Film History

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Journal 8 The Godfather

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

The Godfather, is a 1972 film, from young filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. The film went on to win numerous academy awards and was a success with critics and audiences alike. The film is notable for its themes of family and loyalty, as well as the presence of food, and memorable lines.

2) Find a related article and summarize the content. (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) You can use the library or the internet. We will discuss suitable references in class. Cite the article and copy the URL to your journal entry. You should also mention the title of the article and author directly in the answer. Summarize in your own words the related article but do not plagiarize any content.

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/03/godfather200903

In the Vanity Fair article "The Godfather Wars," it tells the story behind the making of the film, and how hard it was to put everything in place. It talks about how the producers,the studio, and Puzo and Coppola, couldn't agree on what the final shooting script should look like, as well as a disagreement with the casting choices. It also speaks about the influence on both the films, and the books.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

The article is a perfect example of how much "too many cooks in the kitchen," approach can ruin a film. I always thought the movie was a complete masterpiece, with the director making all the right choices, but if the producers and the studio had their way, it probably would have been a complete disaster.

In my opinion, when people speak of film making as an art, this is what they mean. You can tell so much time and effort on everyone's part, went into making this. As a result, a film that's widely considered one of the best of all time is created.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1(*)
I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2(*)
If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3(*)I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4 (*)

have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5(*)
I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6(*)I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way.I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7(*)
I did not so over-‐use direct quotations that the paper lack interpretation or originality.

8(*)
I checked yes on steps 1-‐7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______Marc Ennis___________________________

Date: ___05/12/2014_________________________

Seal, Mark. "The Godfather Wars." VanityFair. VANITY FAIR © CONDÉ NAST DIGITAL, 01 Mar. 2006. Web. 11 May 2014.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Journal 7 The Graduate

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

The Graduate is a 1967 film staring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft. It was directed by Mike Nichols, who brought a new "film school" style to to the movie. The movie was one of its kind to be consider a film for young people, made by young people.

http://blogs.amctv.com/movie-blog/2008/04/dustin-hoffman-the-graduate/

The article "The Unlikely Casting of Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate," it is discussed how throughout the screenwriting, Mike Nichols and Buck Henry envisioned Robert Redford for the role. The actor was brought in for a screen test, but was ultimately deemed to cool and to good looking to be considered a loser in love. Hoffman goes on to say that his shyness of screen testing with Katheryn Ross, made him extremely nervous an in turn, lead him to flub his lines, only adding to the character and securing Hoffman the part.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

I find it funny, because when you think of Hoffman's performance in the film, it really is the part he was born to play. Watching the film, you can see how he would create a character that he was insert into performances for years. Whenever you see a comedian or an impressionist impersonate Hoffman, they usually mimic his performance for the film.

For me, it was incredibly interesting, on how that I never realized that this was the birth of the youth-dealing-with problem centered films that are common place today. In the nineties you had many "Gen X" films that dealt with this like "Reality bites" or "Before Sunset," and you can see how much of their style leads back to "The Graduate."

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1(*)
I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2(*)
If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3(*)I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4 (*)

have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5(*)
I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6(*)I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way.I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7(*)
I did not so over-‐use direct quotations that the paper lack interpretation or originality.

8(*)
I checked yes on steps 1-‐7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______Marc Ennis___________________________

Date: ___05/04/2014_________________________

Dirks, Tim. "The Unlikely Casting of Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate." AMC Blog. American Movie

Classics Company LLC, 10 Apr. 2008 Web. 04 May 2014

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Journal 6 Casablanca

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

Casablanca is a 1942 film staring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in which they play former lovers who are reunited at Rick's nightclub "Rick's American Cafe." It is based on an unproduced play titled "Everyone comes to Ricks." It deals with World War Two, and the colorful characters that gather at Ricks, including Nazis, pickpockets, and corrupt police.

http://www.filmsite.org/casa.html

In Tim Dirks "The greatest films Casablanca," the author breaks down the film and speaks about how much it has influenced future Hollywood productions. He touches on how the film blends a light tones with the more heavier tones. He also touches on the memorable lines from the films and how the characters are so well defined.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

I think Dirks, really understands the different tones that the film brings and how well they work together. He also really gets the characters and how important they are to the overall story. The fact that he focuses on the quotable lines shows that they really made the film what it was.

The film is really interesting how it is able to mix a murder mystery, a romance, and a comedic mix of quirky characters against the backdrop of a war, and make it work. I think if you break it down it works on every level with no weak links in the film. You have to give credit to the filmmakers, actors, and crew for turning what could have been a B movie into a best picture winner.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1(*)
I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2(*)
If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3(*)I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4 (*)

have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5(*)
I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6(*)I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way.I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7(*)
I did not so over-‐use direct quotations that the paper lack interpretation or originality.

8(*)
I checked yes on steps 1-‐7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______Marc Ennis___________________________

Date: ___04/19/2014_________________________

Dirks, Tim. "Casablanca (1942)." AMC Filmsite. American Movie Classics Company LLC, n.d.

Web. 19 Apr. 2014

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Journal 5 Citizen Kane

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

Citizen Kane was a 1941 film, once forgotten to time but slowly began to be recognized as one of the greatest films of all time. Writer-Director-Star Orson Welles, loosely based the movie on the life of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, and as a result had the film almost completely blacklisted. It was unusual at the time that the movie studio "RKO," gave Welles as much freedom as they did, as he never had made a movie up until that point.

http://www.filmsite.org/citi.html

Tim Dirk's "Citizen Kane review" is a full in depth total coverage of the film. He not only breaks down the film, but he speaks of the making of the film, the story behind the film, a review of the film, and even tells you every headline from the newspaper montages. Throughout the article he gets really in depth where he explains shots or techniques. Information like how Welles borrowed from other directors, and what future directors have borrowed from him.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

I think the article matches up very well with the film and what we learned about in class. It also really captures all the elements that Welles brought to the film and dissects it very thoroughly. It did not really change the film for me in any way, because I have seen the films numerous times and have read a lot on it, so I felt while it was a good article, I knew most of it already.

I more than have to agree with the people that consider this to be the greatest film of all time. The story made in the forties, feels like it could be made today and be just as relevant. The fact that Welles was so young and never made a film before, makes viewing the film even more impressive. I also feel that Welles use of actors that he had been working with already, added a lot to the film because they were obviously very comfortable with each other, and made for a more natural felling to the finished product.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1(*)
I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2(*)
If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3(*)I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4 (*)

have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5(*)
I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6(*)I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way.I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7(*)
I did not so over-‐use direct quotations that the paper lack interpretation or originality.

8(*)
I checked yes on steps 1-‐7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______Marc Ennis___________________________

Date: ___04/14/2014_________________________

Dirks, Tim. "Citizen Kane (1941)." AMC Filmsite. American Movie Classics Company LLC, n.d.

Web. 12 Apr. 2014

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Journal 4 Stagecoach

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

The genre of westerns, especially the work of John Ford and John Wayne was examined. We saw how Ford brought back the western and was one of the first filmmakers to shoot on location, especially Monument Valley which he used in numerous films. We also read about the partnership of Ford and Wayne that spanned over a dozen film.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/john-ford-and-john-wayne/pappy-and-the-duke/594/

In PBS' "American Masters" blog "John Ford and John Wayne Pappy and The Duke" by Ken Bowser, he recounts the historic film relationship of Ford and Wayne and why it was so important to American cinema. According to the blog, Ford meat Wayne on a studio lot when he was a USC student and working on a part time job. Ford got to like him and gave him small walk on parts in a few of his films which lead to a full time friendship. Bowser goes on to explain how Ford actively had to work to get Wayne into the picture that he felt would make him a star and revived the American Western.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

The Article, and what we learned in class, impressed on me that John Wayne wasn't always John Wayne. By just watching the film I got a sense that since Wayne looked so comfortable in the part, that he was always "The Duke" always making those types of pictures. The article and the class discussion showed me that everybody's got to start somewhere.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of 4 things: the screening, class discussions, text material and the article. I am less interested in whether you liked or disliked a film, (although that can be part of this) than I am in your understanding of its place in film history or the contributions of the director.

From everything we learned about the film, the thing that impressed me most was the ability that Ford had to use the location to his advantage. I was impressed with the scope of the film and the action scenes that was done with no computer special effects. What Ford did here, was show that you can make an exciting action movie with what must have been harsh shooting conditions. I also really thought that the casting of the actors was pitch perfect, with every actor really bringing a unique and distinctive personality to the film.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1(*)
I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2(*)
If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3(*)I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4 (*)

have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5(*)
I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6(*)I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way.I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7(*)
I did not so over-‐use direct quotations that the paper lack interpretation or originality.

8(*)
I checked yes on steps 1-‐7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______Marc Ennis___________________________

Date: ___03/28/2014_________________________

Bowser, Ken. "John Ford and John Wayne Pappy and the Duke." American Masters. Educational

Broadcasting Corporation, 10 May 2006. Web. 28 Mar. 2014

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Journal 3 It Happend One Night

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening

In legendary director Frank Capra's 1934 film "It Happened One Night" we learned how this represented the "screwball comedies" of the 1930's. Because of censorship in the film industry at the time, men and woman were not suppose to be over sexualized or physical, so it was replaced by men and woman bantering with snappy dialogue and insults. The characters, played by Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable, portray this in the various situations they find themselves in.

http://www.greencine.com/static/primers/screwball.jsp

In Screwball comedy by Gregg Rickman for the movie site Greencine.com, the author discusses the film and how he is in agreement with the majority of film historians that it is not only the first, but the model screwball comedy. Rickman points to the 1933 film "Baby Face" where Barbara Stanwyck's character sleeps with many men of a corporation, as the reason for the Hayes code and for films like this. As far as screwball comedies are concerned, he feels that it was actually the first feminist movements as it put women characters on equal ground as their male counterparts. He also feels that such actress' such as Julia Roberts in films like "Runaway Bride" would not exists without characters like Ellie Andrews.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

This article supported the way I thought of the film on certain levels, as I could see from the scenes, that they would go to great lengths to avoid any physical contact, all while portraying that they were in love. But I disagree with that it could be looked at as a feminist work, as the character of Ellie Andrews was completely helpless without having another character help her out.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of 4 things: the screening, class discussions, text material and the article. I am less interested in whether you liked or disliked a film, (although that can be part of this) than I am in your understanding of its place in film history or the contributions of the director.

I felt that after all the things we learned from the class discussions and writings on the film, that it was amazing they were able to make such a solid, well rounded film. You would think with all the obstacles they faced as a result of the Hayes code, that they would not be able to portray such a charming believable love story. I admire how the actors are able to turn their parts into three dimensional characters, unlike the modern romantic comedies of today.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1(*)
I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2(*)
If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3(*)I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4 (*)

have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5(*)
I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6(*)I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way.I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7(*)
I did not so over-‐use direct quotations that the paper lack interpretation or originality.

8(*)
I checked yes on steps 1-‐7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______Marc Ennis___________________________

Date: ___03/23/2014_________________________

Rickman, Gregg. "Screwball Comedy." Greencine.com All Media Guide LLC., N.D. Web. 23 Mar.

2014.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Journal 2 Gold Rush

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class we discussed Charlie Chaplin's career, and a general summary of silent films. We learned that his films were so poplar, that as he sighed with a new studio, his pay increased more and more. He regularly acted as actor, producer writer, and director. With other popular artists, he formed the United Artist film studio.

http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C03E7D61531EE3ABC4F52DFBE66838E639EDE

"The Gold Rush (1925)THE SCREEN; Charlie Chaplin's New Comedy" by MORDAUNT HALL is an original film review from August of 1925. The review starts of with the author summarizing the night of the premier and the feelings of the film from those in attendance and how Chaplin was nervous, and then relieved when everyone enjoyed the film. After that, the article goes in the typical summary of the plot, and the reviewers feelings on the film.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

The author of the article makes it a point to point out how nervous Chaplin was before the film started, and how relieved he looked when it was over and everybody laughed and applauded. And from what we learned in class, the film was very expensive for the time and Chaplin had a lot invested in it. The way I thought about this and other silent films is that it didn't take much acting, because there were no lines to read. The way the author of the review raves about the performances showed me that the performances in these films mattered to the people back then and I now realize that it is just important it was.

This film is proof that the newer special effects filled blockbuster is not always better. I think that it is amazing the story he is able to tell with the technology they had at the time. I was surprised from the class discussions that films of the day cost as much as they did. I think that this film also proves that it was harder to be funny and make people laugh in the silent era, because you had to rely on emotions and sight gags to appeal to the audience rather then verbal jokes.

The article also said a lot about how much of an event Charlie Chaplin films, and films like his were to the public. It's hard to believe crowds of people sitting in a hot UN-air conditioned room for almost three hours at midnight, like the way audience did back then. I feel it shows that his films were akin to the big blockbuster summer hero movie, that we experience today.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way.I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) I did not so over-‐use direct quotations that the paper lack interpretation or originality.

8)I checked yes on steps 1-‐7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______Marc Ennis___________________________

Date: ___03/02/2014_________________________

Work Cited

Hall, Mordaunt. "The Gold Rush (1925) THE SCREEN; Charlie Chaplin's New Comedy." The

New York Times 17 Aug. 1925. Web. 2 Mar. 2014.