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.

 

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.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

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.



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.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.

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.

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.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.

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.  

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.