Schindler's List - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: Schindler's List is a biographical drama made in 1993 about a German man named Oskar Schindler. It is 195 minutes long and by Steven Spielberg. In Poland during World War II, Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.

Question #1: What is the effect of black-and-white film in Schindler’s list?

The black-and-white presentation effectively evokes the World War II era and deepens the impact of the story. Black and white also gives the director the opportunity to use color to highlight key scenes and show a contrast in time. For example, the opening scene of the movie, which is one of the few scenes in color, fades into the next scene, in black and white. The black and white film also heightens the impact of the film’s violence and highlights the dual between good and evil.

Question #2: 

How does the editing contrast the difference between the Jews and the Nazis? 

Spielberg uses crosscutting to show the harsh difference between the hardship of the Jews and the comfort of the Nazis. It demonstrates the powerful contrast between happiness and sadness. In one particular scene, three scenes are interwoven: Schindler celebrates his birthday, a wedding takes place in the Plaszów labor camp, and Goeth beats Helen Hirsch. These crosscuts show a clear contrast between the lives of different people at the time.

 

Wizard of Oz - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: The Wizard of Oz is an American musical fantasy film directed in 1939 by Victor Fleming. It is based off of a 1900 novel. It is 103 minutes long and is about a girl who gets trapped in a tornado and can not find her way home. She meets friends along the way and they try to find a wizard so that they can get Dorothy home.

Question #1:  How does the color and sepia tone make this film so much more successful than without color?

The movie opens with Dorothy in Kansas and with a sepia tone. This shows that her life is somewhat simple and boring and nothing different from the ordinary (sort of how films without color were during that time). After Dorothy steps into her new world, everything changes and everything is in color. There is so much color that get the viewer excited and in awe, just as Dorothy is. The color change shows the change from her old home to the place she is now and how different her life will be. The new place she is in is filled with color and adventure. She must follow the yellow brick road to get where she has to go and the color of the road is actually yellow. This was a huge advancement for movies at the time. The Wizard of Oz lives in a shiny green castle to show that he is supposed to be wealthy. 

Question #2: The music in the Wizard of Oz is still famous to this day and used in theater plays. Why was the music such a great choice for this film?

The music is very upbeat and happy and gives off a similar vibe to the one of the film having color. When Dorothy is in Kansas, the music played is different and more slow. While those songs have become famous as well, they are not as upbeat and fun as the ones while Dorothy is in the Emerald City. Music was also used to make the film more excited to explain what was going on rather than just speaking. The songs were very catchy and informative at the same time. For example, the Scarecrow sings, “If I Only Had a Brain.” He sings to inform the viewer that he wishes he had a brain and would like to join Dorothy to find the Wizard of Oz to get a brain. Doing so through song is much more entertaining and makes the viewer more intrigued and the movie becomes more enjoyable.

Toy Story- Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: Toy Story is computer-animated film released in 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures. It is 81 minutes long and tells the story of toys who come to life when humans are around. The toys’ owner gets a new toy to play with and some of the others feel replaced but they work as a team to save each other and stay with their owner.

Question #1: How does the director, John Lasseter, effectively transition form one scene to the next with a certain purpose?

There are many scenes in which the transition from one scene to the next to explain to the viewer what is going on. Woody and Buzz look through a telescope toy to look out of the window. The shot shows them looking through the toy and this shot transitions to what they are viewing outside. This puts the viewer into the movie and from the perspective of the two characters. In another scene just a house is being shown until a few moments later toy monkey appear in the scene. The shot of the house does not move but more monkeys appear. As too many monkeys appear in the shot, there is a transition to a long shot and low angle. This allows more monkeys to be shown and exactly what they are doing as well as makes them look dominant and powerful. Animated movies must be made extremely similar to films that are created with a camera.

Question #2: Why do the colors of the characters show what type of personality they possess?

One of the characters, Bo Peep, is dressed in a white dress with pink- polka dots. She looks very classy and this is the girl that Woody likes. Polka dots symbolize being fun and flirtatious. However, innocent at the same time. The color pink I used to show compassion, love, and beauty. This is exactly the way that Bo Peep is showed in the film. She is rather quiet and innocent but she is the most beautiful woman to Woody. She is fun and flirtatious towards Woody and very compassionate. Her and Woody share a love for each other. The new character introduced, Buzz is the colors green and purple. The purple symbolizes his creativity, wisdom, magic, and royalty. He comes up with creative ways to save his friends using his wisdom and eh believes he has magical powers before he realizes he is just a toy. He is one of the most expensive toys and becomes one of Andy’s favorites. The green symbolizes the hope that he has and the hope that he can save the rest of his friends. Green can also symbolize wealth.

American Graffiti - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: American Graffiti is a George Lucas film from 1973. It is 108 minutes long and it is a study of the cruising and rock and roll cultures popular among the post–World War II baby boom generation. This film tells the stories of a group of teenagers throughout the night.

Question #1: Why was the orchestra that Universal hired such a great fit for this movie? Give examples.

Each choice of background music is essential to each scene in American Graffiti. Most of the music gives off a fun vibe and tries to really show the viewer the time period in which the story takes place. It shows that the kids are just teenagers who just want to have a good time. During romantic scenes, the music still sounds like it is rather old but it is now slowed down to make the scene slower and more romantic. The music makes the viewer feel as if they are a part of the film and the time period in which the director is trying to portray.

Question #2: How does wardrobe and choice of where to film the movie reflect the time period of the film?

One of the characters, Terry, is dressed up in a geeky fashion. He wears big glasses from the 60’s and is wearing typical nerdy button down shirts. His hair is extremely neat and this already tells the viewer what type of character he is before we eve hear him speak. All of the cars look very old and contribute too the time period in which the film was supposed to take place. The city in which they drive around is filled with very bright lights and is exactly what people picture the 1960s to look it. George Lucas did a great job at setting the scene perfectly and everything fits the time period perfectly as well. The hats and suits that they were give off a fun and out of the ordinary vibe. The slicked back hair that many characters have was also popular in the 1960s.

Mr. Smith goes to Washington - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: Mr. Smith goes to Washington is an American film made in 1939 directed by Frank Carpa. It is 129 minutes long and display’s one man’s effect on American politics. This movie is about a naïve man who is appointed to the U.S. Senate.  His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down.

Question #1: How is Carpa able to use lighting to his advantage to portray emotions and feelings?

He explains to people the way he feels about politics through the lighting as it reflects emotions from the characters. When a character is sweating, the lighting shines on them more differently to truly exaggerate their fear. The lighting shines more brightly where the action happens or is about to happen. A character stumbles and the lighting is slightly more extravagant in that area or papers appear to be a brighter color because the focus should be on the papers. Lighting is used to downplay some characters too or to show a shadow in the scene. Lighting plays a key role in who the viewer must watch and it is very helpful to this film.

Question #2: What type of shots are used in this film and how do they affect the film?

Focus is directed directly on a man’s face and therefore the shot is an extreme close up on the man’s face. This is extremely effective because the viewer is able to see the exact facial expression and texture of the man’s face. The viewer can not miss a thing. Parallelism is used and this keeps the focus on the object between the parallel sides. It is very pleasing to the human eye. In most of the scenes, there is always something going on in the background. The focus is still nearest tot eh camera but the background is never boring and it always contributes to the film whether people or objects are properly placed there. A certain scene is an over-the-shoulder shot and love angle to show Hubert looking down to the man he is speaking to as he gains control in the conversation.

The Matrix - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: North by Northwest is a 1959 American thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock. This is a 136 minute film about a man who is mistaken as a spy and is chased and escapes form people attempting to kill him. He avoids danger the whole movie and is in love with a girl who works for the men trying to kill him.

Question #1: How does clothing attribute to the character’s personality and portray the way they act?

To begin, visual effects immediately attract people’s attention but visual effects are pointless without a good story and reason for the effects. The focus was on moving objects, like bullets, rather than people. Slow motion was used to make the scene more dramatic and keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. Acton movies usually require visual effects but this movie added visual effects that were mainly used to create “bullet time.” This was relatively new to the film industry and intrigued all who watched the movie. The effects added all kept the fluidity of the movie and made the story easier to believe. While special effects are fake, they made this story seem more real.

Question #2: What type of music was used during the film and why did or didn’t it serve its purpose?

When Morpheus offers Neo the pills there is no music playing. All attention should be focused exactly on what Morpheus is saying and the decision Neo will make. No musical distractions are necessary. When Neo enters the lobby where is about to engage in an epic battle, loud but slow pumping music is playing in the background as if it could resemble the beating of a heart. During fun battle scenes the music becomes louder and faster. The music dictates the way that the viewer feels and allows what is going on in the scene to have a specific effect.

North by Northwest- Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: North by Northwest is a 1959 American thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock. This is a 136 minute film about a man who is mistaken as a spy and is chased and escapes form people attempting to kill him. He avoids danger the whole movie and is in love with a girl who works for the men trying to kill him.

Question #1: How does clothing attribute to the character’s personality and portray the way they act?

The main character, Cary Grant wears a gray suit throughout the entire movie. It is now known as one of the best suits in films history the most influential. His suit gives him a sort of iconic status. The fact that he always wears the suit makes it seem durable just like he is. Surviving through everything and so is his suit. The woman who is supposed to be very attractive is always wearing vibrant colors to attract attention to herself and is wearing jewelry to symbolize both wealth and beauty. The costume of each character shows who they truly are and helps give the viewer an idea of who the character really is.

Question #2: What type of camera movement does Hitchcock use and when? Why is this effective in getting his point across?

Hitchcock uses an extreme long shot early in the film to establish the scene and shows one character alone, assume to be the protagonist, entering a door. It is followed by a long shot form inside the building, which implies that he walked into this certain building. This long shot allows the viewer to analyze the costume of Thornhill and see what he looks like. Thornhill meets a man and a medium shot is used to keep the focus on the two men and the dialogue that they are having. The camera pans effectively when action takes place.

Rear Window - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: Rear Window is a 1954 American suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock originally released by paramount pictures. It is also produced by Alfred Hitchcock. This movie is 112 minutes long and is considered one of Hitchcock’s best films. It is about a professional photographer who is confined in his apartment building and believes he sees a crime before his eyes. He tries to find out proof to make this man guilty.

Question #1: How is the relationship between Jeff and Lisa able to be compared to the neighbors that they watch throughout the film? How are these characters portrayed through their actions?

Thorwald and his wife are the complete opposite of Jeff and Lisa. Lisa  is obligated to look after Jeff and takes very good care for him even though he does not fully appreciate it. Thorwald’s wife is the one who cares after him. One of the women he spies on is a pretty dancer girl. This girl dances freely and smoothly. This resembles that she is free spirited and loving. In reality, she is waiting for her love to come home to her. Jeff watches all of these people because in some way or another they each reflect his personality as well. Jeff seems locked up in his house and very reserved but in reality he is a very complicated man that is not as locked-up as it seems.

Question #2: How does filming from the point of view have main main character influence the film positively and negatively?

The viewer feels like they are making the same mistakes and successes as the main character when the shot is take from the point of view of a characters. This establishes a connection between the character and the movie watcher. He is able to draw the viewer to become more attached to the film and the characters as a whole. The emotions the character feels is also felt through the audience. If this technique is done poorly it has a terrible effect but Hitchcock executed this film technique perfectly in this film. This film technique forces us to agree with the main character because we go through exactly what he goes through.

Forrest Gump - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: Forest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film based on a novel but directed by Robert Zemeckis. This film is 141 minutes long and is a Paramount Pictures film. This film earned over $677 million worldwide during its theatrical run. In this film Forest Gump sits at a bus stop and tells each person that sits down the story of his life. He enlists in the army and becomes a hero. He is also in love with a girl named Jenny and they end up getting married.

Question #1: How is Zemeckis able to use inanimate objects to symbolize something much more to the film?

There are many objects and the film that mean much more than perceived by the eye. The bench is the film is a place where Forrest can finally sit and relax and tell his tale after it has all happened. Forrest says in the film “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” This is another symbol because the box of chocolates represents life. Forrest’s Brace that “helps” him walk prohibits him from being a normal boy. One day he runs away and the brace breaks off. He is not just free from his brace but he has also broken free from the way he used to be. He is not as ashamed of himself and his life changes drastically form that day on. A gun in this movie symbolizes violence and  death but the army is also the place where he made his friends and became famous.

Question #2: How has the movie been changed from the novel to adapt to a screenplay format?

Both of these stories center around the character Forest Gump. However, the film mainly focuses on the first eleven chapters of the book. Many scenes are added into the movie that do not occur in the book. These are to really show the viewer what is going on through actions when sometimes it is harder to say through words on a page. Forrest’s main personality is also slightly altered for the film. Gump is portrayed as more autistic in the film than the novel. This is done with the purpose for the author to really feel a strong connection and sort of sympathy for the main character. These changes for the movie were successful as reflected in all of the awards it has won. Zemeckis made Gump not care about very much except for Bubba, his mother, and of course Jenny.

Battleship Potemkin - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: Battleship Potemkin is a silent film created in 1925 by a man named Sergei Eisenstein. This film is 75 minutes long and was created in the Soviet Union. It presents a dramatized version of the mutiny that occurred in 1905 when the crew of the Russian Battleship Potemkin rebelled against their officers of the Tsarist regime.

Question #1: What makes the scene at the Odessa Steps so valuable to the film as a whole?

This scene begins somewhat happily but abruptly changes to chaos and fear. Massive amounts of people are shown running away from something that the audience does not yet know. The next shot is a high angle hot of the whole city and includes all of the people running for their lives. Shortly after, the army comes in and we learn why the people are running away and so afraid. Crowds of people come pouring down the steps and the urgency in this scene is well known. The music is very fast and upbeat and has the viewer’s heart pounding fast to the beat of the music. The steps are shown as people fall down onto them because they have been shot. This shows the violence at the time and how frightening this must have been. The events shown on the steps never actually took place in the real event. Rather, this was a way for Eisenstein to dramatically portray the Imperial Regime and how scary it is to see lives being lost and be in that danger.

Question #2: How is Sergei Eisenstein able to use multiple shots at different angles to maximize the effect in this film?

Some of the coolest scenes in Battleship Potemkin are the fighting scenes. For example, one of the scenes start with the word “suddenly” and is followed by a flash of a girl’s head. It then shows people panicking  and then shows a short view of the Odessa Steps. The viewer sees the steps and then people come storming down. This is a very effective technique of setting up the background before having movement enter the scene. There is a close shot of a man bending down followed by a medium shot of a man throwing up his arms. Different angles are used for different movements but they all portray the emotion of panic. The camera pans down and shows a man collapsing on the steps. Different shots are shown multiple times throughout the film in different orders than they were film because there are multiple short shots and cuts to tell a story.

The General Film Write Up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

The General Film Write Up

The General is a silent film made in 1926 released by United Artists based up the Great Locomotive Chase from 1862. The movie was considered a box-office disaster after it was released, but now it is considered one of the best movies ever made. The plot is based off of a railroad conductor who goes through struggles during the time of the American Civil War. He also is in love with a woman, who is his fiancée.

1.     How is Buster Keaton able to make this film so comical without sound?

To being, Buster is a very talented man. He put his life in danger many times for his films. He enjoyed the danger and was a rather depressed man and would go to the extremes to make his film a success. Facial expressions and getting the perfect angle on zoom on each shot greatly contributed to this movie’s humorous aspect. Obviously, Keaton draws up a perfect plot in which he is able to make clumsy mistakes that lead to a chuckle from the audience.  He is able to communicate to the viewer what should be taken from the scene by using character wardrobe, makeup, and especially hand movements. Actions of the characters are even stronger than words and they can play out the movie alone, just as they did in this film.

2.     How does the time period of when the film is created impact the effect that the plot has on the viewer?

The film is created in the 1920s and the film is based off of an event in 1861. In the 1920s they did not have special effects, color cameras, sound, or anything that we have today that make movies what they are. In order to make a successful movie, the directing and acting must all be excellent. The time of day to film and the place must be perfect as well because there was no touching up the setting or the lighting. There were many disadvantages to this time period that this film faced in creating it, yet it has become much more popular as the years have gone by. The romantic part of this film is still very common in films today. This has not changed since the 1920s. Also, the film used a somewhat current event to easily relate to the viewer and establish a connection.

Taxi Driver Write Up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

Taxi Driver Write Up

Taxi Driver is a film directed by Martin Scorsese from 1976 that is set in New York City and is supposed to be just after the Vietnam War. Colombia Pictures distributed this 113-minute movie that had a budget of only $1.3 million. Travis Bickle is a lonely and depressed man who becomes a taxi driver. He meets a girl named Betsy that he really likes and tries to spend time with. He also tries to free a prostitute named Iris. In this process, he becomes a killer.

1.     Even though Travis kills a few men, he is still praised a hero. Why is this?

Everyone still calls Travis a hero even after killing men and shedding blood. This is because he sacrificed his own life to save this little girl’s. He murdered people that were hurting other peoples’ lives and were torturing them. A better approach than murder could have probably have been taken, yet the whole city ignores his murders and Travis becomes famous for his “good deeds.” This shows the type of place he lives in and the type of people that live there. It also reflects on the time period and shows that this was not as big of a deal at the time. It helps establish the setting.

2.     Why is a taxi so important to this film?

The taxi means many things in this film. To begin, the color yellow is rarely used in this film except for on taxis and the color is very bright and this makes them stand out. Also, at one point in the movie Betsy tries to run away from Travis. She calls a taxi to get away from Travis. This is very ironic because Travis is a Taxi driver.  Travis meets many important people in his taxi as well. Travis is the perfect taxi driver because they are usually in need for money, antisocial, and somewhat depressed. This describes Travis very well too. Travis’ job as a taxi driver is what led him to commit all actions that he did in this film.

Pulp Fiction Write Up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

Pulp Fiction Write Up

Pulp Fiction is an American crime film created in 1994 by Quentin Tarantino. It is 154 minutes long and had a budget of $8.5 million. It was nominated for seven Oscars and won Best Original Screenplay. This film contains a total of seven narrative sequences. The film Black Sabbath is what inspired Tarantino to create this magnificent work of art. No film score was produced for this movie either. Instead Tarantino used an electric mix of surf music, rock and roll, soul, and pop songs.

1.     The opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the movie. In what way does it do this?

The movie opens with the definition of pulp. The definition stated is a shapeless matter. In my opinion, the movie is just like pulp. The movie skipped form scene to screen and character to character at random.  Each story seemed completely unrelated until the end of the film also. The film is a group of miniature stories group together to create one film. It was a unique idea how the author relate this film to pulp and introduced the film with the definition of that word. Also, within each story of the movie, these stories are shapeless as well. The unexpected is always the outcome and the actions taking place are also very unrealistic and fictional. This is why the title is called Pulp Fiction

2.     Directors often use objects that the characters know about it but the viewer does not. Were there any objects in the movie that promote this idea? If so, what?

Vincent takes a suitcase and look s inside of the suitcase. He looks very pleased and tells his partner that they were successful. This makes the viewer desperately want to know what is in the suitcase. The viewer feels left out. Instead, Tarantino just went to the next scene. He kept bringing the suitcase back into the scene and talked about its importance, yet he never revealed what was inside. This kept the viewer on the edge of their seat waiting for it to be revealed. I am still wondering what was in the suitcase after the movie. It keeps you thinking and when a movie does that, it means that it was a well-done movie.

The Bicycle Thief Write Up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

The Bicycle Thief Write Up

The Bicycle Thief, also referred to as Bicycle Thieves, is a movie first released in Italy in 1948. It was then released to the United States over a year later in 1949. The director of this film is Vittorio De Sica. It is 93 minutes and the sound is all in Italian. The movie is in black and white as well. Antonio Ricci is a man who needs a bicycle for his job. When he buys one, it is stolen and he and his son Bruno much search to find the bicycle thief.

1.     How does the ending allow the viewer to decide how Antonio’s life continued?

This movie does not really have a conclusive ending. The movie finishes with Bruno and Antonio walking together to an unknown place. They are both crying and holding hands. The angle that this scene is shot at is constantly changing and may represent that there are more than one options where Antonio went with his life. This comes form the basis of Italian Neorealism principles. The audience knows that Antonio and his family are now in trouble but many questions were left unanswered and in open form. For example, did he ever find his bike? Or was he able to get his job? With these questions unanswered, the viewer is allowed to guess/assume what happened next.

2.     Why is the bike so important to Antonio in this movie and why is it so important to the movie in general?

The bike is extremely vital to the success of Antonio because he is a homeless man and the job he has been offered requires a bike for its work. Also, the bike is a wanted item by almost everybody in their society. Whenever bikes are present in the scene, there is chaos. In a way, the bicycle can be a symbol of jealousy and greed. The car has not yet been invented so the bike is the best form of transportation. A bicycle is not a necessity but it is very valuable. The director makes the bike seem as one of the most important objects in the world for this time. The bike, which is not very important to us today, was an extremely valuable item in this movie. In fact, the whole movie is about a certain bicycle being stolen.

Fargo Write-up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

Fargo Write-up

Fargo, written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, is a 98 minute movie made in 1996. This movie had a $7 million budget. This film won seven Academy Awards and was inducted into the United States National Film Registry in 2006. The film opens saying that it is a true story. However, the story is multiple stories mixed together to create one great movie.

1.     How can this plot be a moral lesson to all people who watch this movie?

This movie shows Jerry is a man in need of money. This results in him being greedy and taking dire consequences in to getting what he wants. He draws up and evil scheme to try get lots of money. This plan obviously backfires and now his life along with many others are put in jeopardy. Greed and jealousy is never a good thing. This movie is based off of true stories and it explains why wanting more and trying to steal from others is always a bad choice. Not just that, but he also hired people to do his dirty work for him. This made these people go through character changes in a bad way and become murderers. Jerry put himself through suffering but others as well.

2.     Why was the role of Marge such a perfect choice?

Marge’s role in this movie was the perfect character because she was a fierce woman who would not stop until she got what she wanted. Usually, people expect the leading police chief to be a man, but not in this case. However, she was perfect for the job. When interrogating, she would not take no for an answer and she showed her overwhelming power. She is also 7 months pregnant at this time. She is able to continue with her job and be brave with a child inside of her. She wants to make sure her people are safe and will not stop at anything. At first, she seems unintimidating but once you get to know her, she is one smart, manipulative woman.

Shawshank Redemption Write-up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

Shawshank Redemption Write-up

Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, is a 142 minute film distributed by Colombia Pictures. This movie had a budget of $25 million. This is a film from 1994 that was adapted from the Stephen King novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Supposively, this is an allegory for maintaining one’s feeling of self worth when placed in a hopeless position.

1.     What does jail symbolize in this film?

People in our society today view jail as an incredibly frightening and horrible place. Just the thought of going to jail immediately strikes fear into everybody. However, in this movie, Andy arrives in jail and is very casual. He walks around like nothing is wrong and everything is just dandy. He acts very casual even though he is living a tough life. Many other people in the jail call it their “home.” When they leave their home, they do not know what to do any longer. They have been suffering in jail for so long that once they are free, they are really still in captivity. Jail changes a man no matter what. Andy states, “I had to come to jail to become a crook.”

2.     What was so great about the way Red’s exit from prison?

Red tried multiple times to be released from prison but each time the guards shot him down. He would go in and say the same thing and the same camera angle would show him getting rejected. His final time the same camera shots were taken, but he said different things and he was released. When he was out of jail and into the real world, he did the same routine as Brooks. He worked the same job and stayed at the same home as Brooks. Brooks finished with engraving his name on the roof and hanging himself, because he could not handle the life outside of jail. Red did the same thing but after he wrote he name he left to find Andy. This was so greatly shot because the shots were the same as Brooks and it made the audience very nervous as to if Red would take the same path as Brooks.

The Godfather Write Up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

Godfather Write-Up

The Godfather is a 175 minute long movie that was made in 1972. It is a mob-film directed by Francis Ford Coppola based on the novel, The Godfather. This movie had a budget of $6.5 million and was made in both English and Italian. Two sequels follows this movie. The Godfather received Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

1.     Why does the opening scene of the movie have such a strong impact for the film?

The movie opens with music playing and as it slowly fades out, a voice begins to speak. At this point the screen is still black. This creates a sense of curiosity and anxiety for the viewer. Slowly, the blackness fades out and the camera is shooting an extreme close-up on the man. The camera slowly fades out as this man tells his story. However, he is not looking at this camera. This lets the audience know that he is not speaking to the viewer, but he is speaking to someone else. He is very upset because he is telling his child’s story. As the scene continues to zoom out, the godfather appears and it becomes apparent that the man is telling the story to the godfather and asking for a favor. This was a bold introduction to this movie.

2.     What are some of the ironic hints that the director uses?

The man asks for “justice.” When the man says justice, he really means revenge. The term justice in this case is used as murder. Murder is quite the opposite from just. “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.”  This is what the Godfather responds with. This sounds like something an advertiser would pitch, but we all know that is means a murder threat. As they say, murderers mean business. In this film, the murderers and all of the criminals would always meet up with each other wearing suits. They were very proper. Even when discussing murder and killing people, they all seemed so happy as if it was completely harmless.

Jaws Film Write-Up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

Jaws Film Write-Up

Jaws is a thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg in 1975. It is based off of the novel, Jaws. This movie is 124 minutes long and was created by Universal Pictures. The movie had a budget of $7 million. The sequel, Jaws 2, and then two more after that followed this movie. The movie as about a man-eating shark and the terror it causes. Men try to capture and kill the shark.

1.     What did the angle at which shots were taken allow the viewer to feel more related to the people in the film?

When a swimmer was swimming in the water, the camera took a low angle shot looking up at the person and at their feet. This puts the camera at the perspective of the shark. This also shows us that the swimmer is oblivious to what is below him and about to attack. Martin Brody is reading a book about sharks to learn about them so he can save many peoples’ lives. The shot, however, is pointed towards Brody and the audience is able to see what Brody is reading because of the reflection on his glasses. This allowed the director to have the focus on Brody but still show exactly what he needed to.

2.     How did facial expressions add emotion for this film?

After the shark killed a woman, the audience does not know this yet. However, a police officer runs onto the beach and looks very frightened and upset at something. This allows the viewer to assume that the woman was attacked by the shark. As the shark is biting at the woman, she is screaming and makes herself looked very afraid and in pain. She sells the attack really well and makes the viewer afraid of the shark as well. At the beach, everyone looks very relaxed and this shows that they have not hear about the shark attacks, but when the shark comes everyone’s face turns to fear. When debating about what to do with the shark, all of the men’s faces are scrunched in anger and this shows the tension of their argument.

Crash Film Write-Up

Justin Noddle

Period 6

Crash Film Write-up

The movie Crash was released in 2005 as an American drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Paul Haggis. This film focuses on racism and social tensions in Los Angeles. Paul was inspired to make this movie by a real life incident. This movie won three Oscars. This movie is 128 minutes long and was filmed in the United States. There are many different stories going on during this film that collide together near the end of the film. Each story involves a part of either racism or sexism.

1.     How does the music and sound of the movie contribute to the mood of the scene?

There are many sounds from this film that hint at being certain things. For example, the sound of a siren signifies cops, which usually brings fear to people. Screaming and yelling in this movie showed frustration and fear. Crying showed sadness, but fear as well. Fear was a major contributor to this film. Much of the music played for this film was in a foreign language and viewer could not understand what it meant. This meant that the viewer was completely focused on what was occurring on the screen. At the end of the movie, a song played in English and the lyrics were very relevant to the scene occurring at the moment. A common trend to this movie was when people were angry and shouting, the music would speed up and get louder just as the characters in the movie did. In one of the most dramatic scenes of the film, all voices were completely taken out and only music was playing. This was an open form as to what the characters were saying but it also gave the scene a more drastic effect.

2.     How were the lighting and colors of Crash able to act as symbols for other objects?

Lighting and bright color were used to point out the dominants. Flashing lights, light sirens, immediately drew the attention of the viewer.  Many of the important and frightening scenes occurred at night. This is because the lighting is much lower, like a high key, and this added an eerie feel to the area. Bright lights from the sun created a blur effect, which then faded away and focused in to exactly what the director wanted it to. Black lighting was used often in this film. A man wearing a white shirt was standing in from of a black background. This shows the outline and shadow of the man but does not allow the viewer to make out, who the character is. The color red symbolizes many things in this movie. Red is the color of blood. Men are murdered and shed blood as a main part of the plot. At a stoplight, the red light means stop. Also, the woman is trapped in her car and a giant fire erupts. The fire is red, ride fire trucks arrive, and the woman’s dress is red. A major climax to the film is the red bullets that were bought that turned out to be blanks. Red was very symbolic.