Abstract This paper analyzes the film "Boys Don't Cry" created in 1999, which explores how we identify gender and differentiate between the masculine and the feminine. The paper describes the story of the female Teena Brandon who masquerades herself as the male Brandon Teena. It illustrates visually that identity as male and female actually involves only a relative few visual and aural cues. The author writes that society does not tolerate that much freedom and that those who step too far outside the gender boundaries society has set are destroyed. The paper demonstrates how gender is not the only issue being tested in this film, for ideas about small towns, tolerance, and the threat of the outsider are also examined.
From the Paper "The film Boys Don't Cry (1999, Kimberly Peirce) is based on a true story and raises numerous real-world issues in its story of a murder case in middle America in which the victim was a girl who successfully passed herself off as a boy. The film delves into gender issues, questions of identity, and the ethics of interpersonal relationships. First, the viewer asks why so many people were fooled for such a long time by this masquerade."
Abstract This research paper examines the Sixth Amendment and the rights afforded to the indigent, more specifically, Brandon, a man that lives behind a city's auto pound. The paper explains in a brief memorandum why Brandon will or will not win his appeal on Sixth Amendment grounds, including acceptable case law to support the position taken. The paper also examines the outcome of the appeal of Brandon's case.
Outline:
Abstract
Right to Assistance of Counsel
Powell v. Alabama
Johnson v. Zerbst
Betts v. Brady and Progeny
Gideon v. Wainwright
From the Paper "When this amendment was ratified, however, the general understanding was that the right to counsel was only meant for those who could afford to pay for the services of a lawyer. This feeling was brought about by the fact that under the "common-law principle" which had prevailed in England during the early times, a person who was accused of a serious crime was not accorded any right to counsel even if he or she could afford one. Only those who were accused of less serious crimes or misdemeanors were allowed to engage and pay for the services of a lawyer. However, the United States Supreme Court expanded the concept of right to counsel during the 1930s. "
Abstract This paper explains that, in the film "Boys Don't Cry", Brandon Teena, played by actor Hillary Swank, born a female living in Lincoln, Nebraska, desires to fulfill the need to fit into her surroundings as a male without any interference or confrontation while living her transgender lifestyle; from the beginning of the film, this is no easy task. The author states that it is exhilarating to watch Brandon Teena prevail over traditional bedrock notions of femininity, to see him present himself not as a tomboy or "tranny", but as an 'ideal' heterosexual male. The paper reflects that the film proves that gender is performative, expresses male dominance as well as the power of the phallus and relates that the lifestyle of transgender individuals in rural mid-America is a dangerous one.
From the Paper "The location in which the movie had taken place seems to be that of everlasting suffering. It was clear by Lana Tisdel (played by Chloe Sevigny) that she hated the area in which she lived. Noting that she has a mother who is a drunk, and a violent and possibly abusive ex-boyfriend, it is no wonder why. Although at the time, Brandon's feelings about the same place are completely different, he mentions that he is from Graceland and offers Lana to join him someday. She gladly agrees and hopes they can run off together in the near future. Falls City Nebraska can be a signifier for hell. The name Falls has the connotation of being below or underground. Graceland has an opposing effect, sounding heavenly and free. Sadly, the only time the characters in the film have a remotely decent time is when they are intoxicated, driving, or both. Note that when they are driving, note that driving can be seen as an escape or not presently in Falls City."
Abstract A paper which introduces and discusses the movie "Bedazzled," starring Elizabeth Hurley, Brandon Fraser, and Francis O'Conner which is directed by Harold Ramis. The paper focuses on movie reviews of this film which was made in the year 2000. It shows how critics are mixed about the humor and content of this remake. Also, many critics felt the script by Ramis and colleagues did not do justice to the 1967 film (starring Dudley Moore and Peter Cook) and was not funny enough to carry cast and characters.
From the Paper "Just like its ultimate theme of good vs. evil, "Bedazzled" is the kind of movie critics either loved or hated, there did not seem to be any middle ground. I personally found the film so funny, and entertaining, I purchased the DVD, and even taped the original on the Fox Movie Channel so I could compare the two. While I found some genuinely great moments in the first film, I think the new "Bedazzled" was funnier, and did not bog down in the middle as much as the first film. I thought the wish sequences were all played extremely well, with Fraser appearing uniquely different in each one. My personal favorite was the last sequence, when he encounters the angelic prisoner in the jail cell, and really discovers himself in the process. "Bedazzled" certainly had its flaws, as many critics pointed out, but it was a charming and amusing film."
From the Paper " The untimely death of actor Brandon Lee would have been a major story under any circumstances--the death of an actor by accidental shooting during the filming of a movie is both rare and shocking and so would attract a good deal of attention. However, the death of Brandon Lee at the age of 28 created more of a stir than might otherwise have been the case because of his family history, with the sudden death of his father, Bruce Lee, when the latter had achieved international stardom at the age of 32, and because of the nature of the film he was shooting, a film about a hero who returns from the dead. The story was thus played up as if there were a curse on the Lee family and as if aspects of the movie being made had come to life, with the movie also being made out to have been unlucky from the beginning.
Brandon Lee was eight years old when his father died, and he.."
Abstract Female characters using their sexuality to achieve what they want in Hollywood films is a strategy that is used over and over again by film makers. The paper shows that while many movies use the same basic themes when it comes to female sexuality, there are some variances from the norm. This paper discusses different forms of female sexuality as they appear in three Hollywood films, "The Ice Storm", "Boys Don't Cry" and "Thelma and Louise". From these movies three specific characters are studied: Wendy Hood, Brandon Teena and Thelma, respectively. The paper shows that these three women all represent female sexuality differently. They don't all fit the stereotypes of women that other movies tend to portray. Although there are some similarities between the three characters, the portrayals vary as to how the characters use their sexuality and femininity and it is these differences the paper examines.
From the Paper "Another similarity between the movies is that they all portray women who are struggling with something. Whether it's coming of age, sexual identity, or a discovery of who they really are, all three women have something very important going on in their lives that they must deal with. Brandon Teena has the largest problem to handle of the three selected women, but Wendy and Thelma must struggle with their own beliefs and actions as well. The actions of others that directly affect each of the women must also be dealt with."
Abstract The philosophy of the martial arts as a merge of physical and spiritual mastery. History of Kung Fu films in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Films of Wong Fei Hong. Impact of Bruce Lee. Other actors such as Brandon Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal. Current martial art films and TV.
From the Paper "Introduction
Martial arts is simply defined as the arts of warfare (de Castro, Orpeza & Rhodes, 1993; Ross, 1999). For example, in Japan, while samurai were engaged in swordplay, karate-do ("way of the empty hand,") was secretly taught to weaponless peasants for self-defense (de Castro, et. al., 1993). Tae kyon ("push shoulder") in Korea, as well as Kali in the Philippines, were outlawed by conquering nations desiring a defenseless population (1993). In fact, General MacArthur outlawed the Greater Japanese Martial Arts Association and banned martial arts in Japanese schools at the conclusion of WWII (Neide, 1995). Such deliberate prohibition assumes that the study of the martial arts is synonymous with combat training.
A closer look, however, reveals an art that has a philosophy..."
Abstract Used, abused, and confused by the grinding, unforgiving machinery of celebrity, the aging TV child actor, from Ricky Nelson to Brandon Cruz, from Patty Duke to Dana Plato, has always been more susceptible to the "crash-and-burn" than your average, not-so-cute-and-cuddly-anymore youngster. But what about Gary Coleman? What is he supposed to do? Disappear? And there it is: The Gary Coleman Paradox, the Former Child Star Dilemma. When their time is up, when their shows are canceled, we want them to go away. But they can't. Reruns assure otherwise; our TV-burned memories assure otherwise. We don't need to see another second of another "Diff'rent Strokes" to know that Gary Coleman is pint-size Arnold Jackson Drummond from Harlem. Now and forever. He can't go away. They can't go away. And, for that, we make them pay. If it was impossible for the TV kids of the 1950s and '60s to know the traps that lay ahead, it was impossible for the TV kids who followed them not to know.
Abstract The author of this paper derives information from her own experience as a clinical psychologist, as well as the opinion of other psychologists such as Nathaniel Brandon, to address the issue of a pervasive sense of inner guilt and shame which originates, to some degree, in the Judeo-Christian religious upbringing of many patients. The author shows how she has developed a method of addressing these psychological issues in a manner that fulfills her professional and ethical obligations as a therapist, without inspiring unnecessary conflicts with the personal religious beliefs of the patients.
From the Paper "Since these revelations, she has been able to resist any temptation to use the excuse of intoxication to pursue sexual gratification and she has remained celibate, in keeping with her moral values and her conscious wishes. When she is unable to resist the (psychologically normal) urge to masturbate, she reminds herself that it is the "lesser of two evils", which her "God" understands. Most importantly, from a therapists view, she no longer suffers from intense shame and guilt from her choices."
This paper discusses the anthropic principle, which asserts that the laws, constants, and basic structure of the universe are not completely arbitrary, but are constrained by the existence of intelligent observers.
Abstract The paper explains that proponents of the principle believe, if any of the constants of life were any different than the observer knows them to be, then life as he or she knows it would not exist. Basically, the anthropic principle questions the origin of everything in the universe. The author reports that Brandon Carter, who presented his ideas about the anthropic principle in 1974, claims that the principle was meant only to caution astrophysicists and cosmologists of possible errors in the interpretation of astronomical and cosmological data unless the biological constraints of the observer were taken into account. The paper relates that the anthropic principle presents no definitive answers, only the suggestion that everything in the universe is interrelated and interdependent, and perhaps there is some type of intelligent design, a fundamental core that holds all these variable together.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Anthropic Principle
Thought Leaders
From the Paper "The most significant premise of the anthropic principle is that our place in the universe is special. Further, we occupy a unique segment of cosmic history. This of course is the controversy of the principle. Since the early days of scientific thought, it has been believed that there is nothing special about our place in the universe. Believers in the anthropic principle hope to disprove this. Theologically, the anthropic principle has led to a revival of the argument from design, which had lost its intellectual respectability when Darwin came along."
Abstract This paper explores Jane Austin's view of Romantic and Enlightenment ideals through her characters in her novel, "Sense and Sensibility". The paper argues that Jane Austin is not anti-Romantic; she believes that Romanticism and Enlightenment ideals are equally important in living one's life. The paper shows how she illustrates this idea through her characters and their situations in the novel.
From the Paper "Willoughby's embracement of his romantic lifestyle leads him to acting without moral restraint, as a libertine, and eventually to his eternal torment. Austen leaves Willoughby not as a villain but as someone she wants the reader to pity. Though he does represent emotion without reason he is also a victim of it. His lack of reason and moderation and his overindulgence in sensibility lead him where Austen believes the Romantic ideals alone could lead humanity. With this character Austen shows that unrestrained emotions and passions are dangerous and will lead humanity back into pre-Enlightenment thought."
Abstract This paper interprets the movie "Boys Don't Cry" using the personality theory of Erik Erikson. The author presents a brief synopsis of the movie and an analysis of its main character, Teena Brandon. The paper concludes that, based on Erikson's conceptual framework of personality and psychosocial development, Teena has an issue of identity diffusion.
Abstract 'Boys Don't Cry' has a basis of truth. Teena Brandon, the leading character, is a woman who longs to be male. She binds her breasts and uses a prosthesis to achieve this goal. As the story unravels, Teena is murdered by her lover. Murder is believed to be the definitive violation of a person's human rights. This paper takes a look at this human rights violation, as well as others that are portrayed throughout the movie.
From the Paper "The movie Boys Don't Cry is based on a true story. The main character, Teena Brandon, is a woman who wants to be a man. She binds her breasts and uses a prosthesis to "become" a man. Under this guise, Teena, or Brandon Teena, as she prefers to be called, lives the life of a man. Through a course of events, Teena meets Lana, with whom she begins a relationship. It is this relationship that ultimately ends with her rape and murder. It can be argued that murder is the definitive violation of a person's human rights. For that reason Teena has been selected as the main focus for this paper. However, other human rights issues appear in this movie as well. These issues will be discussed as they relate to the end of Teena's life. "
Abstract The paper discusses the effects of aggression from television on children and offers two ways for reducing aggression that result from TV viewing. The paper claims a clear link between violence in the media and an increase in aggression and children and adolescents and further concludes that the majority of parents do not seem to be concerned about the possible impact of televised on their children. The paper is based on two articles: "The Effects of Media Violence on Society", by Craig Anderson and Brad Bushman and "Television and Violence: The Scale of the Problem and Where to Go from Here", by Brandon Centerwall.
From the Paper ""Aggression researchers have adopted a triangulation strategy to examine the effects of violence in the media". This means that three different methods have been used by researchers and later analyzed to determine the effect of violence in television. The three research methods are field experiments, longitudinal studies, and cross sectional studies. Evidence is used from the six most important professional societies in the United States such as the American Psychological Association."
