In The Wizard of Oz by Salman Rushdie, the impact of the famous movie on a young Rushdie is retold through his adult eyes. The book is a blend of both East and West as Rushdie comments on a childhood where he envisioned the journey to London as a trip to Oz. It is a blending of two cultures as is the very nature of the Indian video on YouTube. The children are singing in their Western-style uniforms, their teacher counts them down in English, and there is a picture of Jesus Christ hanging over the stage. Both sources point out the implicit impact the Western world has over all other societies.
On page 36 of The Wizard of Oz, Rushdie mentions the palpable tension among the studio heads at MGM and Disney during the early 20th century. Rushdie mentions Disney versus MGM to transition into the story of the Munchkins found in the film and their legendary stories:
Few of the Munchkins could actually speak English (the songs had to be post-synched). They weren’t actually required to do much in the movie. They made up for this by their activities off camera, and though some film historians nowadays try to play down the legends of carousing, sexual shenanigans and general mayhem, the legend of the Munchkin horde cutting a swathe through Hollywood will not lie down easily. (Rushdie 40)
Though the stories aren’t told one can only imagine the ruckus these little people seemed to be making per the accounts that Rushdie was elaborating on in his quote above. They come off rowdy and playful, just like the little Indian children of the YouTube video. At 0:31 of the video, the camera frames a small group of the children who seem to be misbehaving on the side, away from all the organized action taking place on the stage. It is hard to tell whether or not this self-exclusion has a purpose to the general piece. However, one can also make the case that it is simply playful and should be expected because the attention span of a small child is somewhat tested when it comes to large orchestrated numbers that include dancing and singing.
Not only are the children singing and dancing, they are reliving what is the experience of the film that is The Wizard of Oz like a stunt double would when performing the harrowing stunts too dangerous for the actors. Rushdie has this idea that “we are all the stars’ doubles,” (Rushdie 46) and we because of the impact that each main character has on the audience the viewer gets sucked into the world that is Oz. This idea is manifested in the dance number that the children are taught to re-create from the film. They are now the Indian stunt doubles for the film’s actors, re-enacting what may be their favorite piece, fulfilling their insatiable hunger for stories from the Western world.
The last paragraph of the first part in Rushdie’s The Wizard of Oz, he reveals his own take of the ending of the film stating:
….that the real secret of the ruby slippers is not that ‘there’s no place like home’, but rather there is no longer any such place as home: except, of course, for the home we make, or the homes that are made for us, in Oz: which is anywhere, and everywhere, except the place from which it began. (Rushdie 57)
This statement at what can be considered as the end of his take of the film can also apply to the global culture of the today; to all the once colonized countries of the developing world and the identity crisis ensuing from the sudden pull-out. The country of India, under heavy British colonial rule had to forge their home. The country had to consider what it was before and after the cultural invasion of the Anglos. In the end, the Western world sees a hybridity that blends together, two cultures resulting in a beautiful symphony of off-tempo children!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Blog 7 What would Fredric Jameson say about this Mona Lisa?
Jameson would look at this piece and say that it is an example of the end of Modernism because it destroys the notion of the traditional Mona Lisa and puts her painting in to the context of today’s world because of the popularity of the televeision show, The Simpsons. This painting signals the coming of the future, the coming of the end, as stated in Jameson’s essay, what may be constituted as the definition of Post Modernism. He states that it is this idea of premonitions of the future that will be either catastrophic or redemptive. In this case, it is catastrophic because the photo destroys the aura behind the traditional Mona Lisa and everything that she represented. It is postmodern.
Jameson also goes on to describe Postmodernism as a sort of revolt, social or political defiance against what was once considered even the highest of modernism from before the 1950s and 60s. The picture of the Simpsonized Mona Lisa goes on to defy all of the social paradigms associated with the piece from the age of its conception. Jameson would label this as a defiance of the social structure adhering to the idea of Mona Lisa, placing it into the realm of what he considers Postmodernism.
Jameson’s view spoken about in the first half of his essay focuses more on the historical side of Postmodern whereas his second half of the essay brings up the idea of Postmodernism being directly related to Capitalism. In the photo, there is a picture of a Simpsonized Mona Lisa. The Simpsons is a television show meant to entertain viewers and make money for its producers and the writers involved. The television industry itself thrives on the idea of profit and capitalism.
Postmodernism is therefore based on Capitalism, at least in our society, because this photograph is meant to attract more people to watching the show. It was created for an audience to attract attention for the sole reason that it breaks the socially accepted standard of the traditional Mona Lisa piece. It causes controversy, much like capitalism, and therefore spurs a profit, while at the same time defying social conventions supporting the idea that the work is postmodern in Jameson's eyes.
Jameson also goes on to describe Postmodernism as a sort of revolt, social or political defiance against what was once considered even the highest of modernism from before the 1950s and 60s. The picture of the Simpsonized Mona Lisa goes on to defy all of the social paradigms associated with the piece from the age of its conception. Jameson would label this as a defiance of the social structure adhering to the idea of Mona Lisa, placing it into the realm of what he considers Postmodernism.
Jameson’s view spoken about in the first half of his essay focuses more on the historical side of Postmodern whereas his second half of the essay brings up the idea of Postmodernism being directly related to Capitalism. In the photo, there is a picture of a Simpsonized Mona Lisa. The Simpsons is a television show meant to entertain viewers and make money for its producers and the writers involved. The television industry itself thrives on the idea of profit and capitalism.
Postmodernism is therefore based on Capitalism, at least in our society, because this photograph is meant to attract more people to watching the show. It was created for an audience to attract attention for the sole reason that it breaks the socially accepted standard of the traditional Mona Lisa piece. It causes controversy, much like capitalism, and therefore spurs a profit, while at the same time defying social conventions supporting the idea that the work is postmodern in Jameson's eyes.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Blog 6 How would Freud describe Jack Bauer's Masculinity?
Freud would probably describe Jack Bauer’s masculinity as an aspect that controls the show. Jack Bauer is a counter-terrorist agent who has a wife and a teenage daughter that he can’t seem to keep an eye on.
Jack Bauer’s masculinity is very apparent in the opening moments of the pilot show where the opening scenes involve Jack playing a board game with his daughter, an activity that would be categorized as gender neutral. Freud would bring up this point because Jack’s masculinity is shown when he chooses to play a board game and not do his daughter’s hair, an activity that would normally be reserved for the mother in the family.
Freud would also describe Jack’s masculinity as repressive because he is assumed to be the head of the family. According to Frued’s theory, there is a point in a male’s life when he stops looking to his mother for comfort and de-familiarizes himself from her and attempts to establish a relationship with the father. He sees that his mother does not have a penis but the father does and this makes him dominant and independent and the son wants to relate to that. Therefore, the male attempts to be the dominiant male for the rest of his life and Jack plays his part well in his family and in the real world, commanding his team. Jack subconsciously exudes these repressive masculine tendencies in his actions because he goes to work whenever he is needed and answers to no one. His wife appears in the pilot to be a stay at home mother. In this case, Jack Bauer’s masculinity overpowers her ability to become a dominant figure in the family. In the pilot, her relationship is secondary in the daughter’s eyes when stacked up to Jack’s.
Jack’s has repressed masculinity because he puts his job above all else in his life. For example, Jack’s sexuality with his wife and the affair with his co-worker is repressed because he needs to protect the country. Jack’s masculine authority in both relationships however is still apparent through his actions and language in both the house and the office. For example, Jack never kisses his wife though he does control the conversation when it comes to talking about a solution to the conflict between his wife and their daughter. Another example appears in the office when Jack hushes his lieutenant when she brings up the affair.
Freud’s theories and their studies were conducted in an age seeming so long ago, though I think they still apply to the family in 24 regardless of the subject matter. Jack is a very masculine character that has repressed childhood memories that shape his actions and his demeanor. Freud idea of the repressive feelings and memories can easily be applied to Jack Bauer.
Jack Bauer’s masculinity is very apparent in the opening moments of the pilot show where the opening scenes involve Jack playing a board game with his daughter, an activity that would be categorized as gender neutral. Freud would bring up this point because Jack’s masculinity is shown when he chooses to play a board game and not do his daughter’s hair, an activity that would normally be reserved for the mother in the family.
Freud would also describe Jack’s masculinity as repressive because he is assumed to be the head of the family. According to Frued’s theory, there is a point in a male’s life when he stops looking to his mother for comfort and de-familiarizes himself from her and attempts to establish a relationship with the father. He sees that his mother does not have a penis but the father does and this makes him dominant and independent and the son wants to relate to that. Therefore, the male attempts to be the dominiant male for the rest of his life and Jack plays his part well in his family and in the real world, commanding his team. Jack subconsciously exudes these repressive masculine tendencies in his actions because he goes to work whenever he is needed and answers to no one. His wife appears in the pilot to be a stay at home mother. In this case, Jack Bauer’s masculinity overpowers her ability to become a dominant figure in the family. In the pilot, her relationship is secondary in the daughter’s eyes when stacked up to Jack’s.
Jack’s has repressed masculinity because he puts his job above all else in his life. For example, Jack’s sexuality with his wife and the affair with his co-worker is repressed because he needs to protect the country. Jack’s masculine authority in both relationships however is still apparent through his actions and language in both the house and the office. For example, Jack never kisses his wife though he does control the conversation when it comes to talking about a solution to the conflict between his wife and their daughter. Another example appears in the office when Jack hushes his lieutenant when she brings up the affair.
Freud’s theories and their studies were conducted in an age seeming so long ago, though I think they still apply to the family in 24 regardless of the subject matter. Jack is a very masculine character that has repressed childhood memories that shape his actions and his demeanor. Freud idea of the repressive feelings and memories can easily be applied to Jack Bauer.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Blog 5 Habermas and the Public Sphere
The public sphere is an environment where the public can speak freely on politics. The definition, according to Habermas, is, “a realm of our social life in which something approaching public opinion can be formed. Access is guaranteed to all citizens.” A public sphere is established whenever individuals assemble to speak freely on topics of politics as they comment on the Daily Koz; a blog devoted to daily politics and the idea of free speech.
The Daily Koz is considered a public sphere because it gives people a virtual area to congregate and comment on the political issues of the day affecting the lives of all Americans. It is not restricted thanks to the first amendment right and there is discussion among the commentators, therefore placing in it the realm of the public sphere.
The discussion is heavily weighed to one side in that Koz is bringing up a topic, whether referencing to a news article and summarizing the main idea, or he does it with YouTube and posts a video and comments on that, beginning a discussion. Often times, if the subject is particularly controversial or popular, the amount of comments on the subject can reach into the hundreds.
The Daily Koz is considered a public sphere because it gives people a virtual area to congregate and comment on the political issues of the day affecting the lives of all Americans. It is not restricted thanks to the first amendment right and there is discussion among the commentators, therefore placing in it the realm of the public sphere.
The discussion is heavily weighed to one side in that Koz is bringing up a topic, whether referencing to a news article and summarizing the main idea, or he does it with YouTube and posts a video and comments on that, beginning a discussion. Often times, if the subject is particularly controversial or popular, the amount of comments on the subject can reach into the hundreds.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Blog 4 Barthe's Essay
“At the level of the literal message, the text replies – in a more or less direct, more or less partial manner – to the question: What is it? (274)”
“The absence of code disintellectualizes the message because it seems to be found in nature the signs of culture. This is without a doubt an important historical paradox: the more technology develops the infusion of information (and notably of images) the more it provides the means of masking the constructed meaning under the appearance of the given meaning. (279)”
“Italianicity is not a Italy, it is the condensed essence of everything that could be Italian, from spaghetti to painting. By accepting to regulate artificially – and if needs be barbarously – the naming of the semes of connotation, the analysis of their form will be rendered easier. (282)”
In Barthe’s essay, Rhetoric of the Image he dissects the art of dissecting an image and its literal meanings and the messages they are trying to convey. He points out the difference between paintings and photographs and how they portray an object with symbolism behind it regardless of the medium.
I chose these three quotes because I felt they pertained and summarized the semiotic process that can be applied to all images, advertisements and other forms of general media withheld from the essay.
The first quote addresses the usage of text compiled over an image and its overt meaning - the blatant message it is supposed to convey to the audience. The text can be subtle, simple or more or less direct with whatever is written. The text for example, Made In America, refers to the American Dream – the hard working American ideal that we are the strongest country and so if it’s made in America, you can’t count on it’s quality. The time and the title are also present though much of the ad and it power stems from the phrase below it. The title answers the question, “What is it?”
The second quote however convoluted it may appear to be, is actually simple in what it means. When Barthes was addressing the differences between a painting and a photograph and how they depict an object he brings up this point that as technology progresses, it gives greater power to the producer, to take away the reality of the object and “mask” its real meaning, substituting it for something of their own. In other words, paintings and photographs are done to replicate a sort of reality though they always fail because it can never be truly re-done. Although the photo was taken probably because this character was merely looking around or behind him, his facial expression gives him this “badass” persona to him. The photo kind of “masks” this meaning and one has to dig deeper in order to truly understand the reason for its usage. These fallacies behind the photograph and paintings allow for greater symbolism within a piece that may not have been the producer’s intentions though it is possible.
Further on in Barthe’s essay I selected the third quote which addresses a much wider aspect of semiotics. The fact that advertising assumes that the viewer can associate and image with a culture, although stereotypical, is effective in selling the product is an interesting point to make clear. In the advertisement for the Sopranos, they have the seagulls flying in front of the Statue of Liberty which symbolizes New York, the tough city, of the American Dream, home of the Italian Mobsters. These symbols and their stereotypes are used on a daily basis to cross cultures and borders in order to appear to broader audiences and more potential customers that may not understand.
“The absence of code disintellectualizes the message because it seems to be found in nature the signs of culture. This is without a doubt an important historical paradox: the more technology develops the infusion of information (and notably of images) the more it provides the means of masking the constructed meaning under the appearance of the given meaning. (279)”
“Italianicity is not a Italy, it is the condensed essence of everything that could be Italian, from spaghetti to painting. By accepting to regulate artificially – and if needs be barbarously – the naming of the semes of connotation, the analysis of their form will be rendered easier. (282)”
In Barthe’s essay, Rhetoric of the Image he dissects the art of dissecting an image and its literal meanings and the messages they are trying to convey. He points out the difference between paintings and photographs and how they portray an object with symbolism behind it regardless of the medium.
I chose these three quotes because I felt they pertained and summarized the semiotic process that can be applied to all images, advertisements and other forms of general media withheld from the essay.
The first quote addresses the usage of text compiled over an image and its overt meaning - the blatant message it is supposed to convey to the audience. The text can be subtle, simple or more or less direct with whatever is written. The text for example, Made In America, refers to the American Dream – the hard working American ideal that we are the strongest country and so if it’s made in America, you can’t count on it’s quality. The time and the title are also present though much of the ad and it power stems from the phrase below it. The title answers the question, “What is it?”
The second quote however convoluted it may appear to be, is actually simple in what it means. When Barthes was addressing the differences between a painting and a photograph and how they depict an object he brings up this point that as technology progresses, it gives greater power to the producer, to take away the reality of the object and “mask” its real meaning, substituting it for something of their own. In other words, paintings and photographs are done to replicate a sort of reality though they always fail because it can never be truly re-done. Although the photo was taken probably because this character was merely looking around or behind him, his facial expression gives him this “badass” persona to him. The photo kind of “masks” this meaning and one has to dig deeper in order to truly understand the reason for its usage. These fallacies behind the photograph and paintings allow for greater symbolism within a piece that may not have been the producer’s intentions though it is possible.
Further on in Barthe’s essay I selected the third quote which addresses a much wider aspect of semiotics. The fact that advertising assumes that the viewer can associate and image with a culture, although stereotypical, is effective in selling the product is an interesting point to make clear. In the advertisement for the Sopranos, they have the seagulls flying in front of the Statue of Liberty which symbolizes New York, the tough city, of the American Dream, home of the Italian Mobsters. These symbols and their stereotypes are used on a daily basis to cross cultures and borders in order to appear to broader audiences and more potential customers that may not understand.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Blog 3
The first quote applies to the Blair Witch Project because the producers of the film tried to create a sense of fear using the woods and the rest of the landscape around the main characters. The beginning of the film was used to establish the witch’s boundaries and what was acceptable to the townspeople. The student documentarians pushed the limits of those boundaries. This creates a real fear for the characters in the film, which crosses over into the viewing audience. In doing so, this eliminates the notion that the aura vanishes when a camera is introduced into the equation mentioned in the quote.
Because the main characters in the film reach out to each other for comfort and a sense a safety from the witch by looking straight into the camera during the movie (in reality trying to look at the person behind the camera), it breaks the fourth wall and puts the audience in the position of the actor. This tactic puts the audience subconsciously into the film. The aura eliminated by the introduction of the camera and the subtraction of the presence of the audience within the vicinity of the actors in the same room, is re-introduced into the mix. We feel the fear from being chased through the woods with these other students. It is like we are sitting in a theatre watching the events unfold, as the students get more and more lost in the woods.
However, with regards to the second quote in the prompt, The Blair Witch Project attempts to cross into the realm of true reality where one feels as though they are in the woods with the actors. Attempting to personify the witch and shooting it with a handheld digital camera draws the audience closer to the students. The choice of a consumer handheld camera helps the audience relate to the actors because most people use them on a daily basis, so we can familiarize and therefore grow closer and feel emotions that help to break down the wall between reality and fantasy.
Because the main characters in the film reach out to each other for comfort and a sense a safety from the witch by looking straight into the camera during the movie (in reality trying to look at the person behind the camera), it breaks the fourth wall and puts the audience in the position of the actor. This tactic puts the audience subconsciously into the film. The aura eliminated by the introduction of the camera and the subtraction of the presence of the audience within the vicinity of the actors in the same room, is re-introduced into the mix. We feel the fear from being chased through the woods with these other students. It is like we are sitting in a theatre watching the events unfold, as the students get more and more lost in the woods.
However, with regards to the second quote in the prompt, The Blair Witch Project attempts to cross into the realm of true reality where one feels as though they are in the woods with the actors. Attempting to personify the witch and shooting it with a handheld digital camera draws the audience closer to the students. The choice of a consumer handheld camera helps the audience relate to the actors because most people use them on a daily basis, so we can familiarize and therefore grow closer and feel emotions that help to break down the wall between reality and fantasy.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Tokyo Story Realism
Tokyo Story was a film unlike any I have ever seen. There was a blatant moral in the end about appreciating your family, reminiscent of Aesop’s Fables from when I was a child. I enjoyed the film, though the breaking of the 180 degree rule from classic Hollywood films threw me off a little bit. The fourth wall was broken to the point where I felt uncomfortable at times.
Practices of Looking had an extensive chapter on the prominent continuity editing technique. It went into great detail on the subject.
Tokyo Story conveys realism in every sense of the word, though a classic Hollywood film edited with continuity in mind only gives the illusion of realism. Tokyo Story to me represented all that a film can portray in real life, the conversations that we have among ourselves and the daily lives that we live. Even though I liked the message, I found it difficult to sit and watch the film because there was a lot included that didn’t need to be included in order for the film to work. Tokyo Story brought us through every word of every conversation through every action, every movement and the unnecessary facets of life that I wasn’t used to seeing in a movie. Maybe its just because I’m so used to the classic Hollywood American style of editing a film.
On the other hand, classic continuity editing cuts down the realism of a film and condenses the actions that in reality would take much longer and much more effort than the film actually conveys to the viewer. This works because our eyes interpret the information that we see and “fill the blanks” so to speak, and the plot continues even though we didn’t see the protagonist go down ALL the flights of stairs. Cutting was always down on action so as to further give the illusion of reality within the subject.
I enjoyed both the reading and the film because they both added a new aspect to keep in mind when creating my films and writing my scripts.
Practices of Looking had an extensive chapter on the prominent continuity editing technique. It went into great detail on the subject.
Tokyo Story conveys realism in every sense of the word, though a classic Hollywood film edited with continuity in mind only gives the illusion of realism. Tokyo Story to me represented all that a film can portray in real life, the conversations that we have among ourselves and the daily lives that we live. Even though I liked the message, I found it difficult to sit and watch the film because there was a lot included that didn’t need to be included in order for the film to work. Tokyo Story brought us through every word of every conversation through every action, every movement and the unnecessary facets of life that I wasn’t used to seeing in a movie. Maybe its just because I’m so used to the classic Hollywood American style of editing a film.
On the other hand, classic continuity editing cuts down the realism of a film and condenses the actions that in reality would take much longer and much more effort than the film actually conveys to the viewer. This works because our eyes interpret the information that we see and “fill the blanks” so to speak, and the plot continues even though we didn’t see the protagonist go down ALL the flights of stairs. Cutting was always down on action so as to further give the illusion of reality within the subject.
I enjoyed both the reading and the film because they both added a new aspect to keep in mind when creating my films and writing my scripts.
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