Gregory Lopez
FILM 2600: Film History
Stagecoach
1. In regards to the screening “Stagecoach”, we discussed in class that it was set in 1880 and involved a variety of themes and roles. The roles include a banker, sheriff, outlaw, prostitute, doctor, wife, salesman, gambler, and stagecoach driver. The themes in Stagecoach consist of different social classes in a compact setting, greed, revenge, redemption, prejudice, discrimination, alcoholism, shame, and empathy. We discussed how the characters in this film all come from different backgrounds with different mind frames and morals. This relates to the screening because in the film, a crowd of unlikely traveling acquaintances find themselves together on the same stagecoach to Cheyenne. They include a drunken doctor, a bar girl who's been thrown out of town, a professional gambler, a traveling liquor salesman, a banker who has decided to steal money, a gunslinger out for revenge and a young woman who’s determined to join her husband whom is an army captain. All are full of mysteries but when they are ambushed by a Geronimo Indian war clan and then a group of outlaws, they come to the conclusion that they must all work together in order to stay alive.
2. The article I chose talks about John Wayne and John Ford’s collaborations, their success, and how they both benefited from each other in regards to “Stagecoach” and other screenings. Most likely because of his long relationship with Wayne, Ford was often seen as a conservative in regards to his films. Within the film "Stagecoach," beats a benevolent heart that shows compassion with a humanitarian nature that reflects the views of Ford and overall talent of Wayne, providing perspective as to why both were so prestigious and well-endowed in their careers. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110801/REVIEWS08/110809999/1004
3. This article relates to the screening because it mainly talks about John Wayne and John Ford’s careers, their relationship, and how their careers were renewed as a result of their collaborations. It discusses how they came together at a promising moment in Ford's career. He was 45. He had directed his first silent films in 1917, along with 9 more. He had experienced awesome success, and won an Academy Award for directing "The Informer" in 1936. But now came his years of triumph. No director of the sound era made more great films more quickly than Ford did when he followed "Stagecoach" with "Young Mr. Lincoln" and "Drums Along the Mohawk," all three in 1939, and then made "The Grapes of Wrath" and "The Long Voyage Home" in 1940 and "Tobacco Road" and "How Green Was My Valley" in 1941, accumulating in that period three nominations and two Oscars for directing. In regards to Wayne, Ford had his eye on John Wayne from the days when he was called Marion Morrison, nicknamed Duke, and was a football player from USC, working summers at 20th Century-Fox. In the decade before "Stagecoach" Wayne worked in about 40 Westerns, from an extra to a lead, without differentiating himself. Ford thought he had the true makings of a star, and decided Wayne was perfect for the key role of the Ringo Kid in "Stagecoach." With Ford’s influence as a director and Wayne’s clout as an actor, it proceeds to discuss how both would continue to make iconic films and later establish themselves as one of the legendary partnerships in film history.
4. A group of strangers traveling on a stagecoach find their journey complicated by the threat of Geronimo Indians and learned many facts about each other in the process. I personally enjoyed the film due to the morals, themes, roles, and overall plot of the movie. I loved how they all didn’t approve of each other in the beginning but came to a common point when they find out they need to stick together in order to stay alive. The suspense and action scenes in the movie really grasped my attention, as well as the whole film in general. Since seeing this film, I have a newfound respect for John Wayne and John Ford.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
"His Girl Friday" Journal
Gregory Lopez
FILM 2600:Film History
Dr.Cathleen Londino
Journal
His Girl Friday
1) In relation to what we discussed in class and the motion picture “His Girl Friday”, it’s evident that they both deal with screwball comedy. In the movie, there is a consistent battle of the sexes. The warring Walter Burns and Hildy Johnson constantly collide through fast-paced, witty dialogue complemented by intriguing and unique characteristics and personalities displayed by the two. This battle clearly portrays the components of a screwball comedy. Hildy Johnson was portrayed as an “equal” amongst her male peers in the movie. It was almost as if she was like “one of the guys”. This is compelling simply due to the discrimination towards women during the early 1900s; She surpassed the traditional role of women in movies at the time due to her dominant nature and sarcastic demeanor in the film. This is also confirmed due to the fact that the change in this version of the movie is that the role of Hildy Johnson was converted from male to female, thus showing the growth of importance and significance of women’s roles in movies and everyday life. It made it clear that women are equal to men in many aspects and in general
2) The article I chose basically explains why “His Girl Friday” was proclaimed the No. 13 best comedy of all-time. It explains how this movie jump-started the careers of plenty journalists and showed that women could take on lead roles in screwball comedies. This was the second screen version of Hecht and MacArthur's popular stage play, The Front Page, which was eloquently directed by Howard Hawks. He decided in an inspirational and detrimental moment that the Hildy Johnson character would work best as a woman. It states that when Burns gets the news that she is leaving her career as a journalist to marry a lame insurance man and move to Albany in upstate New York, he is determined to eliminate her plans. Then he puts the ball in her court, involving an upcoming execution and political corruption, which he knows she won't be able to resist due to its sincere newsworthiness. It makes it know that the chaotic feud is genuinely funny, although you'll have to watch it numerous times to absorb every bit of humor. With excellent and classic verbal exercises, the film earns its reputation as one of the greatest fastest-talking comedies ever made.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/oct/18/his-girl-friday-comedy
3) The articles relates to the screening because it speaks about why “His Girl Friday” was such a classic film. It gives a brief summary about the movie, involving the plot and main points. It speaks about how Hildy Johnson has divorced Walter Burns and visits his office to tell him that she is engaged to another man and that they are going to get married the next day Walter Burns can't let this happen and frames the other man for a lot of illegal actions getting him into trouble consecutively, while he tries to direct Hildy back into her old job as his employee and retrieving her again as his wife. Walter Burns is the editor of a major Chicago newspaper and is really about to lose his best reporter and former wife, Hildy Johnson, to boring insurance salesman Bruce Baldwin, but not without a fight to the end. The witty editor uses every trick in the book to get Hildy to write one last major story, about murderer Earl Williams and the clumsy Sheriff Hartwell. The comedy becomes more and more enticing as William's friend, Molly Malloy, the crooked Mayor, and Bruce's mother all get tied up in Walter's mischievous ways and web of lies.
4) The second screen version of the Ben Hecht play The Front Page, His Girl Friday changed hard-working newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson from a man to a woman, changing the story into an impactful battle of the sexes with a slew of suspenseful moments and thrills. Rosalind Russell plays Hildy, on the verge of disowning journalism for marriage to dull Bruce Baldwin. Cary Grant plays Walter Burns, Hildy's editor and ex-husband, who pretends to be happy about her impending marriage as a deceptive tactic to win her back. The important trick up Walter's sleeve is a breaking news story concerning the impending execution of Earl Williams, a direct example of political corruption that Hildy can't pass up even if her life depended on it. The story gets better and better when Williams escapes and is hidden from the cops by Hildy and Walter in the pressroom. In my opinion, this movie was an excellent screening that combined great comedy and suspense. I appreciated the fast-paced, lengthy dialogue since every phrase or line was captivating in its own way. After watching this screening, it made me value screwball comedies even more with a newfound respect for them as well.
FILM 2600:Film History
Dr.Cathleen Londino
Journal
His Girl Friday
1) In relation to what we discussed in class and the motion picture “His Girl Friday”, it’s evident that they both deal with screwball comedy. In the movie, there is a consistent battle of the sexes. The warring Walter Burns and Hildy Johnson constantly collide through fast-paced, witty dialogue complemented by intriguing and unique characteristics and personalities displayed by the two. This battle clearly portrays the components of a screwball comedy. Hildy Johnson was portrayed as an “equal” amongst her male peers in the movie. It was almost as if she was like “one of the guys”. This is compelling simply due to the discrimination towards women during the early 1900s; She surpassed the traditional role of women in movies at the time due to her dominant nature and sarcastic demeanor in the film. This is also confirmed due to the fact that the change in this version of the movie is that the role of Hildy Johnson was converted from male to female, thus showing the growth of importance and significance of women’s roles in movies and everyday life. It made it clear that women are equal to men in many aspects and in general
2) The article I chose basically explains why “His Girl Friday” was proclaimed the No. 13 best comedy of all-time. It explains how this movie jump-started the careers of plenty journalists and showed that women could take on lead roles in screwball comedies. This was the second screen version of Hecht and MacArthur's popular stage play, The Front Page, which was eloquently directed by Howard Hawks. He decided in an inspirational and detrimental moment that the Hildy Johnson character would work best as a woman. It states that when Burns gets the news that she is leaving her career as a journalist to marry a lame insurance man and move to Albany in upstate New York, he is determined to eliminate her plans. Then he puts the ball in her court, involving an upcoming execution and political corruption, which he knows she won't be able to resist due to its sincere newsworthiness. It makes it know that the chaotic feud is genuinely funny, although you'll have to watch it numerous times to absorb every bit of humor. With excellent and classic verbal exercises, the film earns its reputation as one of the greatest fastest-talking comedies ever made.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/oct/18/his-girl-friday-comedy
3) The articles relates to the screening because it speaks about why “His Girl Friday” was such a classic film. It gives a brief summary about the movie, involving the plot and main points. It speaks about how Hildy Johnson has divorced Walter Burns and visits his office to tell him that she is engaged to another man and that they are going to get married the next day Walter Burns can't let this happen and frames the other man for a lot of illegal actions getting him into trouble consecutively, while he tries to direct Hildy back into her old job as his employee and retrieving her again as his wife. Walter Burns is the editor of a major Chicago newspaper and is really about to lose his best reporter and former wife, Hildy Johnson, to boring insurance salesman Bruce Baldwin, but not without a fight to the end. The witty editor uses every trick in the book to get Hildy to write one last major story, about murderer Earl Williams and the clumsy Sheriff Hartwell. The comedy becomes more and more enticing as William's friend, Molly Malloy, the crooked Mayor, and Bruce's mother all get tied up in Walter's mischievous ways and web of lies.
4) The second screen version of the Ben Hecht play The Front Page, His Girl Friday changed hard-working newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson from a man to a woman, changing the story into an impactful battle of the sexes with a slew of suspenseful moments and thrills. Rosalind Russell plays Hildy, on the verge of disowning journalism for marriage to dull Bruce Baldwin. Cary Grant plays Walter Burns, Hildy's editor and ex-husband, who pretends to be happy about her impending marriage as a deceptive tactic to win her back. The important trick up Walter's sleeve is a breaking news story concerning the impending execution of Earl Williams, a direct example of political corruption that Hildy can't pass up even if her life depended on it. The story gets better and better when Williams escapes and is hidden from the cops by Hildy and Walter in the pressroom. In my opinion, this movie was an excellent screening that combined great comedy and suspense. I appreciated the fast-paced, lengthy dialogue since every phrase or line was captivating in its own way. After watching this screening, it made me value screwball comedies even more with a newfound respect for them as well.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
"The Gold Rush" Journal
Gregory Lopez
FILM 2600: Film History
Dr. Cathleen Londino
Fall 2011
THE GOLD RUSH
1) With high regards to Charles Chaplin and silent films, we learned in class that Chaplin was passionate about telling stories surrounded by aesthetic beauty that conveyed meaning, morals, and lessons. In contrast to films with sound, Chaplin’s silent films were artistically enhanced in a unique manner through exaggerated gestures and expressions that stimulated the viewer’s imagination. Chaplin’s overall emphasis on style, ideas, and intricate storytelling is what brought his films to life, generating and evoking a wide variety of emotions and feelings. Although Chaplin mainly evoked laughter through his assembly of motion pictures, he also provoked feelings of sadness and pity. For instance, in “ The Gold Rush”, when the tramp (Chaplin) was stood up on New Year’s eve by Georgia and her friends, after being promised by her that she would attend, made me sad and heartbroken. I felt his pain as if it was my own. This is a perfect example of how Chaplin exemplified emotions through his storytelling that inevitably affected the audience and their imagination. It was brilliant simply because he transmitted ideas through silent visual art as opposed to visuals containing the benefits of the new sound technology and innovations during the late 1920s. Chaplin’s universal style of visual art allowed him to appeal to a vast audience as opposed to being limited by sound and language, which alienated certain races, nationalities, classes, and social groups. Chaplin was able to appeal to a wide diversity through his silent works of art, which in turn, made him a universal master filmmaker.
2) Charlie Chaplin- About the Actor-American Masters
In this article, Chaplin is glorified as a king of improvisation with all due respect and acknowledgement. It shines light on his famous slapstick acrobatics and him being one of the greatest silent movie stars, who created many of the funniest and most compelling films of his time. The early life of Chaplin is review in this article with regards to his achievements that allowed him to become a master of his craft. It reveals that Chaplin was known as “ one of the most demanding men in Hollywood”. He was a strict perfectionist that stressed the importance of every actor’s part in every scene, regardless of the size. He promoted unity amongst the cast in his productions because he knew that a successful scene was not simply about the star, but everyone on the screen. His concern for quality acting and directing made his films genuinely awesome and paved the way for a new, more sophisticated generation of cinema.
Work Cited- http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/charlie-chaplin/about-the-actor/77/
3) This article relates to the screening because as Chaplin’s popularity increased, he took more pride and liberties with filming. The screening we seen in class was a “hit” in 1925 that demanded overtime, over-budget, unending reworking of scenes and reconstructing of sets. It speaks on his demanding nature, which reflects his hard work, skills, performance, leadership, ambition, and determination that certainly led to his brilliant hit, “ The Gold Rush”. Though Chaplin is of the silent movie era, we can witness his accomplishment living vicariously through today’s films.
4) As a participant in the 1898 Yukon gold rush, Charlie or “the tramp” finds himself sharing a cabin with two larger and intimidating prospectors: Big Jim McKay (Mack_Swain) and Black Larsen (Tom_Murray). After going through harsh weather and near death experiences, Charlie parts company with Big Jim. In addition, Black Larson dies after attempting to go find food for the 3. Overtime, when Charlie stations himself in a nearby town, he falls in love with a woman named Georgia who barely knows he exists. He then invites her and her friends over for dinner on New Years Eve and is stood up by them, leaving him emotionally crushed. The next day, Big Jim arrives in town and where he spots Charlie. Hoping that the tramp will help him find his mountain of gold. Big Jim heads back to the mountains with Charlie determined to find gold. The two men nearly lose their lives when their cabin is almost blown over a mountain cliff. Luckily, the cabin slides safely down the side of the mountain, landing directly upon Big Jim's gold strike. Now stupendously wealthy, Charlie and Big Jim head back to the States on a freight train. Also on board is Georgia, who is unaware that Charlie has become extremely rich and thinks that he's a bum due to his attire for the picture he was going to take. She offers to hide him from the authorities, and it is at this concluding point that Charlie and Georgia discover that they're truly in love with one another.
FILM 2600: Film History
Dr. Cathleen Londino
Fall 2011
THE GOLD RUSH
1) With high regards to Charles Chaplin and silent films, we learned in class that Chaplin was passionate about telling stories surrounded by aesthetic beauty that conveyed meaning, morals, and lessons. In contrast to films with sound, Chaplin’s silent films were artistically enhanced in a unique manner through exaggerated gestures and expressions that stimulated the viewer’s imagination. Chaplin’s overall emphasis on style, ideas, and intricate storytelling is what brought his films to life, generating and evoking a wide variety of emotions and feelings. Although Chaplin mainly evoked laughter through his assembly of motion pictures, he also provoked feelings of sadness and pity. For instance, in “ The Gold Rush”, when the tramp (Chaplin) was stood up on New Year’s eve by Georgia and her friends, after being promised by her that she would attend, made me sad and heartbroken. I felt his pain as if it was my own. This is a perfect example of how Chaplin exemplified emotions through his storytelling that inevitably affected the audience and their imagination. It was brilliant simply because he transmitted ideas through silent visual art as opposed to visuals containing the benefits of the new sound technology and innovations during the late 1920s. Chaplin’s universal style of visual art allowed him to appeal to a vast audience as opposed to being limited by sound and language, which alienated certain races, nationalities, classes, and social groups. Chaplin was able to appeal to a wide diversity through his silent works of art, which in turn, made him a universal master filmmaker.
2) Charlie Chaplin- About the Actor-American Masters
In this article, Chaplin is glorified as a king of improvisation with all due respect and acknowledgement. It shines light on his famous slapstick acrobatics and him being one of the greatest silent movie stars, who created many of the funniest and most compelling films of his time. The early life of Chaplin is review in this article with regards to his achievements that allowed him to become a master of his craft. It reveals that Chaplin was known as “ one of the most demanding men in Hollywood”. He was a strict perfectionist that stressed the importance of every actor’s part in every scene, regardless of the size. He promoted unity amongst the cast in his productions because he knew that a successful scene was not simply about the star, but everyone on the screen. His concern for quality acting and directing made his films genuinely awesome and paved the way for a new, more sophisticated generation of cinema.
Work Cited- http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/charlie-chaplin/about-the-actor/77/
3) This article relates to the screening because as Chaplin’s popularity increased, he took more pride and liberties with filming. The screening we seen in class was a “hit” in 1925 that demanded overtime, over-budget, unending reworking of scenes and reconstructing of sets. It speaks on his demanding nature, which reflects his hard work, skills, performance, leadership, ambition, and determination that certainly led to his brilliant hit, “ The Gold Rush”. Though Chaplin is of the silent movie era, we can witness his accomplishment living vicariously through today’s films.
4) As a participant in the 1898 Yukon gold rush, Charlie or “the tramp” finds himself sharing a cabin with two larger and intimidating prospectors: Big Jim McKay (Mack_Swain) and Black Larsen (Tom_Murray). After going through harsh weather and near death experiences, Charlie parts company with Big Jim. In addition, Black Larson dies after attempting to go find food for the 3. Overtime, when Charlie stations himself in a nearby town, he falls in love with a woman named Georgia who barely knows he exists. He then invites her and her friends over for dinner on New Years Eve and is stood up by them, leaving him emotionally crushed. The next day, Big Jim arrives in town and where he spots Charlie. Hoping that the tramp will help him find his mountain of gold. Big Jim heads back to the mountains with Charlie determined to find gold. The two men nearly lose their lives when their cabin is almost blown over a mountain cliff. Luckily, the cabin slides safely down the side of the mountain, landing directly upon Big Jim's gold strike. Now stupendously wealthy, Charlie and Big Jim head back to the States on a freight train. Also on board is Georgia, who is unaware that Charlie has become extremely rich and thinks that he's a bum due to his attire for the picture he was going to take. She offers to hide him from the authorities, and it is at this concluding point that Charlie and Georgia discover that they're truly in love with one another.
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