ENGL2900 Midterm Review
Fall 2007
1. Post your answers by noon on. Saturday (September 29, 2007). This includes taking care of contacting me with any problems with blogger.com before then.
2. Document your answers (cite page numbers from textbook [Prince 14], date of class lectures, webpages consulted, etc.)
3. Be concise and accurate. If you are wrong, then the whole class will get the answers wrong.
4. Sign your name next to your assignment as an indication that you will complete your task.
5. This exercise is worth 10 participation points. You will be evaluated in accuracy, timeliness, and your ability to follow directions. I will consider awarding 1-3 extra participation points for those who go above and beyond your assignment and/or complete the assignments of absent classmates.
6. It is wise to be a cooperative member of the classroom community for this review. However, if your classmates fail you, you are still responsible for reviewing all of these assignments.
7. Your exam will consist of providing definitions, multiple-choice, and short-answer (lists are preferable to sentences, which take longer to construct).
8. Hyper-linking to other classmates’ answers that relate to yours will enhance this study guide. To hyperlink, you right-click on the time of your classmates’ post and select “copy link.” In your own blog post, highlight the term you are hyperlinking, (e.g., Nosferatu, French New Wave, etc.), click on the hyperlink icon (it will have a tiny chain—not available in safari), and when the field comes up, enter the html address you have copied.
9. You may need to revisit certain scenes in the films to answer these questions.
10. You will do better on the exam if you cross-check your classmates’ answers with your own notes from your film notebook.
Will Angel
Define the three functions of color cinematography and the three characteristics of color. Give examples from Nosferatu.
Eric Anthony
Explain how Casablanca demonstrates the conventions of Classical Hollywood Cinema. Point to specific scenes and characters.
Stephen Battise
Describe the different kinds of shot “joins.” Give examples from the films we’ve viewed.
Hillary Bauer
Define motif and identify one or more in at least 3 of the films we’ve watched.
Elisa Bizzotto
Define jump cut and how it functions in French New Wave and Soviet Montage
Maxwell Brooke
Explain how production design creates meaning in 2 scenes of Citizen Kane.
Courtney Burbank
Describe the 3-point lighting system. Give examples of where it has and has not been used in the films we’ve seen.
Andrew Chandler
Briefly describe how Citizen Kane is about both Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst
Meredith Clough
Provide a historical explanation for the rise of French New Wave.
Michael Combs
Describe the technical innovations that enabled the development of French New Wave.
Scott Councilman
Describe the basic plot of Breathless and what events it is based on. Describe the impact of the film’s resolution.
Alan Crews
Explain what the characters of Ilsa, Rick, Victor, Strasser, and Renault symbolize.
Chelsea deMonch
Describe the opening of Casablanca and how it initiates the development of the film’s major themes.
Lallie Jones
Explain how Nosferatu is concerned with knowledge and what different characters do with knowledge.
Ellen Kalbaugh
Explain how Citizen Kane depicts yellow journalism and the Spanish-American War.
William Linton
Name the conventions of Soviet montage and briefly describe how they function in three scenes/images of Potemkin.
Tina Mackenzie
Describe specific images in Potemkin and explain their symbolic significance to that period of Russian history.
Brandon Mathis
Definitions: persistence of vision, ADR, grayscale, letterbox, pan-and-scan, pan and tilt, aspect ratio, stylization, explicit and implicit ideology (give examples), shot-reverse-shot, method acting, technical acting, archetype, mise-en-scéne, 180-degree rule, boom/crane shot, rack shot, deep focus.
John McHone
Explain the differences between realistic lighting, practical lighting, and pictorial lighting and between diegetic and non-diegetic
Daniel McLamb
Explain the impact of World War II on American and European cinema.
Jeremy Menzel
Describe how lighting creates meaning in at least 2 scenes of Citizen Kane.
Erinn Navarro
Explain why we study film today. Why do we watch films that are not necessarily “enjoyable” for a 21st-century audience?
Katie Neubeiser
Define and identify 4 examples of German Expressionism in Nosferatu
Derek O’Bryan
Definitions and examples of (in any of the films we’ve viewed): high angle, low angle, canted angle, medium shot, long shot, establishing shot. Give examples.
Crystal Packard
Explain the function of horror films and how Nosferatu exhibits this function.
Chris Pitts
Explain how internal structure time differs from story or narrative time and running time. Give at least 3 examples from the films we’ve seen.
Mary Kirk Pollard
Briefly describe what occurs in the three stages of film production. Describe the different responsibilities of the director, producer, cinematographer, editor, and production designer.
Daniel Reutzel
Define the conventions of Classical Hollywood Cinema. Give examples from Casablanca.
Will Russ
Describe the significance of the scene where Ellen sits by the seaside in Nosferatu. Use specific details of the mise-en-scéne.
Carter Thompson
How is Breathless self-reflexive? Name at least 2 scenes that are self-reflexive and briefly describe their significance to the rest of the movie.
Xue Vang
Explain the differences between hard and soft lighting and between perceptual transformation and perceptual correspondence
Sara Veale
Explain how the main and subplots are resolved by the end of Casablanca.
Nate Watson
Describe the conventions of French New Wave and provide at least 4 examples from Breathless.
Jessica Wynn
Describe a specific sequence of images in Potempkin and their relevance to the rest of the film and its themes.
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33 comments:
Three Point Lighting System
Courtney Burbick
A three point lighting system is a standard lighting method which forms the basis of most lighting. Three lights are used, hence the name. The key light is the main light. It is usually the strongest light and has the most influence on the look of the scene. It is placed on one side of the camera/subject so that one side of the subject is well lit, thus creating a shadow on the opposite side of the light.
The second light is the fill light. It is a secondary light that is placed opposite the key light in order to fill in the shadow created by the key light. The fill light is usually softer than the key light.
The back light is placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear. It is meant to show definition and highlights which set the character/subject apart from the background.
It is possible to use one, two, or all three of these lights at any given time. For example, the scene on the blog from Nosteratu in which Ellen wakes as the vampire stalks Hutter shows an example of using different methods of lighting.
At first, only one key light is used spotlighting Hutter as he sleeps. By used only one key light, the vampire is able to creat a shadow of himself on Hutter that is more menacing. Then when the movie cuts to Ellen in her room, all lighting methods are used. Fill lights are used on her to take away the shadows on the right side of her face. Also a back light is used to set apart all characters. Camera cuts to the vampire then, and in this scene only a key light and back light are used. This creates shadows on the side of his face.
The elements of three point lighting can be found on pages 71-72 in our books. We took notes on September 26,2007 (this past Wednesday) and if you would like to find more information on the subject, I found alot of things on the following website.
http://www.mediacollege.com/lighting/three-point/
I had to explain how internal structure time differs from narrative time and running time and give examples.
(From book): Internal structure time is "the dynamic tempo of a film, established by its internal structure (camera positions, editing, color & lighting design, soundtrack)."
Narrative time is the length of time in which the story being told. For 'Citizen Kane', the narrative time is from Kane's childhood to shortly after his death. For 'Breathless', it is just a few days.
Running time is simply the length of the feature. Unless a movie is shot in real time, running time will always differ from i.s. time and narrative time.
Examples:
'Battleship Potemkin': The use of montage skewed i.s. time. During the scene of the massacre of the townspeople, rapid images were shown to convey the mood of chaos, but the czar's troops took a very long time to descend the stairs in town. I believe this simultaneously speeds up and slows down i.s. time by showing many different aspects of the slaughter taking place in what is essentially a short amount of time, narratively.
'Breathless': Jump cutting altered i.s. time in a dramatic way. While driving, we get the sense of narrative time being however long it takes to travel from one location to the other, but jump cutting used i.s. time to convey the traveling as being very fast paced.
'Citizen Kane': The newsreel in the beginning of the movie outlined Kane's many accomplishments in just a few minutes. To accomplish this, it had to jump from event to event quickly, giving this part of the film a fast paced feel as well.
Don't confuse the fact of 'Citizen Kane' being told as a series of flashbacks, or 'Casablanca's flashback, with i.s. time. These elements distort narrative time, but i.s. time is basically whether a film feels fast or slow paced, because of long or short shots, fast or slow camera movement, music tempo, etc.
Alan Crews
Isla - represents those that suffered in Europe during WWII outside of the concentration camps, because she has to sacrifice love and the life she wants because of the conflict.
Rick - represents American isolationism, because of his reluctance to take a stand on issues. However when he gets Ilsa and Victor out of Casablanca it mirrors the eventual American involvement in WW2.
Victor - represents the anti-nazi movement in Europe. Even though the Nazi's tried their best to get rid of him they could never do it, much like they weren't able to stop the resistance in Europe.
Strasser - represents German occupation when he shows up to Casablanca and starts bullying people. His pushy nature reflects the way Hitler was with his diplomacy.
Renault - symbolizes Vichy France because of his joining the side of the Nazi's when they arrive. However when he helps Rick and throws away the bottle of Vichy water it is symbolic of France eventually overthrowing the Vichy government.
Pictorial, Realistic, and Practical Lighting/ Diegetic and Non-Diegetic
Pictorial lighting is lighting just for the effect you want. Realistic lighting is lighting that makes sense in real life, like a lamp raking light across an actor’s face. You can use artificial light sources to create realistic lighting but if you choose to use a source like a lamp or the sun for the effect as well as the exposure it’s called practical lighting.
Sound in a movie that has origin in something that’s going on in the movie such as an actor putting on a CD or playing a piano is diegetic. Sound that isn’t caused by anything in the scene like the score is known as non-diegetic.
-John McHone
2 Scenes In Citizen Kane about lighting
The first scene is shortly after Kane takes over the newspaper and he is making his "decleration of principles." As Kane is stating the principles of the paper, such as the readers will get the honest truth, he is in the shadows barely being able to make out his face. While he is in the shadow, Jedidiah and Bernstein are both still in the light who are on either side of Kane, thus making sure that you see Kane is in the shadows. The purpose of having Kane in the shadows during this time is to show that a shadow of doubt is casted over his principles.
Another scene is when Kane first meets Susan out in the streets. Kane was just hit by a car running through mud and it is dark outside and hard to see what is going on. The dark is a foreshadowing to how their relationship together will end up bad for the both of them. Kane looses the election and Susan's career goes nowhere.
Jeremy Menzel
Describe specific images in Potemkin and explain their symbolic significance to that period of Russian history.
TINA MACKENZIE
I'm going to begin by explaining the context of the film in history so the symbols I describe have more significance...
In the late 1800's Alexander III took over for his father as Czar of Russia. He set forth to annul all previous reforms and to stop the revolutionaries. He believed in autocracy and did not agree with his father's liberal movements.
"From 1881 to 1894, the Czar took repressive measures to uphold his autocratic rule. Immediately upon ascending the throne, the Czar passed the Temporary Regulations to deal with the 'Will of the People.' Any people threatening public order were arrested by the police, imprisoned, exiled,
or court-martialled. The 'Will of the People' and terrorism died down as a result. Only a few revolutionaries remained." This made the underground revolutionaries more determined to overthrow Czardom.
When Alexander died, his son Nicholas II followed and attempted to stay true to his fathers autocratic ways. He was too weak as a leader which led to more upset peoples and more reasons for revolution.
During his rule the Russo-Japanese war began and he lacked order: the soldiers weren't trained, they had a very poor food supply and there was much corruption from those in control.
(www.thecorner.org/hist/russia/revo1905.htm)
This leads to the setting of Battleship Potemkin in the Fall of 1905. It begins with the conflict between the soldiers and the authority aboard the ship. The rotten meat the men discovered was an example of Russia's food situation. They refused to eat the rotten meat. This upset those in charge who then ordered the "rebelious' soldiers to be shot.
The tarp that had been thrown over their head could symbolize the corrupt control over these Russian men.
When they threw the tarp off of themselves and began to fight back, the revolution began.
After overthrowing the ship the remaining soldiers shipped into Odessa flying a red flag symbolizing their strike.
Vakulenchuk was a man aboard the ship who began the uprising and he was killed during the fight. Word spread about his murder and a public funeral was held on the streets of Odessa as a political demonstration of the corruption.
Many of the townspeople gathered from all around to support these soldiers. They all began flying red flags as well.
The climax of this film is the most famous scene and best example of Soviet Montage, to this day.
The demonstrators were ordered to be killed and soldiers marched down the steps in perfect unison to attempt to restore order, in turn creating chaos and a huge massacre. During the montage a child is shot and the soldiers continue to march over him. This is there to shock the audience but also to demonstrate the soldiers' lack of humanity.
The biggest symbol during this montage would be the lion statues. They are each similar to seem as though they are one lion.
They are shown one after the other: a lion asleep, a lion awakening and a lion roaring. This is symbolic of the revolution
beginning.
In the end the ship takes off to meet two others in battle. The anticipation of the fight builds up until there is no fight and one of the ships even joined the Potemkin. This is symbolic of the revolution against Czarism to come, in all leading to Nicholas, the last Czar's downfall.
Definitions of: High Angles, Low Angles, Canted Angles, Medium Shots, Long Shots, & Establishing Shots
High Angle: a camera angle usually above the eye level of performers in a scene.
Low Angle: a camera angle usually below the eye level of performers in a scene.
Canted Angle: a camera angle in which the camera leans toward screen right or left, producing an imbalanced, off-center look to the image. Filmmakers often use canted angles to capture a character’s subjective feelings of stress or disorientation.
Medium Shot: one of the basic camera positions in which a camera is set up to record from full to half-figure shots of a performer.
Long Shot: one of the basic camera positions in which the camera is set up at some distance from the subject of the shot. Filmmakers usually use long shots to stress environment or setting.
Establishing Shot: a type of long shot used to establish the setting or location of a scene. In classical continuity editing, establishing shots occur at the beginning of a scene and help contextualize subsequent close-ups and other partial views of the action.
High Angles:
In Casablanca, it cuts to a high angle shot of Rick from Victor’s point of view. We are looking down on Rick for the first time. He has LOST her. He has YIELDED CONTROL to Victor. “You’d better hurry. You’ll miss that plane.” We are seeing Rick from Victor’s point of view because now Victor and Ilsa are the couple. Rick will have to begin his life over again. [http://www.tc.umn.edu/~ryahnke/filmteach/x-casa1.htm ]
In Casablanca, Renault and Rick walk away, side by side, to the right, as they engage in some playful banter. Then they walk past the camera and keep walking, as the camera turns into a crane shot (raising up) to look down (high angle) at the two men walking away from the action (staging position) and we hear Rick say, “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” And the two men continue to walk away into the distance as the music comes up. [http://www.tc.umn.edu/~ryahnke/filmteach/x-casa1.htm ]
Low Angles:
In Casablanca, director Michael Curtiz delays the appearance of Humphrey Bogart's character, Rick, from the moment the arriving German plane flies behind the sign for Rick's Café Americain. This sign is shot from a low angle, with nothing but the sky and the plane carrying German officials in the background, implying that this is a sign for an important place run by an important man. [http://www.americanpopularculture.com/archive/film/casablanca.htm ]
Canted Angles:
In Nosferatu, we see an example of canted angle when Ellen becomes “hypnotized” by count Orlok’s powers. The camera becomes tilted to one side or the other and youcan clearly see the disorientation on Ellen’s face as she looks off into the distance under what seems to be the vampire’s control.
Medium Shots:
In Casablanca, Rick formally meets Victor Laszlo and Ilsa. Note the comparison of medium shots of the two men-- the TWO MEN IN ILSA'S LIFE. Then as they engage in dialogue, notice how they are again SEPARATED through the editing so that their words BITE. Watch the reaction shots of these two characters in this scene. [http://www.tc.umn.edu/~ryahnke/filmteach/casabl.htm ]
Long Shots:
In Casablanca, Laszlo talks to Rick alone about getting the two letters of transit. He even offers a big bribe. Finally, Rick says, "I suggest you ask your wife." Before Laszlo can respond, the two hear the Germans downstairs singing their national anthem. Rick and Laszlo go down, and Victor asks the band to play the French National Anthem, "La Marseillaise." NOTE: One look from Rick to the bandleader, and they begin to play it. Now both parties sing their respective anthems. Finally, the Germans are drowned out. In the scenes of the singing, notice the long shots that show the many patriotic people, Victor in context with them, then Victor alone in the frame, then his wife watching him adoringly (impressed by his leadership), and even the ex-lover of Rick, who commits herself to the Free French cause by singing loudly. We could call this scene the "dueling anthems scene" (after the "dueling banjos scene in Deliverance). [http://www.tc.umn.edu/~ryahnke/filmteach/casabl.htm]
Establishing Shots:
In Casablanca, take the scene in which Rick is introduced to Victor Laszlo. It begins with an establishing shot containing all of the characters: Rick, Renault, Laszlo, and Ilsa. Most of the verbal discussion in this scene pertains to political resistance and an almost seething hostility between Rick and Ilsa. [http://www.chrismcallister.net/library/portfolio/Essays/CMST2F03-Casablanca.pdf ]
In Casablanca, let’s begin again with the establishing shot where Renault introduces Rick to Laszlo. Although this scene is supposed to focus on the political narrative between Rick and Laszlo, the spatial relationship is much closer to focusing the narrative on Rick and Ilsa. [http://www.chrismcallister.net/library/portfolio/Essays/CMST2F03-Casablanca.pdf]
Briefly describe how Citizen Kane is about both Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst.
Andrew Chandler
The lives of both Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst share a key concept with one of Citizen Kane's central motifs: isolation.
As you may remember from our lecture, Hearst exerted his considerable power and influence to destroy Citizen Kane before it opened. He failed, but, even though Kane saw the light of day, Welles' young career (he was only 25 at the time) did not escape unscathed.
After peaking with Kane, Welles began an slow-but-inevitable descent into isolation, eventually dying of a heart attack in 1985. Before his death, Welles endured losing creative control and final cut and the mismanagement of his films by RKO Pictures; after being blacklisted, he spent time searching for work in Europe.
Like William Randolph Hearst, Orson Welles started as vital, passionate figure in youth, but ended sad and lonely.
Describe the conventions of French New Wave and provide at least four examples from Breathless.
Nate Watson
During the French New Wave, film directors in the 50's wrote for the Cahiers de Cinema journal and studied films from all over the world that have been archived in the Cinematheque Francaise (overseen by Andre Langlois). This film age stressed breaking away from traditional film narrative and opted for new and experimental films.
The Cahiers journal had two guidelines.
1). The rejection montage style film making in favor of mise en cine. This brought about the "long take" and "deep composition"
2). That each film should have the directors personal artistic expressions in mind: using their own style(s) and taste, like painting a picture or writing a novel (autuer theory).
The term cinephillia was also expressed heavy during this era: meaning people who love watching movies for it's own sake; the shear enjoyment of the cinema experience brings these people to watch movies.
Other styles and technique used during this period were...
jump cuts
shooting on scene
natural lighting
improvised dialog or recording
direct sound recording
Examples of French New Wave approaches in Breathless include the following...
1). Most of the film was shot on location: the hotels where Michel and Patricia stay for example.
2). There are several long takes: during the last scene where Michel is comically running away from the police after he's shot.
3). The scenes outside used natural light from the sun instead of the set lighting.
4). The editing was erratic throughout the entire film. Chase scenes didn't follow continuity editing, scenes with Michel and Patricia were very long but mostly consisted of small talk, there is no direct flow from point A to point B: Michel seems to go from one location to the next with any forewarning, making the film unpredictable. In a way, the film mimics life: which is one series of events after another with very little control over what's going to happen next.
Information regarding Cahiers de Cinema, the Cinematheque Francaise and Cinephillia can be found on pages 390-392 (Prince, 390-92). The majority of the information is on the French New Wave link on the right side of the home page.
After WWII American cinema entered a certain state in which movies were usually made in more traditional style using techniques like diagesis and non diageses music, and various editing styles. They had a patriotical theme, some more visible than others, but the theme of being a good American citizen who loved his country was usually incorporated at some point or the other throughout the movie. In Casablanca this is very evident as you watch Rick deal with conflicts of the past and present. Also, I believe films in the U.S. were more out to tell a story to appeal to every movie goer.
In European cinema, they wanted to present new and radical ideas. They wanted to evoke certain feelings and thoughts as a way of uprising by expressing their feelings towards the government and the situations at the present time to the people. They wanted to go against classical hollywood, and reject the classical montage of editing.
Describe the different kinds of shot “joins.” Give examples from the films we’ve viewed.
So don't qoute me on this because I am having trouble finding exactly what this is.... but going on what it sounds like it means... shot "joins" would be different ways, in editing, to join multiple cuts together. Different "joins" being fading in or fading out, or even just a sharp cut to a different angle or totally different scene altogether. Also like in Nosferatu how the circle lens would go all the way in on a scene until the screen was black or start with the lens just on a specific detail and pan out to where you can see the whole picture. Most of the joins would be a fade to black screen quickly picked up by the next scene.
Uusally the editors do such a good job that people don't even realize the break between scenes. It is attempted to keep the movie going with little or no breaks in between scenes.
But like I said go look it up again on your own for further information and (if this is not correct) the correct information with specific examples from each movie) Probably will be in chapter 4 the editing chapter.
(this website is messed up, took me 30 minutes to post this)
A motif is a common theme found in a movie. It can be an object, idea, recurring event, or pattern. Listed below are a few motifs found in three of the movies we have seen in class.
In Casablanca, the song "As Time Goes By" serves as a recurring theme (a leitmotif according to page 480 of the book) to symbolize the romance between Rick and Ilsa. The quote "here's lookin' at you kid" does the same. An object serving as a motif would be the transit papers that everyone is trying to acquire.
In Citizen Kane, "Rosebud" serves as a motif and is what drives the plot. Size is also a common theme because everything about Charles was very large like the newspaper he worked for, his ego, the space between him and his wife, and his palace.
There were also several themes found in Nosferata, as we discussed today in class. Arches, domes and towers could be associated with Hutter and Orlok. Also, the wind and sea set a motif to symbolize the connection between Ellen and Orlok.
Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/motif
Eric Anthony
-Explain how Casablanca demonstrates the conventions of Classical Hollywood Cinema (CHC). Point to specific scenes and characters.
-Notes from class on August 29th & 31st
CHC was during the years from 1930-1950. Casablanca was a film that demonstrated classic Hollywood Cinema. It was filmed in 1942. Casablanca CHC in many ways:
• Protagonist Character
In most CHC films there is a character who is the protagonist that the movie evolves around. In Casablanca it is Rick. He is the nightclub owner that has come to Casablanca to get over a disastrous love affair with Illsa Lund (Prince 160).
• Narrative Story (Point of view from Rick)
In the movie, the story is told from Rick “eyes.” The flashback of when Rick and Illsa were together is through the eyes of Rick. Also during the movie when he sticks the “package” under a stack up papers the viewer and Rick were the only ones to see it. We later find out that in the package were passes to leave Casablanca. The viewer feels all of the emotions that Rick is going through with Illsa and his struggle to give the passes to here and Victor. (Subjective Shots)
• Editing/Camera Shots
Casablanca does different types of camera shots.
o Master shots – shows the spatial layout of a scene, all characters’ positions in relation to each other and to the set (Prince 160)
o Matched cut – example: Rick sees the doorman pausing in the entrance with several guest, awaiting his approval to enter the casino (Prince 160 & 161)
o Eyeline match – when each looks in an opposing direction, one to the right, the other to the left, creating the impression that they are looking at each other (Prince 160 & 161)
o Other Examples include : Shot Reverse Shot Series and 180 degree Rule (Price 162 & 163)
• Continuity
As its name implies, continuity editing maximizes principles of continuity from shot to shot so that the actions seems to flow smoothly across shot and scene transactions. Continuity editing facilities narrative comprehension by the viewer (Price 475)
Chelsea DeMonch
Description of opening of Casablanca and how it initiates the development of the film's major themes.
-The movie opens with a newscast describing the beginning of World War II, the escape of French refugees to French Morroco (Africa) and describes their plight of being stuck in Casablanca until they acquire exit visas to leave for America. One of the narrative hooks that quickly grabs and holds your attention throughout the film, is the constant threat of Germany.We see people in the city-market of Casablanca being chased down by Germans for suspicious activities and hear a report about the death of two German officers for exit visas. We then cut to Strasser (that german major dude that flew to Casablanca to meet Renault). Renault comments that the murderer of the two german soldiers will be at Rick's (Rick's casino/cafe). Rick as we find out doesnt get involved in other people's business (" I stick my neck out for no one") but from the opening of the movie we figure out that he won't be able to remain isolated/neutral. (psst! Theme of the movie-> Difficulty in neutrality). For one, the murderer Ugarte goes to Rick's and gives Rick the exit visas. Two, Rick's love Ilsa happens to be the one wanting those exit visas. Three, THERES A WAR GOING ON giving the whole situation a sense of emergency/urgency.It also doesn't help that Isla's husband is one of Germany's most wanted because he is a leader of the French resistance. Rick is going to have to stick his neck out to help Ilsa, the woman he loves, escape. Neutrality is unsustainable in this world of War and love.
I hope this helps and is accurate enough I probably do need some more feedback because difficulty of neutrality was the only theme I got out of the opening scenes. Thank you!
Chelsea DeMonch
-Sorry I also wanted to add to the question about orson welles and hearst. I'm just adding some of my notes in.
-Citizen Kane is loosely based on William Randolph Hearst, a man who transformed journalism into yellow journalism or "sensational journalism" Hearst also was a Senator for 2 years and tried to run for president. Hearst also had an open public relationship with Marion Davies while he was still married. Hearst had a dwelling outside of Hollywood called Sansimian (much like Kane's Xanadu) -> The connection to Citizen Kane would be that Kane owned a news paper and pretty much made up whatever he wanted or thought would sell papers (told people what to think) mimicking Hearst's power over the public, Kane ran for governor and wanted to be president, and Kane was accused of having a relationship with the "singer" Susan.
-Orson Welles of course directed it.
"Citizen Kane is not, however, all Hearst. In no small way, the life of Orson Welles peaked with that film. Welles was King of the Mountain, the enfant terrible that RKO (studio) gave full creative control of a major film in a day when directors were mostly traffic cops on a movie set, not creative artists. After peaking with Kane, Welles began a a slow descent into isolation"
this quote is from the following website...
http://katebush.proboards6.com/
index.cgi?action=display&board=
general&thread=1129638433&page=
1#1129638433
Resolutions of Main and Subplots in Casablanca
It’s hard to know what is the actual main plot of this movie so here are the subplots and you can decide which one you think is most important.
The setting of this movie is in French-occupied Casablanca. The Germans, through Major Strasser, come in to make sure that Victor Lazlo, a resistance leader, doesn’t leave the country. Rick Blaine becomes in charge of two letters of transportation personally signed by Captain Renault, Chief of Police in Casablanca, for safe travel to America. Lazlo tries to get these passports and letters. Rick holds onto them for a little longer because he finds out Ilsa is married to Victor. Ilsa and Rick decide to “leave together” and take the letters. However in the end, Rick sends off Ilsa and Victor to America. Major Strasser is killed in the process and relations between Rick and Captain Renault ease again.
Ilsa and Rick- Ilsa is actually married to Victor Lazlo but thinks he’s been killed in a concentration camp so she has a fling with Rick while in Paris. Unknowingly, she comes into Rick’s Café in Casablanca, and her love for him rekindles. She has to choose between Rick and Victor. In the end, Rick says the famous lines, “Here’s to looking at you, kid,” and he sends Ilsa off to America with Victor, sacrificing his own wants for her best. When he says “here’s….” he is telling her one more time that he loves her before he sends her off.
Both these plots are intertwined as Victor’s need for passports relies on Rick and Ilsa’s past relationship. Rick, who continuously says, “I stick my neck out for nobody,” sacrifices his love for what is right in the end.
Sara Veale
Difference between soft lighting and hard lighting.
Soft lighting is light that is diffused or scattered by filters of relecting screens. soft lighting creates low contrasting images. More the often used in portrait shots.
Hard lighting is lighting that is not diffused or scatter by the use of reflectors and filters. This lighting creates a high contrast image.
Differences in Perceptual Correspondence and Perceptual Transformation.
Perceptual Correspondence is the properties of cinema that duplicates the visual information that viewers encounter in the everyday world. These include information about the object size, light and shadow, movement, and facial expressionand behavior as signs of emotion and intention.
Perceptual Transformaton is the propertie of cinema that distort or alter the visual information that viewers encounter in the everyday world or that create completely novel visual experiences that have no basis in real world experience by the use of telephoto lenses, zooms and tracking in the opposite direction. this information con be found on page 41 of the book.
Will Linton
I was to name the convention of Soviet Montage and briefly describe how they function in/ three scene/ images of Potemkin
Audience Form their own meaning; director play to an audience that knows the background and can figure it out on their own. Soviet Montage used to get out of a
passive viewing status
The relation between the poor/peasants waving by to the troops later on they are massacred
The bravery of the mother and her dead son approaching the troops they stand up for what they believe
The abandonded child rolling down the stairs after its mother was killed
Explain how Nosferatu is concerned with knowledge and what different characters do with knowledge.
Lallie Jones
Adam in the Bible is the prototype for characters such as Hutter in horror films. The character is naively lured into a situation lacking sufficient knowledge on how to deal with what is at hand. Hutter lacks the knowledege of the supernatural world and has no idea how to deal with the threat of Orlock.
Ellen is the bearer of knowledge. She somehow intuitively knows that in order to save her husband she must sacrifice herself.
Knock the prisoner has the knowledge of the existence of Count Orlock which he refers to as "master".
The scientists were not sure what this monster was but they used their knowledge to connect him with the natural world by comparing him to a venus fly trap.
The people in the town lacked knowledge of the threat at hand so they kept in their houses. These characters use their lack knowledge to isolate what they can not comprehend. Knock is mad and they do not understand how address the situation so they lock him up. The general public in most films lack knowledge on the threat of a disturbance and how to escape it.
Yellow Journalism in Citizen Kane
Ellen Kalbaugh
Yellow journalism, which is the exaggeration of the truth epically in the news and newspaper is shown in Citizen Kane with the Spanish American War. The best example of this is when Kane says Just provide me the pictures and I'll provide you the war.
Back in 1898 most of the news came from the newspaper and most of the news in the papers was based on the opinions and views of the editor rather than the objective side of the news. The public had no idea this was happening because they had nothing to compare the newspapers to. Yellow journalism was a term coined to describe the type of journalism that William Randolph Hearst's type of journalism.
Brandon Mathis
ADR- automatic dialog replacement
Pan and Tilt- establish liking movements in a shot
Persistence vision- when the retina of the eye retains an image for a fraction of a second
Rack focusing- changing the lenses focal plane with in a shot
Deep focus- establish great depth of field
Panning and scanning- produced a video image fills the TV monitor but in an incorrect aspect ratio
Letter box- method of formatting wide screen motion pictures for video release
Gray scale- ranging from black to while though intermediate shades gray
Mise-en-scene- used to designate a films overall visual design and to refer to all the elements placed before the camera to be photographed
180 degree rule- the left and right coordinates in the screen action remain consistent as long as all camera positions remain on the same side of the line of action
shot-reverse-shot- the camera is positioned over the shoulder of one character and then in the reverse shot position over the shoulder of the other character
Method acting- approach to screen performance in which the actor seeks to portray a character by using personal experience and emotion to portray it
Technical acting- approach to acting in which the performer thinks thought the requisite gestures and emotions and then exhibits them
Stylizations- when a director puts his own unique style into the film
Aspect ratio- dimensions of the screen image
Boom/crane shot- the camera along with its tripod or base physically travels though space, following the action
Ideology- was developed in the Marxist tradition to talk about how cultures are structured in ways that enable the group holding power
explicit ideology- is very obvious form of ideology example is saving private ryan or citizen kane
implicit ideology- is not so obvious example is back to the future
Explain the function of horror films and how Nosferatu exhibits this function
Crystal Packard
Horror films are meant to disturb viewers by threatening our sense of normality. Usually they involve a happy couple or family who are terrorized by a monster (or ghost, or killer) until there is a resolution.
(From the book) Aside from the obvious physical danger it typically poses to ordinary, normal characters in the films, the monster poses a larger and more profound threat to the classification systems that define reality and on which culture and society rest. The monster represents a confusion- a violation- of social categories that specify boundaries between normal and abnormal, human and animal, living and dead. By centering on imaginary creatures who dwell in the margins of human life and consciousness, the horror film terrifies viewers by undermining their secure sense of where human identity lies in relation to the world of the dead, of animals, or of things.
Nosferatu is a classic example of a horror movie. Count Orlock threatens the lives of Hutter, Ellen, and the town that they live in.
Jessica Wynn
Describe a specific sequence of images in Potemkin and their relevance to the rest of the film and its themes.
From the book, pages 173-174
In the massacre scenes on the steps when civilians are marched upon by the Czarist troops and the battleship fires its guns at Czarist headquarters, Eisenstein cuts together three quick shots of different shots of lions. (I think we discussed that this was talked about in the book but was not in the version of the movie that we saw in class). The first one is sleeping, the second one is sitting upright with its eyes wide open, and the third one is roaring. The scenes are joined to make it look like a sleeping lion has just awakened. This is relevant to the rest of the film and its themes because it symbolizes the people awakening against the wrath of the Czar, which is one of the film’s themes. It is also a demonstration of “intellectual montage”, which is what Eisenstein came up with to describe the usage of editing to guide the viewer’s thought process.
The sequence of a mother getting shot and her baby's stroller rolling down the steps symbolizes loss of control of the Russian people as well as the chaos that the Czar rulers are causing in their lives.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=euG1y0KtP_Q
***Potemkin and Soviet Montage
http://www.blogger.com/profile/12022085330903987608
(Eisenstein was most famous for Soviet Montages, which intentionally break continuity principles, with the purpose of creating visual conflict between shots- can be conflicts in movement, rythem, tone, lighting or geographical properties)
***Potemkin and images with symbolic significance in Russian history...
http://www.blogger.com/profile/05535736388024162163
Katie Neubeiser
Define and identify 4 examples of German expressionism in Nosferatu
German Expressionism – opposed to realism, emphasized elaborate distortions in the mise-en-scene. non human characters are also associated with German Expressionism, the vampire in Nosferatu (1). Orlock is tall and skinny, has long skinny fingers, an egg shaped head with big ears. His grotesque characteristics make it obvious he is from a different realm.
Lighting designs employed a prevalence of shadows and violent contrast. An example of this is when Hutter is sleeping in the castle and as Nosferatu walks towards him, Orlock’s shadow slowly creeps up on Hutter and starts to overtake him (2). One more example of how shadows were a big part in Nosferatu was when the vampire was slowly walking up the steps. You can not see him but you can see shadowy figure slowly creeping up the steps (3).
The sets used architectural forms to create dwellings that were off-kilter, skewed designs, structures were built with diagonals and non parallel planes. The filmmakers integrated the actors’ physical appearance and movements with the architectural forms. An example of this in Nosferatu is the arched doorways associated with the vampire, and the look it gave when he walked through them (evil entering and exiting). The vampire’s thin elongated body is linked visually with the door frame (4).
Odd camera angles were used to enhance the decentering of the screen world. The camera’s positioning, the lighting design, and the décor all work together to achieve maximum distortion in expressionist mise-en-scene. The distortions were often correlated with a particular kind of subject matter (the vampire).
The pages in the book about German expressionism are 301-304
There is additional information on these web-sites…
http://www.greencine.com/static/primers/expressionism1.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Expressionism
Production Design
Maxwell Brooke
According to the book, production design is part of the fimmakers visual design of editing involving the creation of sets, locations, costuming, and all visual environments(mattes and miniatures) that are decipted on the screen.
Here are two examples of production design from 'Citizen Kane':
In the opening scene of the movie they show Kane's house in the distance, which is filmed as a miniature. A miniature is used as a small structure that is built but shot big so it can be used as a big scenic background. Everything is dark and foggy and his house seems to be far away from any kind of civilization. All the things they show like the mysterious, gloomy places from his house, represent the sort of person Kane was.
Another scene from 'Citizen Kane' of production design is when they show Kane running for governor and he is giving his speech inside a big auditorium In that specific scene while Kane is delivering his speech there is a big poster of just Kane behind him which is used as a matte, special paintings that are printed in the film. All the people attending the speech are wearing nice suits and fancy dresses which tells the audience what time frame this is taken in (1920s). The big poster behind Kane also symbolizes his personal wants and beliefs. Because the poster isn't a sign of the American people or America, it's just a giant poster of his face.
You can look up more information on 'Citizen Kane' at this website: http://www.filmsite.org/citi.html
Meredith Clough
French New Wave began in 1959. A group of filmmakers emerged from France whos films broke with existing studio style. They were very fond of American films and in time their work influenced such HOllywood films as Bonnie and Clyde and Easy Rider.
The directors who began this wave had been film critics and studied cinemas at the screenings provided by Andre Langlois. Langlois ran the Cinemathequw Francaise, which was a museum that archived all films from all over the world. Because of this bacjground the new wave directors became known as lovers and great students of cinema. Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard became the most known newwave directors. They were committedto using cinema as aform of expressing their own personal thoughts and feelings.
For more on French New Wave, pg.390
From Daniel Reutzel:
Classical Hollywood cinema- came about after films that were produced in the 1930's to 1960's. In classical hollywood cinema there is a clear plot from the beginning that is brought upon by the main character of the movie. In the movie the whole direction is centered around that. In casablanca, Rick and Elsa love each other very much, but her husband and her need two passes to get into America and the whole movie centers around Elsa and Rick's love and her and her husband trying to recieve those passes. Some recent examples of classical Hollywood Cinema are Lord of the Rings and Star Wars Episode II.
1)Cinematography and Color -Will A. Angel
The functions of color cinematography in film and film production is as follows:
-One function is to light objects on the set by using such things as "colored gels" over lights to manipulate color hue, saturation and intensity. We see this in Nosferatu in the Count's castle where candles and fires are used to light the set.
-Color cinematography can also be used to seperate and define objects in a composition (this includes using gre-scale when shooting in black and white) We see this in Nosferatu in The Count. His color is always dark and dreary, except for when we see close-ups of his face, which the cinematographer has chosse to light in such a way that Count Olaf seems especially grotesque and evil.
-Most importantly, color cinematography establishes symbolic meanings, narrative organization, and psychological moods and emotional tones. This is especially evident in Nosferatu whenever we see the count in his castle. The shadows which follow him and sometimes are even all we see of him, are carefully controlled by the cinematographer and are employed to create a sense of mystery and evil with the count. To make him seem less human and more like a creepy vampire.
The three functions of color are as follows:
-The first is Hue. Hue refers to the color itself. red, blue, green, and yellow are hues. These four hues are unique in that they do not resemble another. We can see the hue in Nosferatu anywhere. The hues are more plain and less abundant in the Count's castle but in happy places, like the bare where hutter stops before going the rest of the way, we see the use of many hues.
-Saturation refers to the strength of a color. During the scene at the dinner table in Nosferatu we can see the saturation of the blood from Hutter's thumb is very strong.
Intensity, or brightness, refers to how much light a given colored object reflects. We see differences in this in the light putout by the Count's face both when he is awake and moving (it's bright and alive) and when he is sleeping in his coffin (we see his face as dark and concealed in the coffin) both times we see the Count's face, but it's intensity changes each time.
-Will A. Angel
I'm not sure what happened to my post...so I will post it again for you guys to look at.
The 3 stages of film production are:
Preproduction...where the planning takes place. This is the writing of the script, hiring of cast and crew, set design, rehearsal, and plan style of cinematography.
Production is the filming and sound recording of the action, aka shooting the movie.
Post production is the editing of sound and image, music scoring, additional sound recording (known as Foley), dialogue replacement (ADR), and color timing.
The director determines the film's organizing and creative structure. He is the key member of the production team and oversees what else everyone does.
The producer is responsible for hiring the director and supervises a film's production and makes sure the film stays within its budget and allowed time.
A cinematographer, or director of photography, oversees lighting and cameras. They also may operate the camera.
The editor designs the order and arrangement of shots as they would appear in the final cut.
The production designer is responsible for creation of the sets, costumes, and anything else visual. They oversee the prop crew. They also are responsible for miniatures and storyboard creation for the planning of camera and lighting positions.
This info was taken from the book....pages 3-4, the glossary, and pg. 86.
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