Screening Notes

Hugo (2011) Martin Scorsese

-3 Interesting Moments-

1) First off, I must say that this movie was awesome! The movie was crazy because I watched it and had the same kind of feeling within me comparable to watching a Pixar/animated film. The shots were gorgeous and did a great job of bringing relics to life. It was tough to pick just 3 moments so I'll try my best. One of the first scenes that caught my eye was in the train station when Chloe was caught in the stampede on the floor. The camera cut to directly above her terrified face, and then cut into a 180 degree reversal to the ceiling. And THEN comes the moment! The images fuse and instantly the shot is a marriage of Chloe in the middle and the borders of the shot the ceiling. It totally caught me off guard at this moment. But I enjoyed it! 

2) I liked the whole theme of clocks throughout the movie. They are such a prevalent image and they come in many sizes in scenarios.It makes me think about Hugo's interaction with time itself. I can kind of see Hugo as a boy who is not like the rest of the mainstream world. He does not have that luxury. As a boy without parents and authority to answer to, he is not ushered on through life like other "normal" children. Forced to survive alone and having little interaction with others, he is allowed to take time as he pleases. He is not hurried to fulfill the tasks of life that many others must. While thousands of passengers aim to "beat the clock", Hugo sees time as his friend. In fact, it's the only thing that is giving his life purpose before the story unfolds. It's interesting how Hugo is responsible for winding the clocks and the station inspector (his arch-nemesis) always relies on Hugo's clock to fix his own. Hugo's character touches the lives of everyone whether he/they know it or not.   

3) I really liked the part where Georges introduced his films at the end and transitioned into the first of his works. When he stepped back and put on the top hat and cigarette I was like “what?!” And then he seamlessly blended into the young George. It was a pleasant surprise. Of the many creative transitions, I really loved this one the best. It really added to the whole “animated reality” of the entire film.

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A Single Man (2009) Tom Ford

This film was shot beautifully and really captured the "dizzying" 60's era quite well in my opinion. Upon our assignment of looking for cinephilic moments, I found it quite hard to do since the normal way in which I watch movies is more focused on, well, the focus! The biggest indication of a moment that I caught was the lifesaver on the wall inside the Starboard Side bar. The ring read S.S. Victoria and I instantly knew I needed to look up it's significance. Apparently, the Victoria was a steam ship that carried mail for the most of it's life. During World War II, it was converted to aid in the movement of troops. I'm not sure, but there has to be a reason Ford put that in there. There were a multitude of renowned ships in WWII that the audience could have easier identified with. For example, the USS Arizona that had sunk from Pearl Harbor which till leaks bubbles of oil to this day. There must have been a reason Ford chose this ship. Perhaps he is tied to it some way? I'm not sure.   


In the beginning of the movie, I remember seeing the surfboards lying in the garage. I realize that was a somewhat cinephilic moment because my mind lingered on it long past the end of the shot (which was only about 3 seconds). I know that the whole "Surfing USA" craze went down around the 60's with the Beach Boys. I realize that Surf Culture exploded during this time and was more than a sport, it was the vibrant, fast-paced thing to do for the Young. Seeing as George was always called "Old Man" by Jim and Charley, I assume that the boards belonged to Jim, the younger of the two. 


I was also drawn to the random reason the young girl Jennifer was beating on that item with a hammer in her yard. It looked to me like a bathroom scale. I understand that she's just a child and they do random things, but a scale? Perhaps Ford is hitting on the idea of society's issued with weight? Once again, I'm just shooting thoughts off. It can be tricky discerning what you think matter's to the plot and what doesn't. Nevertheless, it was very interesting to be able to watch this movie through a cinephilic approach. 

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The Prestige (2006) Christopher Nolan

I always love being able to watch a mystery film with fresh twists and turns. There are too many films out there that employ painfully predictable dry "surprises" to force tying plots together. The way in which The Prestige delivered the plot twists was very satisfying in in my opinion. What I like about it was the way in which it kept me busy. I had to stay vigilant in watching for small details to clue me in on why a scene seemed off. This movie was not one for the “lazy watcher”. What I mean is anyone and everyone in the mood to watch linear plots without having to think hard about unraveled story as time goes by. I definitely believe Christopher Nolan wanted this movie to be a mental workout. It got me jogging my mind for sure.

Aesthetically, I thought it was wonderful as well. Nolan did a good job of portraying the theatre side of Agier and Borden’s lives. It just felt very real in that time period. It gave me flashblacks of watching Gangs of New York and Sherlock Holmes. It was definitely a change of pace from Melancholia but I believe the story telling created its own shine factor. In the same way Michael Caine’s character “Cutter” said, a good magic trick has three parts: “The Pledge,” “The Turn,” and “The Prestige”. So many time throughout the movie, we are exposed to this trick cinematically! The "Prestige" of the film was the actual display of entertainment I got out of it. It was really neat to be able to experience a good trick while watching this. Or was it really magic? Cool movie.

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Melancholia (2011) Lars Von Trier 


WOW! It is always a delight every time I experience a movie that I feel is quite unlike any other. Ever since I began this journey of academic film viewing, I find myself catching many small details like never before. I can confidently say that my appreciation for the cinema has grown immensely. The past me would have easily gotten aggravated by the 8 minute slow motion intro. I can see myself scratching my head and groaning in painful confusion at what I saw on screen. But nowadays that is not the case. I was instantly intrigued at the way Von Trier kept the montage going. I even wondered if that was how the rest of the movie would be! But sure enough, it was not. Nevertheless, I have never seen a movie's intro prolonged in that fashion. I enjoyed the way in which the story was told. The fact that it was divided among main characters was a fresh perspective change and was captivating in its own right. I do love being able to see a modern movie that really stands apart aesthetically among the multitude of hit-or-misses out there (most whizzing by their target).

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The Hurt Locker (2008) Kathryn Bigelow


1) The first death within The Hurt Locker was Staff Sergeant Matt Thompson's scene. By throwing the audience straight into the action without any background knowledge of the story, we're immersed into the business of what is on screen. When the explosion occurs, Sergeant Thompson immediately is thrust into the air as a slow motion figure. Cuts between his body and the environment ensue. In one cut, Bigelow utilizes a take of rocks rising in a eerily beautiful harmony to represent the blasts magnitude. In the same way, the rusted old car body is violently shaken and crushed by the explosion as dirt and residue is lifted into the air. When the camera comes back to Thompson, his death thrust is repeated 4 times in different angles and speeds. It reminds me of the cheesy tv action shows that utilize the building explosions in which the hero dives out 8 times. Yet interestingly enough, Bigelow still makes it work in her own way. She creates a calmness about his death upon the last shot as the ashes fall the fallen hero.  


2) It was very interesting to see the way that Bigelow portrayed the death of Colonel John Cambridge ("Doc"). In comparison to Thompson's, the Doc's death was for the most part sudden and unexpected. The audience was not given a reason to believe Doc was in any immediate danger. The building was already cleared and disarmed. When we are put in the backseat of a Humvee, our viewpoint is that of another soldier. Bigelow shows Doc's death as split second and real time. In this scene we are exposed to the reality of death, which can be sudden and unstoppable. The fact that Bigelow let Doc die also brings up the thought that death does not only reach those on the front lines fighting, but even those that try to keep the peace. Death comes for anyone, anytime.


3) The final death I want to analyze is actually the last death of the movie. I want to look at the man who was strapped to the unbreakable bomb. The fact that the sole Iraqi man was in danger with the bomb was a definite shift of perspective. Although he was not their own, James still went after him and tried his best to defuse the bomb. It was a very intense climactic scene with cuts that sped up till the point of the explosion. Also, it was cool to see the way in which the shots began zooming in closer and closer from the point of James and Sanborn's arrival, to the time James was apologizing that he could not remove the bomb. It was very close and personal during his apologies to the man in agony - on screen and in person. After the smoke clears, we see James staring up at the sky to a calm, albeit out-of-place kite fluttering high above. It gives a calming effect somewhat after the event seconds earlier. Perhaps Bigelow tried to represent the "calm after the storm" idea to give hope to the audience that James is still alive in a life surrounded with so much death.


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Viaggio in Italia (1954) Roberto Rossellini


Denotation:
In the scene following the dinner night with Judy and company, Katherine is up and ready while Alex lay still in bed. In her business to tidy the hotel room, she pauses for a brief moment to gaze out the window. The camera mostly stays still on the window sill and allows us to see her do her own thing. But when she leaves the back of the shot and moves toward us, the camera slightly follows her to show interest in what she is doing. Once she snaps back to "reality" the camera follows her back into her routine as if we were "allowed back in". The following conversation between the couple puts Alex sitting up in bed as the foreground with Katherine in the background. Although not the main focus, we still see Alex's small smile when she brings up Judy and Katherine's change in facial gesture when she loses her smile. 


Connotation:
I believe Katherine represented the 1950's american woman. It was a time when women's rights were on the rise and wives struggled with the conventional idea of submitting to the husband. The thought that the wife was to stand by her husband through thick and thin was challenged when Katherine witnessed Alex blatantly hold Judy's hand at dinner. Katherine's "captive" life assuming she were to stay faithful was revealed in even her smallest glance and appreciation of the Italian shores and countryside. She longed for more than this life.


Myth Produced:
I believe that up to this point in the film, Rossellini leads us to experience the myth/idea of "true love is waiting". Katherine's plight as the "good" wife forces us to identify with every person's desire to find true love. We can feel her frustration and disappointment as she sat through the whole night watching her husband's actions. It can also be gathered that Alex is the husband who does what he wants. Along with his flirtation the previous night, he also displays his "masculine right" by waking up late, changing the subject about Judy, and then instantly asks for tea.


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Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock
I'm sure you're going to think I'm just another unoriginal commentator but I can't help it! 
I think Hitchcock's famous shower scene is brilliant and has influenced the horror genre ever since it first terrified crowds on the big screen.
- The scene I'm referring to is the shower/kill scene within cabin 1 at the Bates Motel.
           - It was interesting to see the camera behavior in certain portions of the scene 
            depending on the situation.
           - During shower, instant cuts
                        - Marion's upper body the shower head (several angles of her lathering)
                                    - Definitely a voyeuristic tactic by Alfred to bring the audience in.
                        - Shower head shots (side and directly in front. Makes audience feel like we are 
                         showering as well.)
            - Before murder, camera places Marion on right foreground and the killer's silhouette 
             on the left background, separated by the semi-transparent shower curtain. 
                        - Gives audience the (unfortunate) privilege of witnessing Marion's inevitable 
                         demise.
             - During stabbing, even faster shot/reverse/shot style cuts between Marion and her 
              killer.
                         - Along with rapid visuals, Hitchcock implements probably the most 
                          memorable part of this movie - his musical manifestation of audible murder.
                                    - An all string ensemble of violins
                                    - Produces eerie sounds comparable to screeching of apes or horrified 
                                     beasts - exudes an unrelenting, unavoidable view of cold death.
              - Final parts of scene is repetition of past shots i.e. shower head and running water.
                         - Black and white shooting sacrifices undesired gore yet is replaced with a 
                          lifelessness in regard's to the flow of her blood. 
                         - Blood flowing down the drain hole transitions into Marion's eye as she lay 
                          dead on the cold hard floor.


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Grapes of Wrath (1940) John Ford
- One purely cinematic part of the film that popped out to me was the zoom-in to Tom's face during the beginning "return-home" scene.
           - Obviously, zoom belongs to the film medium alone. Additionally I feel that it adds a 
            certain mood to the shot depending on the occasion.
           - When the zoom in to Tom's face occurs, his look of despair easily let me see how he 
            was feeling at that moment with no dialogue.
- The march of tractors (a.k.a. caterpillar tractors) that Muley referenced was shot very interestingly which again, can only be done in cinema. 
           - While the main shot was a group tractors charging down the prairie, an overlay 
            played at the same time featuring the rolling tracks of tractor.
           - I believe this greatly supported the feeling that these moving machines were 
            unstoppable.
- The montage of the family's journey from OK to CA, I believe Ford does a great job making me feel and understand the time and distance of the travel.
           - As they drive along, we see many signs fade in and out including the route 66, 
            Pennzoil gas station, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado River, Needles etc.
           - These fade shots accompanied by western music show how film has the capability to 
            make a viewer feel the extent of time.
- The lighting in film is incredibly important and can only be utilized in film most effectively.
           - While theater does use lighting, only cinema has the ability to work it's way around 
             it. The camera can bring us into the dark and manipulate light for a fantastic shot.
           - In the abandoned Joad-house scene, the extremely dark setting made me believe 
            that it was empty.
                        - With only the lone match to guide his way, we can see the isolated feeling he 
                         must have separated from his family. 
                        - The scene also gives way to the emotion coming from each character's face as 
                         they talk about the woes of the dustbowl. 
           - I thought it was interesting also to see the faces of each member in the family upon 
            arrival at the Wheat Patch Camp. 
                         - The camera cuts from the person to person after the manager tells them the 
                          commodities of the work camp 
                                    - A hilarious "too good to be true", jaw dropped expression on each.
                         - Although it's a quick simple shot, when I saw it I instantly asked myself could any novel do that eight second shot in the time it takes to read? And could a theater performance bring you to focus on every person's emotion individually in one short moment? nah. 


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Midnight in Paris (2011) Woody Allen

- In the beginning of the movie, Allen took advantage of the establishing shots for a good couple minutes.
           - The montage of the city gave the audience a visual idea of the soul of Paris (from a 
           artistic/romantic perspective)
           - This differs from any other medium because film allows the audience to be prepared 
            for what is to come via moving pictures and sounds. 
           - Working side by side to evoke emotions or ideas before actually delving into the 
            main story.
- It was very obvious that Woody Allen had issues and ideologies he wasn't afraid to talk about.
           - For instance, in the first conversation with his father-in-law at dinner, Gil gives his 
            opinion of supporters of Republican right-wing party being "demented lunatics".
                        - The quote referring to Iraq ("Down the rabbit hole") 
           - Along with politics, Allen uses his immense pool of historical resurrections to speak 
            freely about ideologies, creeds, and life in general.
                        - Hemingway gave his views on death, courage, a passion for life, and 
                         immortality.
                        - Gertrude Stein talked about not living life too careful. 
                        - Dali spoke on his ambition to do great things (from a cook, to Napoleon!)
           - Film is special because it can bring up issues along with emotion. 
                        - When we watch the issues revealed, we can observe a greater sense of why it  
                         is being said, and how they feel about it visually.
- No other medium utilizes music in the way that film does.
           - In the scenes with Gil on his daily grind with his fiancee, Allen implements the 
            bumbling, fast-paced, stringed music that alerts us of the rushed mood within the 
            movie.
           - We can see the drastic change in the night time scene when Gil kisses Adriana we 
            hear "Parlez Moi d'Amour" and can have no doubt that the mood is calm and Gil feels 
            at peace with her.
            - As an audience, an effective film makes us feel what the character's feel through the 
             musical score working with what's being portrayed on screen.

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Masculin Féminin (1966) Jean-Luc Godard

 - From the get go, the opening scenes do not maintain fluidity at all.

           - The opening scene does not have an establishing shot. It just opens
           with Paul reciting a poem.

            - There are not really any true establishing shots in the movie at all.

            - i.e. when Paul closes the café house door, it cuts to the magazine office, to 

            Madeleine in the mall, to Paul in the magazine office (15 sec.).

- Following scenes include sudden random pop-ups of black and white revolutionary style poetry.

- Godard’s montage takes shots from very different scenes.

                       - i.e. social events, city crowds, skylines, dancing with friends, and
                       construction workers.

                       - These random shots are very noticeable and do not go along with the

                       “blending” in of the Hollywood rhythmic montage.

- Godard takes extremely long shots during conversations between two people.

           - He breaks the rule of shot/reverse/shot when he stays the camera on one person at
           a

time for 5 minutes even when the other person is talking.

- i.e. Paul and Madeleine/Elisabeth and Robert