Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan

Steven Spielberg used classic linear storytelling in his movies, the narrative in most of his movies were Plot driven and very effective. He is a storyteller always mindful of holding his audience. Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest directors of today. He is master in taking stories and incidents from the past and and rejuvinating them with his own potential.

After watching and analyzing the action adventure film, Indiana Jones - “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008) and the Sci-Fi thriller, The Matrix (1999) many cinematic elements attracted my attention. With three very distinct and ingenious directors, (Spielberg and the Wachowskis siblings) these two films exemplified extraordinary uses of lighting, framing, editing and sound techniques unique to its own genre.

Remember the Titans directed by Boaz Yakin, is an inspirational feature film that retells the true story of a high school football team that overcame racism to win the football championship. Set in Virginia during the forced integration of high school districts in the American south, the film explores the idea of racism, friendship and communication in sports through the use of camera shots and angles, props, body language and juxtaposition. Yakin suggests that racist attitudes are the product of ignorance, but can be overcome by communication and friendship through the representation of Gary’s girlfriend, Emma’s change of attitude toward Julius. Yakin’s representation of Coach Boone

In the film ‘Remember the Titans’ directed by Boaz Yakin, the main characters of the Titans are introduced as a group to us in a scene shot in the gymnasium. This scene is when the team first meets the other prospective team members and develop their relationships with each other. Yakin uses this scene to show the tension and intimidation between the two separate teams, especially focusing in on the two coaches (Boone and Yoast) while giving the audience an idea of where their relationship stands. He uses four techniques to create this; blocking, sound effects, camera angles and dialogue do this.

Before becoming one of the most iconic figures in silent film, D.W. Griffith failed as an actor and writer. If it wasn’t for a friend, Griffith wouldn’t have even worked at Biograph. In fact, Griffith had no training in film prior to Biograph. That is what makes his legacy so fascinating. Griffith was ambitious to act and write, but found his true identity in directing. Without any prior knowledge of directing, Griffith rose to fame, creating over 450 films, revolutionized film with his use of parallel editing, and was responsible for defining the Classical Hollywood Style of film.

The major influences that led to Leni Riefenstahl’s rise to prominence includes a fateful event that kindles her fascination with film, the continual influence of mountain (Berg) films and acclaimed director Dr Arnold Fanck as well as her first début as a director and producer.

Orson Welles was passionate about film. By the young age of 25, he had directed, produced, and starred in what is today considered by most to be the greatest movie ever made, Citizen Kane. About a year later, Welles began work on his next film project, The Magnificent Ambersons. Based on the novel of the same name by Booth Tarkington, The Magnificent Ambersons tells the story of a falling aristocratic family in a

The film that has had the biggest influence on me not just as an artist but as a human being is Steven Speilburghs 1993 master piece schelider list.The film is based on the holocaust and how it effect so many lives. Speilburgh captures the audience with this cricaltty acclaimed film. Scholar lists takes the mind into the unknown horror of world war II. As well as a reminder to never forget the terrible event in history. A variety of concerts captured my mind from the in-depth characters, to graphic scenes, and the transformation of man into a hero.

As one of the most widely acclaimed and influential directors of the postwar era, Stanley Kubrick enjoyed a reputation and a standing unique among the filmmakers of his day. He had a brilliant career with relatively few films. An outsider, he worked beyond the confines of Hollywood, which he disliked, maintaining complete control of his projects and making movies according to his own ideas and time constraints. To him, filmmaking was a form of art and unlike Hollywood, not a business.

Now, what made him so unique in his take was his use of the scenery to enhance how the story is being told and how the characters were presented and developed in the movies.

Alfred Hitchcock is arguably the greatest director of all time. Many of his films are considered standards of American cinema and inspired many of today’s directors. Even though Hitchcock is known as timeless director, he had an understanding of philosophy that was beyond his time. Hitchcock had a brilliant perception as to how the mind works and human reaction. Hitchcock’s understanding of philosophy can be seen in his film Vertigo and illustrates how many theories can be debilitating in everyday life.

Perhaps no other director has generated such a broad range of critical reaction as D.W. Griffith. For students of the motion picture, Griffith's is the most familiar name in film history. Generally acknowledged as America's most influential director (and certainly one of the most prolific), he is also perceived as being among the most limited. Praise for his mastery of film technique is matched by repeated indictments of his moral, artistic, and intellectual inadequacies. At one extreme, Kevin Brownlow has characterized him as "the only director in America creative enough to be called a genius." At the other, Paul Rotha calls his contribution to the advance of film "negligible" and Susan Sontag complains of his "supreme vulgarity and even

It is hard to imagine a person who has not heard of Steven Spielberg. He is one of the most renown, if not the most renown, American filmmakers of the century. His films have captivated and helped develop imaginations of contemporary society and remain among the most successful films ever made.

Tim Burton is one of the most creative and unique directors of this time. He’s made many films with different studios, created amazing and scary artwork, and has inspired many of us to create what we imagine. Even though his childhood wasn’t that great and he had to work hard to be noticed. He succeeded in building a career for himself and enjoy it as well. Burton is an idol and has never made a dull film.

When it comes to movies, many directors are good at their jobs. However, other directors are great in the art of film making. There is no doubt such statement is considered utterly subjective, but what would life be without subjectivity, for it is our differences that make us thrive against a monotonic existence. By the same token, Alfred Hitchcock and Christopher Nolan utilize their singularities to create films that for decades have impacted the movie making universe. In fact, it is their differences that provide us with a high contrast to compare and scrutinize their job and find what made them great at it.