...Is Batman A Realist or Idealist? The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. The film introduces the character of Harvey Dent , Gotham's newly elected District Attorney and the cohort of Bruce Wayne's childhood friend Rachel Dawes, who joins Batman and the police in combating the new rising threat of a criminal calling himself the "Joker”. As a society we watch hours of movies but do we really see the underline meaning of the movie; do we see the idealistic or realistic views that are being portrayed in the movie? Or we just watch for the laughs? In the Film The Dark Knight we see the main character who we know as “batman” displaying such character. According to A Novel Approach to Politics (pg. 3) it clearly states that The Dark Knight reflects what we all face in trying to balance the drive to do what we think would be best (idealism) with what we must do or are able to do which is (realism). What makes a person a realist or idealist? According to dictionary.com which is an online source; Idealism is the tendency to represent things in their ideal forms, rather than as they are. According to Action Films thriller 101 “Bruce Wayne is an idealist who believes he can alter the world’s crime ridden roots through the donning of a mask and a cape”. Wayne as an idealist is willing to sacrifice his life and anything he values for the cities future. He represents order and justice but in the same breath he seeks it as a vigilante...
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...Film Noir Lighting comparison with Ridley Scott's “Blade Runner”. Menelaos Pampoukidis 3. Choose a film, TV show, music video or advertisement and discuss how the directing OR editing OR lighting style and choices inform its narrative form, genre and theme(s). Consider the film or show in its entirety and demonstrate your understanding and awareness of directing OR editing qualities. How lightning style and choices inform Ridley Scott's “Blade Runner”(1982) narrative, genre and theme. In early 1940s, soon after the second World War, a new film genre started to develop. Almost, twenty years later Nino Frank, influenced by the France “Black Book”, gave it the name Film Noir. “Product of a multifaceted interaction between developments within particular genres – the gangster/crime film and the Gothic melodrama – fluctuating conditions of production and reception within the American industry, and more diffuse cultural movements.”1 The early Film Noir was profoundly influenced by the depression of the war. Hard boiled, dark, devious and cynical, it was originally based on German expressionism and later on Italian neorealism in order to create it's individual style and unique iconography. “As expressionists motifs supplied Noir's dark undercurrents, the Neo-Realist influence that appeared after war introduced a documentary flavour to American thrillers”2 As Film Noir kept progressing many elements were added to the prime features, expanding the range of the genre...
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...The Wizard of Oz- A Film Analysis ENG:225 Introduction to Film Professor Daniel Burrello April 20, 2015 The Wizard of Oz - A Film Analysis The 1920's and 30's marked the beginning of a new world for movie directors and audiences alike, prompting directors to challenge traditional American values and push the filming process to new boundaries. The early part of the 20th century was tainted with the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II, millions of Americans were losing their jobs, and security became a big concern for the people of the States. Although citizens struggled during these times, they remained hopeful as cinema became the drug of choice through the expensive use of color and sound to transfer audiences from reality to a fairy tale place. Director Victor Fleming's classic film, The Wizard of Oz (1939), gave the audience an 'identity', touching on social attitude and the way people play a powerful role in their own lives through escapism and symbolism throughout the film. In 1939, MGM director Victor Fleming, in collaboration with Harold Rosson as cinematographer, released the classic blockbuster fantasy film The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland as young and innocent Dorothy Gale, a young girl from Kansas who is swept away during a tornado along with her dog Toto. During her adventure in the land of Oz she kills The Wicked Witch of the West played by Margaret Hamilton, and embarks on a journey to find the almighty and powerful Wizard played by...
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...American Dream Theme’s in Taxi Driver An Annotated Bibliography Dempsey, Michael. Rev. of Taxi Driver, by Martin Scorsese/Michael Phillips/Julia Phillips/Tony Bill. Film Quarterly Vol. 29, No. 4 (Summer, 1976). Pp. 37-41. Print. Dempsey’s review of Taxi Driver directed by Martin Scorsese is an analytical synopsis of the film given in comparison through other novels and films. Dempsey opens his criticism of Taxi Driver by stating that Taxi Driver’s inspiration came from Robert Bresson’s Four Nights of a Dreamer. Dempsey continues to recap the film and calls De Niro’s portrayal of the main character as bringing a brilliant conception alive with expert minimalism. Dempsey’s most surprising review comes in the form of the infamous climactic end to the film. Dempsey describes this as “only a revenge movie cliché; like the shark attacks in Jaws” further stating that is only provided a reflexive physical reaction. Ebert, Roger. Rev. of Taxi Driver, by Martin Scorsese/Michael Phillips/Julia Phillips/Tony Bill. 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. < http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-taxi-driver-1976>. Ebert’s review of Taxi Driver directed by Martin Scorsese was a post look of great American films that Ebert put on his acclaimed “top rated” listing. Ebert describes the lead character Travis Bickle as “ a character with a desperate need to make some sort of contact somehow—to share or mimic the effortless social interaction he sees all around him, but does not participate...
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...Analysis by: Pravin Deva Film: The Crow (1994) Director: Alex Proyas The Crow Analysis The film, The Crow, is a magnificent film that portrays an unhappy spirit who is on a vendetta to find and kill the criminals responsible for his and his fiancée, Shelly played by Sofia Shinas, death of Hollows Eve. The film takes place in city that is at a dismal state and one that is vulnerable to heinous crimes, such as the murder of Eric and Shelly. Murder is a big part of the film and is something that the director, Alex Proyas, wants to portray throughout the movie. I believe that Proyas wanted to show murder is a big issue in our society and that no one is safe, even people who are loving and harmless as Eric and Shelly were. When Eric says “Victims aren’t we all” right before he stabs Tin-Tin, explains how no one is safe from murder, whether you the good guy or the bad guy, it is almost a given. This film was filled with many symbols but the one that stood out the most was the crow. I believe that the crow symbolizes life’s mysteries; such as something which we cannot simply explain happens, we may just say that it was part of God’s plan or it was simply a twist of faith. Whatever the case may be, the crow was the reason Eric was resurrected and given a chance to get back those who ended his and Shelly’s lives. Not only does the crow show destiny but it also portrays life. For example when Eric was resurrected, he was virtually indestructible and nothing could...
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...Sociological theories can be applied to almost any media source. The media source that will be highlighted is The Dark Night. This movie was released in 2008 and was based off DC comic’s super hero Batman. The Dark Night puts the social framework of a fictional city to the test. The criminal in the movie named The Joker who dresses like a clown battles Batman physically and by testing the social duty of the City of Gotham. Throughout the film Joker makes pawns of mobsters, civilians, police officers and city officials and uses them to prove his ideological thinking that all people will do terrible things when they are in fear. The Joker’s motive for all he does is to show the world that everyone, in the end, is just like him. This paper...
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...Music has been in movies since the first “silent films” were made, and continues to be one of the most influential factors in determining how beautiful and lighthearted, or how horrific and tragic a film is perceived by the audience. This paper will provide an analysis of Hans Zimmer’s composition of the soundtrack to the movie The Dark Knight Rises. This dark, intense and emotionally pounding soundtrack pairs perfectly with the tension between the mysterious Batman character and his latest evil nemesis Bane. We will examine the musical characteristics of two selections from this soundtrack, “Gotham’s Reckoning” which has become Bane’s primary theme music that will forever connect the audience with feeling of impending doom and “Rise” the epic closing number in the movie that connects us to the previous films in the trilogy. There is a reoccurring rhythmic pattern used throughout this soundtrack that seemingly connects each piece in the work. The chant heard throughout the score gives a primitive depth since the words are unrecognizable. Hans Zimmer uses synthesizers and samplers to create this modern score which is closely tied to the music previously written for the two prior films from this trilogy. There are even some parts of the new musical pieces that contain excerpts or samples from the prior films soundtracks. Zimmer uses this technique in order to recreate the emotions from the prior films to establish an immediate connection with the familiar characters. ...
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...Though Lacanian theory has long had a privileged place in the analysis of film, film theory has tended to ignore some of Lacan’s most important ideas. As a result, Lacanian film theory has never properly integrated the disruptive and troubling aspects of the filmic experience that result from the encounter with the Real that this experience makes possible. Many contemporary theorists emphasize the importance of the encounter with the Real in Lacan’s thought, but rarely in discussions of film. By bringing the encounter with the Real into the dialogue of film theory, the contributors to this volume present a new version of Lacan to the world of film studies. These essays bring this rediscovered Lacan to bear on contemporary cinema through analysis of a wide variety of films, including Memento, Eyes Wide Shut, Breaking the Waves, and Fight Club. The films discussed here demand a turn to Lacanian theory because they emphasize the disruptive role of the Real and of jouissance in the experience of the human subject. There is a growing number of films in contemporary cinema that speak to film’s power to challenge and disturb the complacency of spectators, and the essays in Lacan and Contemporary Film analyze some of these films and bring their power to light. Because of its dual focus on developments in Lacanian theory and in contemporary film, this collection serves as both an accessible introduction to current Lacanian film theory and an introduction to the study of contemporary cinema...
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...English Mini-Assignment Theme | Elements of Fiction/Film Techniques | “In the right circumstances, the underdogs can also be the winner.” | * Theme, Characterization * Lighting, Audio, Setting, Editing | Thesis: The film version of the multi-award winning novel, Moneyball, is a strong adaptation of the story. The director, Bennett Miller, has succeeded in matching author Michael Lewis’ style by using a great sense of lighting, audio, characterisation, setting and editing to help capture the theme; underdogs can be winners in the right circumstances. Just like the book, the movie symbolized hope, unfairness and to never give up. List of 10 Passages: 1. ISU Novel Passage: " There was the bias toward what people saw with their own eyes, or thought they had seen... There was a lot you couldn't see when you watched a baseball game.” (Lewis 19) Elements of Fiction: Setting, Characterization and Conflict between what baseball managers see in baseball players. Film Adaptation: Billy and Paul (his name is Peter in the movie) are in the garage of the Cleveland Indians baseball team and they are both wearing a suit, and there are cars in the background. (Time: 0:20:39) Film Techniques: - Medium-Bright lighting to show enthusiasm - Over-the-shoulder shots - Inspirational music in the background to show inspiration of what Paul (Peter) is saying Analysis/Connection to Thesis: This passage and movie scene relates to the thesis because the thesis is about how...
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...1 RTVF 010 Hill1 5/8/14 Film Analysis Paper Assignment: The Avengers The Avengers is an outstanding movie with a storyline that makes it hard for the viewer to look away. It is about an evil man from another world, Loki, who comes to earth to steal an energy source of unknown potential, the tesseract, to try and take over the world. The leader of the earth’s peace keeping agency has went out and gathered The Avengers; a group of superheroes that consists of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. Together these superheroes set out to save the world in a captivating story full of thrilling events. However, what makes these thrilling events come across to the audience so effectively is the excellent use of mise en scène. Throughout this movie, several aspects of mise en scène are used very effectively and are a big part of why this was one of the most succesful movies ever made. One scene that contains an extraordinary use of mise en scène is in the forest when Iron Man and Captain America first meet Thor. The first thing that stood out was the setting. These three extremely powerful forces are meeting for the first time in this very large forest. Right off the bat the setting gives off a sense that almost anything can happen. They are in the wide open wilderness with nothing stopping them from doing what they want to do. If they want to fight, they can do so without harming any nearby people. Another aspect of mise en scène that...
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...Film i Engelsk Bilag 1a FILM ANALYSIS – an introduction (Source: http://www.filmeducation.org) – bearbejdet af Mi og LK, Favrskov Gymnasium Reading a film is just like reading a book, except that instead of looking at a written page we are looking at the cinema screen. Reading a film works in exactly the same way as a written text, or a picture, except that the tools that are used to create meaning are different. We call these tools film language. The opening sequence From the moment we first start watching a film, we begin to get involved. The first few minutes of a film (the opening sequence) are very important to us as they give us lots of clues about the film: 1) what will the film be about (conflicts/themes); 2) who are the most important characters (hero, villain, love interest); 3); what is the setting of the film (time and place); 4) the genre; and finally, 5) what sort of film language characterizes the film? We look at all these elements and begin to put them into context. Based on their environment, how they look, what they say and what we see them do, we make assumptions about the characters, their roles in the film and their relationship to each other. We also recognize so-called genre markers (things we associate with one particular genre) which tell us if we are watching a Western or a Sc-Fi film and, thus, form specific expectations about what is going to happen during the rest of the film. At the same time, we listen to the sounds and the music...
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...LACAN AND CONTEMPORARY FILM EDITED BY TODD McGOWAN and SHEILA KUNKLE OTHER Other Press New York Copyright © 2004 Todd McGowan and Sheila Kunkle Production Editor: Robert D. Hack This book was set in 11 pt. Berkeley by Alpha Graphics, Pittsfield, N.H. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Allrightsreserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from Other Press LLC, except in the case of brief quotations in reviews for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast. Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper. For information write to Other Press LLC, 307 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10001. Or visit our website: www.otherpress.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data McGowan, Todd. Lacan and contemporary film / by Todd McGowan & Sheila Kunkle. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-59051-084-4 (pbk : alk. paper) 1. Motion pictures-Psychological aspects. 2. Psychoanalysis and motion pictures. 3. Lacan, Jacques, 1901- I. Kunkle, Sheila. II. Title. PN1995 .M379 2004 791.43'01 '9-dc22 2003020952 Contributors Paul Eisenstein teaches literature and film in the English department at Otterbein College, Columbus, Ohio, and is the author of Traumatic Encounters: Holocaust Representation and the Hegelian Subject (SUNY Press, 2003). Anna Kornbluh...
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...Nick Garvey Professor White Foreign Films/ENL 276 4/20/10 Analysis of A Call Girl by Damjan Kozole The film, A Call Girl, directed by Damjan Kozole captured the essence of growing up as a young adult trying to make the transition moving from a small town to a large city. Alexandra is a 23-year-old English major at a university in the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia. The first scene has Alexandra walking into a room with an older gentleman sitting on the bed. She has obviously been called there to provide sexual services to the man on the bed, but her client does not appear to be completely healthy after taking an excessive dosage of Viagra. Alexandra looks concerned when she realizes that the man is not in good shape, and when he proceeds to collapse onto the floor Alexandra is mindful enough to call downstairs to the hotel for help. After calling for help, she immediately leaves the hotel without anyone seeing her; however, now the whole city is aware that a call girl was with the man when he died and the police are looking to investigate her. As if her job wasn’t difficult enough before, now half the whole city is looking for a whore who goes by the name of “Slovenian girl”. Other than being a part-time escort for men, Alexandra is a dedicated student and a loving daughter to her lonely father who lives back in their small village, away from the city, by himself. Her father shows a great deal of affection for his daughter and he notices that something is constantly bothering...
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...Film Critique / The Sixth Sense For my final project, I decided to critique and analyze various features of the movie, The Sixth Sense. I will use a structural approach to examine the film’s edifice and explain how the productions of scenes and shots tell the overall story (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011). I will demonstrate how the genre and the rating of the movie do not appropriately fit its criteria, and how the motion picture evaluation system failed by revealing horrific scenes to teens by assigning the PG-13 rating. In addition to that, I will illuminate inconsistent and unexplained actions with continuity glitches throughout the movie. Regardless of its mistakes, the film became a great success, because the plot of the movie allowed the audience to explore a different side of life after death and the grief that comes with it. Ultimately, the movie The Sixth Sense can be perceived as a therapy, because it gives us tools on how to deal with fear and helps us learn about the ways on how to come with terms of loss. It also explains the importance of communication between a doctor and the patient, a husband and a wife, a mother and a son, and of course, between our society and ourselves. Two unalike families contribute to the story’s plot. Two separate lives of Cole (played by Haley Joel Osment) and his mother Lynn (played by Toni Collette), and a psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) with his wife Anna (played by Olivia Williams). The story begins with an ordinary psychologist...
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...APPENDIX Writing a Film Analysis Films are made to be seen and heard, to appeal to our visual and aural senses. Like any art form, however, films are also meant to be felt and understood, to appeal to our emotions and minds. One of the best ways to determine whether a film has succeeded in any or all of these goals is to analyze the elements that make up the whole work. To write an analysis of a film, you must study the film carefully. Your critical analysis should be derived from your personal encounter with the film, not from published criticism. Access to a videocassette recorder or DVD player is essential if you are going to perform a critical analysis of any depth. It is not enough to like or dislike the movie; you must determine why it succeeds or fails in reaching out and encompassing the viewer. The first step is to view the film in its entirety. From this viewing you can get an initial reaction to the many parts of the film that you will have to explore in more depth. When you first view the film, it is best not to try to take notes or separate the parts of the film; you should be familiar with the textbook in order to know what to look for. After you have formulated a thesis and have begun the process of supporting that thesis, you should view the film at least once more in its entirety and two or three times in segments in order to review scenes of major importance. The thesis statement is the element around which to structure your analysis. Because the theme or...
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