Final Blog Post

During this past semester, the three films on the class playlist that impacted me the most were Double Indemnity, Pulp Fiction, and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Although our class was able to study some very significant works of film, we could not see them all. Three films not on the playlist that I think that film students should study are Vertigo, Forrest Gump, and Star Wars.

Double Indemnity, 1944 (Billy Wilder)

 

This was the film that first introduced me to film noir. From this movie, I learned the principles of the genre, the effect of using black and white, and what themes noir films often incorporated. I really enjoyed this one.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, 2007 (Julian Schnabel)

At first, I wasn’t too thrilled to watch a French movie about a man who was paralyzed from head to toe. After watching the film, however, I really appreciated how well the movie makers were able to create such a compelling narrative. With the use of colorful images and narrative, they created quite an enjoyable film.

Pulp Fiction, 1999 (Quentin Taratino)

 

Although I haven’t seen it before this class, Pulp Fiction was the only film on the playlist that I recognized. I was familiar, however, with Taratino’s Inglorious Bastards (2009) and was excited to see this one- and it met my expectations. I loved the unconventional narrative and nonlinear plotline, and who can forget the gangsters’ innumerous pop culture references?

Vertigo, 1958 (Alfred Hitchcock)

Vertigo is an iconic film, and rightfully so. The psychological thriller is considered one of the greatest movies of all time, and it explores some of the deepest intricacies of human nature. Its influence can be felt in many movies nearly 50 years later.

 Forrest Gump, 1994 (Robert Zemeckis)

We did not study any comedies throughout the semester, so I felt that I should add one. One of my favorite movies of all time, Forrest Gump is does not really fit perfectly into any one genre, and it becomes very intimate while still maintaining a light tone. There are not really any films like it, and it would be interesting to analyze.

Star Wars, 1971 (George Lucas)

Everybody has seen this one, but it would be interesting to analyze it and what made it so successful. Star Wars is the most iconic science fiction movie of all time, and it has influenced many movies since.

Christopher Nolan interviewed on “The Treatment”

 

 

Christopher Nolan is an English-American screen writer, producer, and director. In 2000, he received serious attention from critics and audience with the release of Memento. Nolan is also notable for writing and directing the Batman film trilogy, which includes Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight(2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Nolan also directed Inception (2010), which received four Academy Awards and a nomination for Best Picture. 

On July 25, KCRW released the interview with Christopher Nolan. Most of the show consisted Elvis Mitchell and Christopher Nolan discussing Nolan’s newest movie, The Dark Knight Rises. Mitchell and Nolan also discussed some of Nolan’s previous works and the influence of other films on his work. One of the most interesting things that I learned in this interview was the influence film noir has had on Nolan’s work. Nolan is a big fan of the stylish crime drama’s of the 1940s and 50s, and he incorporated many aspects of the genre into his own movies. For example, many of his movies involve the dark settings and plots associated with film noir. His characters, even the heroes, are often put in positions of moral ambiguity. These influences played a significant role in the style of Nolan’s movies. 

“One of the great uses of time is the ticking clock, the tension…They knew that if they started from zero and counted up, the audience wouldn’t know when it would end, so they went backwards down to zero…It really speaks to the issue of time.”

In the beginning of the interview, Mitchell and Nolan discuss Nolan’s use of time in his works and in the world of cinema in general. One of the interesting things that I learned from this quote was how the use of the “ticking clock” influenced tension in a movie. Although at times it may seem subtle to the audience, the use of a clock to highlight tension seemed genius to me once Nolan explained it. Nolan uses the concept of the ticking clock in his own movies as well. In Inception, the climax revolves around the concept of a ticking clock signifying that the characters are running out of time. In The Dark Knight Rises, there is a scene in which Harvey Dent and Rachel are strapped to bombs, and there is a clock ticking down to their doom. The clock creates an enormous amount of tension in the film, and rightfully so- it culminates in a death of a protagonist, and the scene indirectly leads to the transformation of Harvey Dent into the infamous Two-Face.

“I think that one of the things I’m going to miss about not working with these characters is that when you take on these grandeur, larger than life characters that the audience has a preexisting relationship with, these icons, you’re allowed to indulge in a kind of grand scale emotional storytelling that you couldn’t do with other stories.”

In regards to working on the Batman trilogy, Nolan enjoyed the amount of grandeur we was able to work with in his movie. I believe that this quote not only applies to the trilogy, but superhero movies in general. I’ve always enjoyed the operatic and dramatic portrayal of superhero movies. However, this interview did give me some insight as to how these movies are able to be played out so dramatically and emotionally. Superhero movies, if one truly thinks about it, often have rather outlandish or fantastical plots and characters. Yet, because there is already a pre-established context for these characters and stories, we do not accept these movies as silly or ridiculous. Because of this pre-established context, superhero movies can use a level of grandeur that other movies cannot really do. I believe that this is something that really makes them special. 

I think if they’re encountering an antagonist who is different, who doesn’t get them at all, essentially, that shares none of their values, and is from a different planet, really, he isn’t as threatening. I really enjoy telling a story with a protagonist that is undermined by a villain that’s really getting under his skin because they share something. They share knowledge in some point of view or bizarre way. The more bizarre way you can find that kind of relationship, you have more fun. 

In this quote, Christopher Nolan discusses the relationship between Batman and some of his adversaries in the Batman trilogy, including Bane from The Dark Knight Rises. In the Batman film series, Nolan establishes the evil of the antagonists by juxtaposing characteristics of the antagonist against Batman’s own characteristics. Yet at the same time, Nolan also makes sure to point out the characteristics that Batman and the villains share because it “gets under his (Batman’s) skin.” I thought that this point was really interesting, as it really did seem to make the villains seem more threatening. Nolan later stated in the interview that Bane, like Batman, sees himself as a hero and savior. Yet at the same time, he and Batman are doing completely different things over the course of the movie. I think that this was a very interesting insight in the way in which Nolan developed the villains of his movies. 

Overall, Nolan’s interview on The Treatment was very intriguing. I felt that I had gained new insight into the development and the ideas behind Nolan’s films. I think that Nolan has contributed a great deal to the world of film in revitalizing a treasured franchise and the use of film noir in modern cinema.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly- Cinematography

 

 

OVERALL LOOK

  

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, based on the novel of the same name, tells the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a fairly well off journalist, who, after suffering a major stroke, is paralyzed from the head to toe and is forced to communicate through blinking his left eye. Because the main character is immobile, the film, as a result, is relatively less focused on action and “present” events and more focused on Bauby’s personal introspective thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Because of this, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, despite being based on a true story, does not veer towards realism but rather is conveyed to the audience as quite an expressionist and artistic film. Evidently, many of the cinematographic elements of the film attempt to convey this- the filmmakers are quite liberal with the use of oblique angles, old scenic film clips, and other expressionist techniques.

IMAGES

During Bauby’s imaginative and memory scenes, the scenes are constantly interceded with shots that are not directly related to the plot but are rather reflective of the main character’s thoughts and emotions. For example, in a scene in which Bauby is lying in a hospital bed recounting his life as a failure and as a “string of near misses,” shots of glacier chunks breaking off and falling are shown. These clips, while having no relation to the plot events of the movie, are reflective of Bauby’s feelings of loss and grief. Many of the interceding shots are made to look like “vintage” shots- they seem to be from an older era as there is lower film quality, and the camera work even seems quite unstable. This seems to allude to the fact that these shots are representative of Bauby’s mind and imagination, and they provide a stark contrast to the reality of the hospital. 

Another image that is used extensively throughout the film is the image of the deep sea diver. Inside the diver’s helmet is Bauby himself, and he is portrayed as immobile and helpless- quite an appropriate reflection of Bauby’s state of mind.

SHOT LENGTHS

Because the film is primarily told from Bauby’s point of view, the shot lengths are quite long. In fact, most of the plot events are presented to the audience through Bauby’s own eye. However, the long shot types are broken by quick, abrupt shots during Bauby’s memory and imaginative scenes. Unlike the steadiness and serene mood conveyed through the long takes, these short, abrupt shots convey a contrast from the long takes and convey a sense of change and powerful emotions. 

SHOT TYPES

Because The Diving Bell and the Buttterfly is primarily told from Bauby’s point of view, most of the shots, especially in the beginning of the film, are close ups and extreme close ups. These shots provided a perspective to Bauby’s point of view and give the audience a better understanding of the emotions expressed by the characters attending to Bauby. Later in the film, medium and long shots are used more extensively to not only show the story through Bauby’s point of view, but also from an omniscient viewpoint. These later, “longer” shots reflect Bauby’s “opening up” and growing sense of freedom and happiness. 

CAMERA ANGLES

Most of the camera angles used in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly are Bauby’s point of view shots. Some of these point of view shots are low angle shots- especially in scenes involving the doctors and therapists. These characters seem to be portrayed as powerful in Bauby’s life, as Bauby is powerless, and his nurses must carry out is daily routines for him. 

In many of Bauby’s memory and imaginative scenes, however, in contrast to the stable angles of the other parts of the film, the filmmakers liberally used oblique angles. These angles reflected a departure from reality in regards to Bauby’s state of mind. 

COMPOSITION

Most of the shots in the film are quite balanced- they obey the rule of thirds quite well. These balanced shots provide a sense of composure and tranquility. One example of this is the following shot below. The below shot is from a scene in which Bauby is recalling a memory in which he is shaving his father. The shot is compositionally balanced on both sides. This contributes to the sense of peace the main character feels about this scene. 

 

The filmmakers however, use compositional stress in some scenes to convey a sense of distress. In the shot below, Bauby sees Celine, the mother of his children, for the first time since his accident. However, Bauby feels uncomfortable and irritated by her presence. This is evidenced by the use of rather unbalanced composition, as shown below. The visual weight of the Celine’s face dominates the shot, and there is no counterweight to balance the frame. This conveys to the audience the distress that Bauby feels. 

CAMERA MOVEMENT

Interestingly, in many of the memory scenes of the film, the camera is quite shaky and unstable, like a homemade video. The unstable camera is not a reflection of poor camera work or a low budget- rather, the use of unstable camera work in these memory scenes, like a homemade video, is a provides an aura of authenticity and bliss to the memories. The presentation of these scenes in this manner also reminds the audience that these scenes took place in an earlier, nostalgic time. 

CINEMATOGRAPHY STYLE

One particular instance in which the cinematography calls attention to itself is in the following shot. The shot below is taken from a scene after Bauby recalls having his stroke. In the plotline, this scene takes place after Bauby suffers from a bout of pneumonia. The camera work seems to be blurred, and faces move in and out of the shot. There never seems to be a solid line of action. This stylistic use of cinematography is quite noticeable and provides a clear demonstration of Bauby’s distress brought on by pneumonia. 

Throughout the film the cinematography is quite remarkable, and it contributes greatly to the expressionist and artful mood that the filmmakers effectively achieve.  

Film Noir

“It’s the great sense of knowing what you are doing is doomed…and you can’t be stopped from doing it.” –American Cinema, “Film Noir”

 

The 1944 movie Double Indemnity is the perfect archetype of film noir. It has all the aesthetic elements to it- the dark setting of Los Angeles during the 1930s, the backdrop of the “perfect” murder, the lust for money, and sexual overtones. Although it is easy to see that the main character of the movie, Walter Nebbs, acts deliberately in the murder of his lover’s husband you cannot help but feel that he is unintentionally being sucked into his doom. His initial reluctance to carry out Mrs. Dietrichson’s wishes for her husband’s death suggests that he is well intentioned; however, his human side takes over, and, motivated by lust and money, Mr. Nebbs commits the crime. With colorful colleagues such as Mr. Keyes, Walter Nebbs knows that he is doomed from the start, yet his motivation is too great and too seductive. From the moment his episode starts everything begins to go downhill. Even when it seemed that Mr. Nebbs had found his escape, he is betrayed and shot in classic crime thriller style. Staying true to the dark core themes of film noir, the end of Double Indemnity leaves viewers with a sense of thrill and the ultimate demise that the characters must face.

“The classic femme fatale, is, to me, a woman that’s usually getting a man into bed and then into trouble.” –Marie Windsor

One particular element of film noir that is extensively used in Double Indemnity is the femme fatale. Phyllis Dietrichson, the lead female character and Mr. Nebbs’ love interest, is a perfect example of this. She is appealing, seductive, and ultimately deceptive. At the beginning of the film, Mr. Webbs is smitten by her. Although she seems to be a typical family woman, it is revealed that she has dark intentions. She deceives Mr. Nebbs into believing throughout the plot that they are working together to pull off the crime. But later it is revealed that she was controlling him the whole time, and ironically she had another lover that she really wanted to escape with. Phyllis’s femme fatale character adds to the film elements of seduction, deception, and betrayal that exemplify the very attributes that make film noir so attractive.

Every aesthetic aspect of Double Indemnity contributes to the “film noir feel” of the movie. First of all, like many other film noir movies, Double Indemnity uses black and white footage. The low-key lighting and relative absence of sunny, outdoor scenes contributes to the dark and mysterious feel of the film. The film takes place in an urban setting, which helps contribute to the cold and unattached feel of the characters and interactions with one another. The insurance company setting works especially well because it helps audiences visualize characters such as Keyes and Mr. Norton as cold and villainous.

  

One scene from the movie that I believe really exemplifies the film noir genre is the scene in which Mr. Nebbs and Phyllis have their final face-off. The scene takes place late at night, with the only light present filtered through the blinds in the window. This lighting alone creates an eerie feeling in the room as the two characters confront each other. The room has a private and intimate feel to it, which, along with the low lighting, helps contribute to the idea that Walter Nebbs is “trapped” in the room. All of the aesthetic aspects of classic film noir movies like Double Indemnity contribute to the overall feel of a dark, cynical crime drama. Although some more modern colored “neo-noir” films do a fairly good job of copying the style of the classic films, there is no substitute for the eeriness and mysteriousness that black and white films provide.

Introduction

Since the beginning of the film era, hundreds and thousands of movies have been produced and released. Yet few of them can be deemed worthy of praise or recognition. But what makes these movies great? I believe that at the root of it all, what makes a movie compelling is the connection the film establishes between the audience and the movie. The audience does not just simply view the film- they experience it. Effective movies transport the audience to the world of the movie- the narrative grips the audience’s emotions, and the viewers feel what the characters are feeling for themselves. 

Although movies of the silent film era may not possess the same glamour and flashiness that movies today have, they can still be quite noteworthy and compelling. One example of this is the film Le voyage dans la lune (Georges Melies). This silent film portrays a group of ambitious scientists and their journey into the filmmakers’ imaginative world of the moon. Although the world the filmmakers portray is fictional and impossible, we as the audience can still connect to the characters in the film. We feel their excitement when they land on the mysterious surface on the moon and their fear and anxiety when they are captured and brought into the intimidating alien palace. The audience remembers the imaginative and compelling story the filmmakers tell. In another silent film, The Great Train Robbery (Edwin S. Porter), the filmmakers transports the audience to the world of the American West and the cunning bandits that make their home there. In the film, the audience despairs over the deaths and the loss conflicted against the innocents on the train, and when the narrative is brought to resolution through the deaths of the bandits, they feel the closure felt by the characters in the film. 

One of my favorite films that demonstrates a compelling narrative and connection to the audience is the 1994 movie Forrest Gump (Zemeckis).

  The movie blends a mix of comedy and drama to illustrate the life of the main character of the story, Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks). The comedic sequences in the film were witty and hilarious, but I think that is only part of what makes this film great. The film does a great job of portraying Forrest as a genuinely honest and well intentioned character. We, as the audience, sympathize with him and feel that we understand everything that he is experiencing. We feel his heartbreak at the loss of his loved ones because we know that he genuinely cared for them. I think that this connection with the character the central theme that “good will prevail” makes a particularly good story. 

Another great film that I enjoyed was Up (Pete Docter). The 2009 Pixar film is focused on the adventure of the elderly Carl Fredricksen and his eager 9 year old companion, Russell. The movie, through its thrilling action sequences and humorous scenes, is quite entertaining. But the film is also quite heartfelt in the development of the relationship between Carl and Russell. Throughout the film we can easily see that Carl views Russell as a nuisance. But later in the film, Carl is forced to make a choice between Russell or his house. We learn that Carl genuinely cares for Russell by risking his life for him. I think that this transformation within Carl makes a great story because it resonates with the central theme and viewers that relationships with people are much more important than self satisfaction.