Man With a Movie Camera

Watch the film...

http://www.archive.org/details/ChelovekskinoapparatomManWithAMovieCamera

Your Looking at Movies textbook has a nice quote about Vertov and his film on page 428.

Vertov shows us how to frame reality and movement: through the human eye and the camera eye, or through windows and shutters. But to confound us, he also shows us--through such devices as the freeze-frame, split screen, stop-action, slow motion, and fast motion--how the cinematographer and editor can transform the movements of life into something that is unpredictable. He not only proves that the camera has a life of its own, but also reminds us of the editor, who is putting all of this footage together. Reality may be in the control of the artist, his camera, and its tricks, but it also finds definition within the editor's presentation and, ultimately, the viewer's perception.

In your first well-developed paragraph, please discuss this quote in relation to a five minute piece ofMan With a Movie Camera. Be sure to describe shots cinematically, as if I've never seen the film before. Discuss elements of editing, such as the juxtaposition of shots, rhythm, montage, etc.

In your second well-developed paragraph, discuss this quote in relation to a film of your choice. Try to be as specific as possible in your descriptions and speak cinematically when you discuss the film. If you'd like to come into the library during a free period to watch a clip of a film I have that you've seen, please see me. Remember: the earlier the better.

Due: Monday, December 1

Bride of Frankenstein

Joseph Lanza, in his essay, states:

"While demystifying the horror, Whale does, however, manage to weave more subversion into this Hays-era production than in any of his other films. The slant on sacrilege (already present in Frankenstein) is here augmented ad absurdum."

Think cinematically about this quote and discuss it in 3 well-developed paragraphs. I want to hear about SPECIFIC influences on this film from German Expressionism, as well as any sociocultural influences. ALL DISCUSSIONS SHOULD BE CINEMATIC. This means choosing a scene to analyze! It also means using your vocabulary to tell me exactly what is on the screen and what the director is trying to imply to the viewer.

Take your time and have fun with this one.

Due: Tuesday, November 13.

Metropolis

R. L. Rutsky, in the handout on Metropolis that I gave you last week, states: "Metropolis is...a film that is jammed almost to the point of incoherence with ideas, references, allusions, and visualizations: from Oedipal triangles to Christian symbols, from futuristic modern architecture to Gothic cathedrals, from mythical figures and biblical quotations to the latest technological marvels."

Choose a theme you see in Metropolis and one 5 minute scene in the film and ANALYZE it using your chosen theme. Analyze mise-en-scene (lighting, costume, shot composition, etc.) and cinematography of the scene. In 3 well developed paragraphs, be sure to analyze deeply and DESCRIPTIVELY. I want an image in my mind when I read your response.

Due: Friday, November 9