tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post4151657703232973891..comments2013-05-06T06:04:16.030-07:00Comments on CSCL 1921 004 @ UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA - INTRODUCTION TO FILM STUDY: Brendan McGillicuddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16891738893327547219noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-28135220315322055152013-02-27T06:06:57.973-08:002013-02-27T06:06:57.973-08:00I definitely agree with you that Modern Times is a...I definitely agree with you that Modern Times is a political film. Your analysis of the use of form in this film is very interesting as I had never thought of how even the movements of the Chaplin’s character display the effect the “improved” technology has on society. However, I’m not sure I understand your comments on the shot of the man and the shot of the sheep in context to the machine-like nature of the modern world. Are you commenting on the film presents the two scenes, or is there involvement of actual technology in it?<br />Your analysis of Tramp and Gamine was also excellent. Their relationship and the actions that go along with it are crucial components to presenting the political message. I especially like your comparison of city living to shack living. Tramp is more comfortable in the shack even though he seemingly has nothing, which shows that this improved industry and technology may not be the best solution for everyone.<br />I’m not sure the message Chaplin is sending is necessarily positive. Wouldn’t the anxieties of the world, etc. promote a negative message instead?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18240654421285929771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-27727440516842970652013-02-26T23:08:29.059-08:002013-02-26T23:08:29.059-08:00I completely agree with the fact that the change i...I completely agree with the fact that the change in the ending is political. Something that we do not really think about while watching films is the decisions that occur behind the curtains. The directors and writers may be influenced or pressured by their government to add or not include something in their film. They may also add bias in their films by letting their opinions slip through into the film. This okay, but it is political and impacts the movie.<br /><br />Furthermore, I would like to add to one of your statements. You talk about how the original writers of the film were obsessed with power and tyranny. They like were obsessed with them, but I feel like it was likely more about overthrowing and overcoming the power and tyranny. This is shown when Franzis exposes Dr. Calgari's evil doings.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11321761957974693559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-35732742723603091652013-02-26T23:07:34.209-08:002013-02-26T23:07:34.209-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11321761957974693559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-9194173171572356372013-02-26T21:26:27.722-08:002013-02-26T21:26:27.722-08:00Like the above comment, I agree that "Modern ...Like the above comment, I agree that "Modern Times" was a political film. It makes sense that given the political climate during the making of this film, that the meanings behind the art of the time such as this film would convey they artists' feelings towards the current status quo. What struck me about your comments was the idea that the viewers could understand and be influenced by the political message being shown in this film because they themselves were familiar with the hard times and conditions being shown in the film. This makes me wonder: if we took this concept, and applied it to the more popular films being made and screened today, would we be able to see familiar, seemingly "for fun" movies in a political light? For example, does Boal's statement about all film being political apply to such a movie as The Avengers? In my view, yes it can. Although this movie seems like your typical superhero flick, the storyline showcases several concepts that today's movie-goers are familiar with like the need for a clean energy source and the need to use individual strengths to accomplish a single goal. Perhaps these familiar messages are what make movies like Modern Times and The Avengers so popular among the viewers of their time.Felize Dangcilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13917420932655573017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-83966843130338345542013-02-26T21:26:21.547-08:002013-02-26T21:26:21.547-08:00Sam,
You make some very good points on how politic...Sam,<br />You make some very good points on how politics are portrayed in the film "Modern Times." I completely forgot about how the boss orders more speed over and over again while calling down to the workers. I also feel that when Chaplin's character can't stop moving from the repetitive motion of work, the directer was trying to show that man is another machine in the industry and Chaplin was breaking down or malfunctioning. <br />I also believe that political views can be seen in all movies like you mentioned. How films depict the political aspects differ greatly from other sources of media but can also get pass a point along in a less inconspicuous way with the viewer not having watching the movie for a political sense. These aspects get put into a film in a discrete way whether it is for the viewers interest or to try to persuade the audience to think about a strong topic. I strongly agree with your opinion on all movies having political sense in them, whether we notice these or not.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01102661315676016141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-39838168463393845482013-02-26T21:23:55.782-08:002013-02-26T21:23:55.782-08:00Kathryn, I enjoy your analysis on The Cabinet of D...Kathryn, I enjoy your analysis on The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Kracauer's essay; however, I have to disagree with your stance on the effectiveness of framing the movie. You take the opposite stance of Kracauers, but I have to agree with him. I believe the writers' intended take on the story was to, in a way, persuade the German viewers to reevaluate their views on authoritarian power. According to Kracauer's essay, it seemed that the writers were upset by the framing technique used in the filming process. Having the movie framed as a story from an asylum inmate almost invites the viewer to think that questioning authority is frowned upon or, dare I say, crazy. This is just my view, but that is how I interpreted their anger towards using the framing device.Chuck Seymourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14001639108119623183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-27524447411636823542013-02-26T20:59:25.093-08:002013-02-26T20:59:25.093-08:00While I agree with your points on film being a ver...While I agree with your points on film being a very powerful media for political and social messages, I find myself disagreeing with your first comment on “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”. You argue that it is the “most overtly political film” but on the grounds that it does not have comedy or a heartwarming storyline. I agree that those can be distractions, but Cabinet has many distractions of its own. The story is a macabre horror story, which definitely has the villain using absolute authority, but this political message is still not overt. The extreme stylization sets up for a masterful horror story, but does not exactly put political subversion on one’s mind. Personally, I found Modern Times to be the most overtly political of films. Yes, it is a comedy and this can serve as a distraction in some cases, particularly the slapstick brands of comedy, but this comedy is mostly satire of the political and socio-economical setting the film was released in. This satire does not distract from the political message, but rather, enhances it, in my opinion. Aidan Hutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10069769204423096219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-43498365408379852932013-02-26T20:25:19.390-08:002013-02-26T20:25:19.390-08:00I'm not sure I agree with your point about thi...I'm not sure I agree with your point about this film displaying a time travel through and out of the Great Depression. Though I do think that our main character does find himself better of at the end of the film than the beginning, I don't think that him or his fellow workers had been able to significantly improve their quality of life. Even though Chaplin's character is able to find other work throughout the movie, he still isn't able to keep any of those jobs and while he does find himself with a nice lady friend at the finale of the film, he is still wandering the countryside without a job or any prospects for one. I think that instead of showing the viewer a chronicle of the progression through the Great Depression, this film tried more to offer the audience an optimistic picture for the future and the sentiment that although times may be hard right now, there is reason to have hope and look forward to the future. I think that this is what the final scene of Chaplin and the Gamin is trying to display: even though there have been tough times and the road ahead is unknown, one should still hold on and hold out for the better times. KSomekawahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01442800106536654479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-30083488135947606872013-02-26T20:07:39.383-08:002013-02-26T20:07:39.383-08:00I completely a free with your point. The film is ...I completely a free with your point. The film is great example of Boals point, and uses the Great Depression. The movie goes out of its way to include all walks of life, women, men, and children. We see all these different people go through life during this time time, and feel for them. It is the definition of a political themed film. Well done James.bglyttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11796947880191787123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-61877252363870657762013-02-26T19:17:25.496-08:002013-02-26T19:17:25.496-08:00I really like how you pointed out that Chaplin rep...I really like how you pointed out that Chaplin represented people who could not quite assimilate to the modernizing world. I agree with you saying that the film's end was supposed to be optimistic. It seemed that the conclusion was a sign that individuals would have to begin enjoying the little things more and more, because freedom and the American Dream were much harder to come by then they had once been. I very much agree with you saying that film these days is primarily for entertainment and not necessarily political. I mean can we really call "Jack the Giant Slayer" a political film? Even though Boal argues that everything we do is political, it is hard to argue that a film like this is trying to do anything but entertain some adolescent boys.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10320748254772378576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-83624877410109966392013-02-26T19:07:40.179-08:002013-02-26T19:07:40.179-08:00I like the point made that the movie attempts to b...I like the point made that the movie attempts to bring a kind of hope to the audience for the future and the depression coming to an end. It is clear throughout the film that Chaplin's character along with others are not living in ideal conditions. But Chaplin continues on with a perky swagger and an optimistic view on the world. In the end of the film, he does end up having a happy ending, but it is not quite the conventional one. A predictable happy ending would have something to do with Chaplin finally having a dependable income and living with class. Instead, the two love-birds walk off together, running from the law. This could be meant to show that even without material belongings, happiness can be achieved in hard times.PeterGramshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13916623401318868213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-62578964909178818192013-02-26T18:20:32.490-08:002013-02-26T18:20:32.490-08:00I agree with your ideas about "M". Howev...I agree with your ideas about "M". However, I am going to disagree with you about films being political or not, but only because I think it's impossible to tell if a film isn't political. What I mean is, is that it's easy to tell if a film is political and as an audience we can say it is. But then when it comes to a film that one may say "isn't" political, there isn't really any way to prove it isn't because we don't know exactly what the writer or the director's motives were when creating the movie. And I guess we could say that about movies that are so obviously political too, that there's no real way to prove it. So I guess my argument is that there's no way to prove a film is or isn't political, but maybe that's what makes it political?JulieMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17477491086948677935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-76745128206359808242013-02-26T16:17:23.337-08:002013-02-26T16:17:23.337-08:00I would have to agree with your analysis. The Germ...I would have to agree with your analysis. The German authorities are virtually powerless, and completely inept at locating the murderer. Thus they determine that the murderer must be a part of the criminal underworld, and go to known establishments of criminal activity. As a way to keep their way of life, the criminals resort to hunting down the murderer themselves. When the murderer is finally caught, the criminals are determined to kill him. To me the criminals are representative of the third reich. They are an extreme reaction to a bumbling police force, which represents the Weimar republic, which lacks any sort of power, and is incapable of accomplishing anything.Kyle_Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03423647640762542815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-78827830163048780462013-02-26T15:35:24.393-08:002013-02-26T15:35:24.393-08:00I agree that Modern Times tries to politically por...I agree that Modern Times tries to politically portray the great depression and the industrial industry. The harsh working condition, long hours, and wages were represented by showing Charlie as man suffering with poverty by the look of his clothes and how he and the gamin had to live in an old abandon shack by some water. This depicts the poverty that people had to endure during those times. Also, with your point on the machines affects on the people, the robotic movements that Charlie uncontrollably performed illustrated the idea that putting people to work in these conditions like a machine was an inhumane act. This led Charlie to "malfunction" and begin to lose control of his human instincts when he repeatedly moved in the robotic fashion and when he kept spraying everyone with oil. I also agree with Boal's statement about film being political. Modern Times is a perfect example of political motives behind the films scenes and plot. The evidence is the previous observations made on the film. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13669917312400791488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-58945239394887860302013-02-26T15:09:59.634-08:002013-02-26T15:09:59.634-08:00I would agree with your claim that “Modern Times” ...I would agree with your claim that “Modern Times” is an example of a political film. As you said, it is hard to have a movie about the Great Depression without having it be slightly political in some sense. The movie brought up new ideas and possibilities that the audience had to decide whether the new idea was good or bad. For example, when you mentioned “big brother” and how people had to question if they wanted such a device in their “modern times”. I don’t know if you have seen the movie “1984”, but I felt like they have taken some ideas from this movie. The large TV screen used to communicate and keep an eye out on the citizens in “1984”, was very similar to the bathroom and factory scenes in “Modern Times”. There are many parallels between these two films and both of them are considered political. The new ideas that were presented in these two films calls the viewer to question what is the status quo and where do we want our culture to go.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12366399503125978632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-35504742438597140222013-02-26T14:48:34.803-08:002013-02-26T14:48:34.803-08:00I also agree with your ideas that movies are not a...I also agree with your ideas that movies are not always necessarily created with political ideals. I remember reading a comic strip once where an "educated mind" was interpreting the author's line of "the sky is blue." The intellect was giving deep and complex meanings as to why the author wrote this line. Later, at a Q & A sessions, the intellect gets to ask the author what he meant by "the sky is blue," to which the author replied "I meant the sky was f*ckin' blue." I find that too many times that intellects like to overanalyze simplicities in order to make them seem more complex than necessary.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18324402501124203294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-36156936800061049762013-02-26T14:32:20.074-08:002013-02-26T14:32:20.074-08:00I think that your ideas are spot on. I especially ...I think that your ideas are spot on. I especially like your discussion in the second paragraph about justice being served. This brings up the debate over the death penalty, and also the fact that justice is not always served accordingly through the judicial system, with its many loopholes and flaws. This may cause people, such as the other criminals who captured Hans Beckert, to take matters into their own hands. While this is obviously not a just thing to do under the law, is it still the right thing to do? <br />I also agree that not all films are made with a political message in them, although I am sure that there may be unintentional politics in them, or that someone may be able to twist it in a way to make it so. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06219737685749605527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-86025476806617905932013-02-26T14:21:35.588-08:002013-02-26T14:21:35.588-08:00What Boal says about politics in film is very true...What Boal says about politics in film is very true. A movie that I believe has a great political message in it is M. What appears at first to be an average serial killer movie actually turns into a bigger question of right and wrong. At first thought, the serial killer, Hans Beckart, is a horrible person who should be punished accordingly for his crimes. At the end of the movie, however, the question of mental health is brought up. Hans Beckart himself states that he cannot help killing innocent children. He has to, and his mind will not allow him to do otherwise. To the “jury”, these claims are preposterous. Hans Beckart’s statements, however, bring up the debate over mental health. These concerns are especially relevant for today’s society in the aftermath of many horrible tragedies. Can people really be so mentally psychotic that they have to kill? Should a person who apparently has no control over his actions be imprisoned or condemned to death? This is a great political debate occurring today, and M is far ahead of its time in this regard.<br /> Another political message in M takes place towards the end of the film as well. The mob that captures Hans Beckart wants to take justice into their own hands. Again, this plays into today with extraordinary accuracy. There are so many movies and TV shows with this idea of “vigilantes” who wish to take the law into their own hands. Dexter, The Dark Knight trilogy, Law Abiding Citizen, Revenge, and many others end up making us sympathize with these criminal characters. But because these characters are only committing crimes against other criminals, does that make it okay? The law says no. Killing is still a crime, no matter why you are committing it. A big problem with these laws are that they are so particular that slipping through and getting away with a lesser sentence is relatively easy if you have a good lawyer. Casey Anthony, whom many believe to have been guilty, still got away. These sorts of politics, while a large part of the law, show many flaws and weaknesses. <br /> Overall, I think that Fritz Lang gives us a great movie with many political messages throughout that can spark discussion and debate over issues that are still very relevant today. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06219737685749605527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-15187371753709923322013-02-26T13:28:38.733-08:002013-02-26T13:28:38.733-08:00I really enjoy the point you stated about a film b...I really enjoy the point you stated about a film being political may not be because the writers and the directors intended it to be, however because of people's different interpretations. I believe it is an excellent point to make that people take out of a film what they want. Certain political messages if intended or not will only be truly recognized if the viewer realizes the political message or wants to take that out of the film. I agree with the ideas of different camera angels in "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" contributing to the insanity. The character is in a mental institution and now looking back on the film, the blurriness, close ups and far aways for horror effect, and different odd colors used in the film contribute to this sense of insanity. Political messages sometimes are harder to deduce from a film, however I believe every film has some sort of political message that can be taken away.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05635733890312887113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-1712286189269675932013-02-26T12:47:24.775-08:002013-02-26T12:47:24.775-08:00I agree with your main point that not all films ar...I agree with your main point that not all films are intended to be political, but they all end up being that way. I really like your point that even just writing about potential messages leads some readers to contemplate those meanings. This happens a lot with films, especially with the prominence of the internet. Someone will say something that they saw in a film, and then that explodes. Suddenly, everyone is re-watching the movie or reading about it in order to find where the idea came from and aspects of the movie that can back up the point. Eventually movies end up getting associated with certain political or ideological messages and ideas that the writers or directors didn't necessarily intend to include.<br />Granted, some movies are intended to be political. "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," "M," and "Modern Times" seem as thought they were intended to be political. However, it is probable that over time the message has changed with the audience. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16017556693398881404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-86940952024368996772013-02-26T12:46:34.963-08:002013-02-26T12:46:34.963-08:00I think your connection between "Modern Times...I think your connection between "Modern Times" and the Great Depression is a good example of politics in the film. Your idea of time being a big focus in the movie is right on. I think the clock shown at the beginning was a reference to modernity. There's a recorded speech that continues to say "section 5 more speed" which is a great example of this. I also like the connection you made to the food and the Great Depression. I think the reference of food plays a big role in this connection. The first time we see the boss he is doing a puzzle and reading comics at his desk. I agree that he's almost like a dictator-- there's a screen that he can watch the workers on and he seems very impersonable. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17104227056011840437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-55341159595151853162013-02-26T10:45:35.176-08:002013-02-26T10:45:35.176-08:00I agree with you that M has a lot of strong politi...I agree with you that M has a lot of strong political ideas in it. The judicial system is the target for these political messages especially when the criminals become involved and don't want the police to deal with things. I agree with you when you say that films try to put political ideas in people's minds but are not straight forward. I think that is a great way to say it. All films have their own message and political points but they don't overshadow the other parts of the film. They are more just thrown in and you have to recognize them as you go I think.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06727654667260537002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-35752159063833184432013-02-26T07:56:51.379-08:002013-02-26T07:56:51.379-08:00Felize -
I definitely agree that many movie atten...Felize - <br />I definitely agree that many movie attendees don't go to the movies to necessarily evaluate the political context of that movie. However, film and filmakers have the power subconsciously sway a viewer's beliefs, which I think is the essence of politics. For example, in "Modern Times", although the audience may laugh at Charlie's nonconforming antics, it's safe to say that the blue-collar workers are much more likable than the authority figures, such as the policemen or the owner of the factory. Although the audience probably isn't thinking of the greater meaning of this, since Charlie and the Gamine are the heroes, they will watch the movie rooting for them and with a stigma against authoritarian figures. Although isn't always necessarily conscious, the film creates a new set of political beliefs for unsuspecting audiences. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04372452896811216513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-60974832171361953052013-02-26T07:46:23.984-08:002013-02-26T07:46:23.984-08:00I agree that one major political theme of M was th...I agree that one major political theme of M was that there are so many loopholes in the justice system; which can be seen even today. I never thought about the camera angles and how they cause the audience to become more sympathetic with the "jury" during the mock trial scene. Now that I think about it though, I believe that the scene where the murderer is begging to be released to the police and for forgiveness illustrates this point very well, because he is on his knees begging up to the viewer. I also believe that the point you made about how film is more effective because of its underlying message is also true. Sometimes a subliminal message can actually stick with a person much longer than a message that is simply stated.Carly Lawrencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07631787310400220384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268895926893318231.post-89970692655146777292013-02-25T18:20:45.680-08:002013-02-25T18:20:45.680-08:00This film can be thought of in a political context...This film can be thought of in a political context through the production of social realism that lives in the film Modern Times. Modern Times social realism aspect brings political value that influences thought of the great depression and industrial production. Chaplin illustrates the effects of the depression by showing the life of two characters Charlie and the gamin. These two characters struggle through the social aspects of the depression by not being able to find food to eat or even find somewhere to live. This illustration through narrative gives political meaning behind the scenes of the film where the gamin has to steal food or when charlie and the gamin sleep over night in the store and later find and old shack by a pond to live. This demonstrates the struggle a lot people had to endure during that rough time. Even the mise en scene illustrates the depression effects with the run down shack by the pond and the clothes that charlie and the gamin are wearing. <br />The political point on industrial production is that production by machine is almost in-humanistic to the workers. This is demonstrated when Charlie begins to produce uncontrollable mechanical movements due to working on the industrial line. Charlie also has a "breakdown" where he is running around uncontrollably spraying people with oil. This gives that scene a political view that the industrial production causes mental disturbance to people. <br />With the previous words as a prime example, I do believe film is tied with politics. Politics is the idea of illustrating a point of view or demonstrating an opinion. In any film, there is a point that the director or writer is trying to convey. Even if some points are shallow, there is always some aspect of film that can be analyzed and connected with a political point. There is a reason film is produced and made. Since there is always a reason, film is always political. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13669917312400791488noreply@blogger.com