had new ideas that were very different than the old style of film making. Through his interesting use of camera angles he creates an awkwardness throughout the film. There is also a rather consistent theme of alienation and entrapment as related to Ben. Everyone seems to talk to Ben like he is much younger than he actually he, this also effects Ben's feelings and the way in which people talk to him is recorded during the film to show the multitude of feelings surrounding the subject.
As I said earlier, this is one of my favorite films of all time and is definitely one that I would encourage anyone to watch. Not only does it have an amazing screenplay and set of actors, but it is also a breakthrough film that I feel much of recent Hollywood looks at for inspiration.
The Graduate is based mainly around two characters, Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) who is a recent college graduate and Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) who is the wife of one of his father's business partners and someone that he has grown up around. One evening after a party Mrs. Robinson asks Ben to drive her home, at that point an affair between the two begins. Things get tricky when Ben begins seeing Mrs. Robinson's daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross). There is a sudden outbreak where Mrs. Robinson tries to destroy their relationship but Ben is consistent in trying to mend the relationship and eventually ends up breaking up Elaine's marriage with another man and riding away with her on a bus at the end of the film.
This was the breakout film for Dustin Hoffman and I think that it truly shows the naiveness that he captures as a young actor and a young college graduate. The use of various songs by Simon & Garfunkel was what added a whole new look at the film. Classical Hollywood cinema did not center soundtracks around a film, or did they ever dream of doing so. The director, Mike Nichols, was among a group of young directors that were trained in film making and had new ideas that were very different than the old style of film making. Through his interesting use of camera angles he creates an awkwardness throughout the film. There is also a rather consistent theme of alienation and entrapment as related to Ben. Everyone seems to talk to Ben like he is much younger than he actually he, this also effects Ben's feelings and the way in which people talk to him is recorded during the film to show the multitude of feelings surrounding the subject.
As I said earlier, this is one of my favorite films of all time and is definitely one that I would encourage anyone to watch. Not only does it have an amazing screenplay and set of actors, but it is also a breakthrough film that I feel much of recent Hollywood looks at for inspiration.
Shoot the Piano Player
In Shoot the Piano Player, the main character, Charlie Kohler, works in a popular bar playing the piano. One evening his brother runs in saying that he needs his help or he will get killed by two gangsters that are close behind. Charlie offers his brother Chico refuge but not without a price. The story continues to unfold and it is discovered that Charlie is actually a very famous piano player by the name of Edouard Saroyan, yet after his wife's suicide he quit playing on a large scale and changed his name so that no one could find him. Charlie becomes close to a young woman whom also works at the bar, Lena, and tells her the story of his past. In the mean time, the drama surrounding Chico escalates and the gangsters decide to take Charlie's youngest brother Fido. At this point Charlie is desperate to get him back and puts all of his efforts into finding him.
Shoot the Piano Player was directed by Francois Truffaut in 1960 and he uses very interesting ways of creating the correct mood throughout the film. Charlie has an internal dialogue that narrates how he is feeling. The film is also quite obvious in the fact that it was shot on location without any studio settings. The director relies on natural shadows to show how the characters are feeling and also to add a sense of feeling that the viewer is really there. This film would be classified as theatre of the absurd and there are also many ideas that can be contributed to an existentialist outlook. At some points during the film it is very film noir, whereas at others it is comedic or romantic.
Overall I thought that the technical aspects of the film were very interesting and the story line was so-so. It was definitely very interesting and showed a sense of French cinema that I had never experienced before.
Shoot the Piano Player was directed by Francois Truffaut in 1960 and he uses very interesting ways of creating the correct mood throughout the film. Charlie has an internal dialogue that narrates how he is feeling. The film is also quite obvious in the fact that it was shot on location without any studio settings. The director relies on natural shadows to show how the characters are feeling and also to add a sense of feeling that the viewer is really there. This film would be classified as theatre of the absurd and there are also many ideas that can be contributed to an existentialist outlook. At some points during the film it is very film noir, whereas at others it is comedic or romantic.
Overall I thought that the technical aspects of the film were very interesting and the story line was so-so. It was definitely very interesting and showed a sense of French cinema that I had never experienced before.
The Seventh Seal
There are some things in live that you will just never understand. For me it ranges from speculations about the universe to ignorance and to put it simply, The Seventh Seal. This is one of the first movies that I have seen that has truly baffled my mind, yet, because of this profound feeling of discontent and wonderment the film has also sparked my curiosity. It has made me think about it much more than I would any other film that I have simply enjoyed watching. This film was difficult to watch because I continually dazed in and out of the story line, which happened to be a very interesting one at that.
The Seventh Seal in a film by Ingmar Bergman that was filmed in 1957 and was set in the Middle Ages. The film follows a knight that is returning from the Crusades and soon finds that the Black Death is eating away at his country. Death appears to him and he somehow finagles a deal with him and challenges him in a game of chess. Throughout the game there are different characters that are highlighted to show the emotions that they are going through as well due to the current situation in their home.
This film is very interesting on many levels. First and foremost there is a strong feeling of faith and religion. Religion is portrayed as very individualistic whereas the church is seen as an extremist; there is one scene where this is very evident. There is a couple that is highlighted and they have a young child who is shown without clothes on, somewhat allegorical of the baby Jesus. Secondly, there is a constant struggle with the issue of faith and being through all of the characters. The filming techniques used are also very interesting. There is a definite feeling whenever Death enters the scene. The lighting is very artificial looking, and the color scheme is simple, being black and white, even though at this time color was available.
Overall the film was very interesting and definitely one that I feel requires more attention from me as a viewer. The film offers a general view of human nature that cannot be denied. The end of the film gives the viewer some hope but also death at the same time.
The Seventh Seal in a film by Ingmar Bergman that was filmed in 1957 and was set in the Middle Ages. The film follows a knight that is returning from the Crusades and soon finds that the Black Death is eating away at his country. Death appears to him and he somehow finagles a deal with him and challenges him in a game of chess. Throughout the game there are different characters that are highlighted to show the emotions that they are going through as well due to the current situation in their home.
This film is very interesting on many levels. First and foremost there is a strong feeling of faith and religion. Religion is portrayed as very individualistic whereas the church is seen as an extremist; there is one scene where this is very evident. There is a couple that is highlighted and they have a young child who is shown without clothes on, somewhat allegorical of the baby Jesus. Secondly, there is a constant struggle with the issue of faith and being through all of the characters. The filming techniques used are also very interesting. There is a definite feeling whenever Death enters the scene. The lighting is very artificial looking, and the color scheme is simple, being black and white, even though at this time color was available.
Overall the film was very interesting and definitely one that I feel requires more attention from me as a viewer. The film offers a general view of human nature that cannot be denied. The end of the film gives the viewer some hope but also death at the same time.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Searchers
When I think of American Western films the first name that comes to mind is John Wayne. John Wayne has acted in more westerns than any other actor in American cinema and has created an image for himself that proves he is truly a legend. The Searchers is a 1956 western that follows the story of Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) whose family was ransacked by Comanche Indians and whose niece was taken by the tribe. Ethan begins his five year search for his niece and eventually finds her, but to his surprise she has been emotionally scared and has morphed into a Comanche. It is very evident that Ethan has a lot of hatred towards the Comanches and Native Americans in general. When he finds his niece there is an internal struggle in him to kill her or to rescue her. His nephew goes on the journey along with him (he is 1/8 th Cherokee) and there is a constant struggle between him and Ethan.
This film was very interesting on many levels because not only was it filmed in Monument Valley but the Native Americans that were portrayed in large fight scenes and throughout the film were actual Native Americans (Navajos)that were hired to act. The movie also begins in black and white and then transitions to color, and ultimately ends in black and white again. This transition is the most interesting thing about the entire film for me personally because I think that it is a very interesting way to portray the emotion throughout the film.
Overall I really enjoyed The Searchers, I thought it was a very interesting film overall and technically it was ahead of its time. It is definitely not something that I would have watched on my own, but I would definitely recommend it as a must see film.
This film was very interesting on many levels because not only was it filmed in Monument Valley but the Native Americans that were portrayed in large fight scenes and throughout the film were actual Native Americans (Navajos)that were hired to act. The movie also begins in black and white and then transitions to color, and ultimately ends in black and white again. This transition is the most interesting thing about the entire film for me personally because I think that it is a very interesting way to portray the emotion throughout the film.
Overall I really enjoyed The Searchers, I thought it was a very interesting film overall and technically it was ahead of its time. It is definitely not something that I would have watched on my own, but I would definitely recommend it as a must see film.
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