Daughters of the Dust

Daughters of the Dust is an independent film that was released in 1991. This movie tells the story of a Gullah family that is moving from the Sea Island to the mainland of America. The film focuses on the three generations of women in the family who are conflicting on whether or not they should move or not. The main conflict is between the family matriarch, Nana, and the daughter returning from the mainland, Viola. Nana believes that the family should stay on the island because it is the home of their ancestors and where they belong. Viola believes that the family should move because they need the influences of the mainland and the love of Jesus. Throughout the film, many family members are torn between staying close to their roots and leaving for a new life entirely. There are also several other conflicts throughout the film. One was involving Eli and his wife Eula and another involved Haagar, her daughter Iona, and St. Julien Lastchild. The film shows how the elder family member holds on to her beliefs and is dedicated to her ancestors heritage.

This movie is told in a somewhat confusing fashion, one that I was not particularly fond of. Throughout the movie there is narration about things that have happened in the past and how they affect the present. The narration, however, changes from character to character depending on the scene. For the most part it was narrated by Eula's unborn child, but it was also narrated by Nana, Viola, and several others. This made the story hard to follow and the points made didn't seem to stick. Several sequences of scenes did not seem to follow any strict order and seemed to make the tensions of the movie even more intense.

Overall, I was not a huge fan of this movie, however, I did appreciate the heritage and the passion with which the story was told. The narration could have been done differently to better draw the viewer into the movie. This film did not give me a feel for each character and I felt distant from the whole family. In the end I wished I knew more about the lives of the Gullah family and what roles each of them played throughout daily life.

Casablanca

Casablanca is an American film made in 1942 set in the midst of World War II. It is a romantic drama that takes place in Casablanca, Morocco. This city was part of a path for refugees who were trying to escape occupied Europe for America. A large portion of the film takes place in Rick's Cafe Americain which is a nightclub/casino. The owner and main character Rick Blaine is presented with several conflicts throughout the film that test his emotions and loyalty. The first is the bestowing of the letters of neutrality upon Rick from Ugarte. The re-entrance of his former lover IIsa Lund is another main conflict that makes Rick become bitter. These two conflicts collide when IIsa tells Rick that she needs the letters to help her husband lead the resistance against the Nazi's. Rick refuses to give her the letters and in doing so causes IIsa to pull out a gun on him. Unable to pull the trigger, she confesses her remaining love for him and the reasons for her leaving so abruptly. After hearing this information, Rick agrees to help IIsa and Laszlo escape their Nazi pursuers.

This film is an American classic that portrays typical romantic Hollywood storytelling. It has the lovers, the man caught in between, and the enemies trying to tear them all apart whether they realize it or not. This movie was not incredibly popular at its release but has risen in popularity over the years and has taken its place in the top movies of all time. For a movie that was rushed into production, it was excellently filmed and edited to the point that gave it a sad, tender, yet tense feeling.

Overall, I enjoyed this film and greatly appreciated the way in which it was told. The film tells a story of a timeless romance while depicting an allegory of the War happening throughout the movie. The film also has a feel of uncertainty because the characters, unlike the viewers, do not know how the war is going to play out. There are also several bars of shadows that are cast across the characters throughout the film that form a sort of prison cell. This film with its incredible Hollywood stars, is both intellectually stimulating and entertaining.

Analysis of Bonnie and Clyde

This movie was very unique in the way it was edited because it combined the traditional Hollywood continuity style along with the European "cut and paste" techniques. At times when the movie was slow paced (usually for plot development or speaking roles), the shots were longer and focused on a specific point in time. When the movie picked up speed, however, (as in the chase scenes) the editing became quick and choppy. This unique combination of editing styles really made the movie stand out and also made it feel like a roller coaster with several ups and downs.

The biggest scene that stuck out to me was the chase scene into Oklahoma. This scene take place just after the Barrow gang robs a bank and are being pursued by the law. Most of the following shots are only two to four seconds long. As soon as the scene starts, a banjo begins to play an upbeat song called "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" which is an upbeat song with a fast tempo that is perfect for the chase scene that is about to ensue. The first couple scenes are cut to show the gang then the police officers in the same place as where the gang was with the gang now in the distance. The first scene shows the Barrows pulling away from the bank and then quickly cuts to the same shot of the bank except with the police now rounding the corner and with the Barrows much further down the road than they were in the previous shot. The next shot shows the Barrow gang swerving down a dirt road. They quickly drive by the camera and before the dust made by their car even settles, it cuts to the next shot of the the law in the exact same spot from the exact same angle. This effect is used to bridge the gap of time that actually passes between the two cars. It also makes the chase scene more intense because the police seem to be much closer than they actually are.

The next shot shows a farmer standing near a fence as the Barrow gang races by. Then the shot changes to the inside of the gangs car to show the chaos amidst the Barrows. The shot then quickly returns to the road from the same angle as before and shows the police driving by in the same spot. This happens again with the second police car and then jumps to the front of the Barrow gangs car. It then switches to a shot of the road and the mile markers in front of them and then again switches to the police behind them, shooting. This sequence gives a somewhat skewed view of what is actually happening and causes some confusion. The next shot is a re-establishing shot that shows all three cars driving through a field. This shot gives a better perspective of the chase as it is actually happening not as it is edited together. From here it cuts to a close up of the police car with the cops firing their guns and then quickly cuts back to the re-establishing shot. The Barrow gang's car then drives closer to the camera and slides off screen. At this point, the music stops as the scene cuts back to the bank where a security guard is being interviewed about the robbery that just occurred. As soon as he is finished speaking, the music starts back up and the scene then cuts to him getting his picture taken and then back to the chase. This time, however, the cuts are even faster than before. There is a slew of cuts lasting only about a second changing back and forth from the Barrow gang's car, to the police cars, to the inside of the Barrow gang's car, to close-ups of the different cars, and back to the inside again. This shows the chaotic nature of the chase and the interior car shots show the reactions of the gang to the law's attempt at stopping them.

There are too many other shots to go into detail in this blog analysis, but you get the idea of how this movie was edited. There are several more re-establishing shots before the scene is through and there are a couple more returns to the citizens at the bank. Eventually, they make it across the border into Oklahoma. This method of editing makes the viewer really have to pay attention to little details as the shots quickly go by. It is very easy to loose track of what is going on because very few of the shots in the chase scene follow a strict continuity. Overall, I loved the combination of these two styles of editing because it added so much more to the character of the film itself. The editing also helped make the movie humorous because the quick cuts made the characters snappy quotes seem even funnier. The editing used was definitely unique. This film seemed to break the rules of both Hollywood continuity and Hollywood storytelling of not sympathizing with the "bad guys."

Bonnie and Clyde

Bonnie and Clyde is an American crime film that came out in 1967. This film is about Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. It is based on the actual story of their lives. During the Great Depression in the 1930's, these two would rob banks in the central United States to make money. This film is fast paced and once it starts, it does not slow down until the end. It starts off with Bonnie tagging along with Clyde and then as they travel they recruit more people into their crew. This movie portrays life in the 30's and how people would do anything to survive and how many different people were effected by the Depression. The plot revolves around the gang making their way from state to state robbing banks and trying not to get caught. The law is angry and frustrated that they cannot apprehend these criminals. One Texas ranger in particular, Frank Hamer, takes up a personal vendetta against the two and is determined to stop them.

This movie is edited in a way that jumps around and makes it seem even more fast paced than it already is. Events in the story are sometimes not even shown but are just talked about at a later time. If every event that took place was shot and added into the film, the movie would be much longer. During the chase scenes, the shots would only be a few seconds before jumping to another aspect of the chase. The jumps in time really add to the movie and its aspect of action and hurriedness.

Overall, I enjoyed this film. The acting was excellent even though it was goofy at times. The fast pacing of the movie made me watch even more intently and pulled me into the characters lives. The concept of living life on the edge made this movie interesting to me. Another idea that stuck out was the aspect of survival at any cost.

Analysis of Run Lola Run

As I stated in the previous entry, this movie is very fast paced. What makes it fast paced is mostly due to the way it is edited. It cuts scenes together in such a way that makes the viewer feel like they need to keep up and pay attention or they may miss something. I know that as I was watching the movie, I wanted to take notes but at the same time did not want to look away for fear of missing an important scene. The opening scene itself contained creative editing. The crowd of people sped up and blurred while one character that was in the movie stands out in real time and in crystal clear color. The scene would then dissolve into the next where another character would stand out in the crowd. Another place where dissolve and color change are used is both times someone dies before the movie "re-starts." After the character is fatally wounded, the scene dissolves to a red screen and goes to Lola and Manni lying in bed still entirely red. It then dissolves back to true color and the sequence re-starts.

This leads me to another editing technique that helps this re-starting aspect. When the bag of money is either thrown up or dropped, the scene is cut back to an earlier scene of Lola carelessly throwing her red phone up in the air and landing perfectly on the hook. Each time, the phone slams on the hook before the bag hits the ground signifying that before the character dies life is re-started. This leads into Lola's constant running scenes. There are many different edits and cuts while Lola is running in order to show how far she has gone in a shorter amount of time than reality. There are times when Lola is running and the camera is in front of her then it quickly cuts to behind her as if she has just ran through the camera. Other times it cuts from the front to the side to give a better picture of where she is actually running. Another edit that I particularly like is when Lola is shot from the side at one location and then suddenly is cut to another location almost running in the exact same rhythm.

Another important edit is when we encounter the minor characters whose lives change drastically with each re-start. Each time we see these characters, the details of there near future are revealed with still frames. These still frames are transitioned by flashing lights as if from a camera flash. This gives the impression that these people's lives are being documented for our viewing. One other edit is at the beginning when Manni is explaining his situation to Lola. He tells her that the bum who stole his money is probably on a plane to somewhere far away. He begins to list foreign places all around the globe and as he does the scene cuts from location to location. This is somewhat confusing because as the viewer you have to determine if these places are where the homeless person actually ran to or if these other countries are involved at all.

One final scene that I will comment on is when the clock is about to strike twelve noon. At this point, Manni is about to walk into the grocery store to rob it while Lola is around the corner about to appear. At this point the scene wipes to Manni watching the clock on the left , Lola running on the right, and a clock ticking at the bottom of the screen. This shows clear time continuity and relativity. This technique is also used during the third "try" except with Lola's father in the frame on the left instead of Manni.

Overall, I enjoyed the way this movie was edited. These editing techniques make me have to imagine what takes place in the gaps that are left by the quick cuts. The transitional devices such as cuts, wipes, and dissolves really help give the movie an aspect of being rushed and panicked. This movie is all about timing and patience and the editing certainly can attest to both these ideas.

Run Lola Run

This movie is a German film that came out in 1998. It is set in Berlin, Germany and chronicles 20 minutes of a woman's life. This film tells a story about the woman, Lola, whose boyfriend, Manni, needs to acquire 100,000 marks in 20 minutes or he will suffer the consequences from his boss, Ronni. This film is shot in a unique way as to show how minor details can change the course of an entire event. The movie portrays how fate controls the uncertainties of day to day life and how one event can effect the outcome of other events. This is a fast paced film that explores the different possibilities of different actions. The movie also follows several characters individual lives but also intertwines them together as it progresses.

This film uses a very uncommon style of editing to convey the sense of panic and disorder. It uses very fast cuts and wipes to transition scenes which makes it very chaotic. There are even times when three different scenes are all shown simultaneously on the screen to show time relation and significance. There are also several times when the shots will change immediately and the only thing that will change is the background but not the actor. This shows a jump in time and place. These techniques are used constantly throughout the film and can easily distort one's perception of time. Although this technique is used, the overall time continuity remains focused on the one 20 minute period of all the different characters lives (with the exception of three minor characters).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I like movies where I am forced to pay attention and try to figure out what is going on. I enjoy trying to keep up with the jumping scenes and trying to figure out what is going to happen as each scene progresses. I liked the idea of second and third chances that the movie portrays and the constantly used notion of "what if."

Analysis of Do the Right Thing

As I have stated in my previous entry, I am not the biggest fan of this movie or how it tried to get it's message across, however, the way the scenes and props were used was unquestionably excellent. Throughout the film there are many different locations presented along with specific characters that inhabit them. For example, the pizzeria contained Sal and his sons working, the food market always had the Korean grocer usually in some kind of conflict with the locals, and the blank red wall on the street had the three men relaxing the day away. There are many more examples but these are just a few that stuck out to me. All of these scenes are intertwined with one another throughout the movie as characters shift from location to location showing how the town was a community and a family of sorts. Radio Raheem's boombox is one clear piece of mise-en-scene. This loud, thunderous noisemaker is constantly playing public enemy's "fight the power" which is an underlying motif of the whole film. The boombox represents the overall feel of the neighborhood towards the system or "the man." Another aspect of Radio's apparel that stands out as a representation of the citizens of Brooklyn are his love and hate brass knuckles. These accessories showed me that Radio believes in love over hate, but that to accomplish love one might have to use hate.

This brings me to the scene where Mookie runs into Radio on the street. Mookie is supposed to be delivering a pizza but stops, as usual, to make conversation with Radio. It is at this point where Radio shows off his brass knuckles and explains the constant struggle of the two words with love eventually triumphing. The way this scene is shot is very unique and captivating. As it starts, you see both Radio and Mookie from the side, but as Radio begins to give his explanation, the camera pans directly in front of Radio cutting out Mookie making the viewer feel as if they are in Mookie's shoes watching Radio face to face. Once Radio is finished, the camera pans back out to the side and both actors are seen again. This scene gave me a better feel for Radio's character rather than just the mute giant wandering around in previous scenes. It also shows how Mookie is a common friend among almost everyone and is able to fit in with everyone he meets.

Before I begin rambling on about cinematography, let me get back to mise-en-scene. One reoccurring piece of mise-en-scene that stuck out to me was the sidewalk chalk that Mookie constantly walked across on his trips to and from the pizzeria. This sidewalk art depicts smiling faces and sunshine. A little child is always sitting on the ground drawing away. This shows that even in a town where racial conflict and tension is prevalent, the innocence of children is still present. This innocence, however, can be easily corrupted by the constant racial bickering and can cause a child's mind to stop focusing on the good and simple things in life.

There are so many excellent aspects of mise-en-scene in this movie that I could go on a rant forever but I will focus my thoughts on one final scene. The scene at the end when all hell breaks loose on the pizzeria. This scene attempts to convey the main message of the movie. Throughout the film, local patrons come in and out of Sal's pizzeria and have several moments of conflict with the staff. These moments of conflict are seen to the locals as normal discussion and their idea of anti-violence. When these conflicts prove fruitless, the people, sparked by the death of Radio Raheem, resort to violence as a means of self-defense from prejudice and hate. The pizzeria is seen throughout the movie as a source of this prejudice. When Mookie breaks the window with a trash can, he breaks the barrier of hate towards the community. One funny aspect, is that the main conflict was about the pictures hanging in the pizzeria and at the end Smiley stumbles through the smoldering ashes and embers of the pizzeria just to hang a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X shaking hands. This shows the idea that either with non-violence or, if necessary, violence the people's goal will be accomplished. All of the racial conflict could be easily avoided if everyone simply accepted people for who they were. However, standing for what you believe in is doing the right thing and that is what Mookie did by starting the riot against Sal's pizzeria.

Do the Right Thing

This film takes place in Brooklyn, NY on the hottest day of the summer. The film depicts the issue of racial conflict that takes place in the city every day. There are several characters that form the cast and all play a significant part whether it be a big or small role. The main conflict in the film takes place at Sal's Pizzeria between the owner, Sal, and the patrons who constantly test his patience. The movie shows how people in Brooklyn are coping with the intense heat while trying to do their daily tasks. There are many sub stories in the film that all tie together to represent the social life in Brooklyn. The main character, Mookie (Spike Lee), struggles with dealling with his boss, delivering pizzas, seeing his girlfriend and son, and keeping up with his friends o the streets. The racial tension builds throughout the movie and eventually erupts at the end.

This movie had a well written plot and a good story line. The acting in this film was also very impressive, however, there were many aspects about this film that I did not like. The quotes given at the end of the movie are powerful and excellent, however, they do not justify the actions in the movie. The point of the movie was well made but I think that it could have been made just as clear without the characters constantly yelling and screaming. There were times when it was simply painful to watch this film because of the volume and tone in which the characters were talking or yelling. The message that Spike Lee wanted to convey to the audience could have been done without the constant bickering of almost every character. Characters would fight with other characters of different races and even with others of the same race. There seemed to be a general lack of intelligence throughout all of the characters in the film which created chaos everywhere they went.

Overall, I was not a huge fan of this movie. I agree with the message being spoken through the movie but I do not agree with the way it was presented. Many people say that the violence at the end of the movie is what most get upset about, but that did not bother me. The movie as a whole bothered me because certain aspects of characters were depicted poorly and were almost stereotyped.

Analysis of The Godfather

The Godfather is a movie that is set apart from all other mafia movies because the plot intertwines so many different characters and stories so that it creates one coherent film. The length of the film may be discouraging to some but I believe that it is just as long as it needs to be in order to incorporate all of the necessary components that make this movie a classic. The movie also depicts crime in America and how easy it was for crime to thrive in the early 20th century. Another fundamental aspect of the movie was Marlon Brando's character and his motto to never mix business with personal life. This is a funny trait considering how deep in crime he is and how much of a family man he appears to be at the same time.

As far as how the film was shot, the lighting and framing were key elements that also helped make this movie outstanding. Shadows were often used to help add to the expression of facial characteristics and emotions. The framing used also switches back and forth from close scenes to pulled back scenes. The close-up scenes give the viewer a more personal feel for the characters while the far back landscape shots give the viewer an idea of location and time period. So much is accomplished with this movie that it is no wonder it has become so famous and renowned.

One of my favorite scenes in this movie is when Michael Corleone meets with Sollozzo and Chief of police McCluskey. Michael is picked up by the two men and is driven to a restaurant in the Bronx. The car ride to the restaurant is filled with shadows and close-ups of the character's faces as they are crammed into the car. McCluskey frisks Michael and finds nothing. The scene inside the restaurant is quiet and calm, almost peacful. There are few people eating and the three sit at a table that stands out in the center of the room. While the three converse, Michael keeps his cool and maintains his composure, not giving the other two any inkling that he is about to kill them. McCluskey seems distant at the meeting and seems to only care about his meal. Sollozzo, however, concentrates on Michael, but not well enough. When Michael asks to leave for the rest room, Sallozzo checks him for a weapon again but finds nothing. Once Michael enters the rest room, a sense of suspense is built. The viewer is shown a tiny, cramped bathroom stall in a dimmly lit bathroom. Michael heads to the toilet to find the gun but takes a while to retrieve it which makes the audience wonder if the gun was correctly planted. After Michael has the weapon, the suspense remains because the deed must still be accomplished without repercusions. When Michael exits the rest room and returns to the table, Sollozzo assumes everything is better, even though Michael is now visibly on edge and ready to snap. Al Pacino does a great job portraying a son who is about to get revenge on someone who has attempted to kill his father. Michael quickly stands up and pulls the gun. The camera then does a close-up of Sollozzo as he is shot in the head and of McClusky as he is shot i the throat and then the head. The camera shot then goes back to the entire restaurant and shows Michael pausing and taking in what he just did as well as the shocked patrons. When Michael finally moves, he grabs his coat, drops the gun, and then disappears into the shadows. He is then picked up by a car and driven away quickly.

This scene is just one of many of the movies turning points and shows how different angles and lighting can make a scene seem more realistic. As I have stated several times before, this is now one of my all time favorite movies. The presented and represented aspects go hand in hand and develop the movie into a story that one cannot help but feel connected to and be pulled into.