It Happened One Night

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

"It happened one night" is a comedic film that was directed by Frank Capra. The film is one of Capra's greatest works and is on a short list of movies to ever win an Academy award for Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, and Screenplay. The film was debuted in 1934 and basically set the pace for a new genre of movies referred to as screwball comedy. The excitement of this brand of movies was popular in the mid-1930s and was a building block for movies to come as the format of a man and woman with mismatched personalities and social status's coming together into making a wonderful love story was very intriguing to audiences. This genre of movies was very popular when they first came out espicailly because they were released in the Great Depression era, so it made audiences delightful in a time when grief and despair was at an all time high. 

2. Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/night-ar1.html

Frank Capra wrote an article that was published in The New York Times on December 16, 1934 titled "Frank Capra Tells All." The article is exactly how it is titled, as Capra breaks down his movie making process from beginning to end. Capra first thoughts express that he is indeed a visionary as he goes on to say, "The pictures I direct are practically finished before I go on the set," meaning he already knows what to expect out of his films. Capra's also reveals in his article that he doesn't do a lot of "directing" while making his films, as he wants his actors to feel free trusting that they understand stand their so their isn't much directing necessary. The article is a very interesting because Capra gets personal with his fans and confesses that he doesn't even like watching his own films after he sees them once in the theater.

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class

After reading Frank Capra's article, I realized that the reason "It happened One Night" was so successful was because the director and screen writer put a lot of time developing a great script than actually shooting the picture. The film portrayed a great story that was heart warming and was brought to life by a star studded cast that made an amazing performance. Capra didn't choose big names just because, he would primarily choose big name actors because he knew that the public would come see a film by the names in front of the theaters. Capra's success was mostly built on his preparation and anticipation of how the audience would react to a certain scene and if the audience didn't respond the way he thought then he believed that something had to be changed. In all "It happened One Night" wasn't a complex production but its simplicity made it enjoyable and relatable. Capra believed in simplicity when making his films, he felt "camera tricks and artistic directional smartness" only distract the audience rather than enhance the entertainment in them.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

"It Happened One Night," had all of the qualities to be a classic, good acting, good script, good directing, which makes it an overall great production. Even though the film dates all the way back to 1934 I still found it very relatable to today's average man and woman relationships. I believe that this was one of the first black and white movies I enjoyed watching from beginning to end. The screen play is very intriguing to me and I liked the storyline as a couple with completely different personalities came together and fell in love as they go on an entertaining adventure to New York City. Screwball comedies are very comparable to today's romantic comedies, but I can say I might of enjoyed watching this older genre than these new movies.

The Gold Rush

The Gold Rush 


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

Charlie Chaplin's "The Gold Rush" was a silent film that rejuvenated the silent film business and opened new opportunities to more cinematic  productions. Chaplin wrote and directed this film as well as starring as the lead actor. The film portrays a wonderful story of love and adventure and is also a symbolic stepping stone into Film history as it takes a viewer back in the times where words wasn't necessary in order to make a great film. The film was made so sophisticated and intelligent, that anybody that viewed no matter what country they lived could understand it to its fulfillment. The very entertaining Chaplin is remembered as one of the all time greatest directors in film history.

2. Find a related article and summarize the content. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/24/movies/homevideo/charlie-chaplin-in-the-gold-rush-remastered.html?_r=0

"Braving the Klondike on a Shoe Diet", is an article that was published in the NY times on June 22, 2012. The article talks about the silent films and its integrity in cinema. It compares the movie "The Artist", which is mock silent film by Michel Hazanavicius, to Chaplin's "The Gold Rush". Chaplin's original 1925 classic is still viewed as one of his most marvelous creations, but even Chaplin remastered his version in 1942 to give it a more current make-over. The article also talks about the way Chaplin shot his films and the production that was put into making his masterpiece. Chaplin was a innovative director and tried using different aspects of filming such as isolation and enforced individualism. The title "Braving the Klondike on a Shoe Diet" relates to a very significant scene in the movie when Chaplin cooks his own shoe to give it to the miner who in the ends makes him a millionaire. This movie  along with Chaplin's dinner roll dance made him perhaps the most famous individual on earth in 1925.

3. Apply the article to the film screened in class. 

The article supports the claim that "The Gold Rush" was a very influential movie in film history. It supports how Chaplin's ideas and motive could be used and recreated to make other silent films such as "The Artist". "The Gold Rush" might have been remastered with some narration in the 1942 version of it, but Chaplin's 1925 version still holds his initial objective in making a successful film in which shows a clear meaning without having any words being said. The way he directed, filmed, and acted in the movie was extremely accurate and made Chaplin's objective seem well thought out and accomplished.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

I didn't know what to expect after being told we were going to watch a silent movie in class. The first thing on my mind was how would I be able to enjoy and understand a movie if I couldn't hear emotion of the characters through their voices. I was wrong. From beginning to end I could tell exactly how Chaplin and his co stars were feeling. I think the greatest aspect of the movie was the glorious acting. Without speaking, people have to rely on reading body language and facial expressions to tell the emotions of a person and I feel like all the actors did a fantastic job into bringing feeling in the way acted and told their story in complete silence just with a little music to assist them. This movie could be seen universally and still everybody would still; understand its symbolic meaning. I will definitely recommend this movie to anybody interested in film making or in the film industry to see where movies came from and after watching it I'm sure that they will be motivated to go on to make their own works of cinematic art.

D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation"

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


D.W. Griffith's feature film "Birth of a nation" was one of his best creations and also a very controversial film. It shows the civil war from the point of view of the soldiers who were actually in it and portrays different aspects about the civil war. The film has a lot of reviews about it and has been known to come off as racist to African American people. Watching the film for the first time I can see why people can find it racist, as some parts show the misunderstanding of African American culture. 


2. Find a related Article and summarize the content. 


http://articles.latimes.com/2004/aug/10/entertainment/et-braxton10

August 10, 2004, roughly about 10 years ago, the L.A times published an article titled, "Showing of 'Birth Of Nation' canceled." The owner of the Silent Movie Theater was planning on screening Birth of a Nation on that following Monday but had to cancel because of the numerous threats he was receiving. Charlie Lustman, owner of the Fairfax Avenue theater, cancelled the screening because of personal threats he was receiving and also threats to destroy his theater if he showed the film. Lustman wanted to show the movie not because of its glorification of the KKK but for the cinematic history that the movie represents. After being pressured to cancel the movie for a second time in the past four years (2000), Lustman knew that it wasn't worth it and he did not want any danger to his Theater. A community activist also spoke on the movie's significance in the community saying, "This film has poisoned racial relations in America for nearly a century. We will inform all those that go to see this film of the racial damage it has wreaked."


3. Apply the Article to the film screened in class.


The article gives an example about how the film affected the lives of African Americans in that time period. Even in 2004,  the NAACP were making protests about why the film shouldn't be filmed because of its "depiction of blacks as buffoons and villains." "Geraldine Washington, head of the Los Angeles branch of the NAACP, said at the time that the film had no positive value and could provoke hate crimes." Being an African American I can say that the movie was indeed racist and I wouldn't want my children watching this movie especially because it does not symbolize the fight African Americans fought for just to become equals in America. I wouldn't want my children watching a racist film, that glorifies the Ku Kux Klan and makes blacks seem like the bad guys.


4. Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.


When watching "Birth of a Nation" be aware of the events and scenes may come off a bit racist but if you are analyzing the film for cinematic purposes then this movie is a great example of great production in Early Cinema. D.W. Griffith created a masterpiece especially with his graphics and the way he made his actors express how he wanted the story to be told. Even the film was A silent film I could still see clearly how the actors expressed emotion and symbolized different aspects of the civil war. I enjoyed the film not for the content but the art of cinema in which it showed a clarified message. I know it must of been hard to make this screening and Griffith should be remembered for his production and direction in moving forward and opening doors for at others to create meaningful films such as this one.