Blog Question #3: Whiplash and the American Ideal

 In Whiplash (directed by Damien Chazelle) the cinematic conventions of mise-en-scene, cinematography, narrative, sound, and editing to tell the tale of a zealous musician who aspires to be one of The Greats (alongside legendary drummer Buddy Rich), and his paternalistic (and often abusive) mentor Fletcher (played by J.K. Simmons) who demands perfection in his endless search for the next Charlie Parker. Whiplash reaches heights of tension and drama that is palpable, and a  physically domineering performance by J.K. Simmons lends animalistic violence in scenes where there is no physical contact between his character and Andrew (played by Miles Teller).

With cinematography, specifically low camera angles and framed shots, J.K. Simmons is shown to be dominant. The low camera angles specifically occur as Fletcher is "on the prowl", and he starts to verbally circle the student(s) he's going to pick on. Then, as Fletcher pounces, the camera angle is a close-up of the student in question and Fletcher's face, usually at a slight angle towards Fletcher to make him more dominant. This excruciating intimacy brings the viewers into the discomforting space of the student, who's reaction sends a response to our brain that makes us uncomfortable.

The sound of Whiplash was most prominent, and every musical set-piece brings us into Andrew's world, first by the amateurish sounds of his Shaffer Conservatory class where everyone is like Andrew, they all want a chance to be in Fletcher's band. Once Andrew is invited to play with Fletcher, the sound difference is upgraded to reflect the higher level of skill of its ensemble players who have grown accustomed to Fletcher's abuse. Andrew's drumming skills are put to the test, and as the movie continues, Andrew's growing pains become our own, and we can hear the difference.

The conflict of Whiplash can be easily paralleled to the cultural ideology of conservatism versus liberalism as encapsulated by this quote: 

 

"We cannot all be winners without winning losing its meaning, because a trophy that everyone gets is no trophy at all."  -Morgan Marietta (A Citizen’s Guide to American Ideology)

 

While it would be easy to cite Fletcher as the main conflict for Andrew, this is not true. He is actually actively fighting against, in every scene, the mediocrity of his family (represented by the image of his down-trodden father [played by Paul Riser]). For Andrew, and for anyone aspiring to be great, they must hold true to their ideal and not let anyone quash it, unless they want to end up being like everyone else.

Blog #2: Film Noir (Touch of Evil and Cape Fear Analysis)

1.
"[Noir] is a descent into Hell both externally and internally from which you can't escape until it's over with." -Kathryn Bigelow 

In Touch of Evil, the main characters Vargas, Susie, and Uncle Grandi are caught in Quinlan's conspiracy. It is interesting to see how each character affects another. The events inTouch of Evil are set into motion when the bomb goes off in the opening sequence. "Hell" resides within the character of Quinlan, who is doomed even before the movie starts. He is on a straight and narrow path to self-destruction. This differs from the other characters, who are dragged along with Quinlan until he is finally put down.

2.
"[The femme fatale] is very strong, very smart, and she's extremely sexual." -Janey Place

Suzie from Touch of Evil has one of the characteristics that Janey Place describes here: Extreme sexuality. This shows in the way she attracts Grandi and how she outstretches in the hotel bed. Her body is what attracts Jo Grandi to make a deal with Quinlan to rid of Vargas, Grandi wants to move in on her. Orson Welles creates an atypical femme fatale with Suzie. Welles probably wanted to show that a femme fatale could be innocent, especially since most noir films had never done that before. It is difficult to argue that Suzie is also intelligent and strong (given that she is overpowered and kidnapped easily). However, I think if Vargas had kept her around, she might have proved useful to distract Grandi while Vargas investigated. Tanya is mysterious and beautiful, and keeps her eyes on Quinlan. She sees him for who he is, and in this way the audience can begin to doubt Quinlan with Tanya's skeptical glare. For the most part, Tanya stays out of trouble. She is the opposite of Suzie, making sure not to flaunt herself. She is intelligent and strong (she owns her own business).

3.

 In Touch of Evil the Mexican border is the first night scene we see. The blackness of the surrounding desert heightens the idea of darkness around a speck of light (Vargas' hometown). Deep focus is used to show men following Suzie as she walks back to the safety of her hotel. Deep focus allows us to see Grandi's men running in the streets, we can focus on either one. In the scene where Suzie is harassed from the building across the street with a man shining a light at her face. This is dramatic light and shadow. When Suzie answers by screwing the light-bulb off and throws it, Welles is subverting another noir cliche.

4.

Scorsese implements wide angle close-up shots (subject is facing the audience, but talking to a person behind them) multiple times. Shadow begins to overtake the Bowden household, which appears bright and cheery in the beginning, but slowly gets darker as Mrs. Bowden and  Danielle take refuge in the confines of the home. Cape Fear is shot in the alleys and streets of a real city (on-location Fort Lauderdale, Florida). There are scenes when real passerby can be seen. Heavy use of green screens differentiate Cape Fear from classic noir, as does the sexual threat posed by Max Cady (DeNiro). Scorsese, like noir, doesn't show anything he's not supposed to show (avoiding censorship), but the assault on both Danielle (Juliette Lewis) and Lori Davis (Illeana Douglas) are graphic because of what the viewer imagines occurs. The assault on Davis is external physical violence, while Danielle's molestation is that of an internal tainting. Bowden (Nick Nolte) is an imperfect candidate as a noir protagonist. He fits the bill since he is corruptible in trying to start a relationship with his colleague and how he handles Cady's case 14 years prior. Color photography in Cape Fear is used to show sexual arousal, and impulse, as in the fireworks scene when red, green, and yellow filters are used.

Blog #1: My Ideal Movie

Shaun of the Dead (2004) directed by Edgar Wright is my ideal movie, which blends the zombie horror and comedy genres. The movie is part of the Cornetto trilogy. I watched the tv-series Spaced, which was a short-lived British surreal comedy starring both Pegg and Nick Frost. Edgar Wright used many editing techniques and cuts that add to the comedic gags of both Shaun of the Dead and Spaced. There multiple layers of comedy in the movie, all centered around watching a grown man having to face life in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Several pop-cultural references (including some paying homage to Spaced), are easy to miss with Wright's fast-paced editing. It is both parody on the horror genre, and social critique. He crams humor with efficiency, poking fun at zombie tropes, the drudgery of the British middle class, and spoofs horror cliches. 

Shaun of the Dead (2004), Kate Ashfield, Dylan Moran, Simon Pegg, Penelope Wilton, and Nick Frost (Left to Right)

Wright goes on to direct Hot Fuzz and At World's End, which work hand-in-hand with Shaun of the Dead as buddy comedies. The timing of the comedy is very precise, and could not have been pulled off without attention to detail in sound, the actors' range, chemistry between characters, and clever dialogue. This movie is the perfect horror spoof and can be watched again and again to find subtle or even hidden jokes.