Rebel Without A Cause Post

1975 Movie- The Road To Revenge

The film my group created was called The Road to Revenge. The story is based around an ex-police officer (Clint Eastwood) in New York City who is told by the government to kill his long term partner because he has been dealing drugs. After not following through with the government's plan, they have his wife, kids and partner are killed. He then ventures out on a cross-country trip to get his revenge on the government officials. Along the way he meets and recruits some young impressionable rebels who tag along with him in his evil plan. 

My group came up with this type of movie because we thought it had a lot of characteristics of a 70's film. One of our main focuses was the overall feel and look of the movie. We wanted it to be more experimental and more realistic. Most movies in this era were stretching the boundaries of censorship and of taboo themes, so we wanted to incorporate that into this film as well. Another aspect of 70's film we wanted to include was the idea of social commentary. This movie questions the government's authority over society and also personal morals and ethics. Clint Eastwood obviously plays the antihero which was new and different for this time in film.

We chose Clint Eastwood for this role because he has a background earlier in his career of playing a good antihero in Dirty Harry. Jon Voight was chosen for the role of Clint's partner because in past films such as Midnight Cowboy he dealt with social commentary and he also was in films dealing with murder. Lastly, we chose Robert Shaw to play the main government official because he is very talented at being a menacing and mysterious character in his films. 

For our studio we chose Malpaso Productions. We chose this for a few reasons, one was that it was founded by Clint Eastwood in 1967. So we thought it would be smart to go with a studio he would be comfortable with and know well. Also, we chose this because Malpaso was linked with Warner Bros. Studios who is involved with larger movies and also ones that include social commentary. 

As far as genre is concerned we blended a couple together. This was very common in the 70's era of film because they was a mix between all of the genres within one film. We thought it would be mostly action/crime because of Eastwood's main plan to get his revenge against the law, but it can also be considered a drama since it deals with Eastwood's character's inner struggles and emotions.

For our director we chose Ingmar Bergman who was a Swedish director, writer and producer. He made and was associated with a lot of movies dealing with death/crime and betrayal, so we thought he fit perfectly for our film. He also during his career got caught up in a alleged tax evasion which placed him in a similar criminal investigation as in our film. So he could put some of his own feelings into the movie and make an accurate character development. 

The rating we decided on for this film was M for mature. We chose this rating so we could appeal to a larger scale audience and be able to show more gritty scenes, but still get the audience we wanted. 

And lastly we wanted our main focus to be editing because we wanted there to be jump cuts which showed more of the experimental side of the film that we wanted to show. We chose Don Cambern as our editor who previously worked on Easy Rider in 1969.

If there were anything I would be able to change I think I would agree with Hope. I would change the rating to R because even though we might lose some viewers it would be able to be more realistic and show more of the experimental element we wanted to showcase. 

MYST POST #3: The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club is a timeless classic about teenagers. It is still very popular today because just about every teen today can relate to one of the 5 in the film. It is set in a suburb in Illinois and starts off by introducing 5 very different teens. They are known as the typical stereotypes, Princess, Brain, Athlete, Basket Case and a Criminal. In the beginning they all think they have nothing in common except for having detention on the same day, but as the day progresses they find out that they are more connected than they thought. 

The writer and director of this film was John Hughes and he made several other teen films in the 1980's as well, such as Weird Science, Sixteen Candles and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He is very famous for these films that he made because they are well-written, relatable and have superb acting. The Breakfast Club stars upcoming actors at the time such as, Molly Ringwald (Princess) and Emilio Estevez (Athlete). Molly Ringwald starred in one of Hughes earlier films Sixteen Candles in 1984.  Now even though you can tell through the clothes and language that this was in the 80's, the teens are still dealing with the same problems as kids today. 

                                                   

The look of this movie is very distinct. The costumes and look of the school really represent the stereotypes and aspects of high school. Each character has there own style and way of talking, which in the beginning separates them a lot. Throughout the film there are a lot of wide shots to show all 5 characters and how they react to each other. There are also solo shots where one character will be talking and it is a close up of them. Some of the famous scenes incude them running from the teacher in the hallway and they so some jump cuts of them running from hall to hall which was an interesting technique. 

One of my favorite scenes and I think one of the most emotional is the scene where they are all talking about how they got into detention and about their more personal lives. In this scene they all talk about what they are worrying about or their personal problems which I think is a great way to weave all of their stories together. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ZfZY8Mjoc  

Overall, I give this movie 4.5/5 stars. I love this film because of its timeless quality and effect it leaves on you. I recommend this to anyone really, but especially ages 14-19 to really relate to it. 

MYST POST #2: West Side Story

WEST SIDE STORY

West Side Story is an all-time favorite of music-lovers all over the world. It came out in 1961 and was adapted from the 1957 Broadway musical. It starred Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris. The story is a new version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It is set in New York City and focuses on 2 different gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. Maria (Natalie Wood)and Tony (Richard Beymer) fall in love, but fight to keep their love alive as their families and friends rival each other. One of the directors of this film was Robert Wise who directed The Sound of Music and Star Trek among many others. Also, Jerome Robbins was the other director and the choreographer. 

I absolutely love this film. I have seen it numerous times and has always been one of my favorite movies. The music is the most important part of the film, every song is beautifully written and sung with passion by the stars of the film. One of my favorite scenes is when Maria and Tony are trying to figure out how they are going to get away together. It includes the song "Somewhere" which is my favorite song. In the scene, Tony holds Maria who is crying and comforts her by saying there is a place for them to be happy somewhere. The lighting in the beginning of the scene is very interesting, there is a dividing line of color between Tony and Maria. I think this symbolizes the division between the two lovers because of their separated lives. The scene is very powerful and sad because it shows the overwhelming hope they both have to be together. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BQMgCy-n6U

The camerawork in this film is very interesting and greatly executed. During the dance numbers they usually film wider shots to show everyone and then there are also shots that are very quiet and intimate between characters. The look of this film is overall pretty dark, it gets darker as the movie progresses to show the sadness and despair. The use of the camera also shows the different lives of both of the gangs. The Jets aren't shown in their homes, but out on the streets with the gang. Then there are the Sharks who are always with their family and other gang members in their small apartments. The camera comes from many different characters perspectives, which is very interesting and keeps the idea of division in play. 

Overall, I adore this movie for the music, the acting and the message. It shows that love is true and even if it seems forbidden it can prevail over all odds. I would rate this movie 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to really anyone, but especially people who love music and dancing. 

1935 Movie: High Times, Hard Times

My group's film was called High Times, Hard Times. The movie will be directed by Frank Capra, highly acclaimed director of the time. The basic plot of the film was the lives of two men in the early thirties. James Cagney plays the gangster who lives the high life with money and women, but comes into trouble when his underground speakeasy is found out. Although he has many romantic affairs he has one girl played by Barbara Stanwyck that he always comes back to. The other man who is played by Jimmy Stewart is a classic hardworking family man who loses his job in the crash of 1929. Loretta Young plays his supportive wife who helps him through this difficult point in their lives. The two mens' lives cross paths and they develop an unlikely friendship that teaches them to have hope and make the best of every situation. 

  

We wanted to appeal to our audience of 1935 so we thought a gangster movie with a social issue like the Depression would be a smart choice. We chose to make a smaller budget film because not many people are going to see the big extravagant films, they wanted something more realistic. This is also why we chose Warners Bros. Studios, because we knew they had experience with gangster films and also made lower budget films. 

We chose James Cagney because he has a reputation in his films of being the "bad guy" and had done gangster movies previously. Also, he already was working with Warner Bros. so no trading or dealing was necessary. Jimmy Stewart was casted because he had worked with Frank Capra before in previous films and the role in this movie was the kind of man he always plays. We decided to trade Humphrey Bogart to MGM so we could have him for our movie. 

For the women in the film, we casted Barbara Stanwyck because she was working with Warners Bros. and had worked with Capra as well. Also, she had the look we wanted and was known for being a sex symbol of films. Loretta Young was known for playing sweet nice roles so we thought she would be perfect for the role, also she was loved by Frank Capra. 

We followed the Hays Code very well. Even though it is a gangster film and inappropriate things were going on, we did not show any of it. It was all suggested through the dialogue throughout the film. We did not show violence, sex or alcohol in the film. Also, something we wanted to highlight was the cinematography and lighting in the movie. We used some innovative editing techniques and new camera angles to show off the drastic difference between characters. 

I thought everyone in my group worked very well together and had their own input about actors, studios etc. I was very happy with how everything turned out and I would definitely see this movie if it was out, so overall I wouldn't change anything in our film.

Formal Film Study: Steven Spielberg

The three films directed by Steven Spielberg that I chose to watch were Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Schindler's List. These movies interested me very much and I wanted to analyze them more to see what kind of director Spielberg really is.

The first film I watched was Jaws, made in 1975, this film scared beach goers around the nation. The story of a small summer town Amity Island that is suddenly struck with a disastrous monster on the fourth of July. A great white shark. Now, although I have seen this film before, every time I watch it I find something I haven't before. Each time Spielberg makes it a special and entertaining movie to watch. This movie is one of Spielberg's greatest achievements earning him 260 million.

The second film I watched was Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This movie was compelling, entertaining and mysterious all in one. When supposedly UFO's start to invade and kidnap loved ones, Richard Dreyfuss' character along with many others become obsessed and compelled to find out more about their close encounters. Also, a big pay out at the box office with a total of over 132 million.

The last film I watched was Schindler's List. This is a movie that will stay with you forever. It is a classic film and is popular for the way it makes you feel. It does this because it is real. Historic films such as this one, if executed well can be absolutely fantastic. The true story of the Holocaust and a man that tries with all of his might to safe some of the innocent souls from their determined fate. 

The cinematic elements of all of these movies were all different in their own way. Such as in Jaws, there were lots of underwater scenes and going from above water to under which I thought was clever of Spielberg to do. Another thing he did well in Jaws was to build suspense. There were a few scenes where you didn't know if the shark was going to attack or not and I was always nervous to see what would happen. In Close Encounters there are many cool scenes where the UFO's are invading and trying to capture someone. In these scenes the technology and editing used to make them seem real was incredible. In both of these movies the technology was used to its advantage, for both being made in the mid to late 70's they are very well executed. 

In Schindler's List there are quite a few long shots to show the camp and how Amon Goeth had such power over all of the people there. Also, there are many close up shots of when they are going to kill someone, to show the horror and terror on their faces. 

Also, a element that I noticed was the music. John Williams composed the music for both Jaws and Schindler's List, and even though it is not the biggest aspect of a movie it still plays a role. In both of the  movies the music is an essential part that makes you frightened and makes you cry. 

One message that I got from these movies was that even if you feel like you can't make a difference or change something, if you have the will you can. Such as, in Jaws, Chief Brody is terrified of the water and hesitates with every move he makes, but in the end becomes the reluctant hero. Also in Schindler's List, Schindler enjoys the high life he usually lives, but notices that he has the power to save people and he follows his heart. 

In all three of these films, the discovery I made was that Spielberg created a suspenseful "unknown" in all of these movies.  In Jaws, there is the obvious unknown of who the next victim is and also how are they going to conquer the shark. In Close Encounters, the unknown is who are these aliens and what do they want from us. Lastly, in Schindler's List, the unknown is if you are going to survive and also where are your loved ones if they are alive. 

Overall, I loved all of these movies and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys good movies and wants to see more of Spielberg's work. 

MYST POST #1: MEAN GIRLS

    

Mean Girls 

Ever since Mean Girls hit the screens in 2004, it has been a classic. It is a bit exaggerated, but still an accurate representation of how high school can be. It shows how simple it is in high school to get sucked into drama. Cady Heron is the new girl all the way from Africa and doesn't know how high school works. Little does she know, she will be christened into the school by none other than the plastics. Janis Ian uses Cady as her guinea pig to sabotage the plastics, specifically Regina George. All of the actors in this film played their roles phenomenally well, such as Rachel McAdams as the classic mean girl. Rachel McAdams made a lasting impression on the audience and really gave them a performance that launched her career. In the same year, she made her other highly acclaimed film, The Notebook where she plays a completely different role. Overall, I think her performance was genius and dead on. The reason for why this movie is so popular is because it is relatable. Most teenage girls can relate to girl drama and "backstabbing." Also, it's hilarious and spot on dialogue has to be attributed to Tina Fey. She did a fantastic job writing a screenplay that was so accurate and still entertaining to watch. Besides being behind the camera, Tina Fey also did a great job playing Ms. Norbury, the students teacher who somehow gets trapped in their drama as well. 

The most interesting technique used in this film was the different shots they had between what was reality and what was in Cady's imagination. The way that they cut from those two was so entertaining and looked like her imagination could become reality. Also, in the movie there are many lunch room scenes where they are sitting at tables. The camera moves around a lot to get aerial and long shots of the lunchroom with all the different tables. I think that technique was used to show the variety of kids you have in one school. There are many talking scenes with two people and each person has a close up. I think this is important and useful because it shows how the characters interact and their true feelings about what is going on. Also, the lighting is different from scene to scene. When Janis and Damien are there, the lighting is darker and focused more on the mood of the characters. Since Janis is getting revenge in some of her scenes, you can see that feeling through the dark lighting. On the other hand, when Cady is with the plastics or her parents, the lighting is normal and focuses on the assets of the characters. 

One scene that I thought was very powerful and the overall message of the movie was the scene right after Cady's party. Janis and Damien show up, after not being invited and tell Cady the harsh but true reality. Even though there is some comedy thrown into this scene, it is also very sad because it shows the reality of how teenagers act towards each other. Cady feels alone and victimized by the people who she thought were her friends. This scene is really powerful and sad because Cady realizes that she has become what she never thought she would be, a mean girl. Overall, I would give this movie 5 out of 5 stars because it is relatable, funny and never gets old no matter how many times you watch it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT8wMBeVffk&list=PLC6E951F8813108CB

REVIEW OF THE REVIEWS

The Birds 

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

starring: Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor and Suzanne Pleshette

http://www.emanuellevy.com/review/birds-the-hitchcocks-last-masterpiece-part-two-of-two-7/

Emanuel Levy gives the Birds a very in depth and positive review.  This review is structured in a way where he gives you an overview of the movie itself, and then goes on to explain the meaning of it.  He also speaks about other movies Hitchcock had made that had similar topics in them. For example, he references Shadow of a Doubt and says they are connected because they both focus on the "fragility of our supposedly ordered world." 

Levy seems to focus more on the plot more than the actors or things of that nature. He describes the film in detail and explains what point Hitchcock was trying to get across.  He says that this movie is a mix of romance and horror-action.

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117789283/?categoryid=31&cs=1

The Variety staff gives this film a rather harsh critique. They mention that the idea of birds randomly swooping down at people was unclear. Also, they talk about how the love story involved in the film is unnecessary and left unfinished. They do talk about how the premise is very intriguing and how well Hitchcock crafted it, but they say that dramatically it falls flat. 

Having seen this film I would agree form Emanuel's review that, "The birds represent the unpredictable and arbitrary element of life, the unacknowledged invisible forces of destruction, that cannot be explained or controlled with rational reasoning or commonsense." I agree with this statement because while watching this film I was anticipating the birds attacking and seeing what would happen. After watching the film a couple times I noticed the meaning behind it, that it related to the spontaneity of life. I understood the hidden meaning behind this film, it wasn't just a thriller film it was portraying an aspect of life that we rarely think about. 

Even though I enjoyed this film for the most part, I did agree with the Variety staff on one thing. "An unnecessary elaborate romantic plot has been cooked up and then left suspended." I agree with this statement because throughout the whole film there is this underlying love relationship and in the end nothing comes of it. The main purpose I wanted to see this movie was for the thrilling aspect of it, not some random love triangle. 

If I had never seen this film or was thinking about seeing it, I would most definitely say that Emanuel Levy's was more convincing. Specifically, the attention to detail he has to the hidden messages in the movie. Also, the elaborate explanations of the plot that he says would make me want to go see it. Overall, I would trust him over the Variety staff because of the details he has, his language and his enthusiasm about the movie itself. 

When writing a film review I think it is extremely important to talk about 4 things. The plot, the characters (actors),the message and the targeted demographic. I would not want to give the story away in my review, but I would like to give the people an idea of what they will see and give them some background. The actors can sometimes make or break a film and that is why I think they must be included in a review. Also, the main message of the film, why did they make this film? What did they want people to think about while watching it? And lastly, the targeted demographic is important also because if you are reading a review to determine whether or not you see this movie, you probably want to know if it was geared towards your demographic, if not you might not enjoy it as much. 

Film Intro Survey

1. Jaws was the first movie I remember having a strong impact on me. I saw it when I was 5 or 6, I have been scared of sharks and the ocean ever since.
2. My favorite genres are comedy, romantic comedy, classics and musical.
3. I don't enjoy watching movies from fantasy, sci-fi, foreign and action genres.
4. My 5 favorite films are Mean Girls, Some Like It Hot, The Notebook, The Shawkshank Redemption, and Forrest Gump.
5. Original, Impactful and Well-written.
6. My least favorite movies include, Paranormal Activity(all of them), Twilight, and Piranha.
7. Disorganized plot, bad actors, and forgetful script.
8. I think my favorite directors are Steven Speilberg, Martin Scorsese, and Alfred Hitchcock.
9. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Emma Stone, George Clooney, and Meryl Streep.
10. Forrest Gump, Good Will Hunting and Pay It Forward.
11. I think my oldest favorite would have to be The Birds.
12. The Descendants
13. Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Life Of Pi, Zero Dark Thirty and Ordinary People.