La Belle et la Bete
The General
Citizen Kane
It Happened One Night
Metropolis
Monday, October 10, 2011
"La Belle et la Bete"
Belle (Josette Day)
I think I can safely assume that we have all seen Disney's "Beauty and the Beast". Well, La Belle et la Bete is, more or less, the same film... Well, okay, maybe that's an overstatement. La Belle et la Bete happens to be warped, and Grim's-fairie-tale-like. The French film happens to be closer to the original tale than Disney's interpretation is (of course). Directed by Jean Cocteau and Rene Clement, and written by Jean Cocteau and Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, Le Belle et la Bete is a film depicting the classic love story of a man and a woman; an unlikely match, a Romeo and Juliet-esque tale about forbidden love. Josette Day plays Belle, the woman who offers up her own life for that of her father's by delivering herself to the Beast (la Bete). Belle is in complete control of her own destiny in this film; she may choose to leave the Beast and go home to her family, or she may stay with him in his castle. If this film were silent, Belle may have been interpreted as a damsel in distress but, instead, Belle was given the opportunity to truly express her emotions in a more natural and first-hand way. I believe that Belle is a feminist-icon. Belle ultimately shapes the outcome of her own life (although this fact is down-played a bit by her having gained a "handsome prince" in the process).
-CriticNeutral
I think I can safely assume that we have all seen Disney's "Beauty and the Beast". Well, La Belle et la Bete is, more or less, the same film... Well, okay, maybe that's an overstatement. La Belle et la Bete happens to be warped, and Grim's-fairie-tale-like. The French film happens to be closer to the original tale than Disney's interpretation is (of course). Directed by Jean Cocteau and Rene Clement, and written by Jean Cocteau and Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, Le Belle et la Bete is a film depicting the classic love story of a man and a woman; an unlikely match, a Romeo and Juliet-esque tale about forbidden love. Josette Day plays Belle, the woman who offers up her own life for that of her father's by delivering herself to the Beast (la Bete). Belle is in complete control of her own destiny in this film; she may choose to leave the Beast and go home to her family, or she may stay with him in his castle. If this film were silent, Belle may have been interpreted as a damsel in distress but, instead, Belle was given the opportunity to truly express her emotions in a more natural and first-hand way. I believe that Belle is a feminist-icon. Belle ultimately shapes the outcome of her own life (although this fact is down-played a bit by her having gained a "handsome prince" in the process).
-CriticNeutral
"Citizen Kane"
Emily Monroe Norton Kane
Emily Monroe Norton Kane was Charles Foster Kane's first wife, whom he later is divorced to, having cheated on her with his future second wife. Emily is a dignified and sophisticated woman, who happens to be the niece of the President. Several years after having discovered that Kane was was having an affair with the "singer", Susan Alexander, Emily and her son (Kane's son) pass away in a tragic car accident. Previous to her death, Emily seemed powerless in her marriage. Kane was clearly consumed with his own obsessions of making himself more and more powerful, and Emily was forced to keep to herself. I believe that Emily eventually fell out of love with Kane. It seems to me that, during the scene in the film where Kane is found out (his affair), Emily is emotionally detached from Kane. Emily has already been emotionally betrayed by Kane; simply by ignoring her and being completely preoccupied with his own reputation and social status, Kane impaired his and Emily's marriage more than he could possibly have known or, rather, cared. Emily, although not the most verbal female character in this particular "talkie", Emily is closer still to a "real" woman than our own--near and dear--Annabelle Lee in The General.
-ComicNeutral
Emily Monroe Norton Kane was Charles Foster Kane's first wife, whom he later is divorced to, having cheated on her with his future second wife. Emily is a dignified and sophisticated woman, who happens to be the niece of the President. Several years after having discovered that Kane was was having an affair with the "singer", Susan Alexander, Emily and her son (Kane's son) pass away in a tragic car accident. Previous to her death, Emily seemed powerless in her marriage. Kane was clearly consumed with his own obsessions of making himself more and more powerful, and Emily was forced to keep to herself. I believe that Emily eventually fell out of love with Kane. It seems to me that, during the scene in the film where Kane is found out (his affair), Emily is emotionally detached from Kane. Emily has already been emotionally betrayed by Kane; simply by ignoring her and being completely preoccupied with his own reputation and social status, Kane impaired his and Emily's marriage more than he could possibly have known or, rather, cared. Emily, although not the most verbal female character in this particular "talkie", Emily is closer still to a "real" woman than our own--near and dear--Annabelle Lee in The General.
-ComicNeutral
"Citizen Kane"
Susan Alexander Kane
Susan Alexander Kane is the "singer", and the mistress of Charles Kane. Susan falls deeply in love with Kane, and they marry soon after Charles' first divorce (the second, being his and Susan's eventual separation). Kane and Susan are completely ignorant as to who each other's partner truly is; Susan thinks of Kane as a handsome, kind, and wealthy man. Kane thinks of Susan as an aspiring musician; an opera star of sorts. Kane believes that Susan wishes to become a better singer, but all she really wants is one thing: out. Susan even goes so far as to attempt suicide when she is forced to sing in her own opera house (that Kane built, of course) night after night in front of an audience that "doesn't want her". Susan is absolutely the most complex female character in Citizen Kane. Even though Susan isn't the brightest of characters, she is the most human and possibly the most relatable of characters in the film. Susan also fell victim to the loneliness that Kane's previous wife Emily had experienced in their marriage. Much like the female characters in the silent films of the age, Susan Alexander Kane was but a piece of furniture in her husbands life; a prize, a novelty. But even so, Susan Alexander Kane was a character with a personality, a history, and the capacity to express true emotion. In the silent film era, women were (ironically) verbally and emotionally silent, compared to the slightly more progressive "talkie" era.
-CriticNeutral
Susan Alexander Kane is the "singer", and the mistress of Charles Kane. Susan falls deeply in love with Kane, and they marry soon after Charles' first divorce (the second, being his and Susan's eventual separation). Kane and Susan are completely ignorant as to who each other's partner truly is; Susan thinks of Kane as a handsome, kind, and wealthy man. Kane thinks of Susan as an aspiring musician; an opera star of sorts. Kane believes that Susan wishes to become a better singer, but all she really wants is one thing: out. Susan even goes so far as to attempt suicide when she is forced to sing in her own opera house (that Kane built, of course) night after night in front of an audience that "doesn't want her". Susan is absolutely the most complex female character in Citizen Kane. Even though Susan isn't the brightest of characters, she is the most human and possibly the most relatable of characters in the film. Susan also fell victim to the loneliness that Kane's previous wife Emily had experienced in their marriage. Much like the female characters in the silent films of the age, Susan Alexander Kane was but a piece of furniture in her husbands life; a prize, a novelty. But even so, Susan Alexander Kane was a character with a personality, a history, and the capacity to express true emotion. In the silent film era, women were (ironically) verbally and emotionally silent, compared to the slightly more progressive "talkie" era.
-CriticNeutral
"Citizen Kane"
Analysis of background of Citizen Kane, and Mary Kane
Citizen Kane is a "talkie" written by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles, and directed by Orson Welles. Charles Foster Kane was given to Mammon by his mother so that he would have a more promising life; a life that would provide him with more opportunities to make something of himself. When Charles has grown into a man he decides to join a newspaper, simply because he thinks it "would be fun". A wealthy and eccentric young man, he is always looking for more and more opportunities to prove himself. After his death, a newspaper reporter looks deep into Kane's past in an attempt to uncover the true meaning of Kane's last word: "Rosebud". The origin of Kane's infamous last word is in Kane's childhood. The separation he experienced with his mother manifested itself in the metaphorical embodiment of Kane's boyhood Sleigh, having also been taken away from him at the same moment his mother was taken from him.
Mary Kane was Charlie Kane's mother. Mary wanted the best for her son; the best being that he was far, far away from his abusive father. Mary Kane was magnificently played by Agnes Moorehead. Mary Kane is a real-to-life female role. So many women have had to go through life, abused at the hands of domineering husbands. Although she is only in the film for all but a few minutes in the beginning of the film, Mary Kane makes her mark as a strong, sacrificing woman. In earlier "talkies", this kind of role was inconceivable. Silent films before and around The General, could not have portrayed women with any sort of truth or realness. Mary Kane is deeply impactful to the plot of Citizen Kane even though she is only present for the first few scenes. Just to think--we've gone from Annabelle Lee in The General to Mary Kane, a woman of depth and the capacity to steer the destiny of the leading male lead in the film Citizen Kane.
-Agnes Moorehead in Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a "talkie" written by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles, and directed by Orson Welles. Charles Foster Kane was given to Mammon by his mother so that he would have a more promising life; a life that would provide him with more opportunities to make something of himself. When Charles has grown into a man he decides to join a newspaper, simply because he thinks it "would be fun". A wealthy and eccentric young man, he is always looking for more and more opportunities to prove himself. After his death, a newspaper reporter looks deep into Kane's past in an attempt to uncover the true meaning of Kane's last word: "Rosebud". The origin of Kane's infamous last word is in Kane's childhood. The separation he experienced with his mother manifested itself in the metaphorical embodiment of Kane's boyhood Sleigh, having also been taken away from him at the same moment his mother was taken from him.
Mary Kane was Charlie Kane's mother. Mary wanted the best for her son; the best being that he was far, far away from his abusive father. Mary Kane was magnificently played by Agnes Moorehead. Mary Kane is a real-to-life female role. So many women have had to go through life, abused at the hands of domineering husbands. Although she is only in the film for all but a few minutes in the beginning of the film, Mary Kane makes her mark as a strong, sacrificing woman. In earlier "talkies", this kind of role was inconceivable. Silent films before and around The General, could not have portrayed women with any sort of truth or realness. Mary Kane is deeply impactful to the plot of Citizen Kane even though she is only present for the first few scenes. Just to think--we've gone from Annabelle Lee in The General to Mary Kane, a woman of depth and the capacity to steer the destiny of the leading male lead in the film Citizen Kane.
-Agnes Moorehead in Citizen Kane
Sunday, October 9, 2011
"It Happened One Night"
It Happened One Night (Ellie Andrews)
It Happened One Night is definitely one of my favorite romantic comedies. Directed by Frank Capra and written by Robert Riskin and Samuel Hopkins, It Happened One Night was ahead of its time. Claudette Colbert portrayed Ellie, a rich woman newly married to King Westley. She is taken from her husband by her father because he disagrees with the marriage. While on her father's yaht, Ellie expresses that she should be allowed to do what she wishes and jumps overboard in an attempt to find her way back to her her husband, her love. Through having to face the hard realities of traveling with no food, clothing, or means, she reluctantly allows Peter Warne (a hard-hitting reporter) to help her find her way back to her husband. Peter Warne has alternative motives, of course. He plans to follow Ellie in the hopes of turning her life into a juicy story.
Ellie Andrews is portrayed as a head-strong woman who is determined to get on as easily as an man (especially Peter Warne) of the age does. Although she has been raised in a well-to-do environment, she ultimately makes her mark as a woman that can survive when having to make do with very little. She is a strong, innovative, and determined woman. There is quite a difference in the way that women are portrayed since the silent film The General to the more modern "talkie", It Happened One Night. The leading female role in It Happened One Night was, literally and metaphorically, given a voice. The leading female role, when comparing the two films (The General and It Happened One Night), seems to have evolved since the former (The General, that is). The General portrayed women as if they hadn't developed common sense; that they were idiotic and all together "ridiculous". It Happened One Night changed all of that. Women weren't mute in any way, they could speak and they had a say in what they wanted out of their lives. Women now did what they had to do to make it in the world.
-Critic Neutral
It Happened One Night is definitely one of my favorite romantic comedies. Directed by Frank Capra and written by Robert Riskin and Samuel Hopkins, It Happened One Night was ahead of its time. Claudette Colbert portrayed Ellie, a rich woman newly married to King Westley. She is taken from her husband by her father because he disagrees with the marriage. While on her father's yaht, Ellie expresses that she should be allowed to do what she wishes and jumps overboard in an attempt to find her way back to her her husband, her love. Through having to face the hard realities of traveling with no food, clothing, or means, she reluctantly allows Peter Warne (a hard-hitting reporter) to help her find her way back to her husband. Peter Warne has alternative motives, of course. He plans to follow Ellie in the hopes of turning her life into a juicy story.
Ellie Andrews is portrayed as a head-strong woman who is determined to get on as easily as an man (especially Peter Warne) of the age does. Although she has been raised in a well-to-do environment, she ultimately makes her mark as a woman that can survive when having to make do with very little. She is a strong, innovative, and determined woman. There is quite a difference in the way that women are portrayed since the silent film The General to the more modern "talkie", It Happened One Night. The leading female role in It Happened One Night was, literally and metaphorically, given a voice. The leading female role, when comparing the two films (The General and It Happened One Night), seems to have evolved since the former (The General, that is). The General portrayed women as if they hadn't developed common sense; that they were idiotic and all together "ridiculous". It Happened One Night changed all of that. Women weren't mute in any way, they could speak and they had a say in what they wanted out of their lives. Women now did what they had to do to make it in the world.
-Critic Neutral
"Metropolis"
Metropilis
Metropolis, directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou, was and is a widely known silent film. Metropolis is a city in which the rich and powerful thrive and the poor live in an underground city, working the "machines". Unseen and unheard from the wealthy, the poor who work the machines live day to day breaking their backs hoping for their sorrow to end. The poor workers look to a woman, Maria (played by Brigitte Helm) to bring together the "hands" (the workers) and the "head" (the rich and those who have power) by means of the "heart" (or the "mediator"). The "heart" is Joh Fredersen's (a man of wealth and control in the city, above ground) son, Freder (played by Gustav Frohlich). Freder Frohlich first meets Maria when she is with a crowd of children (who live in the underground city). Freder Frohlich eventually goes to the underground city out of curiosity and finds a most somber scene.
Freder wishes to find peace between the rich and the poor. Unfortunately Rotwang (an evil inventor) has plans to invent a robot to impersonate Maria and thwart the people of the underground city into creating complete anarchy and destroy the machines. In the end, Maria succeeds in convincing Freder to bring his father and the working class together, with the simple shaking of hands between a worker and Joh Frederson.
Maria, before Freder's interference, seems to me to be convincing the workers (or hands) that there could indeed be an end to their suffering, very effectively on her own. It seems to me that Metropolis played into the theme and stereotype of "Every woman needs a man". I believe that Maria, with her tremendous following of workers, could have achieved her goal of uniting the rich and the poor without the help of Freder, the male "mediator". Although I must say that Maria, having been a female main character with a brain, was a tremendous feat for women in film. It's a shame that Maria is ultimately remembered as Freder's love interest, instead of the leader of a movement of change.
-Critic Neutral
Metropolis, directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou, was and is a widely known silent film. Metropolis is a city in which the rich and powerful thrive and the poor live in an underground city, working the "machines". Unseen and unheard from the wealthy, the poor who work the machines live day to day breaking their backs hoping for their sorrow to end. The poor workers look to a woman, Maria (played by Brigitte Helm) to bring together the "hands" (the workers) and the "head" (the rich and those who have power) by means of the "heart" (or the "mediator"). The "heart" is Joh Fredersen's (a man of wealth and control in the city, above ground) son, Freder (played by Gustav Frohlich). Freder Frohlich first meets Maria when she is with a crowd of children (who live in the underground city). Freder Frohlich eventually goes to the underground city out of curiosity and finds a most somber scene.
Freder wishes to find peace between the rich and the poor. Unfortunately Rotwang (an evil inventor) has plans to invent a robot to impersonate Maria and thwart the people of the underground city into creating complete anarchy and destroy the machines. In the end, Maria succeeds in convincing Freder to bring his father and the working class together, with the simple shaking of hands between a worker and Joh Frederson.
Maria, before Freder's interference, seems to me to be convincing the workers (or hands) that there could indeed be an end to their suffering, very effectively on her own. It seems to me that Metropolis played into the theme and stereotype of "Every woman needs a man". I believe that Maria, with her tremendous following of workers, could have achieved her goal of uniting the rich and the poor without the help of Freder, the male "mediator". Although I must say that Maria, having been a female main character with a brain, was a tremendous feat for women in film. It's a shame that Maria is ultimately remembered as Freder's love interest, instead of the leader of a movement of change.
-Critic Neutral
Saturday, October 8, 2011
"The General"
The General, Annabelle Lee
First off, I will begin with speaking about one of the most legendary and notable of silent films, The General (directed and written by Buster Keaton, along side of Clyde Bruckman). The General is a silent film made in 1929, about a man (Johnny Gray, played by Buster Keaton himself) and his love for his train. Oh--and he also loves a girl named Annabelle Lee. I phrase his love for Annabelle Lee in this manner because his love for her comes second to the train he so loves. You see, as a train engineer, Johnny Gray was rejected from the service because he was worth more to the war as he was; a simple engineer. The film hits its highest point of conflict when Annabelle Lee is captured, along with The General (Gray's Train) , by Union spies.
The General is definitely a good example of how women were viewed in and around the 1920's. Annabelle Lee is depicted as superficial, dimwitted, and ridiculously hallow. Put rather plainly and with all humor aside, she is the symbol of what misogynistic males of the time thought of women. Watching the scenes in which Annabelle was a focus, for myself, was quite painful to sit through. In the clip that follows my commentary, Annabelle is shown throwing a large piece of wood that would have done quite a good job to make the train move faster out the side of the train because there was a "hole" in it, as it appears "unusable" to her. Furthermore, she begins to actually sweep the cabin of the train. Johnny Gray then grabs Annabelle by the neck and appears to choke her (a reflection upon male stereotypes perhaps, or just Keaton's own underlying sexist opinions). What a stereotypical portrayal of women!
-Critic Neutral
First off, I will begin with speaking about one of the most legendary and notable of silent films, The General (directed and written by Buster Keaton, along side of Clyde Bruckman). The General is a silent film made in 1929, about a man (Johnny Gray, played by Buster Keaton himself) and his love for his train. Oh--and he also loves a girl named Annabelle Lee. I phrase his love for Annabelle Lee in this manner because his love for her comes second to the train he so loves. You see, as a train engineer, Johnny Gray was rejected from the service because he was worth more to the war as he was; a simple engineer. The film hits its highest point of conflict when Annabelle Lee is captured, along with The General (Gray's Train) , by Union spies.
The General is definitely a good example of how women were viewed in and around the 1920's. Annabelle Lee is depicted as superficial, dimwitted, and ridiculously hallow. Put rather plainly and with all humor aside, she is the symbol of what misogynistic males of the time thought of women. Watching the scenes in which Annabelle was a focus, for myself, was quite painful to sit through. In the clip that follows my commentary, Annabelle is shown throwing a large piece of wood that would have done quite a good job to make the train move faster out the side of the train because there was a "hole" in it, as it appears "unusable" to her. Furthermore, she begins to actually sweep the cabin of the train. Johnny Gray then grabs Annabelle by the neck and appears to choke her (a reflection upon male stereotypes perhaps, or just Keaton's own underlying sexist opinions). What a stereotypical portrayal of women!
-Critic Neutral
Women in Film
Today's modern age of film has indeed changed the way we, as a society, view women. We are the bosses, the intelligent, the secret agents, the fighters; we are the ones in charge. Although, I won't deny that women are still often misrepresented and are, more often times than not, portrayed as sex objects, there can be no denying that we have made undeniable strides; Women have succeeded in claiming the "lead" role in films. We are, more or less, no longer "background" characters.
I, Critic Neutral (a.k.a, Lizzy Anne Place), will be evaluating the portrayal of women and how said portrayal has changed between the Silent film era and the Talkies. I look very forward to evaluating the silent and "talkie" films that we in HUM 243 have devoted so much of our time watching, as well evaluating several other notable films that have played important roles in shaping society's perception of women over those times throughout the duration of my blog.
I believe that the way women are represented in film has changed overtime, for the better. As we as a society have become more accepting of minorities, namely women, more and more opportunities will continue to emerge in film (for said minorities). I will be comparing and contrasting the silent film, The General (directed and written by Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton), as a general representation of how women in the silent film era were generally portrayed (not to suggest that all silent films of the era were as generically sexist as The General), to the newly emerging "talkies".
-Critic Neutral
I, Critic Neutral (a.k.a, Lizzy Anne Place), will be evaluating the portrayal of women and how said portrayal has changed between the Silent film era and the Talkies. I look very forward to evaluating the silent and "talkie" films that we in HUM 243 have devoted so much of our time watching, as well evaluating several other notable films that have played important roles in shaping society's perception of women over those times throughout the duration of my blog.
I believe that the way women are represented in film has changed overtime, for the better. As we as a society have become more accepting of minorities, namely women, more and more opportunities will continue to emerge in film (for said minorities). I will be comparing and contrasting the silent film, The General (directed and written by Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton), as a general representation of how women in the silent film era were generally portrayed (not to suggest that all silent films of the era were as generically sexist as The General), to the newly emerging "talkies".
-Critic Neutral
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