"Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind" and "His girl friday" are two very similar movies. Although both movies are classified under two different genres, both genres are very much alike. After doing some research it seems to me that Screwball comedy has turned into romantic comedy; todays romantic comedies are a modern version of screwball films. The most popular time of Screwball movies was in the 1930's to the 1940's. Romantic comedies have taken off over the past couple decades almost replacing Screwball comedies altogether. But despite their alikeness they also have their own unique style and ways.
"His girl friday", a screwball film from the 1930's is one of the most well known films of this genre. It used many typical plot elements including marriage. The dominant woman, HIldy, in this film knew from the beginning of the movie, although hiding the fact that she was not going to marry Bruce she was going to marry Walter, her ex. Also the fast paced motion and talking in this film was a hint that this was more of a screwball rather than a romantic comedy. There tended to be more quick staccato like conversations rather than conversations that would consume a fair portion of films. A part of this film was over Earl Williams, a man who escaped from prison. It is an incompetent section of the film which Screwball comedies are apt to use.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", a recently released romantic comedy was directed by Michel Gondry. As you can tell from the name of the genre this movie is a romance with humurous segments throught the film. The typical plot of a romantic comedy generally involves two people, in this case, and most, a man and a woman. Joel and Clementine; the focus of this story, had been dating for awhile but started getting into silly little arguments Both went and had there memories erased by a machine, and as they traveled through Joel's mind he remembered all the good times they had, and missed them. He didn't want to forget Clementine so at the end of the film both ended up together, may not be for always though. These comedies aren't known for always ending happily ever after, just leaving the viewer reassured that things ended well. Also these films are known for how a couple if were seperated would meet again someday. In this film it is obvious that they met again a few times, because they had their memories erased and reencountered one another.
Both of these films have similar and exclusive elements. Both were very well made movies and very enjoyable to watch. These two films are both considered "sexy" films. They portray sexiness as an important and visual thing, especially on the womens part, but very rarely does sex appear on screen. It is considered a big deal in these types of films. Also both films are based around a couple who are in love. Whether the couple from the beginning were going through a rocky time, trying to achieve there quest for love. Or on the other hand they may be destined for each other from the start and life together for them was perfect from the start, and they live happily ever after, more of a romantic comedy aspect more typical than the screwball comedies.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screwball_comedy
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_comedy
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Unforgiven & Stagecoach
The two Western films we viewed in class were Unforgiven; directed by Clint Eastwood and Stagecoach; directed by John Ford. Both these films were similar as well as different but none the less were both wonderfully made western films.
These two films were produced nearly 50 years apart, which is a leading cause to many differences between these two films. Stagecoach was based off of the story, "Stage to Lordsburg". It was made in 1939 in black and white. This movie was recognized for the new innovation it incoporated into the movie. It was Ford's first movie that used sound, and the was filmed in Monument Valley; a soon to be popular western location. Unforgiven followed a screeplay by David Webb Peoples, which turned out to be one of the greatest western movies made. It won four academy awards and an Oscar award for best picture. Unforgiven was released in 1992, in color. There are many different themes and morals for western films, which is another point of how Stagecoach and Unforgiven differ. Unforgiven was more based around gunplay and retaliation, which is what the adventure William Munny goes on was for. While Unforgiven on the other hand
Despite their differences, both films followed typical western film ways, which bring these two films together. Both were focused on a journey. Stagecoach was about a stagecoach full of a variety of personality characters that were all trying to arrive at their destination in Lordsburg. The people went for different reasons; to retrieve a husband, to escape and other reasons. In Unforgiven, William Munny; a hog farmer and widower with two children, was on a journey to find a terrible, unjust man, by the name of "Little Bill". Another difference that is visible in viewing these two films was how the whores were portrayed and the roles they played in society. In Stagecoach, there were not many woman in that film but there was one girl in particular that was viewed as the city whore; Dallas. Other women in the town did not like her, but overall she did not play a big role. Although in Unforgiven, in the upper floor of the bar there was a hallway with rooms where the whores lived. These women tried to have a say in what happened in the town. It was obvious they played a bigger role in society in this movie than in the other.
Picture: http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/images/cd/large/Unforgiven_VSD5380.jpg
www.allmovie.com
www.amazon.com
These two films were produced nearly 50 years apart, which is a leading cause to many differences between these two films. Stagecoach was based off of the story, "Stage to Lordsburg". It was made in 1939 in black and white. This movie was recognized for the new innovation it incoporated into the movie. It was Ford's first movie that used sound, and the was filmed in Monument Valley; a soon to be popular western location. Unforgiven followed a screeplay by David Webb Peoples, which turned out to be one of the greatest western movies made. It won four academy awards and an Oscar award for best picture. Unforgiven was released in 1992, in color. There are many different themes and morals for western films, which is another point of how Stagecoach and Unforgiven differ. Unforgiven was more based around gunplay and retaliation, which is what the adventure William Munny goes on was for. While Unforgiven on the other hand
Despite their differences, both films followed typical western film ways, which bring these two films together. Both were focused on a journey. Stagecoach was about a stagecoach full of a variety of personality characters that were all trying to arrive at their destination in Lordsburg. The people went for different reasons; to retrieve a husband, to escape and other reasons. In Unforgiven, William Munny; a hog farmer and widower with two children, was on a journey to find a terrible, unjust man, by the name of "Little Bill". Another difference that is visible in viewing these two films was how the whores were portrayed and the roles they played in society. In Stagecoach, there were not many woman in that film but there was one girl in particular that was viewed as the city whore; Dallas. Other women in the town did not like her, but overall she did not play a big role. Although in Unforgiven, in the upper floor of the bar there was a hallway with rooms where the whores lived. These women tried to have a say in what happened in the town. It was obvious they played a bigger role in society in this movie than in the other.
Picture: http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/images/cd/large/Unforgiven_VSD5380.jpg
www.allmovie.com
www.amazon.com
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Shining
The Shining was a 1980 horror film with a screenplay by Stanley Kubrick based off of the novel written by Stephen King. Roger Ebert nominated this movie at number 55 out 250 on his greatest movie list. This movie took place in Colorado, most of it on top of a mountain in the “Overlook” hotel. Jack Torrance, a previous alcoholic, his wife Wendy and four year old son, Danny were the main characters in this film. They were being paid to be caretakers of the hotel for the winter, no occupants, just his family. But little did they know the horrors they were about to face living in an isolated, snowed in hotel.
Over 20 years ago this movie was believed to be “The greatest and scariest horror films ever made” according to a few reviews as well as Wikipedia. I read that were done back in the day. The reception of this movie has changed over the past twenty years. People have become jaded to these kinds of horror films. Although in the 1980’s there were not many films of this genre being viewed or even made. These days new horror films are coming out roughly every month.
A similar movie I saw recently was the movie 1408. A movie that took place in a hotel that ironically had a haunted room as well. By comparing these two films I realized how different horror movies have changed over the years. The Shining was not nearly as scary as 1408. Horror movies recently have more suspense, more sudden scares that make you jump out of your seat and many are gorier.
A scene that is memorable from this film would have to be when Wendy was looking through his papers that were supposed to be his book and all they said were, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” I came to realize that this probably means that if you work all the time, and don’t have time off, you start to go insane and get bored. .
This movie had diverse reviews. Over the first weekend, this film made $622,337. Even though not everybody that went to see this movie really enjoyed it, most of the population that did see it I think really liked it. This movie did very well in the box office and still did when it came out on video.
According to the “Rotten Tomatoes” website, a few reviews I read thought it was boring and not scary while others believed it was the greatest horror movie made. Overall this movie did do very well. On a scale of one to five I never saw it under a four, giving it a letter grade never saw it under a B, even on a percentage scale, not under 83%.
The movie was nominated for quite a few awards but Scatman Crothers won the Saturn award for best supporting actor. They were also nominated for best director and best music, but did not win those awards.
If a movie critic were to review this film in this day rather than twenty years ago it would probably not have such a great review because of how peoples view of horror movies have changed. During the 1980’s when this movie was released it did very well, movie critics and the everyday moviegoers considered this one of the greatest horror films ever made. This film left you with unexplained events and ideas that keep you thinking what would happen next even when the film was done rolling.
www.wikipedia.com
www.imdb.com
www.rottentomatoes.com
Over 20 years ago this movie was believed to be “The greatest and scariest horror films ever made” according to a few reviews as well as Wikipedia. I read that were done back in the day. The reception of this movie has changed over the past twenty years. People have become jaded to these kinds of horror films. Although in the 1980’s there were not many films of this genre being viewed or even made. These days new horror films are coming out roughly every month.
A similar movie I saw recently was the movie 1408. A movie that took place in a hotel that ironically had a haunted room as well. By comparing these two films I realized how different horror movies have changed over the years. The Shining was not nearly as scary as 1408. Horror movies recently have more suspense, more sudden scares that make you jump out of your seat and many are gorier.
A scene that is memorable from this film would have to be when Wendy was looking through his papers that were supposed to be his book and all they said were, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” I came to realize that this probably means that if you work all the time, and don’t have time off, you start to go insane and get bored. .
This movie had diverse reviews. Over the first weekend, this film made $622,337. Even though not everybody that went to see this movie really enjoyed it, most of the population that did see it I think really liked it. This movie did very well in the box office and still did when it came out on video.
According to the “Rotten Tomatoes” website, a few reviews I read thought it was boring and not scary while others believed it was the greatest horror movie made. Overall this movie did do very well. On a scale of one to five I never saw it under a four, giving it a letter grade never saw it under a B, even on a percentage scale, not under 83%.
The movie was nominated for quite a few awards but Scatman Crothers won the Saturn award for best supporting actor. They were also nominated for best director and best music, but did not win those awards.
If a movie critic were to review this film in this day rather than twenty years ago it would probably not have such a great review because of how peoples view of horror movies have changed. During the 1980’s when this movie was released it did very well, movie critics and the everyday moviegoers considered this one of the greatest horror films ever made. This film left you with unexplained events and ideas that keep you thinking what would happen next even when the film was done rolling.
www.wikipedia.com
www.imdb.com
www.rottentomatoes.com
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