Hotel Chevalier and The Darjeeling Limited

Wes Anderson is one of America’s pronounced directors that make his films with a distinctive mark in which his work is intuitively recognized. This director’s influences and personality can be seen in his films that routinely employ parallel themes. Wes Anderson can be seen as one of remaining auteurs that compliment the stylistic components of film. He has the styles associated to an auteur and is comparable to P.T. Anderson or the Coen Brothers. Anderson can be noted as an auteur, due the stylistics and developed characters of his work. Anderson often involves the same actors in his films and vigilantly plans out his sets that illustrate creativity and direction of his films. Wes Anderson has incorporated Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman in several of his films. Characters in his work usually have an unconventional style of humor and which he introduces them with an upfront quirky approach. His film embody nonverbal interactions which the actors depict their own personality and portrayal of the character. Anderson’s works reiterate themes of a broken or unconventional family, often centering on the father son relationship.
The 1972 article, Notes on the Auteur Theory, Sarris states, “An Auteur exhibits technical competence as a principle of value. The look and movements of a film should speak to the way a director feels. Distinguishable personality and recurring stylistic characteristics of a film make a good director great. An Auteur relates personality of their film with its material creating interior meaning of a film make a good director” (p. 586).
Wes Anderson’s 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited exhibits the elements of an auteur that Sarris set to explain. Inspired by the films of Satyajit Ray, The Darjeeling Limited is a film about three distance brothers searching for some sort of devout understanding, aboard a train in India, they reconcile the death of their father as they pursue the absence of their alienated mother. Wes Anderson integrated a short film as a prequel to The Darjeeling Limited, staring Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman. The short film, Hotel Chevalier illuminates Jack Whitmans character and the prior relationship that influences the character throughout the film.

Set in Hotel Chevalier, the short film is beautifully constructed as Anderson utilizes the aspects of mise-en-scene and is complimented by the beautiful Natalie Portman and natural exquisiteness of Paris. Anderson opens with a shot of reception desk leading to the hotel room and ends with the exterior Paris setting. With the first shot we see Anderson’s distinctive style. Throughout The Darjeeling Limited and all other Wes Anderson films, the camera frame is exploited to create a symmetrical picture, fashioned to that of a theater with a read similar to a book. Many shots are also framed for the asymmetrical balance, swaying a static composition and dynamic elements. A yellow palette is entailed to this film short goes on to be carried into the full-length feature. The scenes lighting emphasizes this golden ambiance permitting viewers to correspond to the broken relationship. Props have the fix fashioned within Anderson’s symmetrical style of framing and accentuate the color scheme. Parallels of the setting produce the aesthetic quality of the film as white, yellow and brown props are used to illustrate warmth within reunion. Contrasting the setting is the blood red floor, some figure of passion and submission.

Wes Anderson uses Peter Sarstedt’s Where do you go to my Lovely as an accompaniment to the tensions between the lovers as this diegetic music is used through the short. Further notable is the use of space by Anderson. A wide shot between showing the distance between this man and woman sitting towards opposite ends of the room augment the characters and audiences own desires. Within the static composition, eyes follow into the space of the frame towards a sequence of resolution. This vague progression is maintained by a transparent line and emphasized by spatial variances and use of cuts. A knock on the door, then sudden cut, brings some anticipation within the short sequential duration.
Love is finally made as we again hear Where do you go to my Lovely and his lover is still undisclosed even with the bare exposure of the scene. The song plays part as a nondiegetic element, making the scene so much stronger. A slow tracking take accompanied by the beautiful song ads an emotional quality to the scene. Within every Was Anderson film there is at least one slowed tracking scene, but being a fan, I think was his most successful.
The full feature, The Darjeeling Limited includes usual details Anderson is known for. Throughout, the film’s texture is generated by small eccentric objects that the create character events which guide the film. From Peter’s shoes and snake Jack’s mace the objects are reverberated throughout the rest of the film.
Centered around objects, the film has Anderson’s reoccurring themes, including the dysfunctional family and the father relationship. Mostly the film is that of the relationship of three brothers. The brotherly fighting throughout gives the film its significance and adds to the important brotherly theme. Viewers with three brothers may be the only ones able to discover any implicit connotations form The Darjeeling Limited upon the broad premise. The depicted relationship makes the film a success in my eyes. Within the explicit meanings expressed through character development you can begin to perceive a sense of realism within the film’s relationship and dealings.

Symbolism serves a huge part within the film. Three objects conduct the film’s premise; 3 feathers, the belt, and the family suitcases. Each one holds the symbolic imagery of the film. The feathers signify various values of life and serve as the means of character development. An essential scene of the movie is the ritual. Francis’s belt, serves as an representation of love. The belt holds the past and gives it to Peter. Francis’s character holds a lot of emotion, at various time depicted with loneliness and anger he seek out notions towards prior love by taking the belt away from Peter. The more important symbolism in The Darjeeling Limited is the luggage that the brothers share. This element is the embodiment of brother’s previous lives. Throughout their travels, luggage is kept closely, emerging in numerous scenes. The resolution of this narrative is the desertion of the suitcases as they run to catch the final train. Implying that the brothers have come to resolution and again expect each other as brothers (Crouse, The Darjeeling limited).

Crouse, E. (n.d). The Darjeeling Limited [Wes Anderson, US]. Currency. Retrieved from http://cinema-scope.com/currency/currency-the-darjeeling-limited/

Sarris, A. (1972). Notes on the auteur theory in 1962. In L. Braudy & M. Cohen (Ed.), Film Theory and Criticism (6th ed)., pp. 585-604. New York: Oxford

Submarine: The New Kid On The Block

Director Richard Ayoade’s debut film Submarine has very stylistic elements similar to that of an established auteur. This being his firm major film, Ayoade is far from that but has a very noticeable style that caught the attention of film enthusiasts. Though his film has stylistic compositional elements and firmly grasps the aspects of mise-en-scene, his film overtly resembles the style of director Wes Anderson.

Submarine is new comedy-drama that tells the story of Oliver Tate, a troubled teenage boy who is confounded by everyday life. The film takes place in Whales during the 1980s, following this pathetic schoolboy that faces both childhood and real life dilemmas. Oliver Tate tells his own story in which his life is a movie in his head. His parents act as indecipherable animations, brought down by the difficulties of marriage. An inept romance between Oliver and Jordana serves as the foundation of the plot that presents an array of themes and meanings to viewers. Jordana is a defended perceptive girl concealed by her signature red coat. Our protagonist briefly introduces himself with his internal narration heard throughout the film. The short opening narration offers little insight of Oliver and open for viewer’s interpretation of our protagonist. Director Ayoade adapts Joe Dunthorne novel into a juvenile grotesque composition that embodies its farfetched male protagonist.

Submarine is a subjective film as viewers see through the eyes and thoughts of Oliver Tate; as with Ayoade is able to liberally break reality giving the film its distinguishable characteristic. With the perceptual subjectivity we see and hear Oliver’s view. This internal voice reports Oliver’s own thoughts as we see his inner images. The film is composed of formalist practices, vitalizing all aspects of mise-en-scene, stylistic composition and resourceful editing. The overall style of the film imitates how Oliver sees things. The cinematography work makes the film visually beautiful and has a sharp editing approach that conveys its exceedingly subjective point of view. Just as Oliver is overly dramatic, so are the film’s stylistic elements. Ayoade’s uses various technical elements and to imply the emotional awareness of the narrative.

The stylistic direction of Submarine visually illustrates an abundantly subjective point of view with the quick editing and dynamic camera work. Surely this voice-over narration approach successfully depicts Oliver’s inner thoughts while the audience perceives the world just as he does. This excessively dramatic protagonist is replicated through Ayoade’s stylistic film structure. Stylistic elements then maintain the adolescent view while keeping the emotional aspects vibrant.

Numerous slow pans are used throughout the film along with a tranquil style of shooting, complementing the major themes and gloomy setting. This established location adds an undertone that grips the splendor approach. Cinematographer Erik Wilson uses a very stylistic approach in Submarine, which added to the film’s success and overall value. The aesthetic appeal of the film mimics that of contemporary pop art as color defines the images, adding to the eccentric characters and peculiar plat. Throughout the film, framing is utilized so images are balanced and geometric, giving the film an even visual weight. Composition is very important in this film giving the visual subtext to the overall narrative. Erik Wilson takes advantage of the shadowy gray tones of this bleak British landscape. The stylistic composition exploits rich colors within the frame, radiating against the gray overcast setting, conveying the theme of seclusion with the contrasting rich colors speaking to the film’s romantic elements. Nondiegetic music adds to the beauty of the landscape and gives the sleepy understandings within the surroundings. Consequently’ location serves as a backdrop for this elegant photography, adding to the particular viewpoint of the character. Locations of Submarine survey the conventional urban area while still vitalizing the British landscape. The country landscapes and coastline highlight the film’s aesthetics. Most beautiful, are the scenes of the coastline that really demonstrate Ayoade and Wilson’s imaginative sense
Similar to that of Wes Anderson’s work, Ayoade employs apparent color schemes that speak to thematic elements of the film. Many shots are framed with windows or doorways presenting a static composition and adding to the film’s singular viewpoint. This tendency to present an extra border in the frame adds to the realism sense within the childhood premise. Framing style of Submarine takes on the symmetrical technique, with carefully positioned figures endowing the film with a reading of that comparable to a children’s theater. Many of the scenes go over the top with blatant stylistic choices that seem to have been scrounged out of the work of Wes Anderson in Rushmore. Also, Ayoade almost entirely borrows various stylistic and comedic element of Rushmore, involving spying and sabotage that too often resemble the film.

Cuts are used for emphasis towards character-to-character interactions and zooms bring the character closer to the audience. Overlapping edits are used throughout the characters’ interactions implying the stirring feelings and hint towards uncertainty within the characters. As the film progresses, the unconventional editing style of the British comedy-drama allows the character thoughts to progress adding an unrestricted range of information.
Within the British social drama type normally have cuts between location changes and common subtle film transitions, allowing this film to stray away from the norm. A filter is applied to the sequences of Oliver’s flashback film mentality giving a grainy film stock look. The filter conveys the mental subjectivity of our main character adding to reflective sense of the movie that relates viewers to their younger, past self and to the adolescent logic.

Submarine is a story with real heart, capturing the feelings of coming of age and confusions of love. Over the course of the film, Oliver and Jordana develop from delinquent adolescents into true heart felt people. It is a story that depicts the understanding of life that becomes more than just their internal lives telling of the imperfections within all of us. Our characters discover the trials entailed in a relationships with the rewarding conclusion of friendship and love.
There are sharp jokes and moment and even. Ayoade’s filmmaking techniques present the film’s course and swift cleverness, inducing the sharp humor and distinct character portrayal. This adapted screenplay is mindful in emotion and has a unique approach towards subjectivity.

EVERETT, C. (2011, January 25). Cites ‘The Ice Storm,’ ‘Flirting’ & ‘Show Me Love’ As Influences. Retrieved from http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/submarine_director_richard_ayoade_respon ds_to_wes_anderson_comparisons#

Billington, A. (2010, September 14) Toronto Review: Richard ayoade’s indie comedy submarine. Retrieved from http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/toronto-review-richard-ayoades-indie-comedy-submarine/

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- Film Noir

David Fincher’s 2011 adaption of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo eloquently captures the dark atmosphere of the original novel by Stieg Larsson’s. Based on the first book of the Millennium trilogy, the 2011 film closely follows the original narrative, only altering minor elements for the screen. The Swedish title and the more recent American screenplay, unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a young girl named Harriet that occurred nearly 40 years prior. In this crime thriller, Henrik Blomqvist, former CEO of the Vanger Corporation hires investigative journalist Mikael, publisher and co-owner of Millennium magazine. Henrik suspects someone in his family murdered Harriet the day of her disappearance and seeks to know the true events of that day. Mikeal, recently charged with allegations towards billionaire Wennerstrom, loses his life savings from fines he was ordered to pay from the damages and costs. Soon afterwards, he is invited to meet Henrik Vanger where the crime mystery begins (Edward, 2010).
Viewers are introduced to the film’s dynamic style that Fincher is widely acclaimed for. Within the opening sequence, these dissimilar positions of the main characters are intricately established. The opening duration separately introduces Mikael and Lisbeth through a nonlinear chronological order. Fincher uses cross cuts between the distinctive diegetic universes of the two key characters with a back and forth motion. Staring his investigation, Mikeal moves to the secluded Vanger family compound. Soon discovering that Harriet’s disappearance was just not one single line of events, but connected to a series of brutal murders that took place years ago. Fincher bluntly dismisses the use of flashbacks as a means of quick character development. Dialog and various diegetic elements are intricately used within the prompt character introductions. The original narrative and western adaptation are noticeably of foreign origin. Both contain similar cinematic elements seen in European films, as Fincher presents only minor detail if not any character back-story. Not wasting any time, the film focuses towards plot distinction and the characters progress within. Lisbeth’s initial character is established during the prompting of her investigation on Mikeal. Lisbeth’s preliminary characteristics are developed swiftly, depicting her brilliance and keen investigative eye, though a very troubled person. An objective narration is briefly used to introduce her sharp personality, first from a diegetic approach then switching towards the objective narration.

The film opens as Mikeal enters a café, as a television report initially informs us of the allegations that nearly ruined him. Fincher constructs the film towards as a noir, connecting to the original narrative structure.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) resembles the traits and themes of film noir. The compositional tension of the film opposes past from present, old to new and faithfulness versus progressive. The overall narrative is very complex as Fincher includes themes involving sexual violence towards women, a perverted family, distrust of authority and alienation. Within this particular setting and throughout European society, the film speaks to the linage of European ideology. From World War II to the wealthy elite industrialist families, we see influences of war and the postwar traditions. These classical noir influences gave the film its fatalistic and doomed ancestry, passing down power. Consequently leading towards a family that wants to overcome authority and escape past crimes they inherited. One of the distinctive characteristics of this film, setting it apart from some traditional film noirs, is how truth is uncovered throughout. Lisbeth serves as both private eye and feminine fatale who uses technology as a means of revenge and investigation. Her character alone uncovers the past, comparing it to the present as Mikeal puts the pieces together. With her technical competency she can create a digital truth, speaking to the film’s ideological schema. Her character also helps to convey the thematic elements concerning alienation. She does not fit in with her surroundings but eventually looks for some sort of worldly connection, taking away the initial character tropes within her development. Lisbeth first seems to serve as the story’s anti-hero, secluding herself from society. She haunted the male predator, making sure he will never hurt another woman. As the film progresses, she gradually seeks more human connection. By the end of the film Lisbeth has turned into Mikeal’s partner and lover and eventually transforms into Mikeal’s protector. In addition the film’s plot also is similar to a classic film noir (Kaplan, 1978).
Mikeal’s character is the private eye that is found in film noir, and Lisbeth acts as the femme fatale in which the two work together to solve the case. During their investigation we are introduced to various characters that exploit the themes of Nazism and violence toward women. Classic noir shows characters thrown towards corrupt systems in which they act towards resistance. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo uses several themes to link the past and present. Sexual violence links past to present throughout the film. Seen through the public eye to be overly overt and extremely controversial, the rape of Lisbeth is explicit in nature in Fincher’s on-screen depiction. But this scene successfully manipulates emotions of the audiences and thematically renders the meanings conveyed in the film.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of America’s most defiant thrillers with the construction of this a gripping tale. Both the old and new collide to signify the truthful realism within the film. This is a film that can educate an audience of an immense narrative disclosure.

Edward, P. (2010). Modern film noir: the girl with the dragon tattoo. Retrieved from
http://pauledward.hubpages.com/hub/Modern-Film-Noir-The-Girl-With-the- Dragon-Tattoo

Kaplan, A.E. (1978). Women In Film Noir. BFI Publishing.

Counterculture and Maude

During the 1950’s and 60’s American independent filmmaking was gaining respect throughout the nation and even internationally. These were narrative films with a documentary style. Bordwell defines a narrative as “a chain of events in cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space”. Within film, the cause and effect is the heart of a narrative in which principles like parallelism or multipart narratives are employed. From the 1960’s political and social havoc resulted in the rise of the counterculture filmmaking movement. During this time many filmmakers turned to the documentary film style to convince and motivate audiences (as cited in Mooney,2012). Counterculture filmmakers of this time drove this radical filmmaking movement in response to the events and movements happening in America and overseas. The rise of the film movement began with radical documentaries endorsing activism as with awareness. In the 1960’s the new film movement presented a visual inspiration of the radicalists view and existing trends (Source notes, 1972). Films were made to encourage viewers and inspire actions while being apart from ordinary film.
Throughout the 1960s Hollywood was under pressure from the rise in popularity of foreign films. According to Marcink (2009), Foreign films were gaining a new audience in America as the European art film was gaining popularity around college campuses and urban areas. These films were not restricted by American rating systems and could contain more adult content with mature themes that grabbed attention of the youth crowd. To attract bigger audiences the industry did not know either to reproduce art films or adapt the Hollywood formula to appeal to the changing culture. Hollywood then sought to connect to an audience with the new point of view. The rising counterculture of the 1960’s youth then gave way to Hollywood’s need to address America’s youth. Hollywood began depicting the sense of alienation felt by the era’s generation of youths, taking on the counterculture. Hollywood’s counterculture film involved action, motion, and youthful points of view. Action was portrayed in the youth film was of the late 1960’s action that took place on college campuses and city streets. Stories of culture then came on screen without the right wing perspective giving advantage to the views of counterculture.
Counterculture films involved various subtexts like the Vietnam War and other cultural issues of the time addressing the cultural disruption in the country.
Hollywood was indeed interested in expanding towards the emerging youth audience in the late sixties with the anti-establishment attitude. Some counterculture films were deemed to the title of protest films but most just called the emerging film attitude motorcycle flicks. Counterculture films are thus the conflict between the 1960’s counterculture and greater “establishment” mirroring the Vietnam War along with the many other social issues during this era. Hollywood was experimenting with some new styles and narratives that promoted new types creativity within Hollywood.

Changes in youth culture that made up most of the country, created Hollywood’s adaption of the contrast between classes and culture creating a new wave of films (Marcink, 2009). The move to the right in the United States began in the 1960s—some point to Barry Goldwater’s failed bid in 1964 as a starting point—and continued throughout the 1970s. As we have shown throughout this work, this slow but inexorable move towards a more conservative America was reflected in the films of the times. Youth and counterculture films of the late 1960s moved into the newer Hollywood films made by these new auteurs of the 1970s, some counterculture films began adopting the themes of the working-class. Also as the late 70’s came around Hollywood films looked back at the Vietnam War that took a crucial war that tore the United States. The 1970s counterculture films showed the privileged working-class.

The counterculture film movement was about straying away from the set norms of America, mostly reflecting the hippie movement attitude. Counter culture director Hal Ashby is one of the most eccentric filmmaker of the 1970’s. His 1971 film Harold and Maude is the cult classic of this era. Ashby’s narrative tells of the 20 something year old death fanatic Harold and unconventional elderly Maude. Their romantic relationship strays away from society’s set norms as Harold looks for the freedom in love. Harold and Maude embodies both cult film aspects and dark humor that expresses the purity of the story’s romance. With the end of the 1960’s, the film pictures the disappearing hippie lifestyle within the 70’s era. It is a story of summer love, reflecting the hippie dream and is a stance towards love and freedom of individuality. Harold’s character translates the changes from 1960’s culture to the 1970’s. In the 2009 article Marcink states, “…the call for collective action from the counterculture in the 1960s, the passionate belief in “something,” was missing in large part by the end of the 1970s, and the counterculture as a vocal and visible force had receded into the background” (Marcink, 2009). Meaning that Harold resembles the punk attitude of 1970’s a perceptive image of the anger within the ‘70s. He is misunderstood and principally a depressant. Harold who stages fake suicides and spends his time at funerals, he is trying to shock his unhappy mother, questionably somewhat a representation of the societal mother.

This film is the result of the 60s counterculture the uses a dark comedy, resulting in a heart felt story. The back comedy humor is soft in attitude but effectual with concerning oddness, nationalism and the American consumer life style. The movie blends the lines between dark and light that’s divided by class and people, gender and of course age. Though the film comes off with themes that concern gloominess, loneliness and death it is overrun with the innocence of love.

Source notes. (1972). Film & History, 2(2), 42-43.

Mooney, J. (2012, February 1). Film Narrative. Retrieved from http://filmandphilosophy.com/2012/02/01/film-narrative/

Marcink, R. (2009). The Depiction of the Working Class in American Films in the Counterculture Era. Retrieved from DSpace Digital Repository.

The scandalous Kit Kat Club

The 1972 film Cabaret is a musical/drama based on the musical of the same name that was adapted from the book The Berlin Stories and play I am a Camera. Based in Germany in 1931, the film engages the rise of Nazism in Germany and end of the Weimer era. During this time the Nazi Party was on its rise along with homosexual, bisexual and other behaviors. Nonetheless the film is about the changes in Germany witch is noted through the commentary of the Kit Kat Club. The few musical numbers are very stylistic and socially conscious.
The Kit Kat Club is a place where everyone is beautiful and where you can leave your troubles. Musical numbers are watched over by the Master of Ceremonies who resembles a human string-puppet that directs The Kit Kat Club’s social and political development. What sets this musical apart from others is the realism involved on stage. Musical numbers don’t turn into a dream-like state but stay true to the club within Germany’s changing social state (Musical film-a-thon, 2011). Costumes are usually scandalous and cheap on the small stage that transmits the grubby club setting, which isn’t so delightful and enchanting. Sally, who works as a performer at the Kit Kat Club meets British writer Brian in which they establish a relationship that houses many of the films themes. While their relationship develops and eventually becomes romantic, Nazis begin to gain power and the government grows darker.
The Nazification of Germany is what drives the Kit Cat Club and the overall narrative, as we see people’s different responses to the changing society. This Kit Cat Club shows how most Germans looked toward the Nazi party. In the beginning Nazis are seen as street thugs on a political stage that will be quickly over turned if they were to take control. This film also shows how Nazis took hold of customary Germans’ desires, exploiting new morals and a rebirth of society.

What tells us mostly everything about the political and historical background of Cabaret is the musical number “Tomorrow Belongs To Me”. At the country Inn Brian and Maxamilian discuss their new plans of travel, as Sally is not present in this scene. Their talk is interrupted as boy begins to sing for the social gathering. A close-up of this blond liberal looking man encloses his youthful voice, keeping the evident truth off-screen. We briefly see the spectators some listen with delight others look ominously at young man. The camera then tilts down revealing his uniform with a swastika armband. His song begins to grab the attention of the viewers leading to others join in and eventually stand in admiration. With the song building up the entire Inn stands and sing along. The song concludes as the boy puts his cap on leading to the Hitler salute as Brian and Maximilian leave. This could be taken as the most powerful yet distressing scenes of the film. The song has a very prevailing emotional effect as the camera slowly reveals the Nazi uniform depicting the occurrence with an ordinary view. It is suggested through the song that the Nazi party is giving good to Germany. Also the entire scene is describing Nazism approval within common German citizens. Through the crowd’s reactions we are shown the significance of the song within Cabarets historical and political ideology.

The plot also concerns the rising prejudice against the supposed communists or Jews. Fritz, who is seeking to become a gigolo, though very bad at it, tries to gain the love of Natalia the beautiful women of Jewish descent. Fritz also of Jewish descent conceals his heritage throughout most of the film but finally makes the bold decision to reveal his true self to Natalia in order to marry her. Essentially he rejects the fraudulent safety to accept love with the risk of danger (Moore, 2000). Throughout the progression in the film, Nazis come to power within the face of Cabaret’s Master of Ceremonies.

Sally’s character is the bond between The Kit Kat Club and outside world. In the film she is constantly trying to be sexy and shocking and wears very peculiar costumes, like she is playing dress up. Through the film and on the stage there are suggestions of Sally’s primed sex life. As she continually attempts to convey her sexiness she is never very successful at it and her vast sexual conquests may be forged or even fake. Towards the end of the film the musical number “Life is a Cabaret!” is Sally’s big number at the Kit Kat Club. This song is very powerful in context and is ambiguous in this nature. Sally sings about the love and fullness of life but this song is distinctly unpleasant. Right before this number Sally loses the one she loves, goes through with the abortion then decides to chase her impractical dream of becoming a star. Brian can no longer stay in Germany and Sally thinks she must stay to follow her dreams. These ending scenes show the tragedy of her character. This character is very sad who is endlessly self-destructive. Throughout the film Sally makes choices that are never realistic, usually unremitting and tremendous decisions and risky desires which are realistic to her. Her choices ultimately lead to her own downfall. Sally will not have the baby thinking motherhood will turn her prude and boring. The Kit Kat Club conveys the idea that Sally does not understand love and most likely has never felt true love. Musicals have songs to put across strong emotions to viewers but Sally is not as emotional as she is eccentric.

The number titled “Mein Herr” expresses Sally’s ideas of sexuality. The film uses the number “Maybe This Time” to show Sally’s strong character. She sings her heart to a missing audience, as though she sings to herself about this novel love that ultimately will not work. Knowing that Brian is most likely gay, she knows that it will not work, but this notion of love is realistic in her eyes even though imaginary. Sally is a refreshingly intricate character and is represented in the narrative as the basis within Cabaret.

Cabaret 1972 musical film-a-thon. (2011, July 28). Film Master Journal. Retrieved from http://www.filmmasterjournal.com/2011/07/cabaret-1972-musical-film-thon-11.html

Moore, A. (2000). Nazism in feature films. Western Review. Retrieved from http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/gcsemedia/nazis.htm

4 months 3 weeks and no music

Romania 1987 fade from black. A goldfish swims in its bowl sitting on top a table with a cigarette slightly burning in an ashtray. A very calm and quiet opening, a hand reaches for the cigarette and the camera pulls back showing Gabita uneasily getting ready to leave the dorm. She drags off her cigarette and talk to another girl off-screen, placing the smoke back in the tray. Getting up to stir the wax that’s heating up aside her bed, the camera delicately pulls back further, revealing Otila. The mobile cam follows Otila running errands around the dormitory searching for cigarettes. Otila guides and pushes the camera through the dorm hallway. This relaxed long take has a sense of casualness within the interactions, but Otila contrasts the normality with the urgency in her walk and worrisome expressions that are locked within the camera frame. Director Cristian Mungiu uses this calm and normal opening of 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days establishing a routine depiction, concealing what the characters are going to do.
Towards the end of the 1980s Romania had been under communist rule for over forty years. An attempt towards industrialization, no matter the costs, and establishing socialism were the centralized governments main concerns. The government’s aspirations caused changes of Romanian society values produced by the centralized government established power of the few privileged political figures. Striving towards economic development they wiped out national values. Socialism in Romania provided equal access to education to education and employment but did not provided opportunities for women to succeed. Dictator Ceausescu established polices that exported much of Romania’s agricultural and industrial output that caused widespread poverty and hardships for most Romanian citizens. Families could no longer support many children (Country Studies Program). As result women sought illegal abortion, without correct the medical support.

This film is a commentary of Romanian society where cigarettes serve as bribes, deceiving the country’s social relations and values. The abortionist’s price mirrors citizen’s fear of crossing the government and ending up in jail. A black market is present where immaterial services are available for demoralizing prices. Gabita and Otila are depicted in the film by the political system that controls their positions.

Cinematographer Oleg Mutu, creates an enduring level of visual tension. As Otilia begins her distressing excursion that takes from hotel to hotel as she journeys through the gloomy streets leading to the dark immoral human figures. Otilia constanly stands to support Gabita, going through nerve-racking tasks, even having to turn her back on the one she loves to face a monstrous Mr. Bebe. Throughout the film director Mungiu follows Otilia’s actions using constant long takes and delicate camera work without close ups or insightful monologue or conveying any sense of false virtues.

Cristian Mungiu’s, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days embodies these historical concepts by portraying the moral decisions available to Romanian citizens while under communist control. Mungiu uses a natural editing style that emphasizes real time creating immense tension in the film. Within a gloomy urban setting two young ladies defy this communist ruling, signifying an individuals right to choose. This film shows these repressive rights of women under a dictatorship that inspires the characters to go against their odds, dealing with shady characters and possible imprisonment; Gabita and Otilia have a very shaky friendship in which Gabita receives an illegal abortion with the help of her roommate Otilia. Both face the fears of years of imprisonment if Romanian authorities discover the crime, but also have to undergo the nightmare of dealing with Mr. Bebe, a shady abortionist who forces Otilia and Gabita to oblige with sexual favors.

This film is full of intensity, created by the continuous long takes. Long takes give the film its sense of realism, building up the tension that is happening off-screen. The film has great aesthetic value with graceful camera movements and precise framing used to accomplish these successful long takes.

Most notably the birthday dinner scene exemplifies this tension, but also speaks to Romanian society. Within one take, all of the Romania’s societal troubles are confronted. Mungiu sets the scene as though this is only normal table talk, hiding the deeper reality. Anxieties build up by the tensions hidden off-screen. Gabita is alone in the hotel room waiting for a resulting malpractice abortion to happen. The scene creates such intensity because Gabita is hidden off-screen as we know nothing of her condition. Just like many of the other scene, this dinner shot is a uninterrupted take, with a fixed position then camera movement, following a character from beginning to end. The on-off screen contrast is created through the simple editing style and cinematography work consisting of camera movement and stillness. The frame is used to utilize as a fixed position, creating a window that characters work inside then out. These pictorial components read with the main themes of the story (Marinca, 2008).

4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days has a singular vividness within the detail of Gabita and Otilia’s despair and apprehensions. The real-time camera work and editing style identify the psychological toll and uneasiness on the characters. Within the film’s simple edits accompanied by the non-existing emotional cues or music show the women’s entrapment. The lighting of the hotel that serves as a back-alley clinic shows the shadiness of the situation through the flickering lights throw viewers into the true darkness of the country’s society. As Otilia travels the darks streets of the foggy town a enormous feeling of intensity and suspense is constant. The movie is an inishgt of class tension under the communist state of socialism.

Country Studies Program. (n.d) Romania-society. Library of Congress. Retrieved from http://www.mongabay.com/reference/country_studies/romania/SOCETY.html

Marinca, A. (2008, January 25). ‘4 Months’ tells dark tale with gripping style. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120121992778015271.html

The signature of P.T. Anderson- American Auteur

According to Sarris (1972), auteur theory claims it’s neither an insight nor a keen cinematic awareness. A directors or auteur is never constantly ideal to a form and it can never presumed that a bad director will make a bad film. The cast and narrative concede with the elements to create the auteur. An Auteur has technical expertise as a notion of cinematic importance. The look and arrangements of a film should converse to the filmmaker’s thoughts and feelings. An apparent individuality and persistent stylistic elements should come forth in a film to make a good director great. Auteurs can convey personality to film creating an interior meaning (Sarris, 1972).

Directors manipulate factors that are part of our social processes. When watching people an audience is attracted the areas of high information, usually faces and hands. Faces provide nonverbal cues about what a person is thinking and feeling. Hands provide gesture and can indicate threats. And if someone speaks viewers are fashioned to look at the speaker. The main action in the center of the picture format creates points of interest. With several points of interest a director can frame points of interest around the central point of a shot, balancing the composition. Directors also position characters so the most important ones are closer or facing the camera. Turning a character away from the camera guides the audiences’ eye to a different point. There are other pictorial cues worth mentioning lighting, color, and interesting patterns are often used as visual cues, giving the film stylistic characteristics. Movement within the frame shifting of position or moving closer to the camera or a mobile frame can be used as visual cues within a shot. Effectively staging these film elements that work together create beauty of the picture making a great director. Character aspect, spacing of characters, shifts of composition focus, and body language all mix together to create the impact of a scene giving both films and directors their evident characteristics (Bordwell, Thompson, 2008).

Writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson is critically acclaimed for his stylistic films and serves as one of the United States most important figures in film. Most notably, Anderson utilizes forward dolly and stable composition to assemble long continuous shots that run for minutes. His films often combine inferring songs in long takes and uses lengthy non-diegetic music like no other (Srinivasan, 2012).
An auteur director creates films with their distinctive signature so that audiences can instinctively recognize their work. The signature acts as a stamp of a director’s personality with focus on recurring themes within their work. P.T. Anderson is one of America’s great auteurs often grasping huge themes. Both Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood deal with regret and loneliness.

Most of his work deals with the dysfunctional family and social flaws. Anderson’s characters most often face a catastrophic moment unlocking their deceptiveness and deficiencies, previously suppressed. His focus is on how a character develops throughout the rise and demise. There Will Be Blood is a prime example of P.T. Anderson’s interest of how characters shape themselves. The main character, Daniel Plainview owns and operates an oil business, which alienates him from other human beings. The film plot gains movement with Daniel Plainview’s oil business that works to reveal the true character aspects. The different positions of Plainview show his assertiveness and serves as a motive of character progression. Throughout the film, as Daniel Plainview’s develops, situations arise signifying his desire to dominate others. Most of Paul Thomas Anderson’s work involves recurring themes of a dysfunctional family and father-son relationships. Father-son relationships in There Will Be Blood speak to the film’s main themes of loneliness and abandonment. Boogie Nights is a story of a dysfunctional family that comments on regrets and sense of loneliness. The character Buck is a man who is out of place, a black man that loves country music. Scotty’s character speaks with the films theme of loneliness as his undying love for Dirk is completely incompetent and hopeless.

The film commences as Plainview raises a surrogate son as his own, showing undying love and warmth for H.W. After his son loses his hearing during a drilling explosion, Plainview can no longer relate which forces him to abandonment. Regret and loneliness are seen throughout P.T. Anderson’s films. A man who alone, Daniel Plainview represents fear and hatred. Regret and guilt overwhelm Plainview and finally brings back H.W. The relationship between Daniel and H.W. is not the film’s only father-son relationship. Plainview has a continuous relationship with Eli Sunday that has a metaphorical father-son relation, speaking to the ideology of capitalism and rise of religion. Eli is just as hateful and forceful son who relates more to Daniel then his own father. Plainview’s anger towards Eli comes out of from the preacher’s arrogance. His hate grows throughout the film to a larger hatred towards humanity, and Eli’s sense of hatred grows from Plainview’s success (O’Connel, 2012).

In Boogie Nights the father- son relationship between Dirk and Jack speaks to the same themes of abandonment. Dirk looks for Jack’s approval as he first enters the porn scene. As when Dirk and friend Reed tell Jack their idea for new porn film, Dirk is still scene looking for a father’s approval. Jack and Dirk’s relationship is also used to uncover P.T. Anderson’s recurring themes. The father-son conflict as Dirk’s drug ridden pride clashes against Jack’s persistency and pushes Dirk away.

Paul Thomas Anderson thematic fixation of regret, loneliness and intricate relationships of fathers and sons are sifted through stories involving capitalism, transforming into a demeaning influence. His films took towards America and its people who lives are defined by both professional and private collapse. There Will Be Blood is his effort at a commentary of society as Boogie Nights exams suburban Los Angeles while commenting on the changes in the film industry. P.T. Anderson is a filmmaker who uses techniques of contemporary art that meets social significance (O’Connell, 2012).

Sarris, A. (1972). Notes on the auteur theory in 1962. In L. Braudy & M. Cohen (Ed.),Film Theory and Criticism (6th ed)., pp. 585-604. New York: Oxford

Srinivasan, S. (2012, November 3). Paul thomas anderson. The Hindu. Retrieved from http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/paul-thomas-anderson/article4061737.ece

Bordwell, D., Thompson, K. (2008). Observation on film art. Retrieved from http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/category/directors-anderson-paul-thomas/

O’Connel, M. (2012) The Master: A look back on the works of PT Anderson. The Air Space. Retrieved from http://theairspace.net/filmtv/the-master-a-look-back-on-<a href=/

The Killing,Non-linear Paranoia and Doom

“The Killing” by Stanley Kubrick is a crime noir based around the heist of a racetrack filmed to invoke paranoia depicting the changing values throughout the film. Centered on John Clay, planning to marry his girlfriend, wants to earn the respect of his girl by providing a life that she always dreamt about. Wanting to rob two million dollars from a racetrack, a team is assembled to pull off the heist. A corrupt cop name Randy, widow teller George, gunman Nikki, the muscle Maurice and a bartender named Mike all make up the crew. A plan is put together, in which they all have involving different parts but don’t know the other members. As the crime is unfolded different viewpoints are shown in a non-linear order, which made this crime film to unique. The heist action revolves around the character’s different involving points of view, which engages the audience in the different insights of each character. Kubrick gets the audience so involved that it feels as though we are there participating in the crime.
The nonlinear temporal order of The Killing is the most notable element of the film. A nonlinear timeline is used in this film as the narrative jumps back and forth in-between the character’s story action. The use of flashbacks and different viewpoints of each character portrays the paranoia of the crime within its viewers. Depicting the several alternating stories of the crime leading up to the heist, increases audiences’ involvement within the story. According to Albert(2012), The audience is sucked into the individual narratives that forces us to be take a part of each job that leads up to the entire heist. The film starts at the beginning of the story but as the heist goes underway the different vantage points of the character are shown. In general, Mike is shown at home with his sick wife before he heads off to the track. The cop Randy is shown calling the station saying his radio is broke, providing an alibi. Nikki is seen setting up his shot in a parking lot to take down the horse at the right time. The gang’s distraction and Muscle, Maurice meets with Johnny at the chess club, and goes to the track. He signals the bartender of his involvement and creates a distraction that allows Johnny to get into the office unnoticed. The heist is made successful through one character. Nikki the sharp shooter is the only character that has the most secrecy in the involvement of the crime, though is struck by doom, foreshadowing the success of the crime. As he is successful in the crime, he is stripped of his mortality, hinting at the overall result of the heist. This nonlinear time line involves audience in the shifting values of each character. As the film switches through the different vantage points of each character, the film’s focus moves beyond the crime into the character development and depicted action. This film has somewhat of a documentary style, adding to the realism and character’s world, increasing feelings of paranoia. Audiences want to seek the order of events in order to know the fate of our main character Kubrick involves the audience through the nonlinear temporal order in a way that shoves the viewers into the crime, through the different insights that we see of each character (Albert, 2012). The Killing provides several different vantage points each character. George is most developed in this narrative as we are given a perspective into his relationship and motive behind the crime.
The relationship between George and his girl is very shaky as he is always questioning if she loves him. The lover’s physical environment is very fragmented, as she lies to George and goes is known as the danger to the crime. In the book Women in film noir, Place states:

… is not their inevitable demise we remember but rather their strong, dangerous, and above all, exciting sexuality. In film noir we observe both the social action of myth which damns the sexual woman and all who become enmeshed by her, and a particularly potent stylistic presentation of the sexual strength of women which man fears. This operation of myth is so highly stylized and conven­ tionalised that the final ‘lesson’ of the myth often fades into the background and we retain the image of the erotic, strong, unrepressed (if destructive) woman. The style of these films thus overwhelms their conventional narrative content, or interacts with it to produce a remarkably potent image of woman. (Place, 1978)

Sherry, George’s girl, is the shown in The Killing scheming blonde. She influences George to tell the details of the plan and goes on to convince her lover to rob the gang after the heist is complete. Sherry is depicted throughout to want a specific kind of life. And because she is married to a ‘little man’ living in a small apartment, she has sexual strength and her character is definably strong, as she manipulates her way. Doing everything within her power to make her dream come true, she is shown with the classic ‘female hardships’ of film noir. Thus her only demise was herself, as she passionately chased her dream, paying with her own life. The woman in this film, and all together in film noir, is the threat to the male protagonist. She is depicted as the destruction of the crime and seeks control of the men surrounding her.
The Killing uses low-key to portray notions of paranoia and doom, upon the characters. Many characters are framed with cast shadows on them that drown out their features. The use of shadows with the film speaks to the premise of the racetrack. Many shots of the characters at the track picture the characters behind bars, most notably when pictured behind the teller bars. Kubrick is speaking to the idea that the racetrack imprisons the involved characters, and using shadows confines them within.

Albert, W. (2012). Reel Murders. Retrieved from http://mysteryfile.com/blog/?=1875

Kaplan, A.E. (1978). Women In Film Noir. BFI Publishing.

Chainsaw Girl

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre opening scene portrays the anxious and decisive characteristics of the film. This first image consisting of an all black screen complemented by the sound of a shovel hitting the ground and the noise of a man’s physical effort implies the distinctiveness of the entire film. Extreme close-ups of decaying body parts enlightened by a camera flash, contrasting the darkness. The corpse is fetishized through heavy breathing and grunting adding sexual themes to the film’s undertone. A derogatory sensation opens this narrative comprised of a voice-over news report telling that a series of graves were defaced, along with multiple robberies in Texas and the discovery of a ‘grisly work of art’ made up of human body parts. The fade in of the radio is accompanied by the shocking images of a decaying face implying the work of a grave robber. The camera zooms out to a long shot that shows the sexualized postures of the sculpture, consisting of two posing corpses. Lance (2010) explains in the article “Texas Chainsaw Massacre Horror Film Analysis”, that this pause of camera motion makes this scene difficult for viewers to watch. The voice on the radio continuing the gruesome report foreshadows the upcoming narrative. The film first confronts viewers with notions of sex and death distinguishing the viciousness and madness of society and humankind. Violence intimidates society and even more it’s individuals. These aspects that are stuck in human unconsciousness reappear in consciousness and behavior, and are shown throughout figurative aspects and society, including film(Lance, 2010). Within the narrative of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the film shows the struggle between a killer and a group of friends with the focus on one main character. In the well known article “Her Body, Himself: Gender in the slasher film”, Clover(1987) states:

“The final girl is introduced at the beginning and is the only character to be developed in any psychological detail. We understand immediately from the attention paid it that hers is the main story line. She is intelligent, watchful, level-headed; the first character to sense something amiss and the only one to deduce from the accumulating evidence the patterns and extent of the threat; the only one, in other words, whose perspective approaches our own privileged understanding of the situation. …. When she downs the killer, we are triumphant. She is by any measure the slasher film’s hero. This is not to say that our attachment to her is exclusive and unremitting, only that it adds up, and that in the closing sequence it is very close to absolute. (p. 79)”

In the Texas Chainsaw Massacre the final girl is introduced just as all the other characters. The beginning of the narrative has no focus on her and she given no special attention. The final girl is introduced half way through the film as leather face claims his first victims. Sally’s character that is seen as the final girl in this film only begins to full develop as the others go missing. According to Clover, the Final Girl is also one to have masculine interest. The video still below not only shows her apartness from the other female character, but also her bravery, as she is the one to go look for the others. The final girl is the one who goes to find the killer, almost looking for the monster. Sally perfectly fits Clover’s description as she and Franklin walk straight into the killer’s path. When in the forest she knows she should be dead first when Franklin is killed, and even when the she realizes the ‘Dad’ character is not there to help her.

Provided with the cannibalism in Texas Chainsaw, the social, and political detail of the narrative, a progressive analysis can be seen. As this film portrays the dying of family \ along with the demise of small towns in Texas progressive reactions are shown in the narrative. The film’s symptomatic reading implies the significance of a progressive notion. In contrast, film explicitly shows cruel acts towards women and is based on the infamous Killer Ed Gein, defining the notion of a progressive claim. According to Bloom (2004) the story behind Texas Chainsaw gave way to this strange narrative paraigm. As seen throughout, Ed Gein was the insight for this film. Ed Gein dug up graves and defiled corpses and was known as a transsexual, as he dressed himself in female body parts. Once police caught him they found skulls on his bedposts and body parts arranged throughout his house. He was also suspected of never burying his mother (Bloom, 2004). Notions of masochism and violence are shown in Texas Chainsaw implying the viciousness and madness of society and humankind. With these views some can say that this slasher film implies no good. What gives Texas Chainsaw a progressive outlook is the Final Girl. Gender representation is why the audience, female or male, can identify with the female victim or female heroine. Sally our Final Girl, is mostly assumed to be killed in the end. Because of peripheral assumptions of gender in society, we see only the weakness and discrimination in the female character. But because of this female heroine, gender roles are switched. Sally takes on roles of masculinity and strength, rather than anything related to gender. It is here that gender roles are switched, providing a progressive view of the Final Girl. According to Clover, “…She alternates between registers from the outset; before her final struggle she is now weak and now strong, now flees the killer…(p. 86)” Texas Chainsaw switches the implied gender role of both Sally and Leather Face. Sally is victimized throughout then rises up to overcome her killers, but is consequently saved by a male truck driver.

Bloom, J. (2004). The came. They sawed. Texas Monthly, 32(11), 162-256.

Clover, C. J. (1987). Her body, himself: Gender in the slasher film. Representations, (20), 77-86.

Lance, M. (2010). Visual Sociology. Retrieved from http://www.visualsoc.net/archives/2025

May I Come In?

The 2008 Swedish vampire film “Let The Right One In” directed by Thomas Alfredson beautifully employs the frame in which the visual language speaks with the narrative. The film’s aesthetic appeal is similar to a painting as color defines the images and guides the eye. Framing is utilized throughout the film so that images are balanced and geometric, giving the film an even visual weight. Establishing shots of the apartment windows along with the jungle gym outside stress the shapes within the frame, adding to Alfredson’s distinct use of framing. This reoccurring style is what makes the film so successful. Composition is very important in this film as it adds a visual subtext to the overall narrative. Alfredson’s choice to frame shots with horizontal and vertical lines conveys themes of confinement and loneliness. Many shots are framed with windows, mirrors and doorways giving a motionless viewpoint to the film. This tendency to present an extra frame adds to the sense of realism within this ice-covered vampire premise. Framed in a style that suggests realism put emphasis on the supernatural aspects of the film. Let the Right One In is very appealing to the eye, as the framing is carefully planed out.

Shot composition and lighting provide the general horror feeling and motif of the film. Badt’s article “Bullies and Blood Drinkers”, examines what influenced Alfredson’s vision for the film. Thomas Alfredson used Renaissance paintings as a reference for the film’s distinct look. As we witness the first murder, we are introduced to the bland color scheme of the film. Shot in a frozen forest, viewers are surrounded by snow and ice that exemplifies the visual motif without being too palpable. The painter Raphael and his use of colors specifically influenced Alfredson. In order to use the bland whiteness of the snow as a color scheme, a soft lighting technique is seen that shows the contrast between the bight whites and dark shadows. Numerous scenes are shot during night, which house much of the action. By using a diffused lighting technique Alfredson was able to take advantage of the dark without taking away from visual appeal. The deep space of the forest is shown through this distant lighting (Badt, 2009). In the first murder scene, the camera pans right revealing the deep space within frame. Deep space is shown throughcontrasting darks and lights of the bland colors in the winter setting.

As the camera moves right, the white snow highlights the foreground and depth is shown through dark shadows that slowly blend towards the background. Just as the foreground is highlighted with the brightness of the snow, the background is exposed with soft lighting. Finally we see the nameless man draining his victim’s blood. A sense of seclusion is shown through the use of deep space in the frame. Exemplifying the colorlessness of winter adds to the main themes of the narrative. The forest scenes contain mostly whites and grays that provide the audience with a sense of being frozen, just as Eli and Oskar are depicted throughout the film.

On/off screen space is also used in this scene, obstructing the secluded murder. The framing of this film in has a very geometric appeal. Alfredson adds a sense of realism to the film by employing deep space and these additional frames. Just as the frame adds to the aesthetic appeal, the chosen depth of field emphasizes the personal aspects of the film.

This film speaks with visual language, focusing on the isolation and loneliness of both Oskar and Ellie. Scenes of Oskar inside his home are mostly shot through a doorframe or window adding to the sense that the characters are trapped. The film is essentially shot with an extremely shallow depth of field. In many shots the foreground and background have lack of clarity, putting focus on the characters. By doing this, the director isolates the characters giving the visual language. Within the first ten minutes, the cinematography style is already noticeable as we see how depth of field and intense focus are played with. As we first see Oskar in the classroom we are placed behind him, unable to see his face. Carefully placed focus is used which subtlety conveys Oskar’s bullying problem, foreshadowing the upcoming conflict without the help of dialogue. Shallow depth of field is used to blur out the class, focusing on Oskar’s back. Oskar then speaks in which rack focus reveals the boy in front. The shift in focus emphasizes the intimidating glare towards Oskar, instituting his seclusion and the premise of bullying. Our focus is pulled back and the camera pans, exposing the foreground with the older antagonist also glaring towards our Oskar. The visual language of this scene foreshadows the tensions towards Oskar with suggestion of the real evil in the film. The short focus used throughout the film speaks to the themes and relationships of the screenplay. The short scene of the second meeting between Oskar and Eli also vitalizes the use of short focus. Framed with Oskar’s face directly in the center, and background-blurred sets us up Eli’s arrival. This static composition holds steady on his face as Eli comes into scene. The shallow focus calls attention to the relationship, as Oskar does not turn to look at Eli. A sort of tenderness is felt as we are focused on Oskar’s eyes that faintly turn. Many scenes are framed solely on characters, separating and focusing on the subject. Reducing the depth of field enable foregrounds and backgrounds to drift in and out clearness isolating our two characters distinguishing the visual motif.

Badt, K. (2009, Februaury). Of Bullies and blood drinkers. BRIGHT LIGHTS FILM JOURNAL, 63. Retrieved October 3, 2012, from http://brightlightsfilm.com/63/63alfredsoniv.php