| 22 FEB 2010 at 5:44pm |
| Deleted User | Hi guys, for my first assignment for the subject Film, Literature and Society, I have to discuss 3 out of the following 4 elements, using any movie of my choice:
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1. Mise-en-Scène
Mise-en-scène refers to all elements placed before the camera. These elements include sets, costumes, lighting, makeup, props, placement of objects and people, and the actors’ gestures and movements.
2. Camerawork
a) The shot is the basic unit of film. The shot is a single, continuous run of the camera that records an uninterrupted action that viewers see on the screen. Shots are generally divided into four types according to how much of the human figure is shown: long shot, medium shot, close-up, and extreme close-up.
b) Camera angle is the camera’s position in relation to the subject being photographed. There are three main angles: the high angle, in which the camera looks down on the subject; the straight-on or eye-level angle, in which the camera looks straight ahead at the subject; and the low angle, in which the camera looks up
at the subject.
c) Camera movement refers to any motion of the camera that changes the
camera’s perspective on its subject. Common camera movements include tilting,
panning, tracking, and crane shots.
3. Editing
Editing refers to the twofold job of choosing the best camera shots taken and then
joining these shots together to build a scene, a sequence, and ultimately a completed
movie. These joins, or transitions, can take the form of a fade-in, a fade-out, a dissolve, a jump-cut, a cut, a wipe, etc.
Within a scene, whatever transition device the film editor uses creates a relationship of continuity or discontinuity between two shots in terms of their photographic elements.
Various strategies of editing
contribute to continuity editing. Among these strategies are crosscutting, establishing shots, eye-line matches,
match on action, and shot/reverse shot.
Opposed to continuity editing is disjunctive editing, which emphasizes the cut
from one shot to another. The variances among shots can be in terms of space, time,
or visual patterns, and the goals may be to disturb the viewer or to interrupt or
undercut the story’s verisimilitude..
The term montage can be used in a general sense to indicate any kind of
editing, but it has come to refer to an editing technique that juxtaposes dissimilar
shots, calls attention to their discontinuity, and thus leads the viewer to make
conscious connections among the images. The assemblage of contrasting and
conflicting images achieves a significance that goes beyond the meaning implicit in
any of the individual shots.
4. Sound
There are four types of sound heard in films: speech, music, sound effects, and
silence.
==========================
Right, so I must discuss three out of 4 of the above elements regarding any movie of my choice. I just cannot decide on a movie, though. I have some movies on my shelf:, which might lend themselves quite well to such an exercise:
The Crow with Brandon Lee, -- the latest Max Payne,-- that Spanish movie Soldier of God, -- Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, (as well as House of Flying Daggers), -- Blade Runner, -- Kingdom of Heaven by Ridley Scott, -- Alexander by Oliver Stone, -- Gormenghast (based on the Mervyn Peake novels), -- Bram Stoker's Dracula by Francis ford Coppola, -- Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, -- Golden Swallow, (-some Chinese movie), -- Journey to the Centre of the Earth with Brendan Frazer (and of course all the LOTR movies and the Harry Potter movies, but I don't want to use HP or LOTR, coz the lecturers must be sick of those by now.) Oh, I also have Legends of the Fall, and also Gladiator by Ridley Scott, the latter which I was kinda favouring.. (Gladiator)
Any suggestions within or without that list would be very welcome.
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| 22 FEB 2010 at 5:52pm |
JKingSchattenjger
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Status : Offline | I'd suggest Crouching Tiger would a good one. Gladiator as well, probably, though it's been a while for me.
Star Wars might be good, too. Lots of different cuts and great music.
You can't kill someone in a studio.
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| 22 FEB 2010 at 5:57pm |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By JKing (22 FEB 2010 5:52pm)
Star Wars might be good, too. Lots of different cuts and great music.
Hehe, you mean the latest one? I'd actually forgotten the music, but regarding camerawork and editing, not to mention the costumes and make-up, that is certainly a good suggestion. [smiley=thumbup.gif]
Hmm, come to think of it, the same could go for the latest Star Trek, too...
Thanks for the suggestions.
I'd like a few suggestions from various people, if possible, since I don't want the lecturer to groan when she sees my choice; and I know that my taste tends to be a bit off the mainstream in general. :
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| 22 FEB 2010 at 6:00pm |
JKingSchattenjger
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Status : Offline | Actually I meant the original, but more recent ones would work fine, too. :-*
You can't kill someone in a studio.
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| 22 FEB 2010 at 6:06pm |
MissBSchattenjger
Posts : 2217
Joined: 15 OCT 2002
Status : Online | I suggest you go with Emma Thompson's version of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility". Awesome costumes, hand gestures ("do sit down", and camera work.
One of my favorite films, without a doubt!!
My name is Bethany and I'm the daughter of Gamergal/Michelle.
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| 22 FEB 2010 at 7:59pm |
Lucien21Guild Master
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Status : Offline | Bladerunner.
There are about 4 versions of the film you can compare and contrast the film with or without the voiceover track, the added scenes with the unicorn etc.
Plus the music is classic.
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 22 FEB 2010 at 8:40pm |
| Deleted User | Thanks, MissB and Lucien. I had actually toyed with the idea of getting Sense and Sensibility before, since I had not seen it yet.
Hmm, you've mentioned one that's on my shortlist, Lucien. I happen to have the version with the added scenes.
Thanks guys, your suggestions are great, and it is really helping me to see what different people think. :-*
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| 22 FEB 2010 at 8:51pm |
AShadowWalkerPrivate Detective
Posts : 776
Joined: 6 AUG 2009
Status : Online | If you are looking for Mise-en-Scene, Camerawork, angles and editing, there are several films that have all of those elements to spare.
The first choice I would consider is City of God or “Cidade De Deux”, you have all those above just in the beginning of the film alone.
Get a look at “Battleship Potamkin”, The Conversation, and Citizen Kane (specially the long focus and low level camerawork and extremely good sound editing used)
Sound editing also got a tremendous exposition on the beginning of "Saving Private Ryan" in the Omaha Beach sequence.
And one other for cinematography and the use of long focus, lighting and sound editing. “The Train” with Burt Lancaster.
Almost forgot, for truly extraordinary film editing you can also take a hold and look at "Wages of Fear" Film editing makes a film what they truly are. In this one the latter half of the film has never....ever.....been equaled or surpassed for suspense through the use of film editing. Even up to today.
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| 22 FEB 2010 at 9:58pm |
TechnoSpikePrivate Detective
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Status : Offline | Hmm, I don't know much about cinema, so I guess my takes would only be based on my preferences
If you are willing to choose outside of your list, my first suggestion would be one of my favourite films: "Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain / The Fabulous Destiny of Amelie Poulain". It was nominated for a handfull of prizes (and won some of them), some of which I believe to be in the areas you need to focus (nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Sound,...).
I second AShadowWalker suggestion of “Cidade de Deus”. Warning: it's a strong and violent movie, so pay attention if you are not well into that kind of movies...
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 7:10am |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By TechnoSpike (22 FEB 2010 9:57pm)
Hmm, I don't know much about cinema, so I guess my takes would only be based on my preferences
Hehe, same here, this is my first year ever to study anything regarding cinematography, so everything is fresh and new to me, but I'm really enjoying it so far.
You guys are widening my horizons here. 8-)
ShadowWalker, thank you for all of your valuable suggestions, I actually only knew a few of the movies you had suggested, but I will be taking a look at all of them, including a second look even at the ones I am vaguely familiar with. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Techno, you did me a favour. I've really been out of touch with movies these past few years, and had never checked out Amélie (The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain).
So when I googled it now, I spotted The Piano, one of my faves, which I do have the soundtrack for, and remembered that I don't have a copy of the actual movie. Well, I guess I'll be buying a movie or 2 today...
EDIT: Wow, you've mentioned quite a few classics there, Shadow, thanks so much, I'm actually buying a few of them, including City of God; thanks to Shadow and Techno. 8-)
Everybody who has contributed to the thread so far: your input is greatly appreciated; I'm really catching up on "the lost years" in my cinematic experiences... [smiley=cool.gif]
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 8:40am |
| Deleted User | Shadow, I see The Wages of Fear was remade twice. (Under different names) I assume you are referring to the original 1953 movie, by Jaques Clouzot, eh? I do see it got praise for cinematography, so I assume it is.
Ineteresting then, that the original still beats the remakes, huh?
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 12:22pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
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Location: AU
Status : Offline | Just a vague hint, Traveller. When given any such task that allows you to choose the subject, always pick something you like. That way you get to enjoy the assignment, and your enthusiasm for the subject under review will infuse your writing with sparkle.
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 12:53pm |
| Deleted User | Hmm, in that case, I would probably do Tess, but I see I don't have it, and it seems scarce for some reason... I may end up doing [s]The Mission[/s], actually. That was quite atmospheric with nice music, IIRC.
Nah, I misremembered the movie - saw it when I was pretty young, and... nah. Might just go with Gladiotor then...
On the other hand, I have not seen Memoirs of a Geisha yet, - borrowed it from the rental place now, so we shall see... [smiley=cheesy.gif]
Oh, ok, if I'm really honest, after Tess I would choose Legends of the Fall, (ooh, Brad!) , but I do suspect my lecturers would spot me for my cheesy taste...
Anyway, I'd better stop choosing soon, and start doing.. [smiley=silly.gif]
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 6:41pm |
| Deleted User | Hi guys, for my first assignment for the subject Film, Literature and Society,
Not my area of expertise but 2 marvelous British films come to mind. Both are wonderfully enjoyable and I would guess easily available on CD.
Each of the two encompasses all three of the aspects “Film, Literature and Society” and should give a lot of easily available background material and food forthought and writing.
However, I don’t know how amenable either would be for dissecting 3 of the 4 aspects – viz: Mise en scène; Camerawork; Editing; Sound.
The two suggestions are the old almost classical versions of the films –
(1) The Importance of being Earnest : with the fabulous scintillating cast of –Michael Redgrave; Michael Denison, Joan Greenwood; Dorothy Tutin; Dame Edith Evans; Margaret Rutherford; Miles Malleson.
(2)Pride and Prejudice : with Laurence Olivier (But there was an excellentTV- Film version in 6 episodes starring Colin Firth, the winner of this year’s BAFTA award for best actor).
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 6:54pm |
| Deleted User | Thanks, Yogibear. Since these are obviously adaptations of classics of literature, with some pretty good actors, they would definitely seem to fall under collectibles for one's DVD shelf, and I will have a look if I can get hold of the DVD's, thanks.
I see they've restored a lot of the old classics, btw - I saw a copy of, for instance, Casablanca in the window of a CD/DVD shop this weekend, which I thought I'd pick up sometime, as well as other restored older films such as Fiddler On the Roof, Bonnie and Clyde, etc. I'll pop in there as soon as I have some spare cash and some spare time.
Oh, and they also had that famous oldie: Dinner for One.
PS. I would actually like to have a movie with with Laurence Olivier in it. He was pretty famous in his time, not so?
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 9:52pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
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Location: AU
Status : Offline | The wartime version of Pride & Prejudice starring Oliver and Greer Garson is indeed a nice movie. It is filmed in black and white with an exceptionally clever performance of the Bennetts' cousin, Mr Collins.
However, there are glaring inaccuracies regarding the ladies' costume, an artistic decision made to 'improve' the visual appeal for the ladies, apparently.
The ending of the story is of course altered as is the character of Lady Catherine DeBurgh. Presumably, they felt the audience had enough anger and hatred in their everyday lives so they sweetened just about everyone.
Nice movie although one never gets a chance to forget you're watching Olivier and not D'Arcy. I much prefer the BBC series with Colin Firth: now there's suppressed passion for you.
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 10:05pm |
colpetSchattenjger
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Status : Offline | I much prefer the BBC series with Colin Firth: now there's suppressed passion for you.
That adaptation was the first DVD I ever bought. I've watched it numerous times.
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 10:11pm |
FnordSchattenjger
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Status : Offline | I would suspect that Fear and loathing in las vegas would make for an interesting movie to analyze. As far as editing and use of sound goes, the original The shining might also be of some interest, as might 2001 a space Odyssey. The camera work and edition of the original Alien movie is, according to a friend who studied movies for a year also rather interesting. Of course, if you want an example of a movie that really does nothing well at all, we always have the classic Plan 9 from outer space
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 11:31pm |
| Deleted User | Caroline -
The wartime version of Pride & Prejudice starring Oliver and Greer Garson is indeed a nice movie. It is filmed in black and white with an exceptionally clever performance of the Bennetts' cousin, Mr Collins.
However, there are glaring inaccuracies regarding the ladies' costume, an artistic decision made to 'improve' the visual appeal for the ladies, apparently.
The ending of the story is of course altered as is the character of Lady Catherine DeBurgh. Presumably, they felt the audience had enough anger and hatred in their everyday lives so they sweetened just about everyone.
Nice movie although one never gets a chance to forget you're watching Olivier and not D'Arcy. I much prefer the BBC series with Colin Firth: now there's suppressed passion for you.
I think I agree on the whole. Of course I knowvirtually nothing about the glaring inaccuracies in the earlier film. I would guess that some were a director’s attempt to squeeze a classic novel written mainly at the very end of the 18th century into a mid 20th century modern 2 hour film.
I also enjoyed the laterColin Firth version considerably more – but then it was a 6 episode film and I suppose that it totaled about 5 hours. And He is an excellent actor who I’ve seen developing for very many years.
BTW – would it necessarily be such a bad idea to take a film which has many flaws? It would give much more to write about including criticisms whereas a perfect film can simply engender continuous praise.
Nice movie although one never gets a chance to forget you're watching Olivier and not D'Arcy.
I wouldn’t dream of running down the great Laurence Olivier. But I have frequently felt that I have been watching Olivier the actor rather than the character he is playing.
Mind you, I shall *never* ever forget very many decades ago seeing Olivier at the Old Vic London playing Sheridan’s short 1779 hilarious play “The Critic”, and then after the interval the tragic “Oedipus Rex”. What a tour de force.
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| 23 FEB 2010 at 11:49pm |
| Deleted User | Would the Oscar Wilde pmovie be suitable - or at least morte suitable?
I shouldn't think that there are the glaring inaccuracies in that film - or are there?
Perfect acting by the 2 Michaels and also Joan and Dorothy.
A superb rendering of Lady Bracknell by Edith Evans, an excellent Canon Chasuble, and an over the top zany forgetful nurse Miss Letitia Prism played by the inimitable Margaret Rutherford.
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| 24 FEB 2010 at 1:33am |
AShadowWalkerPrivate Detective
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Joined: 6 AUG 2009
Status : Online | Originally Posted By TheTraveler (23 FEB 2010 8:40am)
Shadow, I see The Wages of Fear was remade twice. (Under different names) I assume you are referring to the original 1953 movie, by Jaques Clouzot, eh? I do see it got praise for cinematography, so I assume it is.
Ineteresting then, that the original still beats the remakes, huh?
Absolutely, there are several versions of the original by Henri-Georges Clouzot. The difference is in the run time. The definitive one currently is the Criterion Collection that was recently cut.
I have to say that I digress from Caroline's view of picking films one like's. The reason I do is that by doing so, often it may limit one's exposure to other films not often in the mainstream of viewership, and thereby likely limiting one's cosmopolitan repertoire of tastes for alternate genres of cinema topics, director's, and origins of films.
Likewise it does not force one to try bringing out your best if all one chooses are subjects close to home all the time.
One other set of films that could expand your appreciation of editing are Blind Chance,The Double Life of Veronique, Three Colors:Red, and Run Lola Run.
This last one is German and its akin to a video game. Its the same plot throughout but with 3 different endings and 3 lives of all involved.
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| 24 FEB 2010 at 8:00am |
| Deleted User | Yes, doubtless I will need to flesh out my repertoire in general, to get a more "rounded" view of the art of filmmaking in general, so all of your comments and suggestions are indeed very informative and helpful, and I am taking careful notes. Ah, Shadow - I'm so glad you reminded me of the 3 movies Three Colours Red, White and Blue.. I must really get those too for my collection: they are beautifully atmospheric, (as with many French movies), the stories are good and the music is superb.
Well, I must tell you that I am quite a Ridley Scott fan, I have yet to find a movie of his that I do not like. This is why I had considered Blade Runner and Gladiator, and the only reason that I had not considered Alien, Fnord, is that I don't actually own a copy of the movie. :-/
Anyway, I started a few movies yesterday, just to get an idea, among them Gladiator, and even from that very first battle scene, I saw that here is a lot of meat regarding camerawork and editing in this film. A lot of extreme violence is suggested, but with clever editing and use of sound and special effects, it is never so overly gratuitous as to be gross.
For instance: a character slams his sword into another character, but the actual blow and wound is not shown – just a sound while the camera is slightly off the actual action, and then red blood splatters onto the snow. The viewers’ mind makes the necessary connection.
When Commodus strangles his father, likewise, the deed is not directly shown. The viewer is left to make the connection via sound and subtle visual and contextual plot cues. This use of sound plus non-direct visual suggestions happens all the time throughout the movie, and it works extremely well, because I most certainly got the visceral feel of the intense violence, without the gratuitous close-ups and slow-motion depiction of deaths and decapitations that some modern movies feel are necessary fare for the menu.
Oh, and one can say a lot about the set and props and scenery too. Apparently, Scott and cinematographer John Mathieson utilized multiple cameras filming at various frame rates for the battle scenes.
In Malta, a replica of about one-third of Rome's Colosseum was built, to a height of 52 feet (15.8 meters), mostly from plaster and plywood (the other two-thirds and remaining height were added digitally). The replica took several months to build and cost an estimated $1 million. The reverse side of the complex supplied a rich assortment of Ancient Roman street furniture, etc.
Then there is also some nice cinematic material regarding Maximus’s near-death and death experiences, where he appears to float above the ground, and where… ok, let me stop here and go and rework stuff like this for that assignment, since I’ve already started with this.
I will most definitely be checking out all the other suggestions made in the thread, as well. Thanks for the input, guys, and please feel free to discuss some more, your input is all very interesting and valuable. :-*
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| 24 FEB 2010 at 1:30pm |
sg7Sorcerer Apprentice
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Status : Offline | Sorry I found this yesterday and thought of you
http://graphjam.com/2010/02/23/funny-graphs-making-essay/
Good luck with the assignment , I would have gone for Serenity ( OK I admit to being a brown-coat) as my subject but it's probably to obscure for the mainstream
Playing ME3-Citadel ,TOMB raider ,Skyrim Dragonborn
Waiting fot journey down episode 2 ,Dragon AGE 3
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| 24 FEB 2010 at 1:52pm |
| Deleted User | Originally Posted By sg7 (24 FEB 2010 1:30pm)
Sorry I found this yesterday and thought of you
http://graphjam.com/2010/02/23/funny-graphs-making-essay/
Good luck with the assignment , I would have gone for Serenity ( OK I admit to being a brown-coat) as my subject but it's probably to obscure for the mainstream
[smiley=rofl.gif] [smiley=rofl.gif] [smiley=rofl.gif] That is hilarious, SG7... I must admit that I've sternly been waving a finger at myself, [smiley=nono.gif] wondering if my inability to choose has not just been a badly camouflaged excuse to sit and watch movies when I should be working... :-[ [smiley=tongue.gif]
Yeah, well - they did ask for it to be fairly mainstream, in case one of us decides to choose a movie that they (our lecturers) had not seen yet, or is hard to come by. Anyway, latest movie I've been watching is Road to Perdition. Good movie, but not in a feel-good way...
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| 25 FEB 2010 at 6:33pm |
AShadowWalkerPrivate Detective
Posts : 776
Joined: 6 AUG 2009
Status : Online | Originally Posted By sg7 (24 FEB 2010 1:30pm)
Sorry I found this yesterday and thought of you
http://graphjam.com/2010/02/23/funny-graphs-making-essay/
Good luck with the assignment , I would have gone for Serenity ( OK I admit to being a brown-coat) as my subject but it's probably to obscure for the mainstream
Real Shiny to find another Browncoat here! You are not alone brother!
Keep flying and they will never take the sky from us!
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http://www.realbrowncoats.com/malcolm.reynolds.browncoat.html
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