I really enjoyed Cool Hand Luke! So far it’s been one of the only movies that I’ve been able to watch from start to finish without getting bored or tired. I think Paul Newman played his character so well and I found myself sympathizing with him despite all the bad things that he had done. I sincerely wanted Luke to get free all three times that he escape and I felt my heart sink every time they brought him back. I also was sympathizing with everyone in the jail when they thought their hero was no longer the person they thought he was; Dragline, especially, was broken when he thought that Luke had given in to the bosses. He also was really upset when Luke had left him at the church after they had escape and that made me a little upset. I can't help but wondering if they would have gotten away with it had Luke and Dragline stayed together.
There were a couple scenes that I thought went on for a little too long. The boxing scene, despite it being symbolic in showing that look won’t be broken by anybody, just kept going and going and going… The other scene that went on for awhile was when Luke was trying to get his chains off the second time he escape. The whole time I was just saying “Go, hurry up or you’ll be caught!” It seemed that he took a long time explaining to the young boys what to get and the whole “I bet you can’t,” “I can,” banter made the scene even longer.
The ending was the best part of the entire movie despite Luke being shot. I was marginally upset that he was caught and ended up being shot but the movie wouldn’t be the same if that hadn’t happened. If he did go peacefully with Dragline then his character would have been broken, which isn’t the typical Luke. The last line he spoke also made the death a little less upsetting because he used the Warden’s words against him. “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Psycho 1960.
At the beginning of this movie, I was not too excited to watch it. It started out slow and it wasn’t anything I had predicted it to be. As the movie went on, I found myself more and more captivated and just waiting for something to happen. Scary movies are movies I don’t typically enjoy because I don’t like being startled so it was nice for the creepy music to play just before someone was killed. You always knew that Norman was going to attack someone when you heard the screech of the violins. This startled me at one point when the detective was walking up the stairs but it didn’t throughout the rest of the movie. The thing with Psycho is it would be nothing without the music. The music built up the suspense ‘til the point where you had your hands waiting to cover your eyes and listening for that familiar violin screech. If the music wasn’t in the movie watching Norman stab people would be quite comical because the suspense wouldn’t have been as built up.
The ending of the movie surprised me and allowed laughter to forget that Norman’s Mother was actually just a skeleton. I was almost relieved to see Norman jump from around the corner, dressed in his Mother’s dress with a wig that ends up falling off during the struggle between him and Sam. The laughter was much needed because the skeleton was one of the creepiest points in Psycho.
Psycho kept my attention the entire time and I really enjoyed it. Alfred Hitchcock did a wonderful job putting this thriller together. There is a ton of foreshadowing and the use of shadows to display personalities of certain characters. I can imagine being a person living in the 1960’s, going to see this movie, and leaving the theater scared. To people back then, Psycho was a classic thriller and could almost be real life. Nowadays, we have movies that are much creepier than Psycho but that comes with the advance in technology and the twisted plots people can come up with.
The ending of the movie surprised me and allowed laughter to forget that Norman’s Mother was actually just a skeleton. I was almost relieved to see Norman jump from around the corner, dressed in his Mother’s dress with a wig that ends up falling off during the struggle between him and Sam. The laughter was much needed because the skeleton was one of the creepiest points in Psycho.
Psycho kept my attention the entire time and I really enjoyed it. Alfred Hitchcock did a wonderful job putting this thriller together. There is a ton of foreshadowing and the use of shadows to display personalities of certain characters. I can imagine being a person living in the 1960’s, going to see this movie, and leaving the theater scared. To people back then, Psycho was a classic thriller and could almost be real life. Nowadays, we have movies that are much creepier than Psycho but that comes with the advance in technology and the twisted plots people can come up with.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Casablanca 1942.
I found myself very confused while watching Casablanca. I really had no idea what was going on, especially at the end.
When the movie started I could follow it but the more characters that were introduced, the more confused I became. From what I got out of the beginning , Ugarte was a necessary character in helping people get their exit visas and letters of transit but he disappeared so quickly that his character was never fully developed. As the movie continued I couldn't seem to figure out Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick Blaine. He seemed like just a bar owner who wouldn’t help anybody for any reason. I was glad to see that he was actually sentimental and willing to help the people that really needed it like the young woman at the bar who was going to sleep with the Captain to get an exit visa. Seeing Bogart playing a sentimental character who was in love and still loved was a little strange because the last movie I viewed that had him in it, he played a character that was the opposite during most of the movie; the hard boiled detective, Sam Spade.
The ending was what really made me think the most out of the whole movie. It seemed that at first Rick was going to leave with Ilsa and not let her see her husband again. I was wrong when Rick went to the police station and told Captain Renault that he was planning on leaving with Ilsa and he had this plan to get Mr. Laszlo arrested because that’s what the police wanted and it was the perfect getaway with Ilsa. Once again, I was proven wrong when Rick pulled the gun on Captain Renault then in turn letting Mr. and Mrs. Laszlo escape. At this point, I think the movie is over and Rick is going to the concentration camp and that’s it. For the last time, wrong. Renault and Blaine end up being partners against the Nazis, planning to escape, and forming a friendship with the last line being “I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.”
When the movie started I could follow it but the more characters that were introduced, the more confused I became. From what I got out of the beginning , Ugarte was a necessary character in helping people get their exit visas and letters of transit but he disappeared so quickly that his character was never fully developed. As the movie continued I couldn't seem to figure out Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick Blaine. He seemed like just a bar owner who wouldn’t help anybody for any reason. I was glad to see that he was actually sentimental and willing to help the people that really needed it like the young woman at the bar who was going to sleep with the Captain to get an exit visa. Seeing Bogart playing a sentimental character who was in love and still loved was a little strange because the last movie I viewed that had him in it, he played a character that was the opposite during most of the movie; the hard boiled detective, Sam Spade.
The ending was what really made me think the most out of the whole movie. It seemed that at first Rick was going to leave with Ilsa and not let her see her husband again. I was wrong when Rick went to the police station and told Captain Renault that he was planning on leaving with Ilsa and he had this plan to get Mr. Laszlo arrested because that’s what the police wanted and it was the perfect getaway with Ilsa. Once again, I was proven wrong when Rick pulled the gun on Captain Renault then in turn letting Mr. and Mrs. Laszlo escape. At this point, I think the movie is over and Rick is going to the concentration camp and that’s it. For the last time, wrong. Renault and Blaine end up being partners against the Nazis, planning to escape, and forming a friendship with the last line being “I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.”
Monday, May 10, 2010
King Kong 2005
Not going to lie, I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. I think the relationship they built between Kong and Ann made it a much more of a "tug at the heart strings" even though I would have liked to see more Ann/Jack romance. It seems like the original movie focused on that relationship more than this one. The relationship between Kong and Ann made it incredibly hard to watch Kong die at the end whereas at the end of the first movie I could care less that Kong was killed because he was a beast. The 2005 version makes Kong a more gentle beast and more emotional.
It goes without saying that the special effects were much better in this movie and thus it made it more interesting. Of course, 77 years have gone by and special effects are much improved but, for me, the special effects made it easier for the movie to keep my attention. You could see the emotions on Kong's face and you knew that he cared for and wanted to protect Ann from danger and in the 1933 film Kong would just have this stupid expression on his face for most of the protection scenes.
Jack Black was an interesting character to cast for the role of Carl Denham. He does more roles that are silly and comical so for him to take on the role of a somewhat serious character, who just happens to have the closing line in the movie, was a slight mistake. The last time that was suppose to be the clincher and make the audience think at the end was delivered amateurishly and didn't have the effect it was suppose to. His character bothered me more in this version than in the older one because he was more stuck up and self righteous. He knew what he was getting the crew into and that's why he lied to them all and said they were going to Singapore. He knowingly endangered the lives of everyone on the ship and everyone in New York when he went on this crazy adventure in the hopes of becoming rich and famous.
In closing, I would just like to mention one thing I caught in the movie that was a reference to the old King Kong. When Denham asks where his lead actress went and someone replies that she was taken by RKO Pictures to which Carl retorts "Oh....Cooper..." I just thought that was a nice reference to the original King Kong.
It goes without saying that the special effects were much better in this movie and thus it made it more interesting. Of course, 77 years have gone by and special effects are much improved but, for me, the special effects made it easier for the movie to keep my attention. You could see the emotions on Kong's face and you knew that he cared for and wanted to protect Ann from danger and in the 1933 film Kong would just have this stupid expression on his face for most of the protection scenes.
Jack Black was an interesting character to cast for the role of Carl Denham. He does more roles that are silly and comical so for him to take on the role of a somewhat serious character, who just happens to have the closing line in the movie, was a slight mistake. The last time that was suppose to be the clincher and make the audience think at the end was delivered amateurishly and didn't have the effect it was suppose to. His character bothered me more in this version than in the older one because he was more stuck up and self righteous. He knew what he was getting the crew into and that's why he lied to them all and said they were going to Singapore. He knowingly endangered the lives of everyone on the ship and everyone in New York when he went on this crazy adventure in the hopes of becoming rich and famous.
In closing, I would just like to mention one thing I caught in the movie that was a reference to the old King Kong. When Denham asks where his lead actress went and someone replies that she was taken by RKO Pictures to which Carl retorts "Oh....Cooper..." I just thought that was a nice reference to the original King Kong.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
King Kong 1933.
It really is impressive to see how far film makers have come since the original King Kong was released. They've come from using stop motion photography and moving figurines little by little to creating films as intense as Avatar. King Kong is a great example on how much movies have changed over an extended period of time because it was the gateway to the types of movies we have today.
I won't lie, the movie didn't really catch my attention but I kept watching it because it was almost comical to see how the scenes were done. What was lame to us over those two days that we watched the film was exciting and horrifying to the people who paid to watch the movie back in the 30's.
Another interesting thing that I found was how the scenes were taken out for being too violent or risqué. Our society today is used to more violent things than Kong stepping on a native, I mean, take Saw for example! What would the people back then think of that movie now? Every scene would be taken out. For the people back then, seeing a woman in a slip and her shirt practically hanging off was just too sexy for the public to see, therefore it was taken out. Today, women prance around in their bras and it's just a normal occurrence for a movie rated PG-13 or higher.
King Kong was the movie of it's time and although it was lame and boring to myself and probably to other students in the class, if I had been living back in the 30's I would be frightened by the idea of a giant ape coming here and killing people. That concept just seems silly to the things that film makers are making movies out of in 2010. King Kong also paved the way for the special effects that we use today. While most film makers don't use stop motion photography anymore because it takes too long and there is better technology out there now. Many movies have learned from King Kong and they will just continue to develop and adapt to new technology to make them even better!
I won't lie, the movie didn't really catch my attention but I kept watching it because it was almost comical to see how the scenes were done. What was lame to us over those two days that we watched the film was exciting and horrifying to the people who paid to watch the movie back in the 30's.
Another interesting thing that I found was how the scenes were taken out for being too violent or risqué. Our society today is used to more violent things than Kong stepping on a native, I mean, take Saw for example! What would the people back then think of that movie now? Every scene would be taken out. For the people back then, seeing a woman in a slip and her shirt practically hanging off was just too sexy for the public to see, therefore it was taken out. Today, women prance around in their bras and it's just a normal occurrence for a movie rated PG-13 or higher.
King Kong was the movie of it's time and although it was lame and boring to myself and probably to other students in the class, if I had been living back in the 30's I would be frightened by the idea of a giant ape coming here and killing people. That concept just seems silly to the things that film makers are making movies out of in 2010. King Kong also paved the way for the special effects that we use today. While most film makers don't use stop motion photography anymore because it takes too long and there is better technology out there now. Many movies have learned from King Kong and they will just continue to develop and adapt to new technology to make them even better!
Trial Post.
So, I never did my trial post so I figured I might as well do it right now while I wait for my laundry to finish and before I come back later to type up my King Kong reflection.
What I look forward to in this class is the ability to look at movies in a greater detail. I want to be able to identify why directors do the things they do to make the audience react. I am also looking forward to watching the movies because most of them I have never seen before. Star Wars, for example, is a movie I have never watched but have been told on multiple occasions that it is a classic film that everyone needs to see in their lifetime. Analyzing film is something I have never done before and I am always willing to try new things.
As for plans for the future, as of right now I am enrolled at the University of Vermont in Burlington (Best small city ever!) with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Deaf Studies (American Sign Language). Eventually I would like to pick up a second major of Early Childhood Special Education. I absolutely love working with children and can easily picture myself being a teacher, especially for deaf kids or ones with special needs. It's pretty unrealistic that I can spend all of my four years up in Vermont because despite the nice scholarship I received, it's just not enough; no one wants to be $100,000+ in debt. Perhaps after two years I can transfer back down to UCONN or somewhere in the area. I'm not looking that far ahead yet, all I know is that I'm heading up to Vermont in August and it's going to be the most wonderful time of my life.
I think I've finally hit 300 words so I'll stop now and come back later for the King Kong review. :]
What I look forward to in this class is the ability to look at movies in a greater detail. I want to be able to identify why directors do the things they do to make the audience react. I am also looking forward to watching the movies because most of them I have never seen before. Star Wars, for example, is a movie I have never watched but have been told on multiple occasions that it is a classic film that everyone needs to see in their lifetime. Analyzing film is something I have never done before and I am always willing to try new things.
As for plans for the future, as of right now I am enrolled at the University of Vermont in Burlington (Best small city ever!) with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Deaf Studies (American Sign Language). Eventually I would like to pick up a second major of Early Childhood Special Education. I absolutely love working with children and can easily picture myself being a teacher, especially for deaf kids or ones with special needs. It's pretty unrealistic that I can spend all of my four years up in Vermont because despite the nice scholarship I received, it's just not enough; no one wants to be $100,000+ in debt. Perhaps after two years I can transfer back down to UCONN or somewhere in the area. I'm not looking that far ahead yet, all I know is that I'm heading up to Vermont in August and it's going to be the most wonderful time of my life.
I think I've finally hit 300 words so I'll stop now and come back later for the King Kong review. :]
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