This summer you are required to come up with your overarching theme and your 4 films that you'll use in your independent study next year. I have a great starting off point to help you narrow down your theme and films. Strictly Film School is a great resource for this. They classify films by genre, theme, and imagery.
Be ready when you come back to school to share this with the class in the first week on the blog.
Portrayal of the Totalitarian government.
ReplyDeleteThere is a form of government known as totalitarianism that strives for uniformity and perfection. There is a filthy unseen side to these governments that deal with the issues with such a pursuit. Movies such as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Persepolis, Brazil, and The Blue Kite all shine light on the violent and abusive secrets of totalitarianism. They portray these governments as an outward beauty with a disgusting inside. This is accomplished through the use of mise-en-scene, costume and props and design, and through the use of editing.
The rewriting and decay of memory
ReplyDeleteThe narrator in Sans Soleil states "We rewrite memory much as history is rewritten." This is very true, not only in our own lives, but in films as well. Everyone loses pieces of their memory over time, but this does not always happen by natural means. Some people force themselves to rewrite their memories, and remove pieces of it that they believe should be forgotten entirely. This is evident not only in Sans Soleil, but also in the films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lost Highway, and Three Colors: Blue.
The Manic Pixie Dream Girl Trope
ReplyDelete"Manic Pixie Dream Girl" is a term created by critic Nathan Rabin to describe a ubiquitous stock character archetype. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is a strange, upbeat female who brightens the outlook of the male protagonist with her quirkiness and positive attitude. Using the films Bringing Up Baby, Amelie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Chungking Express, I will examine the Manic Pixie Dream Girl's importance within the context of the film, as well as the cinematic cues to convey the qualities of the character.
Death and female characters often share a close relationship in art. Films built upon the theme of "death and the maiden" may portray the death of or violence enacted against a women as something tragic, romantic, or erotic. My documentary examines this portrayal through cinematography, lighting, and costume in the films Solaris, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Blue Velvet, and Vertigo.
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