Do The Right Thing

Do The Right Thing is a stunning display of Spike Lee’s talents as an actor, writer, and director. The movie is in essence focused on a number of dualities it spends the length of the movie building up and inverting, intentionally going out of it’s way to force the audience to think through the issues surrounding race and racism in ways not normally considered. One of the highlights of the movie is Spike Lee’s ability to create morally ambiguous characters without diminishing the audience’s empathy for them. He himself plays Mookie, a conflicted young man living in Brooklyn during the Eighties, who barely manages to hold down his job delivering pizzas and essentially ignoring the needs of his son, whom he sees less than once a week despite living down the block from him.
Mookie is a prime example of Spike Lee’s ability to make us love without liking a character. He’s human enough that we feel for him, but also does various obviously “wrong” things that we cannot respect or like him. He like every other character in the movie has both good and bad moments. He is commendable in how he deals with his coworker Vito, yet still initiates the wrecking and burning of Sal’s Pizzeria. In the end the prime message of Do The Right Thing is one of complexity, illustrated best through the opening scene and Radio Rahim’s brass knuckles. Every person moves through cycles of Love and Hate, the best and the worst in us both come out at times, and as hateful as life seems there is still a need to make sure that Love flourishes.

Do the Right Thing - Erin

The film Do the Right Thing, written and directed by Spike Lee, shows racial violence in Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year. The film captures the true essence of a hard life, working for your money and touches on stereotypes we still face today. These stereotypes helped break barriers in the movie such as the drunkard saving a life, always having great advice and being kind to those who were terrible and rude to him.
One thing in particular I noticed was the fact that the "fourth wall" was broken quite a few times. There is a montage of shots in the movie where several people seem to be looking directly at a camera, and therefore the audience. This provided a connection in seeing them as real people with feelings that may effect greater audiences than just themselves and their community.
The harsh realities of the movie were at times tough to watch but it was interesting to see a movie stay true to the reality of the situation. I didn't know so many cuss words were allowed in a film. Although shocking, these words added to the hostility of the film and seriousness of daily life.
Overall, this film was particularly interesting to watch and projected an issue that was (I'm sure) very difficult to take hold of.

Citizen Kane

“If I hadn’t been really rich, I would have been a really great man.”-Charles Foster Kane

Citizen Kane seems driven to tear down the conceit that a life can be encapsulated in a single film. The opening montage sequence serves to establish both Kane’s greatness and complexity, he is called variously a communist and a fascist, both loved and hated. The above quote relates directly to Kane’s hamartia and the one quality that is never up for dispute, the constant dissatisfaction he feels with the life he was forced to take up as a child. Throughout the movie multiple narrative streams and perspectives are interwoven in an effort to unravel Charlie Kane’s last word, “Rosebud.” Though the mystery of “Rosebud” did not entrance or affect me as it did the reporters during the main sequence of the movie, when at last it was revealed to be the name of his childhood sled I thought it was a beautiful conclusion to a painful story.
On a technical level the movie is fantastic. The lighting is very intense. Many times the light source came from just one place (often the sun) in a dark room so everything seemed to glow. The lighting made an important contribution to the film’s serious and uneasy atmosphere. The sound overlays were unique and interesting, exemplified by the earliest childhood scene and the party he throws to celebrate stealing his reporters. Throughout his parent’s entire argument about his education Charles is very distinctly yelling outside in the snow, yet it does not limit hearing the parent’s speak clearly. When the show girls and gentlemen are singing about Mr. Kane the music, singing, and background chatter are all very effectively separated from the front stage dialogue.
By far the best thing about the movie was the impeccable script. The dialogue was inspired, producing a variety of quotes that leapt out as timeless, and the multiple perspectives and framing narrations were brilliantly executed. One quote I found particularly interesting was when Henry Cane said: "I have and will be only one thing - an American." When he is asked by Thatcher what he would like to have been he states “Everything you hate.” His focus constantly shifts between the despise he feels for the manner in which he was raised and the need to gather love as tribute from everyone around him. The multiple perspectives, each covering a large time period but from a very specific angle effectively sparked an intense need to know more about the psyche and motivations of such an interesting character, and the plot was filled with constant turmoil in regards to his happiness. The script managed to let him constantly succeed while only becoming less and less happy.
The beginning of the movie consists of a series of different shots - all depicting Mr. Kane's grand Xanadu. They are all equally eerie. The combination of close ups and long shots as well as the sharp music help create the initial obscure tone of the film, and two specific images frame the beginning and end. The no trespassing sign and the image of the unfinished palace on a hill he built for himself only grow in impact between their first and last rendering, much as Charles Foster Kane only grows in inscrutability as we learn more about him.

Modern Times-Oliver

Modern Times was by any measure an interesting movie experience, produced during a very small window in the film industry when both silent and "talkie" films were if not equally viable, could still succeed financially. The film industry had initiated the transition to sound films a decade earlier, and there had already been multiple talkie's that were financially successful before the release of Modern Times, and in fact upon it's release Chaplin garnered an excess of criticism for sticking with the silent film format in face of popular trends.
Regardless, Modern Times remains one of his most popular films, and a monument to his legacy. Between the screenplay, the acting, and the editing there is not a single element that leaves itself open to criticism. Perhaps especially significant for a silent film was Modern Times expert use of sound. During the factory scenes you can hear machines humming, the clank and crunch of men working on the line, and the bell calling workers to attention. I think that the separation between sound and scene inherent to silent films adds a layer of quality to the work missing in modern movies. Every noise has a purpose, being that they were each added intentionally, and each stands out crisp and clear without any background pollution.
Though I prefer modern film with full audio to Chaplin's style I wonder if perhaps every filmmaker should be forced to shoot at least one work in silent. I think that the benefits to sound film eclipse any upsides to the silent method, but the skill Chaplin showed in overcoming the flaws of the form was exceptional, and modern films could learn from it. His ability to establish the Tramp's personality and character even without dialogue is astounding. With only body language, facial expression, and the occasional written line Chaplin establishes an incredibly strong impression of the Tramp's personality in the viewer's mind.
Overall I quite liked Modern Times, I was as amused by it as I think is possible for a silent film to someone raised on Hollywood's modern production techniques, and I fully appreciate the skill and quality it represents for the time. Charlie Chaplin was undeniably one of the early titans of the film industry, and the film that was arguably his greatest achievement showcases his skills as both an actor and filmmaker admirably. The Little Tramp is hilarious in every context, and will remain so for a long, long time.

BLOG 3 - Modern Times

Charlie Chaplin, both the director and writer of "Modern Times," created an entertaining and insightful silent film depicting the Industrialization Revolution. It was comical and light, two things people of all ages enjoy. During the intro credits, there was a big clock in the background. This was a clever touch and symbolically portrayed how much time workers spent in the factories. It also seemed to bring attention to the fact that time went by without any real excitement or diversity in one's surroundings. There were a few shots that seemed to be shown several times in a similar way such as the men simply working on the assembly line. This is crucial to notice because it represents the many people that were in this same situation at the time. 

Routine within the factory was quickly formed and drawn to the attention of the audience. Sounds were important in establishing the rigidity of the society and of the factory jobs themselves. Sounds and music were often repeated. The techno music added to the sense of factory life and machinery operation. Some sounds even sounded like the actual clinking of machines. Another thing I noticed was that some sounds used were very familiar to us. We recognized them, understood them and were even further drawn into the film because of it. An example of this is when the bell rings in the factory. As an audience, we understand that when a bell rings, it is time to stop or pay attention. The music also played a large role in creating suspense and humor. For example, in the scene where Chaplin unintentionally goes into the gear room, music creates a joyous, fantastical atmosphere and when he comes out again (into reality) he is faced with the same monotonous music as before. 

As far as technology, this film seemed up to par for the era. When the boss came onto the large screen to give directions, it shocked me! It was almost eerie how these scenes were done because they were very abrupt and again, very routine. The scenes with the Mechanical Salesmen added to the "modern society" feel of the film. It was also ironic that at one point the Mechanical Salesmen said: "Actions speak louder than words." I thought this was perfect for a silent movie. I also felt that the words displayed on screen provided additional information for the viewer. Not only were they funny but also provided a brief change in scenery to keep the viewer's mind occupied. 

I personally like the appeal of a black and white movie and was glad that "Modern Times" was in this format. I believe, in this case, it added to the illusion of a somewhat distraught society. Although Chaplin played a cheery, goofy fellow, it is clearly seen that many people were upset about their less than ideal situations. 

Blog Post #2

Watching a movie is more mindless. It is easy to forget any stylistic details. We pay attention to more of the storyline versus how each shot is presented and the impact on the viewer. I also believe that when watching a movie, you concentrate on your own reactions as if you were saying “what would I do” as opposed to just taking in how you felt as a result of HOW the movie was filmed. The small details of a film come into play when you are analyzing a movie, and as a result of paying more attention to the small details you undergo less immersion. It is not to say that you enjoy the film less, merely that you enjoy it in a different, more removed, manner.

First Post - Introduction

My name is Erin Meyering. I have created this blog to expand my knowledge on films and how they are put together. I also wish to share my input as well as get other’s opinions on how films are constructed and their affect on the audience. I am currently a UoR student yet wish to transfer next year to pursue a degree in Journalism. Film 111-01 strives to give students an insight on the criticism of film. This is partly done by expanding one’s knowledge and medium by encouraging a blog. In creating this blog, I hope that my peers, as well as myself can collaborate, discuss and analyze film. For myself, I hope that by learning some technicalities concerning film, I enrich my film viewing experience.