A Clockwork Orange

 
1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class, it was brought up that after A Clockwork Orange was released, many people tried to imitate the crimes displayed in the film. In this film, Alex and his friends would rape women and be brutally violent. Alex himself was a sociopath. For people to imitate what he and his associates did is horrific. It was also said that the film was pulled from theaters due to its' controversial reviews. I, personally agree that this film was a bit too dark and therefore should not be viewed by the public.
 
2. Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.

The article, Stanley Kubrick Was Even Cheaper Than We Thought by Kendall Ashley talks about how Stanley Kubrick was known as being imaginative and for challenging film making. However, he was also known to be cheap. 

Entertainment Weekly interviewed Malcolm McDowell. McDowell addressees the rumors of Kubrick being cheap. There was a conflict between Gene Kelly and Kubrick because apparently, Kubrick never paid him for the use of 'Singing in the Rain'.  McDowell said, "Oh, yeah. He was cheap. And of course, I roared with laughter. Of course, he never paid him. He thought it was enough that "Stanley Kubrick" was going to use the song. That’s what he thought."

Kubrick failed at making friends in Hollywood. His previous film, 2001: A Space Odyssey ran way over budget. Thus, forcing Kubrick to film A Clockwork Orange on a very low budget. Kubrick did not intentionally use Kelly's song. In an attempt to escape realism, Kubrick advised McDowell to sing and dance. McDowell improvised and instantly began to use 'Singing in the Rain.'

McDowell says, "I jumped up and started singing "Singin’ in the Rain" as an improv, on the beats, slapping, kicking, boom. And why did I do that? Because [that song is] Hollywood’s gift to the world of euphoria. And that’s what the character is feeling at the time. So Stanley shoved me in the car, we drove back to his house, and he bought the rights to "Singin’ in the Rain." We came back, he constructed what happened in the rehearsal and for the next week, we shot it. And it’s sort of the key moment in the film, really. And then he was brilliant because he worked it into the plot that that’s how the writer knows it’s me because I’m singing it in the bathtub [later]. That was very clever." Kubrick will forever be known as a genius, but he may also be known as a cheap man forever.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Stanley-Kubrick-Was-Even-Cheaper-Than-We-Thought-68468.html

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.

The song, 'Singing in the Rain' is very significant to the film. It brings the plot, full circle.  Although McDowell did not intentionally use the song, he still did nevertheless. Therefore, he should've paid Gene Kelly for its' use. That is why I do agree that Stanley Kubrick is a genius, but he is indeed cheap. 

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.  

Overall, I did not like A Clockwork Orange. It had violent moments that I found to be disturbing and hard to stomach. The plot of the film is great, but I do not think it is for everyone. The fact that when it was first released, people tried to copy the acts that were portrayed is a very scary thought. Stanley Kubrick may be cheap, but he is a very good director. He gave Malcolm McDowell the freedom to improvise a significant part in the film and figured out a way to use it throughout the film. A Clockwork Orange is not for everyone, but everyone should attempt to watch it. 

The Graduate

1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class, we talked about how films in color began in 1964. The Graduate came out in 1967. Therefore, the film was in color. When the film first came on, it was a good feeling to finally be watching a movie in full color. The content was also more forward than it used to be due to the Miracle Case.

2. Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.

The article, Why Mike Nichols got the gig to direct 'The Graduate' by Darby Maloney is an interview with producer Lawrence Turman after Mike Nichols death. Maloney asked Why Turman wanted Mike Nichols to direct 'The Graduate'. Turman said that Mike Nichos had only directed 'Barefoot in the Park' and "...I saw as just oozing smart, sensitive, funny direction." Therefore, he thought it'd be a perfect match; even investing his own money. 

When asked what attributes Mike Nichols brought to the film, he replied , "He's smart. He's funny. He's pinpointed. He has great people skills." He thought he would be a great director. He then continues to compliment him by saying, "...he seems to have intuitively the key to whatever it is that unlocks that person's security and confidence." 

Turman and Nichols had a great artistic relationship. Turman would come up with an idea and Nichols would say it's stupid. However, late on that night, Nichols would call Truman and say, "You know I've been thinking...." They would then have a "productive discussion."

http://www.scpr.org/programs/the-frame/2014/11/20/40452/why-mike-nichols-got-the-gig-to-direct-the-graduat/

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.

This article is saying that Turman got Mike Nichols to direct this film. He got him to film it because he saw his potential. He knew that Mike Nichols was smart, sensitive and funny and that's the kind of film "The Graduate" is. Turman liked his directing style of being able to make people feel comfortable, thus being able to direct them more easily. 


4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.
  
Personally, I do not like this film. I think there were funny moments, but overall it did not interest me. Mike Nichols directing style of comedy mixed with sensitivity is not my cup of tea. However, it seems as though the artistic collaboration was phenomenal.

The Big Sleep

1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class, one of the first things that was mentioned was that Humphrey Bogart starred in yet another film we were going to watch. This intrigued me because I like Bogart's acting style. It was then said that his costar was also well known and that she is supposed to be just like Bogart. Ms. Bacall is indeed Bogart, as a female. Their level of toughness and independence is well played and interesting. I felt like it kept the film going.

2. Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.

The article, Mystery of 'The Big Sleep' Solved, by William Grimes discusses how The Big Sleep became a success. "The 1946 film that audiences have known and loved is actually a revised version of an unreleased ''Big Sleep'' that was made in late 1944 and early 1945 and left forgotten in the Warner Brothers vaults for nearly half a century." The preservation officer of the Film and Television Archive at the University of California at Los Angeles, Bob Gitt discovered the original version. The 1942 version, which is the revised version was cut down so 18 minutes of new material could be added. The new material included more interactions between Ms. Bacall and her sister, Carmen with Bogart.

Since the revised version was cut down, some of the necessary scenes that explained the plot were eliminated. Therefore, making the film hard to follow. However, these new scenes made the film more interesting. ''The original is more linear, a bit clearer and somehow a little less intriguing. Stylistically it's less exotic.''

The original Big Sleep was not released when it was supposed to because World War II was coming to an end and Warner Brothers were worried that war related films would be dated and therefore they rushed the films to be released. Confidential Agent was one of those films, which starred Ms. Bacall. "Unfortunately, the film was a failure that put her career in jeopardy." That is why they added more Bogart-Bacall interactions to show the same insolent and provocative nature that she had in 'To Have and Have Not'.

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/09/movies/mystery-of-the-big-sleep-solved.html

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.

The article relates to the film because it explains why the film is the way that it is. To me, the actual plot was incomplete. I felt like pieces were missing. I thought they focused more on Bogart and Bacall's relationship more than they did on the storyline. This article just clarified my feelings. The parts of the film that explained the plot, were cut out to add in more scenes between Bogart and Bacall because Warner Brothers couldn't afford to lose Bacall.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

Now that I've read this article, explaining how this film was made the way that it was I don't think it is very good. I liked it, don't get me wrong, but the storyline is incomplete. This film was not about the actual plot, but about saving Ms. Bacall's career. Although the acting was good and intriguing, it takes more than that to be a good film.

Casablanca

1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

This week, we watched the film Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz. In class, we talked about how the film industry began a propaganda industry. Casablanca is an anti- Nazi propaganda film. In the film, there was even a scene in "Rick's Café Americain" where Nazi soldiers began singing to show their patriotism and everyone else began singing to show their patriotism. Eventually, the Nazi's realized they were being out sang and stopped singing and sat down.

2. Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.

The article, "The lessons of 'Casablanca' still apply, as time goes by" by Nicolaus Mills explains what was happening in the world when 'Casablanca' came out. "Few films have benefited as much from the real-world geopolitics surrounding them as "Casablanca," which opened on Thanksgiving 1942, when the nation was well into World War II, at New York's Hollywood Theater. Just 18 days earlier in Operation Torch, the Allies had invaded North Africa with a force of 65,000; among the cities they quickly captured was Casablanca." Everyone knew that 'Casablanca' needed to take advantage of this perfect opportunity. People wanted 'Casablanca.' People needed 'Casablanca.'

This film is extremely patriotic. Rick Blaine helps get his former lover, Ilsa Lund and her husband, the Czech resistance leader, Victor Laszlo escape safely to Lisbon by giving them stolen letters of transit. As Rick is saying goodbye, he tells Ilsa, "I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world." He puts the well being of the country before his own.

Then the article relates 'Casablanca' back to present day. Mills says, "But what does resonate in our post-9/11 world is Rick's complexity. Rick is a loner who won't let his idealism get the better of his pragmatism."

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/07/opinion/mills-casablanca/

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.

The article shows the time of 1942, when all Hell was breaking lose and all that the people had left was their patriotism. They wanted to help each other break free of the Germans while also helping themselves, if they could. The entangled love triangle of Rick Blaine, Ilsa Lund and Victor Laszlo proves that patriotism is bigger than love and bigger than just an individual. Patriotism affects the whole country.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

I think Casablanca is a good film because it's historically accurate. The story itself may not be true, but the Nazi's invading people's daily lives and the American dream is. Everyone wanted to go to America because they could start over, they could be free and safe. They would do any and everything to get to America. It would be almost impossible to be able to leave Casablanca without a letter of transit. Casablanca address all of this.

Citizen Kane

1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

Citizen Kane is based off of the newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst. Obviously, once the word got out that it was based off of Hearst, the Hearst media empire tried to suppress the film. The film showed Hearsts' life story and how everyone viewed him. There were mostly negative thoughts pertaining Hearst and that showed in the film. In the film, most people thought Kane was self-centered and did not particularly like him. The same way people felt about Hearst.

2. Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.

This article basically tells the life of William Randolph Hearst as a newspaper mogul. Apparently Hearst was both born and he died in California, but he was a true New Yorker. He did all of his business in New York. Trying to change the city in the process. Hearst wanted to become mayor, running twice, but not winning. Whenever he wanted something, he just bought it and didn't care how it affected anyone else. "Hearst was a man who got everything he wanted and then lost it." He'd go through so much just to build his empire, but it slowly crumpled. No one fully knows the reasoning behind a lot of the projects he started, but couldn't finish. He bought whole buildings, built chapels, built an empire. He did it all or at least he tried to.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E1DD1439F930A35750C0A9649D8B63

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.

In the film, there was a moment when Kane decided to buy an entire newspaper just because it seemed fun to him. In the article, it is mentioned that Hearst wanted to lease two floors inside of a building ad the landlord wouldn't let him so he just bought the whole building. Orson Welles definitely got Hearst's personality correct with that one. He did things just because he could. Also, in the article it says how Hearst had a movie studio in which his mistress starred in about a third of the productions. That is just like in the film, Kane had his mistress performing all of the time. Even when she didn't want to. Even though the audience didn't really like her. He still made her do it. Almost everything that is presented in the article correlates to the film. There is no doubt that Welles based Citizen Kane off of William Randolph Hearst.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

Citizen Kane is sort of like a biography. It shows William Hearst's life perfectly. It may not be exact stories, but they're definitely based off of him. Orson Welles used the major newspaper mogul to make his first film. The amount of money, research and time that went into this film is evident. This has to be my favorite film that we've viewed so far because I can directly see where the story came from. Welles theatrical background definitely helped him when he decided to make this film. For this to be his first film and it's known as one of the greatest movies in history is absolutely amazing.

Gone with the Wind

1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class, we talked about how Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and after watching the movie I see why. McDaniel's role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind was a very intricate part of the film. Her being the house slave and therefore always watching over Scarlett played a huge role. McDaniel would constantly scold Scarlett for the way she was acting, for the things she was doing. If it wasn't for Mammy, I think the film would've went in a totally different direction.

2. Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.

The article, A Man's Man off the Screen Too, written by Joe Hyams is about how down to earth Clark Gable was. "...Clark Gable, the original macho man of movies.." was not only loved by women, but admired by men as well. According to Hyams, Gable made all of his roles believable and that's what was so good about him.

Hyams then tells the story of when he met Clark Gable. They met in the Fall of 1951 in New York while Gable was promoting his latest film, "Across the Wide Missouri." They met at the hotel that Gable was staying at. Gable had an errand to run and asked if Hyams would accompany him and they would talk on the way. Instead of taking a limo like the big movie star he was, Gable chose to walk down Manhattan's streets like a normal individual.

On their little adventure, fans immediately recognized Clark Gable and began to follow him. It went from a small crowd to almost a parade of people following behind them. However, Gable was unconcerned by the amount of fans. When they got to their destination, Gable had obviously ordered a gun that he had to go pick up. He tests the gun out for a few, compliments the man for being a good gunsmith and they leave.

On their way back to the hotel, they took a cab. At a stop light, a woman screamed his name because she recognized who he was. Immediately, a crowd of hysterical women crowded around the cab, trying to open the doors. Gable simply locked them and waited for the police to clear the crowd. All while he smiled and waved to the women.

http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jan/28/entertainment/ca-17918

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.

The article showed me how Clark Gable was known for being a man's man. He was confident in himself and the most masculine man anyone's ever seen. Rhett Butler was also a confident man. Rhett Butler had dark, good lucks and a wild behavior that made people talk. Clark Gable was born for the part. He is naturally, tall, dark and handsome with an I don't care attitude. Life just sort of happened and he went with the flow of things. The same way I feel like Rhett Butler was.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

The film, Gone with the Wind is an all around great movie. The actors individually made their roles significant. Hattie McDaniel was the first black American to win an Oscar. She made the role, her role. There was a long, grueling process when trying to cast the role of Mammy and McDaniel got it. I believe she got it for a reason. Clark Gable was already a known actor, but his career was definitely heightened by Gone with the Wind. In my opinion, he was made for the role of Rhett Butler. Gone with the Wind made great actors, but without those great actors it would not have been as successful.


 

Stagecoach

1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

The focus of this week is the Western genre. Western genre usually focuses on a wandering cowboy or gunfighter who ends up usually having a showdown. In the film, Stagecoach that is the same case. This is the story of the Ringo Kid and everyone else he encounters. He is a fugitive who is searching for Luke Plummer in Lordsburg. In the end, they have a showdown and Luke Plummer s killed. Kid is arrested and the Western film is over.

2. Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.

The article, 'Stagecoach' remains a film masterpiece by Larry Robinson praises John Ford. Robinson talks about where Ford is from and where he got his start. Ford started with "Birth of a Nation" as an extra with D.W. Griffith. Robinson continues to talk about the other great accomplishments that Ford has done in film. Apparently, no one supported 'Stagecoach' except the screenwriter, Dudley Nichols and John Ford himself. Although no one supported him, Ford was already respected in the film industry and therefore decided to go forward with 'Stagecoach' on his own. He got a script, budget and cast of known and unknown actors.

Nichols and Ford did not like too much dialogue so they used the same basic format for this film as they did previous silent films. Ford also had a very controversial moment. He decided to use actual Native Americans to play Native Americans which was frowned upon in this time period. The audience appreciated the way the film was shot with the races across the flats. "It's the chase across the flats that keeps audiences enthralled by "Stagecoach." Ford put his camera beneath the racing coach, so we get the awesome rush of raging hoofbeats passing right over our heads." The dangerous stunts that were done were done by a rodeo champion named, Yakima Canutt. "Admiral John Ford made 140 films, but if all he's remembered for is "Stagecoach," hey, how bad is that?"

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/entertainment/movies/2014/09/11/reel-film-larry-robinson-john-ford/15407035/

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.

Learning that John Ford wanted 'Stagecoach' and didn't have much support shows in the film. It's shown by how successful it is. This film was one of his babies. He casted, known and unknown actors for his film. A lot of the time, big named directors do not cast unknown actors. They work with only the best, but John Ford decided that he wanted John Wayne as his star and he made it happen. Ford was dedicated to making 'Stagecoach' great, even if that meant doing it alone.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.
Personally, I admire John Ford's dedication. He was not supported on this film, but he did it anyway. He had unknown actors, real Native Americans, a stunt devil, nice camera angles and sound effects. To think that he started it off with a silent film feel of not too much dialogue and it coming out the way that it did is amazing. I liked this film, a lot. I found it interesting that almost all of the characters were social pariahs, yet they had redeeming qualities that made me pity them.