Film Noir

First off, I think that the Film Noir unit was one of the better units we have had.  Something about the plots and themes of these movies really grabs me.  After watching and learning about these movies, I have started to notice elements of them in newer movies, even-though many people believe that Film Noir no longer exists.  One striking example of this came when I was watching previews during my viewing of Transporter 3 (which was terrible, don't get me started) and I saw a preview for a movie called The Spirit.

Much like Sin City, thisfilm is mostly black and white and stars a detective working in the city.  As the preview progressed, it amazed me as to how much it fit the "definition"  of Film Noir.  There are many women who try to tempt him (fem-fatals) and there is even a glowing box of light (who would have expected a reference to Kiss Me Deadly?!?!?)(See 1:35 of trailer)  

Trailer

(Sorry about having to use the link, blogger is stupid in that you can only put in videos you have saved to your computer, I still highly recommend watching it)

This film seemed to defy the idea that Film Noir is dead.  As I pondered this concept, it did occur to me that although this film might have many of the aspects that make it like a Film Noir, it can't be one because the times are not what they used to be and people won't take it as they would back then.  Well, I still want to see it when it comes out and I will probably blog about it when I see it.

Screwball/Bringing up Baby

We recently finished our Screwball unit, watching Bringing Up Baby. Although I try to keep an open mind about films/ film genres, I found it hard to believe that any screwball would be worth watching after viewing Bringing Up Baby. I found the film almost unwatchable, keeping me tense and unsettled through the entire film. From the overall Annoying character of Susan (Hepburn) to the far from plausible plot, this movie just plain stunk. Maybe these films were made for a different generation at a different time, but I can't see how anyone our age could think these films are funny or entertaining at all.
The main complaint I have with the film is the character of Susan. I'm sure the director (Hawks) could have found some other way to further the film without having such an annoying character. Susan is over the top with her crazed voice and insane plots...I mean just taking a car out of a golf course parking lot because you need a car...really? Her actions are usually unbelievable to the audience, but should appear unbelievable to the other characters as well. Part of the problem with the believability of the plot is that David Huxley (Grant) simply falls into all of Susan's traps/ploys.
There is, in fact, only one main scene that I find humorous in the entire movie. This scene is the one with David answering the door with Susan's robe on.
Overall, Bringing Up Baby is one example of a film that I would never want to see again, no matter its "merit" according to old film critics. I am glad that we didn't watch another screwball comdey, because I don't know it I could have stood to stay and watch if we did.

Unit 2 Blog

Having the background knowledge I now have from taking Art of Film makes some movies take on a new twist. While I might dislike them as a common viewer, I have to give the creators credit for doing some of the "behind the scenes" elements. This predicament came true two weeks ago when I saw Max Payne. Although I almost hated it as a "common" viewer, I couldn't help but notice the elements of film used.
The movie starts off in the future, then plays like an explanation flashback. It follows the life of Max Payne, a police detective. He gets caught up in a drug war of sorts, then finally wraps up the main conflict (I won't go into more detail because I don't want to spoil the film for anyone crazy enough to pay money to see it). The plot and characters are build up in a way that is unappealing and leaves the viewer questioning motives. Also, many scenes of the plot don't make sense at the time (or ever!). This creates a film that is not enjoyable to watch.
Although the film does have a sub-par plot, it does do well in other fields such as special effects and camera movement. The special effects, especially scenes with the "Valkyries" are epic in comparison to the rest of the film. Also, the camera movement "saves" many scenes in the movie from being complete disasters. One prominent example of this is when Max confronts a drug user who is seemingly being pulled out of a window, even though no one is behind him. The camera tracks to his left, going out another window and shows a Valkyrie tugging him out the window. Although the actual content of the scene is sketchy at best, I have no complaints as to the way it's presented.
Overall, I believe that taking Art of Film has boosted my movie-going in that I gain a deeper appreciation for the subtle aspects of the film, but it has also ruined it in a way. It has taken the naive part of me that can simply agree with my friends that say a movie sucked and replaced it with a part that wants to look beyond simply the normal parts of a film and analyze the deeper meaning.

Unit 1 Blog

Since learning about the many techniques used in film from the PowerPoint, I have seen movies in a different light. I see past the obvious and dive into the subtleties of the film. This past weekend I watched "The Professional", a French movie that is dubbed English. I got more out of the movie because I though about the different techniques being used.
The main character (Leon) is a hit man that lives by himself in an apartment. Usually, he is shot with a low-angle shot, creating an aura of power about him. One striking example from the movie was when his neighbor, a little girl (Matilda), is knocking on his door to let her in (her family was murdered and the murderers were still outside her house). The camera cut back and forth from the girl to the hit man, always showing the hit man from a low-angle and the girl from a high-angle. Although I didn't notice it at first, these angle changes made me feel the roles the two characters took even stronger than a normal viewer would (anybody could tell the balance of power). The music of the movie plays to the mood. In the beginning, it is serious (just as our main character is). Later, it becomes softer and more mellow (as he "adopts" the girl and teaches her to be a hit man).
The end of the movie (I won't reveal it) came as somewhat of a surprise. The director worked hard to make the cuts unclear and confusing. This editing work creates a feeling of suspense because you feel like something is going to happen, but you don't know for sure. Overall, my new knowledge of film techniques made viewing "The Professional" much more enjoyable and satisfying. Just knowing that the director did what he did on purpose gives a whole new light to this movie and many others

Intro to blogging

I enjoy learning about the specific techniques used to create movies. It is more interesting to see the films when you know how they were made. It gives you an advantage over the general public; knowing what the director was trying to get at with a certain shot or camera movement. Although I enjoy most movies, I like newer movies better. For example, one of my favorite movies is the Dark Knight (a more recent film). I think that the technologies that are available to directors today allow them to make better films that seem more realistic and "suck" the audience into the film more.
However, I do enjoy seeing older movies to see the progression to the newer movies and to see the classic plots. Most new movies take their general plot from an older movie and it is interesting to see the movie that originally came up with the plot. Overall, I enjoy all ages of films, from old to new.