This is another one where I really don't know where to begin. Just so absolutely incredible, dare I say BETTER than the book? I am just watching so many great films lately I can't even complain. I used to hate foreign films but now they really don't bother me. Who cares? I barely read the subtitles anyway, I was too interested in looking at the film because it was gorgeous.
(1) The plot of Rashoman is quite interesting. It's four witness testimonies about a crime that was committed in the woods. Each share a different perspective of what actually happens. The purpose of this is to realize their are many different versions of the truth and sometimes the actual truth will never be known. Although it's the same "scene" repeated over and over again-- it's told different each time which makes the narrative structure extremely interesting.
(2) It's hard to judge acting when the actors are speaking in another language. You can't hear them express emotion but you can try to see it. But still it's too hard to critique. I don't have any complaints though so that is a good sign.
(3) There is no mise-en-scene really to discuss because it's the narrative structure that really impacts the movie but I noted the long depth of field used frequently to allow the audience to clearly see the big picture rather than focusing on one particular thing.
(4) It's quite interesting to watch and it's quite poignant. Overall I am going to give this movie a 5 out of 5. It's worth watching and seeing to really understand why it's considered a significant art film.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Citizen Kane
WARNING: This post doesn't follow my usual structure. I wrote from the heart on this one rather than analytically.
Just growing up in today's society, you hear of this movie that oh there's this guy and his last words are Rosebud and you spend the whole movie trying to figure out what it is and at the end you realize it's his sled. You hear that as a kid and you are like, that sounds really stupid. Why would anyone want to see that?
Well now as a film major, and having the capability to analyze a film, I finally watched this movie. Words cannot describe how amazing of a movie this is. From beginning to end. There wasn't a moment that I was bored. And trust me, I was very skeptical, I had to read two articles beforehand that went on and on about how experimental it was, how anti Hollywood it was, and I thought to myself, great another experimental film, lame. But I was completely and utterly amazed.
First of all, lets just ignore the brilliance of mise-en-scene and lighthing and all that jazz and talk about one of the most underrated actors of our time. Orson Welles. He had to play Kane, throughout many generations. And I still cannot believe the old Kane was the same person who played the young Kane. I mean, he was just out of fucking control brilliant. His presence, his speech, his body language, his everything. I still can't believe how incredible he was.
What to talk about next? I can sit here and talk on and on about depth of filed and mise en scene which were all amazing. But really what drove this movie to utter perfection was Orson Welles.
If you have no seen this movie. I pity you. It is considered one of the best movies of all time, and I finally realize why. You must go see it and you too will sit in awe of just how amazing it is.
Overall I give it a 4.8 out of 5. (Whaaaat how can you do that??) I would give it 5 out of 5 but I am subtracting very little points because the movie is a tad long and there is one continuity flaw and as poignant as the ending is--a sled?? really?
Just growing up in today's society, you hear of this movie that oh there's this guy and his last words are Rosebud and you spend the whole movie trying to figure out what it is and at the end you realize it's his sled. You hear that as a kid and you are like, that sounds really stupid. Why would anyone want to see that?
Well now as a film major, and having the capability to analyze a film, I finally watched this movie. Words cannot describe how amazing of a movie this is. From beginning to end. There wasn't a moment that I was bored. And trust me, I was very skeptical, I had to read two articles beforehand that went on and on about how experimental it was, how anti Hollywood it was, and I thought to myself, great another experimental film, lame. But I was completely and utterly amazed.
First of all, lets just ignore the brilliance of mise-en-scene and lighthing and all that jazz and talk about one of the most underrated actors of our time. Orson Welles. He had to play Kane, throughout many generations. And I still cannot believe the old Kane was the same person who played the young Kane. I mean, he was just out of fucking control brilliant. His presence, his speech, his body language, his everything. I still can't believe how incredible he was.
What to talk about next? I can sit here and talk on and on about depth of filed and mise en scene which were all amazing. But really what drove this movie to utter perfection was Orson Welles.
If you have no seen this movie. I pity you. It is considered one of the best movies of all time, and I finally realize why. You must go see it and you too will sit in awe of just how amazing it is.
Overall I give it a 4.8 out of 5. (Whaaaat how can you do that??) I would give it 5 out of 5 but I am subtracting very little points because the movie is a tad long and there is one continuity flaw and as poignant as the ending is--a sled?? really?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
That Lady Eve (1941)
What a bizarre movie. It's considered a screwball comedy which was very popular during this time period along with the other genre called Film Noir.
(1) This is a long and confusing plot explanation so good luck: A rich man is in Soutyh America studying snakes. He goes aboard a cruise ship to get back home to America. On board are two card sharks (a father and a daughter) who try to swindle rich people out of their money. Accidentally the daughter falls in love with the rich man after they try to pull a fast one of him. The rich man has a bodyguard who finds out the truth about the daughter and they subsequently break up. Both are devastated. Having unfinished business with the rich man, the daughter "disguises" her self as a royal princess and goes to visit her uncle who lives next door to the rich man. All she does is change her accent. Although the rich man realizes they look very similar he is thrown off because the rich man believes if she was going to disguise herself they would dye their hair, or something but since she didn't it possibly can't be the girl from the boat (riiiight)-- SOOO they end up falling in love but to get revenge on him the daughter now princess tells the rich man about all the people shes had sex with which makes the rich guy really upset because he's a virgin so they get divorced. After finalizing the divorce she feels bad realizing she really did love him and her revenge backfired on her. She soon finds out that he is going back on the cruise to South America to study snakes agani. Determine to win him back for a third time unbeknownst to him she goes back as the original card shark girl and they fall in love all over again.
Yep, thats the entire story.
(2) Barbra Stanwick was really great though. Her ability to play a low class card shark and an upscale princess was quite intriguing. She pulled off each of them flawlessly. The guy that played the rich man was hilarious with his slapstick comedy. He was so believable. Despite the story being extremely unrealistic they both execute what is expected of them therefore the audience ignore this unbelievability because we want them to be together.
(3) This was made in the Hollywood Classical Film era where it was natural bright lighthing, realistic costumes and continuity editting. Nothing really mise-en-scene worthy that enhances the story.
(4) The premise was so bizarre but I did laugh a lot. Overall I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. They loose a star for being so unrealistic.
(1) This is a long and confusing plot explanation so good luck: A rich man is in Soutyh America studying snakes. He goes aboard a cruise ship to get back home to America. On board are two card sharks (a father and a daughter) who try to swindle rich people out of their money. Accidentally the daughter falls in love with the rich man after they try to pull a fast one of him. The rich man has a bodyguard who finds out the truth about the daughter and they subsequently break up. Both are devastated. Having unfinished business with the rich man, the daughter "disguises" her self as a royal princess and goes to visit her uncle who lives next door to the rich man. All she does is change her accent. Although the rich man realizes they look very similar he is thrown off because the rich man believes if she was going to disguise herself they would dye their hair, or something but since she didn't it possibly can't be the girl from the boat (riiiight)-- SOOO they end up falling in love but to get revenge on him the daughter now princess tells the rich man about all the people shes had sex with which makes the rich guy really upset because he's a virgin so they get divorced. After finalizing the divorce she feels bad realizing she really did love him and her revenge backfired on her. She soon finds out that he is going back on the cruise to South America to study snakes agani. Determine to win him back for a third time unbeknownst to him she goes back as the original card shark girl and they fall in love all over again.
Yep, thats the entire story.
(2) Barbra Stanwick was really great though. Her ability to play a low class card shark and an upscale princess was quite intriguing. She pulled off each of them flawlessly. The guy that played the rich man was hilarious with his slapstick comedy. He was so believable. Despite the story being extremely unrealistic they both execute what is expected of them therefore the audience ignore this unbelievability because we want them to be together.
(3) This was made in the Hollywood Classical Film era where it was natural bright lighthing, realistic costumes and continuity editting. Nothing really mise-en-scene worthy that enhances the story.
(4) The premise was so bizarre but I did laugh a lot. Overall I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. They loose a star for being so unrealistic.
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