SUMMER Film Log- 8 1/2

Movie: 8 1/2
1963, b&w, 138 mins
Director: Frederico Fellini
Actors: Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée


Summary (IMDB): Guido is a film director, trying to relax after his last big hit. He can't get a moments peace, however, with the people who have worked with him in the past constantly looking for more work. He wrestles with his conscience, but is unable to come up with a new idea. While thinking, he starts to recall major happenings in his life, and all the women he has loved and left. An autobiographical film of Fellini, about the trials and tribulations of film making.

Q: Explain the importance of Mise-en-Scene in the film.
A: Specifically referring to a scene with Saraghina (the whore of the slums)--Guido in the present is shown as a very clean-cut man in a suit with glasses on. As a young boy, he is mostly the same-- clean school clothes, haircut etc. This shows that he has been the same for all of his life, and throughout the movie-- as he thinks of influential women, his outer appearance does not change, but his thoughts are being affected. The cardinal/ religious headmasters are all in uniform (Catholic orthodox) to show the strict environment in which Guido is a part of, Saraghina lives in a very dirty and destroyed shack and comes out in a dissheveled appearance (ripped up black dress, messed up facial makeup, knotted and wild hair) to show her contrast against Guido's lifestyle. When Guido is being forced back into the school building, he walks by a row of portraits of other headmasters-- these all look very realistic and give the impression that Guido is in trouble even before he is brought to the main headmaster. The room in which the headmaster sits in also has other head master-figures sitting in all black uniforms--looking very much alike near the headmaster- the room is quite empty except for Guido's mother, the headmaster at his desk, and the other headmaster figures-- this is to show the simplicity and intimidating environment of the authoritative figure in Guido's life-- very simple, clean, and to-the-point vibe.

Q:How do shots and angles play a role in the film?
A: referring to same scene as above;; C/U when Saraghina begins to dance, Guido's mother's facial expression, and religious headmaster's expression (to show the differentiating reactions--shameless, shameful, and angry). M/S as Guido (in the present) is sitting with the Cardinal, when little Guido walks through his class with the dunce hat on (makes audience feel as though they are there). Longshot as little Guido and friends run to find Saraghina, some parts when Saraghina dances, when religious headmasters chase him on the beach, when religious headmasters bring him back to the school (shown as a memory sequence, mostly from afar except details in C/U-- Guido's memory).

Movement- This scene is pretty much following little Guido's memory, so most of it is tracking and and following (when guido and friends run to beach, when Saraghina comes out of the shack, when religious headmasters chase Guido, when religious headmaster takes guido to the room with other headmasters and his mother, Guido walking through classroom with dunce hat), there are only several parts in which the camera zooms in (Facial expressions listed above).

Film Log- 2nd Semester-Forest Gump

Movie: Forrest Gump
1994, Color, 142 mins
Director:Robert Zemekis
Actors: Tom Hanks, Sally Field,


Summary (IMDB): Forrest Gump is a simple man with little brain activity but good intentions. He struggles through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His 'mama' teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, starts a ping-pong craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, create the smiley, write bumper stickers and songs, donating to people and meeting the president several times. However this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny. Who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone

Q: How does costuming/makeup play a role in the film?
A: Forest Gump is film that follows a boy throughout his life-- in order to emphasize the time era of when the movie is taking place in, costuming is crucial. During Forest's childhood, preppy and crisp clothing was used to show the era of the 50s and also the social status of his mother (upper middle class). Forrest remained quite the same throughout the course of the movie while his surroundings were changing. Every decade was defined by the clothing-- mostly shown through Jenny (hippie phase, 60s, druggie phase 70s), as well as through supporting actors coming in and out of Forrest's life. Costuming was crucial in portraying Forrest as a consistent person-- never changed person while the whole world was changing.

Q:How does the soundtrack play a role in Forrest Gump?
A: Much similar to the concept of the costuming in the film, the musical soundtrack to Forrest Gump is extremely crucial in portraying the time period in which Forrest is living in. The music is used as a tool to show his surroundings-- not so much his perspective on what is going on. The Beatles, The Who,& Jimi Hendrix are just a few of the well-known artists that made it to the soundtrack. Each track is filled with depth and relevance to what Forrest is doing next (war, ping-pong, sorrow). The use of music makes a strong statement as to what the movie makes of its' main character.

FIlm Log- 2nd Semester- North by Northwest

Movie: North by Northwest
1965, Color, 131 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Actors: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint

Summary: Middle-aged Madison Avenue advertising executive Roger O. Thornhill is mistaken for a government agent by a gang of spies. He gets involved in a series of misadventures and is pursued across the States by both the spies and the government whilst being helped by a beautiful blonde.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053125/

Q:How does the camera movement play a role in the film?
A: The way Hitchcock maneuvers the camera embraces the intentions of every character-- showing that each one of them has their own agenda. Coming from a "formalistic" film making history, Hitchcock relies more on the editing of a film, rather than the actors to enhance the emotions off-screen. Hitchcock shows the importance of camera angle and focus in order to move the story forward. Hitchcock's films "usualy seemed as if it had been considered an after though, often mirroring the audience's sense of fear and anticipation only to confirm what their feelings really were."

Q:How does costuming/makeup play a role in this film?
A: One of the most memorable aspects of this film is the beautiful Eva Marie Saint. Her sense of elegance and irresistibility comes from her outer appearance. Her perfectly styled blonde hair, clean and fashionable clothing, and poise are factors that give the viewer the ability to determine her character. Cary Grant's character is another example of a "put-together" and sharp man-- mostly due to his outer appearance. His character was mostly seen in a clean suit.

Film Log- 2nd Semester- Toy Story

Movie: Toy Story
1995, Color/Animation, 80 minutes
Director: John Lasseter
Actors: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen

Summary: A little boy named Andy loves to be in his room, playing with his toys, especially his doll named "Woody". But, what do the toys do when Andy is not with them, they come to life. Woody believes that he has life (as a toy) good. However, he must worry about Andy's family moving, and what Woody does not know is about Andy's birthday party. Woody does not realize that Andy's mother gave him an action figure known as Buzz Lightyear, who does not believe that he is a toy, and quickly becomes Andy's new favorite toy. Woody, who is now consumed with jealousy, tries to get rid of Buzz. Then, both Woody and Buzz are now lost. They must find a way to get back to Andy before he moves without them, but they will have to pass through a ruthless toy killer, Sid Phillips.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114709/

Q: Why do the toys seem more human-like/ realistic than the actual humans in the movie?
A: The film focuses on a Toy's journey/ conflicts-- therefore the humans in the movie are mostly an "extra" background addition. However, the central conflict of the story does revolve around the Toy's efforts to remain in a human's life-- but the director hardly elaborates on any of the human characters- most likely in defense of taking away the characteristics that make all the toys, dolls, or plastic seem real. (this element of the emotions of the toys entices emotion from the audience)

Q:How does the costuming play a role in this film?
A: As previously discussed, the central characters of Toy Story are "inanimate" in terms of "real life". However, their costuming contributes to all of their characteristics. The stereotype of "beautiful/feminine blonde," or handsome cowboy, and even the brawny astronaut are extremely prevalent points in giving the audience something to base their characters off of. Though the humans are lowkey in the movie, their clothing exemplifies their social standing in their community as an upper-middle white suburban family.

FIlm Log- 2nd Semester- To Kill A Mockingbird

Movie: To Kill A Mockingbird
1962, Black and White, 129 minutes
Director: Robert Mulligan
Actors: Gregory Peck, Frank Overton

Summary: To Kill A Mockingbird is a screen adaptation of the original novel by Harper Lee. The story takes place in Alabama through the eyes of a young white boy with a father who is a lawyer. During this time, blacks were looked down upon in society and when a young black man is accused of sexually harassing a white woman, Atticus, the lawyer, decides to take the case and defend the black man. Meanwhile, the children cause mischief as they run amuck the town and mess with the town "creep" Boo Radley.

Q: How could Atticus Finch's appearance alter the initial judgement of the viewer?
A: Based on the fact that the film takes place in a racially segregated town set in the 1930s, the white community of this town is the vast majority. Atticus Finch is a lawyer, and his clothing shows his hygiene and stance in society. Initially, the viewer can make the assumption that this white man, who appears to have money, is just as racially prejudice as the town he resides in. Eventually, the viewer sees Atticus make a brave move and defend the black man in his trial.

Q: How does the black and white aspect of the film prove to be significant?
A: This film was released in the 1960s-- a time when color movies were, in fact, released/ produced. The director uses this "old" style of film-making to emphasize the era of when this was actually happening. The town, the courthouse, and even the clothing was especially true to the styles of the 1930s, and the director could have shot the film in color, but in order to add the antiquated depth the story needed, black and white was most appropriate.

Film Log- 2nd Semester- JAWS

Movie: Jaws
1975, Color, 124 minutes
Director: Steven Spielberg
Actors: Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Schneider

Summary: Martin Brody is a police chief on Amity Island on the East Coast of America. On a random summer morning, he is called to the beach to investigate a "mangled" body of a tourist washed upon the shore. Police investigators and medical examiners suspect the cause of her death to be a shark attack. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Amity Island tries covering up the death with another reason in order to keep the 4th of July festivities unaffected. The police chief, marine scientist and fisherman set out to find the cause of the tragic deaths in their area.

Q: How does the musical score play a role in this film?
A: The theme song of Jaws has carried over into so much of today's media as a "villain" song. The two notes are haunting, mysterious, and perfectly adds the deadly aspect of what lurks in Amity's waters. As soon as the theme song begins to play, the viewer knows danger is coming up in the story. It is simple, sharp, and adds character to the shark itself. Though the orchestra chimes in later in the song, the two notes are the most prominent and well known.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3mKAKPYh6k

Q:How does this film relate to symbolic social issues facing America then, and now?
A: Jaws can be viewed as a controversial film aimed at society. The killing of the first victim-- a blonde woman, is an example of sexual dominance of man. For example, a critic wrote:"The shark’s-eye camera view watches from below as the woman swims acrobatically above. Then it rises up under her toward her crotch as she scissorkicks vertically in the water. The camera quickly switches to the surface of the water. Here the close up of the woman’s agonized face as the unseen shark tears her body under the water is a frightening imitation of orgasm, the cliché of the equivalence of pleasure and pain used almost from the first portrayal of female orgasm in film." and the Second killing of the child stresses the importance of " civic responsibility and male protectiveness." And Lastly, the film can be an attack on America's economy-- in that it kills its victims and praises the value of money over life (mayor and his concern with the 4th of July).

Film Log- 2nd Semester- Titanic

Movie: Titanic
1997, Color, 194 min
Director: James Cameron
Actors: Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio

Summary: Rose DeWitt Bukater is a 100-year- old woman explaining her story on the Titanic to her grandchilden. She started out on board with her mother and fiancé, all of whom were first-class passengers. Rose tells the story of meeting Jack, a boy from the third-class of the Titanic, and how they fell in love on the tragic voyage of the iceberg-stricken ship.

Q: How does the setting of the film affect the passengers/ their social classes?
A: Most of the film takes place on board the Titanic. Cameron really does an incredible of capturing the essence of the two main characters within their element/ social classes. Rose comes from an incredibly wealthy family and without having to hear it, the viewer can infer this by the people she associates with/ the cabin she is staying in. She is rarely seen in a "lower" ranked class area of the ship. Jack is a third-class passenger and he is mostly shown in the "nitty-gritty" parts of the the ship and where the coal workers help run the ship in an orderly fashion. He is mostly associated with blue collar workers and not-so-luxurious cabins.

Q:How does costuming play a role in the film?
A:Rose and Jack are the two most extreme cases to show how important their costuming was to show the "irony" of two separate worlds falling in love. Jack, as mentioned before, wears casual clothes that get dirty easily (from his work on the ship), and Rose wears elegant, crisp clothing that shows what kind of a background she comes from. Both characters are defined by their lifestyles and this is easily seen through what these two wear. Crewmen, the Captain, and the rest of the guests on board are clearly labeled to be a part of a certain class based on their clothing.