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.