1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.
Mike Nichols', "The Graduate" could have very well been the funniest American comedy movie that came out in 1967 according to film enthusiast Roger Ebert. The film itself was nominated for seven Academy Awards and Nichols actually won the Academy Award that year for Best Director. "The Graduate" is a very entertaining love story which follows Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), as he intervenes with a married wife only in the end to fall in love with the same woman's daughter. The film was definitely a great start for Hoffman who later won two Oscar and also made Nichols a well-known name as an acclaimed director.
2. Find a related article and summarize the content.
"Any good movie is filled with secrets"- are the words of the late Mike Nichols who passed away just last week on November 19, 2014. "Here's to You, Mr. Nichols: The Making of the Graduate", is an article that was published in the Vanity Fair Magazine, that focused on the production process of making the iconic film. Sam Kashner offers insights as well as a lot of background information as he carefully in a 7 page article explain how the film came to life from the original novel written by Charles Webb. Several secrets are revealed in the article such as the casting of the relentless Benjamin Braddock, which Nichols initially wanted Robert Redford to play but instead casted little-known actor Dustin Hoffman.
3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.
From reading the article I developed a better understanding of the format used in the production of "The Graduate." I also was able to learn more about the movie making process and how selecting a the right cast can really be beneficial in the success of the film. Without the seductive Mrs. Robinson being played by Anne Bancroft, and the wittiness and shyness of Hoffman the movie might not have been as entertaining or convincing. Both put on amazing performances and make the movie very believable and amusing. Not only was the film entertaining but also became the highest-grossing motion picture of 1968, earning $35 million in its first six months, and The New Yorker referred to it as , "the biggest success in the history of movies."
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.
In my opinion, I really enjoyed watching "The Graduate" because it was interesting from beginning to end. It showed a problem in which was very unethical and uncommon, which was a younger male having an affair with a married women. I found the plotline very intriguing as I liked watching Hoffman go on a relentless journey to find the girl of his dreams. From reading the article and watching the film I can agree with Kashner as he says the movie came out at the right time and that could also be another reason it was very popular when it first came out. Even 40 years later the film is still very relatable to society and it is a must watch in my opinion to really understand the history of films.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
The Big Sleep
1. Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.
"The Big Sleep" is one of Hollywood's best known anecdotes that has a confusing plot line, and is also a confusing novel written by Raymond Chandler. Director Howard Hawks, orchestrates the first film version of the novel. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall co star in this ingenious production of crime, love, and deception. The plot of "The Big Sleep" is described as "a lust story with a plot about a lot of other things," in Roger Ebert's movie review which ranked the movie an intriguing 5/5 stars.
2. Find a related article and summarize the content.
"The Big Sleep" could be described as multiple genres as it occurs to be a crime story, or some people find it a romantic story, but the film has most often been described as a film noir, which is "a term coined by French critic Nino Frank in 1945 when a flood of dark Hollywood thrillers made during the war....Nearly 40nyears passed before the term became current in the English-speaking world." A very popular movie review article was written in the Pulitzer Prize winning UK newspaper the Guardian, recognizing the brilliance behind the film. In the review Phillip French refers to the film as a film with "infinite interest." French then breaks down the significance behind the film in different characteristics. Such as its Warner Brothers production and the stardom of Bogart and Bacall.
3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.
The article supported how I felt about the film as it supports highly of the works Hawks and Bogart. The article also helped me understand the film better because I did find it quite confusing when I first watched it but after reading over this review I could understand Hawks' production more clearly. From watching Casablanca, I already developed a liking for Bogart's way to portray his always tough character in the films. The author of the novel Ray Chandler was quoted saying, "Bogart is so much better than any tough-guy actor. As we say here, Bogart can be tough without a gun. Also he has a sense a humor that contains that grating undertone of contempt," this quote supports how Bogart made a truly genuine performance as the lead detective in the film.
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.
The thing that I found most interesting about the movie "The Big Sleep" is the unpredictability. From scene to scene you didn't know what to expect as Marlowe (Bogart) would discover something new on every endeavor he went on. This dramatic effect made the movie more intriguing in my opinion and served as a clever technique to develop a very complex storyline. This movie is the type of movie where you watch it multiple times and learn something new every time you watch it. I definitely found this movie different in style to similar films made in the era as it focuses on other qualities of cinematography, and not a hard -boiled narration, distorted camera angles, or flashbacks.
"The Big Sleep" is one of Hollywood's best known anecdotes that has a confusing plot line, and is also a confusing novel written by Raymond Chandler. Director Howard Hawks, orchestrates the first film version of the novel. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall co star in this ingenious production of crime, love, and deception. The plot of "The Big Sleep" is described as "a lust story with a plot about a lot of other things," in Roger Ebert's movie review which ranked the movie an intriguing 5/5 stars.
2. Find a related article and summarize the content.
"The Big Sleep" could be described as multiple genres as it occurs to be a crime story, or some people find it a romantic story, but the film has most often been described as a film noir, which is "a term coined by French critic Nino Frank in 1945 when a flood of dark Hollywood thrillers made during the war....Nearly 40nyears passed before the term became current in the English-speaking world." A very popular movie review article was written in the Pulitzer Prize winning UK newspaper the Guardian, recognizing the brilliance behind the film. In the review Phillip French refers to the film as a film with "infinite interest." French then breaks down the significance behind the film in different characteristics. Such as its Warner Brothers production and the stardom of Bogart and Bacall.
3. Apply the article to the film screened in class.
The article supported how I felt about the film as it supports highly of the works Hawks and Bogart. The article also helped me understand the film better because I did find it quite confusing when I first watched it but after reading over this review I could understand Hawks' production more clearly. From watching Casablanca, I already developed a liking for Bogart's way to portray his always tough character in the films. The author of the novel Ray Chandler was quoted saying, "Bogart is so much better than any tough-guy actor. As we say here, Bogart can be tough without a gun. Also he has a sense a humor that contains that grating undertone of contempt," this quote supports how Bogart made a truly genuine performance as the lead detective in the film.
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.
The thing that I found most interesting about the movie "The Big Sleep" is the unpredictability. From scene to scene you didn't know what to expect as Marlowe (Bogart) would discover something new on every endeavor he went on. This dramatic effect made the movie more intriguing in my opinion and served as a clever technique to develop a very complex storyline. This movie is the type of movie where you watch it multiple times and learn something new every time you watch it. I definitely found this movie different in style to similar films made in the era as it focuses on other qualities of cinematography, and not a hard -boiled narration, distorted camera angles, or flashbacks.
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