WHAT DO I THINK OF FILM 101 AFTER HAVING TAKEN IT ?? AWESOME! :)

I've always been one to watch films and TV shows. I've always enjoyed them and I'm known to people to be a TV addict! My parents always told me " If there was ever a subject where it involves you watching TV, you'd get an A+ in it!" So, that was basically my primary reason for taking this course in the first place, to test that theory and see whether it was true for myself, whether I'd get an A in it.

I've always watched movies without really putting much thought into it. I only saw the surface and never realized the technique used in creating such films or the hidden meanings behind the movie. Yet, going through this course, I realize the amount of things that I have been missing out and am really glad that I chose to take this course. There are honestly no regrets!

We got to watch alot of interesting films that discussed a variety of topics and used some very interesting theories, some of which were familiar to us and others which were completely new. I admit, initially, I thought it was going to be a boring course due to the fact that we would mostly be watching a lot of silent films that were in black and white, but I guess as the saying goes " patience is a virtue." Without silent films, we wouldn't have the awesome Hollywood blockbuster films that we have today. Throughout this course, I have developed a newfound appreciation for silent films and have also learn to be patient in watching them. Frankly, some of silent films that we watched were pretty good like "The General" or "Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge." But some were as boring as I expected, sorry Mr Rey.....I found "Man with a Movie Camera" to be extremely boring...that was the ONLY film which I could barely keep myself awake....

The black and white films that I actually enjoyed more were the ones with sound like "M" and " Some like it Hot!" But I must say, my ALL time favourite movie from this course is "Strangers on a Train" as I find it to be the most entertaining. I was thoroughly absorbed into the movie. Oh, and the musicals! I love the weeks when we did the musicals..."Top Hat" and " Singing in the Rain" were epic! Very nice...

I've developed my own saying about this course after having gone through it.... "Film 101 is like learning history through film"... I say this because it is true...we have covered the American civil War, The Nazis in Germany, AND the Cold War, all of which are related to history. I recommend History students to take Film because they get to learn about stuff like this by watching documentaries on it and movies. Excellent way to learn! :)

My advice for this course....I would have to say, maybe exploring a little more like  into the genre of horror or like some of us said, animations. Animations are enjoyable and it would actually be really fun to learn them although I understand you don't know much about them. Maybe doing a little more on the classics like plays adapted into films...Shakespeare perhaps...

But all in all, it was a wonderful experience going through this course and I absolutely love the freedom that we have in doing our ET's without any time limit. It gives us more time to ponder on the topic and more time to analyze the movie. I definitely will not look at another movie the same way again because I think my brain has just been re-programmed to look at movies from an analytical point of view. For instance, how  my mind was totally blown away when Mr Rey( you) started analyzing Strangers on a Train in such a sexual context. I honestly looked at the movie very differently after that. If I ever was to create a movie, at least I'd have some knowledge on how to make a good one...


P.S.  MR REY, YOU FORGOT TO BLOG SOME OF MY ET'S LIKE MY "BOY MEETS GIRL ESSAY." JUST A REMINDER....

ET 19: BOOP BOOP DE DOOP

  THE "CAVE" GRAND BALLROOM...

 SEXY SUGAR SINGS " BOOP BOOP DE DOOP"....

JOSEPHINE AND DAPHNE AKA JOE AND JERRY

          A movie that is sure to keep the audience laughing and on their feet, "Some like it Hot!" directed by Billy Wilder plays with the sexual identity of the two main characters, Joe and Jerry. After witnessing a massacre in Chicago, the two characters fled to Florida changing their identities in the most extreme ways, dressing up like girls and renaming themselves "Daphne" and " Josephine."  The movie never has a dull moment, keeping the audience entertained with a humorous storyline filled with wild gimmicks and crazy love affairs.  In the movie, the number " I Want to be Loved by You," starring Sugar Kane played by Marilyn Monroe, displays a great deal of semiotics and as well as deals with the feminist theory which we have learnt in this course.

            Marilyn Monroe is a legendary actress that is said to be an icon by many. She has something unique about her which tends to draw men's attention. The establishing shot of the scene shows a grand ballroom shaped like a cave and decorated with lights, with a chandelier hanging in the middle and Marilyn Monroe singing on stage in front of an audience which looks to be from the class of the wealthy. The establishing shot itself depicts the first sexual image in this sequence. The shape of the grand ballroom is like a "cave" which symbolizes the woman's vagina. A cave has often been used to represent the woman's genital area. If one was to observe the use of lighting in the first shot, one would see how Marilyn Monroe and the chandelier are the only things highlighted in the room and the rest of the audience and background are more of shadows. The use of chiaroscuro lighting and the emphasis of the key light and back light on the subject that is Marilyn Monroe allows such a contrast to be possible. Besides that, the audience made up of the rich and wealthy is a symbol of what Sugar( Marilyn Monroe) desires to have and to be. She dreams of marrying a rich man and leading a glamorous lifestyle. She desires for something different and chooses to not repeat her mistakes of going after saxophone players because of her bad history with them.

             In the next shot, the camera shows a closer view of Marilyn Monroe and we are able to see what she is wearing. She wears a gorgeous dress with colours that looks like they match her skin tone, giving off the illusion of her looking partly naked. The lighter tones of colour on her dress makes it look as though most of her bare chest is being revealed. The revealing limit seems to stop just above the nipples of the bosom where the lighter tones come into contact with darker tones of colour. It is a little more obvious to see the darker colours of her dress because they are covered in sequins. As the sequence progresses, the spotlight moves from highlighting her whole figure to just her face, and then slowly moves down to her chest but stops just above the "forbidden area," the breast. The purpose of the breast being in darkness is to symbolize to the audience that such an area is prohibited to us. Yet, as we watch this sequence, our eyes tend to drift from the light area that is her chest to the dark area that is her breast. We want to explore the more naughty side of things although something tells us not to go there. As the camera goes in for a close up shot of her face, the expression she wears depicts a very sexual image. As she sings, " I wanna be kissed by you, by you, and nobody else but you," her face looks as if she is inviting you, the audience, to her. Her every action and little gestures give out the message of her wanting you. As she performs, she can be seen flirting with the audience and playing around a little. A good example is when she sings "Ba dum ba dum be du dee dum poo" and sort of gives a little action of a flying kiss to the audience as she says the word " poo." It is good to keep in mind that Marilyn Monroe is not just performing and flirting with the audience in the scene but as well as she is performing for us, the audience watching this movie.

            In relating the sequence thus far to the feminist theory, Marilyn Monroe is depicted to be the sexual objectification of the audience. The audience is assumed to be made up of men and the woman's body is "objectified" to provide visual stimulation for them. Her dress highlights the fetishised body parts of a woman and sexually arouses the male audience. The males will tend to look at her breast more because her seemingly exposed bare chest will tempt them to do so and as well as the lighting effect. Their sexual desire for Marilyn Monroe will increase as they see her flirting with them. This will make them fantasize about her as they watch the scene which turns them on. According to the feminist theory, sexual objectification means  the viewing of people solely as de-personalised objects of desire instead of as individuals with complex personalities.

               The sequence then progresses to show Daphne and Josephine playing the bass and saxophone whilst Marilyn Monroe sings. It is definitely a comical sight to behold for the audience but the shot does not come without its semiotics and meanings. Although Daphne and Josephine are indeed men disguised as women, it is indeed pretty clear that as long as you have a dress on, you are at a disadvantage in the world. According to the feminist theory, males are considered to be the dominant creatures that have the power over females. The existence of females is to provide sexual pleasure for the males and serve them because they have the power. The next shot shows Osgood enthusiactically waving at Daphne with a big smile on his face.   Josephine realizes this and tells Daphne but Daphne refuses to acknowledge Osgood's presence. Josephine reminds him that Osgood is his date for the night and tells Daphne to be nice. He finally obliges and holds up his hand like a stop sign which was meant to be a wave. However, this gesture simply signifies Daphne rejecting Osgood and telling him to stay away. Because Daphne is depicted to be a female, "she" is suppose to succumb to the purpose of serving Osgood and not refusing him because he is the male.

               Next, it goes on to Josephine telling Daphne to smile and show Osgood the whole personality thing. From a feminist perspective, females tend to have to act a certain way. We have to act appropriately infront of men, by being polite with smiles on our faces and having soft gestures. We have to act in a feminine way because we are females. The sequence then moves on to show a bellboy delivering a bouquet of flowers to Daphne and Josephine and asking who the flowers are for.  The flowers were from Osgood to Daphne. As the bellboy sets the flowers down, he gives a flower to Josephine and flirts with him. According to the feminist theory, the bellboy gave Josephine the male gaze because he thought that "she" was a female and was attracted to "her." The bellboy (male) holds the gaze and sees Josephine (female) as the object that is there to provide him with visual stimulation. Besides that, the bouquet of flowers symbolizes how females are soft, delicate and weak but beautiful at the same time. In some ways, the offering of the flowers as a gift from the male to the female signifies that he will be the one to protect her and be her source of strength because she is so helpless.

             As the song comes to a close and Marilyn Monroe's performance ends, she turns to walk off the stage and the back side of her costume is revealed to the audience. The back side of her costume is designed to expose her bare back revealing a whole lot of skin. This comes back again to her being depicted as the sexual object for the male audience. The last shot could easily make the male audience sexually aroused and desire for her body.Throughout the sequence, one could say that she was partially naked.

               In conclusion, " Some like it Hot!" was a very entertaining film which I thoroughly enjoyed watching because of the interesting plot and meanings behind the semiotics. From the number " I Want to be Loved by You," one can understand how Marilyn Monroe was said to be an icon. Her beautiful face has the combined characteristics of the innocence of a child and the sexuality of a woman. Both characteristcs that are highly desirable by men. It is through her unique looks that she was able to become so famous. She was the ideal face that women aspired to be and the fantasy of every man's dream. Marilyn Monroe was truly one for the ages.

ET 16 STRANGERS ON A TRAIN CAROUSEL

 THE CAROUSEL
THE OLD MAN....

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN BRUNO AND GUY

          The movie  "Strangers on a Train" directed by Alfred Hitchcock is an interesting thriller that keeps the audience on their feet, and makes them wonder what is going to happen next . Personally, I found this movie to be the most entertaining in our film course thus far. It is an enjoyable film on the surface for the ordinary audience yet, for a film student, it intrigues the mind as we are able to watch the movie from a few different perspectives. Each perspective offers a new view on to the deeper meanings of the film.  In relation to that, the last scene of the movie called the " Carousel scene" is a beautifully crafted masterpiece that is very expressionistic. It is not only the climactic sequence where all the tension that had been building up finally explodes, but also, in another context, is where all the sexual tension between Bruno and Guy reaches its peak.

             The mise-en-scene in the "Carousel scene," was carefully constructed and structured to depict the explosion of the sexual tension that had been gradually developing between Bruno and Guy throughout the movie. The motion of the carousel moving slowly in the beginning and gradually getting faster as it moves out of control shows how at first Bruno savours the thrill of Guy chasing him and toys with Guy before getting more serious with him. Then, in the beginning of the scene, Bruno can be seen still running away from Guy whilst the carousel starts getting out of control. As he is on the carousel, he seats on one of the horses. In a sexual context, this symbolizes that Bruno has the power in the relationship and is more dominant over Guy. In other words, Bruno could be considered to be the "top," in a homosexual sense. After that, Guy comes and punches him and the two break out into violence and start fighting and struggling with each other. The struggle can be seen as a struggle of power in the relationship or a kind of foreplay of going back and forth between Bruno and Guy.

              Then, it moves on to a shot of a girl on a horse screaming in fear. The scream is depicted as fear on the surface, but the underlying meaning behind that scream is somewhat more erotic. In a sexual context, that scream can be seen as a scream of pleasure that a person cries out whilst he experiences orgasms. Somewhere along the sequence, we see Bruno on top of Guy and it moves on to a shot of a horse's head and Guy looking like he is getting trampled underneath the horse's hoof. In other words, this symbolizes Bruno making love to Guy. Another shot that symbolizes this is the part where Guy was holding onto a pole after nearly being thrown off the carousel and Bruno kicking his hand to try and get him off. The motion of kicking his hand and the expression on his face as he did it displayed  a very sexual image if one was to look at it from a homosexual perspective. Finally, in the end, the old man manages to stop the carousel and the carousel spins highly out of control and breaks down. This signifies how in the midst of sexual intercourse, the two characters reach their climax and finally release everything, letting it all go and collapsing from exhaustion from having used up all their energy.

               The other elements in the scene as well such as the camera angles, and the music play a major part into the crafting of this masterpiece. Firstly, the camera angles should be paid attention to. The establishing shot was when the policeman fired the gunshot. The gunshot is what sets the chain of events into motion. The gunshot killed the man who was controlling the carousel, and his death caused the carousel to spin out of control when his body dropped dead and hit the lever. Two shots were mainly used in the scene as the scene was mainly focused on the two characters, Guy and Bruno. However, there were also long shots and medium shots used to capture their every movement as they struggled with each other on the carousel and as well as using the medium shots to focus on other characters as well like the conversation between the police officers whilst the old man offered to stop the carousel.

            The element of music plays a major role in creating the effect of the scene. In the beginning of the scene, the music of the carousel is normal, the melody is happy and slow. The melody symbolizes innocence and pureness where you feel like nothing bad can happen. Then, the gunshot fires which causes the man who is controlling the lever to drop dead and the carousel to spin out of control. In this sequence, the melody transitions from slow pace to fast pace. As the melody of the carousel plays in a fast tempo, one can hear that the tone is deeper which makes the melody sound more haunting. If you hear it, it would sound like someone stalking you and is coming closer. Metaphorically speaking, it is the same as someone who enters a dream filled with happiness, sunshine and rainbows and only to realize later that the dream has turned into a nightmare filled with ghosts and monsters. The melody of the carousel continues to play until it comes to the part where the old man volunteers to stop the carousel. From this point, the music changes again, transitioning from the melody of the carousel to an orchestra melody which fits in nicely into the sequence. The orchestra melody follows the actions that are going on in the scene and sets the mood for it. For instance, the orchestra melody sounds very climactic when there are shots focusing on the old man slowly crawling underneath the carousel to reach the lever. The orchestra melody also sounds like it is going back and forth symbolizing a struggle, when there are shots focusing on Bruno and Guy fighting with each other. The music matches the pace of their struggle.

          In conclusion, the "Carousel Scene" from the movie Strangers on a Train can basically be summed up in one quote from Chairman Rey, that is "all pleasure is tension and release." The whole sequence of the scene depicts the explosion of sexual tension that has been building up between Bruno and Guy, and the scene tells the process of their love making. To the normal audience, it is a wonderful climactic scene that concludes the film. Yet, to a film student like myself, it tells another story, an erotic story between two men.

Final Film term Paper " NOSFERATU(1922)" and " INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE (1994)"

    Nosferatu (1922)

 Interview with a Vampire (1994)

 Introduction:

        Horror is an ancient form of art. We tell tales that trigger the less logical side of our brain, our imagination. These dark tales allow our imaginations to wonder and explore that which is forbidden, considered evil and taboo. Yet, we seek the knowledge of such tales as it thrills us and makes life a little more exciting. Horror films have long served both purposes. They deliver thrills by the hearse hold, as well as telling us stories of the dark forbidden side of life( and death). (Wilson)  Tales of vampirism has long graced its presence in the genre of horror films since the early 1920's and has slowly undergone a remarkable transition over the past few decades. The purpose of this paper is to compare two films that being " Nosferatu ( 1922)" and

" Interview with a vampire (1994)" to see how the image of vampires depicted in horror films have changed over time. This will be done by comparing and contrasting the physical appearance of the vampire, exploring the similarities and differences of vampire characteristics in both the films and analysing the transition of the vampire role over time.

Comparing and contrasting the plot of Nosferatu (1922) and  Interview with a Vampire ( 1994) :-

         Two seemingly similar movies, both bestseller adaptations, both influential and popular in their own times, and both dealing with the myths and folktales of vampires. Although they are separated by seven decades, they follow a similar plotline of  conflict between life and death, and good against evil, yet the two movies are distinctly different.

          On one hand, we have Nosferatu (1922) which takes place in two settings; the fictitious German city of Wisborg and Transalyvania. Nosferatu (1922) is not simply a tale of vampirism, but offers heart-rending images of a town beleaguered by premature and random deaths, echoes of the Great War and the Great Flu Epidemic fatalities. (Wilson) The plot revolves around the terror that befalls upon Thomas Hutter as he makes his way to Transylvania and encounters the much feared vampire, Count Orlok who feeds on human blood. Moreover, it also revolves around the city of Wisborg  which undergoes a change after the arrival of the vampire. In keeping with the legends and folklores, Count Orlok is portrayed to be monstrous and frightening. The movie focuses on the relationship between the vampire Count Orlok, and the humans that fear him.

         On the other hand, we have Interview with a vampire( 1994) which takes place in modern day San Francisco, where reporter Daniel Molloy interviews Louis de Pointe du Lac who claims to be a vampire and tells the story of his past. (Interview) The movie focuses on the three main characters; Louis, Lestat and Claudia. The vampire Lestat  is Louis's maker, the one who gave him the dark gift. In turn, the both of them turned Claudia, a young girl whose mother died from the plague, into a vampire after Louis accidentally bit her from hunger. Claudia is considered to them to be their vampire "daughter." In other words, the movie basically focuses on the personal relationships between vampires and their way of life. (Interview)

The Physical Appearance of the Vampire:-

            Naturally, the two movies are different, there is a clear distinction between the vampires that keep to the legends and folklores and the vampires that do not conform to the traditional legends. Comparing these two movies, we see a shift in identity in how the character and plot has evolved from the 1920's to the 1990's. In relation to that,  one of the foremost differences that we can discern from Nosferatu (1922) and Interview with a Vampire( 1994) is physical appearance. In Nosferatu, Count Orlok is depicted to be the traditional type of vampire we hear about in the myths and legends. The  traditionally grotesque vampires that flitter about at night and have extremely inhuman features. The pointed teeth, yellow hypnotic eyes, pale complexion, pointed bat-like ears and extended fingers. (Debbiedocs) On the other hand, we have the beautiful vampires with the more human like features depicted in Interview with a Vampire. These vampires have somewhat evolved from the traditional roots of myths about the physical traits of vampires. They are not depicted to be hideous creatures of the devil who isolate themselves from society and hide in some dark and creepy castle like in Nosferatu; but rather, the more modern day like vampires are depicted to be one that looks truly human, or to put it more precisely, to be in some ways more attractive than a normal human being. They are able to easily blend into society and hunt their victims in secrecy, under the disguise of potraying a fellow human being. Moreover, what is more interesting about this new adaption is that, these vampires walk freely amongst people in society. It is more difficult for the victim to recognize these creatures as their enemies as they do not have any apparent external characteristics that is extremely different from their own like pointed bat ears or a distorted face.

Exploring the Similarities and Differences of Vampire Characteristics:-

         The incorporation of vampire characteristics into the characters in both the films is another interesting aspect which can be explored. Firstly, we will compare the similarities of vampire characteristics in both the films before contrasting them.  According to the ThinkQuest website which I will be using as an external source for reference, vampires have many characteristics that vary from each vampire depending on where they came from. Some of the characteristics are; they need blood to survive because it is the elixir of life – without blood they will die. The blood gives them energy, power and replenishes their body; it is the key to immortality, they only come out at night because they fear sunlight, they grow stronger, tempering with time,  they have no reflections, so when they look in the mirror they don’t see anything, they have the power to control animals and vampires die if they have been staked through the heart by wood, burned or by decapitation and removing the brain. (Vampire characteritics) In Nosferatu (1922), we see the film taking on the cliche traditional vampire characteristics. Count Orlok feeds on human blood to live and only comes out at night because he fears the sunlight. This can be seen in the scene where Hutter cuts his thumb and Count Orlok tries to suck the blood out of his wound, but his repulsed guest pulls his hand away. (Nosferatu) Count Orlok's fear of sunlight can be seen when Hutter wakes up in the castle the next morning to see that the Count has vanished and he is in the castle alone. Then, at night, we see the Count reappear before Hutter to sign the documents and purchase the deserted house across from Hutter's home. We see a similar trend of these characteristics in the film, Interview with a Vampire( 1994) where the vampires as well fear sunlight and require to feed on human blood in order to satisfy their hunger. In Interview with a Vampire, we see Lestat teaching Louis to sleep in a coffin and coming out during the night. Moreover, we also see Lestat teaching Louis to hunt and feed on humans in a subtle way, by blending into society.

            Although the two movies share similarities in upholding some of the more internal traditional vampire characteristics,  there is also a clear objective comparison of some of the other characteristics that we can contrast. On one hand, we have Nosferatu (1922) which keeps with the traditional myths and legends about vampires. One of the traditional vampire characteristics is that they have the power of control over animals. Count Orlok has the ability to control the wolves that lurk outside his castle and the rats on the soil which the sailors found in the crates before it was shipped. On the other hand, we have Interview with a Vampire( 1994) which more or less loosely follows the traditional vampire characteristics, and even some of the characteristics were deemed false by Louis. For instance, in the beggining of the movie, when the reporter was interviewing Louis and asks whether the myths surrounding vampires were true, Louis replied by saying that he was rather fond of looking at crucifixes, and the old myth about the stake through the heart was pure nonsense. However, a coffin for a vampire is a must. Traditionally, a vampire can be killed when a stake is driven through the heart and vampires fear crucifixes because they are considered to be the child of the devil and fear the power of God. However, in the movie Interview with a Vampire( 1994), the belief of heaven and hell and the justice of the Almighty Father is nothing more than just a myth that has no effect in harming a vampire, nor do they fear it.  A great deal has changed since Bram Stoker first eternalized the folkloric vampire in his book Dracula. Since then, almost every adaptation to this character has made slight changes to the way vampires look, eat and fear. (Debbiedocs) As the decades pass, more drastic changes have been made to the character. In the movie Twilight (2008), the vampires portrayed, have been stripped of almost all traditional external characteristics and have been left with the internal characteristics only, the need to drink blood, extraordinary strength and longevity. (Debbiedocs)

Analysing the Transition of the Vampire Role over Time:-

           The two vampire characters Nosferatu and Louis that drives the narrarative plot of the story share some things in common. They are both vampires, they both have a girl that they desire to be with, and they both move around and not stay still in one location. However, there are glaring differences between the two characters that depicts the transition of the vampire role over the past seven decades. In Nosferatu (1922), Could Orlok is depicted to be a hideous creature who acts like a monster seeking victims to drain their blood. He stands out from society due to his appearance and the town people fear him. Count Orlok isolates himself into a dark and creepy castle which we first encounter upon the arrival of Hutter at Count Orlok's home. The interaction between Count Orlok and Hutter as well depicts the image of a traditional vampire of that time. They are monsters who see humans as food and are unable to interact with them in a civilized manner. The Count has neither a soul nor emotions. He is depicted to be like a phantom or a zombie in the film. On the other hand, we have Interview with a Vampire( 1994), and in this movie, we see the transition of the vampire role from an emotionless bloodsucking monster, to vampires that are more human like. They are able to mingle in society without fear of being identified as a monster. They are depicted to be beautiful creatures who are able to interact with humans on their level. The character Louis is one that shows humanity by showing compassion for life and refusing to kill. As Lestat teaches him to hunt and kill humans, Louis refuses because he treasures life. This angers Lestat but he allows Louis to live his own way of life; that is drinking not human blood but animal blood. Over time, the image of the vampire is depicted to not be feared  and disgusted but to be idolized and thought of as attractive. In this, we see the clear transition of the vampire role; straying away from the monstrous image and heading towards the more human like image.

Conclusion:-

              In conclusion, the main purpose of the paper was to investigate the portrayal of vampires in movies and understand how vampires are depicted differently in movies of different times. (Debbiedocs) This paper has given us some understanding into how the film industry pscyhologically manipulates our thoughts. In these modern day times, vampires are considered to be attractive and idolized by teenage fangirls who have been introduced to the concept of vampires being somewhat dangerously romantic and alluring. However, back in the early days of the film industry, vampire films were under the genre of horror where a long time folklore character such as a vampire represented the fear of our darkest thoughts and the creature that crosses the forbidden line of life and death, the undead.

Citations:-

Debbiedocs. "Identity and Political Otherness in Vampire Movies." 17 Oct. 2010. Web. 17 July 2011. <http://debbiedocs.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/identity-and-political-otherness-in-vampire-movies/>.

"Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 July 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interview_with_the_Vampire:_The_Vampire_Chronicles>.

"Nosferatu." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 July 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu>.

"Vampire Characteristics." Thinkquest. Web. 17 July 2011. <http://library.thinkquest.org/28516/pages/vw/vampcharacteristic.htm>.

Wilson, Karina. "Horror Films: Why We Like To Watch." Horror Film History — Introduction. Web. 17 July 2011. <http://www.horrorfilmhistory.com/>.

ET 14: Singin' In The Rain in Singin' In The Rain

 Come on with the rain with a smile on my face..

                         The movie entitled “Singing in the Rain,” starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds is a classic of its time. The movie leads the audience into the dream-like world of Hollywood and shows that this world of perfection is all but an illusion. Initially, everything may seem like all sparkles and glitters, but as the story progresses, the audience then discovers the flaws lying beneath the surface of the actors, actresses and the people that inhabit Hollywood. In relation to that, the highlight of the movie which is the scene of “Singing in the Rain,” played out by Gene Kelly is a beautiful masterpiece of expressionism. On the surface, the audience does not think much of the scene and only observe a man singing and dancing in the rain. However, there are powerful meanings behind this man’s so-called singing and dancing, and as well as the setting of the scene itself. 

                          The beginning of the scene starts off with a kiss between Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. Then, after parting ways, Gene Kelly waves and signals for his car to go off signifying that he does not need it anymore. He starts to walk in the rain. The beginning of the scene signifies the change that has come upon him since the beginning of the movie where all he cared about was keeping up a good image with the public and dressing the part.  The kiss ignites his emotions of love for Debbie Reynolds and sends him flying off into a dream-like world and away from reality. The kiss sparks his gesture to get rid of his car which symbolizes him welcoming a new change. The element of the car is not to be overlooked. If we look carefully, we can see that the black car in the scene resembles the sort of black cars that we see in the beginning of the film which is at the premiere. The black car is a symbol of wealth, power and status that the stars of Hollywood have and embrace. It also symbolizes the elegance and glamour that the public expects the stars of Hollywood to be. Gene Kelly’s gesture of waving his car off is like him shedding off an old skin and getting a new one. He feels that the material wealth that he once constantly fussed over is no more than superficiality and shallowness. There is so much more to the world than just the things that you own.

                          The choreography sequence in the scene of “Singing in the Rain,” after the beginning, tells a story. As he goes along his merry way and starts to hum a melody, he decides that he does not need the umbrella anymore. He closes his umbrella and continues to walk and sing in the rain, greeting strangers that pass by him with a smile or a friendly gesture. Gene Kelly uses the umbrella as a form of protection from the rain; he uses it to prevent himself from getting wet. This can simply signify that the umbrella is his comfort zone. The umbrella is big and wide, it takes up a lot of space. He uses this umbrella and forms a barrier between other people and himself. The umbrella gives him his personal space and as well as blocks other people out.  The meaning behind the umbrella is similar to that of the big white coat that we saw Gene Kelly wore in the beginning of the movie at the premiere. As he decides that he does not need the umbrella anymore, he also decides that he should step out of his comfort zone and embrace the unknown. Initially, he hides behind this façade, he hides behind his big coat and umbrella, but as he undergoes a new transformation, he gains a lot more confidence in himself and has a higher self-esteem. Instead of blocking people out, he learns to embrace them and connect with them. Thus, this explains the friendly smiles and gestures that he gives strangers as they pass by him.

                       A very important element that is very expressionistic in the scene of “Singing in the Rain,” is the use of the rain.  Firstly, the rain symbolizes what Gene Kelly is feeling right at the moment when he sings and dances in the rain. He feels happy, carefree and as well as very strong emotions of love for Kathy. The rain signifies the degree of intensity of his emotions. These emotions that he experiences were ignited by the kiss that we saw in the beginning of the scene. As Gene Kelly continues to walk and sing in the rain, he takes off his hat and lets the rain come down on him with a smile on his face. The rain symbolizes change because water welcomes new life, it signifies rebirth. As the water washes his face, he is being cleansed of his past and with a smile, he welcomes the bright new future that is awaiting him. Even as he performs the action of letting the rain wash his face, he sings “Come on with the rain, with a smile on my face.”

                  The dance choreography after that action also is very expressionistic. The swinging of his umbrella as he walks symbolizes how carefree he is, the movement of the swinging umbrella also can be observed to be him knocking away anything that dares to disturb this transition of change. He is also “knocking,” away challenges or obstacles that he would have to face. From the imaginary dance partner to somewhat hugging his umbrella, he was most probably imagining Kathy (Debbie Reynolds) and the whole dance sequence expresses his pure joy and love for her. Then, he takes off his hat again which symbolizes him embracing or going deeper into his emotions and as he takes those emotions in, it fills him up and he explodes and expresses everything by tap dancing. He continues to tap dance until he comes to this pipe where water is just pouring out like a waterfall. Gene Kelly dances by stepping back and forth making the audience anticipate the moment when he will stand under the pouring water and allow himself to get soaked. The pouring water symbolizes his overflowing passion, and by him being drenched in it, he is actually being overwhelmed by his passion. Moreover, the pouring water purifies him in a sort of way by washing away the bad things and making him clean. This is a more thorough cleansing compared to little drops of rain that washed his face as he smiled. As he becomes overwhelmed with his passion, it fills him up again and he explodes by twirling and dancing around the whole street with his umbrella. This amplifies his emotions and the energy that he is bursting with.

                As the scene draws near the end, Gene Kelly starts jumping in puddles, splashing water all around and simultaneously tap dancing. He relives his childhood and becomes a boy again playing and jumping around in the puddles, just having fun. His innocence returns after being cleansed by the water and he learns to let go and become carefree. He remembers the fun times he had in the past before he learn the word “dignity,” he goes back to the person he was before he learn that “you lose face with dignity.” Then, after what seems like an emotional rollercoaster ride and an adventure in his dream-like world, he is snapped back into reality when a police officer pauses and looks at him sternly as he plays in the puddles. At the end of the sequence, Gene Kelly walks away from the officer and gives away his umbrella to a stranger who needed it. He felt that he did not need that protection anymore and as he stepped back into reality once more, he has completed his change. He walks back into the real world a new man.

               In conclusion, the scene of “Singing in the Rain” is like the icon of the movie. After careful analysis of the whole sequence, I can understand how a lot of thought was put into the dance choreography and music and what each detail represented to tell a story. The scene was brilliantly crafted into a masterpiece of pure expressionism. It teaches us a life lesson of how a person goes through change and how that change makes a person become stronger, allowing him to move forward.

ET 13: BOY MEETS GIRL: TWO TREATMENTS

 Top Hat's musical number- Isn't it a Lovely Day

Singing in the Rain's musical number- You were Meant for Me

            According to Chairman Rey, “a movie begins when a world in an uneasy state of equilibrium is broken into by an event.” The event in the case of the two movies which we will be discussing is “boy meets girl.” In “Top Hat” for instance, Fred Astaire meets Ginger Rogers by tap dancing in the room above hers and disturbing her sleep. In “Singing in the Rain,” it was when Gene Kelly (Don) drops into the car which Debbie Reynolds was driving. In musical comedy, we learn that in some occasions, things are expressed through song and dance. When we watch the two musical numbers “Isn’t it a Lovely Day” and “You were Meant for Me,” we don’t pay much attention to the subtle elements that make up the number, but on the contrary, each element that makes up these musical numbers is there for a reason.

            First, the mise-en-scene in “Top Hat,” in the number “ Isn’t it a Lovely Day,” seems very subtle, but each element expresses something. The costumes that both Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers wear do not take up much space and they seem very fitting. The purpose for such a design is so that the two people would be able to move around a lot as they dance. Moreover, the design of the costume as well may seem very simple and yet, very refine. The setting scene for the number “Isn’t it a Lovely Day” is set when both, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are caught in a gazebo during a rainstorm. The weather of the rain gives the two of them the perfect excuse to be stuck together. The sound of thunder shows Ginger Roger’s vulnerability, but also gives a way for Fred Astaire to express his feelings for her in a song. Thus, the opening begins. The weather can also be a symbol of the passion growing between them, in terms of the thunder, lightning and rain. 

            In the case of “Singing in the Rain,” in the number “You were Meant for me,” the colors used for the costumes worn by Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds are very light and simple. This creates a sort of psychological state in the audience where by they feel relax and easy because of the colors. The design is simple, symbolizing that there is no complications in their relationship and that they are real people. They are a real man and a woman who are in love; not needing to put up a fake front for the public and wearing complicated clothing to show off material wealth. The setting used in the number “You were Meant For Me,” can be analyzed in terms of realism. Gene Kelly also known as Don Lockwood uses a variety of cinematic illusions to transform an empty dark studio into one of the most beautiful and romantic settings we usually see on film. He creates this dream-like world by transforming the backdrop into a sunset, adding a little “mist from a distance,” and turning on “500 kilowatts of star dust.” Moreover, Debbie Reynolds looks somewhat more dazzling under this setting as compared to when we usually see her; this makes the audience understand how the magic of Hollywood can make actresses look so beautiful. When such a truth is revealed, the audience then contradicts what is real and what is not.

                  There is a major difference in the choreography and acting in both the numbers “ Isn’t it a Lovely Day,” and “ You were Meant For Me.” In Top Hat, we see how Ginger Rogers is portrayed to be this strong and independent lady who does not seem at all interested in Fred Astaire. Yet, we know that she is interested from the occasional glance at him and the little smile she has on her face. She is just playing hard-to-get. The audience can see how Fred Astaire is completely head over heels in love with her, and the expression on his face can tell much. His expression looks like he is a little silly, carefree and happy regardless of the “bad” situation that they are in. There are two angles from which the audience can look at his acting. Firstly, his facial expression can be seen as him showing the girl his confidence and reassurance that he is the guy for her. Another way in which the audience can see it is, Fred Astaire making an effort to get Ginger Rogers to notice him because his facial expression shows a sense of desperation.

 

      In relation to that, their dance tells a story. In the beginning, we see how Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire mirror each other, following the other’s dance steps. This indicates their interest for one another, yet we can sense a hint of hesitance from them. The dance is a form of courtship until the two of them finally have the first touch. When that happens, the music hits a momentary pause and then intensifies; symbolizing how the passion of two people finally clashes and it overwhelms them. It overtakes their body and it feels like the only way for them to express themselves is through tap-dancing at a faster pace with more intensity and excitement.

                      In the case of “Singing in the Rain,” in the number “You were Meant for me,” the love interest between the two characters; Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds is clearly shown and portrayed in their acting. The audience can feel their love by just observing the way the two characters look at each other. A lot of emotions are conveyed through the soft gestures of Gene Kelly as he climbs up the ladder whilst serenading to her. His soft gestures can possibly symbolize how precious Kathy (Debbie Reynolds) is to him, like a fragile glass that he has to take extra care of. On the other hand, Debbie Reynolds expresses occasional looks of uncertainty, wondering if it would be possible for them to be together. Her limited movements and stiff postures throughout the number as she acts symbolizes her fear of being hurt or her fear of expecting the worse out of the relationship. Yet, their dance tells a different story. Gene Kelly takes her hand and they initially start to walk around the space first. This indicates that they would take their relationship slow and take baby steps first. Gradually, it leads up to Gene Kelly leading Debbie Reynolds through the dance. He is reassuring her that everything would be okay and that they would take things as they come. As they dance across the room in a waltz-like tap dance, the audience can feel that the relationship has grown more solid and that both the characters are confident in themselves and each other. The way they dance across the room indicates that the world is theirs and nobody can bring them down.

           In conclusion, both the numbers; “Isn’t it a Lovely Day” and “You were Meant for Me,” both exhibit truly classical and original “Boy meets Girl” moments. In both the numbers, the feelings exchanged by two characters create depth and gives life to the songs and dances. Personally, I can see why these films were well-recognized in its time and day and are still being appreciated to these present times.