Sunset Boulevard

Billy Wilder’s, black and white classic Sunset Boulevard, takes the audience on a mysterious journey through the life of Hollywood’s fallen star- Norma Desmond. In what seems like the most public place on Earth, we are taken into the depths of a private estate, opening our eyes to the reality of what it is like to be famous, and then forgotten.

Wilder takes us on this incredible journey with Norma Desmond, and her new found love Joe Gillis, with his amazing use of cinematography. He used illumination in a way that created the essence of Norma’s character. Many times throughout the movie, Norma Desmond’s face is covered with a shadow of some sort. It really plays on the idea of Norma herself being a fallen shadow in Hollywood’s glamorous world. She was once at the top of Hollywood, and now she is just a mere shadow. We also see him use light to illuminate her face at the end of the movie- when she believes that she is once again a star in Hollywood. This use of lighting throughout the film created parallels to what was happening in Norma’s life and created for a dramatic feel, even though it was just a black and white movie.

Although volumes are spoken about the character of Norma Desmond throughout this film, it is also intriguing to look at the life of Joe Gillis. After the opening scenes, when we first meet Joe Gillis, we learn that he is currently a struggling writer. Much like Norma Desmond he was once on top, and he seems to slowly be falling in the cruel Hollywood world. As Joe tries to stay afloat he works with Betty Schaefer to create a screenplay worthy of putting him back on top, unfortunately his life ends before he can do so. The intriguing part of this is that he is the one who is telling us the story of his life, and his encounters with Norma Desmond herself. Here he has this wonderful story, one that has the audience captivated, and worthy of becoming a movie, and he is unable to write it all out.

Wilder not only captivates the lives of two struggling people in Hollywood, but he also takes us inside the realm of what being famous is really all about. We are only shown the glamour of Hollywood and a lot of the ups. However Wilder is not afraid to take us down a spiraling path. The long lasting effects of no longer being on top can create a sense of distortion for someone- almost as if they are not living in reality. We see this through the character of Norma Desmond. Her once glamorous and glitzy life has now been traded in for someone who is forgotten, and no longer regarded as the best. We also see that Max- her first husband, helps instill this fantasy in her world. By writing her fan letters that make her think she is still wanted. Through these kind of instances she loses herself in the world of what was and not the world of what is. She has created her own idea of what she is, and refuses to let go of that in fear of losing herself.

 

Sunset Boulevard is a juicy, entrancing movie taking us into the realms of Hollywood. As an audience we are taken on a whirlwind journey through the life of someone who was so passionate about something- that no longer being able to have that can cause a life to come crumbling down. Regarded as an American classic, Sunset Boulevard is a must see movie.

-Paola Ogadzhanova

Rashomon and Culture

             Culture is a precious use of uniqueness in this world of millions. Culture in movies is extremely hard to capture because of complexity it adds in the world. To capture it you not only need languages and architecture, you need to produce in an art form that represents that culture as well. History is another important element of culture, which shows how the people have progressed in their own society. Roshomon is able to show many of these cultural elements within the movie. Some of these elements are directly displayed, like clothing, language, scenery, and in some scenes the way the camera angles are set up.  The other elements are set up symbolically like the plot and its direct comparison to Japanese history. All of these elements of culture combined make a very well produced foreign movie that other world audiences can be understand and find enjoying to watch. Two things Roshomon do exceptionally well with, are its camera angles that in way capture culture and its symbolic plot that connects directly to Japanese history.  

Roshomon is able to produce different views from the camera for the audience to see some areas of culture. As an audience member you have to picture these scenes as almost still life because if you were to pause the movie they’d almost make a good Japanese picture. The court scene is set up so that camera captures the testimonies and still shows the judges behind them, sitting like Japanese Samaria. Its almost like a still picture is being painted of the court, so that audience may know that this is what the Japanese find appealing in art. It is bold with the two judges in the distance sitting very discipline, but the scene still is able to capture the voices of the testimonies and those actors unique sense of telling their side. Another way the culture is scene is from the flash backs to the characters sitting under the gate. The camera captures many angles of the gate, and the scene moves slowly so that the audience appreciates the gate and gets a sense of the damage that has been inflicted on it. Once again the the scene could be a very good still, but it is also able to capture the characters stories and emotions through action. Taking a camera and fixating it on an object with different angles creates culture, because different Countries cultures have certain angles that make their art unique.

My next element is history and how it is displayed in the movie. In the time the movie was being produced the Japanese were recovering from World War II and in particular the bombs that struck Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the movie the war is represented in the first scene where the gate is damaged and a strong rain storm is upon them. Struggles continue through the movie like how it happened in the war until finally the last scene where all the men are exposed creating a climax, this being the bombs that were dropped. At this point in the movie it looks like there is no hope, but then the baby appears and slowly the storm begins to dies down. This represents the war coming to a close and the beginning of reconstruction. The priest hands the baby over symbolizing faith that Japanese people will need faith with one another, and that the world will have to give them faith and responsibility in creating a new, better nation.

      Philip Shutler

Citizen Kane (take 2)

Charlie Kane’s collecting character and major spending shows us that he is trying to fill an empty space inside himself with materialistic items. From early on in the film, we know that this empty space is a direct result of his abandonment as a child by his mother. When he was about 8 years old, his mother basically sold him to Mr. Thatcher in order to protect him from his abusive father. Although she meant well, she ultimately stunted his emotional growth. Kane is never again able to develop a normal emotional attachment to his parents as most children are. Because of his anger towards his mother, he refused any sort of parental guidance from his new guardian, Mr. Thatcher.

Mr. Thatcher tries to buy Charlie’s approval with money, wealth and power. Although Kane was generally uninterested in all of these things as a adolescence, it further impaired his ability to acquire normal feelings for friends or women because it taught him that people can be bought with money instead of with true feelings. Charlie had no incentive to follow any social norms such as obeying authority or treating people with respect because of the great deal of wealth that he grew up with.  Even when we think that Kane is genuine and normal, like when he begins to run The Inquirer, he is really only doing so for more power in the social and political world.

Towards the end of the film, Susan says to Charlie, “You’ve never given me anything. You’ve tried to buy me into giving you something.”  Although he desperately wanted someone to love him, he didn’t know how to properly show someone else love. Instead, Charlie often tried to buy love, especially from Susan.  Money was Kane’s substitute for the genuine feelings that he never developed as a child. Even when he was able to attract friends and women, they eventually grew and matured, which Kane was unable to do, so they would often leave him.

In spite of his gregarious character, Charlie Kane was a deeply lonesome person. He was constantly searching for approval from those around him even though people viewed him as powerful and thought that he had it all. Unfortunately, Kane’s loneliness was permanent because he refused to share his past or his hurt with anyone—even ones who loved him, like Susan. His main goal in his life was to find and secure the love that he lost with his mother. However, he was generally unsuccessful and tried to substitute those lost feelings with materialistic things such as fame and money.

To hide his hurt feelings from the public, he created a dominating and powerful personality that we see during most of the movie. We only find out things about him through fragmented memories of his friends. And often, these memories are not very reliable due to old age or alcoholism. Despite this, we as an audience understand that this is not Kane’s true personality. Kane was able to cling to this external persona right up to the time of his death, even after he lost his fortune, his wife, and his best friend.

 

-Maggie Schuh

The Maltese Falcon

In the Maltese Falcon, private detective Sam Spade is the main character, and he is supposed to be the protagonist of the story. He is the one the audience is rooting for, the good guy, but while watching the film I was constantly finding myself viewing him as one of the bad guys based on some of his actions.

There were many instances in the film when I myself found Spade to be very cold and heartless. When he discovered that his partner had been murdered, his reaction was strange. He didn't seem to be upset, and he wasted no time having his desk moved out of the office and his name taken off the windows and doors of their office. For someone who has just lost their partner, it seems that he would have been a bit more respectful. But, Spades character is that of someone who abides by his own terms, and be doesn't care what others think of him or how his actions are affecting the people around him.

We learned that Spade had been having an affair with his partner, Miles Archers wife. He knew that she would be mourning the loss of her husband along with the guilt she must be feeling over they affair and yet he sent his secretary to be with Iva and gave her specific instructions to keep Iva away from
him.

It is obvious that Spase develops feelings for Brigid as they spend more time together, but she is mysterious and will never fully explain what is going on to Spade. But still he agrees to investigate the situation. To me it seemed that Spade played all sides of the fence throughout the film. The police had strong suspicions about Spade and his involvement in the murders but Spade didn't sweat it. He played it cool, and would give them information to distract them from him.

When Spade meets The Fat Man he learns more about the falcon. When what he thinks is the falcon is given to him, he strikes a deal with the Fat Man that he can have it with a little compensation. Ten thousand dollars, as well as someone to turn in for the murders. He is willing to throw anyone else under the bus as long as its not him taking the heat. In the end it is decided that Wilmer is the best choice.

Fat Man and Cairo make the discovery that the falcon is a fake, and they decide to travel to Instanbull to continue their quest of the treasured falcon. It seems that all is well with Far Man and Spade when he leaves, but the second that they are gone he calls the police to turn them in. It seems that Brigid has gotten off easy but Spade must know the truth. It is revealed that Brigid killed Miles to implicate Thursby. Despite his strong feelings for Brigid, Spade turns her over to the police.

Was this the right thing to do, Turning against a woman that he loved? Did he do it for justice or what was his reasoning? These are the things I was left asking myself at the end of the film. Ideally, Spade is the protagonist of the movie, and I guess he really is. He solved the mystery, and justice would be served, but as a person Spade seems very crooked and cold. From watching this film I learned its not necessary for the good guy to always be so great, and there are probably many other times in other films where this situation stands.

-CS-

Gold Rush Blog (The Director's Cut)

Group 7

Charlie Chaplin’s Cold Cabin 2: Black Larson’s Revenge

Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush is set in several locations, but a large portion of the film takes place in a single frozen log cabin. Charlie Chaplin’s choice of location is perfect for a comedy depicting the harsh circumstances of the gold rush with a tongue in cheek. Furthermore, The Lone Prospector is such an “Everyman” that the viewer can associate with his troubles.  We the movie-goer can picture being in these intense and absurd situations (or I do at least).

By setting much of the story in a single room, it makes for perfect cluster-phobic comedy.  After all, what is funnier: running from a bear in the woods or running from a bear in a tiny, one-room building? Running from a large stranger with starvation-driven-cannibalistic hunger in an open expanse or locked in a tiny shack? Is there a more inconvenient place to spend time with a creepy, murderous fugitive? Chaplin or perhaps more accurately The Lone Prospector, like most of us, is not an Olympic athlete. He’s just a regular man. So when the bear attacks, the viewer feels the terror as well. Of the three men (McKay, Larsen, and Prospector) notice how Chaplin’s character is the smallest and weakest. This mirrors the powerlessness we all often feel in our own lives.

One of the highlights of the movie was when Big Jim McKay and Black Larsen are fighting over a gun and The Lone Prospector cannot get out of the way of the barrel. He is literally climbing the walls in terror but there is simply nowhere to go. I laughed out loud during this scene. With all of the violence in the world, it does not take much imagination to picture the horror of having a gun pointed at you, so when the gun won’t stop following The Lone Prospector, how can we not laugh?

The story reaches its peak…when the cabin itself almost comes to life by sliding all over the mountaintop until it finally settles, teetering over the edge of a great chasm. The simple brilliance of the rocking floor being chalked up to a hangover…cannot be bested (as far as I know). And it is an excellent example of dramatic irony. It almost took my breath away watching the cabin rock back and forth as The Lone Prospector and Big Jim McKay pace the floor. Finally, Chaplin tumbles out and must hold on for dear life. Many people (myself included) have a natural fear of heights. I remember the vertigo from the first time I looked out across the New York skyline from a skyscraper.

In conclusion, the use of a small space within a wild, storming nowhere is the summit…of perfection for physical comedy. (And I’ll bet it saved money as well.)  Because of the character of the character of The Lone Prospector, we are able to put ourselves in his shoes (...well, we would have if he hadn’t eaten them).  As a result, we are not just laughing at Charlie Chaplin, but are actually laughing at ourselves.

-Jacob Karnes-

Group 7: The Gold Rush.

Group 7

Charlie Chaplin’s Cold Cabin

Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush is set in several locations, but a large portion of the film takes place in a single frozen log cabin. Charlie Chaplin’s choice of location is perfect for a comedy depicting the harsh circumstances of the gold rush with a tongue in cheek.

By setting much of the story in a single room, it makes for perfect cluster-phobic comedy.  After all, what is funnier: running from a bear in the woods or running from a bear in a tiny, one-room building? Running from a large stranger with starvation-driven-cannibalistic hunger in an open expanse or locked in a tiny shack? Is there a more inconvenient place to spend time with a creepy, murderous fugitive?

One of the highlights of the movie was when Big Jim McKay and Black Larsen are fighting over a gun and The Lone Prospector cannot get out of the way of the barrel. He is literally climbing the walls in terror but there is simply nowhere to go.

The story reaches its peak…when the cabin itself almost comes to life by sliding all over the mountaintop until it finally settles, teetering over the edge of a great chasm. The simple brilliance of the rocking floor being chalked up to a hangover…cannot be bested.

In conclusion, the use of a small space within a wild, storming nowhere is the summit…of perfection for physical comedy. (And I’ll bet it saved money as well.)

Citizen Kane

In spite of his gregarious character, Charlie Kane was a deeply lonesome person. He was constantly searching for approval from those around him even though people viewed him as powerful and thought that he had it all. Unfortunately, Kane’s loneliness was permanent because he refused to share his past or his hurt with anyone—even Susan. His main goal in his life was to find and secure the love that he lost with his mother. However, he was generally unsuccessful and tried to substitute those lost feelings with materialistic things such as fame and money.

Towards the end of the film, she says to him “You’ve never given me anything. You’ve tried to buy me into giving you something.”  Although he desperately wanted someone to love him, he didn’t know how to properly show someone else love. Instead, Charlie often tried to buy love.  Money was Kane’s substitute for the genuine feelings that he never developed as a child. Even when he was able to attract friends and women, they eventually grew and matured, which Kane was unable to do, so they would often leave him.

To hide his hurt feelings from the public, he created a dominating and powerful personality that we see during most of the movie. Kane clung to this external persona right up to the time of his death, even after he lost his fortune, his wife, and his best friend.