Contempt

In all honesty, this is the only film (I watched in Cinema Class) that made close my eyes. Seriously. 

Le Mepris (Contempt) is a film by Jean Luc-Godard.

The film is obviously an adaptation of Homer's Odyssey. This is why it started with staffs filming another movie. 

It also showed scenes of the married couple, Camille and Paul on a bed expressing how they love each other. This established that this couple is really in love.

However, later on the film, when Prokosch hires Paul to write the script, there were scenes showing Prokosch's interest to Camille. Unfortunately, it was as if only Paul didn't see it. 

Then the film basically revolved around Paul not caring whether someone is or is not attracted to his wife, and Camille losing feelings and love for her husband. 

This film is very conversational. The story depends on the script or the dialogue. If you're not aware of the Odyssey, then missing a single scene is a horrible risk you must not take. 

I have to commend the cinematographer for making a splendid job. The camera positioning is very effective that it invoked tensions and triggered the audience to think. 

But, I still have to say, that I was not taken by this film. I think it's too long or the conversation scenes took so much time. I don't know, maybe I'm just not a fan of such films. I often look for films that excites me, apparently, Contempt didn't. 

Studio and Star system

During the late 1930s to 1960s, the Hollywood's Studio System makes and produces their own movie. They also have their own movie theaters. So in other words, before, the Studios are in control of everything - from the story of the film to the money earned by the film.

Star system on the other hand, makes a new identity for their actors and actresses - they call them, "Stars". They, as in the management, decides what role, what clothes, and even what hair and make-up, suits their stars well.

Marilyn Monroe

Stars before are also more of a "private" personality, unlike now, actors and actresses are seen public figures. 

Today, actors are more in control of their lives. For example, during a meeting, the actor has to be present, and if he dislikes the story, he can turn the project down. But before, once the studio decides, it cannot be altered. 

Star system changed as the Studio system collapsed. Let's take Nora Aunor, for example. When the Studio system collapsed, few directors only choose her, or other stars, because they are expensive. And filmmakers can't afford such expense. 

Gloria Romero 

Nora Aunor

Hollywood stars Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and such, are more reserved and private compared to present Hollywood actresses; In the Philippines, stars like Gloria Romero, are more composed. They present well when in public  and they are looked up to by the people. Today, even actors and actresses know how to act or present themselves well in public, they are still bombarded with issues and hearsay. 

French Impressionism

French Impressionism coexisted with Surrealism - Two new film styles that dominated the French Cinema market, which are; France, Belgium, Switzerland, and French colonies.

For these Young French directors; Abel Gance, Louis Delluc, Germaine Dulac, Marcel L'Herbier, and Jean Epstein, Cinema was art and that Films should be the artist's outlet of feelings. 

This best explains why do Impressionist Films are more about inner drama and psychology. Instead of just narrating, they use different editing techniques to trigger the emotion. 

Notice its images. It may seem to have a low quality but Impressionist Films are made to have blurry images. The transition also seem to be overlapping. For example, the focus was on the guy riding a bicycle, then it slowly fades to another scene. 

Another example is the "eye" scene. There are short cuts between the woman and the clouds passing the moon. And as the clouds touched the moon, the knife also touched the eye. these short cuts created tension among the audience. 

Notice also some of the "shaky" scenes. This is because during this movement's time, Handheld cameras were developed. 

German Expressionism

German Expressionism has a high contrast between Black and white. This movement is an action opposing the reality. In fact, their characters wore heavy make-up and in order to express more, they exaggerate their actions. 

Directors and their Films:

1. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - Directed by Robert Wein, was the first film produced under this movement. 

2. Nachte des Grauens (Night of Horror) - Directed by Richard Oswald, is the first German Vampire film. 

3. Metropolis - Directed by Fritz Lang on 1921.

4. Faust - Directed by F.W Murnau on 1926

Expressionist Films opened two different genres: Horror and Film Noir

The "Background" story

Give me this space for revealing the story behind my background, will 'ya? 

Well, when I reached the age of 10, I started living without my ate (older sister) for she build a family of her own. She's 12 years older than me, by the way. So since then, I grew up with my kuya (older brother). I would say, he influenced me in a lot of things. And by 'a lot', I mean A LOT. 

First, he introduced me to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He made me sing Nickelback and Linkin Park's songs. And he made me love Will Smith. 

"Pursuit of Happyness" is the first Will Smith movie I watched. And I watched it my big brother. He told me its plot and about its actors. He said that the little boy in the film is really Smith's son, Jaden. That awed me. 

Since then, my kuya would always come home with Smith's movies in hand, and we would watch them together. 

I love all his movies. Really. And my top favorite is I am Legend. This is where I got my blog background. :) 

I love the film because it's very exciting. One moment it makes me cry, then it makes me jump, then it makes me laugh. It really made me experience the feeling of being one against all, and the urge of fighting, and surviving, and living, is all there.

Will Smith gave justice not only to the character, but to the film as well. Anyway, here is the I am Legend trailer. :)

De Vierde Man: Surrealism

De Vierde Man (trailer)

I wasn't able to clip the video in this entry so just click the link above for its trailer. Thank you! :)

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Paul Verhoeven's De Vierde Man (The Fourth Man) made me think. honestly, I have no idea what does a spider doing in that film at first. But as it progress, I realized that it is somehow a foreshadowing and a symbol. 

The lead character, Gerard Reve, is compared to a male spider who, after mating, is killed by a female spider. In this film, the female spider is Christine. 

I think De Vierde Man qualifies to be a Film Noir because it has a Noir's main edge - a Femme Fatale. 

The inluence of Christianity is also evident in this film; Such as, the crucified figure of Jesus Christ, statue of the Virgin Mary, and on the train scene, there was a mother and child (this ,I think is Mary and Jesus), then the mother peels the apple and formed a halo for her baby. 

A number of foreshadowing is also noticeable. First, inside the train, when Gerard was looking intently at the photo of a hotel, then suddenly he is walking along the corridors to a door, then an eye and blood started coming out of the door's peak hole brought him back to reality, only shows that someone's eye will later be a target. 

Second is, the showing of a spider at the opening of the film, symbolizes or warns the audience about the flow of the film and/or the future struggles of the lead character or the fourth man per Se.

Another is, inside the salon, the other customer kept on reminding Gerard to be watchful. 

Surrealism

I have encountered the word 'Surrealism' when I was studying Arts on High School. We were familiarized by our professor to the different surrealism paintings and painters. One of which is Salvador Dali's The Persistence of Memory. 

As our professor asked us to define Dali's art, several answers and interpretations flooded our classroom.  in the end, we were taught that Surreal paintings are unpredictable. I personally define this as 'Weird' art. Let's take Dali's painting above as an example, is there such a melting clock? 

Don't get me wrong, I do not mean weird as in bad or negative, rather, I mean it as unusual or unique. That it can be related to fantasy - to dreams. My High School professor used to tell us to paint or draw our dreams and we can have our own surrealist painting. 

Moving on with films, De Vierde Man, I believe exhibits this kind of art as well. I have been talking about foreshadowing in this entry, and the way these foreshadows are presented are surreal. The best example is the Train scene (which was earlier discussed). 

There are several parts on the film where I was lost - where I can't anymore understand what is happening. And I think such scenes made it an effective surreal film. Fortunately, as the movie ends, questions such as 'why was there a spider?', 'what's with the eye coming out of the hole?', and the like, is answered.