Abstract
"The End of Escape in American Cinema," by Patrick J. Deneen, is an examination of what the author (96) calls "the restless quality of the American character" through the prism of seminal American films. Deneen's conclusion (103) is that the "dream of escape . . . was a nightmare all along," built as it is on "the willful disdain of our American present" (103). The author's approach is radical, framed as it against the well-known perception (expressed by such figures as Crevecoeur, Jefferson, and de Tocqueville, all of whom are referenced by Deneen's introduction) that America's intoxicating freedom emanates precisely from a disdain of the present.

From the Paper
Escape in American Cinema: Futile Existential State or Meaningful Striving? "The End of Escape in American Cinema," by Patrick J. Deneen, is an examination of what the author (96) calls "the restless quality of the American character" through the prism of seminal American films. Deneen's conclusion (103) is that the "dream of escape . . . was a nightmare all along," built as it is on "the willful disdain of our American present" (103). The author's approach is radical, framed as it against the well-known perception (expressed by such figures as Crevecoeur, Jefferson, and de Tocqueville, all of whom are referenced by Deneen's introduction)

Tags:escape, american, cinema

Abstract
This document discusses the use of dream as visual device by several filmmakers. The filmmakers discussed are David Lynch and Nina Menkes. In particular, Lynch's Eraserhead and Menkes' The Bloody Child are discusses vis-a-vis their directors' use of dream as device in film. For Lynch, the use of a the dreamscape as a means to facilitate symbolic substitution is examined while for Menkes her use of dream concept as a means of actual narrative is examined.

From the Paper
Abstract This document discusses the use of dream as visual device by several filmmakers. The filmmakers discussed are David Lynch and Nina Menkes. In particular, Lynch's Eraserhead and Menkes' The Bloody Child are discusses vis-AfA -vis their directors' use of dream as device in film. For Lynch, the use of a the dreamscape as a means to facilitate symbolic substitution is examined while for Menkes her use of dream concept as a means of actual narrative is examined. Dream and Cinema: The Reality that Isn't Dream and cinema seem to go together. Film has long been considered a type

Tags:lynch, menkes, dream

Abstract
The use of color in French New Wave cinema by three founding directors of the movement is the focus of this paper. The directors and films analyzed are: Agnes Varda's 'Cleo from 5 to 7' (1961) and 'Happiness' (1965); Jean-Luc Godard's Crazy Pete' (1965) and 'Two or Three Things I Know about Her'; and, Francois Truffaut's 'Stolen Kisses' (1968) and 'The Bride Wore Black' (1968). The paper also considers other innovations in this genre of film.

From the Paper
"The use of color or mixing color and black-and-white in the films of French New Wave cinema represented one of many innovations of directors responsible for this genre of films. Agnes Varda, Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut all made films mixing black-and-white and color black-and-white films and color films. The films of these French New Wave directors that mix black-and-white and color and are in full color will be the subject of this research. The use of color was employed for a..."

Tags:psyche, introspection, Paris, consumerism, culture, advertising, romantic cynicism, camerawork, theme, dream, marriage, love, infidelity, prostitution, crime, Truffaut, Godard, Varda

Abstract
The paper discusses how both the film and the original version of William Shakespeare's romantic comedy "A Midsummer's Night Dream" use the same words to tell a tale of temporarily thwarted young love. Yet, there are many differences the paper illustrates. The paper explains that because the film uses visual images to illustrate the words of the Shakespearean play and makes use of selective cutting to emphasize certain scenes over others, the film offers a more selective view of dreams and dreaming as opposed to the play that is viewed in its complete and uncut form.

From the Paper
"The nature of cinema allows the director of "A Midsummer's Night Dream" to make the fairies, such as Titania, Oberon, and Puck seem much more fantastical in contrast to the earth-bound mortals. The fairies float; strange, beautiful lights surround them. Yet in this rendition, they lose some of the earthier, humorous, and more interesting mortal qualities in contrast to the warring fairy characters in the play."

Tags:cinema, fairies, mortals, romanticism

Abstract
The paper discusses the use of dream as a visual device in David Lynch's film "Eraserhead" and Nina Menkes' film "The Bloody Child". The paper analyzes Lynch's use of the dreamscape as a means to facilitate symbolic substitution and Menkes' use of the dream concept as a means of actual narrative.

From the Paper
"Dream and cinema seem to go together. Film has long been considered a type of fantastic representation of what people experience, to one degree or another, when they sleep. Film seems to have the ability to bring dreams to life or to reduce life to the palatable state of a dream. In this light, dream must be understood to be an alternate form of reality; if not physical then certainly conceptual. To better grasp the psychological importance and the subjective realities that dreams, through film, can and do represent, one need look no further than the Native American religions where dreaming is seen as, "a source of personal empowerment"(Irwin, 1994, p.231). Viewed in this light, the utilization of dreams in American cinema and especially in the films of David Lynch and the lesser known Nina Menkes, must be examined from a much more rational and empirical perspective."

Tags:dreamscapes, reality, symbolic, substitution, narrative

Abstract
This paper examines two films, "Death of a Salesman" and "Seize the Day", which are set only about ten years apart and which deal with the American Dream. It discusses the concept of the American Dream; the protagonists in these two plays face materialism and have problems, difficulties, and humiliation in relationship between father and son(s). It explains that there are also outstanding characters in the two plays, with characteristics that make them failures. Moreover, the wives in both plays have significant roles in misleading their husbands to failure.

From the Paper
"The "Death of a Salesman", by Arthur Miller, is a story about how a father's misleading and deficient thoughts can be influential to his sons, how terrible it is, and what kinds of background or situation make the sons failures. Willy Loman who has two sons, Biff and Happy, is an inapplicable salesman whose imagination is much greater than his sales ability. While everyone around Willy experiences success and wealth, Willy and his family are too far from success. Willy wants to be successful for the wealth and dignity, but his dream is never fulfilled and materialized at all. In this situation, Willy tries to receive satisfaction from his sons. For instance, he wants Biff to become a business success even though Biff wants to work outside on a cattle ranch. Biff has an internal struggle between pleasing his father and doing what he feels is right."

Tags:arthur, miller, biff, willy, loman

Abstract
The paper first cites the strengths of the film; namely, the romantic score and the appropriate choreography. It then goes on to list the weaknesses of the film; namely, the controversy regarding the quality of acting and direction. Finally, the paper presents an opinion on the worth of the film as a representation of Shakespeare's play.

From the Paper
"The movie had everything going for it. Director Max Reinhardt had staged the play in England, and in the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. He was familiar with the magical qualities of the play, and wanted to bring its message to American filmgoers. "This message, as he saw it, was that fantasy can always provide us a refuge from "stark reality" (Magill)." He used the lush and romantic music of Felix Mendelssohn, and choreography to bring out the magic of the fairies in the forest."

Tags:cinema film-version movie Mickey Rooney James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland

Abstract
The writer of this paper examines how the long held national sense of baseball as 'America's pastime' first came to be, and how and why this sense of baseball remains strongly with us today. The writer also describes how combined, implied social and political importance of baseball to the American psyche and realization of the "American Dream" is powerfully and vividly reflected in films like "The Rookie"; "Field of Dreams", and "A League of their Own".

From the Paper
"As this film convincingly conveys, especially through its portrayals of the various ups and downs, but ultimately the cohesive teamwork and shared integrity among the Peaches themselves, that playing baseball one's very best, whatever one's gender, can and does bring out the best in oneself and others. The teammates each grow stronger, wiser and more determined and confident through their struggles to be self-actualizing through baseball which for women back then was indeed to achieve the near impossible."

Tags:best-loved, megastar, drugs, accessible, self-actualizing

Abstract
The paper discusses movies such as Frank Capra's 1936 "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" and 1937 "Lost Horizon" that capture Hollywood's idealistic theme of escaping reality during the Great Depression. The paper shows how Hollywood opened up the opportunity of distraction from the tragic reality of life and began a new tradition in film where audiences could be taken into the mystical silver screen of Hollywood. The paper relates that although the tragedy of the Great Depression has since long passed, this tradition continues to help mold films even today.

From the Paper
"After the market crashed in 1929, the entire nation was lunged into a bleak and tumultuous existence in the era known as The Great Depression. Millions of Americans lost their jobs, making the country's unemployment percentages reach record numbers. Banks lost millions of dollars of every day citizen's dollars; many more lost their homes and were forced to live a life on the street. The overall standard of living plummeted, bringing down the nation's morale right along with it. Even the seemingly invincible Hollywood Studios suffered from the conditions of the Depression suffering a deficit of around $410 million dollars in debt, (Digital History, 2008). How then, were the Studios to make money if the entire nation was in turmoil? Hollywood adapted to the needs of Americans during the Depression era. After an initial push of movies to go against the established order in the beginning of the Depression which actually decreased attendance, studios developed a trend of escapism in their most popular films."

Tags:distractions, American, Dream, poverty, morale

Abstract
This paper deals with Akira Kurosawa's film "Dreams," describing it as a sample of sights and sounds of Japanese culture. The paper describes each of the vignettes in the film: "Sunshine Through the Rain," "The Peach Orchard," "The Blizzard" and "Village of the Watermills." The author describes the incredible cinematography as well as the message of each of the vignettes in "Dreams."

From the Paper
"There is no greater film experience than director/writer Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (1990). Kurosawa brings to life his Dreams in a series of film vignettes that are extraordinary in cinematography and content. Beginning with the opening vignette, Sunshine Through the Rain, the audience experiences the colorful and clarity of the highest quality of cinematography; the audience is hooked, even though you're not the least bit fluent in the Japanese culture or language. This particular vignette focuses on a young boy who, on a rainy day, wanders into the woods after a caution from his mother has piqued his curiosity. Foxes, she cautions, have their wedding ceremonies on days when the fain falls while the sun still shines; and they don't like to be spied upon. In fact, they don't forgive being spied upon. Obviously, to a six year old boy, this is incentive enough to quickly sneak off and into the woods to discover what his mother has cautioned him against as an unforgivable transgression."

Tags:akira, dreams, films, holocaust, japanese, kurosawa, nuclear