Transcription: Film Review on Waltz with Bashir (2008)

Director: Ari Folman

Producer: Ari Folman, Serge Lalou,Gerhard Meixner, Yael Nahlieli, Roman Paul

Year: 2008

This extraordinary animated documentary by Ari Folman unfolds some of the tragedies behind the Sabra and Chatila massacres of the 1982 Lebanese war, which according to him Israel has decided to forget about. His masterpiece is something like a mix between a dream and a trip down memory lane, a hyper-real rotoscoped footage that tells the stories of the interviewees in the most capturing way. Peter Bradshaw points out that: "The film uses hyperreal rotoscope-animation techniques, similar to those made famous by Bob Sabiston and Richard Linklater. Live-action footage on videotape has been digitally converted into a bizarre dreamscape in which reality is resolved into something between two and three dimensions." (Bradshaw.2008)

Fig.2: The scenery

What made the film so unique was for its clever of colours and shadows. The two most common colours used in the film is yellow and black, one for used for brightness and the other for shadows. It is rather amazing how those to colours was all that the film needed to portray the events of war, like overhanging clouds not letting the light of the sun peak through them and the toxic yellow sky often symbolizing the war aftermath. Even the way the shadows used  to cover up parts of the characters' faces and the eyes always always appeared bright under their helmets or under a casting shadow.
Perhaps the most shocking part of the film is the ending where Folman turns the stylised animation into a real news footage. The sudden shot of an angelic child's face emerging from the rubble, was a reality-shock, a reminder that the events actually happened and are not just made up stories that interviewees made for the sake of the film. " 'Waltz' is by no means the world’s only animated documentary, a phrase that sounds at first like a cinematic oxymoron." (Scott.2008)This film is no story, but a documentary based on real life experiences told by real life figures

Fig.3: The animation turning into reality. 

List of Illustrations

Fig.1: Film Poster At: http://movietally.blogspot.com/2010/06/waltz-with-bashir-2008.html (11/3/2012)

Fig.2:    At: http://www.reverseshot.com/article/waltz_bashir  (11/3/2012)

Fig.3:   At: http://guriguriblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/waltz-with-bashir-memorialising-through-animation/  (11/3/2012)

Bibliography

Bradshaw Peter (2008). Waltz with Bashir   At: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/nov/21/waltz-with-bashir-folman (accessed on 12/4/2012)


A.O Scott (2008) Inside a Veteran’s Nightmare At: http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/movies/26bash.html (accessed on 12/4/2012)

Transcription: Film review on Arrietty (2011)

Fig.1: Film Poster

Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Producer: Toshio Suzuki

Year: 2011

Based on the book The Borrowers of the Western Author Mary Norton, Arrietty (2011) is Studio Ghibli's latest animated masterpiece which is the pinnacle of Japanese animation. Miyazaki, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, who is probably the most celebrated Japanese film-maker, has given the directory role to one of of the studios animators Hiromasa Yonebayashi. Although it lacks in great visuals, which Miyazaki's films is full of, this is a great tale about small people with big ideas.

Fig.2: Arriety preparing herself for her first 'borrowing'

Arrietty tells the story of a race of very small people, The Borrowers who live under the floors and in the walls of houses and survive on what the human world has to offer them. The main character of the story is Arrietty, a young borrower who has just started her borrowing training and is full of energy to explore the big world of humans. What the film succeeds in is portraying the world from a borrower's point of view where a quiet suburbian house turns into an enormous landscape, cats are threatening monsters and humans are some sort of gods who can destroy them and their home at their own will. Like Jim Tudor describes: "In this borrowed concept, we once again have a major Miyazaki theme about the raw and scary reality of the larger, often unseen world just beyond our own comfortable confines."  (Tudor.2012). Looking through the eyes of such small creatures the film has the finest attention to detail, and turn the most mundane, every day things in life, like the cracks on the walls, the veins on leaves and fabric into works of art. Those are facets that other studios tend to skip to get into more 'exciting' parts, but Arrietty succeeds in taking its time to observe the little things that go unnoticed.

Miyazaki's films are family friendly, with respect to its younger audiences. Arrietty has no deep meaning to it but according to Eisenberg: "The Secret World of Arrietty plays as a beautiful fairy tale that doesn’t dwell in deeper meanings and metaphors, but is rather just a lovely piece of magical realism. But while some may see this lack of real depth as a negative, it does something that’s actually quite a bit more impressive: it treats even its youngest viewers as adults." (Eisenberg). Even though it might seem like a kid's story it actually reaches subjects such as illnesses, which one of the character's suffers from. This gives the opportunity to small children to discuss heavy subjects like these without scaring them but giving them an overview of the adult world, where realism takes its place and leaves childhood care freeness behind.  

Fig.3: Arrietty and Sho

In conclusion, Arrietty is a slow pace film which is not afraid to take its time to make us observe and admire the little things in life. It is a heart warming fairy tale, with a very strong sense of colour and symbolism, detailed animation and lovable characters. It will certainly make you smile.




Bibliography

Tudor, Jim(2012) Film Review At: http://twitchfilm.com/reviews/2012/02/the-secret-world-of-arrietty-review.php (4/3/2012)

eisenberg, Eric At: http://www.cinemablend.com/reviews/The-Secret-World-of-Arrietty-5729.html (4/3/2012)


List of Illustrations

Fig.1: Film Poster At: http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/06/22/gorgeous-uk-poster-for-studio-ghiblis-arrietty/ (accessed on 2/3/2012)
Fig.2: Arrietty At: http://a-mighty-fine-blog.blogspot.com/2011/08/arrietty-2010.html (accessed on 2/3/2012)
Fig.3: Arrietty and Sho At: http://twitchfilm.com/reviews/2010/11/rome-2010-karigurashi-no-arrietty-review.php (accessed on 2/3/2012)

Transcription: Film Review on Paprika (2006)

Fig.1: Film Poster

 Director: Satoshi Kon

Producer: Masao Takiyama

Year: 2006
Country: Japan

Filmmakers have always been fascinated by dreams and hallucinations, psychological states that are universal and remain enigmatic. Satoshi Kon's Paprika (2006) is a fascinating journey to the dream universe, a place where our craziest visions come to life inspired by our experiences that take place in our real life. It is a great example of Japanese, surreal imagery and a real animated masterpiece. 

Fig.2: Paprika

The film is set to the  future where great technological advancements enable psychotherapists to enter their patients dreams with the help of a device called DC Mini.Three of the devices were stolen with one of the technicians involved becoming a suspect.The team that got together for its recovery involves Tokita, the giant scientist that contributed to its creation, the professional Dr. Atsuko Chiba and detective Konakawa whose past has left him with bizarre dreams. The team takes the risk to enter nightmares which emerge into the real world and delusions disintegrate causing patients to become victims of their own dream worlds and as  Justin Sevakis suggested:  "Dreams are a potentially happy thing, and those who have been subverted by the “psycho-terrorist” are almost drunk on the possibilities of this new world that has none of reality's rules." (2006.Sevakis) This postmodern twist to the film raises questions like the link between dreams and reality, a subject matter which remains mundane every day magic. 

Possibly the most interesting trait of the film is the connection between Dr. Atsuko and Paprika, a young and energetic therapist who plays the role of Atsuko's alter ego when she enters the dream world of her patients. The relationship between the two characters is expressed in the most subtle way which is almost subconscious, communicating trough reflections. These reflections signify the films postmodern nature, the ability of reflecting upon your own nature and self recognition.(Fig.3)

Fig.3: Atsuko's self reflection.

 An other interesting issue that Satoshi Kon raises in the film is the link between dreams and cinema. Konakawa's dreams were similar to action films which suggests the influence our dreams can have from visuals we are bombarded by daily from the media.

Of course, what is Paprika worth talking about it its visuals. Kon's directory is oddly playful, full of action and weird viewpoints through the characters' eyes.. The colours, the detail and cinematic style of the animation is a real treat for every film lover, a rich visual eye candy.

Fig.4: Dreams merged together.

Paprika is, other than a very successful film in its visual aspect, an interesting examination of how dreams and movies can have impact on one's life. It is a film well worth watching, which will not dissapoint any anime or film lover.

Bibliography

Sevakis, Justin (2006) Film Review At: http://www.animenewsnetwork.co.uk/review/paprika (accessed on 17/2/2012)

List of Illustrations

Fig.1: Film Poster At: http://ca.isohunt.com/release/Film+Paprika+Di+Tinto+Bras (accessed on 16/2/2012)

Fig.2: Paprika  At: http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2011/07/31/the-week-ahead-38 (accessed on 16/2/2012)
Fig.3: Atsuko's reflections At: http://tedpigeon.blogspot.com/2008/01/hidden-gems-of-genre.html  (accessed on 16/2/2012)

Fig.4: Dreams merged together http://ohcoolyailikethat.blogspot.com/ (accessed on 16/2/2012)

Transcription: Review on Mary and Max (2009)

Fig.1: Film Poster

 

Director: Adam Elliot

Producer: Melanie Coombs

Cast: Bethany Whitmore, Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Eric Bana

Year: 2009

Mary and Max is the tale that tells the relationship built between two unlikely friends from different parts of the world. This stop motion animation is a great example of transcription, as it is based on a real story and is very successful in its editing, storytelling and construction. Apart from its succession as an animated film, its content has touched the audience's hearts; dealing with themes that range from bullying, to depression and mental illnesses has brought the film even closer to us. Directed by the award-winning director Adam Elliot, Mary and Max is probably the most powerful and unusual clay animation, putting aside any other adult-driven film and Nick Park's work.

Fig.2: Mary writing to Max.

Mary and Max is a very character-driven film. It is particular focused on the 2 main characters, Mary a lonely 8 year old from the suburbs of Melbourne and Max the forty year old morbidly obese New Yorker who suffers from Asperges Syndrome. Even from it's editing it is clear how Elliot chooses to have a lot of close ups of the characters whenever their emotions get tense and makes signs of great emotions the focal point of the camera such as eyes, tear-drops and sweat on foreheads. Of course the characters' environment is shown but again to impose their emotions, like the grey, big city of New York which for Max, it's a big chaotic place full of intense noises, smells and odd people. For Mary,as a curious eight year old her neighbourhood is a small place but seems so big with all the small stories surrounding the different people in it. 

But what actually brings these characters to life, and eventually makes us forget that they are made out of clay is the story itself and how personal it is. It doesn't resist in being honest about its characters' thoughts and makes use of all of their concerns about life. It brings up issues like sex, prostitution and religion, without offending any of them but making them part of the film itself, a wheel that makes the story roll on. Byrnes suggests that: "The only thing strong enough is a well-built story, with a solid structure and characters made of oak - or in this case, various polymers, clay, plastic and metal. It has to hold an audience because it's a story, not because it's animated." (Byrnes. 2009)

Fig.3: Mary and Max dreaming of finally meeting.

In conclusion, Mary and Max proves that there is no need for polished CG to make a successful story. It's all about the story and the characters. It is a stop motion animation with its own flaws and also have characters that are imperfect in their personality. It is a perfect story about imperfect characters, and that's what all humans are.

Bibliography

byrnes, Paul (2009) Film Review at http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/film/film-reviews/mary-and-max/2009/04/09/1239222976896.html (accessed on 1/2/2012)

List of Illustrations

Fig.1: Film Poster At: http://www.cinemagora.co.uk/movie-7773-mary-and-max.html (accessed on 1/2/2012)

Fig.2: Mary writing to Max At: http://cutprintreview.com/reviews/4-12-stars/mary-max-review/ (accessed on 1/2/2012)

Fig.3: Mary and Max meeting At: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/sftw/3191562/Alex-Zane-reviews-Mary-And-Max.html (accessed on 1/2/2012)

Postmodernism: Film Review on Scream 4 (2011)

FIG.1: Film Poster

Director: Wes Craven

Producer: Kevin Williamson

Year: 2011

Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts

We all have seen The Scream films and we have high expectations from them. We expect them to work the same way as the first film did: with the opening scene of the ghostface killer talking on the phone to his victim, teenagers being killed one after an other and the intense chase of finding out who the the real killer is. In this case Scream 4 will not disappoint you as it follows the golden rules of this historical Saga and concentrates the previous 3 films into one. It extracts the meaning and rules of horror films that were mentioned throughout the series and gives us a delicious mixture of what makes a horror film.

FIG.2: The Cast

The story itself is genuinely simple with the main character of the previous series Sydney Priscott after 10 years of Ghosface's first attack returns to the town of  Woodsboro-where everything all started. Ghostfacce again attacks the teenagers of Woodsboro High making Cydney return to her past nightmare and stop the killer from harming anyone else. Wes Craven has managed to produce a very successful story to bring all the characters back together and create this mirror-like film which reflects what the audience has already seen in the past Scream films. Charity suggests that:  "When the first Scream appeared in 1996, it seemed like something new by making mischief with the old conventions and clichés of the slasher genre that had dominated horror since Halloween. Kevin Williamson’s script was clever and funny enough to please both gore-fiends and academics." (Charity.2011)

What was different about Scream 4 was its innovative opening. It starts off like any other Scream film does, with a good looking girl answering the phone to a stranger with a very deep voice. But as the film moves on we realise that the whole first scene was nothing but a horror film called Stab the other two young girls were watching. Eventually, that scenes turns into another horror one which was once again a film watched by another pair of young girls. This mind-twisting film within a film and endless fiction effect is what make Scream 4 (including the rest of The Scream series) an inspiring example of postmodern culture. Scream 4 is enigmatic and vague; a Metafiction which reflects upon its own nature and asks questions about itself. It is "a snake eating its own tail" effect and it works really well. Kendrick gives and interesting fact that: "Scream, as well as its subsequent sequels, were love-letters to horror film fans with plenty of meta-references including Stab, the film series within a film series, as well as the notorious “rules for survival” that served as tongue-in-cheek winks at the genre - while also serving as an ironclad set of guidelines for each film to work around." (Kendrick.2011)

FIG.3: Sydney and Ghostface.

Scream 4 is a real treat for those who have been awaiting for what holds next to the masked killer. It can amaze but at the same can make you question yourself 'why'? It pays tribute to all horror films and their rules. The film really is Sydney's significant line: "Don't F**k with the original!"

Bilbliography

Charity Tom (2011). Scream 4 Review At: http://www.lovefilm.com/reviews/Scream-4 (accessed on 9/11/2011)

Ben Kendrick (2011). Scream 4 review At: http://screenrant.com/scream-4-reviews-benk-110825/ (accessed on 9/11/2011)

List of Illustrations

FIG.1: Film Poster At: http://www.shockya.com/news/2010/05/22/the-latest-poster-from-scream-4/ (accessed on 4/11/2011)

FIG.2:  At: http://www.slasherstudios.com/2011/04/18/scream-4-is-a-bloody-good-time/ (accessed on 4/11/2011)

FIG.3:  At: http://www.thatfilmguy.co.uk/scream-4-2011 (accessed on 4/11/2011)

Narrative: Review on 'Mars Attacks' (1996)

FIG.1

Director: Tim Burton

Producer: 

Year1996:

Cast: Jack Nickolson, Glenn Close, Annete Bening, Sara Jessica Parker

Mars Attacks! is a science fiction comedy created by Tim Burton himself. It is a stupendously imaginative satire of apple-pie America and a homage to cheesy 50s sci-fi flicks. This film is painfully hilarious and is guaranteed to make its audience laugh and look back to the cheesy films of the 1950's, at the time when science fiction films were at their highest point and became a major inspiration for modern sci-fi cinema. Based on a popular science fiction trading card series it also made a an inadvertent spoof of the blockbuster, Independence Day, which was made around the same time. Booker pin pointS that: "Mars Attacks! is one of Tim Burton's campiest films and, as such, it tends to make the films on which it is based seem a bit ridiculous. At the same time it remembers those films almost tenderly, seeming wistfully to wish for a time when it was possible to make simple films in a (mostly) serious way." (Booker.2006:22)

FIG.2: A martian disguised in a human.

Before going into the film itself, it is necessary to talk about the differences between a spoof, a parody and a pastiche. The three terms have provoked confusion amongst the film industry with films that name themselves with either of the three. For a start, a parody is a work that mimics in a ridiculous way the style of another; their humour is based on our familiarity with formula plots and characters. A spoof on the other hand, is an imitation of another style or film but in a more respectful way; even though it is impersonating the genre it is part of the genre itself. Finally, there is the term of a pastiche which is prominent is popular. Pastiche films are a mixture of generic conventions and boundaries. They pay tribute to many genres but don't satire them at all. On the contrary, they make a whole new genre out of a 'mashup' of them. Mars Attacks! could be all three of them but is the closest to a spoof as it does try to be copy of films like The Day The Earth Stood Still it is still part of the sci-fi genre. But why is parody so famous? Muller explains that: "Paradoxically, the very obliquenesses of the term parody seems to boost its communicative relevance and appeal, both for the general public and in academia. "  ( Muller.1997:9)

The special effects in the film are not the best but they were made in this way to emulate the sci-fi films of the 1950's. Many of the film's flying saucers are designed in perfect imitation of those fuzzy photos in old UFO books. Even the Martians look like regular skeletons with oversized brains and huge eyes. They meant to be smart but in reality they behave like young hyperactive children who explore the world around them. Initially, Tim Burton wanted to use stop motion, viewing it as a homage to the work of Ray Harryhausen. He wanted to make them look purposely cheap but due to financial issues he eventually decided to make them in 3D.

FIG.3: The Martians land on Earth.

In conclusion, Mars Attacks! is a very fun film to watch and purposely done in a way to make it look cheep. But even if it was meant to look like a 1950's film it did a really good job and paid tribute to the films which started this amazing genre of science-fiction. It is a fruit of one man's hyperactive imagination.





Bibliography

Booker, Keith (2006). Alternate Americas: science fiction film and American culture. Greenwood Publishing Group Inc.: USA

Beate Müller (1997). Parody: dimensions and perspectives. Editions Rodopi: Amsterdam

List of Illustrations

FIG.1: Film Poster At:  http://1001gameswolrd.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html (accessed on 4/11/2011)

FIG.2:  At: http://merissaexplainsitall.blogspot.com/2011/03/welcome-to-earth.html (accessed on 4/11/2011)

FIG.3:  At: http://www.moviesonline.ca/2010/11/top-5-alien-invasion-movies/ (accessed on 4/11/2011)

Postmodernism: Film Review on "Moulin Rouge" (2001)

FIG.1 :Film Poster

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Producer: Fred Baron

Year: 2001

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Jim Broadmen, Richard Roxburgh

Pop music obsessed Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge is an outstanding example of films that are far from perfect, and something which is perfectly new. Moulin Rouge is a pop culture collage, taking popular music (David Bowie, Madonna) and including lines such as "All you need is love" and "The show must go on." Luhrmann puts a great twist in the musical genre by mixing a period romance with contemporary music. Regardless its weird mashup Moulin Rouge is a mosaic of different tastes but somehow turned out as something spectacular.  

FIG.2: The whole gang.

Probably the most important element of the film is its theatricality. The desire to make Moulin Rouge appear more as a musical rather than a film is very well established from the beginning. For a start, the world Luhrmann has created is a vibrant world inhabited by artists, performers and circus freaks that include their articulate skills in their everyday life, as the world they are living in is a stage performance. It's a place where inhibition is a disapproval and the distinction between reality and theatricality is blurred. The film is all about colour and music, sound and motion; a delicious eye candy of a detailed set and costumes, and the Bohemian Utopia of the Moulin Rouge. It seems like a world anyone would love to live in, a world where feelings are expressed through music and emotions are depicted through colour and the environment surrounding you.  Knapp suggests that: "Moulin Rouge with it's electric mix of familiar stories, and familiar songs and its and its wanton mixing of 'reality' and playacting on various levels, seems to model for us the ways in which we live out what we see on stage and screen, borrowing songs, dialogue, situations, and whole scenarios, careening among a variety of options as we seek outthe most congenial fit." (Knapp. 2006:103)

FIG.3: Singing Scene.

But this film is not all about its beauty and glamour. While constantly surprising and very successful as a musical, its musical elements seem over enforced and exaggerating, as if it's making fun of the musical genre, while in fact it is a musical. And this is where the Postmodern feature of the film is revealing itself. There are a lot of features that prove how Moulin Rouge is trying to be a parody of a musical, but eventually becomes part of the musical genre. For example, the dance scenes are different in various parts of the film. In some scenes it seems serious, like a tango, in others it is slapstick and comical. Even the use of the camera brings out a rather funny effect with whip pans and cuts from character to character which depicts the chaos in the scenes. There is also a sense of mixing genres evolving around the characters, as they appear to be more like actors than singers, but actors that show their acting a bit more than the usual, resulting in a theatrical play on screen. Nelmes gives an interesting definition on the film's usage of mixed genres: "Moulin Rouge like so much of a contemporary Hollywood, presents us with a generic paradox; simultaneously being post-generic in the sense that hyper-conciousness of its text spills over singular classificatory boundaries yet attaining intelligibility precisely in relation to those generic formations."    (Nelmes.1999:162)

To sum up, Moulin Rouge is a film that can simultaneously satisfy you and surprise you. It can provoke all sorts of emotions to happiness, empathy and enthusiasm. Apart from a mish mash of genres, it is indeed a mixture of multiple emotions; a twist in film genres and feeling towards the characters. It is definitely worth to watch it more than once as you might discover something more each time.

Bibliography

Knapp, Raymond (2006) The American musical and the performance of personal identity. Princenton University Press: UK 

Nelmes, Jill (1999) An introduction to film studies.Routledge: USA

List Illustrations

FIG.1: Film Poster At:  http://usblog.denon.com/tag/moulin-rouge/ (accessed on 21/10/11)

FIG.2: At: http://www.film.com/photos/memorable-modern-movie-redheads/attachment/ewan-mcgregor-and-nicole-kidman-in-moulin-rouge-4

FIG.3: At: http://artfulintel.blogspot.com/2011/05/modern-film-classic-moulin-rouge.html (accessed on 21/10/11)

Narrative: Film Review on 'The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951)

FIG.: Film Poster

Made long before digital Effects, Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still is a spine chilling film, a film which was the DNA of all sci-fi films to come. The film seems familiar even if you've never seen it before, a classical earth woman being carried by a alien robot, human weapons being disintegrated by laser shooting robots with their superior alien technology. Everything has been extracted by the film and been implanted in modern science fiction films, so everything has been seen already-not before, but since. It is an ultimate classic, a film that should respectfully be seen by any sci-fi fan and an anti-nuclear allegory raising war issues that were taking place on earth during the time.

FIG.2: Landing on Earth.

Even from the opening sequence with the extraterrestrial flying saucer landing on President's Park on Washington D.C ,a giant robot stepping out from the spaceship and Klatuu (Michael Rennie) the interplanetary traveller announces that has come on earth for a goodwill mission,  it is clear how the film is going to turn out more than exciting to watch. The special effects from the beginning of the film seem really poor with a rounded spaceship  looking so fake it could be mistaken for a badly made theatre prop and a tall 6ft robot which is obviously a tall guy in a spacesuit made of packaging tape and silver foil. But from then on suspension of disbelief is a non issue as the film reveals its role as a messenger  that illustrated the fear and suspicion that characterized the early Cold War and Atomic Age. Perhaps the most unbelievable element of te film is politicians acting with intelligence and such good manners. Keith Booker gives an interesting definition for the purpose of the film: "The Day the Earth Stood Still was a film for thinking adults; serious and cerebral, it addressed crucial contemporary political issues in a mature and courageous way." (Booker.2006:31)

The most interesting element about a film belonging to a science fiction genre is how the so-called alien arrived on Earth with no bad intention but to warn humans to stop warring due to their penchant for violence which has caused concerns amongst the other inhabitants of the universe. Klatuu warns  the world leaders that if humans intend to extend their violence in space, Earth will be destroyed. He departs from Earth with a historical phrase: The decision rest with you" With Klatuu's message, The Day the Earth Stood Still is interpreted as a critique of Cold-War paranoia and a plea for global unity and a 'liberal film. Holloway points out with humour that: "It  conveyed the unwillingness of world leaders to compromise even such missions as a meeting site." (Holloway.199:135)

FIG.3: Klatuu with his Robot Body guard Gru

I conclusion, The Day the Earth Stood Still is an exciting journey to the past in the 1950's when science fiction films flourished and became a great part of the American film History. But apart from it's relation to the past it gives out a great message for the future: world peace is our own decision and guns are not the answer to the Earth's well being.  The film did not have to look visually flaw.less to bring out this message and managed to portray it in its best way.

Bibliography

Booker Keith (2006).Alternate Americas: science fiction film and American culture. GreenWood Publishing Group: USA

Holloway, David (1999). American visual cultures

List of Illustrations

FIG.1: Film Poster At: http://vegancinegrub.blogspot.com/2011/05/day-earth-stood-still-we-come-in-peace.html (accessed on 21/10/2011)

FIG.2: Landing on Earth At: http://philippegray01.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-earth-stood-still-1951.html  (accessed on 21/10/2011)

FIG.3: http://www.thedorkreport.com/2009/06/29/the-day-the-earth-stood-still-1951-movie-review/  (accessed on 21/10/2011)

Postmodernism: Film Review on "Scream" (1996)

FIG.1: Scream Poster

Inspiried by Williamson's Halloween and even after 15 years when the film first came out Scream still remains a rarity: a horror movie spoof that succeeds in provoking people to laugh and to be scared at the same time. Scream came out at the time when horror films were well worn, at the time when audiences were getting bored of the horror genre.Wes Craven improved this his postmodern twist in the film and revealed the cliché codes hidden behind every horror film of that decade.

FIG.2: The phone conversation

 The film features a killer maniac who wears a ghost mask to hide his face. The 10 minute opening of the film winds the tention up brilliantly with Drew Barrymore picking up the phone and talkig to the killer on the other end. The girl mentions to the stranger that she likes horror films and is soon killed brutally by the masked killer. Ironically, she lost her life in a way she thought only existed on screen. With this powerfull opening Wes Craven already introduces the audience to the film: a mystery of who's the killer amongst the teenagers who think they know everything about the films they are so familiar with.

The group of teenagers are the ones who throughout the film contemplate the rules of horror films, but soon enough find themselves living in a real life one. Wes Craven is interesed in the contrast between movie reality and objective reality. All of the central characters have watched horror movies and draw their own conclusions out of them. They constantly draw ironic referece from their experieces to what they have already seen in horror films. Williamson uses a phrase in the film which sums up the idea of these cliche ideas on scary films: “They’re all the same, some stupid killer stalking some big breasted girl who can’t act who’s always running up the stairs when she should be going out the front door, it’s insulting.” (Williamson, 1996)With a script that gives multiple reference on  a variety of known horror films and being proud of being cleverer than the features it mocks, Scream is a great example of a pastiche, a fragmented film that has borrowed facts from horror films and has created somethig totally unique.

FIG.4: The group of teenagers.

But is Scream a parody or a postmodern thriller? It can be both. It is a parody as it is borrowing something we are already familiar with and twists it. The audience knew what horror films were like during their days so Craven took those elemets and satyrised them. On the other hand, the film is also Postmodern as it is critiquing the horror genre but at the same time it is part of it. It understands  the genre it exist with in and effaces it by manipulaing the audience's perspectives. Maltbly explains that : “Postmodernist writers respond to the problem of the fictionality of meaning by, inter alia, composing texts which mock, interrogate, and subvert the “classical” realist-empiricist assumption that language can reflect or render “things as they really are.”  (Maltbly. 1991:38). 

In conclusion. Scream was the film that made the start in slash horror film and created a whole new genre. It took a step further and did not resist to recreate from exisisting horror. It is an absolute practice in Postmodernity and has remained one of the most belovable film of all time.

Bibliography

Maltby, P. Dissident Postmodernist (1991) University of Pennsylvania Press:USA

List of Illustrations

FIG.1: Film Poster At: http://dsweetbox.blogspot.com/2010/10/scream-4-poster.html (accessed on 14/10/2011)

FIG.2: Phone conversation At: http://www.liveforfilms.com/2010/10/10/scream-movie-review-31-days-of-horror/ (accessed on 14/10/2011)

FIG.3: The grop of teenagers At: http://thefabric.blogspot.com/2010/12/1485-scream.html (accessed on 14/10/2011)

Narrative: Review on "Best Worst Movie" (2009)- Documentary on "Troll 2"

FIG.1 Best Worst Movie Poster

Approximately 20 years ago (1989), a group of amateur actors from Utah teamed up for the creation of the Italian-produced, anti-masterpiece Troll 2. The film featured vegetarian goblins going after a family to turn them into plants and eat them. Of course a scenario like this seemed appealing to the audience at first. Who would have thought that this very special film would be crowned as the worst film of all time and that it made cinematic history? Regardless its harsh critiques and its very bad quality, the film is living proof that just because a film is awful it doesn't mean that it won't find an audience. 20 years later, Troll 2's cast could not hide from the followers that celebrated their ineptness. 

FIG.2:  Famous Scene from Troll 2 (with M. Stevenson)

In honour of Troll 2, the documentary Best Worst Movie (2009) was made, which is a fun tribute to the people who were responsible of unleashing the greatest bad movie ever made. Directed by Michael Stevenson, the once disgraced child star of Troll 2, and George Hardy as the centre of the documentary, who turned into a cult movie icon, the documentary is a delicious flashback to what was going on behind the scenes of the  making of the film and the reunion of the gang. This offbeat journey pays homage to the lovers of bad movies and the people who made them- it is revealing what the contributors of a an anti- masterpiece like this feel like today. 

One of the biggest obstacles the crew faced during the shooting of the film was the lack of communication between the Italian director Claudio Fragasso and the rest of the  cast. Fragasso certainly did not know what he was doing and did not come into turns with his internationally revered cinematic failure: Hardy mentioned in one of his interviews that: "We had no idea of what the script meant and it was difficult to understand. Not knowing what the story was made it difficult to understand the flow of things for the movie. We just did what we were told (in very little English or as few words as possible).", yet he pointed out that he did enjoy the experience: "It was, overall, a fun experience. Not much seriousness in making the film from the cast. We just went along best we all could." (Hardy.2007)

Apart from this lack of interaction between crew members and the bad acting, Troll 2, as a low budget film did not invest as much on the special effects which are vital for a horror film. But what started off as a serious horror film through the eyes of Fragasso, evolved into a cheap B-movie and got really successful, but not in the way he expected. Even the costumes used for the monsters, called goblins, were looking too fake for a start: “Atrocious acting aside Troll 2’s goblins are extra-ridiculous because of their costumes, which resemble potato sacks topped with Halloween sacks. Frankly, they are nowhere near as scary as the ghostly grandpa who advises young hero Michael Stevenson to piss all over his family’s dinner so they won’t undergo the change.” (Klosterman. 2009:176)

FIG.3: George Hardy

FIG.4 : The crew of the documentary 

I conclusion, Troll 2 may have been baptised as the worst film ever made in history but due its special qualities it still has an enormous amount of fans throughout the world, fans that are hungry for films that are totally expressive and don't hesitate to show their flaws and incapabilities in making a pure film. After all cinema, is art and art is a form of expression whether it is meant or not meant to be good.

Bibliography

Klosterman, Chuck (2009) Inventory: 16 Films Featuring Manic Pixie Dream Girls. Onion Inc: New York

Interview with George Hardy (2007) At: http://www.badmovies.org/interviews/georgehardy/ (accessed on 8/10/2011)

List of Illustrations

FIG.1: Best Worst Movie Poster At: http://thewolfmancometh.com/2011/03/12/best-worst-movie-2009/ (accessed on 7/10/2011)
FIG.2: At: http://www.fearnet.com/news/b15026_splat_chat_michael_stephenson_of_troll.html (accessed on 7/10/2011)
FIG.3: At: http://uk.dvd.ign.com/dor/objects/86667/best-worst-movie/images/best-worst-movie-20101117033910429.html (accessed on 7/10/2011)

FIG.4:  At http://collider.com/best-worst-movie-dvd-review/61651/  (accessed on 7/10/2011)

Narrative: Review on 'Lost in La Mancha' (2002)

FIG.1: Lost in La Mancha Poster 

Director: Keith Fulton
Producer: Lucy Darwin
Year: 2002
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Terry Gilliam, Johnny Depp.


 Lost in La Mancha is a documentary about the making of Terry Gilliam's dream project 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'  which was never completed. Terry Gilliam was a bit of a Don Quixote himself as he saw things other people couldn't see- he had high expectations and was willing to achieve the unachievable. Despite the lack of facilities, staff and actors he insisted in making his film and soon enough saw his dream falling apart like a house of cards right in front of his eyes.  Gilliam himself mentioned in one of his interviews about the documentary: “The reason people get soexcited or moved by it is that it’s maybe the first time you’re seeingsomething truthful about film-making. It isn’t all about how wonderfuleverything is and how happy we all are. For better or for worse, it’s a truetale.” T.Gilliam (Sterrit.2004:209)

FIG.2: Gilliam instructing the actors

Even from Orsen Wille’s first attempt to shoot the film in 1955, the film project seemed to already be cursed as it was not completed back then either. Gilliam spent about 32 million dollars for the film, which aborted after six days of shooting in Spain and Gilliam finance collapsed shortly after. With these two failed challenges it turned out there seemed to be something fated about Cervantes’ questing hero. 

Lost in La Mancha has many narrators with Terry Gilliam acting as a first-person narrator but also as a character, a spectator, a director, an actor and a storyboard artist. The documentary treats us in scenes such as auditions with big names of the cinema such as Johnny Depp, storyboarding, quests for the perfect location shootings, puppet making, screen tests of grotesque giants and horse training. But the documentary is not all about the exciting parts of making the film. Bad luck started striking the project. The fly-on-the-wall camera captures rising problems of a multilingual crew arguing, weather conditions restricting outdoor filming with Gilliam trying to chase the light of the sun to complete a scene and his crew struggling to save the equipment from an unexpected storm, actors remaining absent, untrained horses and Gilliam in moments of desperation who witnesses his dream falling to pieces. A Slade poited out: "Lost in La Mancha draws parallels between the catastrophes of the driven geniuses Gilliam and Welles, and compares both men to the disaster-prone Quixote."(Slade.2004:896). The most painful thing is seeing reality win over Quixote in the end. And it did.

FIG.3: Gilliam in an outdoor shooting scene.

In conclusion, Lost La Mancha is a brilliant documentary to watch. A real treat depicting the hard work of a film-maker and especially for a man like Terry Gilliam who could not see through his problems coming one after another and insisted in making his dream come true-even if that meant sacrificing. But in the film industry, it's all about taking risks. Gilliam took the risk, it just wasn't meant to be. 

Bibliography


Sterrit, David (2004). Terry Gilliam interviews. University Press of Mississippi: USA
Slade, Carol(2004) Don Quixote. Creative Media, Inc: USA

List of Illustrations

FIG.1: Lost in La Mancha Poster At: http://www.smart.co.uk/lostinlamancha/lm_index.htm 

FIG.2: http://mon-ptit-blog-cine.over-blog.com/mon-ptit-blog-cine-304600-lost_in_la_mancha.htm
FIG.3: http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/05/here-comes-a-lost-in-la-mancha.php

Narrative: Film Review on 'Ed Wood' (1994)

FIG.1: Ed Wood Poster 

Director: Tim Burton

Producer: Tim Burton and Denise Di Novi

Cast: Jonny Depp, Marti Landau, Patricia Arquette, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jeffrey Jones

Year: 1994

Tim Burton's Ed Wood is a an American comedy following the career of Ed Wood himself, an ambitious young man who struggles to get into the film industry and grasp success during the 1950's, at the time when low budget films with technical errors and low quality graphics were released . Johnny Depp successfully portrays this very energetic, but not so great, film writer who became well known for his cheap genre films which are known today as B-Movies. The film itself is really charming depicting Wood's complex personality in the best way.

FIG.2 : Ed Wood crossdressing

Edward Wood's fragile and eccentric personality started taking shape from his early life experiences. One of the events that traumatised his view on life was during his duty as a U.S Marine during World War II when he stabbed a Japanese guerrilla to death even after the soldier was presumably dead. As a sensitive man, Wood was traumatised to be put into that situation and his whole view in life changed. Like Rob Craig mentioned " How this explosion of wanton blood-lust, and the subsequent drama it produced in Wood, affected his later adult life, and later his art, can only be intuited." (Craig.2009:9)

FIG.3: Ed Wood with Bela Lugosi

What was interesting about the film was that it did not hesitate to show Wood's eccentricity, especially when it came to feeling comfortable in women's clothing. Wood was a self-proclaimed transvestite and for him it wasn't a performance of his sexual orientation but more like an action to give him more confidence in his work. In a world with a widely accepted belief that gender is determined by clothing, Wood as an heterosexual that wears dresses and women's underwear was  referred as the eccentric man, with an outstanding passion in making his own films-even though he could not see any flaws in them. Wood himslef stated in his film Glen or Glenda? that "a transvestite is not homosexual, and thusly draws a line in the sand to differentiate the subjects in his film, including himself, and for those who he considers, by implication, to be morally and psychologically corrupted." (Craig. 2009: 25)

All in all, Ed Wood is an enjoyable film depicting the hard world of The film Industry, a world where taking risks is the key to success but simultaneously, can be disastrous. 

Bibliography

Craig, Rb (2009). Ed Wood, Mad Genius.USA: Mc Farland and Company

List of Illustrations

FIG.1: http://www.emmaaime.com/2010_05_01_archive.html (accessed on 24/9/2011)

FIG.2: http://www.the-reel-mccoy.com/movies/classics/EdWood.html (accessed on 24/9/2011)

FIG.3: http://shreveport.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html (accessed on 24/9/2011)

The Animation Timeline: Pixar

When thinking of pure imagination probably what first comes in mind in terms of animation is Pixar. For more than 20 years Pixar Animation Studios has made us smile, cry and bond with one of the most lovable characters of all time. Pixar started as a small animation company and later, in collaboration with Disney became one of the most award winning company with the most memorable films. Pixar films are not only made for children. Even if the characters are toys coming to life, or cars and monsters they all contain a quality of reality to which we can relate. Moreover, in our cruel and negative world, Pixar offers beauty, imagination and a degree of pure innocence.Even today Pixar continues to produce successful films...but what is the secret to their major success??

Even from its first short films, Pixar showed its ability to make attractive stories with great characters. Knick Knack (1989) tells the story of a snowman in a snow globe who tries to reach for a the lady in the summer globe, but fails. There is also Tin Toy (1986), a story of a small toy escaping from the evil baby's hands. Both stories are simple and understandable but other than that, it's the characters that participate that make the films so effective. "Pixar tells stories. These stories in turn, have the power to fully engage us-heart, soul and mind. The characters and plots need not to be overly Christian in order to instruct us in virtue.Crist engaged his listeners by telling parables, not by preaching them or delivering dry lectures. He shared stories that have, at their centre practical moral lessons that stick with us." ( Velarde.2010 :10)

Pixar's first full-lenghth animated film, directed by John Lasseter was Toy Story in 1995. In this film toys come to life and live a secret life behind children's back. The film was a major success all around the world and sold millions. From that day forward Pixar changed animation forever and especially 3D when alot of companies started leaving traditional animation on the side and started focusing more on computer animation. Later on Pixar produced A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, Cars, The Incredibles and more which remain top choice in 3D animation. "It takes a simple, familiar idea – that kiddies’ playthings spring to life when nobody’s peeking – and develops it into a wise-crack-packed adventure story to rival any adventure story."  ( Jacob.2009)

Probably the best exaple of an inanimate object coming to life is Pixar's Wall-E (2008), a story of a cleaning robot in the future left on the deserted earth to clean up people's mess. But one day his life is bound to change forever and he's find true love will transforms the way he sees the future cause he sees it with her. Even though Wall-E is a pile of Rusty metal, Pixar has transformed him into a person with the warmest heart. The design of his eyes and his body language suggest innocence and warmth. Even if the whole film has a science fiction basis, it manages to give you a chil-like prospective of a fantasy world. Pixar in this case tried to leave behind the destruction that was taking place on earth and focused more on the magic of space, but still found a solution to earth's litter problem. 

Ti sum up, Pixar has what it's called "The Ingredient of a Good Film" and has added this in each of its films. The sensitivity, humour, liveliness and beauty all mix together to give something  truly magical.





Bibliography

Velarde, Robert (2010) The Wisdom Of Pixar.
Jacob Fim Review At: http://movie-gazette.com/375/toy-story (accessed on 8/4/2011)

List of Illustrations

FIG.1: Pixar At: http://pixar.wikia.com/Pixar_Animation_Studios (accessed on 8/4/2011)
FIG.2: Knick Knack At: http://www.pixar.com/shorts/kk/index.html (accessed on 8/4/2011)
FIG.3: Tin Toy At: http://www.rankopedia.com/Best-Disney-Pixar-Production/Step1/19468/.htm  (accessed on 8/4/2011)
FIG.4: Toy Story At: http://www.hollywood.com/news/Our_QA_Toy_Story_3_Director_Lee_Unkrich/7184465(accessed on 8/4/2011)
FIG.5: Wall- E At:  http://www.hollywood.com/news/Our_QA_Toy_Story_3_Director_Lee_Unkrich/7184465  (accessed on 8/4/2011)