We’ll Always Have Paris

      Tonight, I just watched the classic film Casablanca and I am reminded of why I love this movie.  Directed by Michael Curtiz, The motion picture takes place in Casablanca during the Second World War.  Travelers infest the city as they wait to get exit visas to go to American.  The film centers on the character Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart, who is an owner of a very popular bar and cares a lot about his business. Everything changes when Victor Laszlo, played by Paul Henreid, and his wife Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman, come into Rick’s gin joint. Victor Laszlo is one of the leaders of a group against the Nazi army and is looking for a way to get into america.  The story then reveals that Ilsa and Rick once met eachother in Paris while Victor Laszlo, was in a concentration camp. The Rick and Ilsa fell in love until the day she abandoned Rick on at a train station. As the movie continues, it demonstrated the tension in the town because of the war. A very good depiction of the governmental tension is when the German soldiers start to sing this anthem but it is silenced when Laszlo leads the restaurant patrons in a different national anthem.  The story in mainly focused on Rick trying to understand what happened between him and Ilsa, and Laszlo trying to figure out how to get back to America while Major Strasser, a Leader in the Nazi army, is trying to arrest him.

      I really enjoy this movie every time that I watch it. With classic lines such as “here’s looking at you kid” and “play it again Sam”, this film has been a culture phenomenon.  Even though this film may seem outdated, it still can tell a great story. I will admit that I always have trouble getting through the first twenty minutes where the atmosphere of the place and time is being established to the audience.  However, it is so worth wild when Rick discover that Ilsa in his establishment and watching flashback as the movie progresses. When the Rick and Ilsa meet for the first time since she left him is so well done because it is able to pull us into the story through the emotional context. In other words, there is something about this woman that does something to Rick. Also, the innocence of this film makes me fall in love with the story, let alone the time period when the movie was made.  For example, the sharp cleaver humor of the Captain Renault. A good example of the humor in this movie is when Renault says that he is closing down the business on the terms of gambling and then he takes his winnings. It was brilliant! When I watch this film, I find myself most drawn into the Rick character because I can really see the pain of the character went through when he talks about Paris. His hurt is visible when he makes Sam play "As time Goes By" on the piano. I personally am a hopeless romantic and just the line  “we will always have Paris" alone makes my heart melt. This is truly a brilliant film and I highly recommend it. 

Editing Is Not As Simple As It May Seem...

      When studying the editing in a film, it may seem extremely repetitive and sometimes boring. To avoid that as well as having a visual representation, I have placed a clip on the bottom of this entry that I will be discussing from the film Bonnie and Clyde. I also wanted to pick a clip that I have not seen or read other’s editing critique on. For instance, the end sequence is often discussed because of its quick and short cuts. The chosen clip takes place when Clyde’s brother has arrived with his wife to visit Clyde and Bonnie. I am going to analyze the clip until the character C.W. enters to avoid too much repetition (it is about a minute). The key points that I will be emphasizing are the length of the cut and consistency.
       The first shot is a long shot as the car is pulling up. The next cut already breaks the rule of invisible editing (that is when the rule of continuity is broken). It is violated because Cylde’s hands are down when it cuts to the next shot but his hands are up when he is seen in that shot. The following shot has a longer time then the other shots until it cuts to Blanche in the car. Notice the length difference in the three shots. For example, the shot of the brothers talking is the longest one, while the shot of Blanche is only a brief moment. The next time that the audience returns to a shot in the car is a good example of a reaction shot for she is laughing to her husband’s joke about prison food. When it cuts to the brothers again, there is a small shift in the shot because it is now a medium long shot. This is able to be scene because the frame now ends the men’s legs. This shot also prepares the audience for the next group of shots.
      When Blanch is introduced to Clyde, a really great thing happens. The shots transition to an over the shoulder in the car. This shot lines up with the prior medium long shot because it stays within the 180 degree rule. The shots then switches to over the shoulder of Clyde. The traditional Hollywood continuity style shot sequence is followed next. When Bonnie is introduced to Blanch there is an establishing shot of everyone in and around the car. The next shot is a close up shot on Bonnie and then a close up on Blanch. When they are done talking, there is a re-establishing shot.
      This minute clip shows that that the film Bonnie and Clyde is both a traditional movie by following Hollywood continuity as well as breaks a few rules of continuity as well.






*This is in no way intended to violate copyright laws*

This is Not My Final Answer...(Bonnie and Clyde)

I have no idea how I feel about this movie. The very notable film, Bonnie and Clyde, is a compelling tale of two people that meet and go on a crime spree. The story begins with Bonnie in her house and sees that a man is about to steal her car, she talks to him and then leaves with him. They begin their journey with robbing stories and then banks.  Along the way, Bonnie and Clyde pick up a few companions along the way such as C.W. Moss( the trusty mechanic), and Clyde’s brother and his wife.  The story follows these individuals through the best and worst of times. From the conclusion of the movie to now, I don’t think I know how to react to this film.

I would like to say that out of all the films that I have blogged about, this is by far the most neutral I have been. I feel that the way that it was done was very entertaining and has a few good ideas. For example, I like the how there was a side of innocence to the characters. For example, when Clyde tries to rub the bank and there is no money. Also, I liked how there was a somewhat Robin Hood story concept. However, instead of take from the rich and give to the poor, it was take from the rich and keep for themselves. A good example of this is when they are robbing the bank and the costumer was allow to keep his money. Lastly, I felt for the most part the pacing of the story was very well done because it didn’t feel to long yet not to short. 

I would like to say there was somethings that I didn’t particularly like about this movie, the first was the sound track. I felt that the banjo playing during the chase sequences felt a bit like a mockery of the robbery. While it did make me smile the first few times, it made me wonder how I was supposed to view this story as a comedy or a light hearted drama.  I think overall the cinematography was what really bothered me the most in this movie. For example, some of the shorts Cylde in the restaurant were slightly out of focus. Also, the picnic with the mother sequence was just a bit over exposed with gave it a hazy feel and blurry feel. 

And here I find myself in a full circle, I am back on deciding if it was a good or bad movie...

Pick your own adventure with Lola Rennt

Recently, I watched the very entertaining German film, Lola Rennt  which translates to Run Lola Run. Directed by Tom Tykwer and staring Franka Potente and Moritz Bleibtru. This film tells the story of a woman that gets a call from her boyfriend, Manni. The call consists of how Manni is in great trouble because he lost 100,000 rubes that he owes Vater, whom he is meeting in 20 minutes. This film tells the story three times with different series of events that occur. It is very clever in the way of storytelling because it tries to keep ideas fresh through out each sequence. By changing the story only so much, it allows the chance for this idea to occur but not be boring. 

I always enjoy watching this movie for it is like finding consistency among chaos. In other words, this film is able to take such great risks but not let those risks be distracting, such as in the French Film Breathless. In many films that try to take a different approach to telling a story often end up being more nonsensical rather then entertaining the audience. 

I think that this film is a very good example of blending four of the elements of cinema. The music has a very active presences in the movie because it changes with each time the story is told. It also helps the break the fourth wall with the audience for the fast paced beat has an impact on the audience. For example, the person sitting next to me was nodding their head unconsciously. The cinematography helped tell the story through shots that helped demonstrate the distance that Lola had to travel to achieve her goal. Muse en scene was very strongly depicted in this movie in so many ways. For example, costumes to show class difference between Lola and her father, and the big sheet of glass that was being carried around by the men. Lastly, editing was very vital to the storytelling because without it, the film would not have been as successful. Editor Mathilde Bonnefoy made many strong choices in this film editing to display time and emotion. 

The phone hangs up, shot of Lola and she is off. Bonnefoy created a vocabulary that would make the transition from past, future, and present understandable to her audience. The beginning of each sequence all had the same shots. Once that is  complete, the story was “given permission” to change. By doing this, it establishes that until that point, the same events have occurred and after that point, things will be different. This is also the same with the conclusion of each sequence, where the ending would occur and then a dissolve into red to the bedroom scenes would take place. 

The red bedroom scenes demonstrate the two shot, insert shot, and nondiegetic shot . It even has a pattern of saying something and then a reaction. When the scene is finishing, there is a reestablishing shot, dissolve and then back in real time. This is the only section of the movie where the format is the same. When scenes are repeated, the same scene is used but not the same exact shot for shot. For example, when the women is telling Lola’s father that she is pregnant, the first time it is scene, the shot is a medium close up shot, while the final time it is seen, the shot is a medium shot. 

The job of the editor is to connect a sequence of shots to tell a story. This is very visible because when Lola would have random run in to strangers, a series of still photographs would flash on the screen. When each sequence would occur, the photos would be different. It is interesting because the fact that each picture is just enough to give information to the audience to put the elements together to tell the sub story. 

The final two things I want to mention about the editing is shot length. The duration of time that the shot is on screen can make things very interesting. For example, before Lola runs into the woman with the carriage, helps establish that this run is not four blocks and that it is necessary that she does actually run. While on the other hand, I really like the series of shots that occur while she is trying to think of who would give her the money. The fast pace stimulates the speed her mind is trying to process this. Lastly, This film does a good job showing that a transition has to fully occur to be successful. For example, near the end of the first segment, Lola is running while Manni is about to enter the grocery store. The screen goes into a partial wipe transition and shows both characters and there movement. I just loved this moment.  

Sometimes, What is the Right Thing?

Filmmakers constantly try to tell their audience that there is something present which involve another sense other then seeing. The film Do The Right Thing takes place on one of the hottest day of the summer during the late 80s. Director Spike Lee’s challenge was bring that heat alive to his films viewers. In the movie, Do The Right Thing, there are many great examples of muse-in-scene to demonstrate heat to the audience through blocking, props, set and clothing. 

The way people are arrange can give off the idea of heat. A countless number of time in the movie, the places where individuals are placed, show that it is hot outside. First is the fact that a majority the shots include the filled porches in front of the houses. This blocking show that people find it cooler outside rather than inside. It give a chance for the characters to interact with one another and show how close this block is. A good example of this is when the group of four young adults (Martian Lawrence among them) sits on the steps, tell the audience that they like being with each other and like to talk to the people walking by. 

The natural use of props with blocking help show that it is very hot. There are two examples that I would like to mention about this. The first is the ice cubes that Mookie rubs along his girlfriends body. The fact they are quickly melting on her helps the audience think of how could the ice would feel on a day like that. In addition, Mookie’s sister, Jade, and two of the times that she is scene in the apartment. The first is her putting her head into a large bowl of water and the sensation of coldness that it gives her. The second, is how she is seated in front of the fan when Mookie come in to take a shower. 

Setting is very important to the idea of this movie. The filmmakers are very creative in how they are able to show heat through the atmosphere in the film. The first way they were able to achieve this was by color. A marvelous example is the red wall that the older gentleman sit in front of it. By the paint being a warm color of solid red, it gives a strong representation of heat.  Also the size of the wall, could show that the heat of it is unescapable. Sal’s pizza shop was also able to show how hot the day was because of its size. By it being so little and cramped, it makes on think it is very stuffy and tight. By having such a large oven in the set, does not just add to the credibility but also the makes me remember whenever I would cook during the summer and the warmth that would escape whenever that oven would open.

How people dress can tell a lot about the weather. In Do the Right Thing, the clothing the each of the actors wear helps show how hot it is. I would like to use the three gentleman that site in front of the red wall as an example. The clothing that they wear are open button down shirts, long pants, bowler derby and white undershirts. This is what some men in an older period would ware during a warm time. Most of the characters are wearing sleeveless shirts and shorts to show how hot it is. A good example is Sal’s sons, one of them is wearing a sleeveless and low collar shirt with shorts and the other is wearing a short sleeve t-shirt and shorts. 

Striving to Do The Right Thing

Always remember to do the right thing. Tonight I watch the stunning film called Do the Right Thing. One of Spike Lee’s first full length movies, Do The Right Thing, is a brilliant concept and idea brought to the screen. Taking place in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, New York City, the main idea of the movie is a block that both proclaims and exiles racism. Taking place on one of the hottest days of the summer, Sal’s Famous Pizzeria opens up, Mookie is late to work, and Mister Senor Love Daddy still does his radio talk show just like every other day. What happens when heat is added to the equation? The film follows a series of central characters through the day and the little events that take place. There are primarily two locations of the story: Sal’s Pizza shop and the street. This film contains so much with so little plot. 

I found this film very indulging and intriguing. I am a very enthusiastic when it comes to films that have it’s story lines focus on the people within the community. Another example of this idea is in Boys N the Hood and (oddly enough) the comedy Be Kind Rewind. Do the Right Thing presents racist tones but not in an in your face way like Crash but it is still able to leave a strong and meaningful message. In other words, it is a personal film that still contains enough distance from the story for viewers. There is only one thing that I don’t like about this film (*spoiler alert*) is that Mookie throws the trash can. However, this occurrence does bring up a good point: does the protagonist always have to do what we expect? In addition, this is one of the few movies that has the climax of the story at the end portion of the film. This allows the motion picture to have the sensation of a rubber band that was being stretched until it simply snaps. Overall, I give it 4 out 5 slices of pizza. 

Taking a Step Back from My Last Blog (The Godfather Spoiler Alert*)

       I would like to present the argument that the story of The Godfather would have been able to be told without the actors themselves. Even though, that would be a book, I would like to show a glimpse of where I am coming from. I do understand that I started to scratch the surface about how I felt the actors did in their roles, mainly Al Pacino; However, I would like to write this blog on other elements of the film that made the story for me with muse-in-scene. The Godfather is a story about family but there are individual changes that each character undergoes though out the film, the objects that I would like to focus on is the lighting of the Godfather’s office and Marlon Brando’s costuming.

The movie opens with “I Believe in America” is heard and there is a hard cut to a man looking towards the camera. The overhead light lights him in a way that shadows his eyes, and the lack of back lights makes him appear to be in a room of black as he stands out even more in the shot. The very low fill lighting just gives him enough light on his face so his shadows are not over dominating his eyes. The camera zooms out to reframe the out of focus head of Marlon Brando. He is also semi lit by a somewhat similar 3 point lighting.  This lighting plot helps give the office as a feel of a catholic confessional between the two men. As the cuts of the scene progress, the lighting changes. It is at first a bit distracting but as the scene goes on it is increasingly interesting. After the man among the dark background, it then cuts to a shot of Brando much more lit. When Brando get up and walks over to the man to talk to him, the long shot shows the room is also much more lit then the earlier part of the scene.  It is a high contrast view from to the shot in the beginning of the movie.  This sets the tone for the rest of the movie, which is the office tells the story of The Godfather. 

The scenes that take place in the office in the first part of the movie (Please refer to the prior blog for parts of the movie), the office remains dark and dimly lit. For instance, when Sonny dies or when Brando gets shot, the meetings in the office are dark and there is only so much light. At the end of the movie when Al Pacino takes over, the final shot of the film is fully light and everything can be seen in the room clearly. This represents the starting of a new era. 

What makes The Godfather, The Godfather. One of Marlon Brando’s most famous roles was made possible outside of just his method acting. The character of the Don is able to be depicted through many things, I would like to focus on mainly his clothing. Brando’s costume helps tell the transformation and the power that the character has. I am going to give a few examples of this: The first is the beginning of the film when his daughter is getting married. To help show that he is the father of the bride, he has a red flower on his tux, making him stand alone from the other men at the wedding. Second, his clothing at during the meeting with the drug dealer where Sonny speaks out. All the men in this scene are dressed extremely nicely in full suits but Brando is wearing a somewhat presentable shirt and a tie. This shows that he is so powerful that he can dress comfortably during meetings. Moreover, his clothing is even more relaxed when he gets shot at. He is simply wearing a nice button down and large jacket. When he returns after the hospital, his hair is unkept and there is no tie at all after that. Overall, his shows his decrease in power from when he is first seen in the film. What I do like but I won’t go to in depth about is that how Brando’s costume is becoming less and less nice but Al Pacino’s is getting more and for classier from the military uniform from the beginning of the film. Its a very interesting parallel. I find that Brando’s costume had a large effect how he handled the role overall.