#perno this one’s for you <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[mcdonaldsnumberone]

NEW GAME ALERT 🫡 Assign a song to each of your tumblr friends?? 💪

IM SORRY FOR TAKING FOREVER W THIS AOUGHGHGHHGHGH im rlly bad at answering asks on time 🤡 anyways without further ado (buckle up for mostly kpop)

@pernonix: cliche but it has to be cast me a spell by mili! perno is like The mahoyaku mutual for me so it's only natural that i associate the mhyk theme song w them AHAHAHA if i had to give a non-mhyk song, it'd be in&out by red velvet!

@pocasu: AOUGHGHGH ion my beloved 🫶 suit dance by onlyoneof is the song i'd give them! it's got the suave elegant #swag that i associate with them <3 keep serving all that cunt bestie bae we love to see it

@ai-kan1: (grips ai) i give you boy by the boyz! it's super cheerful and fun, which is genuinely the vibe u give off hehe i also think the song is super ace-core which works perfectly well for one of our resident acekissers xoxo

@anzepanpan/@venushotline: i'm giving you new by yves (loona)! this is actually my favorite loona solo and i stand by it when i say yves only makes music for hot girls <3 it's classy, it's girly, it's got the pretty girl energy dia embodies perfectly!

@senqv: your song is sunny side up by red velvet! i kinda associate you with a sweet, lackadaisical energy, and i think this is the perfect kaiserkisser enemies to lovers thing (pov im delusional) im thinking of <3 we love to see it nyehe

@tartppola: im giving you by other ace anthem, which is we must love by onf! our taste is impeccable and our shady smut peddling dms are even more tasteful. keep kissing adeuce and letting me beat u up w love &lt;3 also liar liar by oh my girl is my deuce anthem so im tacking that onto u as well

@scornelious: hello tv :] my song for you is meddle about by chase atlantic! this is what u get for being my resident aikukisser. im sorry i have to. i didnt want to assign you a machine gun kelly song, so ur getting chase atlantic instead. love u to pieces muah hehe

@pearly-elain: elain my bbg (fuckboy lipbite /j) i'd be doing u dirty if i didnt give u a girlboss anthem! so im giving you snapping by chungha <3 please dont grill kaiser too hard i still need him sort of alive if i wanna continue by whiteboykissing

@sophiethewitch1: im assigning you villain by stella jang! it's so preppy and mature, and i think that suits you very well! i love seeing u in pitlock, and i think the nuanced nature of the song is very sophiecore in my opinion :]

@takumipineapplexd: taku babe u are love o'clock by wjsn! it's the perfect teenage-girl daydream heartthrob crush song, and it fits your vibe to a T! love seeing u being delulu and love smacking u into the ground with said delulu

@spadecentral: im giving you hula hoop by loona! it's such a cute, fast-paced bubblegum song, and that's generally the vibes i always get from you when we talk! thanks for always being supportive of my interests, and keep brightening my day lovely!!

@antiv3nom: POPPET <3 you are getting wow by loona! it's another banger song, very cute very fun very dancey! i wanted to give u smth more creative than slapping on some videogame-themed kpop song, so loona it is 🫡

@yaakultt: aough anyone who has been on my blog for like . longer than 3 seconds knows that i am Not the biggest fan of newjeans but i truly mean this when u give me immaculate hype boy by newjeans vibes! it's the girlypop, chillax big sis vibes yanno? only the cool girls get assigned newjeans songs by mac :]

@katasstrophy: ur song is so what by loona (can u tell im an orbit ADKGKJSD)! it's so loud and unapologetic and layered, it's the perfect bad bitch song for none other than the baddest of them all <3 thank u for feeding me so well w kaiser thoughts always hehe

@leiqi: ur getting superhuman by nct! idk why but i keep associating nct with u 💀 and this song for some reason but its ok!! its a super fun song that fits a super fun person, and i love how u always indulge in my delulu ass tbz x bllk thoughts HAHA

@kruinka: hello kaiserkisser :) you're getting picassO by onlyoneof! it's such a beautiful sensual artsy song, which is perfect for The kaiserartist of tumblr dot com! i love seeing ur art, and i cant wait till i get to commission u again!

@torufilms: im giving u the One and Only heart attack by chuu! it's cutesy and fun and so so so huggable, which sums up everything about you so well! even ur acc theme is adorable, so i think heart attack rlly is the cherry on top <3

@gloriium: your song is to heart by fromis9! it's a super heartfelt coming-of-age song and i cant help but think abt how well it'd fit ur yumeship w sebek :] it's so pure and catchy and innocent, and it's definitely a song i associate with you!

@earthtooz: my song for you is change up by seventeen! you're like a spark of joy to see, so naturally, my song for u is something that matches that high-tension energy! you never fail to make me crack up, so i adore having u around!

@aanobrain: every time i see u, all i can think abt is the tag u left abt me almost making u like kaiser, so i just Have to give u gaslighting by onlyoneof! the enemies to lovesr arc before becoming a fullfledged kaiserkisser is a rite of passage <3 u'll become like us soon enough

@hammannii: man there's like . a bajillion songs i cld give u, but i am assigning you with begin by jungkook! i think it's a good testimonial song to our . unconventional friendship, and i hope we continue indulging (read: bullying) each other!

@notaliarr: hello kaiserkisser :) your song is the stealer by the boyz! it's such a slutty yet like . oddly yearnful song? and if that doesnt sum up kaiser–and by association, you–then i dont know what does <3 i love seeing ur art, and i always gobble it up

@hyomaluvr: my song for u is rococo by iz*one! i remember u mentioning them being ur ults, and rococo is one of my favorite songs by the group :) have fun with ur dangans and ronpas or whatever, and ill be back to smack u over the head w kuroo at some point

@chaosinanutshell: your song is dkdk by fromis9! can u tell im a sucker for cutesy pop? it's so whimsical yet endearing, and that's the sorta vibe i get from you! i love seeing u pop into my inbox and im so so sorry for being so bad at answering ur asks, but ur effort doesnt go unnoticed here!!!

@itshis: i'm assigning you get it by pristin v! it's such a good song, and it's so pussyslay just like u <3 i look up to u a lot, so im always excited to see u on my dash and to see whatever it is ur up to! im cheering u on zari!!

@by-moonflower: i salute to the backbone of kaisernation 🫡 my pick is velvet by exid! it's such a chill, sensual grown-woman-ass song (im so sorry i wish i cld be more elegant) which is genuinely the kind of vibes i always get from u. like the red-wine-rich-aunt-poetry-night sort of aesthetic, yanno?

@aiixen: your art is sOOOO cute!! i love seeing ur oc smmmmm im giving u flash by rocket punch! ur art is always so smooth n yummy n i wanna shove it into my mouth like taffy (pov i have the impulse control of a toddler)

@echarie: your assigned song is orbit by jonghyun! your bllk takes are so big brained (like u deadass predicted lorenzo being a major character before any of us did, and im excited to see what role drago might play!), and i love hearing ur input!

@daiseukiis: my pick for you is eve, psyche, and bluebeard's wife by lesserafim! it's the "it girl" song, the boss bitch song, the hot girl summer song if u will :3c keep doing ur thing and slaying, cuz we love to see it!

@00fabulous/@doki-doki-imagines: your song is love on the floor by nct! our dms are . A HOT MESS so to say, and it's uncanny how well our thoughts match up HAHAHA it's real genius to genius (read: clown to clown) communication up in this bitch

last but not least @ayushipop: my sharty bae, my babagrill, my mark to my lee <3 your song is irreplaceable by nct! it'd be illegal of me to give u any other song after ive heard u going apeshit over teehee go drown oingo boingo in a vat of water for me <3 hope u get unbanned from twt soon and have a safe trip <3

if i missed anyone, pls dont take it personally! as u can tell, this was a longass list, so im bound to accidentally let a few people fall thru the cracks 🤡

[pulledpurplecurtains]

Hi angel! Here: 6, 7, 32, 41, 47, 51, 55, 56, 57, 63, 68, 72, 74, 79, 87, 96, 98, 99 and 100! omg that's a lot, have fun listening to all those songs =D

hi love! these are indeed a lot of numbers, which only means more procrastination for me skdhfjkdsf i’m very excited, let’s see!

6: do you keep plants? ughhhh i wish i could but i’m useless and they all just wither away sooner or later skjdfjsdf i’ve tried it many times and the same thing kept happening smh

7: do you name your plants? kjsdhfjssk i love naming things, and i had named some of my plants through the years

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. answered!

41: what’s the last book you remember really, really loving? oof this is hard, i haven’t read an actual book in so damn long and i blame fanfiction for that kjdsskj so if i may, i’ll say my own book, which i’ve finished for some months now and which i should really edit and transfer to my computer (it’s handwritten) at some point soon

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? actually, none! there are a few foods i don’t eat and others that i eat very begrudgingly, but let the people have their food!! (it would be any and all kinds of oyster if i had to pick, though. nasty little asshats)

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? Stars are On Your Side by Ross Copperman <3

55: what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point? i can be a very dramatic person in how i speak and exist, but usually not when trying to prove a point kjdfhgkdk so nothing really comes to mind i’m sorry love!

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? awkwardness is very endearing always, especially when coupled up with shyness, softness, humor, or kind gestures. seeing people caring for others in unassuming ways. people’s cute lil quirks, like small everyday stuff, that give them joy and they get so excited about. on that note, people getting excited about things from 0-100 is always very endearing as well. people being passionate and ‘nerdy’ about things they love.

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? omg which one, there’s two!!!! i’m taking the liberty to listen to the Queens one?? brb ---> OH BOY was that song a rollercoaster of journey! first, it made me think back to a very dark period in my life, then i was like sjdhfjsdf what is happening???, then it filled me with such a bright and soothing sense of hope, and by the end it felt like i was talking to my brain, telling the stupid thing to sit down and shut up. i did not dramatically reenact the lyrics though, no lmaoo

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? oh i have a system about everything, nevermind that that system may seem to other people completely illogical and like utter chaos instead sdjhfhjsd so yes, i have a system abt books and my music and i always get fussy abt it, like with all of my systems 

68: what’s winter like where you live? it’s usually dry cold, humidity is quite rare here. it can get windy, but nothing too crazy, and many days are sunny which is just the loveliest thing. temperatures can go sub zero celsius, but a usual winter day is around 5 above zero? give or take? we don’t get heavy snow usually, but it will snow at least a few times through the winter. i do wish we had more snow, though, i love the snow 

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it? depends on how many things i have to remember, and how far away they are. but generally if it’s more than one thing and more than a few days away i do have to write them down, yes skjdfhjsd my memory can be extremely poor and my brain despises multitasking even in thinking form

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. bright, brown eyes. curly, and many times frizzy, blonde hair. heart-warming smile. out-spoken. caring. thoughtful. encouraging. supportive. sensitive but you wouldn’t think so. hard-working. dedicated. a realist but generally positive

79: what’s one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? hmm one of the cutest? i can think of so many heart-warming gestures, but i wouldn’t necessarily categorize them as cute. a certain someone indulging my love for snow and my daydreaming centered around it when i know they hate the cold is what comes to mind

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? oh this is a hard one. Titanic and The 12 Jurors come to mind instantly, as does Miracle on 34th street. all the disney movies. and god i’m sure there are many more i’d be like OH this one too! but my brain is so bad with movies ksdjhfskj

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? lmao i procrastinate until my computer decides to install them itself and then i grumble the entire time it does so

98: when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? i love suburban long walks, nature long walks are one of my most dreaded nightmares sjfjskdfk last time i did that last one was in summer of 2018 and i enjoyed it afterwards, when the experience settled in, because a friend and me reached a beautiful natural spring by the end of the hike (and then we had to hike all the way back, which i don’t even wanna think about)

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. It’s My Life by Bon Jovi, This is Me Trying by Taylor Swift, Perno Ena Podilato by Kostas Makedonas (it’s a greek one), Titanium by David Guetta ft. Sia, Stars are On Your Side by Ross Copperman

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why?   neither. my past is part of me and it has made me who i am but going back to it, especially to 2015, is not something i would wanna do or that would be helpful to me in any way. and as for the future, i believe our actions every day shape and change what are future will look like. so even if i saw it, i don’t know that it would stay the same; so i wouldn’t have gained anything. if it did stay the same, i’m partly afraid to find out in case it turns out my dreams don’t come true. but also, no matter how much i don’t like the unknown, that’s how the future is supposed to be. that’s life. and i’m okay with that. so neither 

BOY were these a lot of questions! but i spent a wonderful one and half hours answering them all and doing no actual work sjdhfjsdhfjs so thank you love!

[s0022219a2film-blog]

Section 1: Creative Investigation R. Creative Investigation – collated quotes

Berardinelli, J. (2017). Alice in Wonderland | Reelviews Movie Reviews. [online] Reelviews Movie Reviews. Available at: http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/alice-in-wonderland [Accessed 19 Oct. 2017].

“For his interpretation. Tim Burton - no stranger to the concept of a twisted tale - has softened some of the sharper edged, added a dose of high octane action, and still managed to keep Alice In  Wonderland in tough with its dark side.”

“Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is not a little girl. She’s a 19 year old woman about to be forced into a socially advantageous but personally odious wedding.”

“Wonderland is a magical place to behold, although it in many ways resembles the otherworld of Narnia as recreated in the recent Disney co-produced pictures.”

“Although Burton imprints his own macabre humor-tinged signature on a strange and wondrous place where six impossible things happen before breakfast, his vision is less overtly weird than it has been for past adaptions of literary work.”

“Burton has crafted something all-new for this generation, and has done a solid job with his re-imagining.”           

Usatoday30.usatoday.com. (2017). 3-D ‘Alice in Wonderland’ sparkles with magic, splendor - USATODAY.com. [online] Available at: https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2010-03-05-alice05_ST_N.htm [Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

“...story he presents, with a more empowered 19-year-old Alice, is engaging and amusing.”

“Burton’s distinctive cinematic style makes this electric fantasy - infused with both dark and light - a dynamic marriage of original material and modern filmmaker.”

“The only misstep comes as the credits roll, with a pop song by Avril Lavigne that sounds like a generic version of one of her previous hits and seems to pander to a teen audience.”

“As Alice, Mia Wasikowska is pitch-perfect, looking the part and capturing her sense of innocence.”

“Burton artfully creates animated characters such as the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat (voiced by Stephen Fry) and the Jabberwacky (Christopher Lee).”

“But Burton also wisely calls upon his dual muses, Johnny Depp as the addled Mad Hatter, and Helena Bonham Carter as the imperious Red Queen.”

Perno, G. (2017). Directors’ Trademarks: Tim Burton. [online] Cinelinx.com. Available at: http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-stuff/item/6889-director-s-trademarks-tim-burton.html [Accessed 19 Sept. 2017].

“Alice and Wonderland features multiple characters generated by CGI so that their proportions are exaggerated to emphasize their gothic stylings.” 

“Alice who, against society’s pressures, doesn’t want to be told how to live her life. In her despair she tumbles into the rabbit hole once again.”

Berardinelli, J. (2017). Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children | Reelviews Movie Reviews. [online] Reelviews Movie Reviews. Available at: http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/miss-peregrine-s-home-for-peculiar-children [Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is sufficiently different from the countless dystopian YA adventures”

“Burton adds his own stamp to the production by making the hollows nightmare-worthy and by tipping his hat to Ray Harryhausen in a scene that features Sinbad-inspired skeletons engaged in combat with the larger creatures.”

“Burton has assembled on impressive cast, all of who do their thing. Asa Butterfield”

“The movie’s pacing sags a little toward the middle and the action sequence that forms the climax goes on for a little too long, although Burton injection of quasi-comedic elements into this apocalyptic segment is welcome.”

“Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children can be applauded for telling an engaging stand-alone story while offering the possibility if additional adventures I wouldn’t mind spending another semester with these characters.”            

Dargis, M. (2017). Review: In ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home,’ Chasing Grandpa’s Stories Down a Rabbit Hole. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/30/movies/miss-peregrines-home-for-peculiar-children-review.html?_r=0 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

“Mr. Burton should never hack off his strange bits: they can be glorious.”

“Mr. Burton has to wind up the story and dispense with the usual preliminaries, the introduction and scene-setting, which he manages nicely.”

“It takes a while for Mr. Burton to get his kink on. Although he has some fun setting up Jake’s juvenile detention (i.e. life), the story begins to sag almost before it’s begun, despite the time-skipping and peekaboo at the mysteries to come.”

“And we’re off, having artistry is at times most evident in its filigree, can be a great collector when given the right box to fill, as is the case here.”

“With his lanky limbs as wells as his dark hair and clothes, Mr. Butterfield can’t hep but bring to min Mr. Burton, who of course plays the same role for us.”

“Mr Burton’s attention to detail and to ebb and flow of tone (scary, funny, eerie), as well as his sensitive, gentle work particularly with the child actors, make each new turn another occasion for unfettered imagination.”

”the movie holds you tight with one after another marvellous, horrible, indelible vision.”

 We Live Entertainment. (2017). “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” Review. [online] Available at: http://weliveentertainment.com/welivefilm/miss-peregrines-home-peculiar-children-review/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

”The film is a journey back to the wonderfully classic Tim Burton films that we all love so much. There is a scene where Enach (Finlay MacMillan) uses his peculiarity to bring these sewn together pieces of animal/human back to life, and it is a beautifully classic stop-motion Tim Burton moment.”

“The memorable scene is where they show the transformation from human to Hollowgast, and that scene reminded me of scenes from Beetlejuice.”

“The atmosphere created in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children in classic Burton style, reminiscent of Edward Scissorhands.”

“Each costume and set design is perfect with that little quirk that makes it a Tim Burton film. The colours in the film are beautiful and bright in Miss Peregrine’s world.”

“Tim Burton doesn’t do sequels so I sincerely hope this is an exception, and he will be back with the sequels to this film. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is an instant Burton classic.”

“The visuals are stunning along with an odd-ball inspirational story about being true to yourself.”

Burton, T., Salisbury, M. and Depp, J. (2000). Burton on Burton. London: Faber.

“The manifestation of the image made itself apparent and probably came to surface when I was a teenager, because it is a very teenage thing”

“...people feel that way to some degree, because it’s frustrating and sad to feel a certain way but for it not come to through. So the idea had to do with image and perception.”

“From day one you’re categorized.”

“So I think the film is more of a reaction against that kind of categorization.”

Classic-horror.com. (2017). Edward Scissorhands (1990) | Classic-Horror.com. [online] Available at: http://classic-horror.com/reviews/edward_scissorhands_1990 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

“The story, told more chronologically than Burton and co-scripter Caroline Thompson relay it, concerns an eccentric inventor (the Dr. Frankenstein/Gepetto role), played by horror icon Vincent Price, who lives in a gothic castle on a hill overlooking a stereotypical suburb.”

“To an extent, Edward Scissorhands is a critique of conformity.”

“Burton grew up in a neighborhood similar to the Boggs’, which likely gives him a soft spot in his heart for it, despite his being Edward Scissorhands to the rest of the crowd.”

“Interestingly, Burton is not only being autobiographical about his history in Edward Scissorhands, but the film carries its themes throughout more subtle levels. Edward’s gothic home, including the land it sits on, is typically Burtonesque in art design and architecture.“

Perno, G. (2017). Directors’ Trademarks: Tim Burton. [online] Cinelinx.com. Available at: http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-stuff/item/6889-director-s-trademarks-tim-burton.html [Accessed 19 Sept. 2017].

“style is the costume and makeup for Edward Scissorhands, who looks like he belongs in some sort of creepy goth punk rock band. Not only is the character himself gothic, but he lives in an old gothic mansion.” 

“Edward Scissorhands the interior of Edward’s mansion is also devoid of light, unlike the outside world where the town is bright, colorful, and full of cheer.“

Aesthetica Magazine. (2017). Aesthetica Magazine - The Imagination of Tim Burton. [online] Available at: http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/the-imagination-of-tim-burton/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

“His films, specifically his animated films, have been the subject of much discussion and critical analysis for what they are about and how they are constructed as well as how they have developed as mainstream films and pieces of art in their own right.”

"the cinematic creative process and proves, undoubtedly, that Burton is not just a director nor an artist but an auteur.”

“Burton, as the director auteur, is comparable to other such directors as Eisenstein and Rossellini, but his style of filmmaking is intrinsically different for its focus on animation and the idea of the fairytale.”

“Burton’s personal style of direction and creative vision is articulated through both the story and the directorial technique.”

“Edward embodies the different and reflects the audiences own fears of exclusion and ostracisation by conventional society. That Burton, as a director, can visualise and express these feelings through the cinematic process is the skill of his work and an integral part of it.”

“Burton has a storytellers mastery of the fairytale: he has grasped the elusive nature of the human imagination and offered a conduit into its basic, internal structure.”

“Burton reflects their inner torment through their image and exaggerates those tragic qualities.”                 

Itzkoff, D. (2017). Tim Burton on His Movies, His Life and His Tombstone. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/movies/tim-burton-at-home-in-his-own-head.html [Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

“...filmmaker behind invitingly grim delights like “Beetlejuice” and “Edward Scissorhands” is a definitive Burtonesque experience.”

“His style is strongly visual, darkly comic and morbidly fixated, but it is rooted just as much in his affection for monsters and misfits”

”would imagine, if you talk to every single kid, most of them probably felt similarly. But I felt very tortured as a teenager. That’s where “Edward Scissorhands” came from.” 

“To me he’s more like a Boris Karloff-type actor, a character actor, than a leading man.          

Sight and Sound (1997) PAX AMERICANA. Aliens. February 1997. 6-9

“More weird than funny.”

“while validating Burton another way, The New York Times advised anxious parents that, like The Cable Guy (the year’s prize film maudit). Mars Attacks! Might be too dark for their children.”

That the movie set is a normal future, resembling a more fabulous version of High 50s, further suggests a particular form of cultural nostalgia”

“Infused with the populux Jetsonism of the early 60s, Mars Attacks! Draws on the entire 1948 to 1973 “Golden Age”

Perno, G. (2017). Directors’ Trademarks: Tim Burton. [online] Cinelinx.com. Available at: http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-stuff/item/6889-director-s-trademarks-tim-burton.html [Accessed 19 Sept. 2017].

“Tim Burton is one of those directors who has an easily identifiable visual style. Almost all of his films revel in gothic imagery. From the characters themselves, to the props, to the houses and cities where the films take place are sculpted in an an exaggerated, almost cartoonish way to emphasize “goth” features.

“Many of his films feature common archetypes so that the audience can easily recognize their motives.”

“Burton likes to use flashbacks in order to tell a story within a larger story. He uses them to help add additional depth to his characters and, in the case of his main characters, help the audience understand why they are so strange.”

"Danny Elfman has created the soundtracks for all of Burton’s films.”

"Most prominently, it’s Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter who have appeared the most (8 and 7 films respectively).”

Hodgson, B (2017) The Elusive Auteur. The Question of Film Authorship Throughout the Age of Cinema. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Co.

“Sarris’s auteur were subject to fluctuating creative space and direct control over their careers where they negotiated the obstacles and power plays of the system in different ways.”

“Directors designated as prospective auteurs were not lowly subordinates in the studio production hierarchy.”

“The superior craftsman’s filmmaking skills and professionalism were subordinated to the studio’s purposes by the manner in which they harnessed star performance...”

“The journeyman strictly adhered the narrative and generic norms of the commercial system...”

Andrew Sarris (1962) Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962. Barry Keith Grant (ed) Auteurs and Authorship. Oxford Blackwell Publishing. 35-42

“If the auteur critics of the 1950s had not scored so many coups of Clairvoyance, the auteur theory would not be worth discussing the 1960s.”

“Now, by the auteur theory, if a director has no technical competence, no elementary flair for cinema, he is automatically cast out from the pantheon of directors.”

“The three premises of the auteur theory may be visualized as three concentric circles: the outer circle as technique; the missile circle, personal style; and the inner circle, interior meaning.”                                                                                           

“Directors, even auteurs, do not always run true to form, and the critic can never assume that a bad director will always make a bad film.”

               Gledhill, C. (1991). Stardom. London: Routledge.

“In standard histories the forces which put the star system in place are reduced to the play of personal initiative on the one hand and a reified notion of the public desire on the other.”

“…the development of this system was effected through three significant transformations in this regard. These can be listed in the order of their appearance: (1) the discourse on acting, (2) the picture personality and (3) the star.”

“ ‘Psychological nuance is not particularly at issue here: the emotion expressed is viewed in broad, unindividuated terms: ‘the emotion of a happening’.”

“Early genres such as the chase film relied wholly on action, casting performers only in broad social types…”

[trendingnewsb]

The 7 Injuries ERs See Most On Summer Weekends

Warm weather and longer days will bring many Americans outdoors for cookouts, pool parties and more. But long weekends ― we’re looking at you, Memorial Day ― also lead to more trips to urgent care or even the emergency room, according to experts. In fact, a 2015 study from researchers at Brown University found that heat-related illness alone can ratchet emergency department visits in the summertime. 

The risk for issues like drowning and sports injuries go up in the hotter seasons, according to Dr. Christopher M. McStay, chief of clinical operations and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. And they’re usually all preventable.

We asked doctors to explain the most common reasons why patients end up in their offices during summer months ― and what can be done to prevent you or a loved one from being among them.

1. Heat-related illness.

During summer months, people often show up at the doctor with a heat-related condition, from mild dehydration to severe heatstroke, says Dawne Kort, an emergency medicine doctor and attending physician at CityMD Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Clinic. 

Fewer than 1,000 Americans die each year due to heat-related illness, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But plenty more experience the more mild symptoms of too much sun exposure, which include nausea, dizziness, headaches and confusion. 

“Be mindful of the temperature, stay hydrated and avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time if the temperature is high ― especially during the hottest time of the day,” Kort told HuffPost, noting that the warmest hours are usually between 2 and 4 p.m.

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Doctors see an uptick in drowning incidents and water activity accidents in warmer months. 

2. Swimming injuries and drowning.

Memorial Day weekend is the first time many people will head out for water-related activities.

“We see a fair amount of swimming-related [injuries],” McStay told HuffPost. “Trauma related to jumping into a body of water, small children who are not being supervised, boating injuries.” 

Joseph Perno, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, says these water-related dangers definitely increase when the weather gets warm.

“We see a big spike in drowning,” Perno told HuffPost. “When you have a lot of adults together, you’d think there would be more people watching the kids but what happens is people are distracted: Talking, drinking, partying, having fun and no one is watching the kids.” 

Drowning is the second most common cause of death by unintentional injury, behind car accidents, among children ages 1-4 years-old, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. Children are also more likely to drown in a swimming pool than anywhere else. 

It’s so easy for a child to fall into water without someone realizing, Perno says. If you’re having a pool party, rotate having a designated adult to supervise water activities, he suggests.

3. Burns and cuts.

There are numerous hospital visits for burns associated with grilling and camp fires, as well as cuts from kitchen knives, according to McStay. 

Children may try to touch the fires and adults make the common mistake of squirting lighter fluid onto hot coals. Be safe about it: Apply lighter fluid to coals when they aren’t lit, letting the fluid soak in, McStay suggests. 

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Back away from the coleslaw that’s been sitting in the sun for hours on end.

4. Food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

Gastrointestinal issues frequently bring people to the emergency room during warmer months, according to Kort. In fact, food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months, since hot temperatures and humid conditions provide the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture. 

“[It’s] commonly seen after a summer barbecue, where the food has not been properly cooked or may have been left out in the heat. Or when fruits and vegetables have not been washed properly,” Kort said. 

Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day and wash your hands properly before eating, Kort advises. 

5. Sports injuries

Sports-related injuries from playing frisbee, football and outdoor activities are also a bigger issue. Sprained wrists, twisted ankles and broken bones are common sights in urgent care clinics and emergency rooms between spring and summer, according to the experts.

Treatment for these injuries typically requires a little home care, Kort said. Rest the body, ice the injury, compress the body part and elevate the injured area. But if something feels seriously wrong or keeps getting worse, head to the doctor as soon as possible.  

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Ticks and bug bites: ‘Tis the season!

6. Skin irritations and insect bites.

With long days spent outdoors, it’s common to see irritations from wild plants like poison ivy, sumac and oak. Insect and tick bites are also common and, in some cases of infection, may require an antibiotic, Kort said.

This year, in particular, may bring with it more tick bites and tick-borne diseases than previous summers. And Zika virus, though currently out of the news cycle, may be poised to come back in some states.

Keep an eye on any bumps or swelling that does not go away or grows in size. And learn some expert-backed tips to keep yourself safe from ticks and mosquitoes. 

7. Sunburns.

While most sunburns don’t require a trip to the hospital, some do. In 2013, there were nearly 34,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. due to serious sunburns, according to recent research in Dermatology. Go to the doctor if your sunburn results in blistering or is accompanied by nausea, confusion, headache, extreme pain or chills. You should also head to the doctor if at-home remedies such as applying aloe vera or taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen does not help after a couple of days.

But even if you can take care of your burn at home, it’s an uncomfortable mishap that’s easy to avoid.  

Practice good sun protection habits for yourself and especially watch out for children you’re supervising, since they are unlikely to remember to reapply lotion. 

“Having a sunburn is uncomfortable and painful,” McStay said. “And the chronic risk of sun exposure and skin cancer is something to think about everyday.” 

So walk into the long, warm weekend a bit more alert. Better to be safe than sorry. 

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music: weekly roundup (our favorite submissions of the week)

Kelsy Karter- Catch Me If You Can

Kelsy Karter’s “Catch Me If You Can” imagines ditching (read: killing) her man and making a run for it. She cites the likes of the Beatles and Rolling Stones as influences. And though Karter is definitively pop, she really leans in the drums on the track to create a sense of urgency and excitement. There’s nothing more rock ‘n’ roll than her taunting bravado: “When they come for me, oh, I’ll be gone for miles, baby. And I’ll think of you this way to your favorite song. When they find me I’ll be riding high in style, baby.” Not to worry-- the song is just as fun as any bubblegum tune

Marlene Oak- In the Evening

Marlene Oak’s “In the Evening” was recorded in a single take. She said she wanted to maintain the feeling of the song as when she wrote it and  “to sing the words as if they were [her] last.” In the last few moments of the song, she laments, “I worked my way back to you.” Her voice is raw and the guitar is scaled back to let the lyrics do the real talking, evoking a sense of love, hope and chaos that Oak aimed for. “In the Evening” is calming the way dusk is in the summer-- warm and still. And working against such comfort is the hint of anxiousness that comes with such vulnerability.

Chloe Lilac- Heartbreak City

In “Heartbreak City,” Chloe Lilac’s mellow drawl panders on hook ups while dotting the track with personal specificities. She sings, “Call me pretty, but only at 3 in the morning” and “Say that you want me but go ahead and break my fragile heart,” but is sure to pepper in listening “to a little more Sinatra.” The song sounds as numb, fuzzy and straightforward, as Lilac probably feels. It’s confessional, but doing its best not to be overcome by emotions. Lilac explains “Heartbreak City” is about how New York City’s gross hookup culture has objectified her and other young women.

Danielle Martin- The Wanting

Danielle Martin sheds the typical singer songwriter mold for something a little more interesting with “The Wanting.” The song has foundations in its acoustic kindred, but the touch of soulfulness adds a particular tenderness. Martin sings, “I always wondered i always wanted to see your face without the sadness that seemed to haunt your every stare. I know I’m supposed to know…. supposed to see you falter, see you crumble down.” The song bites too, however. She makes things clear: “I won’t be the secret you keep from the light.”

The This- Casual Encounters

The This is some form of an indie rock band. Even being from British Columbia, far from the the Southern California origins of surf rock, their song “Casual Encounters” hints at such punkiness. “Casual Encounters” reflects on infidelity, paranoia and mistrust specifically in the digital age, seeing as the internet and tech has its own whole set of rules. At one point, frontman Evan Matthiesen even admits, “You know deep down we’re all bad people.”

Baby FuzZ- I’m Still Holding Out for You

In his latest release, Baby FuzZ confesses before the end of the first verse: “I’m still holding out for you.” The song is slow and touchy with a bit of R&B mood. Baby FUzZ tiptoes in his admittance of wasting nights looking through thousand of faces on his phone, but still wanting one person. He sings, “You can take my breath away, I’ll still be breathing. You can take your love away, my heart will still be beating for you.” The song swells with the lyrical melodrama, echoes abounding and his voice rising: “I’ll go down to the river, hold my head underwater… And even if I drown I’m gonna hold it down for you.”

Astral Cloud Ashes- Get Out to New York

The first few moments of Astral Cloud Ashes’ “Get Out to New York” sound as if we are in for something heartfelt and stringy, but it’s not too long before the pace kicks in for something more jiggy, but equally guitar-based. It’s the perfect motivation to escape your hometown, but sans the whining that often accompanies such songs. Over and over, Antony Walker sings “move out” or “get out to New York.” He also is sure to give the song some quirks with lyrics like “on the way to Benihana we forgot about the next 3 years” and “is it a mental disorder that I can hear Ayn Rand?”

SMUG- Earworm

In standard punk fashion, SMUG’s “Earworm” clocks in at just under two minutes and has a choral “hey! hey! Hey!” chant during the chorus. After the first verse, Craig Perno’s delivery quicken and rages a smidge more, perfect for a jovial moshpit. The song starts with “There is no description for the blues,” the chorus closes with “Take a ride ‘cause no one ever dies,” and, just before the final “hey!” chant, it ends with “Roll another joint when I’m not around.”

Fascinations Grand Chorus- Until I Found You

Fascinations Grand Chorus’ “Until I Found You” is sweet indie pop by way of pre-counter culture doo wop music. The chorus’ main line “until I found you,” is stack repeated over and over and carried by gentle electric guitar and drums. It even ends with a cycling “ba ba da da.” “Until I Found You” is at its most charming in its vulnerability, singing of hiding feelings and turning red. The story of the song peaks a couple minutes in:  “I’d like to know, do you feel the same?” A scary question, but Fascinations Grand Chorus makes it feel alright.

Nightseason- Wear the Treads Off

“Wear the Treads Off” offers a sort of faux-warmth that is intriguing, but once listening, you understand the darkness and want it to consume you. Nightseason knew what they were doing by combining alt-rock and ambient pop. It has the best of both worlds: the genuineness of instruments, plus the desensitizing of synthesizers. The song is about someone who gives up on love, the idea cemented when Jordan Caiola sings, “I don’t believe in love anymore.”

Listen to all these songs on our playlist! 

Article by: Haley Bosselman 

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Post U- Creative Investigation Final Draft

Creative Investigation

For my creative investigation I will be focusing on the director John Hughes and whether or not he can be considered an auteur. Using theorists such as Andrew Sarris’s auteur theory, which I will use to decide whether John Hughes meets the criteria set by Sarris in the three focal films I have studied. I will also use the other theorists such as; Daniel Chandler’s genre theory and Richard Dyer’s star theory. I will also use articles and books to help support my theory or disprove it. I found that the most useful of the three was the articles and books I had done research in and picked out key quotes as I can easily use them to prove my theory. The following films I will focus on are; The Breakfast Club (John Hughes, 1985), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (John Hughes, 1986) and Uncle Buck (John Hughes, 1989) to help provide evidence to answer my hypothesis. I decided to use these films in particular because The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off were two of John Hughes most famous and successful films with The Breakfast Club grossing $51,525,171 worldwide and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off grossing $70,136,369 worldwide. I also decided to pick Uncle Buck because it is slightly different film done by John Hughes that focuses on adults and how adults can still be childish, the film was also very successful grossing $79,258,538.

 Aims of Research

Hypothesis: Can John Hughes be considered an auteur?

Sub-topics:

- Are the style and themes that John Hughes used in his films unique to him?

- Did The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Uncle Buck engage the conventions of the coming of age genre and if so, how?

- Are the stars of John Hughes films or the audience watching them the real reason for their success?

Annotated Sources

Primary Research texts - Filmography

Item 1: Hughes, John, 1985, The Breakfast Club, Universal Pictures

This is a coming of age film, reflecting upon a day for 5 students in detention. This film discusses and displays the issues that teenagers suffer with during their youth, which was a new concept in the 80’s, as teens in films had never been portrayed in this way before. This suggests that John Hughes could be considered an auteur as he invented a new genre of film that gave a more accurate representation of teens.

Item 2: Hughes, John, 1987, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Paramount Pictures

This is another coming of age film by John Hughes that shows the main skipping school with his friends and having an adventure whilst avoiding running into his parents and principal who wants to catch him out. This links to my question as this film has stylistic elements that have becomes iconic to John Hughes such as breaking the forth wall by having Ferris talking to the audience throughout the film.

Item 3: Hughes, John, 1990, Uncle Buck, Will Packer Productions, ABC Studios, Universal Television

This film is different to other films by John Hughes as it is about an uncle having to take care of his nieces and nephew whilst dealing with his oldest niece who is resistant to him as her parents are away. This will help with proving my hypothesis because it shows a different type of film that John Hughes made where teenagers weren’t driving the plot. It also shows John Hughes’ ability to make films in different genres.

Secondary Research Texts:

Books

Item 4: Driscoll, C. (2011) Teen Film- A Critical Introduction. Sydney: Berg Producers. 

This book talks about the influence and impact of teen films from the 80s and how different people also agree with Catherine about what a great director of teen films Hughes is but also how his views are only partial and only talk about one kind of teenager in the 80s. This will help me prove that John Hughes is an auteur because of his continuous impact “Hughes’ focus on adolescent alienation and its redemption has come to represent not only teen films of this period but in general.

Item 5: Shary, T. (2005) Teen Movies: American Youth on Screen. Columbia: Wallflower Press.

The small section I have chosen talks in depth about Hughes’s teen films and the characters that feature in them including how they are all quite similar across the different movies he directs. It also briefly mentions his past before becoming the famous director with a massive influence that he became. This will be useful in proving that John Hughes is an auteur in proving he has personal style because of his “ability to not only convey the contemporary adolescent experience, but to do so from a wide variety of perspectives, would become key distinction of his teen movies.”

Articles

Item 6: Iddins, M, J. (2010) John Hughes May Be onto Something: Anti-Authoritarianism in Education, Film and Policy.

The writer of the article uses two popular anti-authoritarian films to explore options about issues regarding educational public policy. John Hughes is used a lot as an example in this article because of his influence in films showing how public education has developed from his time and what is the same. This source is limited in how it will help me with my investigation as it will only help me with my subtopic on the style and themes in my vocal films.

Item 7: Scott, O, A. (2009) The John Hughes Touch.

The articles talks about the influence and impact on teen films from the 80s and are still having influence on teen films now. It discusses how much of an effect John Hughes had and how it’s hard to deny him as an auteur. This source is also slightly limited in terms of its usefulness because the article does say that auteur status would be given to John Hughes. However, this source doesn’t mention anything on conventions of genre.

Item 8: Gilbey, R. (2009) Obituary: John Hughes.

The article sums up the life of John Hughes and everything he accomplished; using quotes from interviews he gave and quotes from stars featured in his films. This article is useful as it talks about what John Hughes thought about young people, which most likely translated into the way he represented teenage characters.

Item 9: Meroney, J.  (2010) Molly Ringwald’s Revealing Interview on John Hughes, Not Being Lindsay Lohan, and More.

This article is an interview with Molly Ringwald discussing her times working with John Hughes on multiple films together. This article is useful because it is from an interview with Molly Ringwald who worked with John Hughes many times and so will have become accustomed to the way he works and the sort of themes he will discuss in his films, making the source useful but also slightly limited as Molly doesn’t really mention anything on genre.

Item 10: John Hughes Breaking the fourth wall (N/A)

This article talks about the fourth wall and why it is sometimes broken in films. Using John Hughes as an example of how and why he broke the fourth wall including how effective it was. This article is limited in terms of usefulness as it only discuss a main stylistic element in the film Ferris Bueller and gives an in depth analysis on the possibilities of why John Hughes had his main character break the forth wall. It also gives a similar perspective in how it was sort of broken in The Breakfast Club.

Item 11: Perno, S, G. (2016) Directors’ Trademarks: John Hughes.

This article talks about the themes and stylistic techniques that an audience would expect to see in a John Hughes movie for example locking eyes between characters using a close-up and split screen. This article is very useful with helping me in my creative investigation as it discusses the impact John Hughes had on the teen film genre and implies that he invented the new conventions making him an auteur. This article also discusses common stylistic elements John Hughes uses which will help a lot with subtopic 1.

Item 12: Campbell, C. (2009) 8 Things in John Hughes Movies you won’t see in today’s teen movies.

This article talks about styles and techniques but also conventional things an audience expected to see in a John Hughes film like controversial romantic pairings. This article is useful as it will help with subtopic one since it talks about themes and stylistic elements used in my vocal films and was very useful especially when picking out my key scenes to talk about in the essay.

Item 13: Williams, C. (2017) ‘Uncle Buck’ A shining example of John Hughes’ take on adulthood.

The part of the article I looked at discussed the success of Uncle Buck as a film that told two different perspectives-adults and teenagers. This article is limited as it only talks about one of my vocal films. However, it is useful in talking about this focal film as Uncle Buck is less known than my other vocal films.

Item 14: Burnish, C. (2010) John Hughes #1.

This is an interview with John Hughes where he talks about the way his films were interpreted and how his films were meant to be. Talking about what he included in his films and the effect it had on the audience. This article is very useful as it is an interview with John Hughes and has him talking about his films where in it he talks about what he meant when directing The Breakfast Club, which makes this interview very useful in talking about the depth of some of the characters in The Breakfast Club.

Item 15: Vangopoulos, K. (2015) Club Kid: John Hughes and “The Breakfast Club”.

This is an article about what The Breakfast Club really meant using quotes from a John Hughes article. It also considers whether the issues addressed in John Hughes teen films are still relevant in today’s society. This article is useful in terms of my third subtopic as it discusses the continuous impact a John Hughes film has on society now and some conventions in newer teen films that were taken from John Hughes’ teen movies.

Are the style and themes John Hughes used in his films unique to him?

I am looking into the style and themes in John Hughes films because of how important they are in regard to an audience enjoying the film but also in terms of authorship because if John Hughes does show stylistic elements and themes between all three of the vocal films I am looking at then he could be considered an auteur.

My first point is about how popular music from the year John Hughes’ films were made were always used which made the soundtracks of each of his films memorable to the audience, having one main song that made the film. I know that music was important as one of my article sources from (Item 12) agrees, “Everyone recognises how important music was to Hughes’ teen movies…” This quote helps to support my point that music was important, and the music Hughes used tended to make specific scenes become iconic along with other microelements.

One of the most memorable uses of music by John Hughes is from ‘The Breakfast Club’ at the end of the film to show that everything has come full circle in the film and that resolutions have been made.

This shot from the film is when the beginning of the song ‘Don’t You (forget about me)’ by Simple Minds starts playing. The lyrics also start to play at this point and continue until the end of the scene. The impact of the music choice is that it is quite peaceful and makes it seem like the characters have all had revelations about themselves and each other and are all walking out together instead of separately. The lyrics of the song could also relate to the message of the film about how each character represents a stereotype and being in different friendship groups but they all make friends with each other in detention. So, the lyrics “Don’t you forget about me” and “As you walk on by. Will you call my name.” could be in reference to whether each of the characters will remember each other and say hi in the hallway or will they forget about each other and fall back into their stereotypical friendships.

In one of my other focal films ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ the most memorable song used was ‘Oh Yeah’ by Yello. The song was used during the Ferrari scene of the film where Ferris is borrowing Cameron’s dad’s car. The song starts playing when Cameron starts describing the car to Ferris and then it shows a wide shot of the whole car for a couple of seconds so the audience can appreciate the car before doing multiple close-ups of different parts of the car. The song has such an impact on the scene because the lyrics are “Oh Yeah” with a beat which would represent what the audience would say if they were face to face with such a car. The lyrics “Oh Yeah” could also relate to how Cameron tries to convince Ferris not to take the car, but Ferris and the audience are thinking “Oh Yeah”. The use of having a red Ferrari and then a plain black car in the background to the right and a plant to the left the whole frame is full but the red car stands out the most since of the way its been framed and how the colour of it is the most vibrant thing on the screen making the audience want to be the ones face to face with the car.

The final of my focal films that have music to accurately represent a scene and also make it very memorable is the party scene from ‘Uncle Buck’ when he goes looking for Tia.

This scene makes Buck feel and act like an actual adult which shows character development and hasn’t been a common theme throughout the film. The use of this song with the shots showing Buck trying to make it through all the teenagers and the cuts of POV shots from Buck showing teenagers expressions as to wondering why he is at the party. The lighting in this scene is low-key making it fit more with the party theme but also because Buck is wearing a lighter coloured shirt which makes him stand out in the room even more than he already does. This links back to the subtopic because making characters’ stand out by their choice of outfit and the way he acts is something that John Hughes is known for doing like Jeanie in Ferris Bueller as she seems to be the only character against him making her stand out.

My second point is about the similar stylistic techniques and themes that feature in most to all of John Hughes films to determine if he has specific stylistic elements in all of his films, which can be supported by a quote (Item 11) “He uses a lot of similar structural elements in his films, including montages, breaking the forth wall, and similar music…”. A stylistic element that features in all three of the focal films is freeze-frame endings. This became a recognisable element that was well known and expected by the audience as how his films ended.

This screenshot is from the ending of The Breakfast Club after the footage has frozen. The freeze-ending in this film was the perfect way to end the film since they all had a successful day in detention and got out of it with revelations about their own lives and those around them. The ending frames Bender’s character at the front of the frame walking away from the school scene in the background and heading towards the foreground where the pole covered in tape is, him walking towards this makes it seem as if he is walking towards his comfort zone since the mise-en-scene matches how Bender dresses. The way he throws his hand up into a fist makes it seem like a win for him personally and also his way of reacting to the fact he has won the attention of the schools ‘princess’ Claire.

The use of the freeze-ending in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off reinforces Ferris’s cheeky attitude and how he has gotten away with skipping school again without being caught out by his parents and that Rooney his principal has no tangible evidence that he wasn’t ill the entire day. His look in the shot is also very smug because he got away with skipping school and the audience is pleased because we wanted him to get away with it. His victory has become ours because we have lived the day through him. The use of having an overhead shot showing him on in his bed with his arms relaxed behind his head shows further to the audience how confident he is with himself and how he knew he wouldn’t be caught all along no matter how close he was to getting caught and how much he has enjoyed the day he had with his friends. The song ‘Oh yeah’ kicks in again after Ferris finishes the line “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around for a while, you’ll miss it”.

The use of the freeze-end in Uncle Buck makes the film come full circle and have a peaceful ending where all of the characters are at peace with each other and have come to resolutions. The freeze frame could have also been used to show that Tia’s image of Buck has changed and she views him, through a point of view shot, with more affection than she did. The lead up to this freeze-frame is also quite heart-warming as it is close-up shot reverse shots between Buck and Tia as they wave each other farewell. The non-diegetic music that plays in the background is also peaceful and is quiet in the scene showing it is just there so it’s not silent and adds to the scene as a whole.

My last point is about the type of teen that John Hughes represents in his films. “The Hughes teen is white, suburban, and normatively middle-class…” (Item 4). This further shows that Hughes did have a specific style as his cast was always white and middle-class meaning that even though he showed teens in films in a way that had never been done before he still showed a restrictive view. I think that Hughes’s characters were mostly white and middle class because that was his target audience since they were the age category he aimed at with the most disposable income to spend on seeing the film. Another reason that his characters fit this type is because it is how John Hughes grew up, in the suburbs with his family probably living in a nice big house meaning it was the easiest thing for Hughes to write about since he lived it, “he lived in a middle-class, all-American reality that became the mainstay of his films.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/movies/07hughesobit.html) Hughes however did also include some working-class characters in his films (Bender in The Breakfast Club) and some of upper class (Cameron in Ferris Bueller) to balance out his films in terms of class diversity and make sure that there is a character everyone can relate to making them want to go and see the films he creates.

In conclusion I have found out that John Hughes does have a specific style and he uses these styles as a way to show his themes in his films. I think this sub-topic does show that John Hughes can be considered an auteur in terms of Andrew Sarris’s auteur theory as John Hughes does meet technical competence with his various stylistic elements and he also meets the criteria of a distinguishable personality since his films are recognised by many as a film by him because of the elements he has included in his films. The final part of Sarris’s theory is that the director must show interior meaning in their films which I think John Hughes does meet this because Hughes does have the ability to communicate messages to his audience especially the teen audience but also to Hughes’ generation that teenagers do deal with personal issues in their lives.

Did The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Uncle Buck engage the conventions of the coming of age genre and if so, how?

I will look into this subtopic as a follow on from my previous one because as conventions of coming of age genre could link with the stylistic elements and themes John Hughes included in his films. In this subtopic I will be exploring whether my three focal films engage with the conventions of the coming of age genre, using Daniel Chandler’s genre theory, to see if most of the films elements are down to meeting conventions rather that John Hughes’ creativity as a writer and director.

My first point is to show some common themes in the coming of age genre for example; act of rebellion. To prove that each of my focal films fit into this genre I will use screenshots. This sub-topic will help me to determine how much influence the genre of the film had on how the film was made since the use of genre conventions could be an argument against true authorship.

An act of rebellion in The Breakfast Club is the smoking scene after the montage of them running throughout the halls of the school with weed on them. The scene where they smoke the weed is an act of rebellion as weed is an illegal substance but all of them are smoking in the school library as well which would get them kicked out.

This screenshot shows that even the schools ‘princess’ is getting involved, this scene makes all of the characters more connected since it is an activity that they can all be involved with and makes it seem like they are similar people instead of polar opposites. Most of the shots in this scene are close-ups of the characters faces showing them smoking, doing this makes it more of an outrageous thing to see than if it were mid shots. This scene also shows them

sat all together and sat separately showing they haven’t all fully connected as potential friends yet. However, this scene definitely shows acts of defiance in the teenagers which is a convention expected to be seen in teen films.

 An act of rebellion in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is basically the entire film since they skip school, ring the principal pretending to be someone else, join a parade and so on. One scene I have picked out as an act of rebellion is when Ferris and Cameron take Cameron’s dad’s car. In the scene where they steal the car to use for the day Cameron is trying to convince Ferris not to take the car as his dad loves the car more than him and “he knows the mileage”. However, Ferris continues to take the car as he knows Cameron will give in eventually. This screenshot shows Ferris driving off in the car from behind. The camera stays in the same position as the car is driven out and it takes the scene a while to cut during this, this could have been done by John Hughes to make the scene more exaggerated of what they are actually doing. Or it could have been done to connote that even the camera is stood in a state of disbelief that Ferris driving the car away and because of lack of movement from the camera the audience are limited to watching him drive off.

The song ‘Oh Yeah’ by Yello plays in the background to make the scene more intense to the audience but also to downplay what is happening a bit as the music makes the scene funny when in reality they are borrowing a very expensive car without permission, making this scene probably one of the biggest acts of rebellion in the film.

Finally an act of rebellion in Uncle Buck would be when Tia leaves her younger siblings at home by themselves after promising Buck she would look after them to go to a party for the weekend with her boyfriend.

This screenshot shows Tia leaving her house leaving her siblings at home. This is a serious act of rebellion by Tia as she shouldn’t have left them alone as they are too young. The audience also knows they are alone as it then cuts to Buck sitting at Tia’s school waiting for her before driving home and finding them alone. The shot of her leaving is a wide shot showing the kids walking up the stairs and her down all dressed up and with a bag probably full of things shed need over the weekend. While this scene is going on there is no music playing in the background, the only sound is the characters talking to each other, having no non-diegetic music makes the scene more serious than it would have been and making it more adamant to the audience that Tia is leaving them alone and that there could be serious consequences for her actions.

Other conventions an audience would expect to see in a coming of age film are issues with home life. This is shown in all three of my focal films since it is a big issue that most teenagers go through since they’re growing up and being more independent and voicing their opinion which parents don’t always like causing conflict. In The Breakfast Club it is made evident that all of the characters have problems at home, especially Bender who makes the comment that his dad hits him.

During this scene when Bender is telling the other characters about his home life there is no non-diegetic music showing how serious the scene is and that music isn’t needed to make the scene more complete. In the scene Bender talks about how his dad calls him “stupid. Worthless. No good god damn freeloading son of a bitch” and that his mum describes him as “Ugly, lazy and disrespectful”, the scene escalates as Bender becomes angrier describing what happens. Then his talk ends when he acts out his dad hitting him and a large foley bang happens to act like a hitting noise and then non-diegetic music begins. The whole time this scene is going on Bender moves to different part of the frame as it stays as a mid-shot and the camera never cuts or changes angle until he is done talking which makes it more real to the audience and has a big impact as the audience can’t look away.

 In Ferris Bueller Cameron struggles with his home-life and it is inferred that neither of his parents really care about him or what he does. During the Ferrari scene Cameron states that his father “never has, never will” trust him which shows how difficult and bad their relationship is. The scene where the car goes out the back window is also when Cameron is talking about how his dad loves the car more than him and how “his old man pushes him around” further reinforcing to the audience that Cameron’s dad doesn’t really care about him or love him and that makes Cameron angry which is why he takes it out on the car his dad loves so much. This scene shows that Cameron is finally standing up for himself and is making decisions for himself.

In this screenshot it shows Cameron kicking the front of his dad’s car repeatedly through a close-up. The use of a close-up makes the scene a lot more dramatic and heart-warming as Cameron feels he is finally standing up for himself. In this scene there is no non-diegetic music playing and all that can be heard is the foley sound of Cameron kicking the car. The lack of sound in this scene makes it tenser and more dramatic as the audience can do nothing but watch as Cameron curses his dad out whilst taking his anger out on his car.

Finally, in Uncle Buck Tia also experience problems with her parents especially her mum. In the short period of time that the mum is in the film at the beginning she and Tia just seem to argue. When Tia describes her mum, she calls her “our mother figure” to which her brother responds “I’m sick of you calling her that” revealing to the audience that Tia refers their mum as that often and also showing that Tia and her mum clearly don’t get on well, because Tia thinks that her mum isn’t a real or good enough mum as she is often absent. This is a key theme in all three of my vocal films as the characters parents are largely absent from their lives.

It then cuts to them having dinner as a family showing a close-up of takeaway boxes and then a wide shot of them all eating dinner. There is no non-diegetic music making the scene appear really tense when all that can be heard is forks colliding with the plates. The takeaway infers that Tia’s mother doesn’t meet norms or stereotypes of being a stay at home mum who cooks dinner. Tia makes a snide remark “This is such a wonderful dinner mother. How do you find the time?” to her mum to which her mum ignores her showing they don’t have a good relationship. As the scene continues it becomes tenser until Tia makes another remark to which her mother responds “I’ve had enough of your ugliness… We’re all just a little tired of the act” whilst she is saying this there are close-up shot reverse shots of Tia and her mum’s face showing even more that they aren’t really fond of each other.

In conclusion of this sub-topic I have found out that all of my focal films conform to conventions of a coming of age film which could mean that Daniel Chandler’s genre theory could be an argument against the director being the auteur since to fit into the genre a film has to meet certain conventions in order to be under that and as Daniel says “genres tend to be based on the notion that they constitute particular conventions of content (such as themes or settings)” this could mean that some of John Hughes decisions that would class him as an auteur don’t really count since he has to meet conventions. However, in John Hughes’ case he had shown teens in films in a way that had never been done before which could make out that he created the new conventions to this genre.

 Are the stars of John Hughes films or the audience watching the real reason for their success?

For this subtopic I am looking into whether the stars of John Hughes’ films are the reason for the success of them using Christine Gledhill’s star theory to help prove or disprove if the star is the auteur of the film. I will also explore whether the audience was responsible for the success based on the issues John Hughes brought up in his films linking to what was happening socially and economically in the 80s which made the mass audiences go and see each of the focal films I have picked.

My first point is about the choice of actors used in his films “The Hughes teen is white, suburban, and normatively middle class.” (Item 12) The whiteness of the cast could be determined by the audience if the type of teenager he represents in his films are white and middle class which would make his films appeal more to an audience since they can relate to the characters a lot and they have the most disposable income to go and see the film in cinema which would guarantee success. However, to bring even more of an audience and appeal to a mass audience John Hughes also included working class characters like Bender and upper class characters like Cameron to bring all types of teenagers to see his films. The audience could be considered responsible for the success of each of the films because John Hughes’ films chimed with the way young people felt, making John Hughes the voice that teenagers had and so it made them want to go and see the films because John Hughes had spoken to them.

My second point is about how stars are sometimes considered more important and memorable in the audiences mind than who the director was for example, in Christine Gledhill’s star theory. This is something that is recognised as something that happens on a regular basis for example; Morgan Freeman’s performance in Shawshank Redemption is better known than who directed the film (Frank Darabont) making it seem like the film becomes theirs, as that’s whom the audience remembers. This could be something that is relevant with John Hughes as John Candy’s performance in Uncle Buck makes the film so memorable in an audiences mind and he probably had a big impact on the film’s success as a stars with a big following tend to bring in a big audience more than John Hughes being the director. This links to Gledhill’s star as capital in their bankability using “the numbers” website. I have found from this that Molly Ringwald’s bankability is shown in the figure below. This suggests that as she made the most money as a leading role and she featured as a leading role in a few John Hughes films then he has made her famous not the other way around.

However, in terms of the star Molly Ringwald John Hughes made her a star when he featured her in the film The Breakfast Club. Gledhill acknowledges stars are construct and in some cases directors have impact on how the star is constructed. This would link to Molly Ringwald as she wasn’t a star before featuring as one of the main characters in The Breakfast Club and then in further films done by him; Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles.

Overall, I believe that John Hughes can be considered an auteur since his films were all big hits in terms of audience during the 80s but also his continued impact on how teen films are made today. I think that I have answered my hypothesis successfully using my sub-topics to structure the essay.

  Evaluation of Findings

In evaluation of my findings when researching information on John Hughes I found it quite hard. This could be because he only directed a short number of films before he died. As when trying to fins books on John Hughes as a director I couldn’t find anything which could have been because his films were very popular but probably not seen as art by critics meaning no books were made. This meant I had to mainly find articles about John Hughes and interviews about him or interviews involving him to find out the necessary information I needed to carry out my investigation.

If I was to do my creative investigation again I would look at other John Hughes films and potentially pick another teen film done by him like Sixteen Candles so that I could focus more on just teen films and wouldn’t have to consider as vague in some of my subtopics as Uncle Buck is different from his other films. Another thing I would have considered is just focusing on a wider range of teen films similar to what Catherine Driscoll did (Item 4) that have done very well at the box office and comparing them to a John Hughes teen film. I would do this as it can be said that John Hughes invented the conventions for the coming of age that are still used in films today.

[s0023266a2film-blog]

Essay Abstract

Hypothesis:

To what extent can Stanley Kubrick be considered the true ‘author’ of his films?

Sub-topics:

1. Does Stanley Kubrick have a distinct style?

2. Is Kubrick technically competent?

3. Are Kubrick’s films injected with interior meaning?

Question 1:

For this question I am hoping to find out if Kubrick has a distinct style. I will collect data ranging from the lenses he uses or the motifs he repeats that become a major part of his movies. The style can be communicated through micro features: Classical music, distinct facial expressions, tracking shots, toilet motifs etc.

Question 2:

For this question, I am hoping to find out if Kubrick is technically competent, and how he is. Does he use innovative technology, storyboards for each one of his scenes and extreme-camera angles?

Question 3:

For this question, I am hoping to find out if Kubrick injects Kubrick’s films with interior meaning. Not just general themes, but more intricate themes. Freudian themes are especially apparent. The ID winning over the ego for example. This also investigates whether or not his films are simply genre films or if they transcend beyond being just genre films by breaking conventions and and into auteur territory.

Question 1: Does Stanley Kubrick have a distinct style

Intro: As part of my study on Stanley Kubrick and whether or not he should be considered an auteur, I have analysed the Films A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Shining (1980) and Full Metal Jacket (1987) hoping that each of these films share stylistic traits which I believe they do.

Point: According to film theorist Andrew Sarris signature style is an important part of authorship because it enables us to recognise the work of a director on sight, just as we would recognise the work of a particular artist.

Source: Rutger H (2010) Believes that a key visual motif found in Kubrick’s films is the Kubrick Stare.

Evidence: This can be seen in The Shining via a close-up shot during the scene where Jack is chasing his Son Danny.

Evidence: The same visual motif can also be found in Full Metal Jacket via a close-up during the scene where Private Pyle has a mental breakdown while reciting the riflemans creed shortly before killing the drill instructor.

Evidence 3: The same visual motif can be found in A Clockwork Orange via a close-up after Alex drinks ‘Milk-plus’ which leaves him intoxicated and prepared for ‘ultra-violence’.

Explain: This demonstrates that the Kubrick stare formulates to become part of his cinematic style. The stare symbolises only evil and menace taking over, and leaving only instinct. In Freudian terms, it is allegorical for the ID taking over the ego. It is part of his signature style which suggests that he should be considered an auteur.

Evaluate: However there are film theorists such as Pauline Kael who argue that signature style being a key trait of the auteur is rather paradoxical because it supports the notion that the director repeats the same things which goes against the auteur because it shows Kubrick is not adding anything new to his movies and instead borrowing from his previous films.

Question 2: Is Kubrick Technically competent

Intro: For my creative investigation I am studying Stanley Kubrick and Full Metal Jacket, The Shining and A Clockwork Orange. The technical competence Kubrick presents for each of these films will help me understand his status as an auteur and whether he deserves to be considered one.

Point: Andrew Sarris states in ‘Notes of an auteur’ that the auteur must be Technically competent. He explains what this means by mentioning how Hitchcock created detailed storyboards for each of his shots. In short, technical competence is the ability to master the making of a movie during pre and post-production.

Source: Because Kubrick knows everything about Filmmaking. He is able to make a slow scene interesting and charming (Perno, G.S 2015)

Evidence: This can be seen in The Shining when crazed Jack is wandering the corridors of the overlook Hotel. Displayed via a long shot.

Evidence: It can also be Seen in A Clockwork Orange during the scene where Alex is wandering in his apartment complex. Demonstrated via a long shot alongside ambient music.

Evidence: It can also be seen in Full Metal Jacket during the scene where Private. Joker observes the civilians killed by the Vietcong. Kubrick’s signature perspective shot is also used.

Explain: This demonstrates how Kubrick is able to use slow scenes to heavily add to plot without it being action-heavy. The scenes are often very aesthetic. Much like in 2001, Kubrick communicates the story through visuals as opposed to action. By doing this, he can still create a coherent story which proves his technical competence.

Evaluate: However, the film theorist Pauline Kael who was critical of Andrew Sarris’s notes on the auteur found that some directors were beyond competence. Perhaps Kubrick fit the bill because he used new technology and filming techniques which transcended competence.

Question 3: Are Stanley Kubrick’s films injected with interior meaning

Intro: For my creative investigation I am investigating Stanley Kubrick. The three films I’m analysing are A Clockwork Orange, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket. All three of these films have interior meaning, but the topic of debate is if the same interior meaning is present in all three.

Source: Kubrick’s characters may find themselves torn between these conflicting powers of technological passiveness or human consciousness [2].

Evidence: In A Clockwork Orange, Alex’s impulsions have been rendered obselete by the Ludovico technique. Demonstrated via a close-up, high angle shot to signify his submission.

Evidence: In The Shining, Jack’s consciousness has been tampered because he is possessed by The Hotel. Demonstated via a medium shot.

Evidence: In Full Metal Jacket, Private Pyle is forced to choke himself, he is not acting on his own initiative because it is forced. Demonstrated via a low angle.

Explain: These scenes all demonstrate how technological passiveness and human consciousness are a recuring theme in Stanley Kubrick’s films. For example, in The Shining Jack is possessed by the Overlook Hotel, In A Clockwork Orange Alex has been programmed and In Full Metal Jacket Private Pyle is being forced.

Evaluate: However, the film theorist Pauline Kael criticised Sarris’s idea of technical competence being a trait of an auteur because it is vague. Furthermore, she said it favoured hacks who force style into their films,so could it be said that Kubrick’s style is forced into his films without any underlying theme other than aesthetic.

Reference list

· Cornets de Groots , R (2012) Kubrick creator : Alchemy in Stanley Kubrick’s films. Senses of Cinema. (1)

· Krohn, B (2010) Masters of Cinema-Stanley Kubrick. Phaidon press. (2)

· Phillips D, G (2001) Stanley Kubrick: Interviews,. University of Mississippi. (3)

· Hunter, I.Q (2015) Introduction: Kubrick and Adaption. Adaption, volume 8, issue 3. (4)

· Gurney, S (2017) Auteur: Stanley Kubrick. So the theory goes. (5)

· Perno, G.S (2015) Director Trademarks of Stanley Kubrick. Cinelinx. (6)

· Papish, B (2016) Everything you need to know about Stanley Kubrick’s cinematic style. HIGHSNOBIETY. (7)

· Geduld, M (2013) The definitive style of Stanley Kubrick. What makes his movies different from other films. Quora. (8)

· Lafountine, K (2016) Top 10 most distinct traits of Stanley Kubrick cinema. Taste of Cinema. (9)

· Pezzota, E (2015) Stanley Kubrick: Adapting the sublime. Univeristy of Mississippi, Jackson MS. (10)

· Danko, M (2013) 12 Stanley Kubrick strategies for perfecting a film. MentalFloss. (11)

· Stanley Kubrick’s legendary filmmaking style. LAvideofilmmaker. (12)

[jimmysbloga2film]

Source 6

Name of Book / Magazine:

DIRECTORS' TRADEMARKS: GUY RITCHIE

Author:

G.S. Perno

Publisher, place of publication and date:

Movie Buffs, website,  August 18 2015

Title of chapter / article:

DIRECTORS' TRADEMARKS: GUY RITCHIE

Page numbers used:

3

Web address used to access source:

http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-stuff/item/8147-directors-trademarks-guy-ritchie.htm

Date Accessed:  

12/10/17

Your research topic / question: 

style in contemporary crime films 

Brief overview of what the article / chapter / book is about:

This article is about the unique style that director Guy Ritchie uses in his film that we can identify through out the other films he has made. this will allow me to identify his style more when watching his films and hopefully now be able to notice the trademark techniques he constantly uses.

Key quotes from article / chapter / book that relate to your topic:

1.   

“Colorful Characters “

“"There is rarely, if ever anyone, who you could consider normal. It doesn’t matter what side of the law they are on or how low or high in the ranks of the organization that they are. Richie knows how to make interesting energetic characters, and they are the heart of his films.” for example Mikey out of snatch.”

the characters in Ritchies films are unique, fun and adds character to his films making them fun and enjoyable. The colourfulness off each character allows Guy Ritchie to constantly switch plot with each character he changes to whilst still keeping the audience immersed in the film. He makes each character have their own story, these story's all mix together to create on big plot , which is a unique way from most other directors to telling a narrative.

2.    

“Circular and Interconnected Plots”

“Ritchie’s films take their audiences hostage. They tend to be more about the experience than the destination. Ritchie ignores a traditional exposition, instead starting mid-stride and begging the audience to catch up. His plots tread on familiar territory, often having moments that loop back in time in order to show a different perspective of an important event that just occurred as an explanation of what happened.”

3.    

“Quick Jump Cut Sequences”

“Quick cuts allow Ritchie to show a character performing an action that may not be that important to the plot, but is useful for building context or to help the audience better understand the character.”

“Ritchie uses quick jump sequences like a montage too, to show characters preparing for an event or to explain the passage of time.”

4.    

High-Octane Action

“Guy Ritchie injects his films with hard-hitting fast-moving action sequences. They are hard-hitting because they are not only violent and bloody, but typically involve hand-to-hand combat.”

“His action scenes are fast-moving and full of energy because of the way they are filmed. Sometimes Ritchie uses high-speed photography to slow things down at critical moments to create more of an impact, as seen in both of the Sherlock Holmes movies.”

Out of Tarantino Scorsese and Ritchie i would say that Richie is the most contemporary out of them. His quick highly skilled fight scenes allow him to apply his modern style to a film, which may show the mechanism of a gun or freeze time so that you can hear the protagonists thoughts  or from the detailed complex multi plots which somehow to the audiences disbelieve, merge together for one great ending . i chose to study a Guy Ritchie film as i believe his films are unique and like no other, his style allows the audience to enjoy a crime film in a whole new way, a way that isn't big and flashy but made with whit humor and skill. 

Harvard Referencing 

[ongames]

The 7 Injuries Doctors See Most On Summer Weekends

Warm weather and longer days will bring many Americans outdoors for cookouts, pool parties and more. But long weekends ― we’re looking at you, Memorial Day ― also lead to more trips to urgent care or even the emergency room, according to experts. In fact, a 2015 study from researchers at Brown University found that heat-related illness alone can ratchet emergency department visits in the summertime. 

The risk for issues like drowning and sports injuries go up in the hotter seasons, according to Dr. Christopher M. McStay, chief of clinical operations and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. And they’re usually all preventable.

We asked doctors to explain the most common reasons why patients end up in their offices during summer months ― and what can be done to prevent you or a loved one from being among them.

1. Heat-related illness.

During summer months, people often show up at the doctor with a heat-related condition, from mild dehydration to severe heatstroke, says Dawne Kort, an emergency medicine doctor and attending physician at CityMD Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Clinic. 

Fewer than 1,000 Americans die each year due to heat-related illness, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But plenty more experience the more mild symptoms of too much sun exposure, which include nausea, dizziness, headaches and confusion. 

“Be mindful of the temperature, stay hydrated and avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time if the temperature is high ― especially during the hottest time of the day,” Kort told HuffPost, noting that the warmest hours are usually between 2 and 4 p.m.

2. Swimming injuries and drowning.

Memorial Day weekend is the first time many people will head out for water-related activities.

“We see a fair amount of swimming-related [injuries],” McStay told HuffPost. “Trauma related to jumping into a body of water, small children who are not being supervised, boating injuries.” 

Joseph Perno, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, says these water-related dangers definitely increase when the weather gets warm.

“We see a big spike in drowning,” Perno told HuffPost. “When you have a lot of adults together, you’d think there would be more people watching the kids but what happens is people are distracted: Talking, drinking, partying, having fun and no one is watching the kids.” 

Drowning is the second most common cause of death by unintentional injury, behind car accidents, among children ages 1-4 years-old, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. Children are also more likely to drown in a swimming pool than anywhere else. 

It’s so easy for a child to fall into water without someone realizing, Perno says. If you’re having a pool party, rotate having a designated adult to supervise water activities, he suggests.

3. Burns and cuts.

There are numerous hospital visits for burns associated with grilling and camp fires, as well as cuts from kitchen knives, according to McStay. 

Children may try to touch the fires and adults make the common mistake of squirting lighter fluid onto hot coals. Be safe about it: Apply lighter fluid to coals when they aren’t lit, letting the fluid soak in, McStay suggests. 

4. Food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

Gastrointestinal issues frequently bring people to the emergency room during warmer months, according to Kort. In fact, food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months, since hot temperatures and humid conditions provide the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture. 

“[It’s] commonly seen after a summer barbecue, where the food has not been properly cooked or may have been left out in the heat. Or when fruits and vegetables have not been washed properly,” Kort said. 

Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day and wash your hands properly before eating, Kort advises. 

5. Sports injuries

Sports-related injuries from playing frisbee, football and outdoor activities are also a bigger issue. Sprained wrists, twisted ankles and broken bones are common sights in urgent care clinics and emergency rooms between spring and summer, according to the experts.

Treatment for these injuries typically requires a little home care, Kort said. Rest the body, ice the injury, compress the body part and elevate the injured area. But if something feels seriously wrong or keeps getting worse, head to the doctor as soon as possible.  

6. Skin irritations and insect bites.

With long days spent outdoors, it’s common to see irritations from wild plants like poison ivy, sumac and oak. Insect and tick bites are also common and, in some cases of infection, may require an antibiotic, Kort said.

This year, in particular, may bring with it more tick bites and tick-borne diseases than previous summers. And Zika virus, though currently out of the news cycle, may be poised to come back in some states.

Keep an eye on any bumps or swelling that does not go away or grows in size. And learn some expert-backed tips to keep yourself safe from ticks and mosquitoes. 

7. Sunburns.

While most sunburns don’t require a trip to the hospital, some do. In 2013, there were nearly 34,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. due to serious sunburns, according to recent research in Dermatology. Go to the doctor if your sunburn results in blistering or is accompanied by nausea, confusion, headache, extreme pain or chills. You should also head to the doctor if at-home remedies such as applying aloe vera or taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen does not help after a couple of days.

But even if you can take care of your burn at home, it’s an uncomfortable mishap that’s easy to avoid.  

Practice good sun protection habits for yourself and especially watch out for children you’re supervising, since they are unlikely to remember to reapply lotion. 

“Having a sunburn is uncomfortable and painful,” McStay said. “And the chronic risk of sun exposure and skin cancer is something to think about everyday.” 

So walk into the long, warm weekend a bit more alert. Better to be safe than sorry. 

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

The 7 Injuries Doctors See Most On Summer Weekends published first on http://ift.tt/2lnpciY

[yes-dal456]

The 7 Injuries Doctors See Most On Summer Weekends

Warm weather and longer days will bring many Americans outdoors for cookouts, pool parties and more. But long weekends ― we’re looking at you, Memorial Day ― also lead to more trips to urgent care or even the emergency room, according to experts. In fact, a 2015 study from researchers at Brown University found that heat-related illness alone can ratchet emergency department visits in the summertime. 

The risk for issues like drowning and sports injuries go up in the hotter seasons, according to Dr. Christopher M. McStay, chief of clinical operations and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. And they’re usually all preventable.

We asked doctors to explain the most common reasons why patients end up in their offices during summer months ― and what can be done to prevent you or a loved one from being among them.

1. Heat-related illness.

During summer months, people often show up at the doctor with a heat-related condition, from mild dehydration to severe heatstroke, says Dawne Kort, an emergency medicine doctor and attending physician at CityMD Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Clinic. 

Fewer than 1,000 Americans die each year due to heat-related illness, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But plenty more experience the more mild symptoms of too much sun exposure, which include nausea, dizziness, headaches and confusion. 

“Be mindful of the temperature, stay hydrated and avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time if the temperature is high ― especially during the hottest time of the day,” Kort told HuffPost, noting that the warmest hours are usually between 2 and 4 p.m.

2. Swimming injuries and drowning.

Memorial Day weekend is the first time many people will head out for water-related activities.

“We see a fair amount of swimming-related [injuries],” McStay told HuffPost. “Trauma related to jumping into a body of water, small children who are not being supervised, boating injuries.” 

Joseph Perno, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, says these water-related dangers definitely increase when the weather gets warm.

“We see a big spike in drowning,” Perno told HuffPost. “When you have a lot of adults together, you’d think there would be more people watching the kids but what happens is people are distracted: Talking, drinking, partying, having fun and no one is watching the kids.” 

Drowning is the second most common cause of death by unintentional injury, behind car accidents, among children ages 1-4 years-old, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. Children are also more likely to drown in a swimming pool than anywhere else. 

It’s so easy for a child to fall into water without someone realizing, Perno says. If you’re having a pool party, rotate having a designated adult to supervise water activities, he suggests.

3. Burns and cuts.

There are numerous hospital visits for burns associated with grilling and camp fires, as well as cuts from kitchen knives, according to McStay. 

Children may try to touch the fires and adults make the common mistake of squirting lighter fluid onto hot coals. Be safe about it: Apply lighter fluid to coals when they aren’t lit, letting the fluid soak in, McStay suggests. 

4. Food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

Gastrointestinal issues frequently bring people to the emergency room during warmer months, according to Kort. In fact, food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months, since hot temperatures and humid conditions provide the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture. 

“[It’s] commonly seen after a summer barbecue, where the food has not been properly cooked or may have been left out in the heat. Or when fruits and vegetables have not been washed properly,” Kort said. 

Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day and wash your hands properly before eating, Kort advises. 

5. Sports injuries

Sports-related injuries from playing frisbee, football and outdoor activities are also a bigger issue. Sprained wrists, twisted ankles and broken bones are common sights in urgent care clinics and emergency rooms between spring and summer, according to the experts.

Treatment for these injuries typically requires a little home care, Kort said. Rest the body, ice the injury, compress the body part and elevate the injured area. But if something feels seriously wrong or keeps getting worse, head to the doctor as soon as possible.  

6. Skin irritations and insect bites.

With long days spent outdoors, it’s common to see irritations from wild plants like poison ivy, sumac and oak. Insect and tick bites are also common and, in some cases of infection, may require an antibiotic, Kort said.

This year, in particular, may bring with it more tick bites and tick-borne diseases than previous summers. And Zika virus, though currently out of the news cycle, may be poised to come back in some states.

Keep an eye on any bumps or swelling that does not go away or grows in size. And learn some expert-backed tips to keep yourself safe from ticks and mosquitoes. 

7. Sunburns.

While most sunburns don’t require a trip to the hospital, some do. In 2013, there were nearly 34,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. due to serious sunburns, according to recent research in Dermatology. Go to the doctor if your sunburn results in blistering or is accompanied by nausea, confusion, headache, extreme pain or chills. You should also head to the doctor if at-home remedies such as applying aloe vera or taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen does not help after a couple of days.

But even if you can take care of your burn at home, it’s an uncomfortable mishap that’s easy to avoid.  

Practice good sun protection habits for yourself and especially watch out for children you’re supervising, since they are unlikely to remember to reapply lotion. 

“Having a sunburn is uncomfortable and painful,” McStay said. “And the chronic risk of sun exposure and skin cancer is something to think about everyday.” 

So walk into the long, warm weekend a bit more alert. Better to be safe than sorry. 

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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the dragonfly prince

“can you stop time for me?”

dragonfly! heathcliff x reader

gender neutral reader

synopsis: love between a dragonfly prince, no bigger than a hairpin, and a human, no smaller than a budding tree, seems more daunting and unlikely than anything else in the world. but you two make it work, and you both revel in what you’re allowed to have.

He kissed your fingertips whenever you met him.

Heathcliff claimed that it was his way of greeting you. Lives of insects were so fleeting in comparison to that of humans, and lives of humans were so fleeting in comparison to that of mystical beings of magic. He couldn’t kiss you like a proper human lover would, but a flimsy excuse was nothing in the face of unbridled love and truest affection.

So he kissed your fingertips. 

You had never met someone so delicate yet so lovely. No bigger than an apple yet with more magic within his tiny heart than an entire village combined, Heathcliff looked more like a fairy than a prince. Whenever you called him a human, he’d scrunch his face up and correct you with a voice that sounded like the first rays of sunlight, and whenever you called him a prince, he’d shy away and swat at your palms with his own.

You had never seen anyone so princely. His hair was the same color as the wildflowers that bloomed in the gentle spring days, and his eyes were the same color as the vivid splashes of a waterfall carving its history into a stoic cliff. From his back, a pair of wings sprung forth like a spell being uttered from his lips: a rainbow of colors reflected from the light and into your curious eyes whenever he shifted them. On top of his head rested a crown of twigs and leaves, and in lieu of gemstones, drops of sap and frozen dewdrops adorned his brow. 

“They don’t like me sneaking out to see you. They say that it’s bad for a dragonfly to fall in love with a human,” he whispered. A bundle of oxymoron slipped past his lips, but he silenced them by pressing them into your fingertips.

You glanced at him, the prince resting on top of your folded knees. “Does it matter to you?”

“Nothing matters to me anymore. Nothing except the heat in my skin when you hold me, the twinkle in my eyes when you look at me, the tightness in my chest when you tell me you love me,” he laughed. His hair flung across his forehead like a meteor shower at dawn, and you couldn’t help but lift your fingertips greedily towards his mouth again.

“I love you, my prince.”

Heathcliff shook his head. “Don’t call me that.”

Your lips quirked upwards into a wry smile, and you watched with intrigue as he pressed another kiss to your hands. Your skin tingled with a sort of electric joy that only he could ever give to you, and you leaned forward to press your own lips to the top of his head. You wondered what it must feel like on his end to be kissed, to trust and adore someone leagues larger than you to risk your entire world for a singular kiss.

But he let you kiss him anyway, he let you give your kisses to him.

A crown of kisses, a crown that only the dragonfly prince could lay claim to.

“I love you, Heathcliff.”

[imreviewblog]

The 7 Injuries Doctors See Most On Summer Weekends

Warm weather and longer days will bring many Americans outdoors for cookouts, pool parties and more. But long weekends ― we’re looking at you, Memorial Day ― also lead to more trips to urgent care or even the emergency room, according to experts. In fact, a 2015 study from researchers at Brown University found that heat-related illness alone can ratchet emergency department visits in the summertime. 

The risk for issues like drowning and sports injuries go up in the hotter seasons, according to Dr. Christopher M. McStay, chief of clinical operations and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. And they’re usually all preventable.

We asked doctors to explain the most common reasons why patients end up in their offices during summer months ― and what can be done to prevent you or a loved one from being among them.

1. Heat-related illness.

During summer months, people often show up at the doctor with a heat-related condition, from mild dehydration to severe heatstroke, says Dawne Kort, an emergency medicine doctor and attending physician at CityMD Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Clinic. 

Fewer than 1,000 Americans die each year due to heat-related illness, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But plenty more experience the more mild symptoms of too much sun exposure, which include nausea, dizziness, headaches and confusion. 

“Be mindful of the temperature, stay hydrated and avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time if the temperature is high ― especially during the hottest time of the day,” Kort told HuffPost, noting that the warmest hours are usually between 2 and 4 p.m.

2. Swimming injuries and drowning.

Memorial Day weekend is the first time many people will head out for water-related activities.

“We see a fair amount of swimming-related [injuries],” McStay told HuffPost. “Trauma related to jumping into a body of water, small children who are not being supervised, boating injuries.” 

Joseph Perno, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, says these water-related dangers definitely increase when the weather gets warm.

“We see a big spike in drowning,” Perno told HuffPost. “When you have a lot of adults together, you’d think there would be more people watching the kids but what happens is people are distracted: Talking, drinking, partying, having fun and no one is watching the kids.” 

Drowning is the second most common cause of death by unintentional injury, behind car accidents, among children ages 1-4 years-old, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. Children are also more likely to drown in a swimming pool than anywhere else. 

It’s so easy for a child to fall into water without someone realizing, Perno says. If you’re having a pool party, rotate having a designated adult to supervise water activities, he suggests.

3. Burns and cuts.

There are numerous hospital visits for burns associated with grilling and camp fires, as well as cuts from kitchen knives, according to McStay. 

Children may try to touch the fires and adults make the common mistake of squirting lighter fluid onto hot coals. Be safe about it: Apply lighter fluid to coals when they aren’t lit, letting the fluid soak in, McStay suggests. 

4. Food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

Gastrointestinal issues frequently bring people to the emergency room during warmer months, according to Kort. In fact, food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months, since hot temperatures and humid conditions provide the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture. 

“[It’s] commonly seen after a summer barbecue, where the food has not been properly cooked or may have been left out in the heat. Or when fruits and vegetables have not been washed properly,” Kort said. 

Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day and wash your hands properly before eating, Kort advises. 

5. Sports injuries

Sports-related injuries from playing frisbee, football and outdoor activities are also a bigger issue. Sprained wrists, twisted ankles and broken bones are common sights in urgent care clinics and emergency rooms between spring and summer, according to the experts.

Treatment for these injuries typically requires a little home care, Kort said. Rest the body, ice the injury, compress the body part and elevate the injured area. But if something feels seriously wrong or keeps getting worse, head to the doctor as soon as possible.  

6. Skin irritations and insect bites.

With long days spent outdoors, it’s common to see irritations from wild plants like poison ivy, sumac and oak. Insect and tick bites are also common and, in some cases of infection, may require an antibiotic, Kort said.

This year, in particular, may bring with it more tick bites and tick-borne diseases than previous summers. And Zika virus, though currently out of the news cycle, may be poised to come back in some states.

Keep an eye on any bumps or swelling that does not go away or grows in size. And learn some expert-backed tips to keep yourself safe from ticks and mosquitoes. 

7. Sunburns.

While most sunburns don’t require a trip to the hospital, some do. In 2013, there were nearly 34,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. due to serious sunburns, according to recent research in Dermatology. Go to the doctor if your sunburn results in blistering or is accompanied by nausea, confusion, headache, extreme pain or chills. You should also head to the doctor if at-home remedies such as applying aloe vera or taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen does not help after a couple of days.

But even if you can take care of your burn at home, it’s an uncomfortable mishap that’s easy to avoid.  

Practice good sun protection habits for yourself and especially watch out for children you’re supervising, since they are unlikely to remember to reapply lotion. 

“Having a sunburn is uncomfortable and painful,” McStay said. “And the chronic risk of sun exposure and skin cancer is something to think about everyday.” 

So walk into the long, warm weekend a bit more alert. Better to be safe than sorry. 

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from Healthy Living - The Huffington Post http://bit.ly/2r0vlWh

[trendingnewsb]

The 7 Injuries ERs See Most On Summer Weekends

Warm weather and longer days will bring many Americans outdoors for cookouts, pool parties and more. But long weekends ― we’re looking at you, Memorial Day ― also lead to more trips to urgent care or even the emergency room, according to experts. In fact, a 2015 study from researchers at Brown University found that heat-related illness alone can ratchet emergency department visits in the summertime. 

The risk for issues like drowning and sports injuries go up in the hotter seasons, according to Dr. Christopher M. McStay, chief of clinical operations and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. And they’re usually all preventable.

We asked doctors to explain the most common reasons why patients end up in their offices during summer months ― and what can be done to prevent you or a loved one from being among them.

1. Heat-related illness.

During summer months, people often show up at the doctor with a heat-related condition, from mild dehydration to severe heatstroke, says Dawne Kort, an emergency medicine doctor and attending physician at CityMD Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Clinic. 

Fewer than 1,000 Americans die each year due to heat-related illness, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But plenty more experience the more mild symptoms of too much sun exposure, which include nausea, dizziness, headaches and confusion. 

“Be mindful of the temperature, stay hydrated and avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time if the temperature is high ― especially during the hottest time of the day,” Kort told HuffPost, noting that the warmest hours are usually between 2 and 4 p.m.

wundervisuals via Getty Images

Doctors see an uptick in drowning incidents and water activity accidents in warmer months. 

2. Swimming injuries and drowning.

Memorial Day weekend is the first time many people will head out for water-related activities.

“We see a fair amount of swimming-related [injuries],” McStay told HuffPost. “Trauma related to jumping into a body of water, small children who are not being supervised, boating injuries.” 

Joseph Perno, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, says these water-related dangers definitely increase when the weather gets warm.

“We see a big spike in drowning,” Perno told HuffPost. “When you have a lot of adults together, you’d think there would be more people watching the kids but what happens is people are distracted: Talking, drinking, partying, having fun and no one is watching the kids.” 

Drowning is the second most common cause of death by unintentional injury, behind car accidents, among children ages 1-4 years-old, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. Children are also more likely to drown in a swimming pool than anywhere else. 

It’s so easy for a child to fall into water without someone realizing, Perno says. If you’re having a pool party, rotate having a designated adult to supervise water activities, he suggests.

3. Burns and cuts.

There are numerous hospital visits for burns associated with grilling and camp fires, as well as cuts from kitchen knives, according to McStay. 

Children may try to touch the fires and adults make the common mistake of squirting lighter fluid onto hot coals. Be safe about it: Apply lighter fluid to coals when they aren’t lit, letting the fluid soak in, McStay suggests. 

Hero Images via Getty Images

Back away from the coleslaw that’s been sitting in the sun for hours on end.

4. Food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

Gastrointestinal issues frequently bring people to the emergency room during warmer months, according to Kort. In fact, food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months, since hot temperatures and humid conditions provide the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture. 

“[It’s] commonly seen after a summer barbecue, where the food has not been properly cooked or may have been left out in the heat. Or when fruits and vegetables have not been washed properly,” Kort said. 

Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day and wash your hands properly before eating, Kort advises. 

5. Sports injuries

Sports-related injuries from playing frisbee, football and outdoor activities are also a bigger issue. Sprained wrists, twisted ankles and broken bones are common sights in urgent care clinics and emergency rooms between spring and summer, according to the experts.

Treatment for these injuries typically requires a little home care, Kort said. Rest the body, ice the injury, compress the body part and elevate the injured area. But if something feels seriously wrong or keeps getting worse, head to the doctor as soon as possible.  

Imgorthand via Getty Images

Ticks and bug bites: ‘Tis the season!

6. Skin irritations and insect bites.

With long days spent outdoors, it’s common to see irritations from wild plants like poison ivy, sumac and oak. Insect and tick bites are also common and, in some cases of infection, may require an antibiotic, Kort said.

This year, in particular, may bring with it more tick bites and tick-borne diseases than previous summers. And Zika virus, though currently out of the news cycle, may be poised to come back in some states.

Keep an eye on any bumps or swelling that does not go away or grows in size. And learn some expert-backed tips to keep yourself safe from ticks and mosquitoes. 

7. Sunburns.

While most sunburns don’t require a trip to the hospital, some do. In 2013, there were nearly 34,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. due to serious sunburns, according to recent research in Dermatology. Go to the doctor if your sunburn results in blistering or is accompanied by nausea, confusion, headache, extreme pain or chills. You should also head to the doctor if at-home remedies such as applying aloe vera or taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen does not help after a couple of days.

But even if you can take care of your burn at home, it’s an uncomfortable mishap that’s easy to avoid.  

Practice good sun protection habits for yourself and especially watch out for children you’re supervising, since they are unlikely to remember to reapply lotion. 

“Having a sunburn is uncomfortable and painful,” McStay said. “And the chronic risk of sun exposure and skin cancer is something to think about everyday.” 

So walk into the long, warm weekend a bit more alert. Better to be safe than sorry. 

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Post T- Creative Investigation First Draft

Creative Investigation

For my creative investigation I will be focusing on the director John Hughes and whether or not he can be considered an auteur. Using theorists such as Andrew Sarris’s auteur theory, which I will use to decide whether John Hughes meets the criteria set by Sarris in the three focal films I have studied. I will also use the other theorists such as; Daniel Chandler’s genre theory and Richard Dyer’s star theory. I will also use articles and books to help support my theory or disprove it. The following films I will focus on are; The Breakfast Club (John Hughes, 1985), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (John Hughes, 1986) and Uncle Buck (John Hughes, 1989) to help provide evidence to answer my hypothesis.

Hypothesis: Can John Hughes be considered an auteur?

Sub-topics:

-  Were the style and themes John Hughes used in his films unique to him and add more to his films?

-  Did The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Uncle Buck represent the coming of age genre and if so, how?

-  Are the stars of John Hughes films or the audience watching them the sole reason behind their success?

Primary Research Texts:

Filmography

Item 1: Hughes, John, 1985, The Breakfast Club, Universal Pictures

This is a coming of age film, reflecting upon a day for 5 students in detention. This film discusses and displays the issues that teenagers suffer with during their youth, which was a new concept in the 80’s, as teens in films had never been portrayed in this way before.

Item 2: Hughes, John, 1987, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Paramount Pictures

This is another coming of age film by John Hughes that shows the main skipping school with his friends and having an adventure whilst avoiding running into his parents and principle who wants to catch him out.

 Item 3: Hughes, John, 1990, Uncle Buck, Will Packer Productions, ABC Studios, Universal Television

This film is different to other films by John Hughes as it is about an uncle having to take care of his nieces and nephew whilst dealing with his oldest niece who is resistant to him as her parents are away.

Secondary Research Texts:

Books

Item 4: Driscoll, C. (2011) Teen Film- A Critical Introduction. Sydney: Berg Producers. 

This book talks about the influence and impact on teen films from the 80s and how different people also agree with Catherine about what a great director of teen films he is but also how his views are only partial and only talk about one kind of teenager in the 80s.

Item 5: Shary, T. (2005) Teen Movies: American Youth on Screen. Columbia: Wallflower Press.

The small section I have chosen talks in depth about Hughes’s teen films and the characters that feature in them including how they are all quite similar across the different movies he directs. It also briefly mentions his past before becoming the famous director with a massive influence that he became.

Articles

Item 6: Iddins, M, J. (2010) John Hughes May Be onto Something: Anti-Authoritarianism in Education, Film and Policy.

The writer of the article uses two popular anti-authoritarian films to explore options about issues regarding educational public policy. John Hughes is used a lot as an example in this article because of his influence in films showing how public education has developed from his time and what is the same.

Item 7: Scott, O, A. (2009) The John Hughes Touch.

The article talks about the influence and impact on teen films from the 80s and are still having influence on teen films now. It discusses how much of an effect John Hughes had and how it’s hard to deny him as an auteur.

Item 8: Gilbey, R. (2009) Obituary: John Hughes.

The article sums up the life of John Hughes and everything he accomplished; using quotes from interviews he said and quotes from stars featured in his films.

Item 9: Meroney, J.  (2010) Molly Ringwald’s Revealing Interview on John Hughes, Not Being Lindsay Lohan, and More.

This article is an interview with Molly Ringwald discussing her times working with John Hughes on multiple films together.

Item 10: John Hughes Breaking the forth wall (N/A)

This article talks about the forth wall and why it is sometimes broken in films. Using John Hughes as an example of how and why he broke the forth wall including how effective it was.

Item 11: Perno, S, G. (2016) Directors’ Trademarks: John Hughes.

This article talks about the themes and stylistic techniques that an audience would expect to see in a John Hughes movie for example locking eyes between characters using a close-up and split screen.

Item 12: Campbell, C. (2009) 8 Things in John Hughes Movies you won’t see in today’s teen movies.

This article talks about styles and techniques but also conventional things an audience expected to see in a John Hughes film like controversial romantic pairings.

Item 13: Williams, C. (2017) ‘Uncle Buck’ A shining example of John Hughes’ take on adulthood.

The part of the article I looked at discussed the success of Uncle Buck as a film that told two different perspectives-adults and teenagers.

Item 14: Burnish, C. (2010) John Hughes #1.

This is an interview with John Hughes where he talks about the way his films were interpreted and how his films were meant to be. Talking about what he included in his films and the effect it had on the audience.

Item 15: Vangopoulos, K. (2015) Club Kid: John Hughes and “The Breakfast Club”.

This is an article about what The Breakfast Club really meant using quotes from a John Hughes article. It also considers whether the issues addressed in John Hughes teen films are still relevant in today’s society.

Were the style and themes John Hughes used in his films unique to him and add more to his films?

My first point is about how popular music from the year his films were made were always used which made the soundtracks of each of his films memorable to the audience, having one main song that made the film. I know that music was important as one of my article sources from indiewire, 2009 agrees “Everyone recognises how important music was to Hughes’ teen movies…” This quote helps to back up my point that music was important and the music Hughes used tended to make specific scenes along with other micro elements.

One of the most memorable uses of music by John Hughes is from ‘The Breakfast Club’ at the end of the film to show that everything has come full circle in the film and that resolutions have been made.

This shot from the film is when the beginning of the song ‘Don’t You (forget about me)’ by Simple minds starts playing. The lyrics also start to play at this point and continue until the end of the scene. The impact of the music choice is that it is quite peaceful and makes it seem like the characters have all had revelations about themselves and are all walking out together instead of separately.

In one of my other focal films ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ the most memorable song used was ‘Oh Yeah’ by Yello. The song was used during the Ferrari scene of the film where Ferris is borrowing Cameron’s dad’s car. The song starts playing when Cameron starts describing the car to Ferris and then it shows a wide shot of the whole car for a couple of seconds so the audience can appreciate the car before doing multiple close-ups of different parts of the car. The song has such an impact on the scene because the lyrics are “Oh Yeah” with a beat which would represent what the audience would say if they were face to face with such a car. The use of having a red Ferrari and then a plain black car in the background to the right and a plant to the left the whole frame is full but the red car stands out the most since of the way its been framed and how the colour of it is the most vibrant thing on the screen making the audience want to be the ones face to face with the car.

The final of my focal films that have music to accurately represent a scene and also make it very memorable is the party scene from ‘Uncle Buck’ when he goes looking for Tia.

This is scene is makes Buck feel like an actual adult which hasn’t been a common theme throughout the film. The use of this song with the shots showing Buck trying to make it through all the teenagers and the cuts of POV shots from Buck showing teenagers expressions as to wondering why he is at the party. The lighting in this scene is low-key making it fit more with the party theme but also because Buck is wearing a lighter coloured shirt which makes him stand out in the room even more than he already does.  

My second point is about the similar stylistic techniques and themes that feature in most to all of John Hughes films to determine if he has specific stylistic elements in all of his films , which can be backed up from a quote (Item 11) “He uses a lot of similar structural elements in his films, including montages, breaking the forth wall, and similar music…”. A stylistic element that features in all three of the focal films is freeze-frame endings. This became a recognisable element that was well known and expected by the audience as how his films ended.

This screenshot is from the ending of The Breakfast club after the footage has frozen. The freeze-ending in this film was the perfect way to end the film since they all had a successful day in detention and got out of it with revelations about their own lives and those around them. The ending frames Bender’s character at the front of the frame walking away from the school scene in the background and heading towards the foreground where the pole covered in tape is, him walking towards this makes it seem as if he is walking towards his comfort zone since the mise-en-scene matches how Bender dresses. The way he throws his hand up into a fist makes it seem like a win for him personally and also his way of reacting to the fact he has won the attention of the schools ‘princess’ Claire.

The use of the freeze-ending in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off reinforces Ferris’s cheeky attitude and how he has gotten away with skipping school again without being caught out by his parents and that Rooney his principal has no tangible evidence that he wasn’t ill the entire day. The use of having an Ariel shot showing him on in his bead with his arms relaxed behind his bed shows further to the audience how confident he is with himself and how he knew he wouldn’t be caught all along no matter how close he was to and how much he has enjoyed the day he had with his friends. The song ‘Oh yeah’ kicks in again after Ferris finishes the line “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around for a while, you’ll miss it”.

The use of the freeze-end in this film makes the film come full circle and have a peaceful ending where all of the characters are at peace with each other and have come to resolutions. The lead up to this freeze-frame is also quite heart-warming as it is close-up shot reverse shots between Buck and Tia as they wave each other farewell. The non-diegetic music that plays in the background is also peaceful and is quite in the scene showing it is just there so it’s not silent and adds to the scene as a whole.

My last point is about the type of teen that John Hughes represents in his films. “The Hughes teen is white, suburban, and normatively middle-class…” (Item 4).  This further shows that Hughes did have a specific style as his cast was always white and middle-class meaning that even though he showed teens in films in a way that had never been done before he still showed a restrictive view. I think that Hughes’s characters were mostly white and middle class because that was his target audience since they were the age category he aimed at with the most disposable income to spend on seeing the film. Another reason that his characters fit this type is because it is how John Hughes grew up, in the suburbs with his family probably living in a nice big house meaning it was the easiest thing for Hughes to write about since he lived it. Hughes however did also include some working-class characters in his films (Bender in The Breakfast Club) and some of upper class (Cameron in Ferris Bueller) to balance out his films and make sure that there is a character everyone can relate to making them want to go and see the films he creates.

In conclusion I have found out that John Hughes does have a specific style and he uses these styles as a way to show his themes in his films. I think this sub-topic does show that John Hughes can be considered an auteur in terms of Andrew Sarris’s auteur theory as John Hughes does meet technical competence with his various stylistic elements and he also meets the criteria of a distinguishable personality since his films are recognised by many as a film by him because of the elements he has included in his films. The final part of Sarris’s theory is that the director must show interior meaning in their films which I think John Hughes does meet this because Hughes does have the ability to communicate messages to his audience especially the teen audience but also to Hughes’ generation that teenagers do deal with personal issues in their lives.

Did The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Uncle Buck represent the coming of age genre and if so, how?

My first point is to show some common themes in the coming of age genre for example; act of rebellion. To prove that each of my focal films fit into this genre I will use screenshots. This sub-topic will help me to determine how much the genre of the film had on how the film was made since genre conventions could be an argument against true authorship.

An act of rebellion in The Breakfast Club is the smoking scene after the montage of them running throughout the halls of the school with weed on them. The scene where they smoke the weed is an act of rebellion as weed is an illegal substance but all of them are smoking in the school library as well which would get them kicked out.

This screenshot shows that even the schools ‘princess’ is getting involved, this scene makes all of the characters more connected since it is an activity that they can all be involved with and makes it seem like they are similar people instead of polar opposites. Most of the shots in this scene are close-ups of the characters faces showing them smoking, doing this makes it more of an outrageous thing to see than if it were mid shots.

This scene also shows them sat all together and sat separately showing they haven’t all fully connected as potential friends yet. However this scene defiantly shows acts of defiance in the teenagers which is a convention expected to be seen in teen films.

An act of rebellion in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is basically the entire film since they skip school, ring the principal pretending to be someone else, join a parade and so on. One scene I have picked out as an act of rebellion is when Ferris and Cameron take Cameron’s dad’s car. In the scene where they steal the car to use for the day Cameron is trying to convince Ferris not to take the car as his dad loves the car more than him and “he knows the millage”. However, Ferris continues to take the car as he knows Cameron will give in eventually. This screenshot shows Ferris driving off in the car from behind. The camera stays in the same position as the car is driven out and it takes the scene a while to cut during this, this could have been done by John Hughes to make the scene more exaggerated of what they are actually doing.

The song ‘Oh Yeah’ by Yello plays in the background to make the scene more intense to the audience but also to downplay what is happening a bit as the music makes the scene funny when in reality they are borrowing a very expensive car without permission, making this scene probably one of the biggest acts of rebellion in the film.

Finally an act of rebellion in Uncle Buck would be when Tia leaves her younger siblings at home by themselves after promising Buck she would look after them to go to a party for the weekend with her boyfriend.

This screenshot shows Tia leaving her house leaving her siblings at home. This is a serious act of rebellion by Tia as she shouldn’t have left them alone as they are too young. The audience also knows they are alone as it then cuts to Buck sitting at Tia’s school waiting for her before driving home and finding them alone.  The shot of her leaving is a wide shot showing the kids walking up the stairs and her down all dressed up and with a bag probably full of things shed need over the weekend. While this scene is going on there is no music playing on in the background the only sound is the characters talking to each other, having no non-diegetic music makes the scene more serious than it would have been and making it more adamant to the audience that Tia is leaving them alone. 

Other conventions an audience would expect to see in a coming of age film is issues with home life. This is shown in all three of my focal films since it is a big issue that most teenagers go through since there growing up an being more independent and voicing their opinion which parents don’t always like causing conflict. In The Breakfast Club it is made evident that all of the characters have problems at home especially Bender who makes the comment that his dad hits him.

During this scene when Bender I telling the other characters about his home life there is no non-dietetic music showing how serious the scene is and that music isn’t needed to make the scene more complete. In the scene Bender talks about how his dad calls him “stupid. Worthless. No good god damn freeloading son of a bitch” and that his mum describes him as “Ugly, lazy and disrespectful”. The scene escalates as Bender becomes angrier describing what happens. Then his talk ends when he acts out his dad hitting him and a large bang sound happens to act like a hitting noise and then non-diegetic music begins. The whole time this scene is going on Bender moves to different part of the frame as it stays as a mid-shot and the camera never cuts or changes angle until he is done talking which makes it more real to the audience and has a big impact as the audience can’t look away.

In Ferris Bueller Cameron struggles with his home-life and it is inferred that neither of his parents really care about him or what he does. During the Ferrari scene Cameron states that his father “never has, never will” trust him which shows how difficult and bad their relationship is. The scene where the car goes out the back window is also when Cameron is talking about how his dad loves the car more than him and how “his old man pushes him around” further reinforcing to the audience that Cameron’s dad doesn’t really care about him or love him and that make Cameron angry which is why he takes it out on the car his dad loves so much. This scene shows that Cameron is finally standing up for himself and is making decisions for himself.

Finally in Uncle Buck Tia also experience problems with her parents especially her mum. In the short period of time that the mum is in the film at the beginning she and Tia just seem to argue. When Tia describes her mum she calls her “our mother figure” to which her brother responds “I’m sick of you calling her that” revealing to the audience that Tia refers their mum to that often and also showing that Tia and her mum clearly don’t get on well.

It then cuts to them having dinner as a family showing a close-up of takeaway boxes and then a wide shot of them all eating dinner. There is no non-diegetic music making the scene appear really tense when all that can be heard is forks colliding with the plates. Tia makes a snide remark to her mum to which her mum ignores her showing they don’t have a good relationship. As the scene continues it becomes tenser until Tia makes another remark t which her mother responds “I’ve had enough of your ugliness… We’re all just a little tired of the act” whilst she is saying this there are close-up shot reverse shots of Tia and her mums face showing even more that they aren’t really fond of each other.

In conclusion of this sub-topic I have found out that all of my focal films conform to conventions of a coming of age film which could mean that Daniel Chandler’s genre theory could be an argument against the director being the auteur since to fit into the genre a film has to meet certain conventions in order to be under that and as Daniel says “genres tend to be based on the notion that they constitute particular conventions of content (such as themes or settings)” this could mean that some of John Hughes decisions that would class him as an auteur don’t really count since he has to meet conventions. However, in John Hughes case he had shown teens in films in a way that had never been done before which could make out that he created the new conventions to this genre.

Are the stars of John Hughes films or the audience watching the sole reason behind their success?

For this point I am going to discuss whether stars in John Hughes films or the audience watching had a bigger impact of the success of the film more than he did. My first point is about the choice of actors used in his films “The Hughes teen is white, suburban, and normatively middle class.” (Item 12) The whiteness of the cast could be down to the audience if the type of teenager he represents in his films are white and middle class which would make his films appeal more to an audience since they can relate to the characters a lot and they have the most disposable income to go and see the film in cinema which would guarantee success. However, to bring even more of an audience and appeal to a mass audience John Hughes also included working class characters like Bender and upper class characters like Cameron to bring all types of teenagers to see his films. My second point is about how stars are sometimes considered more important and memorable in the audiences mind than who the director was. This is something that is recognised as something that happens on a regular basis for example; Morgan Freeman’s performance in Shawshank redemption is more well-known than who directed the film making it seem like the film becomes theirs as that’s who the audience remembers. This could be something that is relevant with John Hughes as John Candy’s performance in Uncle Buck makes the film so memorable in an audiences mind and he probably had a big impact on the film’s success as a stars with a big following tend to bring in a big audience more than John Hughes being the director. Overall, I believe that John Hughes can be considered an auteur since his films were all big hits in terms of audience during the 80′s but also his continued impact on how teen films are made today. I think that I have answered my hypothesis successfully using my sub-topics to structure the essay. 

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Section 1: Creative Investigation S. Creative Investigation - Essay Abstract

Hypotheses: Can an auteur have there own theme without having to fall into a specific genre, and does Tim Burton’s own themes and styles make him a successful auteur.  Also, does Tim Burton actually rely on other collaborations for the production of the films?

Subtopics:

1.     Between the films, Alice In Wonderland, Edward Scissorhands and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children show similar themes and style motifs, does it help his directional role and outcome of production?

For this question, I would like to evaluate the micro elements of each focal film and gather evidence to where they are similar to each other, to determine whether Tim Burton has his own style, but that he may repeat them making him stuck with a specific genre, however, he is more of an auteur as the audience can easily define a Tim Burton film compared to different directors, as only his Gothic aspects can really succeed. I will also be linking to how his styles in his film help the genre based films more. For this question, I would like to find out how Tim Burton uses specific styles that are made from him, and how the audience can easily identify when they are watching a Tim Burton film. I would like to argue points on whether he is an auteur or much like Alfred Hitchcock; he may have been stuck within a specific genre. This will be linked to Tim Burton’s famous aesthetic visuals of the three focal films.

2.    Due to the collaborations with successful artists and other features in the film industry, how has it effected how successful his directing in his films and the outcome of the production?

a.     For this question, I would like to evaluate whether the stars are relied on more by Tim Burton in order for the films to succeed and attract the audience. I would be focused on two main actors that are used by Tim Burton the most as they were used more than eight times.

3.      Can Tim Burton be classified as an auteur through his repetition of themes?

For this question, I would like to find out how Tim Burton uses specific themes that are made from him, and how the audience can easily identify when they are watching a Tim Burton film. I would like to argue points on whether he is an auteur or much like Alfred Hitchcock; he may have been stuck within a specific genre. This will be linked to Tim Burton’s famous aesthetic visuals of the three focal films.  I would also analysis certain themes that are used in most of Tim Burton films, and how it makes the audience understand the characters more.

1.Between the films, Alice In Wonderland, Edward Scissorhands and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children show similar style motifs, does it help his directional role and outcome of production?

Brief intro: As part of my study of Tim Burton being an auteur, I have analysed free focal films: Alice In Wonderland, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Edward Scissorhands in order to show that Tim Burton can be considered as an auteur and being a “true author” to his own films, by using a specific style that only he is known for to an audience as they will be able to identify through certain aspects of the films. 

Point: According to Andrew Sarris, the 3 premises of auteur theory uses the outer circle as technique (technician), the missile circle is the signature style (stylist), and the inner circle is the interior meaning (auteur), is important to film authorship as it allows the audience to identify the work of a director, which is exactly what we can do with an artist. So for the style and technique of Tim Burton it is mainly super gothic and eerie with the use of creative CGI. 

Source: For my source 1, it clearly states many aspects in Tim Burton’s films to create the “Burtonesque” style; the writer describes Burton’s work, as “Tim Burton is one of those directors who has an easily identifiable visual style almost all of his films revel in gothic imagery. From the characters themselves, to the props, to the houses and cities where the films take place are sculpted in an an exaggerated, almost cartoonish way to emphasize “goth” features.” It is said by Andrew Sarris that to be an auteur you have a style, as he has directed, produced, edited, screen-played many of his films, he does have a lot of similarities in his films, however, what can be questionable to being an auteur, is that is Tim Burton stuck in a genre or is his projects art?

 Evidence 1: 

This is clearly shown in the film Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children through the use of a low angle, over the shoulder shot of the a house that is visually gothic, the house is also rather exaggerated in terms of showing how the house gives an eerie atmosphere towards the audience, so it can get more of a reaction. To link this back with my main point, the mise-en-scene via lighting is a dark tone to create a spooky atmosphere, also how the houses in many of Tim Burtons films are isolated to other houses, and that they are all mainly abandoned looking and dark, to underline how someone is lurking in the house.

Evidence 2: 

Moreover, it is also repeated in Edward Scissorhands with the almost identical house, it is also a with a character who is in shot and how they are unknown to what is in the house, which creates a more mystery genre, which appears a lot in Tim Burton’s films. Similarly, to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, it links back to my main point of the use of mise-en-scene, via lighting and set as the house is dark in comparison to the surroundings. It also creates a more horror genre to all of him films as darker lighting and set mostly are found within the conventions of a horror genre film. Also, Tim Burton creates the individual style with his own gothic houses to be surrounded by a suburban housing estate, which creates a large emphasis of the gothic atmosphere in the film, which is helped by wide shots and establishing shots, as it shows a clear contrasts of what is first seen as a protagonist village and a house that could possible hold the antagonist, which shows the messages and values of, ‘don’t judge a book by it’s cover’.

Evidence 3: 

Also, it is evident in the film of Alice In Wonderland, however it is shown through the iconography rather than the house, it is also helped through editing via CGI, as most of Alice In Wonderland relies on editing. Which goes against the more realistic world creating verisimilitude as it creates a more adventure and fantasy genre, unlike the other focal films, which contain more of a horror genre. This links to my main point about Tim Burton using mise-en-scene via lighting and dark sets, used to convey a gothic style to the films, this is effective to the audience because it allows them to immediately understand that they are watching a Tim Burton film, making him an auteur as he is easily recognisable for a gothic style and theme.

 Explain: Each example for my focal films demonstrates Tim Burton’s films have set micro elements, like mise-en-scene and editing in his films to portray the horror and fantasy dark comedy genres, which make his film rather unique him, and that this allows the audience to know that they are watching a Tim Burton film. Tim Burton seems to play out his films, and have more fun with them, making them his own by making it more gothic, his fairytale style to his films allow the films to slowly show what is happening, to help the audience understand what is happening in the film, and allow them to gather up what is going to happen.

Evaluate: 

However, for my source review sheet investigation 5, the magazine ReelViews written by James Berardinelli, throughout the article he would praise Tim Burton for making his films his own style, “Burton adds his own stamp to the production by making the Hollows nightmare-worthy...”, which is showing how Berardinelli looks up to Tim Burton’s own style, however, towards the end of the article he mentions, “The movie’s pacing sags a little toward the middle and the action sequence forms the climax goes on for a little too long...” Berardinelli says how he was slightly bored due to how Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children didn’t give the right pace, unlike Tim Burton’s other films, could this suggest to why the use of his typical stars like Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter was not in this film, and their usual creative and extravagant characters were missing from the film.

2. Due to the collaborations with successful artists and other features in the film industry, how has it effected how successful his directing in his films and the outcome of the production?

Brief: For this subtopic, I will want to find out how it can be arguable for Tim Burton to be an auteur due to how he can be heavily influenced by other features on set, much like the sound where most of his films use the composer Danny Elfman, who emphasises emotion and the genre of Tim Burton’s film “Danny Elfman has created the soundtracks for all of Burton’s films”- This is from my first review sheet from the magazine ‘Movie Buffs’ written by G.S. Perno. This is linking further on into my abstract essay about how Danny Elfman heavily influenced the sound in Tim Burton’s films.

Point: Tim Burton can also rely on his stars as well as keeping up a Gothic appearance through cinematic an visual approaches8, this is seen through most of the success of his films, he has used many successful actors in his films, from Winona Ryder, known for films like ‘Girl, Interrupted’ (1999), which did well in the the worldwide gross went to $28,350,204, earning a 7.4 out of 10. Also, Tim Burton repeats his actors to who may have helped the box office like Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, who he has repeated around 8 of his films, “ Most prominently, it’s Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter who have appeared the most (8 and 7 films respectively).”, this quote is from my review sheet one from the Movie Buffs, written by G.S Perno.. Even though I haven’t chosen my focal films to have Johnny Depp in, I would rather compare any differences on the box office, to see if Johnny Depp would make the box office rise. However, this leads to them being more typed casted due to his films having similar gothic styles, they are deemed to have to have the same sort of dark roles. Sound is completely famous for a Tim Burton film, as most of the soundtracks are often similar in most of his films. Which is obvious through two out of three of my focal films, Danny Elfman has composed the music for Edward Scissorhands and Alice In Wonderland. The soundtrack for Edward Scissorhands delivers the emphasis on the characters emotions. Whereas, Alice’s theme song gives a more fantasy and tense atmosphere rather than focusing on the emotions of the characters. However, the partnership between the music composer and the director may effect the auteur status as Tim Burton may be too reliant on the composer

Source: From my review sheet 11, the book, ‘Stardom: Industry of Desire’ Richard deCordova talks about how stars are involved in a system, much like how auteur theory works through systems, deCordiva mentions how the look of the actor will determine how they could be casted, seen as Johnny Depp is in a film with Tim Burton a lot, he would know that it is rather easy to transform Johnny Depp into a different character, and that it was mentioned in an interview that Johnny Depp even sketched ideas on how the Mad Hatter should look like in the end, which the sketches were similar to Burton’s. The quote, “…the development of this system was effected through three significant transformations in this regard. These can be listed in the order of their appearance: (1) the discourse on acting, (2) the picture personality and (3) the star.” further suggests that the personality of the actor can differ their character process,it is a known fact that actors who tend to be quieter - like Johnny Depp - can easily transform themselves into something else, as acting is a source of escapism. 

Evidence 1:

Through the sequence in Alice In Wonderland, when Alice is chasing after the White Rabbit towards the hole that leads to the Wonderland, the use of sound via a score, composed by Danny Elfman, called ‘Alice’s theme’ creates a tense and mysterious atmosphere as the audience and the character of Alice do not know where the White Rabbit is leading Alice to, and the fact that the White Rabbit is even wearing clothes (which is created by the use of mise-en-scene via costume ideas and editing: CGI), shows the diversity of the verisimilitude as it is known to the audience and Alice that typical real life rabbits do not wear clothes, which gives the film a strange tone already, which is typically known for a Tim Burton style film, as the Sight & Sound article about Tim Burton’s style was “More weird than funny” which is on my third recourse sheet. The soundtrack by Danny Elfman currently sets the curiosity of the character of Alice, which is effective to the audience as it tends to move the emotions and feelings of a character to the audience, but that is if the director and sound composer does it correctly, and in my opinion so far, it has succeeded.

Evidence 2:

Tim Burton, doesn’t just rely on the composer for sound, in fact he also has an editor that has done a few of his films, even though Tim Burton is known for his spooky animations and CGI, he has an editor that helps him in order for the editing to succeed. For two of my focal films, which are Alice In Wonderland and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children they both share the same editor - Chris Lebenzon - this clearly shows how Tim Burton is more reliant on using an editor in order for the atmosphere to succeed for the gothic styles. Chris Lebenzon has also edited in the films: Dark Shadows and Corpse Bride, which shows how Tim Burton enjoyed and liked how Chris Lebenzon made the films look excellent, whereas the editor Richard and Colleen Halsey only edited for the film Edward Scissorhands which could mean that they didn’t fully meet the expectations of what Tim Burton may have had in his mind. This is also proving the evident source from Andrew Sarris who wrote about Auteur theory, hat an auteur always has specific pictures and imagines in their mind already about what they would want their films to be like.

It is evident on this screenshot of Alice In Wonderland that the surrounding are rather dark and eerie, whereas the characters are a lighter tone which makes them look as if they are protagonists, it also over-exposes their characters to the potential danger that Wonderland may have. The dark tones of the CGI on the surroundings are effective as it gives off a dark and gothic graveyard effect, which for this to be a dream world for Alice, and that her mind may actual fade off to a place that should be full of wonder, hence the name “Wonderland” is contradicting the view of what the audience may first think of what Wonderland should really look like.

Evidence 3:

Also, Tim Burton has worked withe a production designer called B Welch, and it is known that Edward Scissorhands succeeded in terms or having a gothic and eerie atmosphere due to the huge contrast between the dark house that Edward lives in is obviously darker than the suburbia's. Bo Welch mentioned how he had shrunk the windows of the houses in order for it “to be a little less friendly, a little more mask-like and to heighten the hiding-in-suburbia feeling.”, this shows how the neighbourhood wanted to come across as too perfect as the terms of “mask-like” makes the audience obviously think of a creepy and fake area. It also creates an image of a porcelain doll, when they are seen as perfect, but Edward’s house could symbolise the cracks upon the a perfect doll, to show the imperfections. But the cinematography also helps the house to stand out through an establishing wide shot, the cinematography in Edward Scissorhands is Stefan Czapsky, he hasn’t worked on my other two focal films, but he has worked on a lot of other films of Tim Burton. On this screen shot, the cinematography actual manipulates the image as it shows the clear contrast between where Edward is living and the neighbourhood.

Explain: In conclusion, Tim Burton uses collaborations in terms of sound, cinematography, costume and makeup, and editing it still would not affect his auteur status. However, the repetition of the stars he chooses to be in his films may make people question about Tim Burton’s auteur status, this is because he may rely more on using familiar and successful stars in order to attract the audience to watch his films. 

3. Can Tim Burton be classified as an auteur through his own themes?

Brief: For my study of Tim Burton, I am focusing on authorship. I have chosen three focal films: Alice In Wonderland, Edward Scissorhands and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, I chose these as it creates a more obvious timeline due to Edward Scissorhands came out in 1999, Alice In Wonderland in 2010, and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children in 2016, so it proves how Tim Burton is still making films from the 90s to now, which shows how he is successful due to his films still doing well, with his gothic style, meaning I am measuring up all of the qualities of Tim Burton’s films and testing if his features equals up to being an auteur. For this subtopic I will be decide and evaluate Tim Burton’s themes in the three focal films. Most common themes withiin Tim Burton’s films are isolation, identity, courage and appearances.

Point: Auteurs need to have full command over the way the film is presented, artistically (genre, themes, and mise-en-scene) and technically (cinematography). Also, the signature should be clear in all of Tim Burton’s projects, so that the audience would be able to know that they are watching a Tim Burton film. That is why it is important for Tim Burton to have his own themes as it makes his film clearly to be his own project. The themes tend to relate to the characters who are the main part of the narrative, they seem to be  more of an outsider trying to fit into a false society.

Source: The common themes of the narrative can be shown through the storytelling of what Tim Burton is also famous for, which is show in my source review sheet “Burton likes to use flashbacks in order to tell a story within a larger story. He uses them to help add additional depth to his characters and, in the case of his main characters, help the audience understand why they are so strange.” This is from the magazine Movie Buffs, it shows how Tim Burton tends to use similar motives to help the audience connect in ways to a character with a detailed back story which are mostly sad stories in order for the audience to feel sorry for the character, and tend to be thinking that they are the protagonist in the end as they have been put under hard situations, which is rather emotive language to make the audience respect the character and would want to help them.

Evidence 1:

The first theme that is evident to the audience in Edward Scissorhands is ‘Conformity’ this is due to how Edward Scissorhands first reveals through mise-en-scene via set design as the colours are all warm and bright, each house colours are also pastel colours, which gives an over-exaggerated effect, the houses are also not tainted or anything, which gives a perfect mask effect, almost as if the houses are trying to hide something. Which could be Edward’s house as it is the only house that stands out due to the dark colours of the gothic house. It is also shown as more characters are introduced later on in the film, the characters wear the same colours, which are also pastel like the houses, the lives seem tidy but plain which everyone tends to have the same source of entertainment, which is cooking on the barbecues and sports. They also have the same schedule, which is one of the scenes where all the cars pull out of the drive, but in more detail of the scene, it is the men who are driving off, which shows the lack of diversity of women and men, and that the village concentrates on stereotyping women to be more of a house wife. When Edward cuts the bushes in the garden of Peg’s, everyone follows what the latest trend if, which is showing how the neighbourhood always want what everyone has. Another clear theme in Edward Scissorhands is being ‘The Outsider’ this is because Tim Burtons shows how people who seem to be different in society are rejected straight away. Edward is seen as an outsider as his hands have sharp objects on, which immediately consider him being a protagonist as he is a walking potential weapon. First, people’s reactions like Peg in the scene I analysed, shown through a shot reverse shot, Peg steps back when Edward reaches out to her for  ‘Love’ (which is another key theme in Edward Scissorhands). However, as Edward was welcomed by the family to stay at their home, the use of ‘conformity’ leads the neighbourhood to forcefully welcome Edward which is why they called him “Extraordinary”. However, as Edward does an act were he doesn’t necessarily want to do it, he only wants to have an impression on Kim, he is immediately called a “freak” by the neighbourhood. The soucre from Burton on Burton says: “From day one you’re categorized.”, which implies how Tim Burton understands what the society is

Evidence 2:

In the film Alice In Wonderland, there is a clear and evident theme going on throughout the film, which is growing up. This is also helped by the writer, Lewis Carroll, this is known as Lewis Carroll likes the innocent way a children would view the adult world, however, it is slightly changed through the way Tim Burton presented the way Alice In Wonderland is, this is by having Alice to be an adult who is 19 years old. This is to define a creepy childlike world, but also a sense of escapism as Alice before she follows the White Rabbit, she was basically being forced into a marriage. The fact that Alice actually struggles in this child-like view on an adult world shows how a child in real like struggles to survive on their own, which means to understand the adult world, Alice would have to go through of ending the typical youthful mindedness that is a typical characteristic of a child-like character. During Alice’s quest through Wonderland, she is in fact growing up in her mind, which is showing through symbolic representations of shrinking and growing, which is an evident movement in editing however, it has a hidden meaning to it. Which links to an article that said, “From day one you’re categorized.”, this shows how Tim Burton understands what society is about, he also mentions how Edward is more of a figment of himself in society as he felt hew never actually fitted in well, which shows how he is following on what Andrew Sarris believed that a true auteur puts his own personal aspect into his film in order to succeed. As she is growing up, she is also understanding the creatures that live in Wonderland, she learns that everyone is actually mad in Wonderland by the Cheshire Cat, however she starts to learn the crazy rules in Wonderlnad, and starts to get better at managing certain situations. In the end, Alice loses her innocent and child-like imagination , as for example, she realises that the threat from the Red Queen, is just really a pack of cards. Also, identity is a key theme in Alice In Wonderland is ‘Identity’ which relates to the theme of ‘Growing up’. She is always forced to identify herself to the creatures in Wonderland, however she doubts her own identity. It is also shown when the White Rabbit actually confuses Alice Kingsley with his maid Mary Ann.

Evidence 3:

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children also have similar themes, much like Alice In Wonderland, the theme of ‘Coming of Age’ and ;Growing up’, this is due to how Jacob’s age, he is a typical misunderstood to his parents. As his grandfather gave these stories that are fantasy styles, makes Jacob having to overcome a burden that his now - dead - grandfather had gave Jacob. At the start of the film, it shows a nerdy teenager working in a shop, trying to fit into the conformity of being a typical teenager by trying to impress a girl, which doesn’t really work out right. Meaning he was trying to be confident, even though his actual personality is a scared and unsure personality. By the end of the film, Jacob ends up with a choice on whether to stay with his family, which would be the easier path for him, or leaving with the peculiar children, which is the harder option, as it is out of his comfort zone. He completes the ‘Coming of Age’ theme by choosing the harder path. Another theme in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, is ‘The Hero’s Journey’ which is were the narrative of a character leaves the comfort of their home, which is Jacob who first lives in America, goes on a vacation to Wales, where he has gone on a physical journey that would trigger an emotion, which seems to be ‘Love’, (which is also a theme within Edward Scissorhands, with Edward and Kim), as Jacob and Emma Bloom tend to have moments between one another, also it is where Jacob goes into another dimension going back to the 1940′s.

Explain: As Tim Burton often relies on similar themes within his films, shows how he relies on themes a lot, which means he tends to have a view on how he wants his films to relate to the audience, this could be because he tends to relate to some of the themes like ‘identity’ and trying to fit in within the ‘conformity’ of some societies, which is shown in the article: “ “The manifestation of the image made itself apparent and probably came to surface when I was a teenager, because it is a very teenage thing”, which is from the book, Burton on Burton, this shows how Burton often relates his films back to his past, which relates back to when Andrew Sarris believes that an auteur would put their personal aspects into their films in order to succeed.

Evaluate: To further prove Tim Burton’s status on being an auteur is the research through the themes that are shown  in Tim Burton’s films, as the themes are shown frequently in his films, shows how Tim Burton has a recognisable themes and styles towards the audience, which further on proves my hypothesis.