Should we as a society set a monetary value on life, or let it exist on an emotional level? Are the accomplishments we achieve and the money we make throughout our lifetime the only things that determine what our life is worth after death; or should it be based on the value that the individual put upon their own experiences. In contemporary American Society, this question remains to be asked when someone loses their life. In the excerpt from Chris Jones’ “Roger Ebert: The Essential Man” The struggles which Ebert Endures, and the high value he remained to keep on his own life was revealed, which displayed his own personal value of life and how it is precious throughout the conflict. I agree with this mentality completely, because one’s circumstances may outweigh another’s, meaning that there is
The documentary Goree: Door of No Return puts the trans-Atlantic slave trade into a greater historical and geographic perspective. The film is set in Goree, an island off the coast of Senegal. Goree is where the "door of no return" was located, and seeing the actual door leaves an indelible image stamped on the viewer's brain. Through this door passed countless men and women who were being bought and sold on the island. Goree was a Portuguese holding for hundreds of years. What is most astonishing about Goree is that the slave warehouse there was only dismantled a hundred and fifty years ago; this is not ancient history. The film reveals the stunning, sunbaked atmosphere of the West African coast and also captures the languid pace of life. The viewer wonders how such brutality ever could have taken place here, especially when the palm trees sway gently in the breezes and we learn about the complex, ancient, and "highly structured civilizations" that once thrived along the West coast of Africa.
You have been taught that this is the universe you live in. A universe where you, according to the Constitution, have rights as Americans. The right to be yourselves, no matter who you are, and what you do. You’re about to go into a whole other world in V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. V for Vendetta is about a future totalitarian world in England, where fascism has taken over, and the government force is so great that you have been forced to believe that you’re not individual, and that only the government tells you who you are. Life in this type of society is really disturbing, because there is no individualism, we are constantly manipulated, and there’s a twisted concept about heroes and villains.
Before watching the movie the “The Hammer” I didn’t know what to expect. I had never seen a deaf movie before and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to understand the movie completely. Watching the movie wasn’t as hard as I expected it to
What is mise-en-scene? Mise-en-scene is the arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a movie is enacted. It is most commonly used to show the setting of the movie. But if used correctly can be used to portray the feelings of the characters and to help tell the story. Orson Welles made sure to use the props, actors, and even the camera to use mise-en-scene to tell the story of Charles Foster Kane to its fullest. Character positions, camera angles and music, and framing used to tell the story in Citizen Kane. It’s use of mise-en-scene made it not only ahead of its time, but it made it a masterpiece.
An interview is a form of nonfiction-a text that tells the “truth.” Do you think Jones is being truthful in his observations of Roger Ebert? Do you Ebert is being truthful in his statements about himself? Are you more likely to believe when someone else says about a person or what the person says about himself or herself? Explain your reasoning.
The Movie "Wit" In the movie Wit, English literary scholar Vivian Bearing has spent years translating and interpreting the poetry of John Donne. Unfortunately, she is a person who has cultivated her intellect at the expense of her heart. Both colleagues and students view Bearing as a chilly and unfriendly person lost in her private world of words and mysterious thoughts.
“A true film auteur is someone who brings something genuinely personal to his subject, instead of producing something tasteful, accurate but lifeless rendering of the original material,” a quote by Francois Truffaut. Auteur Theory was bold and risky for Francois Truffaut and Orson Welles to carry out throughout their film,
In the film Toni Erdmann by the German director Maren Ade, there are many interesting techniques which help the viewer gain a better understanding of what’s going on. In using these techniques, Ade is attempting to display something to the viewer that they may not have otherwise caught or understood, such as facial reactions which contain useful information as to what is happening in a given scene. In addition to this, Ade brings back and somewhat recreates the genre known as the screwball comedy, which was very popular in the 1940’s. In Toni Erdmann, Ade alters the genre a bit from what it originally was to recreate a new, updated and modern version of the genre. In watching the film during Harpur Cinema, I was more naturally able to notice different film techniques and the updated genre due to our discussions regarding the topics in class.
The Reckoners Series’ Setting Choose one of your favorite books and compare and contrast one of the following elements: Two characters, two scenes, or two separate settings. (try to avoid spoilers)
The Film Noir, “The Third Man”, showed the evident effect that World War 2 had on people. Since this film was produced in 1949, after World War 2, it reflected the social fears and cultural changes that have plagued people during post war. Before the war, there was the ideology
Cinematography and Music Kill Bill: Vol 1. (2003) is a film directed by, the famous, Quentin Tarantino. From start to finish, it is packed with action and excitement. This movie has a plethora of interesting elements. Yet the cinematography of Kill Boll: Vol 1. is one that makes history. Not only does it have camera angles unlike any others shown in a normal film, but it keeps the audiences’ attention. The unique choice of music adds originality to the film. For a movie with such a serious storyline, the music involved is quite quirky. Some would even say childish. Anyone who has seen a movie directed by Quentin Tarantino before will understand that adjustments like this are a reflection of his style. All of his work reveals that.
‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ (Wes Anderson, 2014) combines a perfect mix of nostalgia and history. The film explores the themes of war as it recreates history through mise-en-scene. Anderson also incorporates other themes such as racism and elitism during pre-war Europe. The film widely explores Europe from many viewpoints, one
Quentin Tarantino: Adventures in Postmodern Cinema Elias Soh Quentin Tarantino: Adventures in Contemporary Postmodern Cinema 0700173H T03 Ms. Ng Kwee Hoon Film Theory & Criticism Quentin Tarantino: Adventures in Contemporary Postmodern Cinema Introduction Abstract FILMS written and directed by Quentin Tarantino between 1991 and 2004 have been variously admired for their styles, visual and verbal wit, three-dimensional characterization and character development and unique
Film: The Pianist Director, Roman Polanski Scene(s) Hosenfeld scene In the Film The Pianist directed by Roman Polanski. We witness a scene where Szpilman is injured, filthy and starving he rummages around looking for anything to sustain himself. He finds a can of gherkins which he struggles to open he finds some fire stoking equipment and begins opening the can however due to the state of Szpilman he drops the can and the contents falls and drains at the soldier 's feet. In the Hosenfeld scene Points which will be covered are the visual aspects, the aural elements, the mise en scene aspects and post production elements and how all these elements relate to the “big Idea” of having something or someone to hold onto can make you stay focussed and not give up.