Kurosawa's adaptation of Macbeth is voted about one of the best Macbeth's put to screen even though it has little to do with the script. This is due to its retelling as a tale from Feudal Japan and its influence of Noh theater, which ties together the retelling of the play to theater and Japan. The best examples of the influence of Noh is the static expression on Isuzu Yamada face for the majority of the film, and the brilliant whites of the fog and the spirit that represents the three witches in the original MacBeth. The ominous white fog truly ties in the use of superstitions that allows most of this to play out stunningly.
Lady Asaji's pushing of Taketori ties to the play along with the scene of Taketori Washizu murdering the king taking place off stage and Lady Asaji framing the guards are the same from the play, tying it again to the orignal tale. Asaji's mental breakdown, where her face actually moves, shows the guilt still present, the blood still on both her and her husband's hands.
The idea of self-fofilling prophecy is eminent though this, where each man does his part to make the spirits prophecy come true!!! The trees rising up to attack Taketori is the final straw, what makes his men turn on him, giving one of the greatest, most over the top death scenes ever, where Taketori ends up like a porcupine, the coup de grace being the arrow threw his neck, where he so nicely turns so we can see it going all the way threw his neck, then falling down the stairs, staring ominously at his army that turned on him, finally falling into the fog and dying like prophecy foretold, that when the trees rosed up, he would be defeated.
The last scene of us seeing the soldiers behind the tree was brilliant, a way to shake away the belief of suspicion to the audience, where while we are to remember the story, but also the follies of Taketori!!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Monomyth HARRY POTTER SYTLE!!
Really any Harry Potter story - Monomyth!! (Told from the point of view of Harry Potter- Puppet Pal Edition)
Refusal of the Call - "I don't wanna fight Voldemort!!" - Harry
"You have to Harry!!!" - Ron
"No, I don't wanna" - Harry
"But you have to Harry!! The plot doesn't move unless you do!!!" - Ron
Woman as Temptress - "That jaring Asian girl with the heavy Scottish accent who's no good for me and tempting me away from my battles and such!"
Departure (or Separation)
The Call to Adventure - "Oh, I guess its time for me to save the wizarding world once again in perfect correlation with my school years!"
Refusal of the Call - "I don't wanna fight Voldemort!!" - Harry
"You have to Harry!!!" - Ron
"No, I don't wanna" - Harry
"But you have to Harry!! The plot doesn't move unless you do!!!" - Ron
"You go do it Ron!" - Harry
"You know I can, I have to keep pushing the myth of the hot tempered red head!!!" - RonSupernatural Aid - "I have a super magical wand and the Magical 'Old Magic' my mother bestowed when she kicked it!!"
The Crossing of the First Threshold - "In the last 150 pages of the 700 pages of the fourth book, I fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and got Cedric Cullen killed, then my only cool father figure in the next book where I'm once again in the belly of the whale!"
Belly of The Whale- "Oh no, its you and all of the death eaters and I ran into the Ministry of Magic with 2 wizard school rejects, a ginger and a brain. Oh no, your kicking my butt! Oh but look, my Godfather showed up! Oh no, don't go behind that curtain Uncle Black! WHAHHH, my only other family is dead!! I'm going to be a better warrior now!!"
Initiation
The Road of Trials - "Me and my two groupies (who are totally hooking up) go adventuring though our wizarding school for clues to find out how to defeat Voldemort!"
Mother as Goddess - "My dead mothers love saves me from the full magical power of He Who Must Not Be Named"
Woman as Temptress - "That jaring Asian girl with the heavy Scottish accent who's no good for me and tempting me away from my battles and such!"
Atonement with the Father - "My father and his gang made Professors Snapes life suck though their schooling time and he still protects me because he was in love with my mother! And we made up sort of, even though he still hates me for the sins of my father, and in love with my mother!!"
Apotheosis - "At the end of book four and then again at book five since I didn't fully get it, I lead someone into battle and that kills someone I love. This continues for the next two books but I'm a more moral figure because I killed my other father figure by being an idiot!!"
The Ultimate Boon - "My father gave me an invisablitity cloak that can fit me and my friend no matter how much we grow so we always can go have mischief and be useful in our escapades designed to undermining authority and getting others killed by being cocky little bastards!!"
Return
Refusal of the Return - "WAHH! Everyone treats me different because my parents are dead, my girlfriends always crying over the guy who I made die, and I have to go battle he who must not be named!!"
The Magic Flight - "My cloak allowed me to flee from the raid of baddies on my secret army training place in the fifth book!!!"
Rescue from Without - "A fricken house-elf saved like twice!!!"
The Crossing of the Return Threshold - "Oh wow, my new red-head girlfriend is all normal and stuff and I'll eventually have normal-ish children and the lightning bold scar fades and I'm all normal and happily ever after."
Master of Two Worlds - "I get to live all normal in the end in the magical world to make up from the wizarding I was denied as a child!
Freedom to Live - "I killed the bad guy, so now I get to go off and live all normal and happy, banging my best friend sister!"
Jesus Camp
The basic premise of this film is to give insight into the pentacostal fraction of the Evenglical movement sweeping the Midwest, by following the lives of three children who go to a camp to hone their "prophetic gifts". The directors Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing said that they want to do "an honest and impartial depiction of one faction of the evangelical Christian community”. It really "doesn't come with any prepackaged point of view", showing beautifully transitioned slides of the dreary enviorment this place has taken root. There is no narration, although there is clearly a story line as the journey continues. There is a voice to this film though, a radio personality that talks about how "these people aren't the Christians in the way I was thought. They are indoctrinating their children". The radio personality then talks to Becky Fischer, the leader of "Kids On Fire School of Ministry," who ran the Camp the story is based on.
Thats the main premise that frighten me, that there is an entire generation of Christian Extremist who are being taught by their parents that they need to "take back America for Christ". Becky Fisher her self says that we need to fight Muslim Extremes with Christan Extremes.
The true beauty of this film is whats captured, like in all documentry, that the directors have to capture the beauty already existing and show it, rather then create it like most directors.
Road Home
Compared to typical Western love-stories, or the classic concept of a monomyth, the story unfolding around the road leading into a small farming village in Northern China (this is felt though the quilted pants the heroine wears while doing a running impression of a teletubby jogging). Instead of nostalgia set up in black in white, its given in beautiful technicolor. A particular scene of light pouring from the window, golden light, her pale skin and brilliant red jacket taking up the other half of the frame. Stunning in its simplicity and color, which is what the director Yimou Zhang is infamous for.
The plot for this story allow a story from the 1960 to flow smoothly into modern times, by having the mother retelling the love story between her and his father. The intro and exit in black and white allow the audience to fully feel the freezing cold of winter. This coldness is continued in the winter where the two lovers are separated when the father is hauled into the city for questioning.
Common tasks are preformed with the kind of beauty that can only be captured by Yimou Zhang, from making dumplings, to repairing broken pottery (that particular piece of pottery holds value, not only because it was what Zhang's character aways presented food for him in, but because the mother pays for its repair, knowing it sentimentality to the daughter, giving her approval even though she doesn't verbalize it).
Yimou Zhang is a master of color, so the infusion of golds and yellow add to the sense of nostalgia. The icey white of winter show sadness and the beautiful shades of green infuse the spring and reunion.
The plot for this story allow a story from the 1960 to flow smoothly into modern times, by having the mother retelling the love story between her and his father. The intro and exit in black and white allow the audience to fully feel the freezing cold of winter. This coldness is continued in the winter where the two lovers are separated when the father is hauled into the city for questioning.
Common tasks are preformed with the kind of beauty that can only be captured by Yimou Zhang, from making dumplings, to repairing broken pottery (that particular piece of pottery holds value, not only because it was what Zhang's character aways presented food for him in, but because the mother pays for its repair, knowing it sentimentality to the daughter, giving her approval even though she doesn't verbalize it).
Yimou Zhang is a master of color, so the infusion of golds and yellow add to the sense of nostalgia. The icey white of winter show sadness and the beautiful shades of green infuse the spring and reunion.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The High Price of Progress
From December 2008 American Cinematography
Archival footage is mixed with this film, not exactly matching, on purpose. The shot decisions made to film Milk were exquisite, the lighting and continuation of the period add to it. It was purposefully kept shot in neutral tones, to avoid a feeling of nostalgia (see my Milk review about how Van Sant keeps his actors at arms link). What I though was cool was that the shop they filmed in was the actual store font of Castro Camera. The lighting that went into the kitchen scenes, where Milk speaks into taperecoder, used the single light that was typical of this time, but crafted to give the perfect lighting.
Archival footage is mixed with this film, not exactly matching, on purpose. The shot decisions made to film Milk were exquisite, the lighting and continuation of the period add to it. It was purposefully kept shot in neutral tones, to avoid a feeling of nostalgia (see my Milk review about how Van Sant keeps his actors at arms link). What I though was cool was that the shop they filmed in was the actual store font of Castro Camera. The lighting that went into the kitchen scenes, where Milk speaks into taperecoder, used the single light that was typical of this time, but crafted to give the perfect lighting.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Sancutary Process
The new sci-fi show Sanctuary doesn't use sets. Actors work in front of a green screen then the sets, like the fortress in Sanctuary, to apartment interiors, are all added in. This was kept when it reached network, but it needed reshooting for the higher resolution of television.
Daily Show
There was a really cool line from the interview with Bill Cramer of Mad Money. Jon said "Now we're both sell snake oil, but we sell ours as snake oil while you market it as some medicinal tonic."
Or something like that.
But the idea that a show can honestly say its dishonest while still critiquing others for non-transparently being dishonest is pretty positive. It also shows the new direction of the Show. No longer is it Jon's job to be the man who pokes fun at the administration, because the American people like the new administration, particularly Jon's demographic of young liberals. So the new job is defending the little guy, an odd stance for a pundit who labeled himself an outside observe who puts everything at arms length.
Or something like that.
But the idea that a show can honestly say its dishonest while still critiquing others for non-transparently being dishonest is pretty positive. It also shows the new direction of the Show. No longer is it Jon's job to be the man who pokes fun at the administration, because the American people like the new administration, particularly Jon's demographic of young liberals. So the new job is defending the little guy, an odd stance for a pundit who labeled himself an outside observe who puts everything at arms length.
There was this other good point about how the demographic has changed, that the new face of crime is well dressed white people who stole millions of dollars from the american public. It then put up a picture of President Obama and Berny Madoff, asking which one of these do you expect to be president and which one do you suppose would have money problems?
I like new direction, but I kind of miss the Skippy McDumbutt and Vader power hour, the world seemed less precarious then.
Lie To Me and Adspace
Lie to Me is House without the medical gobidly gook.
Dr Lightman is this shows Dr. House, but without fake American accent and cane. Same amount of showboating and productive jackassiness. Theirs the not very funny pretty guy, who this time is braining rather then Australian, the perky burnette now blond is replaced by a latino women so they able to skip the black guy character all together. Theirs the curly haired professional like women, who replaces Cutty, but works for this House so the dinamic is slightly diffrent.
But the plot line is pretty similar; oh, we have a puzzle we need to solve in 40 mintues, with our speicalized skill set! Oh, theres a twist, OH GOD ANOTHER TWIST, oh wait, it was this simple thing all along!!
Its really not a bad show, but the idea of it is for cast to be able to read facial experssion and deduct to solve the projects they've been hired to conuslt on. Which means actors have to act as real as possible, which most times fall's short, since their suppost to be acting one way to lie, then have microexpressions that tell Dr Lightman and the audiance the truth.
Also why is it that Hulu keeps advertising 1. Charities it supports, 2. Cars, and 3. Various Vertiaties of Vodka. I think it subliminal messaging for our minds to create aweful stories where a van full of nuns off to help orphans get drunk and go to Vegas instead.
Dr Lightman is this shows Dr. House, but without fake American accent and cane. Same amount of showboating and productive jackassiness. Theirs the not very funny pretty guy, who this time is braining rather then Australian, the perky burnette now blond is replaced by a latino women so they able to skip the black guy character all together. Theirs the curly haired professional like women, who replaces Cutty, but works for this House so the dinamic is slightly diffrent.
But the plot line is pretty similar; oh, we have a puzzle we need to solve in 40 mintues, with our speicalized skill set! Oh, theres a twist, OH GOD ANOTHER TWIST, oh wait, it was this simple thing all along!!
Its really not a bad show, but the idea of it is for cast to be able to read facial experssion and deduct to solve the projects they've been hired to conuslt on. Which means actors have to act as real as possible, which most times fall's short, since their suppost to be acting one way to lie, then have microexpressions that tell Dr Lightman and the audiance the truth.
Also why is it that Hulu keeps advertising 1. Charities it supports, 2. Cars, and 3. Various Vertiaties of Vodka. I think it subliminal messaging for our minds to create aweful stories where a van full of nuns off to help orphans get drunk and go to Vegas instead.
Vertigo
Alfred Hitchcock's mental thriller takes winding paths though San Fransisco, when both characters wander, lost in their own heads rather then the city. This leads to beautiful pans and views from the hood of the car, where the city if forced to blur by in the backround. This story contiunues with the Hitchcock style of the leading man to forceable overcome his tragic flaw, this time a fear of heights, a extreme case of Vertigo, which wouldn't be a problem in anywhere besides a city, where sky scrapers stretch high.
There is betrayal, or rather a double crossing reviled. Love turning to the point of Obsession, "evil twins" this plot line had all the markings of a bad soap opera, but the beautiful camera work made it a classic rather than trashy. Large shots of rooftops like at the missionary south from the city, where the ground seems so far away, gives more believability to the watcher, that the fear of hights is justified. The ghastly green light that pours threw the window of the hotel the betrayer lives gives more to the feelings of complete ominousness.
Vertigo also has the special effects of a bad Sci-fi movie, the ominous unearthly tones, the rotating eye intro, the pulling away of the stairs that started special effects. While this movie is now a classic, it must have raised some eyebrows back when it was first out.
There is betrayal, or rather a double crossing reviled. Love turning to the point of Obsession, "evil twins" this plot line had all the markings of a bad soap opera, but the beautiful camera work made it a classic rather than trashy. Large shots of rooftops like at the missionary south from the city, where the ground seems so far away, gives more believability to the watcher, that the fear of hights is justified. The ghastly green light that pours threw the window of the hotel the betrayer lives gives more to the feelings of complete ominousness.
Vertigo also has the special effects of a bad Sci-fi movie, the ominous unearthly tones, the rotating eye intro, the pulling away of the stairs that started special effects. While this movie is now a classic, it must have raised some eyebrows back when it was first out.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I Love You Man
I saw an advanced screening of I Love You, Man with my awesome boyfriend. I really was looking forward to it because I saw the original red band trailer and the intro song was from one of my favorite bands Vampire Weekend. But the red band trailer gave far too much away, the movie losing its ability to tell the story because it was already completely shared with the trailer. Then I checked OkGo's website, and they wrote a cute intro about how "I love you, man" is what Tim always tells Damien before entering a car or plane, you know, just incase. But that they also had a cameo as the wedding band at the reception. Apparently most of that hit the edit room floor since they only appeared behind Jason Segal and Paul Rudd during the credits.
They solded their best scene in the trailer, where Jason meets Paul at his open house. The stage is set of a beautiful girl and an average looking guy, where Jason points out to Paul that "That guy really needs to fart" then the long explanation and BFF forever.
It was a good introduction into the new are of Bromances, and quite funny, I just need to remember like with Slumdog Millionaire, don't watch movies with preconditions, because they can't always live up to it, unlike chocolate cake.
Wii (Fit) Rocks
I totally love my birthday gift of the Wii system!! The ability to play 5 sports from the comfort of your living room adds a lot of fun to the otherwise boring 'visiting' with my grandfather. Also it adds to the idea that everyone sucks at most games, such as when I played baseball, Seth was declared a mercy winner in the first inning. Now thats embarrassing, although I did win in WiiFit Hula Hooping because not only did I beat Seth's score but I did it without looking like monkey dancing for a nickel.
The Wii was designed to bring people together, which it does, by making us all suck equally at the majority of their games!!
The Wii was designed to bring people together, which it does, by making us all suck equally at the majority of their games!!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Thank You For Smoking
Jason Reitman works well with his actors, several from Thank You for Smoking doing his next project of Juno. Jason Reitman's father directed Ghost Busters.
Jason Reitman adapted and directed this brilliant introspect into the composite character of the face of big tobacco. The tagline: American is living in spin" the sultan of spin is Nick Naylor, who tirelessly fights for conglomerations. Aaron Eckard does an amazing job bringing Nick to life. The story is designed to humanize a devil who defends a cooperation that kills two jumbo jets full of people a day. The film is funny and amazing
This film was shot with beautiful transitions, a beautiful one where a time laps sunsets on the Washington monument, establishing movement of time and change in location. Also when Nick confronts the last Marbalo man, the entire lighting set in the yellow of old time westerns that started the ad campain.
Jason Reitman adapted and directed this brilliant introspect into the composite character of the face of big tobacco. The tagline: American is living in spin" the sultan of spin is Nick Naylor, who tirelessly fights for conglomerations. Aaron Eckard does an amazing job bringing Nick to life. The story is designed to humanize a devil who defends a cooperation that kills two jumbo jets full of people a day. The film is funny and amazing
This film was shot with beautiful transitions, a beautiful one where a time laps sunsets on the Washington monument, establishing movement of time and change in location. Also when Nick confronts the last Marbalo man, the entire lighting set in the yellow of old time westerns that started the ad campain.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Rear Window
Solving a murder across the courtyard never looked so sexy.
Actually I have no idea about that, but I do know the feet of trying to capture an entire movie in a single apartment is quite impressive. This limits the director to broad shots of the courtyard or voyeuristic view of the surrounding apartments. This also forces the action of the story into the apartment.
This unique camerawork is possible due to the storyline, by forcing the main character to remain in one place, due to his tragic flaw of being wheelchair bound. This adds to the drama because it immobilizes the hero, leaving him unable to defend himself of the people he loves.
Alfred Hitchcock is amazing when it comes to moving the story though unique shots.
Actually I have no idea about that, but I do know the feet of trying to capture an entire movie in a single apartment is quite impressive. This limits the director to broad shots of the courtyard or voyeuristic view of the surrounding apartments. This also forces the action of the story into the apartment.
This unique camerawork is possible due to the storyline, by forcing the main character to remain in one place, due to his tragic flaw of being wheelchair bound. This adds to the drama because it immobilizes the hero, leaving him unable to defend himself of the people he loves.
Alfred Hitchcock is amazing when it comes to moving the story though unique shots.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Visions of Light
A documentary on the history of cinematography and the lighting necessary to capture performances and moods.
The human eye is much more evolved then any camera, because our pupils can dilate enough to see in most every light, even the most advanced camera of today can't do that. Cameras need certain light to correctly capture, and its a cinematographers job to correctly light a scene along with making each shot move the story and capture a feeling.
In the beginning of motion pictures, capturing sound didn't exist. This gave true carte blanche to directors to capture the motion. These early films gave true freedom in there placement which allowed more documentary like shots.
The arrival of talkies locked up the camera, putting it on massive dollies and soundproof boxes. This hauled the progression of photography's by the immobilization if the camera, although this time of sets allowed for more controlled lighting. At this time the studio system was in full swing, and each had its own unique look, the gloss of Paramount, the sharp edges of Warner Brothers and the glamor of MGM. Actresses on screen performances were heightened by lighting, changing the shape of the faces and making their pale skin pop.
The first color process was two, then three, then the spectrum. This allowed films like Meet Me In Saint Luise and The Wizard Of Oz possible. By now the camera was once again free to move about.
Jaws at the end of the 60s was shot with handy cams, hand held at water level to truly frighten the audience. It and Indiana Jones also changed the rules of censorship, creating the new PG13 for blood and guts!
Several viable clues lent to thinking about what the director of photography was trying to convey. Yellow, first used in the Godfather signifies memories, heavy shadows, used more at the end of the 1960s used to distort feeling and created true chiaroscuro of the characters' hearts.
The human eye is much more evolved then any camera, because our pupils can dilate enough to see in most every light, even the most advanced camera of today can't do that. Cameras need certain light to correctly capture, and its a cinematographers job to correctly light a scene along with making each shot move the story and capture a feeling.
In the beginning of motion pictures, capturing sound didn't exist. This gave true carte blanche to directors to capture the motion. These early films gave true freedom in there placement which allowed more documentary like shots.
The arrival of talkies locked up the camera, putting it on massive dollies and soundproof boxes. This hauled the progression of photography's by the immobilization if the camera, although this time of sets allowed for more controlled lighting. At this time the studio system was in full swing, and each had its own unique look, the gloss of Paramount, the sharp edges of Warner Brothers and the glamor of MGM. Actresses on screen performances were heightened by lighting, changing the shape of the faces and making their pale skin pop.
The first color process was two, then three, then the spectrum. This allowed films like Meet Me In Saint Luise and The Wizard Of Oz possible. By now the camera was once again free to move about.
Jaws at the end of the 60s was shot with handy cams, hand held at water level to truly frighten the audience. It and Indiana Jones also changed the rules of censorship, creating the new PG13 for blood and guts!
Several viable clues lent to thinking about what the director of photography was trying to convey. Yellow, first used in the Godfather signifies memories, heavy shadows, used more at the end of the 1960s used to distort feeling and created true chiaroscuro of the characters' hearts.
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