When I started watching Little Women this weekend I was convinced that it was a film that I had never seen before. I didn't recognize any of the beginning and was surprised by all of the faces I recognized. By the end of the film I realized that Little Women was yet another one of the many films that I had seen the ending of for some reason but never the whole thing. After watching the whole film I must admit that the ending made a lot more sense this time around. I remember the first time I saw this ending I thought the professor was a soldier returning or something along those lines. I like the fact that he is a professor a lot better than my soldier version.
I liked the film and found the story pretty interesting but I have to wonder how faithful it is to the novel. I've never read the book so I can't judge for myself but that it always something that I wonder about when I see adaptations of literature. In the film a big aspect of the film is the girls' search for independence and success. While I'm sure there were sentiments of this during the 1860's when the book was published, I know Hollywood likes to exaggerate aspects of older novels to reflect the beliefs of today's society. I'd be interested in finding out how faithful the film was to the book but I'm sure this will be a task saved for after college.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Persepolis
Over the last couple of years the biggest craze has been making graphic novels and comic books into full length films. Drawing from a variety of stories and ideas, these films try to make these fantasy worlds as realistic as they possibly can. Persepolis is the exception of the craze. This movie works with the original idea presented by the story and remains a two-dimensional cartoon. I liked how they kept with the original idea and I think they would have lost a lot of the story's meaning if they tried to make it three-dimensional in any way. Persepolis looks at the life of Marjane Satrapi and her experience growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Marjane is a very outgoing girl and follows her family's example of always resisting ideas that they feel are unjust. As life in Iran begins to get more restricted because the Islamic fundamentalists beliefs Marjane's family fears for her safety and send her to Germany to study. However, Germany creates new issues and Marjane becomes an outcast in this new culture. In her search for herself in this confusing world Marjane shows us the importance of remaining true to yourself.
While searching for critic's opinions of Persepolis I came across this blog entry, The House Next Door: Revolution Fades, Teen Angst Endures: Persepolis. While I appreciate the analysis of the film and the synopsis that he provides I have to disagree with his ending view of the film. For Vadim Rizov the film ultimately comes down to a story of teen angst and the fact that in the end that is all you remember. While this does play a big part in the story since it is a coming of age tale, I don't think that the it's the only thing that endures from the film. The revolution does kind of fade into the background of the story but that is because the characters begin to accept the changes. They don't agree with them and hate the fact they have to comply with the regulations but that is what life has become for the people. I think what endures the most from this film is the feeling of discovery. The point of any coming of age tale is the discovery of self and where you belong in the world. Persepolis is so moving because while she believes she has discovered herself, she is still lost in this world. She belongs to an Iran that disappeared and doesn't really belong in the European culture either. I felt like I could relate in some way to this feeling of being lost in the world. So I have to disagree with Rizov and say that the thing that endures after watching this film is not teen angst but the feeling of being lost in a world that doesn't want you.
While searching for critic's opinions of Persepolis I came across this blog entry, The House Next Door: Revolution Fades, Teen Angst Endures: Persepolis. While I appreciate the analysis of the film and the synopsis that he provides I have to disagree with his ending view of the film. For Vadim Rizov the film ultimately comes down to a story of teen angst and the fact that in the end that is all you remember. While this does play a big part in the story since it is a coming of age tale, I don't think that the it's the only thing that endures from the film. The revolution does kind of fade into the background of the story but that is because the characters begin to accept the changes. They don't agree with them and hate the fact they have to comply with the regulations but that is what life has become for the people. I think what endures the most from this film is the feeling of discovery. The point of any coming of age tale is the discovery of self and where you belong in the world. Persepolis is so moving because while she believes she has discovered herself, she is still lost in this world. She belongs to an Iran that disappeared and doesn't really belong in the European culture either. I felt like I could relate in some way to this feeling of being lost in the world. So I have to disagree with Rizov and say that the thing that endures after watching this film is not teen angst but the feeling of being lost in a world that doesn't want you.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
North by Northwest
Over the years I have been working to see all of Hitchcock's films and I've slowly been accumulating the collection. So far I've seen Rebecca, Psycho, Vertigo, and Rear Window. I noticed that TCM was having a small Hitchcock marathon and the first movie they were showing was North by Northwest. I found the plot interesting and I can see how this movie has influenced many of today's films like Eagle Eye. Roger Thornhill gets mistaken for government agent George Kaplan and almost gets killed by the spies that Kaplan is after. In an attempt to understand whats going on Thornhill attempts to find Kaplan but ends up just getting in deeper.
I managed to find two reviews from 1959 when it originally came out and both praise the film for it's upbeat feel. The first on from Variety and loves the mixture that Hitchcock creates in the film. From his use of Cary Grant to provide endless wit to filming the scenes of the movie in the actual locations the review proclaims that North by Northwest would be a top box office hit. The second one from the New York Times is a little more negative about the film but still believes that it was a success. They felt that the film was really just looking to be a good time and loses the mysterious aspect of the film. After reading both of these reviews I have to agree with the New York Times review. The film looks to be funny and doesn't have that suspense that many of his other films have. So while I enjoyed the film, it certainly wasn't what I was expecting. After seeing the films that I have I was expecting North by Northwest to be much more suspenseful than it really was. I think I'll enjoy it a lot more than I did this first time now that I know that it isn't meant to be taken too seriously.
I managed to find two reviews from 1959 when it originally came out and both praise the film for it's upbeat feel. The first on from Variety and loves the mixture that Hitchcock creates in the film. From his use of Cary Grant to provide endless wit to filming the scenes of the movie in the actual locations the review proclaims that North by Northwest would be a top box office hit. The second one from the New York Times is a little more negative about the film but still believes that it was a success. They felt that the film was really just looking to be a good time and loses the mysterious aspect of the film. After reading both of these reviews I have to agree with the New York Times review. The film looks to be funny and doesn't have that suspense that many of his other films have. So while I enjoyed the film, it certainly wasn't what I was expecting. After seeing the films that I have I was expecting North by Northwest to be much more suspenseful than it really was. I think I'll enjoy it a lot more than I did this first time now that I know that it isn't meant to be taken too seriously.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Interview with the Vampire
The first time I saw Interview with the Vampire was my freshman year in college. I had always been interested in seeing it, so when I noticed my friend had a copy of it on his self I made him watch it with me. I liked the film but it never became one of those films that I felt I had to own. While flipping through channels tonight I saw that the SyFy channel was showing it and decided it was time for another go. The film was just like I remembered it. I liked the way they made you look at the old ideas of vampires and question our fascination with them. I enjoyed Louis and his attempt to keep his humanity and you can't help but love Cruise's eccentric Lastat. I also find Kristen Dunst's portrayal of Claudia to be particularly haunting and an interesting look at the effects that being a vampire has on the person. I will agree with the critics that Louis does get annoying after a while with his constant brooding and that the film does have it's moments when it just drags on but I still love the ideas it presents.
However while I was watching the film it really wasn't the film that truly intrigued me this time but the way the SyFy channel presented it. The first thing I noticed were the commercials. I realize any time you watch a movie you always have to deal with commercials but Interview with the Vampire really seemed to emphasize the change. Interview is an extremely dark film and really emphasizes that darkness throughout the film. So when the channel went into commercials the difference almost seemed exaggerated. You went from watching an almost black screen to a bright white background. It really drug you out of the film and really reminded you where you were. Another aspect of this viewing that I noticed was the way they handled the sexuality in the film. Throughout the film there are quite few scenes that are very explicit. And even though it is being shown on cable it's still a little too much to be shown the way the film intends. There are two scenes in particular that I noticed while watching the film. At one point Claudia sees a woman washing herself through a window. Claudia becomes obsessed with the woman and what she represents, growing up. In every scene involving this woman she is naked to truly show what it is that Claudia is lacking. It was interesting to see this on television because they completely removed her chest. Even in a drawing that Claudia was doing of the woman they removed the breasts so that they show the film on television. Another scene occurs while Claudia and Louis are in Paris. They go to show that involves only vampire actors and in one act they bring out a woman and feed on her in front of the audience. At one point they entirely undress her and have her standing on the stage. To make the scene presentable SyFy blurred out all of the parts that would be inappropriate for television. It's always interesting to see censorship in action and it just seemed ridiculous in this film. In the end watching this movie on television was an interesting look at the effects television has on the viewer and the way they look at a movie.
However while I was watching the film it really wasn't the film that truly intrigued me this time but the way the SyFy channel presented it. The first thing I noticed were the commercials. I realize any time you watch a movie you always have to deal with commercials but Interview with the Vampire really seemed to emphasize the change. Interview is an extremely dark film and really emphasizes that darkness throughout the film. So when the channel went into commercials the difference almost seemed exaggerated. You went from watching an almost black screen to a bright white background. It really drug you out of the film and really reminded you where you were. Another aspect of this viewing that I noticed was the way they handled the sexuality in the film. Throughout the film there are quite few scenes that are very explicit. And even though it is being shown on cable it's still a little too much to be shown the way the film intends. There are two scenes in particular that I noticed while watching the film. At one point Claudia sees a woman washing herself through a window. Claudia becomes obsessed with the woman and what she represents, growing up. In every scene involving this woman she is naked to truly show what it is that Claudia is lacking. It was interesting to see this on television because they completely removed her chest. Even in a drawing that Claudia was doing of the woman they removed the breasts so that they show the film on television. Another scene occurs while Claudia and Louis are in Paris. They go to show that involves only vampire actors and in one act they bring out a woman and feed on her in front of the audience. At one point they entirely undress her and have her standing on the stage. To make the scene presentable SyFy blurred out all of the parts that would be inappropriate for television. It's always interesting to see censorship in action and it just seemed ridiculous in this film. In the end watching this movie on television was an interesting look at the effects television has on the viewer and the way they look at a movie.
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Son of the Sheik
In the past week my film class has been looking at the idea of desire and the power it has on the way people view films. One of the articles that I had to read focused on Rudolph Valentino and his role in films during the 1920's. In one of those weird coincidences of life, Pittsburgh Filmmakers actually presented The Son of the Sheik, one of Valentino's films, in their Melwood Screening Room on Thursday. I decided that it was one of those opportunities that I couldn't miss and went to see it. I must admit I do not have much experience with silent films and I wasn't sure what to expect. While the quality of the film wasn't very good, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the film. The story was very similar to the romantic comedies that I love today. One reason I love the romance genre is the complex relationship between the couple. The Son of the Sheik was no exception, how can you love someone when you believe they have betrayed you.
A major focus for my film class is trying to figure out how people view films and what cues films give the viewer. One reason we read about Valentino and his films was because a major component of his films is the idea of the gaze of desire. A big aspect of the film critic's job is to discern who the film is geared towards. Most critics believe that films are geared entirely to a male audience and look to satisfy male desires. Valentino's films are an interesting counter example though. The films were geared entirely to a female spectator and most men disliked Valentino. You could see this reflected in the way they developed Yasmin and Ahmed's relationship. At first the relationship develops because Ahmed wants it to. He falls in love with her and Yasmin then follows suit. When Ahmed gets attacked by the thieves he believes Yasmin has betrayed him and he starts to hate her. He feels used and when he is subjected to her gaze of desire he feels as helpless as a woman. To regain control he takes matters into his hands and forces her back into the weaker role. What develops is a different way of looking at the idea of who occupies the dominant role in relationships in films. In the end it was an interesting look back at how people acted in the decade and the perceptions people had.
A major focus for my film class is trying to figure out how people view films and what cues films give the viewer. One reason we read about Valentino and his films was because a major component of his films is the idea of the gaze of desire. A big aspect of the film critic's job is to discern who the film is geared towards. Most critics believe that films are geared entirely to a male audience and look to satisfy male desires. Valentino's films are an interesting counter example though. The films were geared entirely to a female spectator and most men disliked Valentino. You could see this reflected in the way they developed Yasmin and Ahmed's relationship. At first the relationship develops because Ahmed wants it to. He falls in love with her and Yasmin then follows suit. When Ahmed gets attacked by the thieves he believes Yasmin has betrayed him and he starts to hate her. He feels used and when he is subjected to her gaze of desire he feels as helpless as a woman. To regain control he takes matters into his hands and forces her back into the weaker role. What develops is a different way of looking at the idea of who occupies the dominant role in relationships in films. In the end it was an interesting look back at how people acted in the decade and the perceptions people had.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
An Introduction
I like to consider myself a cinephile. I'll watch anything once, no matter how bad it is. I love films so much that I am actually working to get a degree in Film Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Being the typical poor college student I don't have the money or the time to see as many new films as I would like. So to satisfy my movie fix I have turned to television and all of the films that cable has to offer. I'm seen quite the variety of films on cable since I started college. From the random independent film to a forgotten classic, I have definitely broadened my cinema horizons over the past three years.
Since it's my last year in school I've decided to keep a blog of all the films I see and try to make use of my future film study degree. With every film I see I will write my own review and an analysis of the film. I will also look up information on the film from when it was originally released and compare past critiques with mine. In the end I hope to not only discover and share films that many have missed or forgotten but also to show the effects television has had on the film industry.
Since it's my last year in school I've decided to keep a blog of all the films I see and try to make use of my future film study degree. With every film I see I will write my own review and an analysis of the film. I will also look up information on the film from when it was originally released and compare past critiques with mine. In the end I hope to not only discover and share films that many have missed or forgotten but also to show the effects television has had on the film industry.
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