Ch. 2 Refelction: What is new/review?

 

     I found Chapter 2 to be very interesting, covering new content and reinforcing the knowledge I already had. I've gotten into movies very recently, and until now, I have not given camera angles/cinematography too much thought. But seeing all the different types of shots (close-up, medium, long, low-angle, high-angle, etc) really has me thinking about all of my favorite films and how the cameras affect what I am seeing. I first thought about the close-up shot of the spinning top in Christopher Nolan's Incepetion, which I talked about in a previous blog post. With a deeper understanding of shots, I can try to understand what the director wanted to accomplish. I was also unfamiliar with non-diegetic sounds. Thinking of a non-diegetic musical score, the first thing that pops up in my head is the training montage from Rocky IV. I don't know why, but that is just ingrained in my memory. 

    Something that was reviewed is the concept of explicit vs implicit meaning. With anything such as music, art, or film, there will always be a meaning behind the explicit meaning. There isn't always a right or wrong implicit meaning, sometimes it is up to the viewer/reader to understand. I think that is very important. Overall, I thought Ch. 2 was a good read, full of interesting information.

Rear Window Review

 

     Alfred Hitchcock's suspenseful thriller, Rear Window, is far ahead of its time. The 1954 classic has made way for the genre and is still relevant today. The film follows a wheelchair-ridden, travel photographer, who spends his time recovering from a photography-related accident while snooping on the neighbors around him. I personally loved the film. I typically am not super into older films, however, this one piqued my interest. It surely did not feel like a very old film to me. Although it may have started slow, once the halfway point of the film hit, the audience gets sucked in. 

    I would recommend that everybody gives this film a chance. I thought the plot was pretty good, it is simple, but the cinematography makes this film. The film is wrapped up in an intense but seemingly extremely short scene. In the conclusion, the bad guy is caught, arrested, and confesses, all off-screen in a matter of a minute. That really caught me off guard and I am not a huge fan of that abrupt ending. But, the ending fits the films of the time. Ultimately, I rate the film a 7.5/10 for keeping me on my feet. 

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Study Questions

1. The story is about two men, Dr. Caligari and Cesare, who are an act at the fair. Cesare can predict the future and predict the futures of many. Soon after, there was a string of murders in the town. The narrator, Francis, is very suspicious of these two men. He sets off to investigate the murders of the townspeople, including his friend, Alan.

2. The film tells its story with the use of flashbacks throughout the movie, as well as using dialogue cuts.

3. The film uses lighting as well as music throughout the film, as there is no dialogue. The darkness throughout the film creates a very eerie sense and builds to the horror aspect. The sets used in the film are also very unconventional and distorted, which kind of reflects the state of the narrator's mind.

4. The final plot twist is that Francis is in a mental institution, calling into question all of the events that were told. 

5. The plot twist calls the entire plot of the film into question, as well as hurts the credibility of the narrator, Francis. This nontraditional ending to the film forces the audience to think of the film in a new light.

6. Set designs were very simple, yet still had a distorted theme to them. They were simple but got the job done. 

7. The set fits the movie and reflects the sanity of the narrator, as well as the insane plot.

8. I would say this film still has lots of relevance in film today. It has had a great impact on the horror genre and film in general. 

9. Without spoilers, the film Shutter Island, a Scorsese film reminds me lots of Caligari. Both films are completely turned around at the end, leaving the audience with lots of unanswered questions. I was left without knowing what to believe. 

10. I found it interesting to question the reliability of the narrator. It forces me to look at everything that is happening and look a bit deeper into the story. 

A Shot That Sticks Out

    I have watched countless movies, some better than others. Some of the movies that stick out to me the most are the ones where the cinematography is very well executed and adds to the narrative. In one of my favorite films, Christopher Nolan's mind-bending sci-fi film, Inception, the cinematography does a great job adding to the narrative of the film. It does an amazing job expressing the setting inside the characters' minds. One shot in particular that sticks out to me is the shot in the ending scene of the film. 

    The shot of the spinning top at the end of the film stuck with me. This shot works effectively to leave the ending of the film up to the audience's thoughts. The film ends with uncertainty, which is uncomfortable to some. Without spoiling a big part of the film, this shot makes the audience question the reality of this film. It is such a simple shot, yet it holds so much meaning. I don't see how I would do this shot any differently. I would suggest this film to anyone who is looking to watch a film that will capture their attention and leave them with plenty of thoughts. 

 

Introductory Post

 

    Hello everyone! My name is Max Manning, and this is my introductory blog! My favorite films are films that leave me questioning everything at the end. Some of my favorite films are  Inception, Shutter Island, Fight Club, and many others. I also grew up watching all of the Star Wars franchise movies, so they have a lot of significance to me (The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite). My favorite director is definitely Christopher Nolan. Christopher Nolan has directed some of my favorite films, and his type of sci-fi/psychological films are my favorite.

    

     Over the last few years, I have started to love watching movies, so I took this class because film is a subject I am interested in, it also fulfills a gen ed requirement. I don't see myself going into film or media professionally, but I think it is important to have a background. I look forward to getting better at looking deeper into films and cinematography in film, rather than narrative exclusively.