This paper argues the broader implications of Stanley Kramer's 1961 film "Judgment at Nuremberg" not only in the context of its original release at the height of the Cold War but also in the milieu of the 21st century War on Terror.
Abstract The paper explains that "Judgment at Nuremberg" is remarkable for its willingness to consider the collective guilt of the German people and, even more troubling, of people from other countries. The author points out that the power of this film lies in the complexity with which it represents such issues as responsibility, accountability and guilt in the context of a Hollywood social problem film and within the conventions of courtroom drama. The paper concludes that the film also reflected the events of the early 1960s, at the time "Judgment at Nuremberg" was made, which included the trial of Eichmann in Jerusalem and the enduring injustices in the United States that would become the Civil Rights struggles. The author believes that this film still has implications in the 21st century social, legal and political debates over the treatment of terror suspects in the War on Terror and the extent to which elected representatives should be held accountable.
From the Paper "From a theatrical perspective, the casting of prominent Hollywood stars on both sides of this question is significant. It can be cynically said, as critic Pauline Kael quoted in her review, that this film is "an All-Star Concentration Camp Drama" given the number of stars involved. However, the casting of such an "heroic" leading man as Burt Lancaster as a prominent German leader can be read as a theatrical "sign" to the audience from the outset of the drama that "judgment" in this film will be more complex than if the Germans were stereotypical villains."
A review of the film, "Judgment at Nuremberg," directed by Stanley Kramer and the ethical or normative theories that affect construction of a desired society.
Abstract This paper discusses four major ethical or normative theories to the problem of the construction of a desired society. It looks at the significance of realism in normative analysis. The paper analyzes the film, "Judgment at Nuremberg," directed by Stanley Kramer in order to illustrate the challenges of devising a normative ethical viewpoint given the ethical complexity inherent in modern society.
From the Paper "While Nazi Germany is an extreme example it is, unfortunately, representative of many tyrannies in human history in which a minority has seen its rights stripped, and claims of justice and community values/virtue dismissed, to supply the happiness or greater utility of the majority. The system of slavery in the American South prior to the Civil War represents precisely a model of precisely such a challenge."
"In this regard, a normative analysis would suggest that rule utilitarianism offers a stronger and more viable principle of utility than pure utilitarianism. Modern rule utilitarians, for example, "place heavy emphasis on human rights and freedoms" (Dwyer 163) which can be incorporated in this normative theory in a way they cannot be in pure utilitarianism."
Abstract This paper surveys the passage and impact of the Nuremberg Laws in Germany in 1935. It explains that these laws lead to greater persecution of Jewish people, and deprived them of their natural rights.
From the Paper "For example in May the German government passed a law prohibiting Jews from joining the army. And that summer anti-Jewish propaganda appeared in Nazi German shops and restaurants Racial Policy of Nazi Germany. It was not a major surprise therefore when on September Hitler announced two Nuremberg Laws titled the Reich Citizenship Law and the Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour at an annual Nazi rally ..."
Abstract This paper examines the Nuremberg Trials by questioning several legal aspects of the proceedings. The author argues that the Allies exceeded the laws of the time in their quest to punish Nazis for what they saw as unacceptable ways to conduct war. The paper concludes that the Trials also did not serve a deterrent purpose, rather they demonstrated the difficulty of using law to deal with unpredictable and unexpected behavior.
Outline:
Introduction
Allied Positions
Defendants' Views
Justice of Injustice?
Conclusion
From the Paper "The Nuremberg Trials took place in Nuremberg, Germany from 1945 to 1949, following the end of World War II. They were the culmination of efforts by the victorious allies to address actions taken by the Nazis during World War II that most of the Allies believed went well beyond the boundaries of acceptable practice of warfare. However, the Allies themselves exceeded the laws of the time in their quest to punish Nazis for what they saw as unacceptable ways to conduct war."
Abstract This paper uses the definition by Benner, Tanner and Chelsea that clinical judgment is often based on patterns of responses, the specific case and the people involved in the situation. The author points out that making a clinical judgment requires nurses to use critical thinking skills. The paper relates that often clinical judgment is based on the patient, family, diagnosis and the situation.
From the Paper "What is clinical judgment? How does a nurse decide what clinical judgment to make in different cases? The definition by Benner, Tanner, and Chelsea states that clinical judgment is often based on patterns of responses, the specific case, and the people involved in the situation. Making a clinical judgment requires nurses to use critical thinking skills. Often clinical judgment is based on the patient, family, diagnosis, and the situation. The definition of clinical judgment by Benner, Tanner, and Chelsea makes common sense. This definition of clinical judgment most nurses will agree that it is the best definition because past experiences and knowledge mixed with the relationship the nurse has with the patient and family are combined in making clinical judgments. "
Abstract This paper relates the parable of the final judgment and its setting. The author performs an exegetical analysis. The paper explores the meaning of having the apostles as the only audience for this parable rather than a crowd.
From the Paper "Jesus said, "And when the Son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him then he will sit upon his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate them from one another as a shepherd separates...""
Tags: final judgment parable, bible, new testament
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 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.
Abstract This essay examines the question of the presentation of film and looks at the topic of truth within the documentary film. The writer considers the words of Errol Morris, the director of 'The Thin Blue Line', who believes that documentaries can be as personal as fiction film making. The writer discusses that Morris challenges the concept that objective truth may be captured through film.
From the Paper "Errol Morris, director of 'The Thin Blue Line', has criticized the cinema verite style of documentary, arguing that: "There is no reason why documentaries can't be as personal as fiction filmmaking and bear the imprint of those who made them. Truth isn't guaranteed by style or expression. It isn't guaranteed by anything". In making this argument, Morris is not only challenging the idea that objective truth can be captured through film, but that the generic line between fictional film and documentary film can often be extraordinarily blurred."
