Five weeks of studying film is now bringing to a close. Now in this blog, I will discuss 3 films I have studied and three films from my own experience. I'm going to explain what impacted me about the assigned films, and why I believe the other three are worthy of film study.
The first film from my study was Memento, directed by Christopher Nolan. I was intrigued by the editing techniques showcased in the film, and how the director used it to play with continuity. It also played with the notion of free choice, and whether or not it exists, which i found to be extremely intriguing. I felt for Leonard after watching this film, realizing that there was no immediate resolution to his problem.
Trailer for 'Memento' :
The second movie from film class I'll talk about is 'North By Northwest', directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I was impacted by this movie because I am a great fan of dry british wit. The director did a great job of making the audience feel the helplessness of this man, used as a pawn by powers wildly above his head. The fact that he succeeds even in the face of so many overwhelming odds and yet somehow manages to avoid feeling over the top is a testament to the director.
Trailer for 'North By northwest':
Third from film class was 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', directed by Michael Gondry. I really was impressed by how the director changed the meaning of 'interior monolouge'. The sequence in which the main character is running inside his head was actually more suspenseful than many other chase scenes in hollywood blockbusters. I especially liked the end, because it signified the ultimate triumph of free choice even after all memory has supposedly been expunged.
Trailer for 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind':
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Now for the films I believe every film student should see...
1) I believe that Director Christopher Nolan's 'Inception' should be seen by every student of film. The film not only plays upon the themes of the director's earlier film 'Memento', but it also takes it to a new level. It's ambiguity is what makes this film great, as it is still unclear whether this film should properly be called 'Closed' or 'Open'. The cinematography of this movie is also worth a careful study, as each of the settings could potentially be related to the state of the pivotal characters frenzied mind.
Trailer for Inception:
2) 'The Matrix', directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski was a pioneer in the usage of revolutionary special effects technology. One glance at the 'bullet time' sequences convinced me that this was a technique worth studying all the useful applications for. The sets, the designs, all are enough to convince the viewer that he has actually stepped into a dystopian world that is only an illusion. The film's themes include the line between reality and fiction, and it blurs.
The Matrix Trailer:
3) 2001: A Space Odyssey was perhaps Stanley Kubrick's best film, a distinction that is not lightly taken given his roster of now-Classics. Kubrick managed to take the vastness of space, and instantly make it feel claustrophobic in a split second. This film literally and deliberately calls to attention the powerlessness man feels the instant a superior force takes control of the situation. If future film students take nothing from this film... they must at least view the 'Star-Gate' Sequence, unmatched in Cinema before this movie, and since.
Trailer:
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