Post Film Theory

My first blog. Let me take an opportunity to thank my professor  from Kean University for letting me see a new way of looking at movies. Your teachings will stick with me as I continue to write stories. Thank you.

Now, unto freedom. The first movie that I will discuss is "Cheaper by the Dozen 2." As far as the antics of the younger kids getting themselves into trouble, the sequal doesn't top the first movie. The only explosive scene that was used for the second movie is the firecraker found in Mark Baker's bag (Forrest Landis). The movie repeats the scene of the soaked in meat when Tom Barker (Steve Martin) sits in the chair where his rival, Jimmy Murtaugh  (Eugine Levy) was suppose to sit as a adaptation from the first movie where Aston Kutcher's character is attacked by the Baker's dog (ouch! lol). 


What did make the movie memorable was the transitions of the baker kids. Lorraine Baker (Hilary Duff ( she's a prego) ) graduates from high school and wants to move to NY for the internship in Allure magazine (hate her right now jk...). The oldest child, Nora Baker (Piper Pearbo) is married and is pregnant. The one transition that is memorable is Sara Barker (Alyson Stoner) where she develops a crush on Elliot Murtaugh (Taylor Lautner (i like older women) ).  Alyson Stoner brings the audience back of a time of first loves/crushes.Charlie Baker (Tom Welling (I'll miss Smallville) ) falls for Anne Murtaugh (Jamie King) the oldest child in the Murtaugh family. The final ending shows how the Baker kids grow up, but not loose sight of what is important, family.

With that said I am famish. The food that does pops in my mind is white sausage on a hot preztel bun; carmalized with cooked onion and some mustard. Delishious. One of the tasty treats in Upper East Side in New York City. I can't cook for the like of me, but I sure love to eat like I can. =D.  Mustard is required. Tell me your favorite treats. I would love to hear, along with any of your favorite movies. Till next time.

Final Exam Essay#2

Follow shot- as the subject moves, the camera moves along with the subject.

Camera followed both Susan and Roberta when Roberta is driving to New York and Susan walkswith Jim to his van. Roberta sitting on the bench and Roberta following when she walks with Jim and when Susan is inside the vintage shop trying on shoes.

Tracking shot/travelling shot/dollying shot- Camera moves on wheels when the subject is riding on a mobile such as a car or a bus..

Roberta is driving to New York to follow Susan. After Susan leave the hotel room from Atlantic City, she rides on the bus to get back to New York. Any of the other scenes when Susan, or Roberta and Diz ride on the taxi.

Close up- the subject take up one single frame. Emphasizes to the audience how important the moment is.

The camera has a close up of Roberta and Diz spending the night after Diz bails her out of jail. Roberta’s memory comes back, she tells Diz that she is Roberta, but he doesn’t believe; shows how happy both Roberta and Diz in the moment. Susan in Roberta’s bedroom reading Roberta’s diary in torn under garments. Susan is in the public bathroom using the hand blower but she uses for to blow her hair.


Cross-cutting- two different actions are being done at the same time.

Susan gets arrested, she sees Roberta wearing her jacket and is being harassed by the guy who is black mailing her. Susan gets in the police car, Roberta’s head gets hit by a pole and get amnesia. Diz and Jim try to find Susan at the Magic Club. Susan brings Roberta’s husband and her sister-in-law in the club to find Roberta. Roberta is on stage, the stalker tries to go after Roberta, Diz and Roberta’s husband try to chase the stalker. Roberta is caught in a love triangle. Susan and Jim are in a basement having sex, the stalker takes Susan away. Susan crawls through the backstage window; where Roberta hits the stalker with a wine bottle and is knocked out cold.

Scene- A single shot that narrates the film.
Roberta’s head gets hurt by a pole. Diz tries to help her off the ground and helps her remember who she is. Diz and Roberta take off to her locker. They open the locker and find Susan’s stuff; unsure whether or not she is Susan. Diz almost leaves Roberta with her suitcase, but he feels sorry to leave her alone with a suitcase that she doesn’t even know about.

Beauty and the Beast

Nicole Gonzalez, 12/10/11, Beauty and the Beast, 1 hour and 33 minutes, 1946, Directed by Jean Cocteau

Awards :
(1946) won the PRix Louis Delluc Award Jean Cocteau Beauty and the Beast


The film theory that I would use is Auteur because Cocteau uses the film to tell the story about a young girl risking her life to save her father's for breaking into the beast's house. Audience routes for the main protagonist, Belle, because she has two harsh sisters and wishes to be far away with the one she loves. When she is forced to stay with the Beast, Belle learns to love and the Beast magically turns into a Prince, who looks like the The Usurer that ws trying to win her love.


In one review, Ebert states that the movie itself is an adaptation of the French tale and not to be meant as a children's tale (Ebert, 1). The reason Ebert puts the disclaimer is because of the black and white cinematography along with the french subtitles. Windling goes through a whole critique on all of the other versions of the story along with the critique of the film. Cocteau uses mythical art and black and white cinematography to tell the story of the classic French tale (Windling, 1).


In Cocteau's film, there are some comparisons between the Disney's adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. When Belle and the Beast walk down the stairs outside of the mansion is simular to the scene for the musical number, "Beauty and the Beast," for the Disney version. The dinner scenes of how the table and seating are arranged is also simular because both show the two characters sit across from one another and the whole elaborat decorations for the dinner arrangements.


I was trying to find the Cocteau's film out of my curiousity. From what I could gather is a ballet-like setting, but has inspired to the Disney cartoon movie I remember as a child. Jean Cocteau knows how to use the element of magic and help inspire the Walt Disney production to retell the story and to hold on to the enchantment that is Beauty and the Beast.


Work Cited

Ebert, Roger. "Beauty and the Beast ." rodgerebert.com. N.p., 27 Dec. 1999. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. 

     http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19991226/REVIEWS08/912260301/1023.

Windling, Terri. Beauty and the Beast . N.p., 2007. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. 

     <http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/forbewty.html>. 

Rear Window

Nicole Gonzalez, December 10, 2011.
Rear Window: 112 minutes, 1954 Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Awards:
(1955)- nominated in the Oscars for Best Cinematography, Color Robert Burks, Best Director- Alfred Hitchcock, Best Sound, Recording: Loren L. Ryder (Paramount), and Best Writing, Screenplay John Michael Hayes.

(1955)- nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Film from any source.

(2001)- nominated for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Alfred Hitchcock

(1955)- won the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Motion Picture John Michael Hayes

(1954)- won the NBR Award for Best Actress Grace Kelly.

(1997)- won the National Film Registry Award

(2005)- nominated for the Satellite Award for Outstanding Classic DVD

(1955)- nominated for WGA Award for Best Written American Drama John Michael Hayes.  


Rear Window

The flim theory that I would use for Rear Window is Voyeurism. The main character, L.B. looks at other people through his window; observing people inside their apartments going about their day. Everything changes when him, his girlfriend Lisa and his nurse Stella suspect a man killed his wife. Toward the middle and the end of the movie, Hitchcock uses another theory Genre because it has a typical private eye mystery that keeps the audience suspence when Lisa and Stella sneak inside the neighbor's home and is caught by the same man.


Roger Ebert states, "most of the great movies begin with a simple premise," (Roger, 1). E.B. is in a wheel chair, observing the people. He notices one man's wife dissappears; making the neighbor guilty for murdeuring his wife. In addition, since L.B. is in a wheelchair his imagination is build by watching through his window (PERLMUTTER, 53). Hitchcock uses thrill tactics within the narrative story (54).  


In the beginning, L.B. is known to be the voyerist neighbor because he has on a leg casset and sits on a wheelchair all day; find escapeism. The audience learns a little bit more about his girlfriend, Lisa of why they have a distant relationship and is tested when both and Stella try to catch the neighbor because of the murder of the wife. L.B. and Lisa's relationship is put to the test when they are trying to solve a murder mystery and in the end the neighbor is put under arrest.   



Alfred Hitchcock knows how to keep the audience suspense by overemphasizing the background score. As well as, using the camera to invite the viewers inside the story. Metaphorically, the camera is a window for the audience for them to be part of a thriller suspense story.


Work Cited

REAR WINDOW: A "CONSTRUCTION-STORY"

RUTH PERLMUTTER

Journal of Film and Video , Vol. 37, No. 2, SEXUAL DIFFERENCE (Spring 1985), pp. 53-65

Published by: University of Illinois Press on behalf of the University Film & Video Association

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20687662

Ebert, Roger. "Rear Window ." rogerebert.com. N.p., 7 Oct. 1983. Web. 10 Dec. 2011.

     http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19831007/REVIEWS/310070302/1023. 

Chinatown

Slug: Nicole Gonzalez (11/28/11) Chinatown. (1974). 130 min.
Directed by: Roman Polanski.
Written by: Robert Towne

Awards:

1975- Academy Awards, USA Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s) Won Oscar Best Writing, Original Screenplay: Robert Towne. Nominated Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role: Jack Nicholson. Best Actress in a Leading Role: Faye Dunaway. Best Art Direction-Set Decoration: Richard Sylbert  W. Stewart Campbell Ruby R. Levitt. Best Cinematography: John A. Alonzo. Best Costume Design: Anthea Sylbert. Best Director: Roman Polanski. Best Film Editing: Sam O'Steen. Best Music, Original Dramatic Score: Jerry Goldsmith. Best Picture: Robert Evans. Best Sound: Charles Grenzbach Larry Jost.

BAFTA Awards: Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s) Won BAFTA Film Award Best Actor: Jack Nicholson Also for The Last Detail (1973). Best Direction: Roman Polanski. Best Screenplay: Robert Towne Also for The Last Detail (1973). Nominated Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music: Jerry Goldsmith BAFTA Film Award Best Actress: Faye Dunaway. Best Art Direction: Richard Sylbert. Best Cinematography: John A. Alonzo.Best Costume Design: Anthea Sylbert. Best Film and Best Film Editing: Sam O'Steen. Best Supporting Actor: John Huston. Chinatown

Bodil Awards: Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s). Won Bodil Best Non-European Film (Bedste ikke-europæiske film): Roman Polanski (director). Directors Guild of America, USA 

Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s): Nominated.

DGA Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: Roman Polanski.  

Edgar Allan Poe Awards:Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s):Won Edgar Best Motion Picture: Robert Towne.  

Fotogramas de Plata: Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s): Won Fotogramas de Plata Best Foreign Movie Performer (Mejor intérprete de cine extranjero): Jack Nicholson Also for Five Easy Pieces (1970).

Golden Globes, USA: Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s): Won Golden Globe Best Director - Motion Picture: Roman Polanski. Best Motion Picture - Drama. Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama: Jack Nicholson. Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: Robert Towne. Nominated Golden Globe Best Motion Picture Actress - Drama: Faye Dunaway. Best Original Score: Jerry Goldsmith. Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture: John Huston.

Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards: Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s) Won KCFCC Award Best Actor: Jack Nicholson. Best Supporting Actor: John Huston.

(1991)- National Film Preservation Board, USA  Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s).

(1975)- Won National Film Registry National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s).Won NSFC Award Best Actor: Jack Nicholson Also for The Last Detail (1973).

(1974)- New York Film Critics Circle Awards Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s): Won NYFCC Award Best Actor: Jack Nicholson Also for The Last Detail (1973). 2nd place NYFCC Award Best Screenplay: Robert Towne.

(2000)- PGA AwardsYear Result Award Category/Recipient(s). Won PGA Hall of Fame - Motion Pictures: Robert Evans.

(1975)- Sant Jordi Awards Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s). Won Sant Jordi Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): Roman Polanski.  

(1975)- Writers Guild of America, USA Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s). Won WGA Award (Screen) Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen: Robert Towne.  

Chinatown can be described through auteur because of the stoyline. The movie tells a story of a hitman who is hired by a rich woman who suspects her husband for having an affair. As the movie continues, the audience learns about her father who is runs the water drought in Los Angeles. Also, the characters evolve within one another as the wife is closer to being caught by the police that are by her father. Both have an affair an the hitman becomes the anti-hero who does the right thing. The characters have endless problems that makes them interesting and plays well with the story. Autuer engages the audience by making the story and the two main characters memorable based on how they are written.

Roger Ebert states the movie is a revamp of the 1940's movies because it is an omage to the private eye movies (Ebert 1). The director Polanski's awareness of the 1930's is well played because he wanted to be seen as a movie that reaches close to the actual genre (3). Garrett Stewart compares the movie from the novel The Long Goodbye (Stewart 25).

There is an element of senister behind Jack Nicholson's character J.J. because of the numerous frame shots (26). When J.J. learns more of the widow from the father or when he is suspecious of the wife because she is hiding something, Jack Nicholson knows how to play for the camera.

Chinatown shows one of Jack Nicholson's great performance. As an inspiring writing, the techniques of stage direction, choice of shooting frames and choice of objections for the wife and the hitman is very well written in terms of character development. After watching, I would love to read more on the Robert Towne's work.

Work Cited

Ebert, Roger. "Chinatown." Rev. of Chinatown. rogerebert.com. rogerebert.com, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 

     2011. <http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19740601/REVIEWS/ 

     40817002>. 

Stewart, Garrett. "The Long Goodbye' from 'Chinatown." Film Quarterly  28.2 (1974-1975): pp. 25-32 . 

     JSTOR. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1211630>. 

The Searchers

Slug: Nicole Gonzalez 11/1/11, “The Searchers,” 119 min, English, Directed by: John Ford, (2007) Nominated for Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films USA for Saturn Award in Best DVD Classic Film Release, (1957) Nominated for DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Picture: John Ford, and (1989) Winner for the National Film Registry.


The Searchers

The film theory that sticks out in “The Searchers” is genre because the movie is a western theme. Ethan Edwards is a cowboy who fights the Indians because they killed his family. Both Ethan and his sidekick and nephew, Martin, go to the cantina for drinks. In the end, the hero gets the girl in the end, Laurie. Another element is auteur because it tells a story about two different men trying to work together and good versus evil. The Searchers has both a story with a theme that is recognizable for audience.





Brian Henderson for the Film Quarterly states that the movie focuses on one character, which is Ethan Edwards. Majority of his motives is to solve problems. The camera follows his moves to show the audience how he fights off the Indians. Robert Ebert calls “Wayne character is racist without apology,” (Ebert 1). Also, directors such as Lucas and Scorsese were inspirations for both “Star Wars” and “Taxi Driver.” Ebert even looks at the racism scene as a way to bring humor in the movie (1). For the two articles, the main focus was on Ethan Edwards, the anti-hero who fights for justice.








In the beginnging of the movie, we see Ethan holding his brother's wife close; having some indication that he might be having an affair. He did not like Indians, he was tempted to kill Debbie because she married Scar the leader of the Indian tribe. The show shows his dislike towards Indians and uses slurs like "blanket head" as an joke. “The Searchers” shows the anti-hero of John Wayne.








Considered I have never watched a John Wayne movie, he is an iconic film actor. There were some moments in the movie that were a little hard to watch such as the anti-slurs against Indians and entire time of chasing Debbie. It seemed to me that the younger character was unsure whether he was in love with Laurie or Debbie.







Work Cited

Henderson, Brian."The Searchers: An American Dilemma," Film Quarterly. Vol. 34, No. 2 (Winter, 1980-1981), Published by: University of California Press Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1211909. pp. 9-23. Web.

Ebert, Robert. "The Searchers," RobertEbert.com. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20011125/REVIEWS08/111250301/1023. pp.1-2. Web.

Rashomon

Slug: Nicole Gonzalez, 10/18/2011 (1950), Rashomon, 88 min, Japanese, Director: Akira Kurosawa (1953) Nominated for the American Academy Awards for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black and White: Takashi Matsuyama and H. Motsumoto, (1952) Winner of the American Honorary Award Voted by the Board of Govemors as the most outstanding foreign language film released in the United States during 1951, (1953)Nominated for the BAFTA Film Awards for Best Film from any Source: Japan, Winner of the Blue Robin Award for Best Screenplay: Akira Kurosawa Shinobu Hashimoto, (1953)Nominated for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: Akira Kurosawa, (1951) Winner of the Manichi Film Concours for Best Actress Machiko Kyô, (1951) Winner of the NBR Award for Best Director: Akira Kurosawa and Best Foreign Film: Japan, (1951) Winner of the Golden Lion Award: Akira Kurosawa, (1951) Winner of the Italian Critic Award: : Akira Kurosawa.

Rashomon


Kurosawa tells the story of the married couple and the man who kills the husband in an allegory tale; showing more than one side of the story. The film theory that is used is formalism because of the styling of how the wife tells her story and how other tell tge same story in a different way. The camera lets the audience judge exactly how the husband dies by not letting the judge speak (Precious 1). The camera shoots from both the vertical, showing the sun, the forest and the characters by using horizontal movement (1). In the very last scene, the woodcutter, the commoner and the priest find a baby. The baby could symbolize a new beginning or an innocence life from the “horrible story.” The ending shows sentimentality because Kurosawa brings an emotional level to the audience so they could feel sad or nostalgic from original story of the wife, the husband and the bandit (2).




Kurosawa is named “master of medium,” because he had the ability to show Western audience how Eastern films are made (Crow 1). Crow does question whether or not the woodcutter’s testimony was the truth because he might be lying of the crime that was committed (1). Since there was more than one side of the testimony, Crow states that it might fall into the category of nihilism-showing some truth with some lies (1). While this first review gives the movie appraise, the second article does not praise the movie. Barbarow criticizes the essay, "How to Solve a Mystery of Roshomon," by Parker Tyler calls the movie "a masterpiece." Also, the article states that Kurosawa wants the audience to be the fifth witness, which fails because the audience does not know which side to believe (421). He even states that all of the story loses their identity because there is no truth (421). Barbarow questions whether or not the movie is worthy to be called a masterpiece (421). Crow praises Kurosawa for using the baby to draw the audience in an emotional level (1). Also, showing some dramatic emphises on the wife being thron on the leaves. Barbarow criticizes on the first shot where there is a rainstorm which could have been seen in Hamlet. The showing of the baby was not needed (422).




Akira Kurosawa’s “Roshomon” does capture all for sides of the story, but I find the female character quite annoying. From all of the stories, she is over-emphasizing the crying or she seems confused of who side to take: the bandit or her husband. Even during the trial, I didn’t want to believe her story because her expression is so over the top, I wanted to believe she was the reason for the crime. In addition, the movie seemed to be a little degrading on females because as both the husband and the bandit fight over her, they tell her she is nothing without a man, which made me question of why are the two men fighting over her in the first place.









Work Cited:
Barbarow, George. “Rashomon and the Fifth Witness.” The Hudson Review, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Autumn, 1952), pp. 420-422. Web. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3847915


Crow, Jonathan. “review.” Rovi, 2011. Web.  http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/v40347



“Rashomon.” Precious Bodily Fluids, March 2009. Web. http://andrewsidea.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/rashomon/