Monday, April 23, 2012

connections


       After doing this weeks after on chapter 12 and 13 in Barker’s text, and then comparing the movies (Rebel Without a Cause, Lost in Translation) to the different ideas and theories that our textbooks presents was beyond interesting for me.  I know I seem to say this every time, but sometimes it is hard for me to make a connection with limited examples.  However, I want to spend time talking about Capitalism and Urbanization because those are the two that really popped out at me, and that I came to a clearer understanding of after comparing and thinking about what the text says and the movies.  I have never seen Rebel Without a Cause but I had seen Lost in Translation.  Yes, there were plenty of examples in Rebel Without a Cause that could be compared to the text, but I really want to write about Lost in Translation.  Why? Because up until now I would have never tied this movie to urbanization, capitalism, post modernism, and other things that our text covers if I had not been ‘trained’ to think outside the box/critically or how this relates to these elements.                                                           
   I had seen Lost in Translation about four years ago and enjoyed it, viewing it as a film with a surface plot, like most people probably do.  I liked the idea of the bond between the two characters, and how Bill Murray’s character, Bob Harris, is sort of over his fame hype but has to deal with the cultural imperialism of another country’s hype and excitement to work with him.  I think with the second go around of this movie, I loved being able to understand the whole idea of cultural imperialism, urbanism, and capitalism as major elements to this film.  One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when the Japanese director is photographing Bob and is giving words trying to prompt specific looks asking for “Rat Pack”, “You know Sinatra?” and “Roger Moore”.  This is a perfect example of cultural imperialism and how popular culture can be spread so fast via media.  The photographer knows many elements and ‘personalities’ that are from America that he ask Bob to channel the the photos.    
       In our textbook, Chris Barker writes about capitalism and urban places saying, “Capitalist corporations continually promote commodification and the search for new markets” (Barker, p. 382).  In the case of Lost in Translation all the efforts of Bob being in Japan is to sell a whiskey, however, they (ad companies, and marketing) use many techniques that were directly connected to the U.S.  I agree 100 percent with the idea that capitalist corporations enforce and encourage commodification.  There is nothing that is not driven or motivated by profit.  Today’s society is a constant reminder of this as we see things unfairly advertised in order to gain customers. Last year I took a class that focused on the idea that we are a buying country, we are willing to spend money with the promise that it’s the newest, best, and fastest.  Lost in Translation is just one insight to the idea that America makes money not only here, but by spreading out throughout the world.  People today know Japan to be one of the fastest moving countries and despite recent shut downs of electronic factories, this movie is a prime example of urbanization of a country over a short amount of time.  Kind of makes you step back and think... Hopefully.  xx  

Monday, April 16, 2012

oh annie...


      Ok, ok....I'm not going to lie. Watching Annie Hall for the first time I couldn’t help but think; ‘this is the slowest, old people’s entertainment, not funny or realistic movie that I have ever been forced to sit through’.  However,  when I started to see that it could be considered a base for a lot of the movies I’ve seen today, it was fun to pick out themes and techniques that have been replicated today.  It was also interesting to view it with the idea that the film could be argued either Modernism or Postmodernism.  I saw the movie  Annie Hall as a Postmodern film because while it was not necessarily  the first film to ever break the forth wall, or “erase the boundaries between art and everyday life,” it was however a film that included both of those things along with taking the sex and rom-com style and themes and put them into a very real and relatable depiction of love and relationships.  The movie in a sense has a very raw feeling to it that made me start linking it to all the other films i had seen that could be considered Postmodern.
       I would like to talk about a film that is well know with today’s generation.  I am totally and fully aware that I’m not the first to say it, the film 500 Days of Summer is a very reflective, and a very modern day Annie Hall.  You wouldn’t believe (or maybe you will) the amounts of scrutiny that I get when I tell someone how much I despise the film 500 Days of Summer.  And I literally can’t tell you how many discussions I have had with friends and even random strangers when they find out that I don’t like this movie.  But when I told my (older) sister that I didn’t enjoy Annie Hall, she got on my case.  and while I know that this seems totally unrelated, I just want to point out that my old fashion, realistic loving, relationship and love obsessed sister makes the same arguments in defending Annie Hall as those defending 500 Days of Summer do.  And in both parties defense, I should give more respect to both films for doing what we rarely see today, and achiving what always complain that there is not enough of...showcasing relationships in a realistic and highly relatable light, while still connecting to the audience and in some parts in Annie Hall, addressing the audience. 
      which brings me to my next point.  Woody Allen was not the first to make a movie where a character addresses the camera and breaks that forth wall.  However, the popularity of this now classic movie has inspired other movies to mimic the irony in a character breaking that barrier and addressing the audience as if they were their friends and either try to help the audience see their point, or inform them/catch them up on something that is going on.  Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Fight Club, Yours, Mine and Ours (1968), and even The Emperor’s New Groove, are all films that have either the main character, or the film’s narrator address the audience in a nonchalant manner.
       Annie Hall is now a movie that we can look at and get a understanding for Allen’s style and ideas behind movies and see that he perhaps made this movie in hopes that it would spark the sort of thinking that it did for me while understanding that it was intended to have some sort of depth and meaning to it.  We can also see that because of the captivity that it took it’s viewers by, other films have admired and ‘borrowed’ Allen’s classic style.  Yet I still feel that as far as storyline/plot goes, 500 Days of Summer is a perfect example of, a real life situation, portrayed in a film, while depicting elements of Postmodernism, a modern day Annie Hall

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

sex and romanace in today's entertainment


        Most of by young teen and adulthood know that sex has been around ever since the first two living things walk the earth.  In the very early years, sex was a way to create life, it was something that was instinctual, natural, and vital to continuing the circle of life.  “The History of Sexuality” by Michel Foucault shows us all of this.  He writes about how sex for humans in the 18th and 19th century were strictly for creating a life, and that the purpose of creating life differed from the animal way of doing it.
       
It’s not like I was completely in the dark about this, I was well aware that the ideas of the purposes of sex have changed.  Especially considering that today’s culture (with the help of media) has glamorized sex and sexuality to the most positive extend and the ugliness of sex (STDs, AIDS, infections, rashes, and other painful and health threatening illnesses that can be contagious via sexual intercourse) has been put off to the side almost as if it doesn’t exist.  Relating to today’s sexual issues, it is clear that if sex helps sell things, it is easier to jump on and use sex to your advertising and selling advantage.  Even more now that sexuality comes with such a positive light shone on it.
       The whole “sex” subject is something that I want to spend a little bit of time talking about because I personally don’t think it gets enough attention.  I asked a few friends and my roommates what was the first thing that comes to mind when they hear the word “sex”.  Their responses varied from; “Chris”, “orgasm”, “gender”, and “hot”.  Not one of them used a “negative” word to associate with the action between two people.  I think that it is interesting to see movies do the same thing...not only do most movies exclude any of the negative things about sex and romance (I guess romance ‘negatives’ would include things like getting screwed over, cheated on, a broken heart, etc.), but they can tend to over exaggerate the friendships and/or relationships that people have with those who they are sexually involved with.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m sure writers often use personal experiences and the stories of others as a base to write these plots and scenes that include sex and romance comedy, but at the same time it’s like the distortion of these stories have gotten more and more exaggerated over time.
       I guess overall I feel bad for those who watch the newer romantic and sex comedies and don’t understand the extent of the exaggeration, and trust me one of my dear friends believes everything she sees in a rom-com, or don’t understand the evolution that has happened with sex and romance since it has been shown and portrayed in a comedic light.   To close up I want to point out, that since watching these older and early rom-coms I seriously understand my mother’s genuine shock at how far today’s rom-coms can push the limits.  In fact I hate admitting this, but sometimes I’m shocked that some racy scene or joke actually made the final cut in a movie!  Here’s to hoping I can teach my future kids, friend’s kids, and nieces and nephews what they need to know and understand to appreciate rom-coms and sex comedies, and here’s to hoping they listen to my wise words and lectures! :} xo