The first person who gets the correct answer to the following riddle has completed her weekly assignment to post. The rest of you -- we'll call you the 'losers' for lack of a better term, still have to post. Good luck.
This "thing" is a central part, or at least an ancillary part of 99% of all films.
Films that don't have it organically almost always have it added somehow.
Midnight Cowboy does not have it.
And yet, it does have it, just in modified form.
And it is much more satisfyingly portrayed here than in 99% of the other 99%.
Its unique handling is what makes this a timeless film and a great film, in 1969 or anytime.
It's not a sled.
What is it?
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Please post a comment below
Your assignment for the week is to create a blog at blogspot.com that has a name which will be easily recognized by me.
Please write something about one of the two films we've seen. All Quiet on the Western Front, or Citizen. Answering one of the questions from our worksheets in some detail would suffice, or, even better, a thoughtful essay on a topic of your own choosing would be even better.
Please write something about one of the two films we've seen. All Quiet on the Western Front, or Citizen. Answering one of the questions from our worksheets in some detail would suffice, or, even better, a thoughtful essay on a topic of your own choosing would be even better.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Today's lesson
Aim: Is “moral ambiguity” one of the key elements of a great film?
- Define the concept of Moral Ambiguity.
- Does the typical film in the following genres show characters and situations that are morally ambiguous?
- Gangster?
- Sci-Fi
- Horror.
- If great art imitates life, would you say that a great film should describe a morally ambiguous universe, or one where the lines between good and evil are clearly drawn?
1. Brief clip from Runaway Train.
2. Dialogue from Unforgiven
2. Dialogue from Unforgiven
WM: It’s a hell of a thing killing a man. You take away all he’s got, and all he’s ever going to have.
SK: Well, I guess he had it comin’.
WM: We all have it comin’, kid.
Assignment:
- Write in your blog for 10 minutes, discussing the concept of moral ambiguity as it is revealed in Unforgiven or Runaway Train.
i. Refer to another film we’ve seen and say whether it is morally ambiguous
ii. Refer to an event in real life, -- your life, current events, or history, as an example of morally ambiguous situations
- after 10 minutes, you will move to another blog and comment upon it. Begin your comment with the following statement. Your posting has made me think…
Share out:
Summary: Is it an axiom that a great film will express some form of moral ambiguity?
Sunday, April 1, 2012
A personal note about the class
I posted this origninally several film classes ago, but the feelings are still valid. I am allowed to plagiarize my own writing, I hope.
============================================
So, what is it like to teach this film class? It is a joy, of course. When I teach American history, I don't feel like the course is mine, in any way. The curriculum is what it is, despite my best efforts to force a change in the inexorable tide of history. I did consider diverging from the script in a drastic way once, but I knew that the students would probably know that Eugene Debs was never President.
But with the film class, I own it. Think of it this way. Imagine being able to invite 30 of your very best friends over to your place every day to show them your favorite films. Then, after you've finished watching, you force them to sit and listen to you expound on this and that, ad nauseum. Most of us would pay big bucks for the sheer bliss of such an activity. but, I actually get paid to do it. Who's got it better than me?
And you people are indeed my close friends. After all, in my other classes, we have more of a business relationship. The grades are a factor, the tests, the AP exam must be passed, the need to keep discipline is paramount etc. Also, the students are younger, especially the freshman. One has to "lay down the law" and "rule with an iron fist" and "brook no nonsense" and a whole host of other absurd but necessary cliche'd actions. But not here. Here, at last, after three and half years of noses to the grindstone, we can just kick back and enjoy one another's company in a relaxed, yet intellectual atmosphere. You know, it's pretty rare (though not unheard of) that a student in one of my history classes makes an observation or analysis that is so profound that I have not thought of it myself in some fashion. But the films are so complex, and the students so smart that new and unseen observations are the norm here, not the exception. I've learned a lot from the students in my film classes, which only adds to my enjoyment. (Naturally, I will use your material next year without attribution.)
The irony is that this class, arguably the easiest you will take in your long and ongoing scholastic career will remain with you in memory for many years, (I hope) and will impart to you a skill which you will use constantly in your day to day lives. I never like to compare the value of any class with any other. All have value. I just think this one has value out of proportion to the amount of work required of you.
Anyway, I was moved to write this today because the 7th Seal evokes this sense of joy in me perhaps more than any of the films we show. I'm not sure why. Bergman died last year and it occurred to me on that day that there were several hundred former students out there somewhere who thought about this class, however briefly. And I knew that they were proud that they knew who Bergman was, and were able to speak about him intelligently. And several of them contacted me.
I recall the first time I showed the 7th Seal to a class. I thought I was taking a chance. There was no way that a bunch of teenagers would respond to this obscure Swedish art film. I remember pleading with the class to give the film a chance, to not put their heads collectively down upon their desks. How little faith I had in the power of Bergman's art, and in my students. Perhaps you can imagine how overjoyed I was when that class, and every one since, responded so enthusiastically to this film, which is one of my very favorites.
============================================
So, what is it like to teach this film class? It is a joy, of course. When I teach American history, I don't feel like the course is mine, in any way. The curriculum is what it is, despite my best efforts to force a change in the inexorable tide of history. I did consider diverging from the script in a drastic way once, but I knew that the students would probably know that Eugene Debs was never President.
But with the film class, I own it. Think of it this way. Imagine being able to invite 30 of your very best friends over to your place every day to show them your favorite films. Then, after you've finished watching, you force them to sit and listen to you expound on this and that, ad nauseum. Most of us would pay big bucks for the sheer bliss of such an activity. but, I actually get paid to do it. Who's got it better than me?
And you people are indeed my close friends. After all, in my other classes, we have more of a business relationship. The grades are a factor, the tests, the AP exam must be passed, the need to keep discipline is paramount etc. Also, the students are younger, especially the freshman. One has to "lay down the law" and "rule with an iron fist" and "brook no nonsense" and a whole host of other absurd but necessary cliche'd actions. But not here. Here, at last, after three and half years of noses to the grindstone, we can just kick back and enjoy one another's company in a relaxed, yet intellectual atmosphere. You know, it's pretty rare (though not unheard of) that a student in one of my history classes makes an observation or analysis that is so profound that I have not thought of it myself in some fashion. But the films are so complex, and the students so smart that new and unseen observations are the norm here, not the exception. I've learned a lot from the students in my film classes, which only adds to my enjoyment. (Naturally, I will use your material next year without attribution.)
The irony is that this class, arguably the easiest you will take in your long and ongoing scholastic career will remain with you in memory for many years, (I hope) and will impart to you a skill which you will use constantly in your day to day lives. I never like to compare the value of any class with any other. All have value. I just think this one has value out of proportion to the amount of work required of you.
Anyway, I was moved to write this today because the 7th Seal evokes this sense of joy in me perhaps more than any of the films we show. I'm not sure why. Bergman died last year and it occurred to me on that day that there were several hundred former students out there somewhere who thought about this class, however briefly. And I knew that they were proud that they knew who Bergman was, and were able to speak about him intelligently. And several of them contacted me.
I recall the first time I showed the 7th Seal to a class. I thought I was taking a chance. There was no way that a bunch of teenagers would respond to this obscure Swedish art film. I remember pleading with the class to give the film a chance, to not put their heads collectively down upon their desks. How little faith I had in the power of Bergman's art, and in my students. Perhaps you can imagine how overjoyed I was when that class, and every one since, responded so enthusiastically to this film, which is one of my very favorites.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Clean that Spot
An underlying theme of the film is rebellion as a form of self-actualization. In an Existential universe, the only meaningful respsonse to the insanity is to howl. Manny eptiomizes this response. His rebellion seems to have no genesis. He's just enraged. The scene where he urges Buck to adopt an attitude of conformity is one of the high points of the film. "If you can do that (conform) then you can be the President of corporations, -- Chase Manhattan -- if you could do that." Buck rejects that idea and asks Manny if he can do it. "I wish I could," is Manny's response.
As a chronic rebel myelf, this speaks to me. I often think that I could have been happier, and certainly richer, had I only been able to wear a business suit, not raise my hand at meeting to point out how moronic the boss was, or just generally roll my eyes at important moments of public group-think. Luckily, I now work for a union, where my job is to sit at meetings and raise my hand to point out varioius absurdities. As we existentialists like to say, "if you can't be part of the solution, make sure you're part of the problem."
Of course, on a larger level, the fact that I have been employed for 30 years, never arrested, unsullied by various scandals, lawsuits, fistfights, gunbattles, horsewhippings, and the like, does tend to argue that, in spite of any illusions about my outlaw status, I have always managed to "clean that spot."
As a chronic rebel myelf, this speaks to me. I often think that I could have been happier, and certainly richer, had I only been able to wear a business suit, not raise my hand at meeting to point out how moronic the boss was, or just generally roll my eyes at important moments of public group-think. Luckily, I now work for a union, where my job is to sit at meetings and raise my hand to point out varioius absurdities. As we existentialists like to say, "if you can't be part of the solution, make sure you're part of the problem."
Of course, on a larger level, the fact that I have been employed for 30 years, never arrested, unsullied by various scandals, lawsuits, fistfights, gunbattles, horsewhippings, and the like, does tend to argue that, in spite of any illusions about my outlaw status, I have always managed to "clean that spot."
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Blue Lagoon
I recall my very first experience in film analysis and explication. It occurred during the summer of 1969, or thereabouts, which means I was about nine years old. School was out and my brother Leo and I were hanging around the house watching the early morning movie. In those days, there wasn't a lot of programming on TV, so there was always a movie or two playing on most regular channels. Remember, youngsters, this was in the pre-cable era, so all the TV at our disposal was 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and a few UHF channels, namely 31 and 47 that looked like a blizzard was raging on the screen and were mostly in Espanol.
The most popularly known of these regular movie presentations was "Million Dollar Movie" on Channel nine. It began with a cool introduction that showed some evocative scenes of New York set to the musical score from Gone with the Wind. In the late 70's, they updated the images and the song, much to my regret. You can see the newer version on YouTube, but the older version was really worth watching. The "4:30 Movie" on Channel 7 was also popular. It ran until 6pm, with loads of commericals, so every film was cut to ribbons. Ask one of your parents if they can hum the theme song to that one. Ten bucks says they can. In the background was a swirling abstract image of a guy in a camera crane turning round and round.
Anyway, back to my story. If you can believe how cheap the networks were back then, they showed the same movie every day from Monday to Friday at 10:00am. I forget which channel. On this particular week, the repeating feature was "The Blue Lagoon." It's the story of a two children who get stranded on a deserted island. They grow up and become romantically attached, have a child experience all sorts of inconveniences and are eventually rescued. The film was remade in the 70's with Brook Shield playing the girl. It is not what one would call a masterpiece of cinema. Anyway, my brother and i watched it five times. (I don't proclaim this with pride, mind you.)
Now, (finally) I get to the point. There is a scene where the boy, now aged around 15 or so, notices a scar or birthmark or something on the girl's arm (she's perhaps 13). She responds that she has always had it. He says that he hadn't noticed it before. Scene ends. Now, my brother and I could not figure out what the significance of that scene was. Being scientifically minded, we figured at first that she was developing some form of malignant melanoma, and a grim amputation scene was about to commence. Or, perhaps she had been bitten by a poisonous spider and a plague of insects was about to make their lives interesting. But, nothing of the kind happened. In fact, the birthmark was never mentioned again, either on that first day, or (obviously) on each succeeding re-viewing.
It was not until many years later that I recalled that episode and realized immediately what the scene signified. I won't give it away. You may comment below if you can figure out what it was.
The most popularly known of these regular movie presentations was "Million Dollar Movie" on Channel nine. It began with a cool introduction that showed some evocative scenes of New York set to the musical score from Gone with the Wind. In the late 70's, they updated the images and the song, much to my regret. You can see the newer version on YouTube, but the older version was really worth watching. The "4:30 Movie" on Channel 7 was also popular. It ran until 6pm, with loads of commericals, so every film was cut to ribbons. Ask one of your parents if they can hum the theme song to that one. Ten bucks says they can. In the background was a swirling abstract image of a guy in a camera crane turning round and round.
Anyway, back to my story. If you can believe how cheap the networks were back then, they showed the same movie every day from Monday to Friday at 10:00am. I forget which channel. On this particular week, the repeating feature was "The Blue Lagoon." It's the story of a two children who get stranded on a deserted island. They grow up and become romantically attached, have a child experience all sorts of inconveniences and are eventually rescued. The film was remade in the 70's with Brook Shield playing the girl. It is not what one would call a masterpiece of cinema. Anyway, my brother and i watched it five times. (I don't proclaim this with pride, mind you.)
Now, (finally) I get to the point. There is a scene where the boy, now aged around 15 or so, notices a scar or birthmark or something on the girl's arm (she's perhaps 13). She responds that she has always had it. He says that he hadn't noticed it before. Scene ends. Now, my brother and I could not figure out what the significance of that scene was. Being scientifically minded, we figured at first that she was developing some form of malignant melanoma, and a grim amputation scene was about to commence. Or, perhaps she had been bitten by a poisonous spider and a plague of insects was about to make their lives interesting. But, nothing of the kind happened. In fact, the birthmark was never mentioned again, either on that first day, or (obviously) on each succeeding re-viewing.
It was not until many years later that I recalled that episode and realized immediately what the scene signified. I won't give it away. You may comment below if you can figure out what it was.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Quotes from Citizen Kane
I have seen Citizen Kane so many times, that I have made it a habit to sprinkle my speech with phrases lifted from the film, always enunciated using the exact same cadence as that used by Kane, or whomever. Most of my listeners are oblivious as to the reference, but my wife always knows. Here are some of them, but you won't recognize most of them yet.
1. A pack of money-mad pirates.
2. A wasted day.
3. My reasons satisfy me.
4. You're gonna need more than one lesson, and you're gonna get more than one
5. It’s an antique
6. To ... buy things.
7. We’re lucky. We live in a palace
8. Thanks for the use of the hall
9. That’s when you’ve gotta fight ‘em
10. Have the warden send me a letter
11. You can’t do this to me
12. Don't worry about me, Gettys.
13. And a happy new year
14. You’re awful funny aren’t ya?
15. Hmm… yes and no.
16. Impossible, Impossible
1. A pack of money-mad pirates.
2. A wasted day.
3. My reasons satisfy me.
4. You're gonna need more than one lesson, and you're gonna get more than one
5. It’s an antique
6. To ... buy things.
7. We’re lucky. We live in a palace
8. Thanks for the use of the hall
9. That’s when you’ve gotta fight ‘em
10. Have the warden send me a letter
11. You can’t do this to me
12. Don't worry about me, Gettys.
13. And a happy new year
14. You’re awful funny aren’t ya?
15. Hmm… yes and no.
16. Impossible, Impossible
Monday, February 27, 2012
History of this Class 1991-present
I started teaching the Film class in the fall of '91 when the school needed an elective class for seniors. It was not truly elective since the seniors were dumped into it to fill out their schedule. This was in the old days when all students had a full schedule.
For whatever reason, the idea of only teaching film seemed somehow not kosher to me, so I taught a combination of film, poetry, literature and media stuff all dumped into general humanities course. The students were pretty tolerant of the whole affair, but there were one or two sour pusses I had to deal with. After all, their friends at New Dorp were going home at 11 and they were explicating Eliot's The Waste Land at 1:15, or reading Kafka's The Trial later that night. In year two, i decided to kick the other stuff to the curb and stick to film, but the films were going to have a historical component. Thus, All Quiet on the Western Front corresponded to the earlist period covered in American history part two, which we taugtht at the same time. In other words, I was teaching WW1 in my Am. His class and All Quiet in Film, to the same group of students.
It Happened One Night reveals some of the ideas and attitudes of the Great Depression, so I showed that. A unit on the Cold War included Dr. Strangelove, Atomic Cafe. Later on, I'd show Apocalypse Now as a Vietnam War movie, though it is really not about that in any meaningful way.
Over the years, though, the history imperative fell away, and I dropped the poetry, and just concentrated on great films, with great themes and showed them and analyzed them. I became interested in Existentialism around this time, probably because I had to teach it in a meaningful way in an AP European History class I was teaching. So, I started seeing existential themes in the films that I was already showing. I sometimes wonder if we can see whatever we want in a film, should our minds me leaning in that direction. Anyway, the idea of alienation, and finding meaning in a disordered universe started to jump out at me more and more from teh films I showed, and the ones that I saw and liked outside the class.
Here's the film list from the last time i taught the course. We may see most of these again, depending.
All Quiet
Citizen Kane
Midnight Cowboy
Runaway Train
The Seventh Seal
Unforgiven
Asphalt Jungle
Dark City
Memento
A Siimple Plan
Dr. Strangelove
Atomic Cafe
Other films that I've shown over the years:
Ed Wood
Apocalypse Now
Hearts of Darkness
It Happened one Night
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The Truman Show
A Clockwork Orange
Full M etal Jacket
Battleship Potemkin
Top Hat
Signs
For whatever reason, the idea of only teaching film seemed somehow not kosher to me, so I taught a combination of film, poetry, literature and media stuff all dumped into general humanities course. The students were pretty tolerant of the whole affair, but there were one or two sour pusses I had to deal with. After all, their friends at New Dorp were going home at 11 and they were explicating Eliot's The Waste Land at 1:15, or reading Kafka's The Trial later that night. In year two, i decided to kick the other stuff to the curb and stick to film, but the films were going to have a historical component. Thus, All Quiet on the Western Front corresponded to the earlist period covered in American history part two, which we taugtht at the same time. In other words, I was teaching WW1 in my Am. His class and All Quiet in Film, to the same group of students.
It Happened One Night reveals some of the ideas and attitudes of the Great Depression, so I showed that. A unit on the Cold War included Dr. Strangelove, Atomic Cafe. Later on, I'd show Apocalypse Now as a Vietnam War movie, though it is really not about that in any meaningful way.
Over the years, though, the history imperative fell away, and I dropped the poetry, and just concentrated on great films, with great themes and showed them and analyzed them. I became interested in Existentialism around this time, probably because I had to teach it in a meaningful way in an AP European History class I was teaching. So, I started seeing existential themes in the films that I was already showing. I sometimes wonder if we can see whatever we want in a film, should our minds me leaning in that direction. Anyway, the idea of alienation, and finding meaning in a disordered universe started to jump out at me more and more from teh films I showed, and the ones that I saw and liked outside the class.
Here's the film list from the last time i taught the course. We may see most of these again, depending.
All Quiet
Citizen Kane
Midnight Cowboy
Runaway Train
The Seventh Seal
Unforgiven
Asphalt Jungle
Dark City
Memento
A Siimple Plan
Dr. Strangelove
Atomic Cafe
Other films that I've shown over the years:
Ed Wood
Apocalypse Now
Hearts of Darkness
It Happened one Night
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The Truman Show
A Clockwork Orange
Full M etal Jacket
Battleship Potemkin
Top Hat
Signs
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Thoughts on the class so far
I am very pleased that I am once again able to present my film class to yet another group of students. I've taught the class many times over 20 years, and it never fails to energize me. This group, hopefully, will be another winner. The level of discussion and interest in the first film is encouraging. I'm a bit disappointed that about half the class has not yet created their blogs It seems like a simple matter to me, but I guess people have their reasons.
The geography of the class is less than ideal, as well. This idea of having the desks facing one another is absurd. Everyone has to turn to the left or right to watch the film or to listen to me, either of which will make up a majority of the class. I can't say it helps with group cohesion, either, since we have 9 people sitting over there, and 11 over here, with a big space -- and Michelle -- between them. I am not overjoyed with everyone sitting in the back, either, but I resist the obvious solution, which is to simply insist upon a forward migration.
I am currently debating whether to begin showing our next film, or spending the next two days introducing Existentialism, which will be the over-arching theme of the class. I lean toward the former, but I won't be able to finish in two days. I hate to continue a film after a hiatus of 10 days. You may comment.
The geography of the class is less than ideal, as well. This idea of having the desks facing one another is absurd. Everyone has to turn to the left or right to watch the film or to listen to me, either of which will make up a majority of the class. I can't say it helps with group cohesion, either, since we have 9 people sitting over there, and 11 over here, with a big space -- and Michelle -- between them. I am not overjoyed with everyone sitting in the back, either, but I resist the obvious solution, which is to simply insist upon a forward migration.
I am currently debating whether to begin showing our next film, or spending the next two days introducing Existentialism, which will be the over-arching theme of the class. I lean toward the former, but I won't be able to finish in two days. I hate to continue a film after a hiatus of 10 days. You may comment.
Arbitrary comments
In my latest viewing of AQonWF, I noticed one or two things. And, I'll be sure rto get right back to you with them very soon.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Posts
As soon as you create your blog, please create a posting, even if it's one word. That way you show up on my dashboard. Thanks.
Monday, February 13, 2012
New Film class
I would like to welcome those of you who are part of my latest iteration of the Film class. And a fond wave to you alumni who still check out the blog.
Our first film -- again -- is All Quiet on the WEstern Front, by Louis Milestone. While it requires a certain amount of patience, it always rewards my efforts. For those of you who are wondering what on earth you are going to write about on your blogs, here are a few possible topics.
1. The meaning of the various leitmotifs within the film. Doors, windows, boots, butterflies.
2. The acting. Is it bad acting, or just different?
3. Special effects. I was struck, no pun intended, by the violence of some of the explosions. I'm figuring a lot of guys got hurt making this film.
4. Dehumanization in AQoWF. Shoot me a few examples of men being referred to as numbers.
5. In what way is it actually a pro-war film in spite of its obvious intent to the opposite?
6. Does the film argue that life is a positive or negative experience, on the whole?
Our first film -- again -- is All Quiet on the WEstern Front, by Louis Milestone. While it requires a certain amount of patience, it always rewards my efforts. For those of you who are wondering what on earth you are going to write about on your blogs, here are a few possible topics.
1. The meaning of the various leitmotifs within the film. Doors, windows, boots, butterflies.
2. The acting. Is it bad acting, or just different?
3. Special effects. I was struck, no pun intended, by the violence of some of the explosions. I'm figuring a lot of guys got hurt making this film.
4. Dehumanization in AQoWF. Shoot me a few examples of men being referred to as numbers.
5. In what way is it actually a pro-war film in spite of its obvious intent to the opposite?
6. Does the film argue that life is a positive or negative experience, on the whole?
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