[Anderson Uribe]

Cinema II questions:

a. Name three different things you feel you learned.

-Elliptical editing saves time
-Using small jump cuts to create a choppy look
–In Cold Blood showcased a usage of reflection, creating the illusion of tears on a prisoner. The example taught me how powerful that technique can be.

b. Mention something you liked about the presentation.

Creating films is a creative endeavor, but the more I watch these presentations the more I realize how many techniques exist. I was rather surprised by how effective the cross cutting parallel scenes was, even better with the overlapping soundtrack.

c. Ask at least one question that now comes to mind about this presentation.

Why is the non-diegetic edit style of inserting another film clip as a comment rare? It appears to be a rather creative idea, similar to cross cutting parallel scenes.

Sexual symbolism questions:

d. Name two or three different things you feel you learned.

-Sexual symbolism is rather common. It can be very subtle, such as Superman’s phallic crystals.
-Sometimes sexual symbolism is unintentional, such as in Red River’s characters’ interaction with their guns.

e. Mention something you liked about the presentation.
The number of examples of sexual symbolism in this presentation allowed me to better understand it. I am likely to pick up on them in the future, although some may be misinferred.

f. Ask at least one question that now comes to mind about this presentation.

I noticed the sexual symbolism at times was excessive, unnecessarily so. For example, in A Clockwork Orange, the girls eating the popsicles make the situation too obvious. As soon as I saw them, I felt there was no need to continue the scene. Yet, he goes to try to pick them up and talk to them. Although I admit I do not know for certain what happens afterwards, since maybe it was set up to subvert expectations, the added symbolism was not meaningfully entertaining. Now, contrast that scene with the one in Pretty Maids All in a Row. It is already a sexual scene, but the character trying to pick up the soap adds a new level to the scene, not only making it even more sexual, but also humorous.
My question is, why the excessiveness in symbolism? Why don’t they try to be more subtle at least?

[Prof. Masiello]

Anderson,

Thanks for really looking at and questioning the videos I have posted.

The non-diegetic inserts did not endure. I think television started doing that in certain programs from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s and it seems to have lost its allure for feature films. No one seems to use it anymore.

I think the sexual symbolism is for two reasons: to make use of common symbols that have lasted for decades and to avoid blatant nudity as in a porn film. The symbols can be amusing or innocuous depending on whether one sees them or not, since — as symbols –they also exist as their own objects. There is a common expression, wrongly attributed to Sigmund Freud: “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar,” regarding over-thinking such things. We will see another video on a distinctly different kind of symbolism several weeks from now…

The film A Clockwork Orange really ramps up the symbolism and there may be a reason. It is actually a question for our final!

[Prof. Masiello]

Another point about “non-diegetic” inserts.

In the scene I have asked students to comment on at the drive-inn movie (in Discussions, called Three easy questions about the 1962 film,” the three main characters are watching a real film, The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) but this is “diegetic” because they are watching the movie on a big movie screen and the scene helps reveal our three characters’ relationships.

A truly non-diegetic insert has no discernible source. It comes out of thin air,

[Anderson Uribe]

Thank you for the multiple insights prof Masiello. I have seen non-diegetic inserts used rarely and normally linked with comedy.

Indeed, during the presentation, if you had not pointed out the cigar, I would have simply thought it was just a cigar most times! Of course A Clockwork Orange was one of the exceptions. That scene almost reminded me of Austin Power . I’m looking forward to the final question now!