Film Review - Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) directed by 'Travis Knight' is a film about a young boy who must go on a journey to find items needed to defeat the villain, his grandfather. The film uses stop motion animation combined with 3D animation to give a visually enticing film.

Fig 1

The film follows the journey of Kubo, a young boy who has magical powers due to his mother. He plays his musical instrument to control his powers which allow him to manipulate different objects. We see these powers develop throughout the film. Kubo only has one eye due to his other being stolen by his grandfather. His grandfather is a magical being that needs to take Kubo's eye so Kubo can join him in his world. Kudos goal is to find three objects which will allow him to defeat his grandfather, to help Kubo do this he has the help of his monkey charm who comes to life due to magic from his mother, and a beetle samurai who they met along the way.

We can see throughout the film the use of the combination of animation techniques and how well it works together to give the film a very unique yet appealing feel. The use of these techniques managed to stay away from the uncanny valley which is very common with stop motion animation as if done incorrectly can create a feel of discomfort amoungst the viewer. Where this film has used the combination of these techniques so well it makes the viewer feel comfortable and that the world that it is set exists making the viewer want to go there.Not only did they create models for all of the characters, but to give the film the extra likability and feeling that it all fit so together they used the same character creation for the larger characters, such as the bone skeleton. But they did this to a much larger scale so computers effects where not needed to give the appearance of everything fitting together. The bone skeleton was a puppet model that they created that's was 16 foot tall. This gave the realistic scale of the Kubo, Mokey and Beetle models. The model created by Laika, the animation company that worked on the film, was made so big because the animators found it easier to work with something to scale and with bigger parts to make it move better and more realistic than a smaller model with small parts.

Fig 2

F

The use of the combination of both stop animation and 3D digital animation makes this film very visually appealing. The stop motion was created by models with 3D printed face plates for the changes of expressions. The use of this technique allowed the animators to create thousands more facial expressions that would normally be possible when using models for stop animation. The style of the animation gives the film that bit extra to allow it to stand out from the norm in animation films due to its uniqueness.

Image referencing
Figure 1 - https://goo.gl/images/l1wyfq


Figure 2 - https://goo.gl/images/n2pnin

Mary and Max (2009) - Film Review

'Mary and Max' is a 2009 stop motion animation directed by Adam Elliot. Mary and Max is a story about two pen friends across the world from each other. Mary, voiced by Toni Collette, is an eight year old girl living in Australia who seems to be segregated as from the start we can see her friends consist of homemade 'nobblet' characters. Where as Max, voiced by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, is a 44 year old Jewish man living in New York. The two are very different yet similar to each other which is what brings the two stories together so well.

Fig 1

 Max, living in New York on his own is a very disconnected man, living in his own world. He is portrayed as socially awkward and has some less then ordinary traits. This is later explained within the film when we discover that Max suffers from Asperger'a syndrome. Mary, living in the suburbs or Melbourne is a lonely eight year old girl who seems to have a dysfunctional family to say the least. Her father works screwing on the caps to toothpaste tubes, which we can see portrayed as a mind numbing job. Her mother is a thief and an alcoholic who is always seen with a cigarette in her mouth and a bottle of sherry on standby. When out with her mother at a post office, Mary finds an international phone book in which she tears off a random name and address. Mary, filled with questions about the world. as any eight year old child would be, writes a letter to this random persons asking questions about the difference between the two countries and asking about the person she's writing to. Max, who lives on his own responds to Mary's letter answering her questions and providing topics of conversation. Just from the initial letters sent between the two it becomes apparent that even though these two people are on different sides of the earth and with a huge age gap are still fairly similar in many aspects. The film uses these letters from the two to explain important life events from the two main characters and it shows how these coincide with the moods and personalities of the characters as time develops.

I feel as if the choice in the style of animation, stop motion, is a very effective way to portray the story being told. The style used also greatly impacts the comedic effect throughout the film as it allows exaggerated movement and lets you clearly see the characters development. For example throughout the film we notice Max is getting increasingly bigger and bigger. I feel as if the use of clay and stop motion animation allows us to easily notice this transformation. It makes transformations such as this look more noticeable and works better than if it was real people rather than animation.

fig 2

Another aspect of the style of animation that makes this film stand out to me is how the film addresses some serious mental health issues and at some stages some dark, real life situations. But through the use of stop motion clay animation it makes these matters feel slightly lighter and makes them watchable. If these situations where played out in a non animation film then it would be seen as a very dark film, more then likely with a high age rating for viewers. But the use of the stop motion animation has allowed these issues to be tackled and brought to light but in a manor that can be viewed and understood by everyone. Making it a very powerful film.

Image Referencing

Fig 1 - https://digitalnews.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/mary-and-max-26769-hd-wallpapers.jpg

Fig 2 - https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/45/85/bb/4585bb2da3d59c41b9b31dd7803f1d00.jpg 

Archetypes & Hero's Journey - The Matrix

The Matrix ,(1999), Directed by ' Lana and Lily Wachowski' is a sci-fi film that is based around a main character Neo, played by 'Keanu Reeves' . In the matrix the world that we live at the moment, is a computer simulated programme that we are put into when we are born. This changes our perception of the real world  which is being hidden by the matrix due to it being years in the future and pretty much all of civilisation has been destroyed. Neo is taken on by Morpheus, Laurence Fishburne' and his team as Neo is seen as the 'chosen one'. He then has to try and help the team destroy the matrix and revel the real world behind it.

Throughout the film we can see different character fitting different archetypes. These are the roles of the character and how they help to build the story and fit into it.

The first archetype we see if Neo who is clearly the hero of the story. The story follows Neo and how he is told about the matrix and then comes to master it. When first found by Morpheus and his team we see that they see Neo as 'the chosen one', a person who will be able to destroy the Matrix.

The shadow of the film is the sentinel program and the agents. These are programs from the future that act almost as a computer virus being able to jump in and out of the Matrix and into any role or person who is within the Matrix. They act as protectors for the Matrix but as we find out early on the Matrix is seen to be the villain, making the sentinels and the agents to be the shadow, or the bad guy, in other terms.

The Herald of the story is an online chat room in which Neo meets Morpheus and this is where everything starts and where Neo is discovered for his talents. Neo is a credited hacker who has committed cyber crimes so in these hidden online chat rooms he is discovered by Morpheus who then talks Neo into arranging to meet him after saving him from his first encounter with Agents.

The threshold guardian is when Neo is being trained to manipulate the Matrix to make him stronger and faster, as it is only a computer programme it means that he is not restricted to the limitations of the real world. Learning to manipulate this is the guardian from Neo entering one world to the other and being able to master it.

The Trickster of the story is the character Cypher. We can see him plotting behind the scenes against Morpheus' group, even though Cypher is within the group. Cypher makes a deal with the agents to provide them with Morpheus as he knows information that they wanted. In return Cypher is told he can enter back into the Matrix as a rich person with no prior memory to what had previously happened involving Morpheus and his team.

The obvious mentor of this film is Morpheus. Morpheus teaches Neo about the Matrix and then trains him on how to master it. He also takes Neo under his wing as he see's Neo as the chosen one. Morpheus has complete faith in Neo, as he risks his life to save Neo's, sacrificing himself to the agents as he knows he cannot beat them in hand to hand combat, so Neo can get away.

The allies of the story are Morpheus' team members, Switch, Tank, Mouse, Dozer and Apoc. Throughout the film we see that these people are devoted members to Morpheus' team and they do their best to assist Morpheus and in hand Neo as he is seen to be the 'chosen one'.

The mother figure of the story is 'The Orical' she is an old, wise woman who can seemingly predict the future, she knows what actions are going to unfold and warns Neo that there will be a time that it is either him or Morpheus who will be killed. This then takes later in the film and we can see the truth behind the Orical's prediction.

The father is again Morpheus. He takes Neo under his wing, teaches him, and protects him, like a father figure would. From the first time that they meet Morpheus has complete and utter faith in Neo and will do anything to protect him.

The Child of this film is Mouse. His is the youngest member of Morpheus group and you can tell just by the way he looks, looking significantly younger then any other member of the team. He is also very shy and timid, which is where he got the name 'Mouse' from.

The Maiden of this story and also possible the Herald is Trinity. Trinity is seemed to be Morpheus' right hand woman as she is very skilled within the Matrix. Not only that but we can see her help to train Neo and also protect him. Along with that we can see attraction building between Neo and Trinity, to a point where they actually kiss near the end of the film.

Narrative Structure & Hollywood Formula:Big

"Big"(1988), directed by 'Penny Marshall', is a film about a boy, Josh, who makes a wish on a Zoltar machine that he was big. With surprise Josh's wish comes true and he wakes up as his older self, played by 'Tom Hanks'. Josh, a 13 year old kid, has to go into the real world and find a job and fend for himself while him and his best friend 'Billy' try to find the Zoltar machine to wish he was young again.

The exposition on this film is at the start Josh goes to get on a roller coaster with a girl that he likes, but it turns out that he is too short to ride. This then means the girl goes on the ride with another boy and Josh's frustration grows. This is the main action that causes Josh to go to the Zoltar machine and wish to be big. So this is the start of the events to unfold throughout the film.



The inciting incident is the moment where Josh wakes up and he realises that he is now 'big'. Waking up in his small bunk bed with his mum calling him from downstairs a confused Josh stumbles to the bathroom, where he looks in a mirror and is shocked by what he see's. From not knowing what to do it results in his mother thinking that he has been kidnapped by his older self, only she thinks he is a random man.

The first plot point of the film is Josh and his friend Billy trying to find the Zoltar machine for Josh to wish that he can be young again. When trying to locate the machine they discover that it will take up to six weeks for them to hear back about the location. This then opens up the second plot point as Josh now needs to get a job to afford living costs. Josh ends up getting a job at a toy company but at first he is just working in a computer department and has no connection to the toys.

The rising actions and obstacles take place at Josh's job. As Josh is at his job for longer he ends up getting into the bosses good books. This happens by Josh, still being a kid, loves to play with toys and has a better knowledge on what is fun then the other senior staff members. Josh is then promoted but this causes issues with the senior members who start to dislike Josh and one of them, Paul, actually ends up punching Josh when he gets aggravated by him in a game of squash.

The twist in the film is that Josh actually starts enjoying living as an adult and more or less turning into an adult. Not doing the same activities and playing the games he would when he first became big, but instead more focused on work and even becomes distant with his best friend Billy. Not only that but he starts for fall for a woman, Susan, who also falls for him. They start to have a relationship but Josh knows that he wont be able to last and avoids telling her his secret.

The resolution in this film is that first of all Josh tells Susan his secret and how he is actually a child. At around the same time Billy received the location of the Zoltar machine as it had been the 6 weeks. Josh ends up explaining everything to Susan and the he goes to the machine to wish he was young again. Later returning home to his mother, who still thought he had been kidnapped.

The ending of this film is a closed ending as the story is over and there are no cliff hangers or easy ways to continue with the story. The plot type is an arc plot as Josh goes through a journey which involves different obstacles which change the outcome of the story, but in the end he finishes where he started.

The Hero's Journey - The Big Lebowski

Fig 1.

The Big Lebowski is a film about Jeff Lebowski 'The Dude', played by Jeff Bridges, The Dude is just an aveage guy who enjoys bowling and the occasional white russian. He ends up gets caught up in trying to save the kidnapped wife of a man with the same name. 

Call to advenutre

The call to adventure in The Big Lebowski happens right at the start when The Dude's apartment gets broken into and the people who break in pee on his rug. During this we find that they was looking for another Jeff Lebowski.

The Refusal to Call

We see the refusal to call take place when The Dude goes to Mr Jeff Lebowski's house (the man with the same name) and wants to be compensated for the rug. Mr Lebowski refuses to compensate The Dude for the rug but at leaving The Dude takes one anway.

Supernatural aid

The super natural aid in this film comes from Mr Lebowski contating The Dude and need The Dudes help to try and recover his kidnapped wife, Bunny.

Crossing the Threshold

The Dude accepts £20,000 from Mr Lebowski to help get his wife back. Meaning The Dude is now tied into this agreement.

The Belly of the Whale

The belly of the whale in this journey is when The Dude has to do the money drop to get Bunny Lebowski back. The Dudes friend Walter comes along and it ends up going wrong due to Walter.

Road of Trials 

After the drop goes wrong The Dude still has the money that was intented for the drop. He going bowling and when he leaves the bowling ally he finds out that his car, with the money still in it, has been stolen.

Meeting the Godess

The Godess in this story is Maud Lebowski, Mr Lebowski's daughter. She breaks into The Dudes apartment while he is in there to take back the rug that The Dude had taken from Mr Lebowski. Maud and Mr Lebowski do not have a good relationship.

Woman as Temptress

As well as being the Godess within this story we can see that Maud is also the woman temptress towards The Dude.

Atonment with Father 

The atonment with father happens betwen Maud and Mr Lebowski. She wants to steal the money that Mr Lebowski has given The Dude to get Bunny Lebowski back. She tries to convince The Dude to steal it with her so we can see this tie in with being the temptress.

Apotheosis (God Like)

The God like character we meet in this story is the cowboy who is narrating the story. The Dude has na inteaction with him half way through the story and he gives him some advice and is made out to be a wise man.

Ultimate Boon

The ultimate boon is when The Dude realises that Bunny Lebowski was never kidnapped and she had actually ran away. At this point it is all speculation but seems likely.

Refusal of return

The refusal of return is from Bunny Lebowski who refuses to return to her original home. We find that there is a private investigator hired by her parents to try and find her and bring her home.

Magic Flight

The magic flight is when Mr Lebowskis plan comes out and we see the parts of the story where he had secretly been playing it out throughout the story.

Rescue from Without

We can see the rescue from without whe The Dude, Walter and Donnie are leaving the bowling ally and the fight happens between them and a group of germans who wanted to get money from The Dude due to the flase kidnapping.

Crossing return threshold

The moment we see The Dude crossing the return threshold is when him and Walter spread Donnies ashes on the top of a cliff.

Master of two worlds

We can see The Dude is master of two worlds now that everything is over and he has gone back to play in the semi finals of his bowling tournament. 

Freedom to Live

Everything is back to normal. We have a talk out from the cowboy narrator talking about how this story is over for The Dude.

Cutting Edge - Rope 1948

Fig 1.

 Alfred Hitchcok's 1948 film Rope is about two men who murder their former classmate. They stuff his body into a chest and then display this chest in the centre of a party that they held, in a way to celebrate the murder. One of the men, Brandon is extremely worried about what they have done and its made clear that he's full or regret and fear. Whereas the other man, Philip is proud of his achievement of taking the life of someone who he believes is 'less superior to him'. As Rodger Ebert said "Convinced they have found a victim who is inferior to them, they murder him, conceal his body in an unlocked trunk in their apartment, and then throw a dinner party with the trunk as the brazen centrepiece of the living room."(Rodger Ebert 1984)

Fig 2.

Throughout the film we can see the development of the two main characters very clearly. From the offset we can already see Brandon feeling fear of being caught and some remorse. Whereas Philip is proud of what he has done, he had a bottle of champagne on ice to celebrate as well as hosting a party at his. At this party it is as if he wants to put his work on display almost. He does this by using the chest which contains the body as a centrepiece table. Almost getting a sexual thrill from what the men have done. During the film we can see the characters moods develop, Brandon drinking more and more to drown his sorrows and Philip making comments throughout the night almost hinting. At one point when they are under suspicion he even puts a gun in his pocket ready to kill again to hide what he has done. " Philip, were he is intelligent as he is portrayed, would surely have realised in an instant what a liability Brandon was, but he simply ploughs on with his scheme of breathtaking arrogance,"(20/20 Films 2012)

Fig 3.

Once of the most noticeable factors of this film is that Hitchcock makes the film appear as if it is one continuous shot by using different camera methods to seamlessly changes scene to make it appear as if the action hasn't stopped. This effect gives you a a real feel for the time and you get a basis of the location that the film is taking place in. Due to this method it means that the film involves a lot of dialogue and at times can become a bit tedious to watch. But Hitchcock uses this to his advantaged to allow the audience to get a full understanding of the characters emotions. We can see that Hitchcock had tried to use the effect of a theatre style of film, as said by Vincent Canby "Hitchcock was interested in seeing whether he could find a cinematic equivalent to the play, which takes place in the actual length of time of the story."(Vincent Canby 1984)
Overall Rope was seen as a experiment for Hitchcock. From the way in which he tried to make a film from a play and shot as if it was a play in real time. This was new for the time and due to the time also had some limitations. Making it difficult to have the continuous shots due to lack of computer programmes for editing. This style of films with the continuous shots is being carried on in today's cinema and is still very successful as we can see from films such as Birdman, which shows Hitchcock's impact in today's film industry.


Bibliography

Ebert. R, RodgerEbert.com - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/rope-1948

20/20 Film Reveiws - http://www.2020-movie-reviews.com/reviews-year/1948-movie-reviews/rope-1948-movie-review/

Canby. V, New York Times -  http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/060384hitch-rope-reflection.html

Images

Fig 1 - http://classiq.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/rope-1948.jpg

Fig 2 - http://criticsloft.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Rope-pic-1.jpg

Fig 3 - https://robertsnow.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/rope-superior.jpg

Cutting Edge - La Jetee (1962)

Fig 1.

Chris Markers 1962 film La Jetee is a unique viewing experience when it comes to the film industry. With the story of travelling to the future to try and avoid an apocalyptic World War 3. A film made entirely of still images with dialogue overlaid on top to help portray the story clearer to the viewers rather then having to depict the story solely from the stills. "La Jetée is made up almost entirely of still photographs that tell the futuristic story of a time traveler"(Jeffrey Anderson) The use of this technique makes the film very artistic and is the reason why I believe it was so highly acclaimed. Not only that but it was one of the cornerstone for time travelling films as we can see the ideas portrayed in this film within feature films in modern cinema.

Fig 2.

The main aspect of this film that stands out to the viewers is the continuous use of stills, rather then video footage. Making the film more like a story portrayed through a slide show. As artistic as this technique to produce a film is at times it can be found rather tedious to view as the black and white images are rarely visually stimulating for the viewers making it hard to keep focus at times. That being said there are a number of images that have a lot going on that really makes the viewer feel the emotions that are trying to be portrayed, which can be difficult through the use of this technique. As said by Bosley Crowther "I find it tediously pretentious, but there are striking images in it"(Bosley Crowther)

Fig 3.

When looking at the sound design of this film the main aspect is the narrating throughout. This is used to tell the story and describe what is happening. The images are used more to set the scene and the mood. The narrating at times can be very monotone which can make the viewing experience rather tedious but the use of the dramatic stills takes your attention away from this so it can make it less noticeable at times. As said by Eric Melin "The English translation allowed me to concentrate on the visuals rather than subtitles, but the French version narration is actually quite different."(Eric Melin 2012)

Fig 4. 

Overall La Jetee was a revolutionary artistic film that took a new approach towards creating visual media. Markers used this technique to be something different and to stand out from other films, and he managed to achieve this very well with this unique piece that paved the way for modern time travelling stories. 

Bibliography

Anderson. J 2012 Combustible Celluloid - http://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/classic/lajetee.shtml

Crother, B New York Times - http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/la_jetee/

Melin. E 2012 Scene Stealer's - http://www.scene-stealers.com/columns/overlooked-movie-monday/la-jetee-sans-soliel-blu-ray-review/

Images

Fig 1 - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f7/La_Jetee_Poster.jpg

Fig 2 - https://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/stills/3638-17f9fe315ecf2a7fea2c96036271f6ba/P_original.jpg

Fig 3 - https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yqMEc0oe4yc/maxresdefault.jpg

Fig 4 - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsU51it0h5F_MeiGf0zvhPziVDQJyitRoNIpPZoCPdmIZV3YIFlbjZINh_6vWIFb3yihUitPqrXVe_b0XoKkCLMz8190SkqnOpbH_jca2S8A68hw-RQyVba5XWXf7R68dTYMImY_EiZDA/s1600/La+Jet%25C3%25A9e.jpg

The Shining 1980 Film Review

Fig 1.

The Shining is a 1980 film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on a novel by Stephen King. The story follows Jack Torrance and his family as he takes a new job watching a hotel up in the Colorado rocky mountains during the winter. During their stay at this hotel there are a lot of strange things that go on which cause fear within characters and build suspense within the story. This psychological horror builds up suspense throughout the whole story. Using one of Kubrick's favourite styles and keeping things slow to gradually build up such as he did in 2001: A Space Odyssey.  As Rodger Ebert said "the characters seem reliable enough, although the dialogue has a formality that echoes the small talk on the space station in "2001.""(Rodger Ebert 2006)

Fig 2.

One of the iconic features of this film is the design of the hotel in which it is based. Kubrick and his production designer Roy Walker managed to create a wonderfully vibrant yet eerily creepy set for this film to take place. As said by Ryan Lambie "In no other film has an interior felt so mundane and yet so palpably evil"(Ryan Lambie 2011)  The isolated setting provides the bases of the story whilst also giving a beautiful setting with a lot of open space and grounds equipment such as the labyrinthine which comes into use as the film plays out. Within the hotel Kubrick and Walker used a very open plan for the main rooms. On top of this the patterns of the rugs and carpet throughout the hotel are very bright and catch the viewers eye. The carpet throughout the hotel is now seen as an iconic pattern by many people due to this film.

Fig 3.

Another aspect of this film that creates is eerie and creepy feel even when just normal acts are taking place, such as Danny riding his big wheel throughout the hotel, is by Kubrick's brilliant direction and shot selection. As said in a review by James Beradinelli "The combination of unimpeachable set design, perfect shot selection, long tracking shots, and an impeccable score (comprised primarily of a selection of classical pieces) creates an atmosphere in which suspense and dread ferment." (James Beradinelli 2009) When riding his big wheel through the hotel Kubrick uses a shot from just behind Danny following him from the exact same distance the whole time. Majority of the time he does this he doesn't play any music but uses the sound of the wheels on the changing surfaces to build a slow suspense that the audience can feel build up throughout.

Fig 4.

The Shining is a film that you will not forget after watching. The way in which it slowly builds up the tension to a boiling point along with a combination of the eeriness of the setting and the direction is produces an experience to watch that will be felt by all viewers. Not only that but the performance of the actors plays a huge part in the way this film works. Jack Nicholson's ability to make any situation to feel serious yet still calm was a perfect fit for the roll of Jack Torrance.

Bibliography 

Ebert, R 2006 Rodgerebert.com - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-shining-1980

Lambi, R 2011 DenOfGeek - http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/18283/iconic-set-design-the-shinings-overlook-hotel

Beradinelli, J 2009 ReelViews - http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/shining-the

Illustrations

Fig 1 - http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSuyZ3Ido0NkD-KSJAoY7eosym_AHdZ891pvUaUOryPCIDJZFdy

Fig 2 - http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/the-shining-overlook-hotel.jpg

Fig 3 -  http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1477835!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/mcdshin-ec023.jpg

Fig 4 - http://www.emlii.com/images/article/2014/02/52f7ad2abdb65.jpeg

Repulsion 1965 Film Review

Fig 1.

Roman Polanski's 1965 film Repulsion is about a young, attractive woman, who is petrified of any kind of sexual contact with men. But by being an attractive woman, she draws a lot of attention. Throughout the film we can see the main character,  Carol, being taken through, what would be normal experience for most people, but in her case very distressing and almost petrifying experiences of getting attention from the opposite sex. It is never properly stated but you get the idea that she had a mental illness which is more then likely the route to her issues. This point is backed up from a quote by Barbara Shulgasser when talking about Carol " at first, seems merely shy, then anti-social and finally morbidly frightened of human contact."(Barbara Shulgasser 1998). We can see this develop throughout the film as her repulsion builds up in a way in some scenes that are very disturbing to watch.

Fig 2.

During the film Carols sister, Helen leaves Carol in their apartment a lone while she goes on holiday with her boyfriend. It is during this period of time that we can truly see Carols mental illness starting to come out and how it is effecting her. One way in which we can see this is when in the apartment at times Carol has hallucinations of the walls cracking and the apartment falling apart from the inside. (See fig 2.) This can be taken in different ways. For starters it is one of the signs to the viewers that there is an underlying issue with Carols mental health. It could also be said that the cracks, which progressively get worse throughout the film, could be representing Carols deteriorating mental health and is an insight to the viewers to inform them how it is progressing. This can bring a different kind of fear to viewers unlike the common horror film. It is more of a disturbing fear. Rather being the one to make you jump out of your seat you will more likely sink into your seat in discomfort. As Peter Bradshaw said "the sudden, giant cracks she imagines on switching on a light – they always creep me out with a thoroughness that run-of-the-mill horror movies never achieve."(Peter Bradshaw 2013)

Fig 3.

Another way in which Polanski represents Carols mental health deteriorating throughout the film is from the way in which throughout the story she has two main encounters with men that stand out for obvious reasons. The first one takes place with a man named Colin, who is her admire and wishes to take Carol out. When Colin turns up at Carols apartment and forces his way in when she is not responding to him. His intentions are good but unfortunately for him Carols mental state was in no condition for an event like this to happen and she reacts by striking him over the head with a candle stick and this results in Colin dying and Carol putting him in the bath tub. One of the more disturbing factors of this altercation is the way in which she shows no remorse for what she had done, as if she had not just killed someone. This is not the only occasion an incident such as this takes place within a short period of time. Shortly after what happened to Colin, Carols landlord comes to inspect her apartment after noticing the door is broken due to the incident with Colin. From this the landlord tries to complain about the late rent cheques and this turns into him trying to sexually assault her. This is one of Carols worst fears and you can see this come out as she grabs a shaving razor and cuts him several times in an attack fuelled by fear which results in the landlord being killed.

Fig 4.

Overall Repulsion has the ability to make a whole room feel uncomfortable while watching the film but at the same time you would not want to stop watching. The way Polanski uses the graphics scenes which are somewhat questionable, such as Carols nightmares of being sexually assaulted in her own bed every night, is one of the main ways in which he conveys this feeling of unsteadiness. Another way in which this is conveyed and gives the film such an eerie feel is personally for me is Catherine Deneuve's performance as Carol. She plays the part so well with the way in which her stares of fear can really draw in the viewers and she conveys what her character should be feeling extremely clearly and effectively. As said by Simon Miraudo " The young Catherine Deneuve (she was 22 at the time of filming) gives a performance so unsettling and so precise"(Simon Miraudo 2010).

Bibliography

Shulglasser, B 1998, SF Gate - http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Deneuve-a-revelation-in-Repulsion-3088836.php

Bradshaw, P 2013, The Guardian - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jan/03/repulsion-review

 Miraudo, S 2010, Quickflix - https://www.quickflix.com.au/News/PlayItAgain/Repulsion/6997

Illustrations

Fig 1 - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/89/Repulsion_(1965_film_poster).jpg

Fig 2 - https://tinribs27.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/repulsion6.png

Fig 3 - https://blog.blcklst.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/repulsion-1.jpg

Fig 4 - http://www.tvbomb.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/repulsion1900x506.jpg

                         

Black Narcissus 1947 Film Review

Fig 1.

                           
Black Narcissus 1947 is a film directed by Michael Powell and Emetic Pressburger. Is based on a group of nuns who get sent to the Himalayas to start a convent in a palace called Mopu. The palace had previously be owned by Kublai Kahn as a harem. The nuns have been sent to this palace to spread their religion to the people in the local area of the palace. This film is based a lot around the limitations that the nuns have to follow. We can see their lusts starting to come out shortly after arriving to the palace. We can see attraction from the nuns to some of the men present at the palace and throughout the film we see this develop within certain characters. We can see this backed up from a review in the Guardian by Peter Bradshaw as he said "the ruler's ruggedly handsome English agent, who triggers a batsqueak of hysteria among the brides of Christ."(Peter Bradshaw 2005)

Fig 2.

One of the features of this film that really stands out is the set design. The film is set in the Himalayas  but was filmed within a studio in England. The way in which Powell and Pressburger conveyed this wonderful setting was by the use of matte paintings. If you look at Fig 2 you can see the use of this. Everything apart from the small stone area in which the nun is standing is matte painting. From using this technique the viewers get drawn into this wonderful setting and give a very realistic feel. We can see this point backed up from Time Out magazines review "those matte-painting vanishing perspectives and cinematographer Jack Cardiff’s harshly exaggerated lighting cues—creates a psychologically charged space in which an ungodly tragedy can unfold." (Keith Uhlich 2012)

Fig 3.

Another aspect of this film that particularly stands out to viewers is the way in which Powell and Pressburger used the lighting and colours to represent the different moods that progressed throughout the film. We can see a lot of light colours, which give almost a cold yet calm feel such as a lot of different shades of blue. This represents the nuns innocence that is present within the nuns while they are still present at their original convent and also once arriving to the Mopu palace. As the story develops and the lust from the nuns starts to build we can see these colours start to change to stronger more vibrant colours that seem to represent the temptations and wrongfulness starting to come through from the nuns. An example of this is in fig 3 as you can see the lighting is predominantly red and orange which gives almost a sinister feel as all of these feelings from the nuns is taboo and against their vows as a nun. We can see this point backed up from Tom Dawson's review in which he stated "This digitally restored print allow us to luxuriate in Black Narcissus's sensual riches, and particularly the way the filmmakers and their Oscar-winning cinematographer Jack Cardiff use colour to convey states of mind."(Tom Dawson 2005)

              

Overall Black Narcissus is seen as a revolutionary film within the British film industry and has inspired many of todays top directors. For example Scorsese has said before how influential both Powell and Pressburger have been to his work, and have even stated how Powell was the one that gave him the idea for Raging Bull to be in black and white. The use of the different colours to represent moods and emotions would later be used throughout cinema but this was on of the first influential films to do this. 

Bibliography

Bradshaw, P 2005 - The Guardian - http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2005/aug/05/3

Uhlich, K 2012 - Time Out magazine - http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2005/aug/05/3

Dawson,T 2005 - BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2005/07/29/black_narcissus_2005_review.shtml

Illustrations

Fig 1 - http://www.cinema.online.lu/loi/MovieImg/2014/5/20140523143517_29490.jpg

Fig 2 - http://www.cinemas-online.co.uk/images/632-black-narcissus.jpeg

Fig 3 - http://celluloidoptimist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Narcissus.jpg

Edward Scissor Hands Film Review

fig 1.

Tim Burnton's Edward Scissorhands (1990) is a movie that shows the depiction of isolation and how this can affect people when they are introduced into society. Edward had been living on his own for many years in isolation and then was introduced into a picturesque town where everyone knows everyone and the introduction of a new strange character will have the whole town talking. As Rodger Ebert said "He is intended, I think, as an everyman, a universal figure like one of the silent movie clowns, who exists on a different plane from the people he meets in his adventures." (Rodger Ebert 1990)

fig 2.

One of the visually enticing features within this movie is all down to the production designer, Bo Welch, who was responsible for the design of this picturesque town in which the film is set. The brightly coloured town which appears to be based on the 60s, with the classic retro pieces of furniture and the houses all brightly coloured and all on different colour schemes to help define the residents individuality. The look and feel of the town is very artificial. The way in which there is this quite town where everyone is stuck in their ways and has their routines down. Then in the background of this town we see a big dark, eerie house on top of an out of place mountain. The people in the town rarely even seem to acknowledge the existence of this place, Edwards home, during the start of the film but as it goes on so does the use of this part of the town. Which some people believe is used to represent the dark side of this quaint little town. As Peter Travers said "lives in a dark, musty mansion overlooking a small town of pastel-colored tract houses." (Peter Travers 1990)



fig 3.

The way in which Edward acts within the film is how you would expect a 'person' who has been in isolation for almost off of their life to act. He has had no interaction with a human for how many years after his creator had passed away. We see this in a dramatic flashback scene where Edward was finally about to receive his hands. When first entering the society of this town Edward is the talk of the town, something new to disrupt the repetitive lives of the people who live in the town. Everyone wants to meet him and after first meeting him they all want to be friends with him, the new, strange person who in reality isn't even a person. Throughout the story we see the views on Edward change very quickly as the towns people start to loose their obsession with the towns new feature and they start to realize Edwards strange behavior and even though his intentions are always in the right place. Being the shy and timid person that he is, he is always seen as the bad guy because of his odd features, his hands, which people see more as weapons then Edwards actual hands. As said by Desson Howe "Those blades turn out to be Rodin-tested when it comes to lonely women's hairdos, poodles and garden shrubbery. But they're not so good with people; he keeps hurting himself and others unintentionally." (Desson Howe 1990)

fig 4.

Throughout the film we see an attraction from Edward towards Kim, the daughter of the Peg, the woman who took Edward in. Edward and his somewhat primitive mind at points seems infatuated with Kim almost from before the two characters even meet, when we see Edwards admiring a picture of Kim when he first enters Peg's house. As the film goes on we can see a sense of caring start to build within Kim but it seems more of a sympathy rather then of attraction. What helped push lovers storyline between Edward and Kim was Kim's boyfriend Jim. Jim is seen as the antagonist in this film, always treating Edward like he's less of a person and picks on him. This backfires on him as it pushes Kim away from him and towards Edward. This is another factor that builds tension between Jim and Edward. All of this tension builds up to its boiling point in the final scenes where a fight between Jim and Edward takes place. The result of this fight is a rather anti climactic ending for the film. As Jim threatens Kim which leads to Edwards protecting her and stabbing Jim with his hands.

This very shortly results in the end of the film, with Edwards staying in the original old dark mansion at the top of the cliff in which he was found in but in a different way than before as after the experience he is portrayed as more human then as previously seen.

Bibliography

Ebert. R 1990 - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/edward-scissorhands-1990 

Travers. P 1990 - http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/edward-scissorhands-19901214

Howe. D 1990 - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/edwardscissorhandspg13howe_a0b2c5.htm

Images

Fig 1 - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3b/Edwardscissorhandsposter.JPG

Fig 2 - http://modern-vinyl.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Edward-Scissorhands.jpg

Fig 3 -https://roisinmcloughlin.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/castle1-500x3122.jpg

Fig 4 -https://fogsmoviereviews.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/edward_scissorhands_haircut1.png 

La Belle et la Bete Film Review

When watching Jean Cocteau's Le Belle et la Bete one of the first things that you notice is the similarity between the film and, rather then beauty and the beast, as you would expect, it reminds most viewers of Cinderella. With the two 'beautiful' sisters who have fancy gowns, expensive jewellery and think very highly of themselves. Whereas on the other hand there is the third, less fortunate sister, Bella, who has to clean the house, scrub the floors. As said by John Sunier "escapes a Cinderella-like situation in which her mean older sisters have made her their servant in the house." (John Sunier 2011). From this though it gives us a sense of Bella's innocence from the way in which she carries out all of these tedious chores but still keeps a simile on her face and never complains. Compared to her two sisters who can moan about the smallest of things. We have seen this scenario throughout many different films to date, which gives watching La Belle et la Bete an almost nostalgic feel and familiarity.

(fig 1.)

Although that being said it doesn't take long to get into the classic Beauty and the Beast storyline. We first see the recognisable features that you can recognise from the story that we all know. We first see this when Bella's father gets lost when travelling home. He stumbles across the Beasts house and we enter a magical world where the doors open themselves, the candles light themselves with hands holding them that move for the directional light. Statues are alive and their eyes would follow the characters, you are drawn into a wonderful world of magic and also have a sense of eeriness. This is the first time we see anything unworldly and magical in this otherwise so far realistic story. We can see this point backed up from critic reviews, "The Beast's dwelling is one of the strangest ever put on film--Xanadu crossed with Dali. Its entrance hall is lined with candelabra held by living human arms that extend from the walls."(Roger Ebert 1999).

(fig 2.)

La Bella et la Bete has had a huge influence in a lot of today's big cinema pictures such as the Disney film 'Beauty and the Beast' which follows a very similar story line. You can also see its influence throughout a lot of other television show plot and also other films. The influential story line is one of a tale of a beautiful woman falling in love with a 'beast' for the person he is rather then what he looks like.

(fig 3.)

For its time and the struggle of production for the time, being in France just after the second world war, this film should be one to be looked back on as one of the most influential films. The plot being recycled to this day and the special effects used to create the Beast's magnificent magical castle. Not only that but the make up used to create the Beast, as primitive as it looks in modern time, was a feat at the time of production and took 5 hours a day to complete. As said by John Sunier " detailed and original Beast makeup for Jean Marais, which took five hours to put on each day." (John Sunier 2011)



Bibliography
 Sunier, J. July 17, 2011 Beauty and the Beast, Audiophile Audition
http://www.audaud.com/2011/07/beauty-and-the-beast-blu-ray-19462011/

Ebert, R. December 26 1999 Beauty and the Beast, RodgerEbert.com
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-beauty-and-the-beast-1946


Illustration list

Fig 1 - La Bella et la Bete Film poster.
http://cineclap.free.fr/la-belle-et-la-bete-1946/la-belle-et-la-bete-1946-a02.jpg?lzv1ok

Fig 2 - Bellas father in the Beasts house.
http://www.showfilmfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/belle-et-la-bete-1946-28-g.jpg

Fig 3 - Bella and the Beast.
https://wecanthearthemime.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/beautybeast.jpg

Space Oddities: 2001 A Space Odyssey Review

Fig 1.

When watching Stanley Kubricks '2001: A Space Odyssey' there are several defining moments that you will have seen manipulated or transformed in some way throughout the history of cinema post 'A Space Odyssey'. As James Berardinelli said "Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Despite gaining additional adherents and growing more respected with each passing day."(J. Berardinelli)  With this film there is a much deeper meaning then simply the plot. In a way this is a plus due to the difficulty to fully understand the story without leaving the viewing full of confusion and thought. You can see similarity's from this film with recent blockbusters such as Interstellar. Not only that but shows such as The Simpsons have had their own versions of this story by Kubrick. This shows us how influential this motion picture has been for cinematography, still being referenced years after its initial release. 

Fig 2.

Throughout the film there is very little character development that takes place. This is partially because Kubrick was focusing on something deeper then just the characters and their journey through the story, but rather focusing on the viewers journey. We can see this from a quote from Rodger Eberts review on the film "There is hardly any character development in the plot, then, as a result little suspense. What remains fascinating is the fanatic care with which Kubrick has built his machines and achieved his special effects." (R. Ebert 1968). Another reason in which it is believed that character development was kept to a minimal is due to the state of the character. You jump from characters to characters and there are times where you wont see the character again once the switch has happened. Such as the apes at the start for example. Not only that but one of the main characters is a computer named Hal. The way in which Kubrick depicted this sinister machine was brilliant. He was subtle yet slowly used to portray a view that may have been from Kubrick which might possibly be to not trust machines. 

Fig 3.

Another aspect you can see come through with the inspiration of this film is simply the time of production. The film was made in the late 60's, a time where a lot of people would consume psychedelic drugs. One of the main scenes is when David Bowman ( Keir Dullea) enters the space time tunnel. Kubrick uses a lot of different coloured and streaking flashing lights which many people have described as a 'trip'. This can been seen even from viewers who have not consumed any substances, it feels as if you're being drawing through the portal a long with Bowman. The use of the high speed zooming and the alteration of the lights is visually stimulating and also a very impressive piece of visual effects for the time. We can see the influence of the time due to the reaction of the audience when it first was out in cinema. As Bill Gibron said in his review when talking about viewing the movie for the first time " 2001 wasn’t done screwing with my underdeveloped brain. Not by a long shot. As the scent of marijuana mixed with Tic Tacs filled the theater, that infamous space baby made his grand finale entrance, and frankly, I was floored." (Bill Gibron, 2005).

2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the films that will always be a classic and revolutionary in the cinematic world. The complexity of the idea and the plot joined in with the endless meanings behind it. Not only that but just the experience that it can bring to the viewer, in past or present. This will be a film that will stay in your mind and you will not forget about for a good amount of time to come, if its the extensiveness of Kubricks prolonging methods or about the difficulty to understand and comprehend what you just watched. 

Bibliography

Fig 1 - http://www.strangehorizons.com/2010/20101018/2001movie.gif

Fig 2 - https://1989nineteeneightynine.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/2001-a-space-odyssey-hal9000-hd-wallpapers.jpg 

Fig 3 - http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/styles/article_main_half/public/images/326502.jpg?itok=V4fIY7NU 

References 

Berardinelli, J. - http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/2001-a-space-odyssey

Ebert, R.(1968) - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/2001-a-space-odyssey-1968

Gibron, B. (2005) - http://www.popmatters.com/feature/2001-a-space-odyssey-050802/

Space Oddities: King Kong (1933)

When talking about classic stand out, revolutionary films, King Kong (1933) will appear on the majority of peoples list. This timeless classic has a story so different to anything prior to it viewers found it extremely intriguing and it was a completely new cinematic experience. Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, King Kong was different from many of the films of the time such as Metropolis (1927) in the way that even though it was only produced 6 years later it actually contained dialogue sound, whereas Metropolis was a silent film with a score put over it for dramatic effects. We can see this point backed up from Almar Hifladason " "King Kong" defies such limited expectations because it was so ahead of its time."(Almar Hifladason 2001) This is a huge just in cinema history, even though Kong was not the first film to contain dialogue it was one of the bigger original ones making it stand out to viewers everywhere.

Fig 1.

                   

When watching King Kong there are a few things that particularity stand out. One of these was the use of different background objects to portray depth and also allowed Cooper and Schoedsack to take the viewers to different lands that didn't exist and would have been hard to travel to or to build at the time of production. The way in which they would do this is by having the front of the stage filled with actors on a set within a studio. They would then use smaller objects in the distance to try and use perspective to make it appear to be in some cases hundreds of meters away. Then behind this layer of smaller objects we would see the main background of  the set created by a matte painting. The use of these three different factors allowed scenes to take place and not just appear to be a different setting but it would draw the viewer in to try and inspect to see what was causing these visually enticing effects.  

Fig 2.

Another aspect of King Kong that stands out to the modern viewer is how trapped in time this film is. We can see the racial stereotypes of the time come through with the portrayal of both Kong and the people of Skull Island. At the time of filming people of different races where in segregation. People of colour where seen as less of a person then white people. We can see this from where Rodger Ebert said "Modern viewers will shift uneasily in their seats during the stereotyping of the islanders in a scene where a bride is to be sacrificed to Kong"(Rodger Ebert 2002) When watching this film in our current times you can immediately see how the time difference comes into play with the portrayal of the Asian man on the ship, he was dressed in stereotypical clothing and was made to preform stereotypical actions. We can also see this racial divide when it came to portraying the people of Skull Island. They where shown preforming actions which can be seen as very offensive and if this film was produced in modern times then it definitely would not have been produced the way in which it was. As disturbing as the stereotypes and segregation is it is also very interesting to watch as it is almost a window back in time. You get to see the attitudes towards different people over 80 years ago. 

Fig 3.

We can also see the obsession with race, that was going on at the time of production, within the relationship between Kong and Fay Wray, the blonde hair woman. It is said that Kong's obsession with Fay Wray is to represent the desire of interracial relationships of the time.

Regardless of all of these outdated stereotyping and controversy King Kong is still seen as one of the all time greatest monster films made. This is clear in the simple face that the story has been remade twice to allow viewers to see the spectacle in better quality. Even though the remakes have been in better quality it is hard to remake the nostalgia from the original and just knowing that is what set the ways for so many of today's blockbusters. As Mark Smith from the LA Times said " "King Kong" has come to epitomize one of Hollywood's earliest, best and funniest (often unintentionally so) attempts at horror fantasy--it's evolved into monster kitsch. The story, like "Frankenstein" and "Dracula," has taken on the significance of a modern folk tale, layered with obvious moralizing and as familiar as personal history." (Mark Smith 1991).

Bibliography
Fig 1 - http://cine-real.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/116.jpg

Fig 2 - https://burrellosubmarinemovies.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/kingkong1933-mood.jpg

Fig 3 - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWoOVIFrMayukqwNpQIeEYtnc-xYabDmJSFXuSud_JqbUTfUZXO-4S4vlL3JF1yVB98QuJp-Ne2FKwpb_OwFA_LT1A2cBzszzjsSFbybCGDXDUjdPA7cZXLj4FWDPmFgRijt_kcGV8mI/s1600/King-Kong-1933-film-crew-Skull-Island-natives.png

References
HAFLIDASON, A. (2001) - http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/01/30/king_kong_1933_review.shtml

EBERT, R. (2002) - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-king-kong-1933

SMITH, M. (1991) - http://articles.latimes.com/1991-10-24/news/ol-253_1_king-kong

Space Oddities: Metropolis (1927) Film Review

When thinking of the original impact films that paved the way for today's cinematic industry it would be impossible to overlook Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis' (1927). Just from viewing this film you can see how actions and techniques where used in some of today's most influential films. When trying to describe the plot of the movie and what it is about this can be challenging to an extent as there is such confusion yet understanding. As Rodger Ebert said "The movie has a plot that defies common sense, but its very discontinuity is a strength. It makes "Metropolis" hallucinatory--a nightmare without the reassurance of a steadying story line." Rodger Ebert (1998). The film has an underlying eeriness about it which makes it a horror / sci-fi. There are no visually scary moments that will make you jump out of your seat with your heart pounding through your chest, rather it is a fear that you will feel deep within you when contemplating the idea of a Metropolis.






fig 1.




One of the most impressive features of this film is the set of the Metropolis. When watching it we can see clearly that the sets are not just simply 2d matte paintings, rather then actual buildings. To create this effect of having a real Metropolis city Lang used model sets and camera trickery to make these visually enticing sets (fig 2). Making it appear that a city, which would be extremely futuristic for the time of production, to be of a full scale and extremely realistic for the time. Due to this it could be said that Lang is one of the pioneers in special effects along with Robert Wiene.









fig 2


As beautiful as we see Metropolis conveyed as the big futuristic city with sky scrapers and roads on different levels, there is another level of the city that is much darker and is what brings in the eeriness of this movie. The other part of the city is a workers city which is underneath the Metropolis. The reasoning for this workers city is to keep Metropolis running. The heartless big company owner, Jon Frederson, has no regards for this city which lies underneath his Metropolis other then it is needed to keep his city running. The workers within the city are stuck on repetitive paths of life having 10 hour shifts on and off. From the first scene you see these men who are forced to work are shells of people who have nothing to live for apart from attending work. This is one of the aspects that gives the film its eeriness as it shows the two different aspects of this amazing city. Above the surface everything is beautiful with incredible structures and buildings, where on the other hand there are people who have no lives and are forced to run the city below it in the depths and darkness. This could be said to show the two different sides of things and how nothing can be perfect without a dark side. As Nev Price said "With its immense sets and stark lighting, the workers' city is a credible image of hell, while the overground landscapes were a seminal influence on all subsequent science fiction." (Nev Price 2003)










Fig 3.


Another aspect of this film that particuarly stands out is the story line with the character Maria. We see two sides of Maria, well of her body that is. When we first see her the main character, Freder, she is portrayed as a beautiful woman who is kind and loving. We can see this from the way she is looking after children and the way in which she moves, soft and elegantly. But later in the film we can see how Lang's plot comes into play with Maria.When she is kidnapped by the sinister inventor Rotwang. When being kidnapped we see the iconic scene of her being chased by the inventor but this is represented in her running through dark catacombs but the only light is from a spotlight being shined by the inventor. Lang used a combination of dramatic music and lighting a long with exaggerated movements from the actress to portray the fear that should be felt during the chase. The inventor then uses Maria to create an evil version to manipulate men. The part of this that stands out the most of this is the movements by the evil Maria. To show the difference between the two we can see that evil Maria has very jerky movements almost appearing as stop motion, whereas the original is still elegant and smooth with her movements. As said by Rodger Ebert "The good Maria, always bathed in light, seems to be the caretaker of the worker's children" Compared to the evil version manipulating men with her "The lascivious dance of the false Maria, as the workers look on, the screen filled with large, wet, staring eyeballs." (Rodger Ebert 2010)






Overall we can see a lot of political messages behind Metropolis with many people saying that Lang's personality came through with this film trying to portray the injustices within society at the time.






References:


Rodger Ebert (1998) - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-metropolis-1927


Nev Pierce (2003) - http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/01/06/metropolis_1927_review.shtml


Rodger Ebert (2010) - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-metropolis-2010-restoration-1927


Fig 1 - http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNDAzNTkyODg1MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDA3NDkwMDE@._V1_SX214_AL_.jpg


Fig 2 - https://flavorwire.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/metro1.jpg


Fig 3 - http://www.rowthree.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Metropolis-workers.jpg

Space Oddities: Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari Review

When watching Robert Wiene's 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)' there is always one thing that stands out to the viewer. This is the use of the abstract painted set used throughout the film. All of the background sets where two dimensional paintings which are wonderfully designed using slanted walls, distorted perspective and many other styles that you would never find in a modern day film. The use of these sets combined with the black and white camera, which was not used by choice rather as a necessity at the time, immediately gives the viewer an eerie feel which represents the genera (horror) that they are watching.

Fig 1. 

Along with Wiene's use of abstract sets he is also considered one of the pioneers for what is now modern day horrors. You notice this from the use of shots that when viewing they immediately send you back into your memory and scenes of a similar nature of recent films come flooding to mind. One of these iconic scenes is when we can see Jane (Lil Dagover) asleep in bed. While this is happening at the front of the shot in the background you see Caesar (Conrad Veidt), Dr. Caligaris somnambulist, creep into her room and kidnap her (fig 2). When watching this the viewer can tell that Weine is trying to convey that the only people who can see what is going on in the background is the viewer. A technique rarely, if ever, used before within a feature film. Where as when watching modern horrors we can see this technique used in near enough every one in some way be it small or large. We can see this point backed up from Rodger Eberts review of the film from where he said '"Caligari" is said to be the first example in cinema of German Expressionism, a visual style in which not only the characters but the world itself is out of joint. I don't know of another film that used its extreme distortions and discordant angles'

Fig 2.

Another way in which Wiene draws in the audiences attention is due to the over exaggerated movements of the actors within the film. The use of these exaggerations helps to compensate for the lack of dialogue in the film. When scene that should have conversations between two characters in you could almost tell what was being said between them just from the visual movements and over exaggerated reactions. The use of these exaggerated movements and the obscure camera angles gives the viewer a real feel of what the character is feeling at the time. We can see this several times from close up shots of Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss) you can see the look of mischievous and suspiciousness on the characters face portrayed using up to several different facial expressions within one shot. What also draws the viewers into these shots is Wiene's use of outlines and boarders. He would have shots which appear to be zooming into the characters face (fig 3). At times it was a normal shot with everything blacked out apart from the characters face giving the illusion of zoom and taking all of the viewers focus and putting in to this one character.

Fig 3.

Another way in which The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari draws in viewers and their attention is quite simply the story line. The use of the characters within the story line was portrayed brilliantly by Weine, building suspicion on some characters, and having others seem as a hero to some aspect such as one of the main characters Francis (Friedrich Feher). But from watching the film you can see how the use of the story line, which you at assume to be a simple and predictable story, the characters develop and there are twists and turns that had not even been considered by the viewer.

Fig 4.

 The combination of the abstract set, with bending buildings and sharp shadows, and the use of obscure camera shots along with exaggeration and twists and turns in the story line there is no trouble seeing how this classic horror has helped paved the way for horror films to come with very distinguishable moments that can give flashbacks of horrors to any viewer.

References:

Quote - Rodger Ebert - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-the-cabinet-of-dr-caligari-1920

Images:

Fig 1 -https://karamelkinema.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/dc00.png?w=640&h=500

Fig 2 - http://i.ytimg.com/vi/imyo9E7GbIU/maxresdefault.jpg

Fig 3 - http://ludditerobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/caligari14.jpg

Fig 4 - https://1001films.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/vlcsnap-2887143.png