Practice Question - How far can it be argued that your chosen films provide a 'realistic' representation of the people and places they focus on?

How far can it be argued that your chosen films provide a 'realistic' representation of the people and places they focus on?

To some extent City of God provides a realistic representation, however it also provides fictional, as well as dream like representations.
City of God provides a realistic representation as the actors grew up in the Favelas and as it isn't a well developed area, had no acting training. The director also revealed that only 30% of City of God was scripted and the rest, was improvised and natural. In the opening scene of City of God when they go back in time to the 1960's. The young boys who live in the village are playing with a football when the Tender Trio, Clipper, Shaggy and Goose, appear and they take the ball and start playing around. This is when we see Shaggy throw the ball up in the air, pull out a gun and shoot the ball with perfect aim. City of God also provides a realistic representation through the use of hand held cameras throughout the film and is present in this scene. We then see the Tender Trio pull bandannas over their faces and chase after the gas truck that's driving through their village. Shaggy stands in the middle of the road with a gun pointed towards the driver of the truck, the trio then rob the driver of his bosses money and take the gas for the locals. You can clearly see that this isn't really 'acted' but more natural as the actors would have most likely done this themselves or witnessed it when they were younger. the use of the diagetic sound of a gunshot also shows a sense of reality. This related well to the issue of poverty that's raised throughout the film as the Favelas are the poorest areas of Brazil, therefore, people have to steal to be able to get by easier in life. there re approximately 1000 Fravelas in Rio De Janeiro alone!

Is Laura Mulvey's theory of 'the male gaze' relevant in todays Hollywood?

Is Laura Mulvey's theory os 'the male gaze' relevant in todays Hollywood?

Item 16-The Resident Trailer

The Resident is a film made in 2011 starring Hilary Swank, Jeffery Dean Morgan and Christopher Lee. Today I will be looking at Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory from her work ‘Visual Pleasures and Narrative Cinema’ and will be studying three films, The Resident, Peeping Tom and Disturbia to determine if Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory is relevant in today’s Hollywood.

I must first point out that I strongly believe that the male gaze theory is extremely relevant in today’s Hollywood. Laura Mulvey said, “The cinema offers a number of possible pleasures. One is scopophilia. There are circumstances in which looking itself is a source of pleasure, just as, in the reverse formation, there is pleasure in being looked at” (Item 10). Taking this quote in mind you can clearly see when watching films made recently that there is a sense of male gaze that runs throughout them. There will be at least a small element of the male gaze in every film however it may not be as noticeable as others.

Item 2- Opening scene of Peeping Tom, 4 minuets

Peeping Tom was released in 1962-over 50 years ago. The opening scene is a great example of where the male gaze and scopophilia is clearly shown.  We see the killer-Mark Lewis- using a video camera to film a woman he is approaching. The use of a close up shot looking up and down the woman’s body along with her reaction to the male attention suggests that she is used to getting attention from men. Her neutral facial expression links to Mulvey’s point of gaining pleasure from being looked at as she doesn’t show a clear disapproval of the attention however doesn’t seem to be overly happy about it either.

The male gaze will appear at some point in every film, whether it’s as obvious as showing James Bond (Item 6) staring at woman as they walk out of the water or a little more subtle in a romance where it is considered sweet and loving.

Disturbia, a film made in 2009(Item 3), also demonstrates scopophilia however is used more subtly than in Peeping Tom as Disturbia takes a while to show it and also it isn’t as focused on showing it, for example in one scene kale is looking around his neighbourhood with binoculars and then happens to see into his new neighbours window.

Peeping Tom(Item 2) not only shows that the male has been in film for a very long time but also shows some of the changes the male gaze has gone through in the last 50 years. In my view it hasn’t changed much and the only change in my eyes would be that scopophilia applies to women as well as men nowadays, an example of this ‘female gaze’ would be Cameron Diaz’s character in In Her Shoes when she ogles over the attractive men.

There are some similarities between the ways the male gaze was portrayed in the 1960’s and how it is now as all three films I am examining have very similar scenes. There are at least one scene in Peeping Tom, Disturbia and The Resident which shows the male lead watching a female while she is in a private moment for example, Kale watches the Neighbour getting undressed in Disturbia, Lewis watches the prostitute get undressed in Peeping Tom. This supports Mulvey’s view of there being pleasure in being looked at as well as the women purposely grab the men’s attention. Kale’s neighbour goes for a swim in her pool and notices that he is watching her out of the window yet continues to show off her body when she gets out of the water.

The camera clearly controls women in films, especially in the film Disturbia, as Kale watches the neighbour through her window and goes into a close-up of her body and as men can control the camera it means they have a control over the women. This reinforces that Mulvey’s male gaze theory is relevant in today’s Hollywood. The use of extreme close-up shots of parts of women’s bodies shows that the women are merely objects with the men having the advantage. Freud associated scopophilia with “taking other people as objects, subjecting them to a controlling and curious gaze.”  This is shown in Peeping Tom as well as described earlier about Lewis looking the prostitute up and down at a close range with his camera. The Resident may be filmed differently however the camera still controls the female through the camera angles.

Item 1- 1.40 minutes from Caught in the Act scene

The point-of-view camera shot along with the use of the hole-in-the-wall in the Mise-en-scene also creates the sense of control as it is as if the woman is trapped in the small space just as in Disturbia (Item 3) and Peeping Tom (Item 2) she is trapped in the small confined space of the camera lens. Mulvey would say this is an example of “Mise-en-scene reflecting the dominant ideological concept of the cinema” (Item 10).

(Item 10)”In their traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness. Women displayed as sexual object is the leis-motif of erotic spectacles: from pinups to striptease, from Ziegfeld to Busby Berkeley, she holds the look, plays to and signifies male desire”. The idea of this is shown in Peeping Tom when Lewis walks into the local shop and notices pictures of naked women on the door of the shop and when a man walks into the shop and asks to see the ‘views’-referring to the pictures of the pin-up girls. Lewis also gets asked “Which magazine sells the most copies?” and he replies “Those with girls on the front cover and no front cover on the girls” once again showing that women are merely objects to fulfil males desires.

“Traditionally, the woman displayed has functioned on two levels: as erotic object for the characters within the screen story and as erotic object for the spectator within the auditorium, with a shifting tension between the looks on either side of the screen” (Item 10). The way that the male gaze is shown in the film industry influences real life as men in the audience look at the men in the films and admire how they have control over the woman, therefore, look to act the same. Similarly the women in the audience admire the women in the films as they attract male attention and like to please the men as well. This relates to Mulvey’s view that women have two character types (Item 6)-sexually active female and powerless female as the women are portrayed as sexually active.

Laura Mulvey’s theory links well with Disturbia, The Resident and Peeping Tom as the two character types are shown in each film. We see the young attractive next door neighbour in Disturbia who always shows her body off knowing Kale is watching. We also see the powerless female when Kale is watching the house across the street and zooms in on a frantic woman who’s been kidnapped. We see this in Peeping Tom when Lewis is taking photographs of women for his boss to sell. A pretty woman is standing off to the side in profile and is there as a sexual object, yet when she turns to face them she reveals a facial deformity and says “ you don’t have to photograph my face”, which presents a powerless female as she has no power over her fate and body. The powerless and sexually active female in The Resident (Item 1) is both portrayed by Juliet who is shown as sexually active as when she is lying in the bath she is masturbating while her landlord watches. However she is also powerless, in an emotional sense, as she is suffering from a break up from her cheating fiancé yet is so in love with him that she gives in and they start dating again.

Item 2- Scene 3 of Peeping Tom, 3 minutes

These scantily dressed women striking poses for the camera to draw attention to their physical attractiveness. The contrived acts detract from their natural beauty. This supports Laura Mulvey’s view that “It is said that analysing pleasure, or beauty, destroys it”. (Item 10)

To conclude, Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze is relevant in today’s Hollywood and will always be within the film industry. The male gaze is just as strong as it has always been and the growth of the female gaze will also continue to keep this element in Hollywood.

Reflective Analysis-React

Aims and Context-React

• Short experimental film 
• I aim to produce a short experimental film around 3-5 minutes long
• Avant-garde visuals (high contrast low key lighting, black and white)
• Elements of surrealism (non-narrative form, dream logic)
• Target audience will be more art-house/exhibition/gallery as opposed to mainstream cinema complex

Main Influences

• Simon Pummell's 'Body Song'- Documentary like shots exploring an aspect of society
• Chris Cunningham 'Rubber Johnny'-Use of Abstract lighting and sound in Rubber Johnny.
• Stan Brakhage 'Stella'- Use of dark lighting yet abstract with colour and idea of something you imagine

Reflective Analysis 

I created a short experimental film titled React, which was influenced by Simon Pummell, Chris Cunningham and Stan Brakhage. React is also loosely based around the philosophy of John Stuart Mill’s theory of Utilitarianism ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’ as React explores an aspect of society that aren’t always acceptable and good for the majority of people. Experimental films such as this one are aimed at art house audiences so would be shown in a gallery or art exhibition. Experimental films are described, as an artistic practice so would be better suited in an art gallery than in mainstream cinemas. 

Simon Pummell had a large influence on the making of React as the use of photomontage in Bodysong inspired me to use the same technique, as React is about aspects of society from the moment of conception to death. Bodysong influenced the majority of how I structured and filmed React, as I too was exploring an aspect of society. The techniques that Pummell used such as real clips from different parts of society and the photomontage gave my film a documentary-like feel. I re-created the photomontage that Pummell used by taking my own images of blurred lighting at nighttime and when played one after another at a quick pace gives the feeling of the world tumbling around you. The images also meant I could incorporate avant-garde into React, as they are. I wanted to almost capture the images children see when they rub their eyes to see ‘fireworks’ and flashes of light. I wanted to incorporate avant-garde in to my film as the aspect of society that React is focused on is one that believes in having freedom from the restrictions of the bourgeoisie society just as Pummell showed in Bodysong with the chapter of adolescence.

Stan Brakhage’s film Stellar influenced how I presented avant-garde in my film as Brakhage used dark lighting yet abstract bold colours to express emotions that cannot be narrated or explained by words. This enabled me to create documentary-like shots yet show the non-narrative form and the use of avant-garde. I would have liked to not have any music over the images of blurred light, as like Brakhage intended, I wanted the images to be a piece of art in itself and speak for itself however with the way my images and clips were put together it meant that not having music on the light images but having music everywhere else meant it didn’t fit well together. Pummell’s Bodysong, at the point where he shows the part of life of adolescence, influenced the music for React, as it is very calming and suggests there is still innocence in teenagers and young adults.
 I felt the music was very fitting as a strong theme of my film was to show that this type of violence is how young people express themselves and that they need something in their lives to give them freedom. I also relied on the use of my music and lack of narrative to push the audience creating a different spectatorship that experimental film requires and create their own meaning for the just as Godfrey Reggio's 'Koyaanisqatsi'. The music used in experimental film suggests a certain direction for the spectator to go in however leaves most of the thinking in their hands and this is the exact technique I wanted to create.

While producing React, I found that Andy Warhol’s screen tests were also an inspiration for my film. This enabled me to use the technique of low-key lighting with black and white shots. Even though Warhol’s simplistic 4 minute close up shots of subjects facing a stationary camera hadn’t any emotion this gave me an idea to recreate them however showing deep emotion as this too would show true emotions that cant be defined by words. Andy Warhol’s screen tests inspired me to use a similar approach when directing the actors, as I didn’t want them to over act or emphasis facial expression. I wanted the actors to act natural and just image they were in the same situation as people at a gig, which they found easier as they can relate to personal experiences. This creates a more subtle experimental film that doesn’t try to create emotions but lets them naturally be portrayed.

Many experimental films are very difficult to understand the meaning and sometimes don’t even have a meaning. In the process of making React I have found that expressing emotion through artistic practices like experimental film has a large effect on audiences as they can relate to feeling a certain way when seeing specific images. Mainstream films portray emotions through narrative which I believe aren’t as powerful and personal as experimental films such as Stan Brakhage’s Stellar.

I originally planned to create a stop-motion film influenced by the Quay Brothers work however I found it extremely difficult to create the stills the way I wanted them, for example, I wanted extremely low key lighting and to be dark and unnerving as the Quay Brothers do in their films such as The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer. I also struggled to create shots that would flow together as I had used soft bears with don’t stay in the same position when you more them so when I put the images into a film they looked jumpy and didn’t run smoothly.

While filming my screen tests, I had planned to use a strobe-lighting effect just as the lighting in the gig had used however it was difficult to create this effect without using a camera flash several time. As I was filming my friend also took photos to create the flash on the film. When I had first looked at the shots I wasn’t going to include them because they flashing weren’t fast paced and weren’t regular however when producing my film I decided to slow the shots down to create a sense of the world going in slow-motion and so the audience can experience more emotion in my film. The use of the flashes also gave my film a sense of being in a dream-like state when reality and dreaming are linked and give a sense that the audience are experiencing lucid dreams.  The flashes help my audience remember that they are still in reality.

To conclude, I believe it is clear that my influences have helped me to produce a film that fits its target audience, genre and aims. However I feel that my film could have used more influences and different techniques such as including shots showing surrealism to give it a clear focus and understanding. I am happy with the final project and I believe it is a successful experimental film. (1043 words)

Annotated Catalogue

To what extent does Martin Scorsese's futuristic tendency depend upon Leonardo DiCaprio to represent psychologically damaged male protagonists?

Films:
Item 1- Shutter Island 
I have chosen this films as my feature film as this is a very successful film Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio worked on together. Shutter Island is a psychological American film released in 2010. I plan to use this film to answer my question as DiCaprio plays a psychologically damaged character due to his wife's death. I will also be showing how Scorsese shows a particular interest in these psychological characters and how DiCaprio plays these characters. Shutter Island is a fiction film which is useful for answering my question as my other two films, Wolf of Wall Street and The Aviator are based on real people and events. I will use this to show how the psychological damage can be shown through different lights.(Useful)


Item 2-Wolf of Wall Street


Item 3- The Aviator

Internet: 
Item 4- www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/7220114/Leonardo-DiCaprio-interview.html
This is an interview with Leonardo DiCaprio about working on the film Shutter Island. DiCaprio talks about how Shutter Island is about trauma and the dark side of humanity.i will use quotes from this interview to show how DiCaprio focuses on the emotions of the character. DiCaprio talks about how Scorsese depicts something about humanity and who we are as people.(Useful)

Books:
Item 5-The Passion of Martin Scorsese 
This book discusses the film i am using, The Aviator. The book includes useful quotes from Martin Scorsese and also from the screenwriter John Logan on how Scorsese and DiCaprio understand the characters and explains about the psychological side of DiCaprio's Character, Howard Hughes.I intend to use 3 quotes from a certain page (page 190) as they are useful in explaining the relationship between Scorsese and DiCaprio.(Useful)

Aims and Context

Aims and Context

• Short experimental film 
• I aim to produce a short experimental film around 3-5 minutes long
• Avant-garde visuals (high contrast low key lighting, black and white)
• Elements of surrealism (non-narrative form, dream logic)
• Target audience will be more art-house/exhibition/gallery as opposed to mainstream cinema complex

Main Influences

• Simon Pummell's 'Body Song'- Documentary like shots exploring an aspect of society
• Stan Brakhage 'Stella'- Use of dark lighting yet abstract with colour and idea of something you imagine
• Andy Warhol's Screen Tests- Use of low key lighting, black and white close up clips of people faces

Discuss some of the ways in which the film or video work you have studied for this topic requires a different kind of spectatorship from that which spectators bring to their mainstream film-going (35 marks)

Discuss some of the ways in which the film or video work you have studied for this topic requires a different kind of spectatorship from that which spectators bring to their mainstream film-going (35 marks)

Mainstream films and experimental films differ from each other in many ways. Mainstream films are easy to understand which makes then harder to write about however because experimental films are hard to understand it means there is much more you could talk about for example, experimental films don't always have a meaning or storyline which makes it hard for the audience to understanding whats going on. The Quay Brothers made many experimental films that don't have meaning and are very hard to make out what is actually happening in the films. In mainstream films such as Harry Potter, there is always a beginning, middle and end however this isn't clear cut in experimental. For example, The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer where there are several chapters to the film giving the same message every scene of the teacher teaching the child.
Mainstream films also tend to be quite predictive however this isn't the case for experimental films. Some may say that they are 'art for arts sake' and they don't have to make sense to everyone.
Experimental films don't always require a different kind of spectatorship than spectators bring to mainstream films as Un Chien Andalou...

The Body song is also a good example of using a different kind of spectatorship as it makes you think from a philosophical point of view and really makes you question whether there is a God and if so why do people suffer? The Body Song makes you feel many different emotions as when the film first starts, it isn't very pleasant seeing the babies being born yet when the images of the babies a home with family and enjoying themselves it makes you really happy inside and makes you think that having children is like a miracle from God as a baby is only able to survive in the right environment and there are only 12 times you can conceive in a year. Also seeing the children growing up can make you relate to your own childhood memories. However when you see the war, poverty and death it really makes you think about how lucky you are to be living this life and makes you wonder why an all loving, all powerful God would let this happen. Many mainstream film, if not all of them don't address real life issues like these. On the other hand there are documentary films that do deal with these issues like Supersize Me, so there are some example to suggest that you don't need a different spectatorship when watching experimental and mainstream films. 

How useful has a particular critical approach been in gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of your chosen film?

How useful has a particular critical approach been in gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of your chosen film?

The film I have studied for section C  is Fight Club. The main critical approaches of Fight Club are Postmodernism, crisis of masculinity and the Freudian approach. Freud distinguishes three parts of the mind; the Id, the Ego and the Superego. This approach can be used in criticising any film and comes in very useful in gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of Fight Club. 

The Id is the part of the mind that is controlled by someones unconscious desires and is described as the 'repressed'. In Fight Club the Id is presented as Tyler Durden. Tyler has no conscience and is set free to 'run wild'.  The Ego is the 'narrator' and is almost like the neutral side of the mind which keeps the Id and the Superego balanced. the 'real' Tyler can be found between the Id and the Superego. The Superego encompasses an individuals ideas, goals and conscience as well as society's.  throughout the film there are several points where the Superego is present for example, At the start of the film, Tyler's work is presented as the Superego as it is restricting him with rules and morals which initially causes the 'split' where he creates his own rules and the Id Tyler comes out.  

Throughout the film the Id is constantly interrupting Jack's conversations with Marla as is shown when they are talking and Tyler is in the basement talking over Marla, then telling Jack what to say to end the conversation. Tyler makes Jack aware that he is there through diagetic sound that only Jack can here.  The Id is also shown when Tyler and Marla are having sex and Jack can here through the walls. His Superego is present however at the same time ah he is brushing his teeth rapidly for a long period of time as if he is trying to gain control of the situation. When Jack walks past the room, Tyler says 'Want to finish her off?' as if he is tempting the Superego or trying to show that the Id has more control and can easily 'come out'.