Dennis Hopper

One of the most important contributors to American film and photography, Hopper recently was given a star in Hollywood (about time...) and unfortunately is suffering from cancer. The Times' Manohla Dargis narrates a short retrospective of his career here

Plastic Bag

Saw this at Telluride during an evening of Werner Herzog just before "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call: New Orleans" and "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?". Herzog is the plastic bag in this film. Amazing.

James Cameron Writing Avatar Prequel Novel

“I told myself, if it made money, I’d write a book.” 
- James Cameron

Ooh, I'm intrigued. Is it going to be turned into a movie after??

Full article

Andre Bazin

"...photography does not create eternity, as art does, it embalms time, rescuing it simply from its proper corruption."

-Bazin, 1945

Flash Animation--The Tale of Genji

I'm taking a class on Japanese image and text (we're reading literature, manga, etc.). One of our assignments was to interpret a part of "Evening Faces" from "The Tale of Genji" in a different medium, so I decided that since I'm teaching myself Flash right now, I might as well do something.

So here's my basic animation that I've put on YouTube:



The rendering is kind of strange for some reason, but it gives it an pretty cool effect. I used Illustrator for the imagery and the text is from Genji.

I'm excited to get better at Flash so I can make more nested animations!

La Danse

I saw the film when it premiered in Boston at the Brattle theater in Cambridge with my parents. Wiseman was there for a Q&A which was pretty basic.

At first, I felt as though the film was beautiful--verite-style as usual for the documentary filmmaker, but a bit too long.

Now that he's visited campus and I went to lunch and dinner with him and listened to two more Q&A sessions, I've been converted into a Wiseman fan. I would love to shoot documentary, if that's an accurate name, films and capture anything that fascinates me.

I thought Wiseman was extremely knowledgeable and forthcoming with a wry sense of humor that any witty person at 80 develops.

La Danse is a beautiful film--it's one of his most abstract. The rehearsals were fun for me to watch as a former ballet dancer; learning choreography takes years to master. It's a connection between the mind and body, if one can even polarize those two entities (dare I plunge into the stuff I learned in my Japanese art and religion class?), that must be formed over years of study and practice.

Wayne McGregor's choreography is by far my favorite. The modern dance runs parallel with digital trends, the body's movement reminding me of robotics and the kinetics of the human form.

Make an effort to see it or any of Wiseman's films. I also watched "High School", which was his second film, and was both touched and entertained by the film's ruthless representation of many people's hells. I want to see "Blind" and "Ballet" in order to compare the latter to "La Danse." "Ballet" is about ABT during a time when their money situation was a bit rocky; the two dance films are inherently different because of the companies they represent. I love how he shot "La Danse" because instead of doing ECU's all the time of feet and hands (which is incredibly annoying), he has an intriguing perspective from the corner of the stage that makes the film about the dancers, not the filmmaker.

I love how he allows his subjects to form the film; he doesn't force a thesis point or anything, but instead consolidates compelling or interesting moments in time into an appropriate length so that the audience can become immersed. The invisible man, they call him, I guess.

Anyway, I want to rent a camera from the library and start shooting my own stuff.

Here's the trailer for "La Danse".



In one of the Q&A's we learned that Wiseman, at 80, works out for 1hr40min every day to stay in shape so he can film. He has two projects in the works now and seems to be hitting a high point in his career after having released "La Danse", which has found much commercial success, especially in France.

He's my new film role model.

I could keep writing but I have reading to do for tomorrow. Laterrrr

The Wild Bunch

Went to see "The Wild Bunch" tonight in Scope. It's a western film made in 1969 that conveys not only the trend of explicit violence and sex due to the change in MPAA laws, but it also subverts any western ideology and fantasy that makes up "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." With deceptive and dispassionate thieves serving as the protagonists, the film is inherently grim. Drinking constantly, sleeping with prostitutes whenever and having the ability to suspend their morality exacerbates their destitution. In addition, the difference between the "good guy" and "bad guy" is hard to tell--you really have no choice but to side with the Wild Bunch.

What also struck me was how the aesthetics worked for the women, especially. Prostitutes didn't look really like they were from the beginning of the 21st century (the film takes place right at the beginning of WWI); in fact, their straight hair and dark eyebrows were exactly in style for the 1960's/70's. But with that aside, the rest of the characters are extremely gritty and brutal.

There were some great shoot-out scenes, especially because the film takes place a bit later on in history than you typical western (technology plays a key role). In addition, seeing it on the big screen was marvelous because these sweeping shots of Mexican villages and desert juxtaposed isolation and suffocation. I would recommend this film to anybody interested in seeing an engrossing western--it was long, but it was fascinating to become immersed in the film world, especially one so heinously anarchist.

Journal of e-Media Studies

I've been working for a Dartmouth Film & Media studies professor, helping with his ongoing project, the Journal of e-Media Studies, by copyediting and web-enhancing. There are some really interesting pieces about Kindles, machinima, CSI/Law&Order victims, reporting on Katrina, self-reflexive television and other film/media-related subjects. The new issue was just published today!

Check it out:

http://journals.dartmouth.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Journals.woa/xmlpage/4/issue

My favorite is the CSI/Law&Order article, "Two Versions of the Victim: Uncovering Contradictions in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Through Textual Analysis" by Elke Weissmann. Some fascinating use of theory and observation applied to popular media:


http://journals.dartmouth.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Journals.woa/2/xmlpage/4/article/341

Sherlock Holmes: The Aftermath

I love those sunglasses. I went to Fabulous Fanny's in NYC, a store that sells vintage and antique eyewear, and saw several pairs of antique ones just like those. I've now identified that sunglasses are my weakness.

As for Sherlock Holmes, the aesthetics were fun and fanciful, as RDJ's costume was certainly edgier than the classic Sherlock attire. But it worked for this film because it was "cool" and "hip"; it balanced the intellectual and quirky habits of the classic Holmes with a 21st century thirst for action and, well, being edgy on purpose.

It was a commercial film, and as A.O. Scott said, it was a feature-length trailer for the sequel that includes Holmes' archnemesis, Dr. Moriarty. I basically agree with everything Scott wrote, which definitely isn't always the case.

This assessment is copied from an email.

Sherlock Holmes

I was entertained and my favorite part was the score. It wasn't amazing, but it was a good way to spend a couple of hours. I'm a stickler for CGI details, so there were a few points (and by a few I mean a lot) that I thought were shaky (the bridge scene with Rachel McAdams, who I thought was kind of blah, was certainly technically complicated, but wasn't up to par in my mind with other digitally created spaces). The camera use + score definitely made a big contribution to the success of the film.

It not only catered to the National Treasure people (speaking of which, did you see both of those trailers for the new Nick Cage movies? Ahhhhh) but it also got a bit of that Guy Ritchie gruffness that dudes like.

The coincidence (or is it) is that The Hound of the Baskervilles is on TCM. Basil is a bit different from RDJ, to say the least.

I'm glad I had low expectations for the film because I was pleasantly surprised--it had more of the Holmesian logic and judgment than I thought it would, and RDJ is always good at playing a crazy, self-obsessed ass, which is the only kind of RDJ I like.

AVATAR 2.0

I'm writing this without re-reading what Fay wrote in her post, but I just saw Avatar and you must go see it. It's mindblowing. And heart-achingly good. When I say heart-aching, I'm trying to evoke that simultaneously effervescent and desperate feeling you get in your chest and brain when you can't get enough of someone -- in this case, something. Sort of an increased awareness in all synapses within a selective state of oblivion. At times I caught myself holding my breath and had to remember to breathe. 

Imagine if that world existed. At one point in the movie, I thought (likely out loud, if you've ever watched a movie with me), "well that's unrealistic," before I realized that the entire thing was unrealistic, of course.

Now that's good cinema. And excellent technology. And art. And a truly beautiful imagination I very much respect. Alright, enough gushing from me -- don't take my word for it, see it for yourself.

Costumes of Edith Head

Edith Head

Since I'm going back to the boonies in a week-ish, I want to appreciate civilization and society a bit. Perhaps if I cram enough class in my mind, I'll be able to survive a winter of colossal cold without turning into a down jacket derelict (I think we all know that would never happen).

Grace Kelly and Cary Grant in "To Catch a Thief"

My plan of action? Going to see these movies:

http://www.mfa.org/calendar/sub.asp?key=12&subkey=9538

The Costumes of Edith Head, 1941-1958 Edith Head (1897-1981), one of Hollywood's most influential costume designers, worked on more than 400 films, but her work with Paramount Studios was the most illustrious. This series celebrates the storyboards and sketches she brought to life to create some of Hollywood's most memorable moments. Saturday, December 26, 2009, 10:30 am Film The Heiress As soon as Catherine’s receives her father’s entire estate, her former fiance suddenly reappears, but she refuses to fall in love with him... Saturday, December 26, 2009, 1 pm Film Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond, a forgotten silent picture star, hires Joe Gillis, a struggling screenwriter to help her back into the spotlight.... Saturday, December 26, 2009, 3:20 pm Film The Lady Eve The rich but naive Charlie Pike meets con artist Jean Harrington on a ship. They fall in love, but a misunderstanding causes them to end on bad terms.... Sunday, December 27, 2009, 11 am Film A Place in the Sun George works obsessively to get ahead, and when he starts dating Angela, a beautiful socialite, he notices his professional status rise. But the press... Sunday, December 27, 2009, 1:30 pm Film Vertigo In this Hitchcock classic, Jimmy Stewart plays a detective who becomes dangerously obsessed with his latest case.... Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 2 pm Film To Catch a Thief A former cat burglar is wanted in a recent string of robberies along the French Riviera, so he decides to go after the real culprit to prove his innoc... Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 4:30 pm Film Rear Window Jeff passes time by watching the actions of the residents in an apartment across the street, but his hobby takes a dangerous turn when he claims to ha... Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 7 pm Film Vertigo In this Hitchcock classic, Jimmy Stewart plays a detective who becomes dangerously obsessed with his latest case.... Saturday, January 2, 2010, 10:30 am Film A Place in the Sun George works obsessively to get ahead, and when he starts dating Angela, a beautiful socialite, he notices his professional status rise. But the press... Saturday, January 2, 2010, 1 pm Film Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond, a forgotten silent picture star, hires Joe Gillis, a struggling screenwriter to help her back into the spotlight.... Saturday, January 2, 2010, 3:20 pm Film The Lady Eve The rich but naive Charlie Pike meets con artist Jean Harrington on a ship. They fall in love, but a misunderstanding causes them to end on bad terms.... Sunday, January 3, 2010, 10:30 am Film Rear Window Jeff passes time by watching the actions of the residents in an apartment across the street, but his hobby takes a dangerous turn when he claims to ha... Sunday, January 3, 2010, 12:50 pm Film To Catch a Thief A former cat burglar is wanted in a recent string of robberies along the French Riviera, so he decides to go after the real culprit to prove his innoc... Sunday, January 3, 2010, 3:10 pm Film This Gun for Hire Veronica Lake befriends a killer in order to form an alliance against a corrupt nightclub owner....

Which ones should I make priorities?

Avatar

I hated the trailer when I saw it this summer.

Yes, some of it was cliche (I guess a lot of it? Imperialism, love, bad guys, flying) but the way it was presented was just mind-blowing.

Mind. Blowing.

It was absolutely breathtaking and I'm still working through how I actually feel about the film. It's that glowing feeling you have when you have a crush on someone, except in this case the someone is the feeling of escapism and faith. I'm in love.

Georgina, don't make fun of me if you go see this movie and you don't like it as much as me. I am the one, after all, who made avatars on Second Life for her machinima class.

Ahhhh it was genius! The fact that it was digitally made is completely consistent with the fantasy of digital avatars--Pandora is simultaneously reality and imagined, and for someone with an incredibly impressionable mind like me, I am completely dazzled by its ability to rest as a real place in my imagination. I can't get my thoughts out clearly, but I just want to say that Cameron is a master of making audiences emote.

Oh, and the Sigourney Weaver part was perfect. She basically had to be in this film as the culmination (?) of her career in sci-fi with the director.

Ok I'm going to go see it again like 5 times before I go back to Hanover, which is basically the opposite of Pandora. Ughhhhhhhh I am writing like a 4th grader right now. Signing off,

Fay

Some Say To Survive It, You Need To Be As Mad As A Hatter

Is anyone else fascinated yet absolutely terrified to watch this movie? It's in 3-D, too, of which director Tim Burton says, "It puts you in the world a little bit more." I'm sure makes it all the more terrifically horrific. Or do I mean horrifically terrific? Likely a bit of both.

Higher Education

"I feel older, but not wiser."

-- The protagonist in An Education

Continuing Education

Conclusion: Fay and I both agreed that it was beautifully shot and an absolute pleasure to watch... but the story wrapped up too conveniently and quickly at the end such that it undermined much of the movie as a whole. A rather shallow ending. Overall though, it was definitely worth watching for some believable and relate-able escapism.

Machinima by Fay

Made these for my Machinima class this summer at Dartmouth. Used Snapz Pro X, Final Cut Pro, Mini-DV and Second Life to make this one. Had a lot of fun just experimenting with the medium, so unlike a lot of Machinima, my shorts play a lot with going between live action and animation (captured in Second Life). Enjoy the films! They were fun to make.





http://www.tiltfactor.org/?p=1237
MACHINIMA

FLANAGAN FS 49 DARTMOUTH 10A 301 N.FAIRBANKS

In this workshop, we conduct research in developing, understanding and advancing a real-time rendering and video production technique based on video games. This special topics course will allow a group of students to study the techniques of Machinima. Throughout the term students will examine film techniques and story creation techniques that apply to the traditional film form, examine Machinima on a technical and aesthetic basis, and critique current examples of Machinima films. Outside of class, students will collaborate, putting forth a large amount of effort to write and produce their own Machinima. Our course aims to investigate the underlying concepts of this new form of media, examining the relationship to animation, traditional cinema, and forms of popular culture. During the course, we will create Machinima projects while developing the theoretical framework around this approach as it relates to film and video, games, play, and participatory media.

Becoming Jane

I just watched the movie Becoming Jane this week (on DVD), and I thought it was a very good film. The premise of the movie (spoiler? ...) is that the main character Jane Austen basically lives the life of Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice, and then later pens and publishes Pride and Prejudice based on her own great romance (because she is Jane Austen, author of Pride and Prejudice, haha). The main difference between the 'fact' of the movie and the 'fiction' of the book is that unlike her literary counterpart, there is no happy ending for Jane in the movie -- she never marries her real-life Darcy (love interest and penniless young lawyer Tom Lefroy, portrayed beautifully by James McAvoy) and is single for the rest of her life, living by the wit of her pen.

Earlier in the movie, in an attempt to convince her to marry the wealthy-but-boring character who has proposed to Jane, her mother admonishes, "Affection is desirable. Money is absolutely indispensable." The irony of the movie is that Jane takes this advice to heart and chooses not to elope with Tom Lefroy because she realizes the extent that his family depends on his income (and accordingly, his non-tarnished, non-eloped reputation) as a provider.

I liked the movie because it made me think -- and I realize this is starting to read like a fourth grade book report -- and realize the limitations women faced in the past in determining their own destinies, even in relatively high society. Of course, even today not all women have a choice.

Hold that thought. Live blogging, this is unfinished...

OK, I'm back.

Luckily, today in Western society a woman is no longer considered 'unmarriageable' if she is a writer... banker... production director... or whatever profession. Either way, I would not want to be alone for the rest of my life like Jane and have a great unresolved love who I discover many years later has named his first child after me (which Tom does for Jane). That was the very tragic conclusion of the movie.

I also liked the film because it recalls all that olde English shit we girls love: romance, restraint in interactions with the opposite sex, propriety, pride... prejudice... But seriously, I did enjoy the stolen glances and slight hand grazes between the main characters, and it reminded me that courtship used to be drawn out and slow-growing (is it still today, outside of college?). I was even willing to overlook Jane and Tom's seemingly sudden realization of their passionate love (in the woods, no less) because it was so... passionate.

Four stars to Becoming Jane for a strong lead character and being much better than I anticipated. I love being pleasantly surprised by movies. :)

Slang in the 50's

Went through a phase when all I wanted to write research papers on was Marlon Brando and his high/low points. Well, I was watching Down Home with the Neely's on Food Network and started hearing all this jive, reminding me of a less-popular Brando flick called "The Wild One" about the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) and its takeover of a tiny no-wheresville town (one of its famous lines is "What are you rebelling against?" to which MB replies, "Waddya got?"). One of the best aspects of the movie is the jive/slang that's spoken. Luckily, a YouTube video has already been made of all the slang moments. Enjoy!

Dreams Of Burton

I want to go to the MoMA and see this Tim Burton's retrospective. When I was at TFF, I saw a collection of drawings (they were photocopied, but still very cool) that Fellini did called Fellini's Dreams. Very whimsical and intriguing.

I saw a documentary at TFF about Disney animation and its revival in the 90's. Footage was put together from the goofy animators in their office, pre-Little Mermaid and such. Captured among the many staff members was Burton, a scruffy, dark-haired man who was so pale he looked like he hadn't left the studio in ages. Which, at that point, he probably hadn't because this was before he started his own production company and such. Anyway, check out these pictures and read the article in NYMag.

Mad Men Casting Call

All you need to do is enter a photo of you in "Mad Men" style. Oh, the possibilities.