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| Term Paper # 99020 |
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Film: "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2007.
This paper compares Michael Hoffman's 1999 film, "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream" with Shakespeare's original play.
2,350 words (approx. 9.4 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 72.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, for his 1999 film, "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream", Michael Hoffman rewrote the original Shakespeare play, put it into a more modern context and emphasized artistic visual expression over Shakespeare's expression through the poetry of language. The author points out that Hoffman modernized the gender roles by creating a dialogue for Bottom's wife, thus increasing her importance; wherein, in the original play, her role consisted of a stare. The paper relates that, to appeal to modern cultural standards, the movie has been made more aesthetically pleasing by the fantasy theatrics of the costumes and makeup.
From the Paper
"The first and most evident difference between the 1999 film adaptation and the original play by Shakespeare is the setting. Shakespeare's work is set in Greece, while Hoffman's is set in the turn of the 20th century Tuscany. It was also filmed in Tuscany. "Hoffman moves the action forward in time and sets it in late 19th-Century Tuscany" writes Welsh, but it is questioned whether this "new setting makes sense". Thus Hoffman's version has an immediate difference between that of Shakespeare's which took place in the traditional classical setting."
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Brazil, 2007.
This paper discusses the film 'Brazil' by Terry Gilliam.
2,620 words (approx. 10.5 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 78.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses that Terry Gilliam's 1985 black comedy 'Brazil' uses a bizarre, crowded, and largely dysfunctional urban environment of the future as a way of commenting on the urban environment of our time. The writer points out that the urban world shown in the film reflects a created culture that never existed but that still has familiar elements that would get a response from anyone today. The writer discusses that this film uses this city as a generic city, standing in for the modern city at a time of social unrest, terrorist activity, and the ascendancy of an authoritarian regime. In short, the writer maintains that many observers might see this film as more reflective of our time than when the film was made, though such a convergence would have to be largely accidental.
From the Paper
"In this view, the organic city has been overlaid with a created landscape, one shaped more by political forces and determined reformers of one stamp or another. In this view, these political forces pushed various populations deemed less important into some parts of the city while allowing and even encouraging white flight into suburban areas. In Los Angeles, the suburbs keep moving further from the city core, first into the Hollywood area and the San Fernando Valley, more recently into what is called Canyon Country to the north, as well as into outlying communities all around the city, such as Santa Monica, Culver City, Alhambra, and El Segundo, and others."
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"Rush Hour 2", 2007.
A film review of "Rush Hour 2" focusing on its representation of African-Americans.
1,214 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the representations of African-Americans in the film, "Rush Hour 2", starring Jackie Chan and Christ Tucker. The paper suggests that rather than going against common racial stereotypes, the film instead seems to confirm or play into these negative assumptions about African-Americans. It analyzes specific aspects of the film and quotes film critics in its review of African-American representation.
From the Paper
"This film shows African-Americans in a way, despite the badge that Tucker carries, that is comfortable to American audience stereotypes, rather than in a way that challenges their cultural assumptions. The badge Tucker carries becomes an excuse for allowing a stereotypical depiction of a black man, just as the plot itself is merely an excuse for showing martial arts action sequences, and conventional comic routines that confirm stereotypes yet seem edgy because of the language that is used by Tucker's character. European audiences, reared on American cultural stereotypes, were equally, sadly, receptive to this depiction while uncomprehending Asian audiences merely waited for their beloved Jackie Chan's more culturally comprehensible next film."
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Canadian Cinema, 2007.
This paper discusses the themes of identity, race and ethnicity in Canadian cinema.
2,166 words (approx. 8.7 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 67.95
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Abstract
In this paper, the writer notes that identity is tied to the construction of ethnicity in the art of 20th century Canadian cinema and notions of modern Canadian ethnicity are created through the vehicle of art. Young Canadians must come to grips with their senses of themselves as both Canadian and a member of a particular ethnic group, or a hyphenated ethnic group. The writer maintains that art, although an imperfect medium, becomes a fertile but problematic place to engage in self-analysis and a search for national identity. The writer concludes that what is interesting in the films mentioned in the paper, however, is not their final thesis, or the characters' ultimate destination, but the willingness to struggle with complicated notions of ethnicity and identity in art, even while the postmodern and self-referential aesthetic of the films ultimately suggests that to find a final answer is impossible.
From the Paper
"This theme is most potently evidenced in Egoyan's 1993 film entitled "Calendar." In this self-referential film, Egoyan casts himself in the role of an Armenian-Canadian filmmaker, who has been commissioned to produce a series of artfully staged pictures of churches for a touristy calendar. These photographs are, the film suggests, a manufactured art, and are meant to embody the way that an 'other' ethnicity is often rendered palatable to a mainstream audience in Canada, as a commodity rather than as a living, evolving product of humanity. Buildings, rather than human beings are the focus of the photographer's frame, and the cinematic techniques of the film force the viewer to see the churches through his orderly, artistic gaze as he renders Armenia beautiful, static, and unchanging."
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"Boyz N the Hood", 2007.
An analysis of the representation of African-American manhood in the film, "Boyz N the Hood"
1,290 words (approx. 5.2 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how "Boyz N the Hood" (1991) is a film that attempts to speak truth to power, and counteract some of the negative stereotypes of young black men in Hollywood films. It looks at how, instead of ignoring the plague of violence and hopelessness in the inner cities of America, the film takes these stereotypes on and attempts to render the difficulties and challenges of the African-American experience with dignity and hope.
From the Paper
"The title frame statistic also politicizes the representations of the characters in the film. These characters are not simply individuals enduring their own psychological turmoil rather the struggles the characters face are endemic to a larger social condition in America. It is often considered dismissive to say that someone is merely a statistic. But these young men are potentially statistics, the film suggests, and that is not a reduction of their plight, rather it is a claim for the film's relevance beyond its duration on a screen. The film is a call to action. Whether the characters go to college, care for their children, or end up in the gutter is not merely 'their' business, or an interesting plot twist, their lives and by extension black lives in the hood are something that is vitally important for all Americans, particularly black Americans to care about and change. "
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"Colors", 2007.
An analysis of the disputes portrayed in the film "Colors," directed by Dennis Hopper.
703 words (approx. 2.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the 1988 film, "Colors," directed by Dennis Hopper and starring Sean Penn and Robert Duvall. It describes the film's portrayal of the relationship between the police and gangs, as well as the relationship between the police and young men in "the neighborhood." It also briefly discusses gender differences in the way people handle disputes.
From the Paper
"Moreover, Bell & Forde (1999) report on a research study that shows gender differences in the way people handle disputes. Aggression is strongest in male-male confrontations. For this reason, it would make sense to put more women on police forces. Women know how to bring calm to stressful situations. They tend automatically to use communication to solve problems to begin with rather than escalating bad situations with physical force. Physical force is not all there is to being "tough." The world needs more moral courage and less physical. Police officers who are level-headed and know how to relate to people are going to be more effective than hot-heads who are continually feeding their own egos. Training in effective communication skills could help police officers in getting information to combat crime. And intensive training in decision making while under pressure would also be very useful."
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Antidote for Gangs, 2007.
This paper suggests that a lack of emotional connections is the reason why children join gangs.
750 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 26.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer points out that the future of society depends on our children's achievement today. However, the writer notes that some children do not get the opportunities they need in order to achieve success. Further, the writer discusses that a disorderly environment is not conducive to good citizenship, good health, or emotional balance.
Looking at the film "Boyz in the Hood', the writer notes that typically, society responds to the problems of youth by constructing some sort of program to meet the individual problem (such as teen pregnancy or gang involvement).
From the Paper
"Such programs may have limited value, however, because they simply treat the problem and not the whole person. Society itself doesn't change. Moreover, children "at risk" are more than their problems--they are whole human beings with infinite potential. They need adults to believe in their potential and not treat them as though their problems were all that is important about them. A child like Darrin in the film whose mother hates him for some reason and who has no father to show him how to be a man is not simply vulnerable to gang membership and delinquency. His whole situation--his lovelessness and the ugliness of his environment--needs to be addressed."
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"A Face in the Crowd", 2007.
This paper analyzes the character and leadership of Lonesome Larry Rhodes in Elia Kazan's 1957 production "A Face in the Crowd."
861 words (approx. 3.4 pages), 0 sources, $ 30.95
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Abstract
The paper portrays how Lonesome Larry Rhodes' power-hungry and self-centered attitudes cause his downfall. The film shows how a lack of personal integrity can lead to failure and discusses how Machiavellian leadership is fundamentally amoral. The paper examines the other characters and shows how Marcia Jeffries comes to terms with her own power-hungry and selfish attitudes while Mel and Joey also participate in the American quest for fame. The paper discusses the film's secondary message that the media is used as a means for social control.
From the Paper
"A Machiavellian leader is unavoidably a lonesome leader, like Lonesome Larry Rhodes in Elia Kazan's 1957 production A Face in the Crowd. Played by Andy Griffith, Rhodes is an unlikable and sleazy character much like a Machiavellian ruler who looks down on the rest of the world. Moreover, Rhodes becomes a Machiavellian leader by emphasizing power over everything else, including ethics. Even when Lonesome Rhodes is first discovered in prison he was a power-hungry and arrogant man. The changes that take place during the course of A Face in the Crowd are not deep character transformations."
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"Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe", 2007.
This paper discusses the book "The Many Lives Of Marilyn Monroe" by Sarah Churchwell.
822 words (approx. 3.3 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 29.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that Sarah Churchwell's work on Monroe could very well have redefined our understanding of this enigmatic figure. The writer maintains that Sarah Churchwell's book "The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe" is the most comprehensive look at the life of the iconic movie star ever produced. The writer relates that Churchwell's premise within the book is that the real Marilyn Monroe is an individual who had immense psychological and personal problems, which she dealt with through the glitz and glamor of her celebrity profile. The writer concludes that Churchwell paints a story that does not rely on fiction and mystique. Rather, in the final analysis, one encounters the story of the real Monroe and finds that the truth is in fact even more impressive than fiction.
From the Paper
"She explores the central premise behind Monroe by examining her deeper motives. Monroe is exposed as an individual who is very uncertain of her identity. Perhaps because of her beauty, she is revealed to be an individual who has had little to no deep personal connections with others. It is only through the power of her body that Monroe possesses the fame that she won in her audiences. The strength of this power is also what alienated her from the rest of the world, as people treated her as a glamour figure and sexual icon rather than an individual with her own personality and thoughts. Churchwell dwells especially on Monroe's strong desire for motherhood. She interprets this action as a yearning for closeness with someone. Monroe saw motherhood as a mechanism to find the missing pieces within her life and to bind a truly cerebral relationship with someone. With the failure to become pregnant was when she seriously became depressed and eventually prepared for her death."
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Laura Mulver and 'Some Like It Hot', 2007.
This paper analyzes "Some Like it Hot" in light of Laura Mulvey's essay 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema'.
3,059 words (approx. 12.2 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 89.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that criticizing film is a very recent phenomenon, and potential critics are testing all possible avenues of criticism and methods of analysis. The writer discusses that Laura Mulvery tried, in her essay 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema', to base a feminist analysis of film in Sigmund Freud's theories of penis envy and sexual deviation. The writer relates that the problem of analyzing the film "Some Like it Hot" in relation to Laura Mulvey's writing is that she does not prove her point very well in her essay. The writer concludes that this essay does not claim that narrative film has had no effect upon perpetuating anti-feminist attitudes, but maintains that when people become aware through media literacy, it has little effect.
From the Paper
"Ultimately, the creator(s) of the narrative, whether in a book, a poem or any other medium, will both mirror and attempt to modify the culture of their audience. The techniques used by directors and cinematographers enhance the narrative messages and themes, but are not responsible for them unless the messages and themes of the visual form of the film are in direct opposition to those of the narrative. In this sort of case, which is very rare, the audience may leave with many different impressions, according to the baggage they bring with them (Rosenblatt 1935), and how they viewed the film, as in paying more attention the narratives of either the visuals or the text. One possible example of this technique is the film "Apocalypse Now", directed by Francis Ford Cuppola, where Cuppola often had visuals on the screen which contradicted the text, in addition to using camera angles, frames and other cinematographic techniques to negate the message of the text."
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Rebellion in Canadian Cinema, 2007.
An analysis of the representation of rebellion in Canadian cinema as compared to American and British cinema.
1,911 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 0 sources, MLA, $ 61.95
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Abstract
This paper argues that Canadian films such as "Goin' Down the Road"(1970), directed by Donald Shebib and "Nobody Waved Goodbye"(1964), directed by Donald Owen, ultimately suggest that Canada has not yet found its solution to the problems of societal rebellion and tension and neither adolescents nor adults can articulate an ideology of meaningful resistance.
From the Paper
" The film's jerky camera motions, overlapping dialogue, and clumsy scene splicing highlights this unfinished nature as well. Peter is an unfinished person, isolated even from other people his own age, and the only coherent windows on his life are provided by the jumps and jerks of the confined black-and-white cinematic lens. Unlike the delinquents of America who gleefully flee to the open road with a sense of possibility, to Peter the nation of Canada is so vast, so isolate and rural, that he feels he has nowhere to go within its borders, even when he is driving in a (stolen) car. "
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