Friday, March 19, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Pan's Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinth is a mix between the fantasies of an adolescent escape-land and a fascist military man. Director Guillermo Del Toro did an amazing job creating these two separate themes just as well as he spun them together creating a film with multiple personalities.
Scenes from Pan’s Labyrinth featuring the film’s theme lullaby.
Ofelia’s Fantasy vs. Captain Vidal’s Fantasy
After the image of Ofelia’s death; blood running in the opposite direction of what the real world would present us with, we are thrown into a whirlwind of the opposing worlds. Ofelia’s fantasy is a land of rich colors, flowing cinematography, and fairytale creatures.
Ofelia showing the warm tones of her fantasy world.
On the other end of the spectrum is Captain Vidal’s world of cold, dull colors and sharp movements and graphic killings. Vidal has no interest in Ofelia or females in general. He even shows limited affection for his wife. The little affection that exists is for the male child she is close to bearing instead. Fairytales are a waste of time and life is a harsh cold place where killing is a natural thing to do.
The Captain figuring out that his "followers" are disobeying him.
The Pale Man after being woken up by Ofelia tasting the forbidden food.
Edward’s article goes into the similarities between Captain Vidal and the Pale Man. The best example of their likeness is each man sitting at their dinning table. Fire blazes behind both men sitting at the end of the table. Both are satirical and monstrous; they see human beings as dispensable.
Edwards also compares Vidal with the fun in saying, “When a monster inspires more affection and displays more paternal care than a man, we are ourselves forced to reassess what we demonize” (Edwards 145).
Visual Masterpiece
The mise-en-scene in this film is more than note-worthy. “ Only he has been able to make use of an extraordinary handsome mise-en-scene in such a way as to reinforce rather than reduce the horrors of history” (Smith 6). The make-up has taken Del Toro’s piece to a whole new level. The pale man’s lack of eye balls except for his hands and the faun’s towering and intimidating appearance add an element to Ofelia’s fantasy land that no other fairytale has ever explored.
Detailing the fantastically creative creatures of Pan’s Labyrinth including commentary from the director.
We don’t know whether or not we can trust the faun because he is putting her in many different crazy situations and his character/appearance is that of an absolute sketch ball!
The faun does his best to gain Ofelia's trust.
The editing transitions are worth taking a second look at as well. “The technique of the masked cut is vital to the fluid texture of the film: the camera is always tracking behind tree trunks only to emerge unexpectedly in another place, another time. Sound bridges serve the same purpose” (Smith 8). Score also enhanced the movie, especially the lullaby, in my eyes. The lullaby was played more than once and became the tune that represents the essence of the movie.
Works Cited
Edwards, Kim. "Alice's Little Sister: Exploring Pan's Labyrinth." Film as Text: 141-46, 49. Print.
Smith, Paul. "Pan's Labyrinth." Film Quarterly 60.4 (2007): 4-9. Print
Scenes from Pan’s Labyrinth featuring the film’s theme lullaby.
Ofelia’s Fantasy vs. Captain Vidal’s Fantasy
After the image of Ofelia’s death; blood running in the opposite direction of what the real world would present us with, we are thrown into a whirlwind of the opposing worlds. Ofelia’s fantasy is a land of rich colors, flowing cinematography, and fairytale creatures.
Ofelia showing the warm tones of her fantasy world.
Pan’s Labyrinth usurps the traditional male space of the Underworld, displaces it, and designated it a female realm: the questing hero is the runaway princess Ofelia (Ivana Baquero); lies, pain and ‘death’ occur outside its borders; and the ultimate desire is to return to this netherworld as home rather than brave its perils and escape from it. The visual impact of the fantasy world is Freudian in its gendering – from the downward wipe through the mother Carmen’s (Adriana Gil) swollen belly into the fairytale landscape, the imagery is continually organic and uterine, with rich warm colours, earthy carnervous spaces and the recurring curved feminine shapes reminiscent of the Faun’s horns… Moreover, this world seems to value energy and action and extols rebellion, disobedience and freedom of choice. (Edwards 142)
On the other end of the spectrum is Captain Vidal’s world of cold, dull colors and sharp movements and graphic killings. Vidal has no interest in Ofelia or females in general. He even shows limited affection for his wife. The little affection that exists is for the male child she is close to bearing instead. Fairytales are a waste of time and life is a harsh cold place where killing is a natural thing to do.
Ofelia’s stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez), parodies the White Rabbit of Alice in Wonderland with his beloved pocket watch an his desire for order, precision and unfailing obedience. Yet his controlling, mechanical, cog-driven world is in overt opposition to the fairytale realm. This ‘fatherland’ is ruthlessly and sadistically masculine and death-dealing, where men are in power, in action and inexplicable. (Edwards 142)
The Captain figuring out that his "followers" are disobeying him.
The Pale Man after being woken up by Ofelia tasting the forbidden food.
Edward’s article goes into the similarities between Captain Vidal and the Pale Man. The best example of their likeness is each man sitting at their dinning table. Fire blazes behind both men sitting at the end of the table. Both are satirical and monstrous; they see human beings as dispensable.
The visual comparison of the two as brooding demons in hellish dining rooms relocates the site of true horror, for the war atrocities we witness are far more distressing than the fantasy monsters, and the Captain is revealed to be far more frighteningly and deadly to Ofelia than anything she faces underground. (Edwards 145)
Edwards also compares Vidal with the fun in saying, “When a monster inspires more affection and displays more paternal care than a man, we are ourselves forced to reassess what we demonize” (Edwards 145).
Visual Masterpiece
The mise-en-scene in this film is more than note-worthy. “ Only he has been able to make use of an extraordinary handsome mise-en-scene in such a way as to reinforce rather than reduce the horrors of history” (Smith 6). The make-up has taken Del Toro’s piece to a whole new level. The pale man’s lack of eye balls except for his hands and the faun’s towering and intimidating appearance add an element to Ofelia’s fantasy land that no other fairytale has ever explored.
Detailing the fantastically creative creatures of Pan’s Labyrinth including commentary from the director.
We don’t know whether or not we can trust the faun because he is putting her in many different crazy situations and his character/appearance is that of an absolute sketch ball!
The faun does his best to gain Ofelia's trust.
The editing transitions are worth taking a second look at as well. “The technique of the masked cut is vital to the fluid texture of the film: the camera is always tracking behind tree trunks only to emerge unexpectedly in another place, another time. Sound bridges serve the same purpose” (Smith 8). Score also enhanced the movie, especially the lullaby, in my eyes. The lullaby was played more than once and became the tune that represents the essence of the movie.
Works Cited
Edwards, Kim. "Alice's Little Sister: Exploring Pan's Labyrinth." Film as Text: 141-46, 49. Print.
Smith, Paul. "Pan's Labyrinth." Film Quarterly 60.4 (2007): 4-9. Print
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The Modern Controversy of ‘Sexting’
Sending messages and/or images of a sexual nature through cell phones and the Internet has become a serious problem in American culture, affecting lives quicker than anyone saw coming. ‘Sexting’ cases are spilling into law offices, police records, and newspapers. According to Nancy Rommelmann, author of “Anatomy of a Child Pornographer,” sexting is defined as the “growing trend of the exchange of nude photographs over cellular telephones or Internet among teenagers” (Rommelmann 30). Through the analysis of individual case studies, interviews, academic articles, and legislation of the past and present, the secrets behind sexting will be revealed leaving us with essential changes for not only the national government, but state legislation, as well as school administrators, and parents/legal guardians. If proper changes are put into effect we can begin to battle the new teenage epidemic, saving countless reputations with the possibility of saving lives as well.
What's the worst that could happen?
My first example of sexting negatively affecting someone’s life is Jessica Logan, age 18. She sent out an image of her nude body to her boyfriend with the hopes that his eyes would be the only ones to grace the shot. Those same hopes were shattered into pieces when she was thrown into a whirlwind of taunts when she went to school the next day; slut, porn queen, whore, the whole nine. Teenagers can be relentless with their words, and with Jessica they absolutely were. Cincinnati Enquirer writer, Cindy Kranz, tells that within days the risky photograph “was sent to hundreds of teenagers in at least seven different Greater Cincinnati high schools” Kranz 1). Though described by her friends as a person who could stand up for anyone at any moment in time, Jessie found herself alone and incapable of fighting for herself. Her mother was quoted saying, “ I think when you’re constantly knocked down, you lose your self esteem” (qtd. In Kranz 1). Her social life turned inward and Jessie was constantly filled with pain and regret. The student began missing classes frequently but was still able to graduate on time. On July 3rd, not long after the explicit picture was sent Jessica’s mother found her hanging in her bedroom. “There sat her phone. Her straightener was hot. She was ready to go out. I don’t know what happened. It was impulsive, like she snapped all of a sudden. You have all this weight, and it was just one more thing” (Kranz 7).
After losing their only child Albert and Cynthia Logan, in their attempt to educate other children and parents, had plenty to say about how the situation was handled.
Mrs. Logan holding a photograph of her daughter that she will never be able to touch again.
“It’s a national epidemic and nobody is doing anything – no schools, police officers, no adults, no attorneys, no one” (Kranz 7). The Logan’s attorney, Parry Aftab also had a mouth full to say about how the educational system played their cards, or lack there of.
Jessica Logan's story, as covered by the Today Show
"When Privates Go Public"
As ‘out there’ as this situation may seem to some it is becoming a true problem in local communities nationwide, as well as in the media. MTV’s special news presentation of “Sexting in America: When Privates Go Public” did an excellent job representing just how frequently this new epidemic is striking. It seems to be a part of everyday life; present in shows such as 90210 and Degrassi, in Movies such as American Pie, and a laundry list of celebrities have been caught in the act as well; including Tiger Woods, Paris Hilton, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Greg Oden, the previous Miss California Carrie Prejean, and Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz (MTV News).
What's the worst that could happen?
My first example of sexting negatively affecting someone’s life is Jessica Logan, age 18. She sent out an image of her nude body to her boyfriend with the hopes that his eyes would be the only ones to grace the shot. Those same hopes were shattered into pieces when she was thrown into a whirlwind of taunts when she went to school the next day; slut, porn queen, whore, the whole nine. Teenagers can be relentless with their words, and with Jessica they absolutely were. Cincinnati Enquirer writer, Cindy Kranz, tells that within days the risky photograph “was sent to hundreds of teenagers in at least seven different Greater Cincinnati high schools” Kranz 1). Though described by her friends as a person who could stand up for anyone at any moment in time, Jessie found herself alone and incapable of fighting for herself. Her mother was quoted saying, “ I think when you’re constantly knocked down, you lose your self esteem” (qtd. In Kranz 1). Her social life turned inward and Jessie was constantly filled with pain and regret. The student began missing classes frequently but was still able to graduate on time. On July 3rd, not long after the explicit picture was sent Jessica’s mother found her hanging in her bedroom. “There sat her phone. Her straightener was hot. She was ready to go out. I don’t know what happened. It was impulsive, like she snapped all of a sudden. You have all this weight, and it was just one more thing” (Kranz 7).
After losing their only child Albert and Cynthia Logan, in their attempt to educate other children and parents, had plenty to say about how the situation was handled.
Mrs. Logan holding a photograph of her daughter that she will never be able to touch again.
“It’s a national epidemic and nobody is doing anything – no schools, police officers, no adults, no attorneys, no one” (Kranz 7). The Logan’s attorney, Parry Aftab also had a mouth full to say about how the educational system played their cards, or lack there of.
Schools need to understand our kids are targeting each other and how technology is being used as a weapon. None of the schools know what to do. Many of them… think it’s not their problem They want to close their eyes and put fingers in their ears, saying it’s a home issue. (Kranz 1)
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Jessica Logan's story, as covered by the Today Show
"When Privates Go Public"
As ‘out there’ as this situation may seem to some it is becoming a true problem in local communities nationwide, as well as in the media. MTV’s special news presentation of “Sexting in America: When Privates Go Public” did an excellent job representing just how frequently this new epidemic is striking. It seems to be a part of everyday life; present in shows such as 90210 and Degrassi, in Movies such as American Pie, and a laundry list of celebrities have been caught in the act as well; including Tiger Woods, Paris Hilton, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Greg Oden, the previous Miss California Carrie Prejean, and Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz (MTV News).
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The "Perfect" Species
Director Ridley Scott’s 1979 film, Alien, has made a unique twist of two film genres. This movie is an absolute mixed breed of film genres. What seems to be the perfect set up for a science fiction classic does an interesting integration into a horror film that has never been seen before. Alien is an enchanting tale of the clash for domination between two species; both counting on their survival instincts to get them to the top.
This youtube clip of the Alien trailer shows the mysterious way the letters form as described below.
The credits roll in a mysterious way, slowly unraveling the title in vertical lines spaced equally apart. With each actor displayed, a new vertical line appears until “ALIEN” is clearly represented on the screen. The movie starts out with an extreme wide shot of the galaxy, then shows the exterior of the massive spacecraft, the Nostromo. By the panning of the interior corridors and assorted rooms you get a feeling for the space vessel. While eerie music graces your ears you can not help but to wonder what is to come. A loud chatter of computer noise seems to wake the passengers upon the Nostromo. In a device looking like a white daisy, lay the seven members of the crew.
The image below shows how we meet the crew of seven. Though all the characters are in hypersleep this scene still has quite an effect on the viewer.
The scene is intoxicating; a flower blooming in spring. Glass topped containers the size of a coffin slowly open exposing those who lay within. The men and women are dressed in white cloth, covering the bare minimum.
Through the next couple of cuts we slowly get a feel for the team. Two women and five men, varying in shape, size, age, and color, command this commercial towing vehicle. Their goal, or so they think, is to get the 20,000,000 tons of mineral ore back to planet Earth (Scott).
After receiving a command from “Mother,” the computer system in the ship; the crew is forced to re-route in order to check on another spacecraft. It is only after three members, Kane, Dallas, and Lambert, journey out on this new planet to gain access to this ship that Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, is able to translate the code sent from the foreign spacecraft.
The three most well-known stars in the feature venture out on a new land.
It wasn’t an unknown transmission; it was an SOS call from that vehicle. Kane, out of pure child-like curiosity, chooses to get very close to an unidentifiable egg on the ground of a massive room on the unknown ship and things take a turn for the worst. The living organism grabs hold of his face and holds on for dear life; Kane’s dear life.
We rejoin the remaining crew, upon the Nostromo just before the final three make their way back in. Through hustled commotion we learn that Kane’s life is at stake and he needs medical help immediately. Ripley urges that he not be let on board because he could contaminate the entire crew, risking all of their lives. The science officer, Ash, makes an executive decision and lets them enter. Kane’s helmet is cut off of him, showing the startling image of the alien absolutely suffocating his face. After cutting into the creature it is revealed that its’ blood is acidic and could quickly eat away at the ship with ease. Parker, a working class crew member, remarks, “It’s got a wonderful defense mechanism. You don’t dare kill it” (Scott). Following this occurrence, the alien eventually leaves his body and drops dead from somewhere in the infirmary’s ceiling. Later, at the dinner table, once Kane has “recovered,” a very graphic scene takes place, as a newborn alien pushes its way through his chest leaving behind a dead crew member, a large display of blood, and a murderous alien roaming among the ship.
“Now the action cranks up again as,” the remaining crew members split to search for the unleashed murderer (Thompson 296). One by one they are taken down by this foreign organism. First, another working class crew member is killed when searching for the ship cat, Jones. Shortly after, the captain, Dallas, gets cornered in the air shafts after taking a wrong turn while searching for the beast, and is never seen again. The crew is shook up.
Ripley is promoted upon Dallas’ death to captain and heads to the captain’s computer room to understand what is going on. She gets a look at special order 937 which communicates “Nostromo rerouted to new coordinates. Investigate life form. Gather specimen. Priority one. Insure return of organism for analysis. All other considerations secondary. Crew expendable” (Thompson 286). She is in utter shock, as I would be if I found out my life was “expendable” in the eyes of my employers. Ash creeps into the background of the commanding room offering an explanation. We now clearly see that he has been in on the Company’s plan. A confrontation between the two characters snowballs into a violent struggle. By Ash’s twitchy movements and aggression towards Ripley we can tell something is not right. While he forces a rolled up magazine into the mouth of now Captain Ripley, the other two members of the crew rush in to witness the utter madness. Once he is defeated, his body is shown in a new way. He does not have blood and organs, but rather, wires and metal are exposed. The movie takes quite a twist as we realize Ash is a robot, sent by the Company. They try to get information out of the android before putting him to rest.
Now, with only three people left on the ship and an alien on the hunt, Ripley begins to make new plans. She “gives Parker and Lambert an interim deadline of seven minutes to catch coolant tanks” in order for the three to leave the ship via the shuttle (Thompson 301). In their fearful struggle of doing just this, they meet face to face with the alien. Lambert’s eyes double in size as her body goes stiff as stone. Parker has put up a good fight but he is no match for this adaptable creature. The alien takes both of their lives, first sneaking up the inner leg of Lambert then finishing them both of in a thrash of commotion. Ripley hears their cries over the intercom and realizes she is the only one left. She plans on self-destructing the Mother ship and leaving on the shuttle by herself.
Once in the shuttle, she watches the explosion as she claims victory against the alien who has destroyed her team of five (and one robot). When settling down for a hyper sleep for the long journey home, Ripley discovers she is not alone. Suspense builds. By adapting herself the best way she could, suiting up and strapping herself to the vehicle, she is able to finally defeat her raging enemy by sending him into space, roasted due to the burn of fire jetting from the propellers. She is the sole survivor; the only true conqueror.
While I found this movie to be innovative, unique, and gratifying, I see that others might see the film in a different light. It would not be a pick of choice for impatient viewers, or audiences who are wishing to be “WOW-ed” every five minutes. Some may say that Scott’s film is slow moving, and I agree whole-heartedly. The film does have a slow pace, but the anticipation he builds with the use of mise en scene, score, editing/cutting, cinematography, and lighting is impeccable.
By slowing things down Scott is making our senses tingle. He’s making certain we catch every cut, angle, spooky sound, and foreshadowing event. Through the reading of outside sources the subliminal, deeper meaning, of certain events are revealed and taken under the microscope. Thanks to this investigation we can pick our way through the underlying aspects Scott intended for the film to possess.
The directors’ use of his set and props could not have been any better; a massive space craft containing cramped passageways, constantly framing the actors, added a nice feel to the dimensionality of the film. The props added to the sets, giving them a futuristic, credible space-like look. Muted colors help the viewer understand that we are in space and not on some sort of lush green land.
Score, or music, is also used, and not used, in a very effective manner. Eerie music plays at times of lingering onto another planet, and when searching for the alien. The use of the music in this movie keeps you on your toes. When the eyes of the audience get bigger as the music gains loudness, out of pure curiosity and suspense, you have clearly succeeded. Noise can very well make or break a film. This is an easy observation to make. However, this film brought it to my attention that lack of sound is a powerful tool as well. This can be found in the movie when all is silent as the cast searches the ship in hunt of the alien, when out pops the alien, or Jones, the ship cat. Moments like these are enough to make a grown man jump in his seat out of pure shock.
Many viewers do not consider the effect that editing/cutting has, or that this is done on purpose. After watching the film for content I sat down once again to view it in a different manner, looking at the way the film was made. The adjustments in pace play quite a role in the anticipation build up. In moments of action, such as when the alien is present and inflicting harm, the cuts are short and vivid, as if Scott is controlling our blinking mechanism. The characters and setting are shown in two second intervals, many close ups evident. In contrast, the beginning of the film showcases many long free flowing, moving shots. Panning is also present when we first see the ship. The motion is smooth and calm, lacking of anxiety and suspense.
There was a variety of camera persepectives throughout Alien, which suited it nicely. One may get bored with the same subject to camera distance and this director clearly knows this. A clear spectrum from extreme close ups to extreme wide shots is used offering variety and visual interest.
The underlying meaning and messages in the film make it that much more appealing to me. In Mulhall’s article, “Kane’s Son, Cain’s Daughter” he forms strong links between content of the movie and a meaning you might not have thought of when watching it. The first one that caught my eye was the analysis of the alien’s double mouth, capable of deadly irrevocable damage. It is obvious to wonder why two sets of teeth; however this is taken further in the article.
Two sets of teeth make it much easier to cause big problems.
There is a reoccurring theme of childbirth taking place. The characters are first seen stepping out of “Mother’s” pods, monitor pads resembling umbilical cords. Another example would be Kane birthing the alien through his stomach. This implies that a creature takes the time to care for us as we are growing, we have a serious toll on our mother’s bodies and then we are born with two figurative set of razor sharp murdering teeth. With no type of gratification we consume the word around us. Using what we wish and tossing the rest away. This is even more applicable to our society 31 years after the film was created.
The male and female genders are seen in very different lights throughout the film. I saw masculinity being illustrated by the alien as strong, powerful, and adaptable.
This is absolutely ironic, being that a woman is the only one to live, but the director makes it clear that the male gender has the upper hand in brute strength and intelligence. Only after Dallas’ death does Ripley begin to have a role in the film. Women, or femininity, is seen as a weakness; a characteristic that should be overcome in order to be adaptive and successful. Ripley is displayed as a background, unimportant character. Her voice is resisted at all times, especially by Ash. Her word means little, and she is ignored easily by the crew.
Only after extensive analyzing did I find this film to be so innovative and original. There were moments that made me laugh, which I doubt Scott was hoping for. At first glance it is easy to see a cheesy plot, an unbelievable robot character and over the top acting. The special effects are poor and the characters, and background information could have been more developed. We, as an audience, have no idea how these seven people formed a crew, if they have families, why there is a cat on board, etc. We get an impression that Dallas and Ripley might have a special bond between them but the director never expands on it. Another suggestion I would make would be to expand on the scene of the three crew members boarding the ship they were sent to check on. The set was unreal, absolutely larger than life.
Below is the set of the ship that sent out the SOS call.
Had we gotten a little bit more information from the ship the audience could begin to form ideas of what was to come, letting their imaginations run wild before we discover the intentions of the director.
Alien shows us how to successfully mix two very different genres. Though this film, in the year 2010, may be seen as a snoozer, you must sit back and let Scott have the attention of all of your senses. Once you appreciate the multiple meanings and attentive use of aspects such as lighting, score, and mise en scene, you can truly see all the potential Alien has to offer. It’s not what is seen on the big screen in this day, but does that have to mean it’s not worth the time?
Works Cited
Mulhall, Stephen. “Kane's Son, Cain's Daughter.” On Film. London: Routledge, 2002.
12-32. Print.
Scott, Ridley, dir. Alien. 1979. Twentieth Century Fox, 2010.
Thompson, Kristin. "Alien." Storytelling in the New Hollywood. Cambridge: Harvard
UP, 1999. 283-306. Print
This youtube clip of the Alien trailer shows the mysterious way the letters form as described below.
The credits roll in a mysterious way, slowly unraveling the title in vertical lines spaced equally apart. With each actor displayed, a new vertical line appears until “ALIEN” is clearly represented on the screen. The movie starts out with an extreme wide shot of the galaxy, then shows the exterior of the massive spacecraft, the Nostromo. By the panning of the interior corridors and assorted rooms you get a feeling for the space vessel. While eerie music graces your ears you can not help but to wonder what is to come. A loud chatter of computer noise seems to wake the passengers upon the Nostromo. In a device looking like a white daisy, lay the seven members of the crew.
The image below shows how we meet the crew of seven. Though all the characters are in hypersleep this scene still has quite an effect on the viewer.
The scene is intoxicating; a flower blooming in spring. Glass topped containers the size of a coffin slowly open exposing those who lay within. The men and women are dressed in white cloth, covering the bare minimum.
Through the next couple of cuts we slowly get a feel for the team. Two women and five men, varying in shape, size, age, and color, command this commercial towing vehicle. Their goal, or so they think, is to get the 20,000,000 tons of mineral ore back to planet Earth (Scott).
After receiving a command from “Mother,” the computer system in the ship; the crew is forced to re-route in order to check on another spacecraft. It is only after three members, Kane, Dallas, and Lambert, journey out on this new planet to gain access to this ship that Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, is able to translate the code sent from the foreign spacecraft.
The three most well-known stars in the feature venture out on a new land.
It wasn’t an unknown transmission; it was an SOS call from that vehicle. Kane, out of pure child-like curiosity, chooses to get very close to an unidentifiable egg on the ground of a massive room on the unknown ship and things take a turn for the worst. The living organism grabs hold of his face and holds on for dear life; Kane’s dear life.
We rejoin the remaining crew, upon the Nostromo just before the final three make their way back in. Through hustled commotion we learn that Kane’s life is at stake and he needs medical help immediately. Ripley urges that he not be let on board because he could contaminate the entire crew, risking all of their lives. The science officer, Ash, makes an executive decision and lets them enter. Kane’s helmet is cut off of him, showing the startling image of the alien absolutely suffocating his face. After cutting into the creature it is revealed that its’ blood is acidic and could quickly eat away at the ship with ease. Parker, a working class crew member, remarks, “It’s got a wonderful defense mechanism. You don’t dare kill it” (Scott). Following this occurrence, the alien eventually leaves his body and drops dead from somewhere in the infirmary’s ceiling. Later, at the dinner table, once Kane has “recovered,” a very graphic scene takes place, as a newborn alien pushes its way through his chest leaving behind a dead crew member, a large display of blood, and a murderous alien roaming among the ship.
“Now the action cranks up again as,” the remaining crew members split to search for the unleashed murderer (Thompson 296). One by one they are taken down by this foreign organism. First, another working class crew member is killed when searching for the ship cat, Jones. Shortly after, the captain, Dallas, gets cornered in the air shafts after taking a wrong turn while searching for the beast, and is never seen again. The crew is shook up.
Ripley is promoted upon Dallas’ death to captain and heads to the captain’s computer room to understand what is going on. She gets a look at special order 937 which communicates “Nostromo rerouted to new coordinates. Investigate life form. Gather specimen. Priority one. Insure return of organism for analysis. All other considerations secondary. Crew expendable” (Thompson 286). She is in utter shock, as I would be if I found out my life was “expendable” in the eyes of my employers. Ash creeps into the background of the commanding room offering an explanation. We now clearly see that he has been in on the Company’s plan. A confrontation between the two characters snowballs into a violent struggle. By Ash’s twitchy movements and aggression towards Ripley we can tell something is not right. While he forces a rolled up magazine into the mouth of now Captain Ripley, the other two members of the crew rush in to witness the utter madness. Once he is defeated, his body is shown in a new way. He does not have blood and organs, but rather, wires and metal are exposed. The movie takes quite a twist as we realize Ash is a robot, sent by the Company. They try to get information out of the android before putting him to rest.
Now, with only three people left on the ship and an alien on the hunt, Ripley begins to make new plans. She “gives Parker and Lambert an interim deadline of seven minutes to catch coolant tanks” in order for the three to leave the ship via the shuttle (Thompson 301). In their fearful struggle of doing just this, they meet face to face with the alien. Lambert’s eyes double in size as her body goes stiff as stone. Parker has put up a good fight but he is no match for this adaptable creature. The alien takes both of their lives, first sneaking up the inner leg of Lambert then finishing them both of in a thrash of commotion. Ripley hears their cries over the intercom and realizes she is the only one left. She plans on self-destructing the Mother ship and leaving on the shuttle by herself.
Once in the shuttle, she watches the explosion as she claims victory against the alien who has destroyed her team of five (and one robot). When settling down for a hyper sleep for the long journey home, Ripley discovers she is not alone. Suspense builds. By adapting herself the best way she could, suiting up and strapping herself to the vehicle, she is able to finally defeat her raging enemy by sending him into space, roasted due to the burn of fire jetting from the propellers. She is the sole survivor; the only true conqueror.
While I found this movie to be innovative, unique, and gratifying, I see that others might see the film in a different light. It would not be a pick of choice for impatient viewers, or audiences who are wishing to be “WOW-ed” every five minutes. Some may say that Scott’s film is slow moving, and I agree whole-heartedly. The film does have a slow pace, but the anticipation he builds with the use of mise en scene, score, editing/cutting, cinematography, and lighting is impeccable.
The slow, calm, controlled movements of the camera have established the basic rhythm of the direction – unhurried but supremely confident that what we will eventually be shown will be worth of our investment of interest. (Mulhall 15)
By slowing things down Scott is making our senses tingle. He’s making certain we catch every cut, angle, spooky sound, and foreshadowing event. Through the reading of outside sources the subliminal, deeper meaning, of certain events are revealed and taken under the microscope. Thanks to this investigation we can pick our way through the underlying aspects Scott intended for the film to possess.
The directors’ use of his set and props could not have been any better; a massive space craft containing cramped passageways, constantly framing the actors, added a nice feel to the dimensionality of the film. The props added to the sets, giving them a futuristic, credible space-like look. Muted colors help the viewer understand that we are in space and not on some sort of lush green land.
Score, or music, is also used, and not used, in a very effective manner. Eerie music plays at times of lingering onto another planet, and when searching for the alien. The use of the music in this movie keeps you on your toes. When the eyes of the audience get bigger as the music gains loudness, out of pure curiosity and suspense, you have clearly succeeded. Noise can very well make or break a film. This is an easy observation to make. However, this film brought it to my attention that lack of sound is a powerful tool as well. This can be found in the movie when all is silent as the cast searches the ship in hunt of the alien, when out pops the alien, or Jones, the ship cat. Moments like these are enough to make a grown man jump in his seat out of pure shock.
Many viewers do not consider the effect that editing/cutting has, or that this is done on purpose. After watching the film for content I sat down once again to view it in a different manner, looking at the way the film was made. The adjustments in pace play quite a role in the anticipation build up. In moments of action, such as when the alien is present and inflicting harm, the cuts are short and vivid, as if Scott is controlling our blinking mechanism. The characters and setting are shown in two second intervals, many close ups evident. In contrast, the beginning of the film showcases many long free flowing, moving shots. Panning is also present when we first see the ship. The motion is smooth and calm, lacking of anxiety and suspense.
There was a variety of camera persepectives throughout Alien, which suited it nicely. One may get bored with the same subject to camera distance and this director clearly knows this. A clear spectrum from extreme close ups to extreme wide shots is used offering variety and visual interest.
The underlying meaning and messages in the film make it that much more appealing to me. In Mulhall’s article, “Kane’s Son, Cain’s Daughter” he forms strong links between content of the movie and a meaning you might not have thought of when watching it. The first one that caught my eye was the analysis of the alien’s double mouth, capable of deadly irrevocable damage. It is obvious to wonder why two sets of teeth; however this is taken further in the article.
From the metallic incisors of the blind clearburster to the teeth-within-teeth of the warrior, it is as if its nature finds its fullest expression in images of devouring insatiability (and the threat such images pose for men and for women might be taken to be as different, in nature and in depth, as are the threat of castration and that of an infant’s limitless demands on its mother). (Mulhall 21)
Two sets of teeth make it much easier to cause big problems.
There is a reoccurring theme of childbirth taking place. The characters are first seen stepping out of “Mother’s” pods, monitor pads resembling umbilical cords. Another example would be Kane birthing the alien through his stomach. This implies that a creature takes the time to care for us as we are growing, we have a serious toll on our mother’s bodies and then we are born with two figurative set of razor sharp murdering teeth. With no type of gratification we consume the word around us. Using what we wish and tossing the rest away. This is even more applicable to our society 31 years after the film was created.
The male and female genders are seen in very different lights throughout the film. I saw masculinity being illustrated by the alien as strong, powerful, and adaptable.
When Ash imitates the alien’s distinctive parasitic violation of the human body in forcing a rolled-up magazine down Ripley’s throat, the pictures on the wall around him suggest that it is a pornographic publication; his actions thereby underline the film’s equation of the alien with masculine sexual violence, but they also imply an identification of science with masculinity. (Mulhall 31)
This is absolutely ironic, being that a woman is the only one to live, but the director makes it clear that the male gender has the upper hand in brute strength and intelligence. Only after Dallas’ death does Ripley begin to have a role in the film. Women, or femininity, is seen as a weakness; a characteristic that should be overcome in order to be adaptive and successful. Ripley is displayed as a background, unimportant character. Her voice is resisted at all times, especially by Ash. Her word means little, and she is ignored easily by the crew.
Only after extensive analyzing did I find this film to be so innovative and original. There were moments that made me laugh, which I doubt Scott was hoping for. At first glance it is easy to see a cheesy plot, an unbelievable robot character and over the top acting. The special effects are poor and the characters, and background information could have been more developed. We, as an audience, have no idea how these seven people formed a crew, if they have families, why there is a cat on board, etc. We get an impression that Dallas and Ripley might have a special bond between them but the director never expands on it. Another suggestion I would make would be to expand on the scene of the three crew members boarding the ship they were sent to check on. The set was unreal, absolutely larger than life.
Below is the set of the ship that sent out the SOS call.
Had we gotten a little bit more information from the ship the audience could begin to form ideas of what was to come, letting their imaginations run wild before we discover the intentions of the director.
Alien shows us how to successfully mix two very different genres. Though this film, in the year 2010, may be seen as a snoozer, you must sit back and let Scott have the attention of all of your senses. Once you appreciate the multiple meanings and attentive use of aspects such as lighting, score, and mise en scene, you can truly see all the potential Alien has to offer. It’s not what is seen on the big screen in this day, but does that have to mean it’s not worth the time?
Works Cited
Mulhall, Stephen. “Kane's Son, Cain's Daughter.” On Film. London: Routledge, 2002.
12-32. Print.
Scott, Ridley, dir. Alien. 1979. Twentieth Century Fox, 2010.
Thompson, Kristin. "Alien." Storytelling in the New Hollywood. Cambridge: Harvard
UP, 1999. 283-306. Print
Monday, February 1, 2010
Alien
The film Alien opens in a way not often seen. Soft, spooky, music graces our ears while vertical visions
eventually ease into letters to greet us into the futuristic sci-fi horror movie. Mulhall goes into great detail describing the beginning of Ridley Scott’s film. It absolutely caught my eye when a flower looking device holding the members of the crew began to open and they started to stir. White room, white device, white (minimum amount of) clothing, hooked to the ship through white monitor pads; this is not something you see everyday. Very early on you are able to grasp the feel of this 1979 film. “The slow, calm, controlled movements of the camera have established the basic rhythm of the direction of unhurried but supremely confident that what we will eventually be shown will be worthy of our investment of interest” (Mulhall 15).
eventually ease into letters to greet us into the futuristic sci-fi horror movie. Mulhall goes into great detail describing the beginning of Ridley Scott’s film. It absolutely caught my eye when a flower looking device holding the members of the crew began to open and they started to stir. White room, white device, white (minimum amount of) clothing, hooked to the ship through white monitor pads; this is not something you see everyday. Very early on you are able to grasp the feel of this 1979 film. “The slow, calm, controlled movements of the camera have established the basic rhythm of the direction of unhurried but supremely confident that what we will eventually be shown will be worthy of our investment of interest” (Mulhall 15).
The crew is in process of returning to Earth. We are shown the inside and outside of the massive ship, Nostromo, and are told that there are seven crew members. Little do we know at that point that one of the members is actually an android, and things are even more so complicated when another species finds its way onto the ship to take charge. There are many instances where the mise en scene adds to the dramatic feel to the movie. The tight framing of crew members, the forever fog on the planet landed on, the sounds of the oxygen tanks, and the dark lighting, all add to the element of suspense.
Mulhall describes that, “The alien’s monstrosity derives further specificity from the fact that its mode of reproduction is parasitic” (19). While viewing the film the implications and meaning of such reproduction did not hit me. The alien attaches itself to Kane who then “undergoes a nightmare vision of sexual intercourse, pregnancy and birth” (20). This is depicted once again when Ripley and Ash have their scuffle. Ash tries to force a magazine down her throat in efforts to mimic the alien which he so admires.
AMC’s filmsite describes the alien by saying, “Freudian and sexually-charged symbolism and images abound - the beastly adult creature has both a phallic head and an open, dripping vaginal mouth” (American Movie Classics Company). The mouth symbolizes “different threats for men and women, in nature and in depth, such as the threat of castration and that of an infant’s limitless demands on its mother” (21). I think Scott had a very unique and innovative way of showing these fears. It’s interesting to see the way the film is pulled apart and the interpretations taken from it. I suggest looking at the AMC website for another way of looking at the meaning and summary of the film.
Works Cited
AMC filmsite. American Movie Classics Company, 2009. Web. 1 February 2010.
Mulhall, Stephen. “Kane's Son, Cain's Daughter.” On Film. London: Routledge, 2002. 12-32.
Print.
Scott, Ridley, dir. Alien. 1979. Twentieth Century Fox, 2009.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Dr. Stangelove
A nightmare comedy; there is no better way to describe Stanley Kubrick’s film Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Unfortunately for me, it the equivalency of watching grass grow. I find it unsurprising that the film was nominated for four Academy Awards yet received none. While I was unimpressed, I don’t want this to seem like a total bashing. The film had its’ moments. There were parts of the movie that had me laughing. The humor was definitely evident. What I find more interesting than the film is Grant Stillman’s article “Two of the MADdest scientists: where Strangelove Meets Dr. No; or, unexpected roots forKubrick’s cold war classic,” which looks into Kubrick’s piece and at the references and inspiration used to pull all of his ideas into one screenplay. We also get a sneak peek, from Stillman’s article, at who Stanley Kubrick was, and how this strange comedy was ever imagined. I find it comforting that the director says you shouldn’t exactly understand the film but rather make your own meaning for it. Thank goodness. This means I wasn’t completely lost Stillman quotes him as saying:
It’s all very elusive and very rich. There’s nothing like trying to create it. It gives you a sense of omnipotence – it’s one of the most exciting things you can find without being under the influence of drugs…If I told you [the meanings of my films] it wouldn’t be ambiguous – and if you didn’t discover it for yourself, it wouldn’t mean anything anyway. (Stillman, 487.)
(Stanley Kubrick)
It was intriguing to see what the director took from other sources. Stillman explains that Kubrick was in no way afraid to borrow material and bend it to fit the ideas fluttering around his head (492). To be quite frank, this man is off the wall. Most of his ideas left me wondering (and questioning his mental sanity). While explaining his characteristic choices for Dr. Strangelove himself, Kubrick explains, “So instead of leaving it there looking malignant I gave the arm a life of its own. That arm hated the rest of the body for having made a compromise. That arm was a Nazi” (494). You really have to wonder.
The technical aspects of the film were rather commendable. In the days of making movies purely out of special affects I can absolutely appreciate a movie that didn’t have nearly the same amount of resources but worked with what they had to make quite an image. While panning shots of planes flying didn’t exactly look realistic they were quite a step up for being released in 1964. As a photographer, I took note of many of the lighting setups featured in the film. In example, when we are first introduced to General Ripper the lights are dark, casting harsh shadows, and representing a great deal of foreshadowing. The lighting for the War Room scenes was noteworthy; a room, completely sealed off with the only lights beaming onto the table and the men around it.
While viewing the film I took note that most of the shooting was done at eye level. There was not a huge mix of different camera angles, though they were present at times, such as the high angle observed each time we entered into the war room. Camera distance ranged from long shots to medium close-ups, staying away from extreme long shots, as well as extreme close-ups, which was effective for the movie at hand. Sound was an element that instantly threw me off. When the beginning credits started with a soft friendly tune similar to that of a love story, I had no idea what was to come.
Works Cited
Kubrick, Stanley, dir. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop
Worrying and Love the Bomb. 1964. Columbia Pictures, 2009.
Stillman, Grant, “Two of the MaDdest Scientists.” Film History. 20
(2008): 487-500.
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