Friday, 28 November 2014
Pans Labyrinth Representation
Moon birthmark, womb and fallopian tubes, linked to periods
Eating the forbidden fruit like Eve, getting her period
Distorting the church's views because they were involved in fascism
Yonic imagery/nature is destroyed.
Male power and and fascism is destructive and killing nature. The war is making her grow up metaphorically and physically
Symbolism of three
-Moon
-Sun
-Mars
Monday, 10 November 2014
Friday, 3 October 2014
How is Narrative used to create messages in City of God?
Themes
-Respect is everything
-Power and conflict
Narrative is used to create messages in City of God by showing the character's lives in the form of an informative documentary. Themes of corrupt government are used heavily in this film to challenge dominant ideologies about how Brazil is presented. Respect is another major theme within the film to bring across the message that the only way to be respected in this part of the world is to kill. Class difference of the police verses the people in the slums. Sexism is also a theme in the film which creates the message that it's a man's world and women are seen as insignificant; men act, women appear. Women are only used for sex in the film - male gaze.
Messages
-Respect is everything
-Women are insignificant
-No-one will win if you're fighting for power
-Death is the only way out
Context
-Military give the people the guns, corruption within society
-People had to sell drugs to survive and earn money
-Constant conflict between the military and the people in the slums
-Favellas tend to be ruled by the drug-lords
-Poverty is a main part of Brazilian life
Look at style, genre and themes
-Brazilian film-making style
-Respect is everything
-Power and conflict
Narrative is used to create messages in City of God by showing the character's lives in the form of an informative documentary. Themes of corrupt government are used heavily in this film to challenge dominant ideologies about how Brazil is presented. Respect is another major theme within the film to bring across the message that the only way to be respected in this part of the world is to kill. Class difference of the police verses the people in the slums. Sexism is also a theme in the film which creates the message that it's a man's world and women are seen as insignificant; men act, women appear. Women are only used for sex in the film - male gaze.
Messages
-Respect is everything
-Women are insignificant
-No-one will win if you're fighting for power
-Death is the only way out
Context
-Military give the people the guns, corruption within society
-People had to sell drugs to survive and earn money
-Constant conflict between the military and the people in the slums
-Favellas tend to be ruled by the drug-lords
-Poverty is a main part of Brazilian life
Look at style, genre and themes
-Brazilian film-making style
Friday, 19 September 2014
Class notes - Friday 19th September 2014
Narrative
Propp's characters (fairy-tales)
Stock characters
Psychological motivation
Classic hollywood Narrative - Beginning, middle and end (positive resolution)
Cause and effect drives the story
Binary opposition (conflict)
-Look at the context and make connections to the messages and why it has been done this way.
Directors have most control over the messages
-Look at what films they make
-Where they're from
-Want to get their opinions and messages out
Characters and stories all have a narrative function
Seven common character types
Narrative is in every single culture, traits of human nature
La Haine doesn't follow Todorov's BME theory
-Vinz abandons his revenge
-They're all trapped in a cycle - message of the film
-Vinz is Jewish - living in the slums
-Hubert is also trapped in the cycle of violence
-Hubert shoots the police man because of fraternal instinct - Fraternity = France ideology
-Critical and political messages of the film
-The film challenges BME structure to make a clear point (use this as paragraph one)
-Said = his development of character only starts at the end of the film
Said: "so far so good, so far so good" he hasn't been involved yet.
-He's shown as weak and incapable throughout the film
-The whole film is in the space of a day, time throughout the film being shown on screen, clock, circle, cycle
-Petrol bomb on the world in the first scene
-When he closes his eyes the screen goes black - all from his point of view
-Zooming = intensity
-Contradiction of the film: Said caught in the middle at the end of the film
Vinz bad boy = Taxi driver mirror scene
The Satif Massacre = killing civillians
-Hostility in rooftop scene - Algerian vs French
Propp's characters (fairy-tales)
Stock characters
Psychological motivation
Classic hollywood Narrative - Beginning, middle and end (positive resolution)
Cause and effect drives the story
Binary opposition (conflict)
-Look at the context and make connections to the messages and why it has been done this way.
Directors have most control over the messages
-Look at what films they make
-Where they're from
-Want to get their opinions and messages out
Characters and stories all have a narrative function
Seven common character types
Narrative is in every single culture, traits of human nature
La Haine doesn't follow Todorov's BME theory
-Vinz abandons his revenge
-They're all trapped in a cycle - message of the film
-Vinz is Jewish - living in the slums
-Hubert is also trapped in the cycle of violence
-Hubert shoots the police man because of fraternal instinct - Fraternity = France ideology
-Critical and political messages of the film
-The film challenges BME structure to make a clear point (use this as paragraph one)
-Said = his development of character only starts at the end of the film
Said: "so far so good, so far so good" he hasn't been involved yet.
-He's shown as weak and incapable throughout the film
-The whole film is in the space of a day, time throughout the film being shown on screen, clock, circle, cycle
-Petrol bomb on the world in the first scene
-When he closes his eyes the screen goes black - all from his point of view
-Zooming = intensity
-Contradiction of the film: Said caught in the middle at the end of the film
Vinz bad boy = Taxi driver mirror scene
The Satif Massacre = killing civillians
-Hostility in rooftop scene - Algerian vs French
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
La Haine and Propp's theories
A director brings their point of view to the films they create.
Research directors. Look at internet, interviews, commentary, other films, books
1) Story
-Narrative is used to link context
-Link significant events to the narrative, could be metaphors portrayed in the narrative
-Pans Labrynth uses fantasy to elude what's going on
-Classic Hollywood Narrative
-Do foreign films show classic hollywood narrative? If so, is it still classed as global cinema?
-Characters drive the narrative. Need psychological motivation
-Propp: villain, helper, hero - fantasy and fairytales. Links with Pans Labrynth
Stock characters are more relevant to La Haine.
-Bad boy (archetype) = A roguish macho
-Lone Vigilante = Loner who becomes a vigilante for Justice. This stock character relates to La Haine to an extent when Hubert shoots the police officer who shot Vinz for no good reason.
-Wise old man = An elderly character who provides wisdom to the protagonist. This relates to the elderly man who appears in the bathroom scene of La haine. He tells them the story to emphasize the importance of fraternity and brotherhood
Research Jews in France
-Anti-semitism, world war two, immigration
Possible CHN without the happy ending
Said = observer, Algerian, P.O.V, not fully involved
La Haine = not mainstream dominant culture
Propp's theories do not relate to La Haine.
-La Haine has a narrative, theme and characters that attempt to make the film realistic and demonstrate social and political issues that were happening in France at the time. Because Propp's theories focused on more fantasy-based aspects, it isn't relevant to the context and narrative of La Haine.
-The messages of La Haine show fraternity, the struggles of social class and the corrupt society of France in 1995. Fraternity is one of the main themes of this film because France is a country that embraces brotherhood and being united as one which is what the director (Mathieu Kassovitz) demonstrates among those of the lower class - Said, Vinz and Hubert.
-The director's motivation to make the film was when a young, black, working class teenager was shot by the police and there were riots among the people of France to bring justice. This event gave the director a chance to express his views and raise awareness of the class issues in France and how corrupt the police force can be/how the police abuse their positon of power.
Themes of all three films: corrupt higher power. The police and military are abusing their power and authority in La Haine, Pans Labrynth and City of God.
Research directors. Look at internet, interviews, commentary, other films, books
1) Story
-Narrative is used to link context
-Link significant events to the narrative, could be metaphors portrayed in the narrative
-Pans Labrynth uses fantasy to elude what's going on
-Classic Hollywood Narrative
-Do foreign films show classic hollywood narrative? If so, is it still classed as global cinema?
-Characters drive the narrative. Need psychological motivation
-Propp: villain, helper, hero - fantasy and fairytales. Links with Pans Labrynth
Stock characters are more relevant to La Haine.
-Bad boy (archetype) = A roguish macho
-Lone Vigilante = Loner who becomes a vigilante for Justice. This stock character relates to La Haine to an extent when Hubert shoots the police officer who shot Vinz for no good reason.
-Wise old man = An elderly character who provides wisdom to the protagonist. This relates to the elderly man who appears in the bathroom scene of La haine. He tells them the story to emphasize the importance of fraternity and brotherhood
Research Jews in France
-Anti-semitism, world war two, immigration
Possible CHN without the happy ending
Said = observer, Algerian, P.O.V, not fully involved
La Haine = not mainstream dominant culture
Propp's theories do not relate to La Haine.
-La Haine has a narrative, theme and characters that attempt to make the film realistic and demonstrate social and political issues that were happening in France at the time. Because Propp's theories focused on more fantasy-based aspects, it isn't relevant to the context and narrative of La Haine.
-The messages of La Haine show fraternity, the struggles of social class and the corrupt society of France in 1995. Fraternity is one of the main themes of this film because France is a country that embraces brotherhood and being united as one which is what the director (Mathieu Kassovitz) demonstrates among those of the lower class - Said, Vinz and Hubert.
-The director's motivation to make the film was when a young, black, working class teenager was shot by the police and there were riots among the people of France to bring justice. This event gave the director a chance to express his views and raise awareness of the class issues in France and how corrupt the police force can be/how the police abuse their positon of power.
Themes of all three films: corrupt higher power. The police and military are abusing their power and authority in La Haine, Pans Labrynth and City of God.
Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
City of God
Themes
-Violence
-Poverty
-Competition for power
-Dominance
-Male oppression
-Submission of females
-Revenge
Representation of National Culture
-Ethnic diversity
-Corrupt through society
Style
-Realistic
-Introverted
-Orange to reflect the heat of Brazil
Messages
-Regional identity shapes personality and motives
Key Scenes
-Ideas of the submission of women is portrayed in the scene when Benny is shot dead and Angelica is ordered to leave the scene. Due to her vulnerability, she obeys Lil Ze. Another scene that demonstrates the submission of women is near the beginning of the film where two women are talking about how their husbands and dominant in sexual activities and that they usually have to obey their requests at will.
-Violence is shown throughout the whole film to show how extreme conflict between gangs were, although I think one of the most significant scenes is at the end of the film when the Runts brutally kill Lil Ze', showing that age is not a factor or restriction in terms of violence in 1970's Brazil.
-Poverty is shown in "City of God" in the sense that the whole film is set in the slums to show the poorer side of Brazil and how it affects the lives of the inhabitants
-Competition for power is shown in the scene where Rocket is doing a voice-over, about the apartment with all it's previous drug dealers and the unravelling of Lil Ze's plan to take over all the main drug businesses
-A scene that shows the theme of revenge is when Otto kills Knockout Ned to avenge his father who was killed by Knockout Ned
-Violence
-Poverty
-Competition for power
-Dominance
-Male oppression
-Submission of females
-Revenge
Representation of National Culture
-Ethnic diversity
-Corrupt through society
Style
-Realistic
-Introverted
-Orange to reflect the heat of Brazil
Messages
-Regional identity shapes personality and motives
Key Scenes
-Ideas of the submission of women is portrayed in the scene when Benny is shot dead and Angelica is ordered to leave the scene. Due to her vulnerability, she obeys Lil Ze. Another scene that demonstrates the submission of women is near the beginning of the film where two women are talking about how their husbands and dominant in sexual activities and that they usually have to obey their requests at will.
-Violence is shown throughout the whole film to show how extreme conflict between gangs were, although I think one of the most significant scenes is at the end of the film when the Runts brutally kill Lil Ze', showing that age is not a factor or restriction in terms of violence in 1970's Brazil.
-Poverty is shown in "City of God" in the sense that the whole film is set in the slums to show the poorer side of Brazil and how it affects the lives of the inhabitants
-Competition for power is shown in the scene where Rocket is doing a voice-over, about the apartment with all it's previous drug dealers and the unravelling of Lil Ze's plan to take over all the main drug businesses
-A scene that shows the theme of revenge is when Otto kills Knockout Ned to avenge his father who was killed by Knockout Ned
Friday 6th June 2014
How are the films unique to the country's identity?
-Culture belief society context shapes the film that can convey ideas and messages to the audience.
-Governments fund global films to inform people of culture and raise awareness
-France created cinema, deliberately to reject American cinema - invading another country through culture
World/Global Cinema vs Hollywood Cinema
-National Cinema is a type of world cinema that challenges stereotypes/dominant cultural ideologies for it's own identity. The identification of a country
-"Amelie" doesn't address major issues in France; ideology
Pans Labrynth = Spanish Film
City of God = Brazilian Film
La Haine = French Film
-Culture belief society context shapes the film that can convey ideas and messages to the audience.
-Governments fund global films to inform people of culture and raise awareness
-France created cinema, deliberately to reject American cinema - invading another country through culture
World/Global Cinema vs Hollywood Cinema
-National Cinema is a type of world cinema that challenges stereotypes/dominant cultural ideologies for it's own identity. The identification of a country
-"Amelie" doesn't address major issues in France; ideology
Pans Labrynth = Spanish Film
City of God = Brazilian Film
La Haine = French Film
Tuesday 3rd June 2014
Exam prep
-2 texts, comparative study
-How the country of the film is trying to say something
1) Know how these films were received (imdb)
2) Research country and culture
3) Have a portfolio of the background to the three films
4) Understand what national cinema is; How is it different to foreign films? Investigate the background to the three films
La Haine
City of God
Pans Labrynth
Research the directors
National Cinema is about reality
-Analyse key scenes
-Collect examples of themes and style
-Textual detail
-2 texts, comparative study
-How the country of the film is trying to say something
1) Know how these films were received (imdb)
2) Research country and culture
3) Have a portfolio of the background to the three films
4) Understand what national cinema is; How is it different to foreign films? Investigate the background to the three films
La Haine
City of God
Pans Labrynth
Research the directors
National Cinema is about reality
-Analyse key scenes
-Collect examples of themes and style
-Textual detail
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