Oh Brother Where Art Thou Analysis

From the inexplicable yet deeply human stories by Charlie Kaufman, to the beautifully chaotic and surreal imagination of Don Hertzfeldt, film has become a part of my identity, and much of how I think and act is a product of how film has changed me as a person. I see most everything in my life as though it is a scene in a movie. I consider what kind of shot I would use for the scene I am currently in, and how best to convey

“Recession is when a neighbor loses his job, depression is when you lose your job” Ronald Reagan. Recession is only a temporary decline and depression is a long and extended period of economic failure. There was a crisis in America during the time period the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? was based on. The Great Depression was occurring at that time and the characters in this movie reflected and showed was it was like to live in a time like that. Each character in the movie symbolized what an individual person would have went through during the Great Depression.

Music plays a critical role in the narrative films as it is important technique that filmmakers use to support the narrative and influence the way that the viewer interacts, responds and interprets the events as they unfold. The godfather, which is one of all time Hollywood movies, represents a good use of music that succeeded in supporting the dramatic events that take place in the movie. Moreover, both diegetic and non-diegetic music in the godfather movie are used to achieve the overall purpose by using the different principles and functions of film music that range from setting the mood of the viewer to providing continuity within the movie. In this essay, we will take part of the godfather movie in which we can observe and analyse the

Music also plays a key role in reminding the audience that this movie took place in the past.

-O’ Brother, Where Art Thou quote: movie was centered around flooding of the valley by TVA dam (Coen & Coen, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, 2000) -Created by the TVA Act in 1933 election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). -New Deal which was a series of programs, ‘alphabet soup,’ established during the Great Depression, restoring dignity back to the American people. (History.com Staff, 2009)-Energy, environment, jobs, economy (Our History, n.d.) It did this through power production, flood control, and reforestation and staying with its mission of “making lives better for the people of the Tennessee Valley region.” (How TVA Changed Lives, n.d.) -Effects are still felt today in the citizens of the southeastern United States. (The Editors

The one song men can't resist. In the three text “The Odyssey”, “O!Brother Where Art Thou”,and “Siren Song” the authors use the idea of the men being lured in by the song to make their text. These three text have ideas that are emphasized, absent and different.

Discovering meaning in anything throughout one’s life is completely subjective to the individual. The same can be said about films. Not one person will be affected in the exact same way as another just by viewing the same film. The complexities of individuality create a bank of receptors to be reached by creative minds; at times they are successful and other times they are not. Films are filled with a variety of meanings that can easily conflict with one another. In 1996, Ethan and Joel Coen created the film “Fargo” which attempts to subtly replicate the complexities of human nature in small town Brainerd, Wisconsin. The Coen brothers created a film of seemingly predictable people struggling in their daily lives and showing how easily things can escalate into chaos. Recycling typical film themes the Coen brothers produced a 98-minute masterpiece filled with themes of greed, the perceptions of gender and relationships, and complex characters in their film “Fargo.” These elements were successful because of a well-written and relatable complex script that upon the first viewing appears superficial. Coupled with the use of specific camera techniques within the cinematography, dramatic irony, and the dark humor that emerges in the film. The combination of comedy and horror easily can confuse the viewer into wondering what is the meaning. Yet, after repeated and perceptive viewing one can begin to unravel and decode the meaning of Fargo for them.

The true mark of many great directors is their ability to develop a commonality amongst many or all of their films. For Instance, Quentin Tarantino can be associated with blood and death and gore, whilst Wes Anderson takes his indie style and enhances it with a plethora of shots with a symmetrical look. The Coen brothers have their niche in things like opening monologues dubbed over shots of scenery and their take on the classic film noir style, but one of their most prevalent signatures is a theme that they use throughout many of their films: people in life are always pursuing things that are, for the most part, unobtainable. The fate of the characters that take on this theme is the way in which the Coens sneak in their commentary on those

Both trailers use music to create anticipation which raises a person’s heartbeat, capturing there attention. Anticipation is created through varying the volume, suddenly changing the tempo of the songs and adding sound effects. Music is a vital technique because it engages the senses and draws the viewer to become an active bystander in the story. When the music

These three films are as psychologically triggering as they’re visually stunning. But the most important aspect here is the accompanied music. The three main scores which were written by the same person for three different movies that just happen to end up being huge cult classics.

I believe that Kehret is trying to make a deep proclamation about the human race in I’m Not My Brother; I’m Me – a proclamation that as a whole we have a weakness in our judgement of each other. She illustrates this in the fact that Jonathon’s teachers have preconceived notions about him because of his older siblings. For example, one teacher does not want Jonathon near the Bunsen burners because his brother Mark had used them to cause minor explosions. Because of this, said teacher falsely assumes that Jonathon will be the same and thereby automatically classifies him as a troublemaker. I believe that Kehret is subtly commenting on the human tendency to try and find patterns in everything and everyone – people of the same race, religion, sex,

The Coen brothers were a staple independent action-adventure film makers. Their movie Fargo featured an ending with butchered bodies and wrecked cars. The plot of the film has little to offer viewers but the action is what draws people in. The hero in the film resorts to crime and engineers his wife’s kidnapping. He did so to try to get out of an embezzling mess that he got himself into.

Music can be extraordinarily influential in films, as it has the ability to evoke emotion not displayed by on-screen action. Music used in films can play many roles; it can depict time and place, mood, atmosphere, character, and can be used to underscore the onscreen drama and titles. Alan Silvestri and John Williams successfully manipulate the use of music in film to establish characters (along with their personality, actions and changing emotions), as well as underscore the mood for the entirety of their given films. The contrasts of Silvestri’s “The Feather Theme” with Williams’ “Batman Theme” exemplify the power of music in film.

There were many instances when the cinematography contributed to the themes of the film. For example, the scene with Kidane and the fisherman after the pistol is accidently shot at

A live orchestra was recorded playing various pieces composed by Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and many others (Clague, 2004, pp. 91-93). Fast forward 9 years, Looney Tunes released a short cartoon titled Rabbit of Seville inspired by and featuring Rossini’s composition Barber of Seville. This came almost 150 years after the piece was first performed yet became an iconic tune to those who watched the cartoon (Roberts, 2017). Then in 1968 Strauss’ piece Also Sprach Zarathustra boomed in theaters in the opening credits of “2001: A Space Odyssey” (Wise, 2014). These three examples show how well-known media used classical compositions successfully. Although the pieces were, at one point, not familiar to their audience, after constant exposure they became a part of their musical knowledge. The recognizability of each song allowed connections and associations to be made so that even if the film was not being shown, the listener could link it to what movie it was from.