Today we have started a new film and it is in the genre of film noir. From research on the internet i have found that this type of movie is famous for an urban setting, heavy shadows, diagonal lines, low camera angles shooting up multi-storey staircases, and an innocent protagonist falsely accused of a crime and desperate to clear himself. It will be interesting to see if the director imploys these common tactics of film noir. I believe the black and white really adds to the genre of a crime drama, but it wasn't meant to. There were just no colored pictures back then. The heavy shadows make a significant impact on the veiwer.
I believe the title of the movie reveals a lot about the movie. A jungle is concept that signifies something wild and disorderly, as well as animals competing with eachother for food and other necessities. This competition gets nasty and either you win this fight or you die. The fact that the director is implying that this anarchy exists in an urban setting of a big city is absurd. Or is it? I believe as of now the movie is just introducing the characters and their significant vices, but the competition amongst them will get pretty nasty. The goal is obviously money which has already become an issue for the main character "Dix Handley" played by Sterling Hayden.
It is interesting why Handley's friend is willing to help him even though he is a known gambler of horses and owes 2300$. Maybe he has his own agenda and maybe Handley's debt isn't because of horses. I feel like nothing is at it seems in this movie, except the vices that define the men in this movie.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Unforgivable, a Western amidst a battle of cliche's, realism, satire, and plainly just some great filmmaking. The angles of the camera were intense during the battle and suspensful scenes. When Little Bill was pressuring English Bob to take the gun the camera was staring down the barrel of his gun, and this made things very unsettling. This movie, being historically accurate still had the power to ignite suspense and excitement.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
MSIT FOOTBALL ( CUP CHAMPIONS)
WOOOHOOOO shut out of 22-0 for MSIT seagulls over the Petrides Panthers. were getting moved up a division !!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Unforgiven
From an early introduction i believe the theme of the film is values. Always discussing the value of something. The value of a woman in comparison with a man or a horse. The value of hiring an assassin (1,000) to kill a man. The value of being able to build your own house which i believe we will learn ore about later on.
The value of the prostitute in Western society seems to have been like property. The woman gets no retribution for getting her face cut up which in addition has made her unwanted in her job as a prostitute. All that happens is that the owner gets a few horses.In this society men are the superior race and everything else is just something that makes you a money. This is why horses and woman are on the same value scale.
One scene that struck me was when the friend of the man who slashed the prostitutes face offered a horse to the woman herself, even though he wasn't directly responsible for cutting her face. It was important how he offered the woman and not the owner the horse because it showed he may be the only one that saw the prostitutes as human beings and not objects. This begs the question of whether this man that buys prostitutes and hangs out with people that cut up woman is a bad person or circumstance has put him in this position, when he actually is a good-natured man. We will find out later in the film so lets keep watching.
The value of the prostitute in Western society seems to have been like property. The woman gets no retribution for getting her face cut up which in addition has made her unwanted in her job as a prostitute. All that happens is that the owner gets a few horses.In this society men are the superior race and everything else is just something that makes you a money. This is why horses and woman are on the same value scale.
One scene that struck me was when the friend of the man who slashed the prostitutes face offered a horse to the woman herself, even though he wasn't directly responsible for cutting her face. It was important how he offered the woman and not the owner the horse because it showed he may be the only one that saw the prostitutes as human beings and not objects. This begs the question of whether this man that buys prostitutes and hangs out with people that cut up woman is a bad person or circumstance has put him in this position, when he actually is a good-natured man. We will find out later in the film so lets keep watching.
MSIT FOOTBALL
WE ARE GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!
After a greuling game with adelai stevenson it went to double overtime and we won when the defense got a huge stop on nijel wallace for the two point conversion. We won 38 -36. If there is a way to win a playoff game MSIT \football players will find it.
After a greuling game with adelai stevenson it went to double overtime and we won when the defense got a huge stop on nijel wallace for the two point conversion. We won 38 -36. If there is a way to win a playoff game MSIT \football players will find it.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
The Seventh Seal
I have viewed this movie before with my brother, who took film as a major in college. this movie truly astounded me with its cinematography. A snapshot could be made of every scene and it could be used as the poster for the movie. Truly great work by Gunner Fischer ( Cinematographer). One image that stuck with my mind was where Antonius and Death sit down to play chess witht eh ocean in the backround.
It is symbolic that Block plays chess with death throughout the entire movie. It is brilliant that the director (Ingmar Bergman) personified death in this human form. When death is tangible and facing you it really made it so much scarier.
The movie portrays Death as a trickster; where he cheats to find out Block's strategy. It means Death does not play fairly in the game of chess, just like he does not play fairly in the game of life. Our demise is inevitable and when Block faces that (literally) he sets out to find evidence that God exists even if it meant asking the devil to appear before him.
The character of the knights squire is definetely my favorite character because he seems much more aware and sure of how life works. This is the existentialist way of thinking. He definetely has some of the best lines in the film, such as : "Love is the blackest of all plagues... if one could die of it, there would be some pleasure in love, but you don't die of it." A very dark view of love.
An other thing prominent in the film is the effect the knowledge of death ahs on life. Death makes life interesting and pleasurable, our lives would be eternal torment otherwise. this can be seen by the qoute in the paragraph above and when death tricks Block, into telling him his strategy, Block says this aside to himself "This is my hand. I can turn it. The blood is still running in it. The sun is still in the sky and the wind is blowing. And I... I, Antonius Block, play chess with Death. ". It shows how this Death makes his life interesting makes him realize how being alive is truly great in the face of death.
A truly enjoyable movie!
It is symbolic that Block plays chess with death throughout the entire movie. It is brilliant that the director (Ingmar Bergman) personified death in this human form. When death is tangible and facing you it really made it so much scarier.
The movie portrays Death as a trickster; where he cheats to find out Block's strategy. It means Death does not play fairly in the game of chess, just like he does not play fairly in the game of life. Our demise is inevitable and when Block faces that (literally) he sets out to find evidence that God exists even if it meant asking the devil to appear before him.
The character of the knights squire is definetely my favorite character because he seems much more aware and sure of how life works. This is the existentialist way of thinking. He definetely has some of the best lines in the film, such as : "Love is the blackest of all plagues... if one could die of it, there would be some pleasure in love, but you don't die of it." A very dark view of love.
An other thing prominent in the film is the effect the knowledge of death ahs on life. Death makes life interesting and pleasurable, our lives would be eternal torment otherwise. this can be seen by the qoute in the paragraph above and when death tricks Block, into telling him his strategy, Block says this aside to himself "This is my hand. I can turn it. The blood is still running in it. The sun is still in the sky and the wind is blowing. And I... I, Antonius Block, play chess with Death. ". It shows how this Death makes his life interesting makes him realize how being alive is truly great in the face of death.
A truly enjoyable movie!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Runaway Train
A movie that really appeals to a younger audience. The violence desensitized, TV addicted, blood sucking generation that we are. It is interesting however to find symbolism in a action/ prison movie. One thin g I noticed was the relationship with Rankin and Manny. They are in fact very similar people in very different positions. Rankin himself states "He'd do the same ting I would do" when asked how he knew where Manny was going. So logically if Manny is the bad animal then Rankin is the good animal that keeps him in check. This relates to the the theme of Good vs. Evil which is prominent in the movie, especially the Contrast of Black and White in the Credits.
Another interesting thing that I believe is interesting is the stage is now set for Manny and Buck to talk and release there inner most traits and qualities. So this movie is basically the analysis of man and the train car, being the alienated and separated place that it is, is the perfect place to do it. Basically I see it as a prison cell, so I find it ironic that they escaped from prison falling 300 feet, only to jump onto another prison.
Another interesting thing that I believe is interesting is the stage is now set for Manny and Buck to talk and release there inner most traits and qualities. So this movie is basically the analysis of man and the train car, being the alienated and separated place that it is, is the perfect place to do it. Basically I see it as a prison cell, so I find it ironic that they escaped from prison falling 300 feet, only to jump onto another prison.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Existentialism
Movies pertaining to this subject - "White Lightnin'" and "Mr.Nobody"
The former is a movie about a drug addicted man who grows up in an area where he will never have any hope of a future. His experience is so vivid and meaningful that you come to ask yourself, how can this be the vision of a drug addicted man. how can so much beauty, hate, lust, revenge, redemption, atonement, and love come from this hopeless drug addicted man.
The latter is an amazing more abstract movie about realities and not to divulge too much but my favorite qoute is "Everything can be anything else and still have just as much meaning"
Please Mr. Bennet consider them for the movies that you will show in class. they are truly amazing. The former is very graphic but it is necessary to show the hopelessness and general lunicy of the character, so keep an open mind.
Trailers : Movie 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIubPIGF_yw
Movie 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIZKUdCQQHI&feature=related
Truly works of art in my opinion and I hope you will consider them for your class when you get a chance to watch them.
The former is a movie about a drug addicted man who grows up in an area where he will never have any hope of a future. His experience is so vivid and meaningful that you come to ask yourself, how can this be the vision of a drug addicted man. how can so much beauty, hate, lust, revenge, redemption, atonement, and love come from this hopeless drug addicted man.
The latter is an amazing more abstract movie about realities and not to divulge too much but my favorite qoute is "Everything can be anything else and still have just as much meaning"
Please Mr. Bennet consider them for the movies that you will show in class. they are truly amazing. The former is very graphic but it is necessary to show the hopelessness and general lunicy of the character, so keep an open mind.
Trailers : Movie 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIubPIGF_yw
Movie 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIZKUdCQQHI&feature=related
Truly works of art in my opinion and I hope you will consider them for your class when you get a chance to watch them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)