Films from Literature ENG 2400, Fall 2021 OL 0550

Discussion

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  • 12/10 Our last set of Discussion questions.
  • December 9, 2021 at 3:20 pm #76031

    Prof. Masiello
    Participant

    PLEASE NOTE:
    1. a more pleasing-looking version of this document is already posted in the Files folder. It has color type which may be easier to see.

    2. since there are several questions and I really want you all to participate, if you answer thoroughly in this Discussion folder, you will earn extra credit that will help boost your grade for the semester…
    _______________________________________________________________________________

    B&W v color diegetic v nondiegetic re Cin III and Cin IV

    Regarding the presentations Cinema III and Cinema IV (please respond after viewing those presentations)

    SPECIFIC TO CINEMA III (Q’s 1-5)

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/mn7u4a9pxk2iwa7/Cin%20III%20f21.avi?dl=0

    Students often avoid black-and-white (B&W) movies. Many film buffs would much rather watch a beautifully photographed B&W film than a run-of-the-mill color one. It certainly seems connected to age groups. Baby Boomers, everyone in the USA born between 1946 and 1964, grew up with many B&W movies in theaters, when movie-going was a weekly treat, and most TV programs were in B&W. When TV programs were in color, it was considered a big deal, and there would be pre-show announcements. NBC, for example, would show a peacock, saying “This program is brought to you in living color.”

    There used to be an actual question people asked: “Do you dream in color or B&W?” which now seems passé. (You might ask your parents and grandparents if they know that sentence.)

    Q 1: Where do you stand? How do you feel about B&W? Have your perceptions been in any way affected by the films we watched and the clips about the use of color that I showed?

    One more thing: There are many classic B&W movies that have been colorized to appeal to younger audiences, who usually have a disdain for B&W (and frankly might still not watch them because they are “old). I could have uploaded a colorized version of It’s a Wonderful Life, but chose to show it to you as it was originally created.

    Q 2: Did you like or dislike any of our films because of their being in color or in B&W or was that not an issue?

    Q 3: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video (Cinema III).

    Q 4: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    Q 5: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed and why…

    SPECIFIC TO CINEMA IV (Q’s 1b – 6b))

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/b6v7x7i4w0xz90e/Cin%20IV%20f21.avi?dl=0

    Q 1b: Do you pay attention to the music in movies? Explain.

    Q 2b: What musical moments have made an impression on you in your own experience?
    Please provide examples.

    (Your responses do not have to only include film clips in my presentation, but whether they do or not, name them, please.)

    In real life, there is only music if we play it or turn it on, yet in movies, we hear it almost anywhere. It’s a “movie thing.”
    Q 3b: Does it make any difference to you if the music source makes sense, i. e. if you know where the sounds are coming from (diegetic)?

    Explain, please don’t just say yes or no…

    Q 4b: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video, Cin IV.

    Q 5b: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    Q 6b: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed…

    December 10, 2021 at 8:32 pm #76038

    Angel Rivera
    Participant

    Q 1: Where do you stand? How do you feel about B&W? Have your perceptions been in any way affected by the films we watched and the clips about the use of color that I showed?

    I don’t mind B&W films. I feel that the color scheme (due to limited technology) has become a style or aesthetic today. I believe my perception towards B&W films has been affected from the films showed in this class because I haven’t watched any beforehand.

    Q 2: Did you like or dislike any of our films because of their being in color or in B&W or was that not an issue?

    The B&W color scheme didn’t affect my experience viewing any of the films. I enjoyed the movies for their content.

    Q 3: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video (Cinema III).

    One thing I learned about in this video was the existence of technicolor. There are also many interesting way to utilize transitions, such as the transition in 10:20.

    Q 4: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    Q 1b: Do you pay attention to the music in movies? Explain.

    I do pay attention to music in movies because it affects the tone of the scenes.

    Q 2b: What musical moments have made an impression on you in your own experience?
    Please provide examples.

    One musical moment that left an impression on me was the battle rap scene towards the end of 8 Mile. It left an impression because Eminem is a Hip Hop Artist regarded as one of the most talented at lyrical skill, and seeing his life before fame was inspiring.

    Q 3b: Does it make any difference to you if the music source makes sense, i. e. if you know where the sounds are coming from (diegetic)?

    I believe it does make a difference for me because if the music is coming from the actions performed within the movie, it becomes more immersive.

    Q 4b: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video, Cin IV.

    One thing I learned from this video is there are ghost singers. I always thought it was the actors singing but that may not always be the case. I also learned about the terms diegetic and non-diegetic.

    Q 5b: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    Are there any other examples of scenes with complete silence as seen in 2001: A Space Odyssey?

    Two examples I could find are two foreign films, Rififi and Bande Ă  part, the latter has a “moment of silence” self-imposed by some friends, the former has a 30-minute silent sequence about thieves quietly drilling through a floor to commit a robbery. We are talking about utter silence, no birds chirping, nothing. I did find a YouTube exploration of more well-known films that have silent moments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUrTRjEXjSM

    Q 6b: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed…

    A clip I enjoyed was the Deliverance clip. I liked the music being played.

    Yes, that is a remarkable scene!

    December 11, 2021 at 2:34 pm #76042

    weipeng lin
    Participant

    Q 1: Where do you stand? How do you feel about B&W? Have your perceptions been in any way affected by the films we watched and the clips about the use of color that I showed?

    I find B & W films boring during the old times because I was just used to colors. But as I get older through high school in my history and global classes teachers often/most of the time show films that were B & W. Viewing B & W films in this class made me understand that films in the 19th century had what they can make films. Even though it is in B & W I still find it impressive how it was made. B & W films are more of the idea because due to the lack of technology that they had.

    Q 2: Did you like or dislike any of our films because of their being in color or in B&W or was that not an issue?

    One of the films that I like was called The Wizard of Oz 1939. This film brings back memories and I am glad that it was also in the presentation in Cinema III. I liked how everything was so magical as soon as Dorothy opens the front door she appears in another environment. Despite the films being B & W or color, it does not bother me at all.

    Q 3: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video (Cinema III).

    I learn that in the film 127 Hours 2010 scenes can be recorded through the device that the man was recording in to leave a message. Making the video recording lower quality makes the audience realize that it was realistic.

    Also in the film Anchors Aweigh 1944, I noticed how animated characters were in the scene. It is impressive how editing technology can create such real looking in the scene of Jerry (the mouse) the guy dancing on stage.

    Q 4: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    In the film Jason and the Argonauts 1963, how did those skeleton armies appear in the scene? (Is it due to green screens?)

    Q 5: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed and why…

    I enjoy Anchors Aweigh 1994 because seeing animated characters appearing with real-life people just makes it more enjoyable to watch.

    Q 1b: Do you pay attention to the music in movies? Explain.

    Yes, I do pay attention to the music in movies because I feel like music serves a purpose to enhance the feelings and mood of the scene.

    Q 2b: What musical moments have made an impression on you in your own experience?
    Please provide examples.

    In my own experience, I had to give it to the song “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth. This is my favorite childhood song for Furious 7 this song does bring back memories and sadness just listening to this song. This song is made for one of the actors (Paul Walker) that died due to a car accident. I have to say this song does bring out the mood and feeling.

    Q 3b: Does it make any difference to you if the music source makes sense, i. e. if you know where the sounds are coming from (diegetic)?

    I believe It does make a difference because every song from any film has to have a meaning or a mood and why was it added to the film.

    Q 4b: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video, Cin IV.

    In the clip Flashdance 1983, I learn that adding music in the film makes the mood even better. Just by looking at her shaking her head and enjoying the rhythm, you know that music does make a difference it is more than a mood.

    Also learned new words that is called Non-diegetic and Diegetic.

    Q 5b: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    In the clip Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back the guy that is up in the tower is it real that this is happening? Is he connected to some wire so if he falls he will be safe or is it a green screen?

    Q 6b: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed…

    I enjoyed Reservoir Dogs 1992 it’s kind of weird that in that torturing scene pop music beings to play but the music was enjoyable.

    December 12, 2021 at 4:29 pm #76045

    Shania Tennant
    Participant

    Q 1: Where do you stand? How do you feel about B&W? Have your perceptions been in any way affected by the films we watched and the clips about the use of color that I showed?

    I prefer colored films to black and white films because they have more liveliness, but I do appreciate and respect black and white films. When you see those films, you get the sense that you are in that time period, and it feels more authentic.

    Q 2: Did you like or dislike any of our films because of their being in color or in B&W or was that not an issue?

    I didn’t detest any movies solely because they were in black and white. When seeing a film, I believe that one should not pass judgment on it because it is not in color. The use of black-and-white films ensures that the time period is accurately shown.

    Q 3: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video (Cinema III).

    I admired films such as Laura, Gilda, and The Scarlet Empress, but I had no idea that film methods such as lighting had a part in depicting women and men. Glamour lighting used lights to eliminate women’s facial shadows. I had no idea that men’s darker shadows also meant strength, so it was fascinating to learn. I also discovered that the color red denoted everything in the real world that had been corrupted by the other realm. The color red is used to convey emotional feelings and events.

    Q 4: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    The only question I have is how they managed to put characters in color and characters in black and white close to each other and interact without the schemes overlapping.

    Q 5: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed and why…

    I appreciated hearing the filmmaker of The Sixth Sense discuss his relationship with red and what it means in the film, as we see a lot of it. In movies, I’ve always associated red with evil or a dark essence, and the filmmaker confirmed that for me. I liked how vivid and energetic The Greatest Show on Earth is. And I enjoyed how the use of black and white and color was incorporated in Pleasantville; I thought it was cool how it was put side by side.

    Q 1b: Do you pay attention to the music in movies? Explain.

    I pay close attention to movie music since it is very significant. The majority of the time, music is essential to what is going on and creates the tone for the story.

    Q 2b: What musical moments have made an impression on you in your own experience?

    The dramatic soundtracks in suspense films are musical moments that have left a mark on me. When I’m watching a movie with a shark scene, for example, I hear a certain soundtrack, which everyone uses that starts off slow and then builds up momentum.

    Q 3b: Does it make any difference to you if the music source makes sense, i. e. if you know where the sounds are coming from (diegetic)?

    Music should definitely fit the tone and make sense because if it doesn’t, it throws off the person watching the film, and they would end up being confused. Even though it’s not a movie, when I was watching the trailer for the game ‘ARC Raiders’, the song they had playing didn’t fit the tone of the game at all, and it seemed awkward or like they just picked a random song to put.

    Q 4b: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video, Cin IV.

    I learned that if an actor’s singing isn’t up to par, they have someone else sing it and overlay it over the genuine footage. It reminds me of the duo ‘Milli Vanilli,’ who didn’t actually sing their songs but had someone else do so while they lipsynced and claimed to sing, causing a major scandal. I also discovered that the music we hear can be either diegetic or non-diegetic. Diegetic audio is when the actors in the film can hear the audio as well as the audience, but non-diegetic audio is solely heard by the audience.

    Q 5b: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    Will there be a soundtrack to replace the lack of conversation in certain animated films, such as Fantasia, because there are no words spoken? Is this limited to animations?

    Q 6b: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed…

    The scene in Deliverance where the two people were playing the guitar and banjo was one of my favorites. I appreciated how it gave delight to everyone around them and how people began to have a good time, with one man even dancing. It gave the movie a lighter tone.

    December 13, 2021 at 11:12 am #76051

    Gabby
    Participant

    Q 1: Where do you stand? How do you feel about B&W? Have your perceptions been in any way affected by the films we watched and the clips about the use of color that I showed?

    Like many people, I’m not crazy about black and white films. Colored films are genuinely more engaging, and keep me focused most of the time. However, after watching Psycho, it really made me appreciate the b&w style of filming. It was a fantastic story, and with the b&w way of filming sort of made it more anxiety inducing.

    Q 2: Did you like or dislike any of our films because of their being in color or in B&W or was that not an issue?

    That wasn’t really an issue since reading the books first before the movies sort of force you to enjoy the literature without any visuals at all.

    Q 3: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video (Cinema III).

    I learned about the swish-pan technique, which allows filmmakers to make transitions between scenes like in West Side Story. I also learned that in Picnic, there’s a way to use lighting to enhance one actors look than the other. I’m not quite sure why, but I can see it!

    Q 4: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    Q 5: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed and why…

    In Interview with the Vampire, the intense change of the actor playing the vampire is insane. The eyes and teeth change, and evidently his whole demeanor changes upon being irritated with by other actor.

    In Kiss Me Deadly, the box really leaves it open to the viewer to assume she’s either being entrapped by some sort of fog or being set on fire due to her shooting someone. I thought the effects were pretty cool.

    SPECIFIC TO CINEMA IV (Q’s 1b – 6b))

    Q 1b: Do you pay attention to the music in movies? Explain.

    I do. Music helps set the mood of a scene and also helps with how scenes change. I’ve once decided to see a movie solely based on the song used in the trailer.

    Q 2b: What musical moments have made an impression on you in your own experience?
    Please provide examples.

    In Squid Game, there’s one scene where a man recently murdered his brother, and the guild begins to consume him almost immediately. So he plays a woman’s cover of Fly Me to the Moon as though that would distract him from the reality.

    And in the movie The Polar Express, an orphan begins to sing on the back of the train on its way to the North Pole. He sings so gently, and surprisingly well for what looks like an 8 year old. Especially since it’s night and snowy, it really sets up a somber mood.

    Q 3b: Does it make any difference to you if the music source makes sense, i. e. if you know where the sounds are coming from (diegetic)?

    No, but it’s a nice treat if I do know where its coming from, music-wise. All music used in films should be appreciated since filmmakers do heavily consider what music should be used in each scene that they believe will enhance the scene and/or make it better. But as I said before, I did watch a movie based on one song, and I was very excited to hear it in the film when I went to watch it. But it’s just a personal small excitement, nothing super important.

    Q 4b: Please explain two or three things about films that you may have learned with this video, Cin IV.

    In American Hustle, the actress singing along to the music used for the scene is very engaging. Obviously she feels very empathetic with the song, as it applies to her situation. And in turn, the other actors in the scene seem very unbothered/unaware of what’s going on in relation to her.

    And There Will Be Blood, the violins in the background as a montage is shown about a boys blindness feels powerful. There is no need for words when actions itself can help guide a story, plus the violin in the background to help normalize the boys situation.

    Q 5b: Please ask any questions that come to mind because of this video.

    Q 6b: Please mention some clips you particularly enjoyed…

    In the clip from Dr Strangelove, the scenes are mushroom caps from nukes/explosions while relaxing music plays in the background. It’s such an interesting way to display chaos with such calming music.

    In Witness, I think it’s great when music is used to help bring people together. A NYC detective and an Amish widow seem like such a strange couple, but the song makes it make sense.

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