Unpicking the monstrous: A Psychoanalytic and Marxist analysis of Alien.

Contents Title Page: Page 2 Analysis: Pages 3-12 Conclusion: Pages 12-13 Bibliography: Page 14 Name: Liam Stott English and Film & Media Studies Level Two Unit Title: FS299 - Critical Approaches to Media Research Unit Tutor: Marc O' Day Course Leaders: Marc O' Day/Melanie Selfe Assignment 2: Negotiated Essay 'Unpicking the monstrous: A Psychoanalytic and Marxist analysis of Alien.' Barbara Creed states that the convergence of psychoanalysis and cinema studies initiated at the end of the nineteenth century. Since the 1900s, psychoanalysis has endured a complicated history because of its elusive concepts and theoretical influences, particularly in post-1970s psychoanalytic film theory. Throughout the 1970s, psychoanalysis informed and contributed to other cinematic critical approaches such as post-colonial theory, queer theory, feminist film theory and body theory (Creed in Hill and Gibson, 2000: 75-77). Alien (dir. Ridley Scott, 1979) is a significantly psychoanalytic film, symbolically underpinned by a range of psychoanalytic notions such as sexuality, the unconscious, phallicised, primal phantasies (Lebeau, 2001: 7), the woman as an actively sadistic monster and the cinematic voyeuristic male gaze at the expense of female sexual objectification (Taylor in Jancovich and Hollows, 1995: 151). However, Alien cannot only be interpreted through the critical approach

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Still Frame Analysis : American Gangster. The dominant in this frame is Denzel Washington. The eye is attracted to his character first as he is centered on the screen and is in sharper focus

Still Frame Analysis: . Dominant: The dominant in this frame is Denzel Washington. The eye is attracted to his character first as he is centered on the screen and is in sharper focus than the other characters and objects on screen. Lighting also makes Washington the dominant as a shaft of light highlights him while causing the other characters in the shot to be darkened by shadow. 2. Lighting Key: Low key lighting. There is detail within the shadows. 3. Shot and camera proxemics: Medium Shot. The camera is close to the nearest characters within the shot, but the focus of the shot is on Washington, who is further away. 4. Angle: Eye-level shot. The subjects are all seated, and the camera is placed as though the audience was seated in the same room, eyes at the same level as the characters. It is not highly dramatic from an Angle sense. From the angle alone, no power relationship is being suggested. 5. Color values: The scene is set in a lounge of some sort. Color is not really used for symbolism here. All four characters are Black Americans. The two males closest to the camera are not illuminated enough to see the color of their outfits. Washington is dressed in dull colours (black, brown, grey). The set is also very dull. The female character has red hair, and red and purple clothing, which, is the the only colour contrast. Perhaps this is just to symbolize her

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Billy Elliot - Billys struggle against gender roles discussed.

Essay "Billy Elliot" Billy´s struggle against gender role restrictions for the opportunity to dance ballet is compared in the film with Jackie´s fight as a striker against his company. This happens on two narrative levels. To be more precise, the desperate fight of the miners that Billy´s father supports at the beginning, as well as he can, is displayed by the useless efforts to prevent Billy from developing into a good ballet dancer and becoming sophisticated. The industrial progress taking place in the depressed area and the cultural advance in Billy´s family cannot be prevented -neither by his father nor by anyone else as the end concluding scenes of the film shows. A scene demonstrating this parallel quite vividly is the (also) parallel sequence where Billy in a lesson works hard to improve his dancing on the one hand and the police defeat the striking workers in their own neighborhood on the other. Taking a look at Billy´s part in the film, I would even say that Billy does not only achieve a cultural education for himself, but he is the one who who makes culture and new working class values accessible to his family. For instance he does not only start to learn ballet, but he also shows an interest in the content described in famous stories such as "Swan Lake". He is the one who thinks differently. No one else in his family would have the courage to behave like

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How does the usage of cinematography and editing in Michael Haneke's "Code Unknown" reinforce the lack of communication between characters?

FS1505 22 March 2011 Essay Emmi Makiharju How does the usage of cinematography and editing in Code Unknown reinforce the lack of communication between characters? Code Unknown: Incomplete Tales of Several Journeys is the most technical film of Austrian director Michael Haneke. Haneke is known for his minimalist approach both in technical and artistic terms. His editing is always meticulous and the cinematography and narratives are eccentric to say the least. Code Unknown follows the lives of four characters and their families who manage to somehow create havoc to each others existence. The film is composed of 46 scenes of which most are tracking shots, the longest lasting approximately nine minutes, without cuts. The scenes are abruptly cut, separated by a black screen that creates a mosaic reality, which is also visible in the narrative of the film. (Horton 2001) Haneke's films scrutinize the modern world, and Code Unknown especially explores communication and its importance in society and alienation that the contemporary world creates. The most visible form of cinematography in the film Code Unknown is the long take. Nearly all scenes are made with few or no cuts. The long take is an alternative to a series of shots, and is a strong creative resource. A long take, in this case, evokes emotions in the viewer without forcing it. In a series of short takes, the

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Cinema of Attractions and it relation to the perceived audience of early cinema. Early film makers used the new technology of cinema to display a variety of attractions to audiences in a style coined by Tom Gunning as cinema of attractions.

Cinema of Attractions and its relation to the perceived audience of early cinema New technologies invented during the industrial era inspired the experimentation with moving images that eventually lead to the birth of cinema. (Cavendish 2008, pp. 001-1008) Early film makers used the new technology of cinema to display a variety of attractions to audiences in a style coined by Tom Gunning as 'cinema of attractions'. (Gunning 1993) Cinema of attractions was a style used to address and appeal to the audiences of the time, who were accustomed to a theatricalism, display, and exhibitionist style in popular culture. (Lewis 2007, pp. 7-12) Ostentatious media and advertising (Tungate 2007, pp. 25-29) along with extravaganza-style live performances (Lewis 2007, p. 3) helped build the culture for which the style of cinema of attractions was appropriate. According to Gunning, cinema of attractions refers to a style of cinema that interacted directly with the audience, luring them in and inviting them to partake and immerse themselves in a show of exhibitionist images. (Gunning 1993) Jennifer Bean describes "hysteria, or shock, or astonishment" as the key aesthetic of this early cinema. (Bean 2004, p. 23) While the term 'silent film' is often used to describe the films of this period, Andre Gaudreault explains they were in fact fundamentally audio-visual,

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Conflicts exist between different ideas and theories of realism. Describe and explain these conflicts.

Conflicts exist between different ideas and theories of realism. Describe and explain these conflicts. 'Realism' permeates the very deepest level of philosophical thought. From the wildest cosmogonical fantasies to the ways in which people deal with every conscious moment, 'realism' is impossible to ignore. Everything is either a precept to, or a contingency of, our views on realism. The debates surrounding all these ideas lie far beyond the remit of this essay. This essay seeks to debate the arguments of the pre-eminent thinkers associated with realism in terms of film. Then to provide a philosophical basis for their opinions, by which their arguments shall be weighted. It is necessary therefore, to establish this basis - this 'value system' - by which the arguments shall be judged. David Hume's theories of epistemology shall form the basis of this 'value system'. Every aspect of our knowledge is gained by experience: Specifically by sensual experience of the physical world. In this respect, reality is not ontological, it is the sum of our sensual and rational experiences. It is not a precept, it is an existential conclusion of the world in which we live, and the way we experience it; and the sum of this we call reality. It is purely descriptive; a conclusion of perception. The electromagnetic radiation to which our retina is sensitive, the variations in

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Film Studies essay - Gladiator.

Film Studies essay - Gladiator Helen gammons 11 D An analysis of the opening frames of "Gladiator" exploring: * What is established? * What questions are raised ? *The film techniques used, and the effect of these. In the opening sequence to "Gladiator" the director uses clever techniques to stir emotions from the audience. In the background to the scenes that appear on screen there is eerie music used to give the film an uneasy atmosphere. The director has cleverly used the colours of smoke and fire in the opening title to subtly merge all the images together. Here the classic Dream works emblem has been adapted to blend into the frame. It is tinged with sepia colours to help the images fade from the logo into a misty foggy atmosphere. The director has felt it necessary that we know the background to the story, so blocks of text appear on the screen giving a brief historical outline to the story. All the while there is a sound bridge to let us know that these images are linked. The music playing is non-diagetic as it does not correspond with what we see on screen , however it is a parallel sound as it creates the right mood and helps to increase the tension. After these images there is a straight cut to a man walking through a field of barley. We merely see the man's head and his arm. His arm is dressed with a cuff and a ring, which seem to suggest that he is a Roman

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Examine the tension between life 'in the city' and life 'in nature' as depicted in Ingmar Bergman's film Summer with Monika.

Examine the tension between life 'in the city' and life 'in nature' as depicted in Ingmar Bergman's film Summer with Monika. Set in 1950s Sweden, 'Summer with Monika' is a film which, through various technological and plot related methods brings up the contemporary issue of conflict between urban living and a more traditional life style. Bergman employs multiple cinematic techniques as well as paralleling the urban versus rural tension through the artificial and strained relationship of the two protagonists and 'lover'; Monika and Harry. Although their relationship ends with the inarguable fact that their opposites have prevailed and affections diminished, the way Bergman represents the two settings as initially of having stark differences, but then occasionally making suggestions of their harmonious similarities, leaves the audience feeling a little conclusive about the relationship between the two environments. The opening sequence is perhaps one of the most important to analyse in terms of the city is represented. The first montage introduces the audience to the city's boundaries; softly focused establishing shots looking out from the harbour create a calming impression of the environment for the audience. The lack of non-diagetic music and the slow fading dissolves between shots also add to the feeling of serene naturalness of the less built up world. The last dissolve

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Nick Parks stated that his animated film "Chicken Run" was based on the classic war film "The Great Escape". In what ways are the two films similar?

Nick Parks stated that his animated film "Chicken Run" was based on the classic war film "The Great Escape". In what ways are the two films similar? "The Great Escape" is a war/ action film with spectacular stunts and special effects directed by John Sturges. It stars many famous actors: Steve McQueen, James Garnett and Richard Attenborough. It was made in 1963 and set in the 1940's in a German prisoner of war camp, where 250 men need to escape from to distract the enemy from fight the war. Around 12 RAF officers set out to tunnel their way out. "Chicken Run" (2000) is a children's comedy about chickens needing to escape from Mr. Tweedy's farm or else they will be put into pies. They need to learn how to fly in order to escape the dreaded pie-making machine. Chicken Run was directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park who have also co-directed Wallace and Gromit, another children's classic. The film stars Mel Gibson, Tony Haygarth and Miranda Richardson. Both films are very similar on general plot, they are both about "people" trying to escape wrongful imprisonment but keep getting caught whenever they attempt to escape. However, the plots differ extremely when you look at them in more detail. Chicken run is about chickens trying to escape a chicken farm because they would get eaten if they didn't. Great escape is about soldiers trying to escape from a camp because it is their

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The Filmmaking of Quentin Tarantino

The Filmmaking of Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino is perhaps the most distinctive and volatile talent to emerge in American film in the last 15years. Unlike the previous generation of American filmmakers, Tarantino learned his craft from his days as a video clerk, rather than as a film school student. Consequently, he developed an audacious fusion of pop culture and independent art house cinema; his films are distinguished as much by their clever, twisting dialogue as their outbursts of extreme violence. Tarantino is one of the very few filmmakers in the contemporary film industry who can be seen as an auteur. Being an auteur means that you're ascribed overall responsibility for the creation of a film and its personal vision, identifiable style, thematic aspects and techniques, that you are the 'true' authors of film (rather than the screenwriters) because you exercise such control over all facets of film making and impart a distinctive, personal style to your films. Tarantino's personal style incorporates a lot of well thought out violence, swearing, repetitive casting, and many other filming techniques, all of which earn him the elusive title of auteur. Violence plays a key role in Tarantino's films and in particular his first three: Reservoir Dogs, Jackie Brown and Pulp Fiction which I will be mainly focusing on today. Violence is prevalent in "reservoir Dogs",

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