https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz en-us 2022-09-12 21:53:46 UTC 2025-10-20 15:17:21 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f4fd.png drosario03_2 https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2293202181 Sunset Boulevard is an "American black comedy film noir" (As characterized by IMDB) with an impressive 98% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Co-written and directed by Billy Wilder and later released to theaters in 1950, Sunset Boulevard has taken its spot as one of the great films that helped inspire many movies to come in the film industry. The film itself gives off a very dramatic tone and one that feels pretty gloomy and depressing to someone watching the film for the first time. The way this is accomplished is by the cinematography. Billy Wilder made use of dramatic lighting contrast throughout the film. One of the most notable examples of this us of lighting is when Max reveals the truth about him and Norma's past. The scene itself makes use of shadows to help set the mood of what is transpiring in this scene. In the scene, Max tells Joe a pretty important piece of information in the garage and the shadows help create an anxious and menacing like environment. Max explaining how he made Norma into a star and that he won't let anyone destroy her while paired with the low-level light in the garage makes this scene seem almost villainous. In addition, the use of sound is also used in a specific manor. The music plays a loud violin sound that helps sell the shock factor. The scene is relatively quiet throughout Max's dialogue, then as soon as he reveals the shocking news that he was Norma's first husband, the music picks up to help give off a dramatic effect to help sell the importance of this scene. The camera work is also used perfectly. Throughout the scene, the camera is at a medium distance from the characters but as soon as the important information starts to be known, the camera zooms in on their faces in close-up shots. This is used to help capture the emotions of the characters. The close-up of Max shows that he was heartbroken to be separated from Norma and the camera also zooms in on Joe to capture his shocking realization to the information he had just been told. The facial expressions they provide help to sell the moment and the information as one of the most important scenes in the film. The cinematic techniques used in this film is perfectly executed and helped pave the way for the movies of the future to come. ]]> 2022-09-12 22:50:02 UTC https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2293202181 drosario03_2 https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2301914762 Singin' in the Rain, written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and produced by Arthur Freed in 1952, became one of the most world renown films in history. Though it is not in black and white, the film still is described to be one of the great classic films. One of the main plot points of this film involves the film industries transition from silent films to films with live words like the movies of the modern era. In the film, the transition to sound films is first represented as nothing more than a facetious thought. The producer of Lockwood and Lamont's Film, R.F. Simpson, eventually decided to switch his current film The Dueling Cavalier into a sound film, and later a musical film called The Dancing Cavalier. The switch to a sound film was not taken as a welcome idea at first as it was still a relatively new concept at the time. In the end however, the film was widely accepted by the audience in the theater along with all of Dom and Lina's fans.  One of the main challenges that arise during the filming of The Dancing Cavalier is the issue concerning Lina's voice. Throughout the filming of the film, the decision to swap Lina's voice for Kathy Selden's was made. Lina would be the on-screen actor, who would act silently, while Kathy worked the voice acting of Lina's character. Dom and Kathy gradually grew their relationship throughout the filming of the movie until they fell in love. This enraged Lina however, because her fans thought that her and Dom were a couple. She took this rumor very personally and genuinely believed it. When she found out that Dom loved Kathy, Lina threatened to sue R.F. Simpson's to take Kathy's name out of the credits which was eventually granted. At the premier of the film, Lina is tricked into revealing that she was not the voice they heard in the movie. This resolved the problem of Dom and Kathy not being accepted together, as they are now the faces of the film Singin' in the Rain.]]> 2022-09-18 21:30:02 UTC https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2301914762 drosario03_2 https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2324576407 The 400 Blows, directed by Francois Truffaut and released in 1959, is a movie about a young boy who makes some bad choices and faces the rough consequences of these actions. Antoine wasn't raised poorly; in fact, he was barely raised by his parents at all. Antoine's parents were very inconsiderate and rather neglectful which set up emotional blockades for Antoine. In the first scene we see, Antoine's teacher tells him that recess is more of a reward than a requirement, and then he shuts the door leaving Antoine alone in the classroom. Instead of talking to Antoine like a boy, the teacher doesn't even give him the respect of responding to him. In today's world, it is important to treat everyone with respect especially children. Even though kids may not be old enough to bare the responsibilities of adults like paying taxes, making dinner, or having a job, that doesn't mean they should be valued any less. Children treated with little to no respect often veer down a path of mischievous acts or being defiant. These kids will then be continued to be brought down until they're just a shell of their former selves. This is the case for young Antoine who in the first fifteen minutes of the film, already gets in trouble twice. The second event we see is when a piece of paper is being passed around the class, Antoine's is the hand the teacher catches it in. Antoine started to become more and more emotionally damaged that instead of showing up to school, he exclaims that his mother died. When she shows up however, he is not only marked as a troublemaker, but now a liar. Instead of dealing with Antoine in a respectful matter that would help him, his teacher decided to make a mockery and example out of him. Children need to help in making the right choices and if they don't receive that help, then there is no one to blame than the people who refused to help them. Children are very susceptible and are easily guided by people of higher powers. If a child sees their parent acting a certain way, even if it's neglectful, that child will adopt these emotions and practices. For this reason, it is important to help guide children down a right path so the world may grow into a more accepting place. ]]> 2022-10-03 21:10:06 UTC https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2324576407 drosario03_2 https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2343888242 Bonnie & Clyde, directed by Arthur Penn, is a film that tells the story of an ordinary women who falls in love with an ex-con. The two share adventures together and begin a strong crime spree. Some of these crimes include stealing cars and robbing banks. Arthur Penn followed the views of the French New Wave Movement in this film. This resulted in a more realistic and less theatrical film that is widely loved by many. Bonnie & Clyde is often considered to be one of the first films to release of the "New Hollywood Era" as explained by Wikipedia. The scenes in this film allowed many filmmakers to break away from the normal, everyday film prohibitions. The success in this film generated a great wave of inspiration to which filmmakers would be more open to present more violent and more sexualized films. Along with following the ideals of the French New Wave Movement, Bonnie & Clyde also uses disjunctive editing. This is an editing technique which is used to "cause confusion, thought, or a disconnect in which the narrative is not delivered in the traditional manner" as described by Beverly Boy Productions. The use of this form editing helped exalt the criminal acts performed by the Barrow Gang in the film. This is most definitely backed up by the upbeat banjo music played throughout the film getaway sequences. This is very similar to children's cartoons when the hero is trying to escape, in which they always do. The editing and score help establish a clear separation from the modern-day film techniques. It is for these reasons Bonnie & Clyde have become one the most household criminal duos in history. The diverse setups of the scenes, editing techniques, and score help create a really enjoyable movie and viewing experience. Bonnie & Clyde inspired the creation of many films such as From Dusk Till Dawn, Thelma & Louise, and The Wild Bunch. These films in turn would inspire the development of many other fan favorite films. ]]> 2022-10-17 19:37:18 UTC https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2343888242 drosario03_2 https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2363841874 The 1989 film Do The Right Thing, directed by Spike Lee turns its attention to the day to day lives of the racially diverse people who live in Brooklyn, New York. Lee makes it a point to capitalize on the stereotypes of this location and uses language on prop design to convey the images of these people. One example we see of this is the character Radio Raheem. Raheem is depicted as a dark male who wears a big gold medallion-type necklace and can often be seen carrying a large boombox. This is very stereotypical to the people who are into hip hop, specifically how black males are depicted in most hip hop movies. Another strong stereotype that can be seen in the film is that of the classic Italian stereotype. This includes slicked back hair, like a greaser, usually a white tank top, and the presence of necklaces with crosses on them. This is one of the most prominent stereotypes as it is seen in countless entertainment shows and movies. Most of the more notable and most exaggerated examples is in the very popular show Family Guy. Another example of stereotyping in this film is that of the Puerto Ricans. It is more often than not stereotyped that people of Spanish background only listen to salsa music and only speak Spanish. The film Do The Right Thing definitely took a different path than other films. It used the qualities of the French New Wave movement to take a different approach to filmmaking. One of the most important things in the film being the overly exaggerated use of stereotyping the people of different diversities who live in Brooklyn. The film uses these stereotypes to try and show how different these cultures are from one another and how though it may be difficult to accept others, it needs to be done. If everyone is to live together as a community they must, as the title states, do the right thing, and be accepting to all different cultures. If everyone is not accepting to people of different backgrounds, extreme violence will eventually brake out and it will only create more of a divide. The film doesn't force the idea of getting along, it just shows what could happen if the idea is pushed away by all parties. ]]> 2022-10-31 18:59:54 UTC https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2363841874 drosario03_2 https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2373340563 The neo-noir mystery film Memento, released in 2000 and directed by Christopher Nolan, was a movie that created a very different feel from any other movies. The movie focuses on a character named Leonard Shelby who is trying to find out the truth about the murder of his wife. The struggle with Leonard, however, is that he has short-term memory loss and investigating this mystery is only more difficult with this disability. Leonard needed to find ways around this issue, so he decided to write notes to himself and leave them for the next day. This would allow him to inform himself and keep him up to date on the progress of his investigation without the fear of losing all that knowledge. This movie plays out like a more recent film called Happy Death Day. This movie is a slasher horror that has some very clear similarities. The movie focuses on a college girl who is being targeted by a masked man and if she is caught, the man will kill her. The premise is very basic but the parts that become more similar is with the twist of the film. In the movie, every time the girl dies, the day restarts and the memories of the people around her reset as well. This leaves the girl to have to reteach her friends everything about what is happening every time she dies. All this ends when the girl survives the day or kills the killer. Memento seemed to have a strong influence on this movie based on the way it was setup. The setup of the film, the use of shadows, and the silence in the anxious moments helped created a very interesting film. The use of Leonard's short-term memory loss added a whole new layer to a mystery and really separated it from many other films. Memento created a new perspective of watching a movie and the constant feeling of "what if he forgets?" really added to the immersion of this film. This movie helped inspire many movies and encouraged them to add a twist to something to make it that much more special. We see it all the time in films nowadays and without Memento who knows where the film industry would be.]]> 2022-11-07 15:50:58 UTC https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2373340563 drosario03_2 https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2383574159 The 2001 film Mulholland Drive, directed by David Lynch, created a worldwide feeling of "what just happened?" Lynch incorporates different stories and characters that only confuse most viewers. One of the most out-of-place stories was the interaction between the cowboy and the hitman. For a film focusing on an actress trying to climb the ladder of success, this seems completely unnecessary. The interaction between the two characters not only seemed odd, but the killing spree they went on afterwards only added to the confusion. There could be a deeper meaning behind this storyline, and one could assume that Adam's character could represent a greater struggle. This struggle could then be related to the established struggles faced by many actors and actresses. In a way, finding a role in a movie is somewhat similar to that of hunting down people. This idea is just like a hitman or cowboy hunting down a bounty for a greater reward. For the two the reward is monetary compensation, while for an actor this could result in fame and a boost of career. Though this story seemed very odd and unnecessary to an average, unassuming viewer, this was a deliberate scene to include to the film. Most of the film created a lot of confusion and a lot was left without any resolutions. The viewer was unknowingly tasked with breaking down the film and trying to decipher the deeper meanings behind each scene. Though this was not desired for some viewers, conversations were still held about this film. Whether the conversations were about how confusing the film was, or a total breakdown and summary it, the film was still acknowledged. Even if a film was talked positively or negatively about, it was still talked about and recognized. That is the overall goal of the director. By generating a film setup like Mulholland Drive, Lynch is creating an experience people will talk about for years, possibly decades. This has held up to be true for about 21 years, so it is clear that Lynch's goal was accomplished. ]]> 2022-11-14 20:05:00 UTC https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2383574159 drosario03_2 https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2400827876 In the 2019 horror film Us, director Jordan Peele utilizes uncertainty and disturbance to covey a feeling of discomfort, confusion, and horror. The film follows a family on their vacation. The family rent a house, and all seems well, until they are greeted by unexpected guests. These guests look identical to each member of the family, serving as a doppelganger type situation. This "mirrored" family only seek one thing, to completely reverse the roles and take the families place in society. The main family isn't the only ones with doppelgangers, however. It is revealed that everyone has their own "mirror" version. To help create a horror film that can relate to horror fanatics, Peele makes use of various tropes that have been used over the many horror films released over the decades. One of the tropes used in this film is the use of useless vehicles. When the family try to make a quick escape from their house, it is made apparent that their car is no longer in service. One of the most famous tropes used in this film is the use of the obvious jump scare. One jump scare is when the "mirrored" version of the little boy first appears. He is dawning a mask and crawls out from behind the daughters. Other subtle jump scares include loud banging on the door and an owl flying past the mother's younger self. These jump scares are simple yet very effective in generating a good scare. At the end of the film, it is revealed that to the audience's surprise, the mother was actually the "mirrored" version this whole time. The real version of the mother was knocked out and switched with when she was younger. This would explain why the mother of the "mirrored" family was the only one who could speak English. Peele uses the basic horror movie tropes and the ever-loved twist to create a horror movie that really gets the gears turning. This film may not resonate with some people, but for those that appreciate a different kind of horror have shown that this film is amongst their favorites. ]]> 2022-11-28 19:46:33 UTC https://padlet.com/drosario03_2/dmr7f4csoypddtdz/wish/2400827876