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Beauty and the Beast, (2017)
Director: BillCordon

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A Clockwork Orange, (1971)
Director : Stanley Kubrick

In Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 adaptation of Anthony Burgess's novel, A Clockwork Orange, Malcolm McDowell portrays Alex DeLarge, a Beethoven-loving charismatic delinquent who likes to practice crimes of ultra-violence with his gang.  During one of his crime sprees, Alex is apprehended by the police, convicted of murder, and sentenced to 14 years in prison.  During his incarceration Alex volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government to solve society's crime problem. He soon realizes that the price for freedom may be higher than he expected (IMDb.com).

“One of the reasons for the success of Kubrick’s films is his use of the camera and ability to create a rhythm.  Many techniques and methods are used to create rhythms in a motion picture: the physical objects moving on the screen, the real or apparent movement of the camera, the musical score and the pace of the dialogue, as well as the pace of the plot itself” (Petrie 170). Director Stanley Kubrick’s legendary use of extreme camera angles, wide angle lenses and slow protracted scenes combined with the nondiegetic sound of classical music allows the viewer to experience the harsh and sometime surreal world of Alex DeLarge (LAvideoFimmaker.com).

The first scene opens with a close-up of a golden arch and a faint sound of voices and music in the background.  As the camera zooms out, the music builds to a gradual crescendo and the camera tilts down to find a group men accosting a woman and stripping her of her clothes until she is naked.  As the men savagely grope her to carry her to the awaiting mattress on the stage, the nondiegetic sound of La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie) plays in the background. The camera zooms out to a wide angle shot for a view of the dilapidated and deserted amphitheater.  Just as the gang of men are preparing to do their worst, the camera switches to a wide-angle view of the back wall as several figures emerge from the shadows as the opera plays in the background.  Kubrick’s genius camera work conveyed a sense of chaos and despair, while the opera about a girl facing her darkest hour and rescued at the last minute balanced the intensity of the moment, almost foreshadowing the outcome.

The second scene follows Alex and his gang after a disagreement regarding the hierarchy of the gang.  As the gang leaves the building toward the waterway, Alex narrates his thoughts on how he will resolve the conflict.  Kubrick uses wide angle camera shots and shoots the scene in slow motion to dramatize the effect of Alex’s decision to beat his friends into submission.  As he strikes each of his friends, Kubrick captures the expressions of horror and pain as they plummet into the water.  Then Kubrick jump shots the camera to capture Alex’s evil grin of satisfaction.  Kubrick continues to use the slow motion as the two men attempt to get out of the water to emphasize the effort that the two are making and the resistance they are facing.  The camera then jumps to Alex as he extends a hand of assistance to his friend.  Just as his friend reaches out for help, the camera zooms in to reveal Alex pulling out a knife to cut his friend’s wrist.  Kubrick use of angles and editing were significant to the scene and the movie.  They scenes depict the struggle that his friends face in addition to exposing Alex’s true nature and need to remain the alpha.

The combination of the camera work and classical music selected were significant to the movie and successfully communicated the message on several levels.  Kubrick looks at the nature of violence and its effects and illustrates them by the intense camera scenes and classical music score; making them integral to the movies theme and overall plot.

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The Godfather, (1972)
Director : Francis Ford Coppola

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Manchester by the Sea: (2016)
Director: Kenneth  Lonergan

In every movie ever made, the director must devise a way to successfully develop a storyline, while simultaneously integrating the backstory and personalities of the characters without confusing the audience. In the 2016 film, Manchester by the Sea, director Kenneth Lonergan accomplished this task using shots, scenes, and sequences that have taken place in the past, and weaves them into the present timeline established in the film.  This technique, known as a flashback, is employed as part of the narrative to explain present situations, as well as, providing depth to the characters (Konigsberg 148).

The first scene opens with three men on a boat heading out to sea for a great day of fishing and family time.  As the boat is leaving the port, the camera jumps to a young man in a maintenance uniform, performing various jobs for tenants in his apartment building.    It is only later that the viewer learns that the three men on the boat were Lee Chandler, his older brother Joe, and Lee’s nephew Patrick.  As the film progresses, Lonergan’s use of flashback gradually bridges the gap between Lee’s past and present life, allowing the viewer to understand that the flashbacks represent different periods in his life.

In addition to giving the viewer insight to Lee’s past, Lonergan uses flashback to create the mood associated with that time in Lee’s life.  He demonstrates this is the scene where Lee has received a phone call that his brother, Joe, has suffered cardiac arrest.  Lee rushes to the hospital only to find that his brother has died.  As the doctor escorts the stoic and emotionless Lee down to the, Lee flashes back to the day in the hospital when his brother was first diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Lonergan uses this scene to build the bridge between the past and present which help the audience understand the significance of the events and the emotions Lee is feeling.

In the third scene involving a flashback, Lee has come home from a night of drinking alone at the bar.  As he lies on the couch, his memory drifts back to the time with his family, coming home from work and being met by his wife and children.  Lonergan makes sure the flashback is another piece of the bridge to help the audience understand more about Lee and emotion filled past.  While the flashback expresses the feeling of pure joy and happiness, it leaves the audience with the questions; where is the happiness now?

The final flashback, the most poignant, gives the audience the answer to the question of where the happiness is. The audience finds out that the joy and life that Lee once had, were erased the night his house burned down and he lost his three children.  He learns from the police investigators that the catastrophe was caused by the fire he had started in the fireplace earlier that evening.  Longhorn uses this flashback to explain the connection between the past and present, as well as, a deeper understanding of Lee and his decisions.

Lonergan does a superb job of incorporating the character’s past with the present while utilizing flashbacks to convey the hero’s journey.  The one-dimensional character the audience was introduced to at the beginning of the film has developed into a multi-faceted character the audience relates to.

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The 39 Steps, (1935)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock

One of the most famous directors known for his mastery of the camera is Alfred Hitchcock.  Hitchcock’s ability to create suspense filled scenes by the manipulation of the camera lens and editing techniques are what have earned Alfred Hitchcock the well-deserved title “Master of Suspense”.  In his film, The 39 Steps, Hitchcock demonstrates his mastery of the camera in several scenes which in turn create a sense of familiarity, suspense, and romance.

An example of Hitchcock’s talent using various camera shots is in the beginning of the movie. Hitchcock creates a moment of familiarity for his viewers with a camera shot that incorporates his signature cameo at the beginning of the movie.  The scene begins where Richard Hannay and Annabella Smith have left the Music Hall and cross the street. As the bus comes to a stop, a rotund gentleman (Hitchcock) walks by and discards a pack of cigarettes, only to continue walking down the street.  While this particular shot seems to be a random, it represents the Hitchcock’s familiar hidden signature that fans have come to recognize and look for in all his films.

In the second example, Hitchcock creates a sense of suspense in the scene where Hannay enters into the office of the Professor.  The camera pans back and forth between Hannay and the professor as they talk about the events that led up to the arrival of Hannay at the home of the Professor. During the course of the conversation, the camera shots are always positioned to prevent a direct view of the Professor’s hands.  It is only when Hannay discloses Annabella’s warning about the man with a missing finger that the strategically placed cigarette case that once hid the finger is now revealed.  The carefully executed camera shots provide a solid jolt of surprise when Hannay discovers that the Professor is the man Annabella warned him about.

The third example of Hitchcock’s utilization of camera shots is with Hannay and Pamela. The placement of the camera suggested intimacy and sensuality.  Although they were constantly contesting the presence of one another presence, the close ups and constant close proximity to each other suggests love-hate romantic relationship.  These combined techniques allow the viewer a voyeuristic glimpse of a blossoming romance.

For every movie that has ever been made, there has been a director that has had to make the decision on which techniques he/she will use to ensure that his/her message is successfully received by the audience.  While there are many techniques that are used to create the movie scenes, it is the right combination that allow the director to create a connection with the viewer, thus allowing the viewer to experience the emotions along with the characters.  The end result will be a movie that engages and captivates the viewer while keeping them on the edge of their seat.

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La La Land, (2016)
Director: Damian Chazelle

While successful films possess a variety of elements to bring them to fruition, it is the culmination of the elements that the director must bring together in correct proportions to ensure that any film is a success.  In the 2016 film La La land, director Damian Sayre Chazelle tells the story of Mia and Sebastian, two aspiring artists that are working to make their individual dreams come true. One of the keys elements to La La Land’s magical and whimsical feeling was Chazelles use of the camera and ability to captivate the viewers with his amazing camera techniques.

One of the techniques that Chazelle uses to captivate the viewer is combining the music while utilizing glancing rhythms to manipulate the audience to excitement and anticipation.  In each instance, Chazelle starts off with an objective point of view, and allows the viewers to observe the characters from a distance, as if they were watching through a hidden window.  He then allows the viewer to tip-toe in by slowly zooming in with the camera. This subjective view angle of the camera allows the viewer to step inside the head of the character and gives the viewer ringside seats to the character’s perspective.  These glancing rhythms provide the viewer not only the opportunity to connect with the character but also and experience the thoughts and emotions of the character at that moment in the movie..

The first scene that Chazelle uses this technique is when Mia arrives at a big Hollywood party and starts making the rounds introducing herself.   After several introductions, she excuses herself and leaves to freshen up in the bathroom.  As Mia enters the bathroom and closes the door, the camera has the objective point of view of an observer, however, as she walks toward the vanity, the camera slowly zooms in for a close up of Mia’s face, allowing the viewer a more subjective point of view.  This eye-line shot allows the viewer to see things from Mia’s perspective and understand that Mia is not only looking at her reflection but herself as a person.  As she continues to gaze in the mirror, she begins to sing a song about being discovered and fulfilling her dreams. After she finishes singing, the camera slowly zooms out and the room that was once dark begins to fill with light.   As Mia walks away from the mirror to return to the party the viewer understands that this is a defining moment for Mia.  Upon reentering the party, the camera positions itself at a distance to see Mia holding her head down as she starts to walk thru the crowd.  As she makes her way through the party goers, her slow pace is synchronized to the motion of the crowd and the pulse of the music to indicate the initial insecurity of her new revelation.  As Mia continues to walk, the viewer notices that as her pace increases so does the movement around her along with the beat of the music.  It is not long until Mia and the music have accelerated to a whirlwind tempo, giving the viewer the sense of Mia’s new found confidence. The use of glancing rhythms in this scene allows the viewer a momentary glimpse into Mia’s thoughts and feelings of hope for finding success and provide the viewer the connection to experience Mia’s new outlook.

In the second scene, Sebastian has arrived at work where he is employed as a piano player for the evening dinner patrons.  Before Sebastian begins his shift, his employer meets with him to confirm that the playlist for the evening will consist of holiday music only and absolutely no free style jazz.  After a sideline negotiation, Sebastian reluctantly agrees to play only Christmas music. With a deep sigh, Sebastian begins his set with Deck the Halls and from a distance the camera watches as he successfully completes the first chorus and transitions to a beautiful slow paced ballad.  As he continues to play, the camera slowly zooms in and the room around him begins to dim until eventually only a spotlight beams down on Sebastian while he plays the piano.  Gradually, the camera zooms in to a close up of Sebastian’s face showing the viewer the concentration that he must exert to prevent himself from playing from his heart.  Eventually the camera jumps to an extreme close up of Sebastian’s hands on the piano keys, giving the viewer the opportunity to watch the intricate maneuvers of his hands and experience the intensity and passion that Sebastian has for his music.

As his hands dance across the keys, the beat of the music begins to increase in tempo until eventually it gives way to a fast paced chaotic free style jazz rhythm that has been building up inside of Sebastian.  This subjective angle takes the viewer into the mind of Sebastian, not only hear the music but feel his passion.  As Sebastian hits the last key, the camera zooms out and in the matter of an instant the viewer is looking at Sebastian from a distance.  The lights that were once dim are now bright revealing an audience that is not praising him with applause but shunning him with disapproving glares.  In this scene, the viewer is experiencing not only Sebastian’s playing but the world in which he goes to when he plays.

In both scenes, Chazelle’s use of glancing rhythms of the camera combined with the music is extremely successful in its ability to manipulate the emotions of the viewer.  This technique allows the viewer to build the connection, as well as, experience the magic and the message of the movie.

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The 39 Steps, (1935)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Any successful story, book, show or movie must have a foundation upon which everything is based.  It allows for layers to be built upon it so that the storyline remains consistent and solid throughout the telling of the story.  In movies, that foundation is known as the hero’s journey, which was identified by Joseph Campbell in 1949. It is a pattern of narrative that appears in drama, storytelling, myth, religious ritual, and psychological development¹.  Director, Alfred Hitchcock utilized this template of the hero’s journey in many films, but more specifically the 1935 classic, The 39 Steps.

The movie begins in the ordinary world of the hero Richard Hannay as he enjoys an evening at the Music Hall watching the talented performance of Mr. Memory.  Hannay’s call to adventure occurs when his evening is interrupted by a fight that breaks out during the performance, only to be escalated when gunshots ring out.  As Hannay exits the building he happens upon the damsel/ mentor, Annabelle Smith.  She appears to be in distress and he offers to escort her out of the building and back to his flat.

Upon arriving at Hannay’s flat, Annabelle reveals that she is a spy and is in grave danger as she has been discovered.  She attempts to convince Hannay that she has knowledge of a spy ring trying to steal top secret information.  Annabelle goes on to tell him that she is being followed and points out two men calling from the phone on the corner across from his flat.  Although he observes the men, he dismisses her claims and refuses the call to adventure.  Later that evening, any doubt he had is erased when Annabelle staggers into his room and collapses across his bed, revealing a knife protruding from her back.  Remembering what Annabelle had said, Hannay fears that the murderers will be after him next.

Terrified of what may come, Hannay crosses the first threshold when he realizes he must get out of his building and past the henchmen without being recognized.  Out of fear and desperation, Hannay corners the morning milkman and coerces him to surrender his uniform so that he may make a clean getaway from the two men across the street.  He leaves the building with the milkman uniform to head to the train station to escape the city.  He boards the train with the peace of mind that he is clear of any danger.  Upon taking his seat, he overhears the salesmen in his cabin discuss the murder that had occurred at his flat the night before and how the police are looking for the suspect.  It is at this point that Hannay is in the belly of the whale and acknowledges the validity of Annabelle’s story. He makes the decision to commit to cause to ensure Annabelle’s death was not in vain and clear his name.  In order to achieve this, Hannay understands that he must leave the comfort of his own world and head toward Scotland to carry Annabelle’s message of the spy ring.  As he gets up to leave his seat, he becomes aware that he is being pursued and attempts to make a getaway.  He runs from his cabin frantically looking for a place to hide.  Hannay darts into a cabin, only to find it is occupied by a beautiful young woman named Pamela.  Without saying a word, he immediately sits down and starts kissing her and keeps kissing her until his perpetrators pass and continue down the hall of the train looking for him.  As he pulls away from the kiss from Pamela, he begins to confide in her about his situation hoping that she will understand.  When the authorities come back to question her, it is much to his dismay that he learns that she does not support his alibi.  It is at this point that Hannay’s road of trials begins.  During his travels, Hannay is continually put to the test by the temptation of the decision to continue his adventure or give up and throw in the towel.  One of the main challenges is when he is unexpectedly reunited with Pamela at a political rally. She recognizes him and immediately reports him to the authorities to be arrested.  Upon arrest, the authorities ask her to accompany them as a witness and handcuff her to Hannay to reduce his chance for escape.  During this time, Pamela comes to realize that Hannay was telling her the truth and makes the decision to stand by his side to help him clear his name and prevent the spy ring from succeeding.

The ultimate boon occurred when Hannay and Pamela were back in the Music Hall watching Mr. Memory perform and realized the Mr. Memory was the key component to the spy ring.  He realized that he had to ask Mr. Memory the question: What are the 39 steps?  Once he asked the question, Mr. Memory is no longer needed and is released from his responsibility to the spy ring.  This action allowed Hannay to then cross the return threshold to where he could clear his name so that he could return to ordinary life once again.

¹Hero’s Journey. The Hero’s Journey Outline, http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero's _journey

.htm.  Accessed 12 Feb. 2017.

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Book of Life, (2014)
Director: Jorge Gutierrez

The magnificently animated film, Book of Life (2008) by Jorge Gutierrez is about a young boy, Manolo, and the choices he faces of either satisfying the expectations of his family by becoming a bullfighter or following his heart and becoming a musician. The film uses Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) as the setting for the adventure for the which Manolo embarks on his adventure in the afterlife.

The first element that sets Book of Life apart from other animation creators like Disney, Pixar, or Dream Works is Gutierrez’s willingness to take a chance to create characters that have very little resemblance to the characters that moviegoers have come to know in other computer animated features. The imagery and the attention to detail are what gives this film its sense of uniqueness. From the marionette like characters to the stitching on Manolo’s matador jacket, Gutierrez incorporates the rich Mexican culture and folklore and combines it with the music and color of pop culture to tell a story of self-discovery, fate, and true love.

The second element is Gutierrez’s ability to successfully integrate symbolism with the richness of his characters to allow the viewer to experience the true depth and intensity of the scenes.  One particular scene that emphasizes this technique is Manolo’s confronting his fear of killing the bull to fulfill the ritualistic right of bull fighting.

The scene begins when Manolo enters the bullfighting ring and is confronted by an enormous bull that is constructed of gray rickety bones engulfed in flames. The perspective is that of a ringside seat that allows the viewer to watch Manolo in the fight of his life.  During the fight, the shots switch from back and forth to the close ups of Manolo and the bull as they look at each other, giving the viewer the perspective that each is trying to anticipate the other’s move.  After Manolo successfully defeats the bull, he is confronted with either killing the bull to avoid the disapproval of his family or following his heart and being true to himself.  As the bull begins to walk toward Manolo, a wall of flames surrounds them both.  As Manolo reaches for his sword, he catches a glimpse of his reflection in his sword and realizes what he must do.  Instead of reaching for his sword, he stands up and reaches for his guitar.  As he begins to play, the bull charges Manolo to throw him across the ring.  Manolo flies through the air, hits the ground, slides through the dirt coming to a stop.  It is at this point Manolo picks himself up, dusts himself off and grabs his guitar to start playing.  As Manolo starts to play again, the flame engulfed bull begins to charge but comes to a halt as Manolo begins to sing an apology to the bull.  While Manolo sings, the imagery of the bull’s flaming rage begins to dissipate and eventually the flames that have enveloped the bull and the wall of fire that that surrounded them both slowly dim.  At the point the flames are extinguished, the once bright and massive beast dims into a darkness that dissolves like ashes in the wind.

It is this scene that best demonstrates Gutierrez’s use of symbolism combined with the imagery and music that allow him to communicate not only a message, but a feeling.  Gutierrez’s use of the enormous bull made of old bones and flames do an amazing job of representing Manolo’s fears that have grown into a furious beast.  In the shot where Manolo sees his reflection in his sword, Gutierrez gives the viewer the subjective point of view while also conveying the importance of being able to look at yourself and be happy with what you see.  Finally, the way that Gutierrez, incorporates the music is fantastic.  The way he is able to communicate non-verbally with the music and the imagery to show that Manolo and the bull have come to terms with their role in life and realize that compassion and empathy can heal.

https://youtu.be/8-fkmRaX0Wk

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Slumdog Millionaire is worth every dollar!

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Slumdog Millionaire is worth every dollar!

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Slumdog Millionaire, (2008)
Director: Danny Boyle

The 2008 movie Slumdog Millionaire, based on the novel by author Vikas Swarup, is the story about Jamal, a young Indian man, who becomes a contestant on the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” Jamal earns wealth and fame as he draws on his life experiences to help him to advance to the winning round.  It is at the pinnacle of his success that he is accused of cheating by the egocentric host that vows to do everything to prevent Jamal from achieving millionaire status.

Director Danny Boyle executed every aspect of film in great detail, but truly excelled in editing the shots and scenes used throughout the film.  Through his abilities and techniques of using various camera angles and positions, combined with his editing of the cuts, Boyle successfully creates the connection that is required to experience the depth and intensity of the film.  It is this ability that allowed Boyle to integrate extremely violent scenes throughout the movie, so that the viewers are able to experience the forceful and powerful moments to help them relate to the characters.

It is Boyle’s use of editing and cuts create a sense of intensity and excitement from the very beginning. The movie opens with the close up of young Jamal in a dark room with a light hanging overhead. Beads of sweat form on his upper lip while smoke slowly billows up in front of his blank and emotionless eyes.  In the blink of an eye, the camera cuts to a round faced, clean shaven man with a cigar in his mouth.  As the camera focuses on the round faced man, the sound of a ticking clock begins, all while the man remains stoic and stern in his glare.  At the moment the anticipation hits its peak, the man’s hand swing across the table to hit the side of Jamal’s face.  The scene fades to black, and white text appears on the screen: Jamal Malik is one question away from winning 20 million rupees…How did he do it?  A. He cheated.  B. He’s lucky.  C. He’s a genius. D. It is written. The increasing sound of a clock ticking echoes in the background.  The scene cuts to the game show stage with Jamal in the contestant seat.  It is this build up throughout the movie that creates the bond between the audience and the characters.

While I am not an advocate for gratuitous violence, I believe that Boyle has the right balance to enhance the viewer’s connection with the characters of the movie.  Slumdog Millionaire had me from the beginning and kept me there emotionally and mentally.  It is for that reason that I would recommend that everyone see this movie.

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