1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.
The books explains that the film was "told" by different points of view. You can surely see this because in the stagecoach there were multiple characters. You had the doctor, a prostitute, a gambler, a salesman, a convict (John Wayne), and a wealthy lady. The stagecoach was meant to represent "society" and after watching the film you can surely recognize this metaphor. John Ford had a brilliant idea to use actual landscape from the Utah-Arizona boarder to give the film is rustic and lively feel. Not to mention, John Wayne wasn't a lock for the role. Ford confronted him with the script and Wayne agreed to do the part. John Wayne made the right choice. Ford and Wayne went on to make one of the most influential films in movie history.
2) Find a related article and summarize the content.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031971/
The film was about a group of people all with different backgrounds riding on a stagecoach together. Ringo, the only character with a motive to be on the stagecoach because he wanted to get back at the people who murdered his father and brother. If you watch the movie you realize it's more than just strangers on a stagecoach. They all learn life lessons along the way and even learn about each other. And I am sure they learned more about themselves in the process. Even with the threat of Geronimo, the face adversity and survive while having each others back.
3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.
This specific article did not teach me things that I haven't already known. From the lectures in class, watching the film, and reading the text, I learned a lot about this film. In conclusion, I really enjoyed this film, even though this was my first western film that I have ever seen. It just seemed so real and authentic. That's what I really enjoyed about the film.
4) Write a critical analysis of the film.
I happened to think this film was fantastic. The character interactions, the scenic beauty, and the authenticity really made this movie great. I can see why this movie was so successful and popular. Considering this was the first western movie I have ever seen, it was great. I only knew about John Wayne, but didn't know enough about him to have an opinion. He portrays a classic American actor, a role model, and an iconic figure; then and now. The one thing that put it over the top for me was the landscape in the background. John Ford wanted the real deal, not some cheesy studio. He used actual landscapes for this film so the audience can really understand the film better and where it took place. It also added to the authenticity. This film represents not just a western, but a classic American film that is considered one of the greatest films ever made.
CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.
2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.
3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.
4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.
5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.
6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.
7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.
8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.
Name: Brandon Rossi Date: 10/23/13
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Journal Assignment #2 - It Happened One Night
1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.
The textbook defines screwball comedy as a "battle of the sexes." It Happened One Night most certainly was that. Peter Warne stumbled upon what he thought could be the story of the century when he saw Ellie. Knowing she was of the upper class and that she had ran away, Peter thought he could blackmail her into getting a story. This was important to Peter since he was fired beforehand. Later you find out that it wasn't about the money or fame, it was about love. Although Ellie had an endless supply of money, she lacked common sense. Peter was the opposite. Peter was a journalist who was not wealthy, but used his charm and wit to get through any social predicament. Although it was a battle of the sexes, Peter still is a gentleman when it comes to the sleeping arrangements. He put a string in between the two beds and hung a blanket, or the "walls of jericho" as he called it. He respected her even when she threw herself at him. Knowing she was married he denied and forced her back to bed. The character dynamics also rang true to the style of movie this was. The characters almost sounded like they were talking in fast forward. By this I mean, they talked in a faster pace than normal. Prior to it's release, It Happened One Night went on to be the most popular movie of it's time and went down in history as an instant classic.
2) Find a related article and summarize the content.
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/12648/It-Happened-One-Night/articles.html
The article gives a brief summary and plot of the film. It also gives a little insight to the film and the characters before the film was made. The article mentions how Columbia Pictures were only putting out "B-Movies" until the production of this film. This film turned the company around and eventually swept all the awards come Oscar time. Nobody believed this movie would amount to anything, but they sure were wrong.
3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.
The film overall was a very well thought out film. Taking into account of the new style and the time period, it really worked out well. Coming from someone who really enjoys comedies, this film was very enjoyable. The character dynamics, use of props, and catchy lingo really added to the overall enjoyment. The plot was very prominent of it's time. Since there were no television sets and radios weren't popular yet, newspapers were the only source of news. This played into the plot of the entire film; news reporter looking for a scoop. But, you almost knew that they would eventually fall in love in the end. In conclusion, the film was very well directed and the actors played very convincing rolls.
4) Write a critical analysis of the film.
The film It Happened One Night was a well directed film in all it's entirety. From the character dynamics to the storyline, even down to the humor. It was a very enjoyable film filled with laughs, morals, and a great plot. When it comes to screwball comedies you need to have the wit or the humor. Ellie really set up Peter's joke throughout the film because she was a bit of an "airhead" and lacked common sense. This played to Peter's character very well since he was the one who had common sense and was always two steps ahead. One can see why this was such a successful film during this time period. You had two of the most promising actors in the business working side by side together, and I feel it worked out very well. They both fed off each others actions and jokes which made this film great. In conclusion, this film should be watched by all in order to understand where films came from and even though it was a different time period, comedies still worked and still work today.
CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class. 2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper. 3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text. 4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper. 5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read. 6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography. 7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality. 8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper. Name: Brandon Rossi Date: 10/16/13
The textbook defines screwball comedy as a "battle of the sexes." It Happened One Night most certainly was that. Peter Warne stumbled upon what he thought could be the story of the century when he saw Ellie. Knowing she was of the upper class and that she had ran away, Peter thought he could blackmail her into getting a story. This was important to Peter since he was fired beforehand. Later you find out that it wasn't about the money or fame, it was about love. Although Ellie had an endless supply of money, she lacked common sense. Peter was the opposite. Peter was a journalist who was not wealthy, but used his charm and wit to get through any social predicament. Although it was a battle of the sexes, Peter still is a gentleman when it comes to the sleeping arrangements. He put a string in between the two beds and hung a blanket, or the "walls of jericho" as he called it. He respected her even when she threw herself at him. Knowing she was married he denied and forced her back to bed. The character dynamics also rang true to the style of movie this was. The characters almost sounded like they were talking in fast forward. By this I mean, they talked in a faster pace than normal. Prior to it's release, It Happened One Night went on to be the most popular movie of it's time and went down in history as an instant classic.
2) Find a related article and summarize the content.
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/12648/It-Happened-One-Night/articles.html
The article gives a brief summary and plot of the film. It also gives a little insight to the film and the characters before the film was made. The article mentions how Columbia Pictures were only putting out "B-Movies" until the production of this film. This film turned the company around and eventually swept all the awards come Oscar time. Nobody believed this movie would amount to anything, but they sure were wrong.
3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.
The film overall was a very well thought out film. Taking into account of the new style and the time period, it really worked out well. Coming from someone who really enjoys comedies, this film was very enjoyable. The character dynamics, use of props, and catchy lingo really added to the overall enjoyment. The plot was very prominent of it's time. Since there were no television sets and radios weren't popular yet, newspapers were the only source of news. This played into the plot of the entire film; news reporter looking for a scoop. But, you almost knew that they would eventually fall in love in the end. In conclusion, the film was very well directed and the actors played very convincing rolls.
4) Write a critical analysis of the film.
The film It Happened One Night was a well directed film in all it's entirety. From the character dynamics to the storyline, even down to the humor. It was a very enjoyable film filled with laughs, morals, and a great plot. When it comes to screwball comedies you need to have the wit or the humor. Ellie really set up Peter's joke throughout the film because she was a bit of an "airhead" and lacked common sense. This played to Peter's character very well since he was the one who had common sense and was always two steps ahead. One can see why this was such a successful film during this time period. You had two of the most promising actors in the business working side by side together, and I feel it worked out very well. They both fed off each others actions and jokes which made this film great. In conclusion, this film should be watched by all in order to understand where films came from and even though it was a different time period, comedies still worked and still work today.
CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class. 2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper. 3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text. 4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper. 5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read. 6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography. 7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality. 8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper. Name: Brandon Rossi Date: 10/16/13
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Journal Assignment #1 - The Gold Rush
1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.
In the textbook, Foster mentions that Chaplin's professional independence gave him the opportunity to explore the comedy of "Pathos." I find this ironic because comedy typically does not imply pathos or sympathy. Chaplin's character in "The Gold Rush" portrayed an average man who could relate to his audience; he was quiet, shy, and kept to himself. This film was mainly a comedy, but some parts of the movie I think were intended to tap to the audience's emotions; this was especially seen when Chaplin invited Georgia and her friends over to his house for a New Year's dinner. When Georgia did not show up, the audience should feel sorry and sad for Chaplin. He never did any harm and his intentions were only good. The harsh weather and lack of food played a big role in this film. The weather threw Big Jim and Chaplin off course and invited themselves into Black Larsen's house. Going days without any food, Thanksgiving dinner was Chaplin's shoe. Along with eating the shoe, Big Jim kept picturing Chaplin as a chicken and he did care if he was hallucinating or not because he was starving. At the time that this was an awkward image for people to see, since cannibalism is such a heinous thing. The premise for "The Gold Rush" was to go out on this big adventure in hopes of finding gold. Finding gold was all that was on people's mind since not many people had money. This was people's ticket to glory. They were hardworking people who did everything for a living and to make sure they had food to put on the table. This also played into the premise of this film.
2) Find a related article and summarize the content.
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/5779/The-Gold-Rush/articles.html
An article related to the film is from Turner Classic Movies(TCM). The article overall gives a brief summary as to what the movie was about. It also gave a few examples of things that happened in the movie that the audience would not have known. The shoe that Big Jim ate was actually made of licorice. The article was pretty insightful and provides a good understanding of the film.
3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.
The article did not affect my overall thought on the film. I believed the film was well written and had a great plot. Going into this film I did not know what to expect, since it was a silent film, but I was hooked from beginning to end. The article supported my opinion of this film.
4) Write a critical analysis of the film.
This particular film had a well-written plot with a unique story. It seemed as if Chaplin was a perfectionist and had to get the best shot possible for every scene. The dry, slapstick comedy accompanied with a sappy love story with a woman who didn't even acknowledge his existence was enjoyable and appealing. The way Chaplin portrayed a lonely, shy, quiet man looking for love, really set up the drama in the movie and led to Georgia standing him up on New Year's Eve.
CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class. 2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper. 3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text. 4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper. 5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read. 6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography. 7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality. 8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper. Name: Brandon Rossi Date: 10/1/13
In the textbook, Foster mentions that Chaplin's professional independence gave him the opportunity to explore the comedy of "Pathos." I find this ironic because comedy typically does not imply pathos or sympathy. Chaplin's character in "The Gold Rush" portrayed an average man who could relate to his audience; he was quiet, shy, and kept to himself. This film was mainly a comedy, but some parts of the movie I think were intended to tap to the audience's emotions; this was especially seen when Chaplin invited Georgia and her friends over to his house for a New Year's dinner. When Georgia did not show up, the audience should feel sorry and sad for Chaplin. He never did any harm and his intentions were only good. The harsh weather and lack of food played a big role in this film. The weather threw Big Jim and Chaplin off course and invited themselves into Black Larsen's house. Going days without any food, Thanksgiving dinner was Chaplin's shoe. Along with eating the shoe, Big Jim kept picturing Chaplin as a chicken and he did care if he was hallucinating or not because he was starving. At the time that this was an awkward image for people to see, since cannibalism is such a heinous thing. The premise for "The Gold Rush" was to go out on this big adventure in hopes of finding gold. Finding gold was all that was on people's mind since not many people had money. This was people's ticket to glory. They were hardworking people who did everything for a living and to make sure they had food to put on the table. This also played into the premise of this film.
2) Find a related article and summarize the content.
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/5779/The-Gold-Rush/articles.html
An article related to the film is from Turner Classic Movies(TCM). The article overall gives a brief summary as to what the movie was about. It also gave a few examples of things that happened in the movie that the audience would not have known. The shoe that Big Jim ate was actually made of licorice. The article was pretty insightful and provides a good understanding of the film.
3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.
The article did not affect my overall thought on the film. I believed the film was well written and had a great plot. Going into this film I did not know what to expect, since it was a silent film, but I was hooked from beginning to end. The article supported my opinion of this film.
4) Write a critical analysis of the film.
This particular film had a well-written plot with a unique story. It seemed as if Chaplin was a perfectionist and had to get the best shot possible for every scene. The dry, slapstick comedy accompanied with a sappy love story with a woman who didn't even acknowledge his existence was enjoyable and appealing. The way Chaplin portrayed a lonely, shy, quiet man looking for love, really set up the drama in the movie and led to Georgia standing him up on New Year's Eve.
CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class. 2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper. 3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text. 4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper. 5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read. 6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography. 7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality. 8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper. Name: Brandon Rossi Date: 10/1/13
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