Abstract This paper explains that, in his film "The Mirror", AndreiTarkovsky provides his audience with a collection of his childhood memories. The author points out that Tarkovsky tries to remember his childhood home exactly as it was in his past but some of his memories are not as pleasant as he hoped; therefore, he relies on his imagination to create a new vision that will always be pleasant and desirable. The paper relates that the film is unconventional because of his use of a "creative relationship" to form the timeline. The author relates that critic Peter Green believes that Tarkovsky's intention when planning his film was to reflect his mother; therefore, his obsession with his mother is important to the film. The paper states that critic Ian Christie stresses the importance of the actual place where the filmmaker spent his childhood.
From the Paper "When remembering his father the images reflect his emotions, "expressing hope and despair". In the establishing shot, a man is walking towards what Tarkovsky describes as his childhood home. Metaphorically, this could be the filmmaker seeing the father he was so desperate to see returning home. The very first shot is a young boy at the doctor's office. At first, he is unable to talk, but once he is cured, he is portrayed as perfect. This sequence could once again be translated as Tarkovsky sending a message to his father, that he wants his dad to be proud of him and see him as intelligent."
Abstract This paper discusses Russian born filmmaker AndreiTarkovsky's film "Nostalghia". It is compared and contrasted with Hamid Nacify's notion of accented cinema in which culture plays a influential part in filmmaking. Tarkovsky's films are characterized by metaphysical themes, extremely long takes, and memorable images of exceptional beauty. The paper shows that recurring motifs in his films are dreams, memory, childhood, running water accompanied by fire, rain indoors, reflections, and characters re-appearing in the foreground of long panning movements of the camera.
From the Paper "Compared to other forms of art that have been around for thousands of years (i.e. paintings and drawings, cinema is relatively new and has only been around for the past century. The first films came out in the 1890s and were shown first in theatres in the United States, France, Germany, and Great Britain (Binkowski 70). By the early 1900s, the cinema had spread to all parts of the world through the development of advanced technology (Taylor 166). Watching a film at the cinema soon became one of the most popular forms of entertainment that reached audiences throughout the world in large cities and in urban sprawls."
Abstract This paper discusses the differences between film and television that explains why psychoanalytic film theory cannot simply be directly applied to television. The paper examines Jaques Lacan's mirror phase that has great relevance to film and/or TV studies and then turns to E. Ann Kaplan's four approaches that address contemporary application to current media forms. The paper also notes that there is a film in every category for every desire imaginable and this sheds support for much of the ideas behind psychoanalytical film theory.
From the Paper "Sandy Flitterman-Lewis suggests "psychoanalytic film theory cannot simply be applied to television". Indications for this reasoning are depicted as contrasted through the model for viewer participation in the cinema in varying detailed explanation. A collaboration of these aspects gather together to produce what is referred to as the film spectator, the technology of cinema; the nature of filmic enunciation; the characteristics of the viewing situation; and the psychic processes that link viewer to film. For all intensive purposes, television consists of a design and application completely different in many ways."
Abstract This paper explains that the film "American Beauty" is an excellent example of how the male gaze not only configures looking at women as power but also how this gaze, through the film's use of multiple camera lenses, can shape the geography of space and gender relations. The author argues that the film represents women in visually constricted space in contrast with the representation of men in open space. The paper relates that this distinction mirrors the dominance of the male gaze as defining both geography and gender relations in the film.
From the Paper "The film "American Beauty" is an excellent example of how the male gaze not only configures looking at women as power, but also how this gaze - through the film's use of multiple camera lenses - can shape the geography of space and gender relations. As this essay will argue, the film represents women in visually constricted space in contrast with the representation of men in open space. This distinction mirrors the dominance of the male gaze as defining both geography and gender relations in the film."
Abstract The author of this paper uses four films and quotes to illustrate the influence that the Godfather Saga had on the film "Goodfellas". It summarizes each of the Godfather movies including character analysis and connects them to the characters in Goodfellas.
From the paper:
"Gangster films have been popular for many years. Everybody loves a film that depicts the days of mobsters and the many deals and connections that were portrayed within those films. Perhaps there is a small piece of each of us secretly wishing we could throw away the straight-laced life and become a part of the gangster scene back when it had respect. Whatever the reason America loves the films they are a sure moneymaker at the box office. The Godfather Trilogy began in 1972 and had three films to its saga. Each one was popular and picked up where the other left us hanging to continue the story. We expected each Godfather film to resemble the previous work of art. What we didn?t expect was the impact and influence these three films would have on a more recent project called Goodfellas. While Goodfellas is its own movie in its own right the movies is filled with the obvious influence of the Godfather Saga. "
Abstract Among the various styles of producing films, the noir style is one that has come to be recognized for its uniqueness in characterization, camera work and striking dialogue. Film Noir of the 1940s and 50s was well known for feminine characters that were the protagonists, the femme fatale. This was most common with the French and later accepted in the United States. This paper begins by introducing film noir, its definition, how it started and also the history of this genre in the United States of America. It looks at films such as the "Maltese Falcon" (1941) and "A Touch of Evil" (1958). In the second section, the paper explores how women are represented in film noir (heroine and femme fatal) by discussing the aforementioned films and analyzing them. The paper examines different authors, such as Ann Mary Doane whose research is based on feminism and psychoanalysis and Ewing Dale ("Style and Content in Film Noir"), to discuss their ideas. The paper also compares two film noirs - the "Maltese Falcon" (1941) and "Basic Instinct" (a contemporary noir), to see how women express themselves, looking to see whether they express themselves through their sexual diversity. In the third and last section, the paper examines how women are represented in contemporary noir by analyzing and discussing one contemporary noir - "Mulholland Drive" (2001). The paper analyzes sequences to demonstrate the movie's connection with film noir and examines the role of women in the film. The paper includes illustrations from movies.
From the Paper "Mulholland Drive reinforces the dominance of the femme fatale in contemporary film noir. In present times the role of the woman in society is observed to have a variation, and this is because of the fact that there is a change in the way that she can express herself. It also highlights the way that she can dominate men without them even knowing it. It is perhaps only when they reach their ultimate doom that they realize that women have exploited them. This kind of character portrayal is one that has increased over the years since the beginning of the film noirs. From then it has developed itself in American filmmaking, which has reflected the strengths and weaknesses both in American society."
This paper examines the horror film genre, also known as realist horror, while focusing on two specific films, "The Blair Witch Project" and "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer."
Abstract This paper analyzes the realist horror genre in film. The realist horror genre was spearheaded by Alfred Hitchcock in his 1960 film "Psycho." Horror films proliferated throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s in Hollywood. Most of these films used comedy to portray killings, veering away from realism. The writer of this paper contends that the realist aspect of actual human killers is enough to leave lingering fears long after the viewing has ended. This paper focuses on this particular style of filmmaking, in which the approach is to focus on the killer rather than victim, resulting in terrifying the viewing audience. This well-researched paper notes the similarities and differences in "The Blair Witch Project" and "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer." This paper describes how both films leave the viewer with a lingering thought and fear of the real world. Specifically, fear of the horrific possibilities. "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer" is based on real-life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. The movie follows the daily life of Henry, beginning with aftermath shots of freshly murdered victims juxtaposed with images of Henry. This illustrates to the audience that Henry is indeed a bona-fide serial killer. "The Blair Witch Project" is a far cry from the typical slasher film. It uses an entirely different approach to realist horror. The film is shown as a documentary and the actors are not actors at all, but real victims captured on video.
From the Paper "The presentation style changes only during the murder scenes. The pictures are graphic and almost too gory to be real. One woman is seen with a bottle shoved into her throat and the electronics salesman's head goes through a television picture tube - just before the television is plugged in - electrocuting him. Background electric guitar is also present mostly during the build up to a murder. It is not overdone and avoids appearing out of place. Rather, it helps the viewer realize something important in happening. Overall the film does achieve a realism most slasher films cannot approach. This purposeful use of a home-movie style subtly reminds the viewer that the onscreen events are based in truth. Blair Witch takes the realist style one step further by using the camera as a prop in the film. The viewer is constantly reminded that an off-screen character is behind the lens."
Abstract This paper analyzes the 1933 film, "King Kong" and discusses several important elements of the film. More specifically, the paper analyzes the main characters in the film, the film's plot, the acting, mise-en-scene, the film's use of special effects, the use of sound, the cinemaphotogray and the main themes in the film. The paper also discusses the film's powerful emotional impact and the sexual interplay in the play.
Abstract This paper reviews the Canadian film industry, one that is said to be a composite of three different unique bodies that have combined to create a dynamic film environment; albeit not a uniquely Canadian one. The paper goes on to discuss how while the indigenous Canadian film industry is still extant it might be described as moribund at best. If not for governmental support for the indigenous film industry, independent Canadian film making might already be extinct. The Canadian film industry is relatively healthy overall but the figures indicate strictly indigenous Canadian films, outside of one or two major production houses, may suffer revenue and market difficulties in the years ahead.
Abstract This paper explains that the way women are depicted in film generally reflects how women are viewed in the society, which produced the film. The women in the 1940 films were empowered because of woman who worked in a factory during the war; however, the 1950s film depicted a return to a more domestic image of women, though challenged by the sex bomb. The author points out that these film images of women contributed to the unrest and dissatisfaction that led to the development of the women's liberation movement in the 1960s. The paper analyzes in detail 1940s films "The Philadelphia Story", Mildred Pierce", "Now, Voyager" and "Double Indemnity " and 1950s films "The African Queen", "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison", "The Girl Can't Help It" and "Some Like It Hot".
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Forties
The Fifties
Conclusion
From the Paper "Elizabeth Mulvey describes the view prevalent of the woman as being woman as icon, and Tracy clearly does represent an iconic image to every male in the film and to many of the woman as well. She is the goddess to Dexter, Connor, and her fiancee, though in different ways and with differing degrees of acceptance. To her father, she is a failed woman, a woman who will never be a true woman until she changes her way of relating to men and her way of being looked at and being displayed."
Tags: stereotype, film noir, davis crawford hepburn
Abstract This paper studies the concept of suturing which is defined in many different ways such as sewing something back together, gesture or pseudo-identification, the individual watching a film as a stand-in for the camera and more. It looks at the filmmaker Ranier Werner Fassbinder's work 'Despair' as an example of a film that attempts to undercut notions of the gazer of the film becoming sutured into the web of the film and of becoming socially subjected to the predetermined constructions of reality within the film's text. Finally, it concludes that the destabilizing of a master narrative with the particularity of autobiography is better than the complicated suturing.
From the Paper "On a very literal level, to suture something is to sew something back together, usually imperfectly, usually with a substance that is alien to the body that is being altered?such as the doctor's suturing thread that stitches together an open wound. On a semiotic level, according to Jacques-Alain Miller, Miller's definition of suture (in a nutshell) is that the suturing process in culture is the process through which a subject is joined into the signifying chain of culture, allowing a signifier to stand-in for the subject's absence in discourse. (Suture as a Laconian Concept) "
Abstract This essay explores what state the film industry was in before the Russuan Revolution. It looks at the ways in which the Bolsheviks planned on bringing Soviet Russia into the modern age and how this policy was conceived and brought about during and after the Revolution. It also explores the practical implications of these policies and how when Stalin came to power these policies changed. In this overview of the golden age of Soviet filmmaking, the writer focuses on specific policies and trends in filmmaking and production. The writer gives an understanding of the way the government controlled the means of production and distribution of film and how this affected the filmmakers in content and style. It provides an in depth look at the way the Soviet filmmakers had their films received domestically and what the peasantry actually thought and saw of the films that were made under these revolutionary policies. The writer refers to the Bolshevik policies as being utopian, or unrealistic. Despite their lofty ambitions or intentions they were unable to be fulfilled in practice.
From the Paper "The first Russian feature film was Boris Godunov (Drankov, 1907) and in making it the filmmakers realised many of the potential problems of working with this new medium. In the early films the Russians had already initiated their own style, "film story" . This was in opposition to the American and European styles which glorified drama over psychology. This marked difference in approach to film set out clearly that the Russians were able to move away from mimicry of overseas material early on in their filmmaking history. Traditional cinematic movement was replaced with "the psychological pauses of the Moscow Art Theatre" . However, despite this experimentation, the film industry in Russia before the 1917 revolution was indeed very small. Distribution of these films facilitated only to main urban centres, with the focus of the industry being in Moscow . In these early times for the film industry the hands controlling the distribution of films in Russia were foreigners, namely the French. The French cornered the market around the world, and Russia was no exception and because of their size they were able to "undersell domestic businessmen" . The French even initiated local productions to ensure that the viewing public would remain interested by seeing their own people and country on screen. Business was strong and very profitable for those who had a stake in the industry. By 1913 the Russian Empire had 1043 movie theatres much of these were concentrated in urban centres. The appetite for this new medium was very strong and its appeal was wide. Efforts were also made to take the films out into the country to the small villages, but these were always difficult undertakings. However there was money to be made, and many cashed in on the opportunities that cinema afforded."
This in-depth paper examines the British film industry during the 1980s while also focusing on the political climate in England during this same period in which the country was led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Abstract This well-researched paper delves into the history of Britain's film industry which, according to the writer of this paper, was considered second rate in comparison to other countries including Germany, France and the U.S. This paper discusses the film industry's apparent lack of focus primarily during the 1980s, which was a direct result due to the political climate during this particular era. The writer reviews and analyzes British author John Hill's book "British Cinema in the 1980s" which provides in-depth insight to this specific topic. The writer contends and explains why British filmmakers were essentially apathetic and uncaring about Thatcherism and went on to challenge many of the country's values. This paper examines the impact of various films made in England during the 1980s including "Gandhi," "Room With a View" and "Chariots of Fire." This paper also focuses on the cultural conflicts between the older and younger generations in England which greatly impacted the types of films that were produced during at that time. The writer stresses that during the 1980s the older generation stuck by the traditional and old fashioned Victorian morality system which still exists today while the younger generation chose to adhere to a more free-flowing Edwardian type value system.
From the Paper "There were several opportunistic policies that had been passed, and there was also a growing lack of satisfaction in manual labor. Therefore, it was very evident that in Britain, even at the end of the 1960's and the beginning of the 1970's, there was indeed a large amount of class differences in English society, and society in general was divided into there major classes, which were the upper classes, the middle classes, and the working classes. The divisions were in fact brought about by the differences in wealth, power, and the types of work, the ideologies, the status, and the opportunities that were available. At the same time, this period saw a vast change in the people's attitudes towards traditions, old values, taboos, customs, and the all-pervasive parochialism, and this was the very attitude that was reflected in all the New Age films that were made during that time."
Abstract This paper discusses two Hollywood films on labor unions, corruption and labor-capital conflict. It explores how each film depicts union activity. The films are Elia Kazan's 1954 "On the Waterfront" and Paul Schrader's 1997 "Blue Collar. The paper examines the different style and approach to union politics of each film.
From the Paper Hollywood has often used its capacity as a producer of popular entertainment to address political and ideological concerns..."
Abstract This paper presents a summary of "Chapter 3 of Film History: Theory and Practice" by Robert Allen and Douglas Gomeny that focuses on the need for an active process of reading and studying film history. It looks at film as a narrative and the personal agenda of the film historian. It looks at the economic and cultural assumptions of the film historian.
