In my final post, I want to discuss my experience with this class. It was very interesting to see the history of film in detail. Before this class I knew mostly about the technology aspect of film history. In my viewing of the book and films I have learned more about the economic, social and aesthetic components to film history. Cinema has come a long way since it originated. Looking at early films in black and white in comparison to modern films, you can see some key components that still exist from the originals. Overall, I found the class interesting and now have more knowledge as to how film got to where it is today.

How to Shoot a Scene! - Film Riot

This video shows the basics of shooting a scene. This a basic way that directors choose to shoot a particular scene without too much added effects, etc. I wanted to share this video because it is very descriptive to those wondering how exactly scenes are filmed. This can be said for many films that have circulated since the history of cinema. Discovering the most productive filming aspects while maintaining a low level of difficulty can sometimes produce the most effective style of film. This style was obviously developed with practice and persistence as early directors experimented with various forms of filming.

I want to discuss a recent show that I have gotten into recently. Normally I do not follow these types of shows, as mentioned in previous posts, but I found this one interesting and I continued to watch it. The show is American Horror Story Season 4, which is the current season.
I had watch the original season in its entirety when it was first released a few years ago. I thought the show was very good and scary at the same time. However, when I went to watch the second season, I expected it to be the first season continued, but it was not. It was entirely different show with different characters, plot, etc. I lost interest immediately and stopped watching the show.
I decided to try it again for the current season and I found that I liked it. Looking back, I now think that series took an interesting direction in providing basically a brand new show each season. It is as if you are watching a new show each season. It is a different approach and it proves to be working with much appraisal from critics.

I this entry, I would like to talk about one of my favorite movies of all time: Requiem for a Dream. Though this film is not highly recognized, it has a cult following where its audiences greatly praise the film and has earned the movie an exceptional following.
One of the reasons I like the film so much was largely due to directing styles. The film had key features that stood out from most during its time. Being a very erie and dramatizing film, the director captured the genre through the emotion the film was exerting.
I also liked how the film had one steady music track that was played throughout the film the entire time. It highlighted the storyline significantly. All in all, I think the film did a great job in offering an effective storyline to the audience. It even made a name for a smalltime actor during the time: Jared Leto.

A look at Chapter 12

Chapter 12 discusses cinema in the 1960's and highlights how film was becoming a prominent feature i many countries. There were several major directors that were popularized in this era. I found Australian cinema to be the most interesting to me, as I recognized several films mentioned by this chapter. Crocodile Dundee was released in the 80's by Paul Hogan and was an immediate hit. Anther movie that gained enormous prominence around this time was Top Gun. I think most people can think back to this film as it showed some highly publicized actors/actresses in their early careers.
George Miller was another major Australian filmmaker. He released movies such as Mad Max and Twilight Zone: The Movie. These movies were big hits in Hollywood in this era. It is interesting to learn that they were not actually produced in the United States, but rather by Australian filmmakers.
I discussed mostly movies that were popular in United States, but the chapter highlights many films that gained much popularity in other countries. It is important to recognize these as well because cinema has learned a lot from international films. Most countries have had made some contribution to the world of film.



Gomery, Douglas; Pafort-Overduin, Clara (2011-02-28). Movie History: A Survey: Second Edition (Kindle Location 8654). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

I found the discussion about post WWII Germany in chapter 11 very interesting. After the war the country was divided and disbanded with control coming from all different corner of the world. Germany really didn't have a voice for itself as it was divided amongst the allies that conquered the country. Films produced before captured were controlled and dismantled if they portrayed a Nazi-favored message.

In attempt to reconcile itself in the film industry, a handful of small companies led the race to produce films that would be favored by mass audiences. The Germans eventually gained popularity among the natives and some other foreign countries. 

I found it interesting to see how German was able to make a comeback in the film industry. From what I understand, prewar and during the war, films were controlled strongly by the German government. Much influence of Nazi-favored power was induced in these films, though there was a great amount of cinema that still captured the art of filmmaking and could by considered renowned and adored films. Though Germany struggled postwar, they were able to find their rightful place again in the film industry.

Gomery, Douglas; Pafort-Overduin, Clara (2011-02-28). Movie History: A Survey: Second Edition (Kindle Location 7664). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition. 

chapter 11 European art film analysis

Chapter 11 takes a look at film history played out in Europe. As Hollywood was the dominant player in cinematography, Europe found it necessary to keep up with their competition as America greatly profited from distributing films throughout Europe. In response to this Europeans developed art films that stood out substantially and gained a name for European film.
European art films offered story-lines that could be somewhat difficult to follow, though this was entirely intentional. This type of film centered around psychological problems associated with the characters. The open-ended story endings in art films allowed for the viewer to interpret their own opinion formed around the story and how it was played out. The character's mental states played a prominent role in the developing stories. Flashbacks and flash-forwards were a popular use in these films (Douglas and Pafort-Overduin).
Reading about this original style of filmmaking was very interesting to see. Many of the characteristics of European art films can be noticed in many modern films. Thinking of films like Shutter Island, I can see this film considered as an art film. The main character was constantly going through different mental states, the story was somewhat difficult to follow, flashbacks were consistent throughout and the ending was definitely left open for interpretation. It is really interesting to see how early European art films developed a style that is still played out in today's cinema.



Gomery, Douglas; Pafort-Overduin, Clara (2011-02-28). Movie History: A Survey: Second Edition (Kindle Location 7348). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.