A film genre is a type or category of story. Some typical genres are sci-fi, horror, western, crime, war, romantic comedy, historical epic, etc. It should be pretty easy to find various lists online.
You will select a specific film genre and do a background paper on its origins, development, conventions, and its current status. The paper will be 3-4 pages. You may pick an area you are familiar with or explore a genre that is relatively new to you. Here is what your paper should cover.
Origins – Is there a storytelling tradition where this particular genre has its origins? Space operas such as “Star Wars” come from, among other things, a background of early comic strips, pulp magazines and movie chapter plays.
Development – Cinema has been around for over 100 years and most genres were there from the beginning. Thomas Edison’s “Frankenstein” is a silent film made in 1910 and is one of the first horror movies. The story has been remade many times, including the 1931 version we saw a scene from.
Conventions – Every genre has certain themes and motifs that consistently show up in the stories and the way they are presented. These elements do not have to be in every film of a particular genre, but they are ideas that an audience is prepared to accept as normal and without questions. A gunfight in the dusty street is something that is seen in many westerns. The couple who starts off disliking each other, but ends up in love is typical in a romantic comedy. Not every western has a showdown and not every romantic comedy starts with adversaries who become lovers, but it happens often enough for us to call it a convention.
Current Status – How popular and relevant is the genre in today’s market? Racy and rude comedy is thriving. Biblical epics are rarely made. There are a lot of slasher movies and much fewer westerns. Most of these categories seem to shift with public taste, political realities, economic conditions and any number of other social factors. Film Noir was much more popular with the Post War audience of the 1940s than the type of musical comedies that had dominated just a decade before.
You will also pick a clip from a representative film and post it on the blog site, or bring it into class and share it on the big screen.
This paper and the film clips will be due on Monday, March 15th, the first class session following Spring Break. I am always available during class hours on Fridays for one-on-one sessions to discuss this paper or anything related to anything.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
blow up
Melissa Lebor
Com 232
2/24/10
Paper #3
Blow Up Movie Review
Blow up made in 1966, is a British Italian film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. This movie tells the story of a photographer’s accidental and incidental involvement with a murder. This film was provoked by the 1959 short story “ Las Babes del Diablo” which translates to mean “ The devil’s drool/drivel”. This movie was also inspired by the work habits and mannerisms of swinging London photographer David Bailey. Blow up takes place in London during the swinging 60’s, a time for drugs sex and rock and roll. Antonioni uses the materials of a suspense thriller without the reward. He places them within a London of cold-blooded fashion photography, groupies, uninterested rock audiences, leisurely pot parties, and a hero whose dead soul is roused briefly by a challenge to his craftsmanship.
The plot is set in the day in the life of Thomas Hemmings a good-looking, young fashion photographer. Thomas is egotistical, self-centered, and controlling, only caring about himself. This is transparent by the way Thomas parades around. For example,” he can spend a night dressed up like a hobo shooting a layout of stark photographs of derelicts in a flophouse, then jump into his open-top Rolls-Royce and race back to his studio to shoot a layout of fashion models in shiny mod costumes. Doing this without changing expression or his filthy, tattered clothes.”1
This entire movie is based on a murder that might or might not of happened. It all begins when Thomas wanders into a park and sees, at a distance, a man and a woman playing, struggling or fighting nobody knows. He becomes intrigued and starts to snap pictures. Vanessa Redgrave’s the woman in the park does not like the idea of this and wants the film back. We see her track Thomas down and try her best to seduce him, but this doesn’t work. He is way to captivated to give up the film. Vanessa fascinates Thomas and thus is why he photographs her. But we must ask the question what were Vanessa and her male friend doing in the park in the first place? From this point on the movie reaches its climax and draws in the audience.
When Thomas develops the right roll, he suddenly notices something. He see’s something in the bushes, and starts making blowups of the pictures. Switching them around, studying the blow-ups with a magnifying glass. He finds a hand pointing a gun. I believe if you blow a picture up enough you can make anything out of anything. Thomas wanted there to be a gun there. These pictures are too pixilated for there to be anything important inside.
Although this movie is long it always keeps the audience wondering weather or not there was a murder, and who committed it? The audience’s only connections to the so-called murder are the pictures. This movie takes us on a journey with a blasé photographer with an excessive sex drive. At the end of the day his one true love is his photography.
1 http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF1739E361BC4152DFB467838D679EDE
Film Review of Blow Up
Jillian Ramirez
February 23, 2010
COM 232 Tom Hammond
MWF 10 a.m.
Film Review of Blow Up
Blow Up, by Michelangelo Antonioni, was made in 1966 and portrays the time period of “swinging London” in the 60’s. The main character is a highly sought after photographer, David Hemmings, who uncovers evidence that a murder might have taken place while he was taking pictures in the park one day. He blows up the negatives and uncovers images in the picture that look like a body laying in the grass and a gun being held up. Are they real or not? After he goes to check if the body is real or not, which is it, all of his evidence is gone the next day when he returns to his home. Was everything real? Was there a real murder? Why did the woman in the park want the negatives so bad then? This film maintains a mystifying feeling that is unquestionably from the film’s ongoing air of powerful mystery from Mr. Antonioni’s view.
Thomas’s, the photographer, world is surrounded by music, fashion, marijuana, and easy sex. His life has no challenges and it bores him until one day his own photographs awaken him. I believed he was so aroused by his own photographs that this is why he did not go to the police right away. He is so mystified that he actually took those photos and uncovered something in them. He was so interested because this was not in his usually boring day of photographing models. He wanted to examine them thoroughly and solve this him self. The realities of the photographs, after they were blown-up, were not rational or sensible. For the most part we see what sees what Antonioni wants us to see and what the photographer wants to believe he sees in the pictures. Garry Collins mentions, in his review of Blow Up, that the mimes at the end of movie shadow this. “…the mimes at the end of Blow-Up believe they are witnesses to a tennis ball being tossed in the air”(http://www.noripcord.com/reviews/film/blow-up). The mimes see what they want and there for believe it to be.
An important moment in the movie I believe is when the photographer thinks he sees the woman from the park on the street looking into a window and then all off the sudden she disappears. Was she really there or was he just imagining it? “He does not find her, as she seemingly ‘vanishes,’ literally, as people often do in film — which makes us question our lead character’s trustworthiness in interpreting reality,” Dan Schneider said in his review of Blow Up. (http://www.altfg.com/blog/film-reviews/blowup-michelangelo-antonioni/). A big suggestion of the movie seemed to be about interpretation of reality and illusion. “…Thomas is unquestionably a central figure in this matter, since his perception of reality is mostly filtered through the lenses of his camera. His photographs depict a staged reality, whether it is via models posing in modish attire or elderly men at the dosshouse,” (Garry Collins).
Another big part of the movie is at the very end after the photographer throws the tennis ball back to the mimes and the camera follows the imaginary ball over the fence. Because he retrieves the ball back to the mimes, this indicated that he bought into their world. “… To the point that, after he does, we now even hear a real tennis match going on. Interestingly, we hear this, even though we never heard a gunshot in the park, another clue that reality can be skewed,” (Dan Schneider).
Thomas vanishes just before the film ends, like the woman from the park did when he saw her on the street, and possible the dead body. This leads me to my conclusion that you cannot believe everything you see. Our eyes play tricks on us all the time. Whether it is there or not, it is our perception that leads us to a conclusion we believe or are led to. I concur with Tom Hammond that Antonioni should have obscured the blown up pictures a bit more to make the audience think about what they are looking it. It was too direct and distinct in what Antonioni wanted you to see. From what I have read this movie was very controversial when it came out and I still believe it to be that way today. The scenes were developed just right with a perfect color arrangement for the time period; it helps the viewer’s feel the individuality of the mod world the characters live in. Furthermore, I agree with Bosley Crowther of the New York Times movie review that, “…the performing is excellent.” (http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF1739E361BC4152DFB467838D679EDE)
Blow Up
Mary Kate Gowl
Prof. Hammond
Visual Literacy
2/20/10
Blow Up Analysis
In 1966 Michelangelo Antonioni directed a controversial art film consisting of fashion photography, orgies, pot, and groupies. Blow Up is the highest-grossing art film to date, was picked as the best film of 1967 by the National Society of Film Critics, and got Oscar nominations for screenplay and direction. Today, you rarely hear it mentioned.
In the beginning of the movie you are introduced to Thomas, a good-looking young photographer with a Beatles haircut, a convertible and "birds" beating on his studio door for a chance to pose and put out for him. My first impression of him was very sleazy. I think that his weight played a major role in this because it gave the impression that he was a skinny, perverted photographer that was only after sex and money. After getting to know his character, my thoughts about his personality remained the same but I was more intrigued. He is very artistic and knows what he wants and I find that very interesting and became more involved in his life.
The second main character you meet is Jane. She is frolicking in the park that Thomas wandered into to take photographs. Thomas finds her and her companion very appealing and takes pictures of them from a distance. When Jane finds out she is enraged, but why? Is it because she is married? Is her companion married? Even after her attempts to make him stop he refuses.
Jane: What are you doing? Stop it! Stop it! Give me those pictures. You can't photograph people like that.
Thomas: Who says I can't? I'm only doing my job. Some people are bullfighters, some people are politicians. I'm a photographer.
This is when the movie becomes interesting. It pulls the audience in and starts the journey to the climax of the film.
Following his run in with Jane at the park she proceeds to follow him to his apartment where she begs for the roll of film and even strips for him. Since Thomas is an artist, and very sleazy, he misleads her into taking another roll instead. After Jane leaves he develops the film and makes a shocking discovery. He sees, or thinks he sees, a man in the bushes with a gun and it is pointing at Jane’s companion. He also sees, or thinks he sees, a body lying in the grass. Even though I watched this movie on my free time and paused and zoomed in on the picture he was probing and can’t see the gunman or the dead body. The bushes where this suspected gunman is hiding are too pixilated to see anything important. Which brings me to the understanding that he is seeing what he wants to see.
After he sees the pictures, and of course has an orgy with two young models, he goes back to the park where he shot the photos of Jane, her companion, and the possible gunman. He finds a body, but has not brought his camera and is scared off by the sound of a twig breaking. When he returns in the morning, the body has disappeared and Jane is nowhere to be found.
Whether or not there was a murder isn't the point. This film is ultimately about a character caught up in boredom with an over active sex drive, but his photographs are the only thing that truly excite him. As Thomas moves between his darkroom and the blowups of the park, we recognize the happiness of an artist lost in what behaviorists call the Process; he is not thinking about money, ambition or his own nasty personality defects, but he is lost in his work, he is lost in his blowups. His mind, hands and imagination work in rhythmic sync. He is happy with what he is doing.
All in all, as with anything that we love it all disappears. The photos, the body, Jane, and ultimately Thomas all disappear. Antonioni has described the disappearance of his hero as his "signature." It reminds him of Shakespeare's Prospero, whose actors "were all spirits, and are melted into air." This film daringly involves us in a plot that promises the solution to a mystery, and leaves us lacking even its players. Something that many movies this day can rarely do without major criticism.
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Blow-Up
Danielle Salm
Prof. Hammond
Visual Literacy
February 22, 2010
Film Review of Blow Up
Blow-up takes place in the 1960’s and the main character, Thomas, is a photographer in swinger London. The movie starts off, with his everyday life of taking photographs of women in his studio. Throughout these first few scenes, he shows the audience his egotistical, materialistic and controlling tendencies. He frequently uses his male dominating characteristics to womanize the females taking part in his sessions. He is extremely controlling and mean to the woman and shows no respect. In frustration he tells them “close your eyes, stay like that, it’s good for you”. That comment can be interpreted in many different ways. First off it contributes to his lack of respect for them in saying your only good for beauty and sex so rest up because it is all they have to give in life. It also can be looked at in terms of keep your eyes shut because what you see can lead to problems that you could never foresee. The eye can take you many places when the brain tries to translate what one sees.
He then decides that he needs a change of scenery and travels over to the park. Upon entering, he takes a picture of the four pillar like trees that somewhat symbolize the pillars of a temple. He is entering the temple of an unknown world other than his own. He lives in a world where he is very sure of everything he does, says, and sees. In this world, what he sees is not always what is really there. There is a brief second where yellow flowers flashed on the screen while entering which symbolizes clarity, knowledge, and intelligence. This is done to show that something is about to unfold for him that he didn’t expect would happen. Thomas catches staged romance occurring in the park. He sees this as an ample opportunity to finish off his book of pictures that tells a story of chaos. The girl sees him taking the pictures and rushes over to get back the proof of what she has just done. He denies her the photos and leaves to go show his friend the pictures.
While showing his pictures at lunch, he spots someone that seems to have a particular eye out of him. He proceeds to try and follow this man. He loses his target because the man and woman are slyly pursuing him. The photographer arrives back at his home and is greeted by the woman from the park who continues to insist on the pictures to be put in her possession. The propeller arrives slowly after she throws herself at him desperately. He seems to have lost interest in the propeller, which seemed to have much more importance when he originally found it. He goes into the dark room and intentionally takes the wrong negatives and hands them over to the woman whom we now know as Jane. She leaves and he goes to develop the pictures to see what she was fussing about.
Once developed, the pictures are blown up and hung on a clothing line, compared side by side. While analyzing the pictures he sees something odd but out of focus behind the fence where she is looking. He then goes to re-develop that picture but more focused on the fence area. When that process is done, a faint visual of a hand holding a gun is seen. The story begins to unfold.
Girls show up at his house soon after repeatedly asking for him to take their pictures. They end up getting into a sexual play fight with Thomas’ purple paper hanging over the wall. Earlier he had the woman demanding for the pictures stand in front of this purple screen. She also had been wearing a purple shirt throughout the scenes. Purple in Thailand, the U.S and England has sometimes been portrayed as a color of mourning and can also be looked at as an unlucky color. This plays well into what is soon to be uncovered by the photographer. He proceeds to make the girls leave so he can evaluate the pictures further. A body is seen in the far background lying by a bush. That night, he goes to see if what he thinks he sees is in fact real. The body is there, cold and lifeless. He touches it and leaves, not knowing what he should do.
When he gets back home, his house has been ransacked. Thomas finds his neighbors girlfriend there who he obviously has some interest in. She came to see what was going on with him because he had stopped by her boyfriend’s house and left when he saw they were busy. He told her about seeing the body but that he didn’t really see it. She asks why he didn’t call the police and he dodges the question. He needs to figure it out on his own. He doesn’t know if this is real and needs to get to the bottom of it.
He sees the girl outside of a store called Permutit and as fast of a glimpse he saw of her, was how fast she vanished. It looks as if she disappeared out of thin air which plays even more into this imaginary world he is caught up in. He enters a club where everyone is standing zombie like listening to the band. When the broken guitar is thrown into the crowd, Thomas grabs it out of the crowd and is chased out of the building with it in hand by the rampaging audience. The guitar neck that he took symbolized something of value or worth because everyone wanted it. Once he was outside on the streets with people who weren’t at the show, the guitar neck lost its importance and he lost his attraction to it so dropped it on the floor. Someone picked it up but then put it back down because it was now merely trash. This to him symbolized his work and the confusion he had for the value of his work after he unraveled the secret behind the pictures.
He goes to his friend Ron’s where everyone is doing many drugs and socializing. The photographer tries to explain to his friend about the body but he is not taken seriously. Ron brings him to a room where he passes out and wakes up in the following morning. He looks out the window and sees the park where the murder took place. He walks down to the bush where he had been the night before and the body is gone. Now the question is, was it ever really there in the first place?
In his utter confusion he decides to take a walk. He finds school kids dressed like mimes driving around recklessly. The idea of a mime is to see something that isn’t actually there. They pass him a few times before stopping at a park. Two of the teenagers enter the tennis courts and engage in an imaginary game of tennis. He watches from the gate as they play. He sees this ball go back and forth, as the other kids watch in amusement. The imaginary ball is hit over the fence and they stare in anticipation for him to go get it. He walks over and picks up the ball and throws it over. He watches carefully to make sure that this ball got back over the fence. He now saw what was not really there. This scene ties up the theme of the movie very nicely. It portrayed the fact that through different interpretation the real world and the imaginary one can run very close together. He is stuck between the real world he lives in and the one within his photographs. One could get lost in trying to differentiate the two. It is all about how you look at things, what you focus on, and the meaning that slowly forms from those feelings.
Prof. Hammond
Visual Literacy
February 22, 2010
Film Review of Blow Up
Blow-up takes place in the 1960’s and the main character, Thomas, is a photographer in swinger London. The movie starts off, with his everyday life of taking photographs of women in his studio. Throughout these first few scenes, he shows the audience his egotistical, materialistic and controlling tendencies. He frequently uses his male dominating characteristics to womanize the females taking part in his sessions. He is extremely controlling and mean to the woman and shows no respect. In frustration he tells them “close your eyes, stay like that, it’s good for you”. That comment can be interpreted in many different ways. First off it contributes to his lack of respect for them in saying your only good for beauty and sex so rest up because it is all they have to give in life. It also can be looked at in terms of keep your eyes shut because what you see can lead to problems that you could never foresee. The eye can take you many places when the brain tries to translate what one sees.
He then decides that he needs a change of scenery and travels over to the park. Upon entering, he takes a picture of the four pillar like trees that somewhat symbolize the pillars of a temple. He is entering the temple of an unknown world other than his own. He lives in a world where he is very sure of everything he does, says, and sees. In this world, what he sees is not always what is really there. There is a brief second where yellow flowers flashed on the screen while entering which symbolizes clarity, knowledge, and intelligence. This is done to show that something is about to unfold for him that he didn’t expect would happen. Thomas catches staged romance occurring in the park. He sees this as an ample opportunity to finish off his book of pictures that tells a story of chaos. The girl sees him taking the pictures and rushes over to get back the proof of what she has just done. He denies her the photos and leaves to go show his friend the pictures.
While showing his pictures at lunch, he spots someone that seems to have a particular eye out of him. He proceeds to try and follow this man. He loses his target because the man and woman are slyly pursuing him. The photographer arrives back at his home and is greeted by the woman from the park who continues to insist on the pictures to be put in her possession. The propeller arrives slowly after she throws herself at him desperately. He seems to have lost interest in the propeller, which seemed to have much more importance when he originally found it. He goes into the dark room and intentionally takes the wrong negatives and hands them over to the woman whom we now know as Jane. She leaves and he goes to develop the pictures to see what she was fussing about.
Once developed, the pictures are blown up and hung on a clothing line, compared side by side. While analyzing the pictures he sees something odd but out of focus behind the fence where she is looking. He then goes to re-develop that picture but more focused on the fence area. When that process is done, a faint visual of a hand holding a gun is seen. The story begins to unfold.
Girls show up at his house soon after repeatedly asking for him to take their pictures. They end up getting into a sexual play fight with Thomas’ purple paper hanging over the wall. Earlier he had the woman demanding for the pictures stand in front of this purple screen. She also had been wearing a purple shirt throughout the scenes. Purple in Thailand, the U.S and England has sometimes been portrayed as a color of mourning and can also be looked at as an unlucky color. This plays well into what is soon to be uncovered by the photographer. He proceeds to make the girls leave so he can evaluate the pictures further. A body is seen in the far background lying by a bush. That night, he goes to see if what he thinks he sees is in fact real. The body is there, cold and lifeless. He touches it and leaves, not knowing what he should do.
When he gets back home, his house has been ransacked. Thomas finds his neighbors girlfriend there who he obviously has some interest in. She came to see what was going on with him because he had stopped by her boyfriend’s house and left when he saw they were busy. He told her about seeing the body but that he didn’t really see it. She asks why he didn’t call the police and he dodges the question. He needs to figure it out on his own. He doesn’t know if this is real and needs to get to the bottom of it.
He sees the girl outside of a store called Permutit and as fast of a glimpse he saw of her, was how fast she vanished. It looks as if she disappeared out of thin air which plays even more into this imaginary world he is caught up in. He enters a club where everyone is standing zombie like listening to the band. When the broken guitar is thrown into the crowd, Thomas grabs it out of the crowd and is chased out of the building with it in hand by the rampaging audience. The guitar neck that he took symbolized something of value or worth because everyone wanted it. Once he was outside on the streets with people who weren’t at the show, the guitar neck lost its importance and he lost his attraction to it so dropped it on the floor. Someone picked it up but then put it back down because it was now merely trash. This to him symbolized his work and the confusion he had for the value of his work after he unraveled the secret behind the pictures.
He goes to his friend Ron’s where everyone is doing many drugs and socializing. The photographer tries to explain to his friend about the body but he is not taken seriously. Ron brings him to a room where he passes out and wakes up in the following morning. He looks out the window and sees the park where the murder took place. He walks down to the bush where he had been the night before and the body is gone. Now the question is, was it ever really there in the first place?
In his utter confusion he decides to take a walk. He finds school kids dressed like mimes driving around recklessly. The idea of a mime is to see something that isn’t actually there. They pass him a few times before stopping at a park. Two of the teenagers enter the tennis courts and engage in an imaginary game of tennis. He watches from the gate as they play. He sees this ball go back and forth, as the other kids watch in amusement. The imaginary ball is hit over the fence and they stare in anticipation for him to go get it. He walks over and picks up the ball and throws it over. He watches carefully to make sure that this ball got back over the fence. He now saw what was not really there. This scene ties up the theme of the movie very nicely. It portrayed the fact that through different interpretation the real world and the imaginary one can run very close together. He is stuck between the real world he lives in and the one within his photographs. One could get lost in trying to differentiate the two. It is all about how you look at things, what you focus on, and the meaning that slowly forms from those feelings.
Maggie Pringle, Blow-Up Review
Maggie Pringle
Film Review of Blow Up
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Michelangelo Antonioni’s film Blow-Up. The plot had been explained briefly to me beforehand and it sounded like a dull plot to me, but I went into it with no premature judgments. Antonioni seems to have a bit of a reputation for scenes that seem to drag on forever. For example, Bosley Crowther from The New York Times stated, “ It is redundant and long. There are the usual Antonioni passages of seemingly endless wanderings.”[1] There are indeed numerous scenes that progress at a slow rate and with minimal talking or sound. I thought Blow-Up was entertaining but the plot was a bit monotonous and I found myself annoyed that the scenes took so long to make sense and contribute to the plot.
I did not hate the film by any means, watching it was interesting because I like the time period it was set in and there was a factor of suspense. The beginning of the film was a long build-up of the main character, the photographer. It was clear that he was a sort of playboy and that the women he photographed often fell for him only to be disappointed when he kicked them to the curb after he got what he needed from them. “Everything about this feral fellow is footloose, arrogant, fierce, signifying a tiger—or an incongruously baby-faced lone wolf—stalking his prey in a society for which he seems to have no more concern, no more feeling or understanding than he has for the equipment and props he impulsively breaks.” 1 However, it took awhile for the combination of scenes to make sense to me, for it to all add up. I don’t know if it is my personality that affected my opinion of the film, seeing as how I am not a huge fan of anything slow-paced. Thank goodness the plot was not too complex, I feel that the film would have much longer if every aspect of the plot took ten minutes to explain. I will say though, the waiting creates a level of suspense that does keep you watching.
The 1960’s is a time period that I am fascinated with, I think Antonioni did a great job capturing the chaotic feeling of the 60’s in this film. I think that this film is an appropriate account of the 60’s because of its richness in sexuality. Tim Dirks says in a review that some of the most memorable scenes in the movies are: “- the photographer's erotic, photo-shoot crawl - to the point of orgasmic release and satisfaction - over the supine body of model Verushka, while he snaps fashion photos., - the woman from the park's visit to his studio, to again desperately and persistently beg for the undeveloped roll of film by becoming topless. He becomes both intrigued and suspicious. To get her to leave, he gives her a different roll of undeveloped film., - a very sexual, menage a trois romp with two wanna-be teenage models (blonde Jane Birkin and brunette Gillian Hills), who wrestle with him on a large roll of purplish-blue backdrop paper, with quick glimpses of female pubic hair after they have been stripped of their clothes.” 2 But again, the first scene where he is shooting photographs of the thin model, it is a long scene and after a couple snaps I grew tired of what I was watching and was ready for a scene transition.
There was a continuing theme that I picked up on involving Thomas and his camera. It was like in a world where he obviously didn’t love many things or people for that matter, his camera was his baby, he was most comfortable with his camera. “He is in control of himself and situations only when he is armed with his camera; without it, he is at his weakest and most vulnerable.” 3His obsession with photography interested me as he was not shown getting a wink of sleep in the movie, he was like a die-hard artist of some sorts. Of course this obsession escalated when he thought he might have caught a murder on film.
I know there is a deeper meaning to this film, it tests the ideas and limits of illusion and reality. However, even when I’m aware of a movie’s message, it does not necessarily cause me to appreciate it. Blow Up was an enjoyable experience, it had suspense, sex and sixty’s flare, but I can’t say it was great. The fast scene cuts went on and on in the beginning which I wasn’t fond of and much of the scenes in the rest of the movie were dragged out. It shall remain a significant film of the 60’s but it shall also remain as just another film in my mind.
Blow Up Reaction Paper
Robert Hubbard
February 24, 2010
Hammond
Blow Up Reaction Paper
I found blow up to be a very interesting movie. Often I am disappointed these days after leaving a theater, because the plot of the movie has no creative aspects at all. Todays fast paced movies with images and camera shots rapidly firing across the big screen often lose the art of film. Blow Up was a piece of art. There was a creative plot, making the audience think and wonder at what would happen next. This creates a more active viewing of a movie. Though the movie was old in style and had a slow pace with long camera shots, it was a gripping movie due to plot depth and artistic camera angles.
The plot was exciting. An ordinary photographer is out in a park shooting a couple, unaware of the evil unfolding beneath the surface. The strange encounter with the woman makes him ponder as to what he could have photographed. My favorite scene was when he was studying the pictures and finally discovered the man with the gun by following the woman's gaze from another picture. The movie has a sort of unresolved ending. The hero never catches the murderer and he has no proof that anything ever took place. The kids at the end of the film playing imaginary tennis are symbolic of the fact that he knows that he witnessed a murder, but to everyone else he might as well have imagined it up like a fake game of tennis.
The movie also uses a technique that is often used in film. Starting and ending the movie in a similar location or with a similar action. The kids with white face paint are at the beginning of the film running around asking for money, with no real relationship to the plot. Then they appear again at the end of the film when they ride through the park and start playing an imaginary game of tennis. This time they are showing the viewer the theme of the film. That life is how you view it.
I enjoyed watching the film and it was an interesting shot into life in England in the 60's.
Blow Up Review
Sarah McConnell
COM 232; Visual Literacy
Paper#3 – Review of Blow Up
“Nothing like a little disaster for sorting things out.” – Thomas, Blow Up
The movie Blow up is a visual buffet of superficial beauty but it also contains a twisted plot that makes you think about reality and how we attempt to control it. Is what we see really there and is what you see what you get? Taking place in London, we meet Thomas, a mod 60s photographer who is a male chauvinistic control-freak. You instantly want to hate him, but seemingly can’t resist his arrogance and nickel slick attitude. As a result, we are drawn in to a world of Thomas’ unique design; a world of deranged beauty. Within this world, only Thomas is in control and we are just along for the ride. He controls the women of his choosing, his art, and every situation that he finds appealing or attractive.
The first sign of Thomas’ control is when he is photographing the model Veruschka. Knowing she has to catch a plane to Paris, he makes her wait over an hour to be photographed and proceeds to make sure she knows he doesn’t care about his own tardiness. This lack of respect lets us know that he feels superior. He begins to bark orders at her and photographs a sexual dance that is meant only for his pleasure. However, he treats her better than he treats his other models, The Birds. Thomas forcefully poses them into the art that he wants to create. He demeans them with this tone, sarcasm, and overall rude behavior, making them appear insecure and small which is in contrast to the stereo-typical high fashion model behavior. He does not apologize for his bad behavior because if he can control their actions, he can then manipulate the vibe, the physical scenery, and the final images produced from his camera. Therefore, he is the only one who can make his art. Knowing this is very important because it sets the tone for the upcoming events that cause us to want more from this tormented man.
The park scene is pivotal when looking at the scenery and Thomas’ control issues. The park appears to be beautiful and lush, a utopian-type place to shoot the ending for his dark photography publication. During this shoot, he photographs a beautiful yet conservative woman and a middle-aged man who appear to be frolicking within the confines of Thomas’ Garden of Eden. He becomes so wrapped up in the superficial beauty of his surroundings that he cannot see that the park becomes a dangerous place of pure evil and violence as his maiden beauty is an accomplice to murder. The woman pursues and confronts him about invading her privacy during such an intimate moment, and this only adds to Thomas’ arrogance and perceived control of the situation.
Jane: Stop it! Stop it! Give me those pictures. You can't photograph people like that.
Thomas: Who says I can't? I'm only doing my job. Some people are bullfighters, some people are politicians. I'm a photographer.
By putting himself within the realm of a politician, he makes himself seem very important and therefore will do whatever he wants. When she asks for the film, he refuses her thus starting a game that he thinks he is controlling. She follows him to his studio, demands the film again and then is reduced to playfully seducing him to get what she wants. Due to his juvenile arrogance, he does not see that she is playing him. Thinking he can gain control of her, he gives her the wrong roll of film. Succumbing to his curiosity, it isn’t until he develops the film that he sees the dark side of his serene shoot. He begins to see the violence and murder as he blows up the photos and reviews them with a magnifying glass. The contrast of the park’s appearance and the dark reality taking place within is absolutely striking. It is at this moment, when he begins to lose his control.
His need to control and understand the situation causes him to go back to look at the body. During this time, Thomas’ overall demeanor and cool/collected behavior is beginning to crack. He is discombobulated, jittery, and erratic with his actions. The original photographs and negatives have disappeared. While driving he sees his lovely maiden, who disappears before his eyes. He is completely losing control over everything he knows. To help regain control, he attempts to re-photograph the body, which has long since disappeared.
This experience has physically and emotionally changed him as is shown in the final scenes with the mimes. He is now deflated, humbled, and open to the real world around him. He watches a tennis match performed by mimes and eventually realizes that what he sees may or may not be real, therefore he must open himself to all things (shown by him finally disappearing in the open field).
This film is beautifully shot with extremes and excess. However because of the excess, we realize how simple our own reality can be. Simple, yet still beautiful.
COM 232; Visual Literacy
Paper#3 – Review of Blow Up
“Nothing like a little disaster for sorting things out.” – Thomas, Blow Up
The movie Blow up is a visual buffet of superficial beauty but it also contains a twisted plot that makes you think about reality and how we attempt to control it. Is what we see really there and is what you see what you get? Taking place in London, we meet Thomas, a mod 60s photographer who is a male chauvinistic control-freak. You instantly want to hate him, but seemingly can’t resist his arrogance and nickel slick attitude. As a result, we are drawn in to a world of Thomas’ unique design; a world of deranged beauty. Within this world, only Thomas is in control and we are just along for the ride. He controls the women of his choosing, his art, and every situation that he finds appealing or attractive.
The first sign of Thomas’ control is when he is photographing the model Veruschka. Knowing she has to catch a plane to Paris, he makes her wait over an hour to be photographed and proceeds to make sure she knows he doesn’t care about his own tardiness. This lack of respect lets us know that he feels superior. He begins to bark orders at her and photographs a sexual dance that is meant only for his pleasure. However, he treats her better than he treats his other models, The Birds. Thomas forcefully poses them into the art that he wants to create. He demeans them with this tone, sarcasm, and overall rude behavior, making them appear insecure and small which is in contrast to the stereo-typical high fashion model behavior. He does not apologize for his bad behavior because if he can control their actions, he can then manipulate the vibe, the physical scenery, and the final images produced from his camera. Therefore, he is the only one who can make his art. Knowing this is very important because it sets the tone for the upcoming events that cause us to want more from this tormented man.
The park scene is pivotal when looking at the scenery and Thomas’ control issues. The park appears to be beautiful and lush, a utopian-type place to shoot the ending for his dark photography publication. During this shoot, he photographs a beautiful yet conservative woman and a middle-aged man who appear to be frolicking within the confines of Thomas’ Garden of Eden. He becomes so wrapped up in the superficial beauty of his surroundings that he cannot see that the park becomes a dangerous place of pure evil and violence as his maiden beauty is an accomplice to murder. The woman pursues and confronts him about invading her privacy during such an intimate moment, and this only adds to Thomas’ arrogance and perceived control of the situation.
Jane: Stop it! Stop it! Give me those pictures. You can't photograph people like that.
Thomas: Who says I can't? I'm only doing my job. Some people are bullfighters, some people are politicians. I'm a photographer.
By putting himself within the realm of a politician, he makes himself seem very important and therefore will do whatever he wants. When she asks for the film, he refuses her thus starting a game that he thinks he is controlling. She follows him to his studio, demands the film again and then is reduced to playfully seducing him to get what she wants. Due to his juvenile arrogance, he does not see that she is playing him. Thinking he can gain control of her, he gives her the wrong roll of film. Succumbing to his curiosity, it isn’t until he develops the film that he sees the dark side of his serene shoot. He begins to see the violence and murder as he blows up the photos and reviews them with a magnifying glass. The contrast of the park’s appearance and the dark reality taking place within is absolutely striking. It is at this moment, when he begins to lose his control.
His need to control and understand the situation causes him to go back to look at the body. During this time, Thomas’ overall demeanor and cool/collected behavior is beginning to crack. He is discombobulated, jittery, and erratic with his actions. The original photographs and negatives have disappeared. While driving he sees his lovely maiden, who disappears before his eyes. He is completely losing control over everything he knows. To help regain control, he attempts to re-photograph the body, which has long since disappeared.
This experience has physically and emotionally changed him as is shown in the final scenes with the mimes. He is now deflated, humbled, and open to the real world around him. He watches a tennis match performed by mimes and eventually realizes that what he sees may or may not be real, therefore he must open himself to all things (shown by him finally disappearing in the open field).
This film is beautifully shot with extremes and excess. However because of the excess, we realize how simple our own reality can be. Simple, yet still beautiful.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Administration Rights
I have given all of you the ability to edit and add to this site. Feel free to do so. The only rule is to not remove the work of others.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Ben Bertolino
Hammond
COM 232
15 February 2010
Analysis of an Image
The image that I chose is a picture of the National Football League’s Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded to the Super Bowl Champion every season. But this is a special picture, because it is not standing alone, but being embraced, worshipped, and cherished by a team that has just won the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl trophy is symbolic of everything that not just an NFL player, but any professional athlete works toward for their entire lives. It also symbolizes the goals for which any person works hardest. This image portrays the scene of reaching the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl, and can be seen further through Nick Lacey’s terms for image analysis, such as context, composition, and frame.
First, the image of the Vince Lombardi trophy immediately sets the photo at the finish of the Super Bowl. The hands that support it confirm this fact because they are still dressed in uniform apparel, such as gloves and tape. When I initially saw this image, the raw emotion of the winning moment for the championship team blasted up from the bottom of the frame and through the hands of the players to the trophy. For the image to be held high by the hands in this photo, the emotion of finally accomplishing their goal as both a team and a player hits hard. For an NFL player, coach, or fan, the feeling of your team winning a championship has no equal. Every participant in every sport hopes, prays, and wishes for this moment for as long as he has known the game, so when the Super Bowl is won, the celebration begins. This image demonstrates that moment first-hand.
Next, the composition of this photo tells not only the story of the championship team (in this case, the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers), but also the story of everyone in pursuit of his goals in life. On a literal sense, the photo shows the team celebrating its hard-fought victory in the Super Bowl. The celebration is on, and the trophy is being passed around and embraced, demonstrated by the taped hands reaching up and fingerprinting the silver surface that reflects the thousands of joyous people. Also, on a symbolic sense, the good times in life stem from the hard work that we put into what we do. That is also evident in this picture, from the dirty, beat up hands, to the stretch to put just one fingertip on the ultimate symbol of accomplishment. One of my teachers in high school always used to tell my peers and me, “Work hard, and play hard,” and that phrase can be represented perfectly in this image. Through the trying times that test their toughness, the grasp on the trophy is the moment that begins the time of play after a long, grueling session of work. Even if the goals accomplished are not as significant as winning a Super Bowl, the ability to balance hard work with rest, relaxation, and play is a lesson that can lead to a much healthier lifestyle.
Finally, the frame in which the image is placed is a perfect moment captured using the Rule of Thirds. The players, coaches, and fans have all just experienced the first moment of realization that their team is the champion, so the placement of the Super Bowl trophy at the top of the image represents the highest of goals. The many hands at the bottom third of the frame represent the many participants that are constantly reaching toward one same feat. The horizontally centered trophy pops out at the viewer upon first glance, signifying the divine nature of those who are immortalized by the glory of winning the Super Bowl. As if the sun is shining down upon the world, the Vince Lombardi trophy provides a light that shines upon the best of the players and coaches in both the NFL and the entire athletic world. This is further illustrated in the image by the reflection of a mass of people, as well as the bright light that shines on the horizon of that reflection. By looking at that image embedded in the trophy’s shining surface, it is as if the trophy is displaying a glorious object that thousands of people gaze up at with lust and desire. The reflection of such a moment could not be captured without precise framing, for such a mirror image would have to be captured at the perfect moment.
Lacey’s views on image analysis, most notably context, composition, and framing, all allow for an image as profound as this one to be brought to life in many different respects. Whether it is the emotion that has overcome the Super Bowl champions, the divinity of Vince Lombardi and the trophy that was named after him, or the simple hard work of a regular person working a nine-to-five job from an office cubical, this image captures the accomplishment for which every person strives.
Hammond
COM 232
15 February 2010
Analysis of an Image
The image that I chose is a picture of the National Football League’s Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded to the Super Bowl Champion every season. But this is a special picture, because it is not standing alone, but being embraced, worshipped, and cherished by a team that has just won the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl trophy is symbolic of everything that not just an NFL player, but any professional athlete works toward for their entire lives. It also symbolizes the goals for which any person works hardest. This image portrays the scene of reaching the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl, and can be seen further through Nick Lacey’s terms for image analysis, such as context, composition, and frame.
First, the image of the Vince Lombardi trophy immediately sets the photo at the finish of the Super Bowl. The hands that support it confirm this fact because they are still dressed in uniform apparel, such as gloves and tape. When I initially saw this image, the raw emotion of the winning moment for the championship team blasted up from the bottom of the frame and through the hands of the players to the trophy. For the image to be held high by the hands in this photo, the emotion of finally accomplishing their goal as both a team and a player hits hard. For an NFL player, coach, or fan, the feeling of your team winning a championship has no equal. Every participant in every sport hopes, prays, and wishes for this moment for as long as he has known the game, so when the Super Bowl is won, the celebration begins. This image demonstrates that moment first-hand.
Next, the composition of this photo tells not only the story of the championship team (in this case, the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers), but also the story of everyone in pursuit of his goals in life. On a literal sense, the photo shows the team celebrating its hard-fought victory in the Super Bowl. The celebration is on, and the trophy is being passed around and embraced, demonstrated by the taped hands reaching up and fingerprinting the silver surface that reflects the thousands of joyous people. Also, on a symbolic sense, the good times in life stem from the hard work that we put into what we do. That is also evident in this picture, from the dirty, beat up hands, to the stretch to put just one fingertip on the ultimate symbol of accomplishment. One of my teachers in high school always used to tell my peers and me, “Work hard, and play hard,” and that phrase can be represented perfectly in this image. Through the trying times that test their toughness, the grasp on the trophy is the moment that begins the time of play after a long, grueling session of work. Even if the goals accomplished are not as significant as winning a Super Bowl, the ability to balance hard work with rest, relaxation, and play is a lesson that can lead to a much healthier lifestyle.
Finally, the frame in which the image is placed is a perfect moment captured using the Rule of Thirds. The players, coaches, and fans have all just experienced the first moment of realization that their team is the champion, so the placement of the Super Bowl trophy at the top of the image represents the highest of goals. The many hands at the bottom third of the frame represent the many participants that are constantly reaching toward one same feat. The horizontally centered trophy pops out at the viewer upon first glance, signifying the divine nature of those who are immortalized by the glory of winning the Super Bowl. As if the sun is shining down upon the world, the Vince Lombardi trophy provides a light that shines upon the best of the players and coaches in both the NFL and the entire athletic world. This is further illustrated in the image by the reflection of a mass of people, as well as the bright light that shines on the horizon of that reflection. By looking at that image embedded in the trophy’s shining surface, it is as if the trophy is displaying a glorious object that thousands of people gaze up at with lust and desire. The reflection of such a moment could not be captured without precise framing, for such a mirror image would have to be captured at the perfect moment.
Lacey’s views on image analysis, most notably context, composition, and framing, all allow for an image as profound as this one to be brought to life in many different respects. Whether it is the emotion that has overcome the Super Bowl champions, the divinity of Vince Lombardi and the trophy that was named after him, or the simple hard work of a regular person working a nine-to-five job from an office cubical, this image captures the accomplishment for which every person strives.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Image analyzes
Melissa Lebor
Com 232
2/14/10
Image analyzes
For my image analyses I have chosen a still picture from the movie dirty dancing. This picture features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray. The first time this movie was ever aired was in 1987. Dirty dancing was the first production for Vestron pictures and due to this was a low budget film of only 5 million dollars. Dirty dancing became a massive box office hit making over 214 million dollars worldwide. This movie is worth studying because it is timeless and will always be relevant. After so many years people can still relate to the classic love story that takes place.
To analyze this picture, I will use Lacey’s concepts from his book, Image & Representation: Key Concepts in Media Studies. I will describe this picture using three techniques; these are composition, context and code. When looking at this picture people are instantly drawn in. When examining the composition a number of things need to be considered. We need to ask does this picture draw people in. The answer to this is yes. This picture has been taken close up only showing the top halves of the characters bodies. This instantly makes the viewer look and pay attention. This picture is bold and colorful taken in a dark setting; making the people in the picture stand out. The camera is showing the viewer exactly what it wants you to see. This is the portrayal of love. Considering the scale of the objects in this picture, we can see that the characters are dominant and take up most of the image. In this picture non-verbal communication is extremely important. This picture shows two people emotionally connected and in love. If a person were to view this picture without seeing the movie they would know the connection these two people share. It is obvious through there body language.
The context of this picture shows two people living life to the fullest. If someone didn’t know what this movie was about, they might assume that this was a married couple in bed. These two people are intertwined and obviously in love. We can tell this by the look in Patrick Swayze’s eyes. The rule of thirds definitely applies to this picture; the first place that the viewer’s eyes go to is the characters faces. This gets the viewers attention and holds it. Looking at this picture, nobody would know when it was taken. This picture is timeless with the message never being changed.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Image Analysis
Jared Murawski
February 15, 2010
Visual Lit
Analysis of an Image
This picture I am analyzing is one taken in 1960 during a New York Giants-Philadelphia Eagles game. The two men pictured are Chuck Bednarik (Eagles, top) and Frank Gifford (Giants, bottom). It is a photo that most football fans have seen but not all truly have analyzed or know the story behind it. The history behind the picture only adds to the intrigue of the photo, which I will describe later. After reading Nick Lacey’s piece on image analysis, I will try and describe this photo using the process he himself uses including composition, context and code.
First, the composition of the photo needs to be taken into account. The picture, taken in black and white, portrays an image and a game that has been changed greatly over the years. Not even taking into account the men in the photo, the grainy and colorless composition conveys an image of grit, ferocity and rage. The players are dirty and taped up passing on the idea of pain and pure violence. The position of Bednarik over the seemingly lifeless body of Gifford portrays pure dominance. Bednarik is shown as a towering figure filled with absolute aggression while Gifford lies on the ground in a purely helpless state. The Eagles linebackers monstrous figure is the initial form spotted when looking at the photo and rightfully so as he takes up about 4/5 of the photo. There is truly only one way to convey the mood of this photo and it is in that of dominance and pain.
The framing of the photo, which amazingly has to be purely by chance due to the speed of the game, is perfectly conveying the struggle and battle between these two men. It is an action shot and allows for the rule of thirds to actively be displayed in the photo. The referee’s body to the left side lines up with left vertical line while Bednarik’s towering body lines up with the right vertical line and his eyes align with the upper horizontal line. Gifford’s entire body is practically the bottom horizontal line as he lays unresponsive.
The context of the photo only furthers the grittiness of the shot. It portrays a fierce game that wasn’t governed by so many rules and safety regulations and was full of men who played numerous positions and played the game because it was their job. For those who don’t know the story behind this picture. It portrays the aftermath of one of the NFL’s most fierce and memorable tackles. Bednarik laid out Gifford on his blindside on a passing play on a clean hit and knocked him completely unconscious. Bednarik claims himself that his words for Gifford after the hit were “Stay the fuck down!” but Gifford couldn’t attest to this. While the photo shows the pure dominance and devastation of the hit, the story furthers the lore. The hit caused Gifford, mainly a running back, severe head damage and took him out of the game (as he retired) for eighteen full months. He would eventually return to the game and still prosper but most believe he never returned to the form he played at prior to the hit.
In understanding the history behind the actual hit, it is amazing to think that a photographer could capture this brutal moment in which one man physically and mentally dominated another man to the point of semi-retirement. The pure rage shown in the photo can bring a viewer back to the age of a different game. And while one looking at this photo can almost feel the hit lay upon Gifford himself, I’m sure when Gifford looks at the photo he still feels it.
Jillian Ramirez Paper #2
Jillian Ramirez
February 4, 2010
COM 232 Tom Hammond
MWF 10 – 11:10
Close Analysis of an Image
To analyze this picture, I will be using Nick Lacey’s concepts from his book, Image & Representation: Key Concepts in Media Studies. I am going to start with content of the picture. Now if I had not seen this movie, I would think that the preferred reading of the image would be that the two people are in love and have not seen each other in a while. Also, clearly the setting is in a much earlier time period. The woman’s face looks a bit more sad then the man. Another way to look at it would be if they were saying good-bye to each other, which is truly what is going in the picture. Every person can have a different interpretation in reading this photo because every person is different and thinks differently, especially if someone has or has not seen the movie. The message or idea I see being conveyed is that the two people, Rick and Ilsa, are coming or going. Others might interpret it as they are meeting for the first time like love at first sight. Or, if they were a couple the husband could be going off to war and they are saying good-bye to each other.
The composition of the image is mainly their faces. The tone is a bit hard to tell since the image is in back and white, but the sharpness is easy to tell what they want you to look at because their facial expressions are up close. The camera is showing you exactly what it wants you to look at and what message it wants to deliver. When considering the scale of the objects in the image, you can tell right away they that two people know each other because two people who just met would not be standing that close to each other. Along with the scale, non-verbal communication plays a lot in their frame with facial expressions and especially gaze. You can just tell by they way they are looking in each others eyes, something big has happened in their past for them to look at each other this way. Also their cloths and appearance conform they are coming or going because a trench coat and hat is not something you wear around the house everyday. Their formal features give away most of the pictures meaning, especially with the rule of third. Your eyes are drawn straight to wear their lips should meet showing the tension in the faces. This picture is perfect according to the rule of thirds I think.
The way the frame is set up is just so perfect because although there are not a lot of formal features, with the compositional features, the frame allows the picture to be strong and draw attention to what is most important. In understanding this part, I realize it is just not one part that is important but many things that add up to allow the picture to be perfect like the Academy ratio framing of the still, the close-up distance shot and the depth of field just to name a few. With out the right content in the frame, ideas and perceptions could be different when showing this image.
After seeing how much work is put into each frame I appreciate and understand the meaning of how an actual frame or still is put together to be just the right balance.
Robert Hubbard
Visual Literacy
Monday, February 10, 2010
Close Analysis of an Image
The image that I have chosen is one of great importance to our nation. It is titled Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima and it was taken by Joe Rosenthal after the battle on Iwo Jima. The picture was developed in Guam and the photo's producer exclaimed upon seeing it, "Here's one for all time!" The photo was immediately radiophotoed back to Washington and hit the press within 18 hours of being taken, which is a very speedy turnaround in those days.
This image came to the headlines again when the photo was turned into a statue in Arlington, Virginia outside the walls of the Arlington National Cemetery. This is known as the Marine Corp War Memorial. It honors the all the marines who have died serving their country since 1775.
Again the picture was made famous when Clint Eastwood directed Flags of our Fathers, a movie about the story behind the famous picture of Iwo Jima. The movie goes into the story of how the flag was raised twice because a General wanted the first flag for his shelf at home. The famous photo was of the second flag raising. There was also controversy surrounding the picture when it arrived in the states. Many people believed the picture was staged and there was dispute about one of the six men in the picture. The movie was nominated for a Golden Globe and two Academy Awards.
It is unusual for one picture to get this much attention, but that just speaks to the quality of the photograph. The picture itself is a masterpiece. When the eye takes in the picture the first focal point is the flag. It is the american flag on a white sky background which is exactly what a patriotic photograph is aiming for. The sky is blank and empty drawing no attention away from the action but rather serves as an accent on the flag. The clouds have a white glow surrounding the flag and follow the shape of the flag on the pole. After the eye sees the flag, you move along the diagonal line of the flag pole leading to the action of the image. The men raising the flag. The rest of the image is bleak and uneventful giving more emphasis to the subject of the photo. The background is a white sky and a grey sea creating a slight horizon line. The foreground is black debris looking uniform and not drawing much attention.
The main focal point of the image is the one man planting the base of the flag. Images and film are all about lines. A good picture or frame in a movie will have lines pointing to the subject. These lines serve to move the viewers eyes to the desired focal point. The lines in this picture are exceptional. Every object in the picture points to the base of the flag. The flag pole points directly to the base. The sea runs along the base of the picture and leads directly to the base. The top of the ground leads to the base from both sides. Even the set up of the soldiers creates a line leading to the base of the flag because each soldier is standing slightly taller than the one before.
The photo also exceptionally follows the rule of thirds. The flag is on the left third line and top third line and leads to the men raising the flag on the right third line and bottom third line. The whole rest of the image is below the bottom third line giving the sense that the viewer is gazing up upon the flag.
This picture has all the technical qualities that a good picture must have but there is also something about the picture that makes it great at first glance. The intangibles of the picture are what have carried it though many generations. It is a picture that inspires triumph and patriotism but where does this come from?
It comes from the image itself. This picture was not posed but it has every quality that a studio picture would have. The symbolism is very strong. It is a picture of american soldiers raising a flag over wreckage: triumph out of misery. It is a perpetual action of a flag being raised. The flag pole is frozen in time at a forty-five degree angle. This is the perfect angle to create a sense of action. The mind sees the angle and knows that the flag is being raised. Any less and the troops seem to be struggling; any more and it would seem to be falling.
Another feature that shows the action is the placement of the soldiers. Each one stands in a different position as if the photo were a time-lapse of a single troop raising a flag. The four troops appearing to be in for different frames give the picture movement and the viewer senses the movement on a still image.
This image has all the qualities of a great picture and all the intangible qualities to make it last through time. It is one of the great American symbols of war and patriotism. This image will be around for as long as the American flag is flown.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Analysis of an image
Danielle Salm
Professor Hammond
Visual Literacy
February 14, 2010
The picture that I have picked is out of a scene from the movie A Walk to Remember. It is a story about two completely different people whose lives cross paths and they end up saving each other and finding out that they have a lot more in common then they had originally thought. I picked this picture because yet simple, there is a lot going on. People who haven’t seen the movie could see what is happening as something completely different than what it really is. I am pretty sure that this is a still from the movie but I am not completely sure because it looks like it has been touched up. There are many messages that can be shown by the ways they are sitting, their facial expressions, the lighting, angles, setting, etc. Through the use of Nick Lacey’s ideas of content, composition, and codes, the overall theme of a picture can be explained without the use of any words.
To the people that have never seen the movie, or know the story line there are many observations that they could make about the picture. First of all, one could think that the picture portrays the generic couple in love sitting in the park leisurely. By the look on her face, it could be read as a silly girl who is living in a fantasy land of what she would like her life to be like or what she thinks it might actually be. When looking at him one could think that he is bored or angry. It is logical to think that he is thinking of someone else or that he could be doing something better with his time. He could even look as if he was there not by choice but because it was mandatory. To the untrained eye, it is easy to make assumptions about what this picture is trying to say. In taking Lacey’s ideas anyone who has seen the movie or hasn’t seen it can develop an understanding of the preferred reading of the picture.
Mandy Moore, who plays the character Jamie, has a sense of calm. She seems happy. She is closing her eyes and taking in the moment. Her arms are loosely rested on her lap in a way that ensures she feels security and warmth. Her clothes also show that she is very comfortable because she doesn’t feel the need to impress him; she is content in her own skin. She also portrays a feeling of hopelessness because she is leaning on him. If he were not there she would fall and that says a lot about her character in the movie. She begins to need him and he is what helps her stay alive. He brought life to her.
Shane West plays the part of Landon in this movie. He portrays a sense of conflict through his eyes. His eyebrows are tightened and his face is stiff showing a sense of frustration. He is sitting up with his arm stiffly planted on the ground to ensure he can keep her up. He knows that if he breaks his stance he could lose the delicate girl. He also has is knee up to ensure that she is safe and molded into him. His arm is up holding her head, once again showing that he needs to protect her. He is also comfortably dressed which shows that he can completely be himself around her.
The standard TV scene takes place in the forest where Landon brought Jamie so that she could see star that could only be seen right before daybreak. The background is dark, which creates the feeling of trouble and dark days. The low key lighting creates a somber mood which goes along with the gloomy days that are to come. Then there is a light gleaming over one side of the both of them. I feel as if the light can be symbolic for death because of the dark setting and the whole idea of the light at the end of the tunnel. It could also symbolize the love that these two individuals share. It can be used to show the importance of the two people in the picture and the bond that they have created. The high key lighting on their faces is supposed to create a feeling of optimism so the picture is trying to show that in all of the darkness and sadness, something good will come of it.
The angle of this picture is neutral to show that these two individuals are equal. No one has more power or is powerless in comparison to one another. At first I thought that this picture was a close-up because of the intimacy between the characters and the emotion gleaming out of the picture but if that was the point that was trying to be shown it would have just been a picture of their faces and shoulders. Since more of their bodies are in the picture it is characterized as a medium close-up which shows growing tension. This tension is obviously shown through Shane’s character and in knowing that fact about the distance of the shot one can see that the picture isn’t in fact trying to show their love but the problems ahead of them. The composition of the picture is dynamic to create the feeling of conflict. There is a selective focus in the picture in which the characters are deeply in focus showing the mise en scène while the background is blurred out to indicate the importance of the characters. The shot is from a side angle to accentuate how they are intertwined in each other as opposed to a head on shot. The characters are also placed more to the right side of the picture which was probably done following the rule of thirds. To get an idea of where they are the forest needs to be incorporated. If the characters were in the middle of the picture, people wouldn’t be able to read where they are and come up with all of the translations of the photo.
Through each of Nick Lacey’s image analysis concepts, anybody can learn how to “read” a picture that has no words. His ideas create the words that we are missing, and they tell us a story of the images we analyze. While walking myself through the steps I found that each of his interpretations of expressions, placement, lighting, and so on were pretty much on point with the message that the movie creates. These concepts also help me to understand how much effort is put into specific ads for movies, products, or events to reveal the appropriate emotion for the intended crowds. What is interesting is how much one picture can say without having to sit through a 2 hour movie. These formal and compositional features are extremely important in gaining the interest of people and giving them a sense what they are to expect.
Professor Hammond
Visual Literacy
February 14, 2010
The picture that I have picked is out of a scene from the movie A Walk to Remember. It is a story about two completely different people whose lives cross paths and they end up saving each other and finding out that they have a lot more in common then they had originally thought. I picked this picture because yet simple, there is a lot going on. People who haven’t seen the movie could see what is happening as something completely different than what it really is. I am pretty sure that this is a still from the movie but I am not completely sure because it looks like it has been touched up. There are many messages that can be shown by the ways they are sitting, their facial expressions, the lighting, angles, setting, etc. Through the use of Nick Lacey’s ideas of content, composition, and codes, the overall theme of a picture can be explained without the use of any words.
To the people that have never seen the movie, or know the story line there are many observations that they could make about the picture. First of all, one could think that the picture portrays the generic couple in love sitting in the park leisurely. By the look on her face, it could be read as a silly girl who is living in a fantasy land of what she would like her life to be like or what she thinks it might actually be. When looking at him one could think that he is bored or angry. It is logical to think that he is thinking of someone else or that he could be doing something better with his time. He could even look as if he was there not by choice but because it was mandatory. To the untrained eye, it is easy to make assumptions about what this picture is trying to say. In taking Lacey’s ideas anyone who has seen the movie or hasn’t seen it can develop an understanding of the preferred reading of the picture.
Mandy Moore, who plays the character Jamie, has a sense of calm. She seems happy. She is closing her eyes and taking in the moment. Her arms are loosely rested on her lap in a way that ensures she feels security and warmth. Her clothes also show that she is very comfortable because she doesn’t feel the need to impress him; she is content in her own skin. She also portrays a feeling of hopelessness because she is leaning on him. If he were not there she would fall and that says a lot about her character in the movie. She begins to need him and he is what helps her stay alive. He brought life to her.
Shane West plays the part of Landon in this movie. He portrays a sense of conflict through his eyes. His eyebrows are tightened and his face is stiff showing a sense of frustration. He is sitting up with his arm stiffly planted on the ground to ensure he can keep her up. He knows that if he breaks his stance he could lose the delicate girl. He also has is knee up to ensure that she is safe and molded into him. His arm is up holding her head, once again showing that he needs to protect her. He is also comfortably dressed which shows that he can completely be himself around her.
The standard TV scene takes place in the forest where Landon brought Jamie so that she could see star that could only be seen right before daybreak. The background is dark, which creates the feeling of trouble and dark days. The low key lighting creates a somber mood which goes along with the gloomy days that are to come. Then there is a light gleaming over one side of the both of them. I feel as if the light can be symbolic for death because of the dark setting and the whole idea of the light at the end of the tunnel. It could also symbolize the love that these two individuals share. It can be used to show the importance of the two people in the picture and the bond that they have created. The high key lighting on their faces is supposed to create a feeling of optimism so the picture is trying to show that in all of the darkness and sadness, something good will come of it.
The angle of this picture is neutral to show that these two individuals are equal. No one has more power or is powerless in comparison to one another. At first I thought that this picture was a close-up because of the intimacy between the characters and the emotion gleaming out of the picture but if that was the point that was trying to be shown it would have just been a picture of their faces and shoulders. Since more of their bodies are in the picture it is characterized as a medium close-up which shows growing tension. This tension is obviously shown through Shane’s character and in knowing that fact about the distance of the shot one can see that the picture isn’t in fact trying to show their love but the problems ahead of them. The composition of the picture is dynamic to create the feeling of conflict. There is a selective focus in the picture in which the characters are deeply in focus showing the mise en scène while the background is blurred out to indicate the importance of the characters. The shot is from a side angle to accentuate how they are intertwined in each other as opposed to a head on shot. The characters are also placed more to the right side of the picture which was probably done following the rule of thirds. To get an idea of where they are the forest needs to be incorporated. If the characters were in the middle of the picture, people wouldn’t be able to read where they are and come up with all of the translations of the photo.
Through each of Nick Lacey’s image analysis concepts, anybody can learn how to “read” a picture that has no words. His ideas create the words that we are missing, and they tell us a story of the images we analyze. While walking myself through the steps I found that each of his interpretations of expressions, placement, lighting, and so on were pretty much on point with the message that the movie creates. These concepts also help me to understand how much effort is put into specific ads for movies, products, or events to reveal the appropriate emotion for the intended crowds. What is interesting is how much one picture can say without having to sit through a 2 hour movie. These formal and compositional features are extremely important in gaining the interest of people and giving them a sense what they are to expect.
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