The film Ghost in the Shell certainly added to the diversity of our film course, providing a cyberpunk anime view of the dystopian future that we have been cinematically chronicling. What it excelled in was questioning the definition of human existence and whether that could be replicated through artificial means.
The setting of the film seemed to help drive most of the intrigue and capture the audience’s attention. Set in 2029 Tokyo, an already bustling megalopolis is depicted as having further evolved in urban prominence, though the darkness throughout the film portrays a sense of clutter and claustrophobia. This reinforces the omnipotent nature of the Puppet Master in the city. A constant sense of fear is delivered through the movie, leaving the characters in constant suspense. The setting doesn’t seem as dysfunctional, however, as it did in Brazil as Sector 9 of the Tokyo Police Force maintains a tight grasp over the lively city in an efficient manner.
Another interesting aspect of the movie is its conception of “ghost.” This refers to one’s consciousness, as AI is prominent within this film. The Puppet Master is able to access people’s memories to alter them, often creating false memories that the respective characters fail to realize do not exist. The officer investigating the Puppet Master realizes that his own memory is an artificial construct, creating philosophical questions about what defines humanity, such as The Matrix did when Neo’s memory was altered by the agents. “Ghost-dubbing” as the film describes being the accurate replication of a human proves to be near impossible, drawing a distinct line between what is artificial versus the natural existence of the human soul.
Thursday 9 December 2010
Tuesday 30 November 2010
The Matrix
To add to our repertoire of dystopian future films, The Matrix provided extra perspective into the idea that our future may subjugate us to the whims of the machinery that we create. The irony in this is that we create the to make our lives easier, but they inadvertently complicate them. In terms of cinematography, The Matrix provided much innovation for the movie industry. The most notable advancements included the slow motion action sequences, that either featured Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, or the agents fighting each other or other members of the Matrix. The film displays action as something consisting of precision, experience and finesse.
The mise en scene within the film proves to be notable, providing distinct clothing and background whether in or outside of the Matrix for each of the characters. It is explained to Neo by Morpheus that once one enters the Matrix after having existed in their real form, when they enter the computer world they are displayed as how they subconsciously conceive themselves. By conceiving themselves as wearing dark clothing with sunglasses, Sunglasses are used inside and out while any of the main characters are in the Matrix, displaying their emotional indifference to the world around them. They explain within the film that anyone within the Matrix is considered an enemy, mostly because they can be transformed into an agent at the computer’s whim.
One scene in particular that stands out is the scene in which Morpheus is seen in the room where the agents were interrogating him after the fire alarm is set off by Trinity and Neo. The low angle from which he is shot at depicts him as a towering figure, symbolizing his inability to be destroyed for the cause towards which he is working. His eyes rolled back into his head shows some sort of supernatural significance within the film.
Within the movie, there are several allusions to various literary and biblical events. When Neo is deciding which pill to take, Morpheus and Cypher explain that one pill takes him “into the rabbit hole,” which alludes to Alice In Wonderland. The significance of this is that Neo is diving into the unknown, and although he is apparently going to find answers.
The most important allusions not only in this movie, but in the trilogy as a whole have to do with biblical references, specifically Neo’s role as a Jesus symbol. At the end of The Matrix, Neo experiences his death, falling to Agent Smith, who could be seen as representative of the Romans who executed him. When Neo comes back to life, he realizes some newfound powers before flying off into the distance, representative of Jesus after his 3 day stint in hell. Cypher represented Judas, selling out Neo’s location to the machines, who correlate with the Romans of antiquity. These visible connections to biblical history indicate a strong relation to religious and moral implications within the film.
Overall, one has to question the inferiority of the Matrix over the real world. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I would choose steak over gruel any day, and as the old adage goes, ignorance is bliss.
The mise en scene within the film proves to be notable, providing distinct clothing and background whether in or outside of the Matrix for each of the characters. It is explained to Neo by Morpheus that once one enters the Matrix after having existed in their real form, when they enter the computer world they are displayed as how they subconsciously conceive themselves. By conceiving themselves as wearing dark clothing with sunglasses, Sunglasses are used inside and out while any of the main characters are in the Matrix, displaying their emotional indifference to the world around them. They explain within the film that anyone within the Matrix is considered an enemy, mostly because they can be transformed into an agent at the computer’s whim.
One scene in particular that stands out is the scene in which Morpheus is seen in the room where the agents were interrogating him after the fire alarm is set off by Trinity and Neo. The low angle from which he is shot at depicts him as a towering figure, symbolizing his inability to be destroyed for the cause towards which he is working. His eyes rolled back into his head shows some sort of supernatural significance within the film.
Within the movie, there are several allusions to various literary and biblical events. When Neo is deciding which pill to take, Morpheus and Cypher explain that one pill takes him “into the rabbit hole,” which alludes to Alice In Wonderland. The significance of this is that Neo is diving into the unknown, and although he is apparently going to find answers.
The most important allusions not only in this movie, but in the trilogy as a whole have to do with biblical references, specifically Neo’s role as a Jesus symbol. At the end of The Matrix, Neo experiences his death, falling to Agent Smith, who could be seen as representative of the Romans who executed him. When Neo comes back to life, he realizes some newfound powers before flying off into the distance, representative of Jesus after his 3 day stint in hell. Cypher represented Judas, selling out Neo’s location to the machines, who correlate with the Romans of antiquity. These visible connections to biblical history indicate a strong relation to religious and moral implications within the film.
Overall, one has to question the inferiority of the Matrix over the real world. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I would choose steak over gruel any day, and as the old adage goes, ignorance is bliss.
Monday 22 November 2010
Fargo analysis
If an audience believes that something's based on a real event, it gives you permission to do things they might otherwise not accept
-The Coen Brothers
In the award-winning movie Fargo, the Coen Brothers portray a tragic albeit humorous story of the staged kidnapping of a local Minnesota woman in order to financially benefit both the criminals involved and the woman’s husband. The husband, played by William H. Macy, hires the said two crooks (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) under advice from a coworker with the hope that his wealthy father-in-law will payout $1,000,000 in ransom, with only $40,000 going to the felons and Macy pocketing the rest. The plot is eventually foiled by the mother-to-be policewoman Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), who investigates a triple homicide committed by the hired criminals in the small Minnesota town of Brainerd.
From the start of the movie, the subtle humor of the Coen Brothers is evident, beginning with the opening saying that the events of the film are based on a true story. This proves to be false, although creating the impression that it is a true story essentially allows the Coen Brothers to manipulate different elements of the movie to nonconventional standards. They are able to craft the writing and characterization to juxtapose the “Minnesota nice” ambience with the severity of a kidnapping, ransom, and four homicides. The setting of the movie provides a big driving point of the movie, as it depicts rural and suburban Minnesota, in which crime seems rare, although the Brainerd police department’s dialogue regarding the triple homicide remains calm and unwavering.
Much of the economic implications from the film are derived from William H. Macy’s character Jerry Lundegard’s attempt to desperately make money from a staged kidnapping and subsequent ransom of his wife. His analysis of the potential situation fails to consider the mission going awry, unable to predict the triple homicide and the subsequent events. He remains emotionally detached in the beginning stages of the movie, possessing no consideration for the emotion of his father-in-law who is supposed to provide the ransom for the return of his wife. He keeps his interactions with his father-in-law and McDormand’s character brief and calm, quietly expressing the criminals’ wishes to keep their interactions solely with Macy’s character. More economic perspective is provided from the viewpoint of the criminals hired by Macy to kidnap his wife. They attempt to maintain their end of the bargain in order to fulfill their duties for their payment, but when things go awry they find no problem in killing off characters who could foil their plot.
Almost all sides involved in the story maintain financial interest despite the severity of the situation, with the relationship between the characters indicating a constant power struggle in order to achieve their respective end goals. Macy’s character indicates to the hired criminals that he will split half of the purported $80,000 ransom along with a new car, although he intends from the beginning on forcing his father-in-law to payout more than that for the retrieval of his wife to benefit him financially. The father-in-law, played by Harve Presnell, remains reluctant throughout the film on paying out the price, noting in his initial discussion post-kidnapping with Macy’s character that “a million dollars is a lot of damn money” before later expressing concern about getting his daughter back. Although he expresses that he wants to take personal responsibility for the retrieval of his wife, the undertone of the film indicates he is unwilling to fully cooperate physically and financially with the criminals. Of course, the humor of the movie derives from the calm demeanor with which all the characters interact, with the exception of Buscemi and Formare. This difference between them and the rest of the characters is noted by Marge at the scene of the triple homicide, saying “They’re probably not from Brainerd!” in reference to who killed the cop and two kids.
In terms of psychoanalysis, Macy’s character remains persistent in believing that the outcome of the kidnapping scenario will go in his favor. He reiterates to his son that things will end okay, and his son’s concern that the ransom could go awry further portrays Macy’s belief in the success of his plan as unwavering. He is pulled in different directions throughout the movie, showcasing his role as a husband, son-in-law, salesman at a local car dealership, and involvement with criminality. He is frequently frustrated within the movie with keeping all of these roles in tact, and eventually taking on too much at one time proves to be his ultimate downfall, in which he is arrested in the end of the movie with his assocation with the kidnapping.
Frances McDormand provides an exemplary performance in this movie. Her character of Marge remains emotionally pure, combining the “Minnesota nice” with her role as a local cop. Her profession juxtaposes well with her role as a wife and mother-to-be. She never raises her voice in the movie, providing a calm demeanor that pervades even in the scenes following the triple homicide or when Lundegard flees the interview. Her dress and pregnant shape only add to her dominant role both at home and the workplace, garnering the love and attention of her coworkers and husband. She is almost always seen in her uniform, and her towering and full stature symbolize her dominance over the other characters within Fargo.
The Coen Brothers employ mise en scène extensively in Fargo, incorporating the bleak Minnesota setting . One scene that can be thoroughly analyzed in terms of shot and setting is that of the first murder of the triple homicide. The criminals drive into Brainerd in the bleak of the night, with the Paul Bunyan statue ominously portrayed in their entry. The low angle from with the statue is seen coupled with the lighting on the sign contrasted with the darkness of a cold winter night foreshadow the succeeding events. When a cop pulls over the criminals’ car moments later due to expired tags, not much visual information about the cop is provided in order to downplay the significance of the character over the situation at hand. .
The shift of camera angle from detailing the confined space of the car to the panoramic views of the outside scenery contrast well, especially in bleakness of the night. The shots of the interior of the car represent the entrapment which envelops Buscemi and Forgare, with Forgare constantly shown at a lower angle than the cop, especially from the outside view. The panoramic view with which we see Forgare drag the cop’s dead body after Buscemi shoots him has the dark red blood contrasting well with not only the blackness of the night, but also the pristine white, snow-covered fields. This seems to symbolize a sense of purity with which reflects the cop as simply an innocent bystander in a grander, albeit humorous plotline.
Moreover, mise en scene can be seen strongly again in one of the closing scenes where McDormand’s character shoots down Buscemi’s. As someone who is clearly eight months pregnant, her witnessing and treatment of seeing Buscemi stick his accomplice’s dead body in a woodchipper with blood splattering everywhere over the cold Minnesota snow landscape should strike the viewer as surreal. McDormand waits to shoot him until he is at least running partway across a frozen lake, though she does not shoot him dead and has a calm, albeit demoralizing conversation in her police trooper back to Brainerd.
The writing and sound of the movie provide much of the subtle humor associated with the Coen Brothers, contrasting well with the seriousness of the plotline. Again, the “Minnesota nice” pervades throughout the film, allowing the viewer to relax in key scenes such as the triple homicide to appreciate the satirical elements of the film. The strong Minnesota accents help characterize the state and transport the viewer to the bleak northern Midwest
In the end, it remains clear why the film garnered so much critical attention and awards. The way that the Coen Brothers crafted the story, characters, setting and cinematography exemplify their directing prowess, solidifying Fargo as a piece of the American film canon. Exceptional performances were provided by all of the actors involved, but McDormand’s stood out as she was completely engulfed by the mom-to-be, chief of police of Brainerd, combining her different roles at home and the workplace.
-The Coen Brothers
In the award-winning movie Fargo, the Coen Brothers portray a tragic albeit humorous story of the staged kidnapping of a local Minnesota woman in order to financially benefit both the criminals involved and the woman’s husband. The husband, played by William H. Macy, hires the said two crooks (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) under advice from a coworker with the hope that his wealthy father-in-law will payout $1,000,000 in ransom, with only $40,000 going to the felons and Macy pocketing the rest. The plot is eventually foiled by the mother-to-be policewoman Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), who investigates a triple homicide committed by the hired criminals in the small Minnesota town of Brainerd.
From the start of the movie, the subtle humor of the Coen Brothers is evident, beginning with the opening saying that the events of the film are based on a true story. This proves to be false, although creating the impression that it is a true story essentially allows the Coen Brothers to manipulate different elements of the movie to nonconventional standards. They are able to craft the writing and characterization to juxtapose the “Minnesota nice” ambience with the severity of a kidnapping, ransom, and four homicides. The setting of the movie provides a big driving point of the movie, as it depicts rural and suburban Minnesota, in which crime seems rare, although the Brainerd police department’s dialogue regarding the triple homicide remains calm and unwavering.
Much of the economic implications from the film are derived from William H. Macy’s character Jerry Lundegard’s attempt to desperately make money from a staged kidnapping and subsequent ransom of his wife. His analysis of the potential situation fails to consider the mission going awry, unable to predict the triple homicide and the subsequent events. He remains emotionally detached in the beginning stages of the movie, possessing no consideration for the emotion of his father-in-law who is supposed to provide the ransom for the return of his wife. He keeps his interactions with his father-in-law and McDormand’s character brief and calm, quietly expressing the criminals’ wishes to keep their interactions solely with Macy’s character. More economic perspective is provided from the viewpoint of the criminals hired by Macy to kidnap his wife. They attempt to maintain their end of the bargain in order to fulfill their duties for their payment, but when things go awry they find no problem in killing off characters who could foil their plot.
Almost all sides involved in the story maintain financial interest despite the severity of the situation, with the relationship between the characters indicating a constant power struggle in order to achieve their respective end goals. Macy’s character indicates to the hired criminals that he will split half of the purported $80,000 ransom along with a new car, although he intends from the beginning on forcing his father-in-law to payout more than that for the retrieval of his wife to benefit him financially. The father-in-law, played by Harve Presnell, remains reluctant throughout the film on paying out the price, noting in his initial discussion post-kidnapping with Macy’s character that “a million dollars is a lot of damn money” before later expressing concern about getting his daughter back. Although he expresses that he wants to take personal responsibility for the retrieval of his wife, the undertone of the film indicates he is unwilling to fully cooperate physically and financially with the criminals. Of course, the humor of the movie derives from the calm demeanor with which all the characters interact, with the exception of Buscemi and Formare. This difference between them and the rest of the characters is noted by Marge at the scene of the triple homicide, saying “They’re probably not from Brainerd!” in reference to who killed the cop and two kids.
In terms of psychoanalysis, Macy’s character remains persistent in believing that the outcome of the kidnapping scenario will go in his favor. He reiterates to his son that things will end okay, and his son’s concern that the ransom could go awry further portrays Macy’s belief in the success of his plan as unwavering. He is pulled in different directions throughout the movie, showcasing his role as a husband, son-in-law, salesman at a local car dealership, and involvement with criminality. He is frequently frustrated within the movie with keeping all of these roles in tact, and eventually taking on too much at one time proves to be his ultimate downfall, in which he is arrested in the end of the movie with his assocation with the kidnapping.
Frances McDormand provides an exemplary performance in this movie. Her character of Marge remains emotionally pure, combining the “Minnesota nice” with her role as a local cop. Her profession juxtaposes well with her role as a wife and mother-to-be. She never raises her voice in the movie, providing a calm demeanor that pervades even in the scenes following the triple homicide or when Lundegard flees the interview. Her dress and pregnant shape only add to her dominant role both at home and the workplace, garnering the love and attention of her coworkers and husband. She is almost always seen in her uniform, and her towering and full stature symbolize her dominance over the other characters within Fargo.
The Coen Brothers employ mise en scène extensively in Fargo, incorporating the bleak Minnesota setting . One scene that can be thoroughly analyzed in terms of shot and setting is that of the first murder of the triple homicide. The criminals drive into Brainerd in the bleak of the night, with the Paul Bunyan statue ominously portrayed in their entry. The low angle from with the statue is seen coupled with the lighting on the sign contrasted with the darkness of a cold winter night foreshadow the succeeding events. When a cop pulls over the criminals’ car moments later due to expired tags, not much visual information about the cop is provided in order to downplay the significance of the character over the situation at hand. .
The shift of camera angle from detailing the confined space of the car to the panoramic views of the outside scenery contrast well, especially in bleakness of the night. The shots of the interior of the car represent the entrapment which envelops Buscemi and Forgare, with Forgare constantly shown at a lower angle than the cop, especially from the outside view. The panoramic view with which we see Forgare drag the cop’s dead body after Buscemi shoots him has the dark red blood contrasting well with not only the blackness of the night, but also the pristine white, snow-covered fields. This seems to symbolize a sense of purity with which reflects the cop as simply an innocent bystander in a grander, albeit humorous plotline.
Moreover, mise en scene can be seen strongly again in one of the closing scenes where McDormand’s character shoots down Buscemi’s. As someone who is clearly eight months pregnant, her witnessing and treatment of seeing Buscemi stick his accomplice’s dead body in a woodchipper with blood splattering everywhere over the cold Minnesota snow landscape should strike the viewer as surreal. McDormand waits to shoot him until he is at least running partway across a frozen lake, though she does not shoot him dead and has a calm, albeit demoralizing conversation in her police trooper back to Brainerd.
The writing and sound of the movie provide much of the subtle humor associated with the Coen Brothers, contrasting well with the seriousness of the plotline. Again, the “Minnesota nice” pervades throughout the film, allowing the viewer to relax in key scenes such as the triple homicide to appreciate the satirical elements of the film. The strong Minnesota accents help characterize the state and transport the viewer to the bleak northern Midwest
In the end, it remains clear why the film garnered so much critical attention and awards. The way that the Coen Brothers crafted the story, characters, setting and cinematography exemplify their directing prowess, solidifying Fargo as a piece of the American film canon. Exceptional performances were provided by all of the actors involved, but McDormand’s stood out as she was completely engulfed by the mom-to-be, chief of police of Brainerd, combining her different roles at home and the workplace.
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Schools Film
"Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers."
-Socrates
As far as arguments go, the old generational decline one usually beginning with some vague temporal description such as “Kids these days” has provided each new “older” generation a way to reiterate their perception of their age demographic being better than the next. Each new generation does bring about a new set of problems, but this usually isn’t an issue of youth, but rather the world that surrounds them. And if they’re locked away in schools as depicted in the film, how can they manipulate their world around them for their own benefit, let alone for the world? Consistently throughout the film, the motif of schools representing prisons to the millions of American children who inhabit their hallways provided an interesting perspective into our public education system.
Having gone to school both in the Midwest and in the South, attending public schools for the duration, I have seen both ends of the spectrum in terms of the prison-like atmosphere of schools described in the film. Up until 8th grade, I attended a largely homogenous school district with little to no problems in terms of drugs, violence or other items discussed in the films, but that all changed when I moved to Florida for high school.
Within my four years at a public school in suburban Orlando, I saw school shooting threats, a riot that made national news, four bomb threats, two fights involving knives, and a couple instances win which a gun was brought to school. This was on top of usually weekly fights. Our school was staffed with several resource officers, and although the film painted them in a relatively bad light. It was reiterated in the film that resource officers and other measures to curb school violence have not been empirically backed by favorable statistics or studies, though I can anecdotally recall a few instances from my high school career where they were successfully utilized. Ranging from several bomb threats, school shooting threats, and to minor scuffles
In conclusion, more money needs to be allocated to education in our country, as we still lag behind most other industrialized nations academically (not to mention India and China). Rather than just attempting to curb the issues of kids not behaving in school with pills, resource officers and the like, attention needs to be drawn to the source problems. Administrators and teachers often fail to take into account home life, genetic predispositions, and other variables rather promoting homogeneity over individuality. While this maintains order within schools, students should want to get an education on their own accord rather than be forced into it.
-Socrates
As far as arguments go, the old generational decline one usually beginning with some vague temporal description such as “Kids these days” has provided each new “older” generation a way to reiterate their perception of their age demographic being better than the next. Each new generation does bring about a new set of problems, but this usually isn’t an issue of youth, but rather the world that surrounds them. And if they’re locked away in schools as depicted in the film, how can they manipulate their world around them for their own benefit, let alone for the world? Consistently throughout the film, the motif of schools representing prisons to the millions of American children who inhabit their hallways provided an interesting perspective into our public education system.
Having gone to school both in the Midwest and in the South, attending public schools for the duration, I have seen both ends of the spectrum in terms of the prison-like atmosphere of schools described in the film. Up until 8th grade, I attended a largely homogenous school district with little to no problems in terms of drugs, violence or other items discussed in the films, but that all changed when I moved to Florida for high school.
Within my four years at a public school in suburban Orlando, I saw school shooting threats, a riot that made national news, four bomb threats, two fights involving knives, and a couple instances win which a gun was brought to school. This was on top of usually weekly fights. Our school was staffed with several resource officers, and although the film painted them in a relatively bad light. It was reiterated in the film that resource officers and other measures to curb school violence have not been empirically backed by favorable statistics or studies, though I can anecdotally recall a few instances from my high school career where they were successfully utilized. Ranging from several bomb threats, school shooting threats, and to minor scuffles
In conclusion, more money needs to be allocated to education in our country, as we still lag behind most other industrialized nations academically (not to mention India and China). Rather than just attempting to curb the issues of kids not behaving in school with pills, resource officers and the like, attention needs to be drawn to the source problems. Administrators and teachers often fail to take into account home life, genetic predispositions, and other variables rather promoting homogeneity over individuality. While this maintains order within schools, students should want to get an education on their own accord rather than be forced into it.
Wednesday 29 September 2010
Themes in Blade Runner
The thematic complexity of Blade Runner is hard to ignore, and Ridley Scott does very well in incorporating different themes as social criticism and warning of a corporatist driven future. As with most dystopian science fiction films and novels we have seen, there is a large degree of dehumanization of several human characters. In this instance, it is the artificially created "replicants" that are relegated to . At the same time, however, some religious symbolism is brought into play regarding the replicants, as they seem to symbolize fallen angels. As the other world colonies can be seen as ideal, and more heavenly than the hellish Earth presented within the film, and especially Roy who prefers to "reign in hell" (Earth) rather than "serve in heaven" (hell), Earth symbolizes a hellish future.
When Harrison Ford's character is seen pursuing a replicant in a strip club, he asks her if the snake she possesses is real, to which she replies it is artificially created as she cannot afford a real snake. This implies not only that nature has become a scarcity in this dystopian society, but also that artificial creations still do not hold the same weight as naturally created ones. This seems to be a driving thematic element of the film, as the emotions (or lack thereof) of the replicants are never considered in anyone's interaction with them, save Harrison Ford witnessing Roy's cathartic soliloquy at the end of the film and his interactions with his love interest. These couple instances, however, imply that artificial intelligence may not be accepted as equivalent to natural beings, but they may become indistinguishable.
The presence of heavy advertising in the film serves as a social commentary for 1980s society as one increasingly bombarded with billboards, television advertisements, and other forms of advertising. At the same time, several advertisements are shown throughout the film for other world colonies throughout space, . Besides reinforcing the idea that large corporations have used capitalism to subject society to a dystopian future, these colony advertisements mimic advertisements throughout Western history that promise . This could also be seen as a subset of the American Dream, and society's resilience to pursue it even if it requires them to travel abroad, in this case to another planet.
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Direction- Brazil
A mix between 1984, a social criticism of 19th century industrializing Britain and commentary on 1980s society, Brazil provides an interesting satirical look at a dystopian future Britain. Most of the movie remained extremely cluttered with different lighting, objects, machines, and people. A sense of claustrophobia is instilled in the viewer, symbolizing overpopulation in this dystopian future. Throughout the movie, ideas and issues from the 1980s including fashion and elitism in upper classes are juxtaposed with ideas from Orwell's 1984. Constant explosions throughout the movie with the entry of a secret police continue the feelings of claustrophobia and lack of privacy in the movie, subjecting even the most modest of people to the seemingly whimsical plans of the Big Brother-esque government. The fact that a central power figure is never presented, however, contributes to the satire of the film, likely reflecting a disdain for increasing levels of bureaucracy emerging from increasing populations throughout the 20th century.
Much of what makes this movie satirical involves the abundance of 1980's British society within the movie. Much attention is given to British high street fashion that the upper echelon of society dons, lambasting outward appearance over inner personality’s contribution towards society. Plastic surgery and human transformation as a motif throughout the movie serves to lament humanity’s striving towards a superficial existence, and only the relationship between the main character and the girl from his dreams provide substance beyond the surface. Although the main character's mother was able to successfully transform herself through plastic surgery, many of the other characters are shown to over-utilize technology to change their image to the point where it makes them uglier and more ridiculous. These are quite different than the view of the love interest, as her appearance remains modest, yet moderately beautiful, indicating a greater inner beauty than most of the rest of the characters of the movie.
Thursday 16 September 2010
Modern Times- Photography Analysis
There are several instances within the movie where the photography and camera angle contribute to the underlying thematic elements of the pursuit of the American Dream and the lack of social mobility in industrialized America:
-The beginning of the film features the camera angle first from above a herd of sheep, then above a crowd of working class Americans heading to work, in attempt to dehumanize them. The pace at which they move seems like clockwork, and a later scene showcasing them under machinery and subservient to the factory indicates their lower social status than even inert objects in the eyes of the upper classes.
-Even in a black and white movie, the factory lacks contrast indicating a dirty and run down environment and adding to the monotony of an industrialized work day.
-In several city scenes, camera angles are tilted and coupled with clashing music to indicate the frantic nature of city life particularly for the working class and their lack of time for proper leisure
-A couple scenes clearly showcase the middle and upper classes stronghold over the working class in regards to Chaplin's girlfriend(?), the first one being where the policemen are interrogating her at her home and sitting at her table where her father set, and also where she is seen stealing a loaf of bread she is tattered and on the ground with everyone standing around her, both indicating her inability to control her own future, rather leaving it in the hands of authorities devoid of emotion or sympathy towards her.
-I think the best example of photography in this movie involves the scene where Chaplin and his girl are seen escaping society and walking down a lonely road in front of a house with a yard overgrown with weeds. After sitting down in the barren yard with a background of barren trees, Chaplin is still able to cut to a dream sequence in which they imagine themselves in their own home, realizing the American dream. The fact that this cutscene is cut short by a cop standing over them symbolizes society's unwillingness to not only let them realize the American dream, but to not even imagine reaching it. The police officer standing over them telling them to move along indicates his higher social standing in society, and their inability to find their own niche that will lead to happiness. However, their ability to still hope for a better future despite all this indicates there still is a resilience within the poor American population to work towards one.
-The beginning of the film features the camera angle first from above a herd of sheep, then above a crowd of working class Americans heading to work, in attempt to dehumanize them. The pace at which they move seems like clockwork, and a later scene showcasing them under machinery and subservient to the factory indicates their lower social status than even inert objects in the eyes of the upper classes.
-Even in a black and white movie, the factory lacks contrast indicating a dirty and run down environment and adding to the monotony of an industrialized work day.
-In several city scenes, camera angles are tilted and coupled with clashing music to indicate the frantic nature of city life particularly for the working class and their lack of time for proper leisure
-A couple scenes clearly showcase the middle and upper classes stronghold over the working class in regards to Chaplin's girlfriend(?), the first one being where the policemen are interrogating her at her home and sitting at her table where her father set, and also where she is seen stealing a loaf of bread she is tattered and on the ground with everyone standing around her, both indicating her inability to control her own future, rather leaving it in the hands of authorities devoid of emotion or sympathy towards her.
-I think the best example of photography in this movie involves the scene where Chaplin and his girl are seen escaping society and walking down a lonely road in front of a house with a yard overgrown with weeds. After sitting down in the barren yard with a background of barren trees, Chaplin is still able to cut to a dream sequence in which they imagine themselves in their own home, realizing the American dream. The fact that this cutscene is cut short by a cop standing over them symbolizes society's unwillingness to not only let them realize the American dream, but to not even imagine reaching it. The police officer standing over them telling them to move along indicates his higher social standing in society, and their inability to find their own niche that will lead to happiness. However, their ability to still hope for a better future despite all this indicates there still is a resilience within the poor American population to work towards one.
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