#the story line. the acting. the soundtrack. the cinematography. the overall tone of the show. it's so fucking well done.

[daddy-long-legssss]

this the type of shit i'm gonna be on this fall

[iamthenightcolormeblack]

My Thoughts on Pride & Prejudice 2005: Style over Substance

Kicking off my Pride and Prejudice adaptation review series with the most popular of all the adaptations: the 2005 movie. This film stars Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy.

1. GENERAL THINGS I LIKED

The cinematography and the soundtrack. Every shot is a painting, especially with the gorgeous landscape scenery. The music is beautiful and dreamy; I have listened to the soundtrack more times than I've watched the film. Both the cinematography and the soundtrack effectively transport the viewer back to the film's romanticized version of "the past," when life was simpler and people lived slower lives, waiting for their Mr. Darcy to sweep them off their feet.

Originality. The film takes a unique approach to the story by focusing mainly on the romance between Darcy and Elizabeth and emphasizing how the natural surroundings reflect the characters' mental state/emotions (pouring rain during the first proposal and stormy skies when Elizabeth hurries home after Lydia runs away). Though one can disagree with the creative changes made, I like how this film isn't just a remake of what came before it.

Elizabeth's walks through the countryside. The film expresses her desire for freedom through her countryside walks. For instance, the Netherfield walk is shocking to Caroline Bingley because it demonstrates Elizabeth's independence.

The comedic parts are great thanks to the creative additions made. For example, the "excellent boiled potatoes" joke isn't in the book, but it perfectly exemplifies Mr. Collins' poor social skills and pretentiousness, as he tries to make an overly formal comment about an otherwise mundane dish.

2. THE CASTING

The acting is good, although I don't always agree with how the characters are portrayed.

Keira Knightley. I like how she's the right age for Elizabeth, who is around 20-21 years old; Knightley was around 19-20 when she played Elizabeth, plus she has gorgeous eyes. She perfectly conveys the pride, confidence, and biting wit of Elizabeth, as she holds her head high in an imperious manner and has a direct, piercing gaze. However, I don't like how this version chooses to simplify Elizabeth's character into that of "free-spirited nonconformist tomboy," who is a nature-lover and runs to the countryside to console herself when things get tough (ex. running to the lake after rejecting Mr. Collins). This is a contrast to the Elizabeth Bennet as presented to us in the book, who acts like a typical "lady" for the sake of her social reputation; she mostly keeps her thoughts to herself except when talking to Jane or Darcy. Elizabeth is powerful not because she rejects society outright; it is because she does not submit to societal pressure to marry and makes her own choices (ex. rejecting Mr. Collins).

Matthew Macfadyen. His Darcy is cold, aloof, and remote, yet shows signs of a rich inner life and unrequited yearning for Elizabeth as a soulmate. I like how this version shows Elizabeth peeling away his cold exterior like the layers of an onion, until his heart of gold is revealed. While I think Macfadyen is a good actor, I disagree with the interpretation of Darcy solely being a lonely introvert, as it neglects his primary character flaw of pride.

Tom Hollander's Mr. Collins. Probably the best casting, as he perfectly portrays the bumbling awkwardness of the character and is more sympathetic than the gross Mr. Collins in the 1995 BBC miniseries. He is short, has a nasally voice and officious manner that makes him annoying yet fun to watch.

Simon Woods as Mr. Bingley. He's so friendly and eager to please, like the character is in the book.

Rosamund Pike's Jane Bennet. Utterly angelic and motherly, need I say more? The perfect antidote to Elizabeth's savagery.

Rupert Friend's Mr. Wickham. Handsome and dashing in a red soldier's uniform. It's easy to see how a girl would fall for him and ignore his debauchery, but also obvious that he is deceptive. For instance, he keeps claiming that he is insignificant and unnoticed, when he basks in the attention of Elizabeth, Kitty and Lydia.

3. OVERALL CHARACTER AND PLOT DEVELOPMENT

Since this is a movie, character development is a challenge, and the film relies on changes of outward appearance/dialogue to show character growth. For instance, we get to see Darcy's change from cold and remote into warm and loving, while Elizabeth admits that "she was wrong" about Darcy and slowly comes to respect him.

The first half (beginning to Darcy's proposal) is great because it effectively introduces the audience to the cast of characters (the family, Darcy, Bingley, Caroline, Wickham, and Mr. Collins). It also contains all the comedic parts and sets up the conflicts that drive the story. Overall, this half is more faithful to the novel because it has the social satire aspects of the story and sticks to the key plot points while developing the characters.

The second half is rather lackluster compared to the first because it focuses solely on resolving the plot points introduced in the first half. This part of the book contains important events for Elizabeth's character development (getting the letter, visiting Pemberley, dealing with the fallout from Lydia's elopement), but the film rushes through them to get Elizabeth and Darcy married. Instead of focusing on how Elizabeth overcomes her prejudice of Darcy and starts to love him, the film relies on aesthetic shots of flickering candles/landscapes to serve as quick transitions between the scenes. Though we have plenty of evidence that Darcy loves Elizabeth, we don't see much evidence that the love is mutual until the second proposal, only that Elizabeth starts to see him as a friend.

Another reason I don't like the second half of the film as much as the first half is the reduced dialogue. This second half has a lot of quiet moments devoted to nature scenery/Elizabeth staring in the mirror. Reducing the dialogue, with the exception of the letter scene, doesn't make sense because the plot/action of Pride and Prejudice is furthered through the conversations the characters have (after all, wealthy Regency women likely spent much time indoors/making social calls). While one can argue that the reduced dialogue is meant to show that Elizabeth is reflecting on her mistaken prejudice, without access to Elizabeth's interior thoughts, the audience doesn't get to see Elizabeth actively confronting her false assumptions about Darcy, unlike in the book, where she says out loud to herself: "Until this moment, I never knew myself."

Notable Scenes From the First Half of the Film:

The opening scene. It sets the tone for the whole movie with the beginning shot of a field at dawn, which ties in nicely with the second proposal scene near the end. By presenting Elizabeth by herself reading a book, it communicates to the audience that Elizabeth is "not like other girls," and it shows the imperfect, yet loving family dynamics of the Bennet household.

Elizabeth roasting Darcy after he dismisses her as "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me." During a conversation the Bennet family has with Darcy and Bingley, Mrs. Bennet commits a social gaffe when talking about Jane's many admirers and how one sent her poetry. Elizabeth saves the situation by commenting that bad poetry can kill love, and Darcy comments that he regards poetry as "the food of love" and asks how to "encourage affection." I like that the film included this little exchange from the book (although it takes place while Elizabeth is visiting a sick Jane at Netherfield, and not during the first ball), since it was skipped over in the 1995 miniseries. The best part is Elizabeth's sick burn: "Dancing. Even if one's partner is barely tolerable," which is made even better when she walks away from him with a triumphant smile on her face.

The famous Hand Flex. After Darcy helps Elizabeth into the carriage (by holding her hand) so she and Jane can head back home, he glances longingly at her before wringing the hand with which he touched hers. It's an important hint of his growing love for her, as well as his struggle to repress those feelings. This is a wonderful bit of character development as it reveals that Darcy has a heart.

Mr. Collins having a meal with the Bennet family. The awkwardness is palpable as Mr. Collins tries to show off his social skills and give pro tips on charming ladies. This is all topped off with this amazing comedic joke: "These are excellent boiled potatoes. Many years since I've had such an exemplary vegetable." Another brilliant bit: after Lydia cannot contain her laughter, Lizzy, after giving her father a mischievous side-eye, slaps Lydia on the back to hide her laughter. Best line besides the excellent boiled potatoes: "Believe me, no one would suspect your manners to be rehearsed."

The Netherfield Ball dance between Darcy and Elizabeth. It is staged like a clash of personalities in the beginning, while the creative filming technique of separating the couple apart from the crowd of dancers foreshadows the budding relationship between them. I also like how sarcastic the dialogue is--Elizabeth is trying to win a battle of wits with Darcy but he successfully avoids her traps while reminding her that she doesn't truly know him and cannot make judgements about his personality.

Mr. Collins trying to introduce himself to Darcy. It's so comical because of the significant height difference between Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy (Collins is dwarfed by Darcy). The height difference effectively represents the significant difference in social status between the two men and makes Collins, with his pomposity, look ridiculous as he fancies himself part of the nobility but cannot properly introduce himself.

Mr. Collins' proposal--one of the funniest scenes in the movie. Mr. Collins clumsily tries to flatter Elizabeth with a tiny flower, and it gets even funnier when he so obviously misreads Elizabeth's disinterest and outright exasperation (he doesn't understand that no means no!). After Mr. Collins bends down on one knee to propose to Elizabeth, the film emphasizes Elizabeth's towering presence over Collins to show that the two are a mismatch. The fact that the proposal takes place in the messy dining room reflects Collins' view of marriage as a business matter that he wants to get done with quickly, since the location of the proposal is not very romantic.

Elizabeth roasting Darcy yet again at Rosings Park. Elizabeth eagerly recounts to Colonel Fitzwilliam Darcy's impolite manners at the first ball; Darcy confesses that "I do not have the talent of conversing easily with people I have never met before." I like how the nervous and quiet delivery of that line shows to the audience that Darcy is an introvert, and it shows that he's an honest person, since he abhors "disguise of every sort." The scene effectively highlights Elizabeth's prejudice towards Darcy as the audience feels pity for him when Elizabeth tells him to practice.

"This is a charming house." During this scene, Darcy visits Elizabeth while she is alone and awkwardly attempts to make conversation with her. Macfadyen is a master of body language; Darcy says little but expresses a lot (ex. the nervous fiddling with his gloves). He tries to express his feelings for Elizabeth but gives up and abruptly walks out of the room.

The first proposal. What a climactic scene (but not very faithful to the book)! The music, thunder, and rain perfectly complement the volcano of emotions that erupts when Darcy cannot repress his feelings any longer. This scene has some of the best sexual tension ever; the two get closer to each other until they almost kiss. While this scene is great to an objective viewer, I don't like that the modified dialogue changes the original meaning of this scene (more about this later).

The letter. Elizabeth has a moment of introspection when she is forced to question her judgment, and Darcy delivers his letter. I like the shot of Darcy riding farther and farther away from Elizabeth, signaling that he is becoming increasingly out of her reach.

Notable Scenes from the Second Half of the Film:

Aunt and Uncle Gardiner arrive right after Elizabeth comes back from Rosings and they take her away to a vacation. I didn't like how they were introduced too quickly; I was thinking to myself "how did they get there and where did they come from?" Luckily we are treated to more glorious shots of the English countryside (the one with them under a large oak tree is my favorite).

Visiting Pemberley. I was puzzled by why Elizabeth laughs as soon as she sees Pemberley for the first time because in the book she was in complete awe of it. Also it doesn't make sense why she would touch his expensive stuff it's not her house...or is it? The good thing is that the embarrassment the two have upon meeting each other again is definitely palpable. Georgiana is sweet, but a little less shy than she was in the book.

Darcy smiles! After introducing Georgiana to Elizabeth, he smiles for a brief time at Elizabeth, and she smiles back. It's a great moment showing how Elizabeth has drawn out his goodness, and indicates that Darcy has transformed for Elizabeth. She also starts seeing him as a friend and her prejudice against him seems to have reversed in this moment of mutual recognition.

Lydia's elopement. Keira Knightley's fake cry was off-putting. Then Darcy only talks to her for a little bit and doesn't help her much (unlike in the book, where he asked her to sit down and got her some wine to make her feel better). I don't know why the aunt and uncle are in this scene because it's very important in developing Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship. In the book, the two are alone, and Elizabeth choosing to tell Darcy about Lydia's elopement is a sign that she trusts him, while Darcy's concern for Elizabeth further confirms that he still loves her. This extremely brief scene flickers quickly, and it takes only a few seconds before Elizabeth is crying in her carriage, while the sky is dark and ominous.

Bingley rehearsing his proposal with Darcy. This added scene, which is not in the book, is so funny because of how Darcy roleplays Jane, while Bingley has so much anxiety about her not accepting him. It's a nice glimpse into their friendship and it's also funny because Bingley is getting proposal advice from someone who failed very miserably at proposing.

Sunrise on the Moors. Another objectively beautiful and romantic scene that is definitely not faithful to the book. The two meet each other in a field in their nightgowns and profess their love to each other while blessed by the rising sun.

4. MAJOR FLAWS; OR, HOW THE FILM DIVERGES FROM THE BOOK

In earlier book adaptation reviews, I stated that I welcomed creative changes as long as they reflected what was already in the book (ex. literary elements and character development) or the author's intent, since film and books are different mediums and some storytelling techniques that work in books may not work on film. This movie is undoubtedly well-known for its creative changes, especially in terms of historical setting and dialogue. While these creative changes entertain the audience, I feel that they change the meaning of the story as presented by the book.

Here's the biggest issue I have with the movie: Darcy has no pride. The film interprets his "pride" as a misconception strangers get from Darcy's cold manner and inconsiderate remarks, but in the book he is an arrogant person who views his social inferiors as beneath him and treats them poorly. In the movie, his whole character is fashioned in the modern image of the "sensitive man," who is kind and considerate if only the outside world would appreciate his uniqueness. Thus, Elizabeth's prejudice against him is entirely without merit. While making Darcy a more sympathetic person highlights how wrong Elizabeth's prejudice is, the fact is that both of them have "pride and prejudice." Some fans have commented that Darcy is like a sad puppy at times. It's hard to see how he's a good match for this Elizabeth's fiery spirit, only that he wouldn't infringe upon her freedom to roam. A lot of YouTube comments I read were people expressing their desire to "hug Darcy" or console him after Elizabeth rejects him; this doesn't make sense because Darcy is an unsympathetic character until he is forced to change in order to earn Elizabeth's love. Apart from becoming kinder to Elizabeth and the Gardiners, Darcy never really changes in the movie; he still remains a socially awkward introvert.

The re-interpretation of Pride and Prejudice as purely a romantic novel: The emphasis on romance means that the other elements of the book--the social criticism, secondary characters and the dialogue--are de-emphasized for the sake of the romance between Elizabeth and Darcy.

The film's approach to the story echoes Charlotte Bronte's criticism of the novel: "And what did I find [in Pride and Prejudice]? ... a carefully fenced, highly cultivated garden, with neat borders and delicate flowers; but no glance of a bright, vivid physiognomy, no open country, no fresh air, no blue hill, no bonny beck. I should hardly like to live with her ladies and gentlemen, in their elegant but confined homes." This version of Pride and Prejudice utilizes Romantic elements not in the book (ex. the storms, the landscapes) to increase the passion that the characters feel but cannot express.

Pride and Prejudice is perceived as a "boring" book because much of the drama takes place indoors (ex. Darcy's first proposal is in Mr. Collin's home), whereas in the film, there is greater emphasis on the natural scenery in keeping with its Romantic interpretation (lots of the "open country" that Charlotte Bronte desired). While the landscape scenes are beautiful, locating the action indoors, in the grand houses of the nobility, emphasizes the repressive, tradition-based nature of Regency Era society that Austen criticized (in a subtle way). These houses reinforce social hierarchy, for instance; the interior of Rosings Park is showy and stifling because it it represents Lady Catherine De Bourgh's wealth and power over those around her. Locating most of the scenes indoors visually represents the "confined and unvarying" lives of Regency era women and makes Elizabeth Bennet's independent streak much more significant.

Some of the social constraints that Elizabeth and Darcy face are removed. For example, Elizabeth is much more direct in her criticisms of others (ex. the "barely tolerable" insult), whereas in the book she largely confines these criticisms to her intimate friends such as Jane and Charlotte Lucas. While this effectively shows how badass she is, Elizabeth likely would not have taunted Darcy in such a direct way, as it would have been considered impolite and likely harmed her social reputation in a society governed by rigid adherence to social etiquette. And of course, Darcy likely would not have been walking around the English countryside in an open-chested shirt although we may have Colin Firth's wet shirt to blame for that. The importance of following etiquette rules is shown when Darcy offends the whole village by refusing to dance with anyone during the first ball. As a woman in a patriarchal society, it would have been even more important for Elizabeth to follow the rules, as her social reputation was important to her chances of making a good marriage. By de-emphasizing the rigid social norms that govern the characters, the obstacles to Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage are less significant, and it seems that the only thing standing in the way of their being together is Elizabeth's unreasonable hatred of Darcy.

Also, in many of Austen's novels, the hometowns of her heroines and its inhabitants are their own characters; the power of gossip in determining one's social reputation for the "marriage market" is de-emphasized in the film. In Pride and Prejudice, a major reason Elizabeth doesn't discover Wickham's bad character at first is because of the "general approbation of the neighborhood" and social popularity he has in Hertfordshire. After Lydia elopes, the family is in a bad situation with regards to marriage prospects because the village had "generally proved [the Bennets] to be marked out for misfortune." In the film, the role of the village is relegated to that of a place for entertainment and nothing more.

Others have noted that the film also exaggerates the social divide between Elizabeth and Darcy by turning the Bennet family into peasant farm-owners who have messy hair and wear plain, homespun clothing. This justifies Darcy's social prejudice against the Bennets, which undercuts Austen's message of morals, actions, and treatment of others being a better indicator of character than class rank (the rich people in this book, with the exception of Darcy, Georgiana and Bingley, are shown to be lazy or plain ridiculous). While Darcy may be richer than Elizabeth, and have better connections, they are both members of the gentry--after all, they do not have to work to maintain their lifestyles. Instead, we are presented with a conventional rags-to-riches story, where our poor but virtuous heroine is rewarded with a rich Prince Charming who takes her away from the squalor of her home to his great big palace.

Ultimately, the story is changed into an argument for love, specifically the passionate kind, triumphing over all; Elizabeth overcomes her hatred of men as "humorless poppycocks" to be with Darcy. Near the end, Mary reads out of a book claiming that a lady should give in to her passions and surrender to love, which doesn't make sense as the marriage based entirely on passion (Lydia and Wickham) is shown to be less than ideal.

While Austen does believe in following one's heart (ex. Persuasion, where Anne Elliot regrets rejecting Captain Wentworth because of his lower social status), others have commented that she presents the ideal relationship as a balance between mind and heart. Charlotte's practical marriage to Mr. Collins represents the traditional view of marriage as an "economic proposition," it is entirely logical and calculated, whereas Lydia and Wickham's marriage is the other emotional extreme, motivated entirely by sexual infatuation. Before Elizabeth acknowledges her love for Darcy, she must respect him as her intellectual equal. Here's the passage from the book where Elizabeth realizes she loves Darcy: "She now began to comprehend that he was exactly the man, who in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both; by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved, and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance." Elizabeth's decision to marry Darcy is not only a result of her heart's desire, but it comes after she does some thinking and concludes they are compatible and would be able to live with each other on a day-to-day basis.

Something else I find ironic is the director's (Joe Wright's) claim that he aimed for realism in the film, given that Austen already depicted Regency era life realistically by focusing on social norms, class, and wealth:

The director, in his quest for "realism," features the messy environment of the Bennet household, which doesn't make sense given that they are still relatively wealthy (when defending herself, Elizabeth tells Lady Catherine that she is "a gentleman's daughter"). Also, they have servants to clean things up, so why would the house be in a constant state of disarray?

Lastly, how is the second proposal scene is "realistic?" It is a moment of "psychic communication" between Darcy and Elizabeth which is out of character for the book. They both "can't sleep" and walked, in the words of Wikipedia, "across the moors" to see each other ok this seriously reminds me of Wuthering Heights. The scene is powerful because every woman wants to be told that "you have bewitched me body and soul" but "realistically," this doesn't happen (and this line isn't in the book either).

"REALISM" IS THE REASON WHY WE FUSS OVER HISTORICAL ACCURACY!!! HISTORICAL ACCURACY ALLOWS PERIOD DRAMAS TO BE REALISTIC!!!!

If the characters wore historically accurate clothing (different from the loosely inspired, modernized dresses/hair in the film), it would have emphasized the lack of freedom women had in Regency Era society and reinforced the importance of following social norms to succeed in a patriarchal society.

Bad Script Changes:

This film is known for its modernized script, which makes it easier for a mainstream audience to watch the movie. However, it also changes depictions of the characters in ways that undercut the meaning of the book.

Elizabeth Bennet, man-hater:

"Oh, they [men] are far too easy to judge. Humorless poppycocks, in my limited experience."

"And which of the painted peacocks is Mr. Bingley?"

"Men are either eaten up with arrogance or stupidity. And if they're amiable they're so easily led that they have no minds of their own whatsoever...No, they bring nothing but heartache."

I know these snarky comments are fun and reinforce the modern perception of Elizabeth Bennet as a feminist heroine. However, book Elizabeth doesn't rail against men as a whole; she just wants to find love rather than be forced into an advantageous marriage. Her idea that marriage should be based on love and respect, along with her unwillingness to compromise on that ideal, is what makes her revolutionary, not her complete apathy towards the opposite sex.

"Don't you dare judge me!" While it foreshadows Elizabeth's flawed judgment, this outburst is out of character for Charlotte Lucas, who in the book is level-headed and makes practical decisions. As with the majority of the bad script changes, it is too modern and doesn't fit with the 19th century style language used elsewhere in the script.

Darcy's lack of pride is shown in the modified lines of the first proposal (which were hard to catch because they were spoken super fast):

"I can bear it no longer. The past months have been a torment. I came to Rosings with the single object of seeing you. I had to see you. I've fought against my better judgment, my family's expectation, the inferiority of your birth, my rank and circumstance, all those things, but I'm willing to put them aside and ask you to end my agony. I love you. Most ardently."

These lines completely change the meaning of the first proposal. Apart from the famous opening lines ("In vain I have struggled. It will not do. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you"), Austen makes clear that Darcy still regards his higher social position and Elizabeth's inferior connections as obstacles to their marriage. His first proposal to Elizabeth is a means of getting rid of the suffering that his unrequited love has forced upon him; he still does not accept Elizabeth as his equal, which is why she rejects him in the first place. Clearly he is not "willing to put [social norms] aside" when it comes to "his sense of her inferiority." The modified lines also make Darcy much more romantic by having him state that he came to Rosings to see Elizabeth; the book does not specify that this is the case; he just came on a routine visit to see his aunt and Elizabeth happened to be there. As I said earlier, Elizabeth in the book rejects Darcy because of his lack of respect for her, but in the film, he seems to show nothing but respect for her. They even have an almost-kiss, which doesn't make sense given that she hates him so intensely at this point in the novel.

"He's so, he's so...rich." Elizabeth utters these when trying and failing to find a reason not to visit Pemberley. This declaration does not make sense because Elizabeth has formed in the very least a grudging respect for Mr. Darcy; without access to her internal thoughts, one might take this line as evidence that she still hates Mr. Darcy.

“Just leave me alone!!!” After confronting Lady Catherine, Elizabeth flees to her room to find some alone time. This doesn’t suit Elizabeth’s character because 1) she acts like a temperamental teenager and 2) she is estranged from her family. In the book she gets closer to her family after Darcy’s first proposal, not the other way round. In some JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America) articles I read about Pride and Prejudice, the authors observed that Elizabeth isn’t concerned about her family early in the novel; her motivations are largely self-centered, she keeps her head above their foolishness and doesn’t have intimate relationships with anyone in her family with the exception of her father and Jane. Only after she receives the criticisms of her family’s behavior from Mr. Darcy does she look out for her family; for example, by advising her father not to let Lydia go to Brighton (and she becomes right about it harming her family’s reputation). The film also makes Elizabeth even more isolated from her family by omitting the fact that she tells Jane about what happened between her and Darcy. Elizabeth learning to care for her family is an important part of her growth which the film omits.

5. CONCLUSION

I still think this film is worth watching, even though as a purist I disagree with the creative changes made, namely the emphasis on the romance over the social comedy. It is obvious that the screenwriter/director didn't strive to replicate the book exactly and aimed for a romantic re-interpretation.

The film has had a positive impact since it introduced a lot of people to Jane Austen, including me.

Here’s my story: when the movie aired on TV, my mother, who is a 1995 die-hard, started ranting about her hate for this version, so I picked up the book so that I could watch and compare.

As a romance movie it is excellent, because it has plenty of sexual tension and quotable romantic lines, along with a couple we can root for. The set design, music, and set design also make watching the movie an experience. It's very easy to love this movie just for the cottage core aesthetics (although aesthetics cannot cover up the flaws of this film).

On a side note, I find it funny that the Wikipedia article for this film states that it "failed to have the cultural influence" of the 1995 BBC miniseries. In fact, many people my age (17 or 18 years old) who have read the book consider this movie the definitive version of Pride and Prejudice and some don't even know that the 1995 miniseries exists!

Whether you love or hate this film, all I ask is that you don't call it Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

@colonelfitzwilliams @appleinducedsleep @obscurelittlebird @austengivesmeserotonin @princesssarisa @dahlia-coccinea @firawren @cobaltzosia

[rahenning]

A Clockwork Orange

      A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 Stanley Kubrick ultraviolent masterpiece that tells the story of the criminal young man Alex DeLarge (Malcom McDowell). Alex is the leader of a gang of delinquents who kill, rob and rape in London –UK. Alex falls into the hands of the police and in jail gets an opportunity to reduce his time in prison. He began to be studied and participating in experiments focused on curbing destructive impulses of the human being. Alex developed a reaction to the stimulus he was subjected to but also became powerless to deal with the violence that surrounded him. The film is an adaptation of Anthony’s Burgess’s 1962 novel of the same name. The film has a different ending than the original book.

When talking “A Clockwork Orange” it is a must to talk about its director Stanley Kubrick, his aesthetic, photography and music in film. Kubrick is considered by many one of the biggest genius in the history of film. He dominated all the possible genres in film creating real masterpieces. Stanley was very interested in the human being and theirs falls, desires and secrets. One of his biggest desires with his films was to be provoking and controversy but in high quality. His films are easy identified. His film’s aesthetic were always built after an extensive research based on books, documentaries, and thesis. Kubrick wanted to make sure he was the biggest authority in its themes once he stepped in the film set. The director was also known by never having the scrips ready and sometimes making alterations right before filming it. He was constantly writing and changing lines. Prior to beginning his path as a director, Kubrick was a photographer, it helped him to have all the knowledge to know how to get to the results that he intended. He had a very technical knowledge and worked with his own camera and lenses. But his equipment was minor compared to his eye. The vanish point is one of his most important characteristics in film. All was seeing in image, the architecture, the position of the actors, colors and all the details were well thought by the director. He liked to give the audience all the information possible in the scene but without telling where the information is. All the camera movements and actions had a reason to happen working in a subjective way giving the audience a chance to interpret by themselves without having an explanation connected in the film. His films works like a puzzle to the audience.

Another piece of Kubrick’s puzzle movies is the music. Stanley knew the power of music and how it could be used to build the films premise. He liked to use classic and often create it. In “Eyes Wide Shut” for example, the music is one of the main elements to create the tone of the film. Kubrick’s have done allegory about our society in his films, in the desire, in the violence, in war, in secrets and insanity. When “A Clockwork Orange” film was released a wave of violence and crimes began to surge in England with young people saying they got influenced by the movie. Kubrick not just took the film off the cinemas but also prohibited it in England for 25 years. “The Shinning”, “2001: A Space in Odissey” and “Dr.Strangelove” are great examples of Stanley Kubrick’s works.

       The aesthetic of “A Clockwork Orange” is full of neobaroque references. Baroque is a lot more than just a period in history of culture. Baroque it is also an aesthetic term and stylistic concept. The blaring, shining and plastic colors. Everything is colorfully aggressive and exuberant. The furniture and decorations are grotesque and often sexual with naked white woman elements on it. The characters clothing also follow this premise. Alex’s mother (Sheila Raynor) is a strange motherly figure who wears nylon and fluorescent wigs. Her clothing contrasts the father (Phillip Stone) which clothing tries to bring a more conservative idea to the audience. His attitude and attire contradicts with the exaggeration of the elements in his house.

     The camera movement, editing, slow motion or fast forward effects also adds to create this cinematography experience to the audience. A good scene to amplify this matter is the scene when Alex have sex with two women in his room. As mentioned before, music plays an important role in Kubrick’s films. In “A Clockwork Orange” the audience listen to a mix of electronic synthetic and classic music with Beethoven 9th Symphony and the well-known Gene Kelly’s song “Singing in the rain”. The soundtrack of film was done by Wendy Carlos. One of the most known scenes in the movie is the one that Alex and his gang invades a house and in a performance way while singing “Singing in the rain” begins to assault, terrorizes and sexually abuse Mr. and Mrs. Alexander (Patrick Magee and Adrienne Corri)  . His movements are slow and sudden to the point that each time that he suddenly hurts them, the audience can feel how much more painful it is not just because of the actual physical assault but the psychological terror created by him.

         One of the screenplay’s scene that brings more discomfort to the audience is when Alex begins his treatment and experiments with the doctors in the prison. Alex was subjected to a series of treatments focused on the Ludovico radical behaviorist method. A fictional aversion therapy. With this technique, Alex had to be strapped into a chair with his eyes wide forcedly open, drugged and to watch ultra-violent videos that could trigger his violent self. This way each time the videos trigger his emotions, he develops a stomach and mental discomfort causing him nausea and vomit. The doctors also played a video with his favorite song, the 9th Symphony. Every time Alex listen to this song he would have the exact same reaction as if he was experiencing a violent act. Alex treatment is successful in the eyes of the doctors and society. Although it transformed him in an individual incapable to defend himself when the violence was being directed to him.

     The author of the original book once said “If he can only perform good or only perform evil, then he is a clockwork orange—meaning that he has the appearance of an organism lovely with color and juice but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound up by God or the Devil.” – Anthony Burgess.

    The tittle of the film explains a lot about the screenplay. The organic and natural of the orange and the engineering and mechanic of the inside of the clock. Alex experiences this transformation from an organic human being with the good and very bad in him and shifts to this programed mind person. His mind begins to work conditionally and mechanically.

      “A Clockwork Orange” does not deserve less than 5 stars. It is a true masterpiece, full of controversy, hard to watch elements and a lot of culture behind it. My personal and only negative opinion is on the age of the main character. Alex is living a high school delinquent student on his 17 years old. The actor was 27 years old at the time and it shows. His gang friends also did not look like a 15-17 years olds young boys. It bothers me a little and does not give me an idea of a high school student. Overall this film is very important in the history of film, such as most of Kubrick’s works.

[dreamsofthescreen]

How Godard Broke Our Hearts in Le Mepris - Analysis & Review

The 1963 classic French-Italian drama serves as a masterclass in impactful filmmaking

Brigitte Bardot & Michel Piccoli in ‘Le Mepris’

Expert director Jean Luc Godard’s films are considered pieces of art for convincing reasons, and 1963 classic ‘Le Mepris’ (Contempt) is a masterful example of this. It’s stylistic choices reflect the sombre, but beautiful & hard hitting story of a marriage turned bitter. It is the cinematography, writing & somewhat clean-cut, French directing style that livens the plot. With reference to cinema & the connection with life that it shares, the emotional bluntness of the New Wave story makes it all the more impacting. 1960s stars’ Brigitte Bardot, Michael Piccoli & Jack Palace all add to the heart of the Eurocentric film, their sourness becoming a point of interest in the plot. Colour, light and contrast all are significant points in this perfectly painted film.

Rising to prominence in the New Wave period, French-Swiss director Jean-Luc Godard is known for his colourful, sharp & artistic European projects, expertly executing any romance or drama in a beautiful way. ‘Le Mepris’ is an adaptation of Alberto Moravia’s 1954 novel, II disprezzo (A Ghost at Noon). The story goes as American producer Prokosch (Jack Palance) casts Paul (Michael Piccoli) to write a screenplay for Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’. This intake of work on film & challenging of his artistic values from Prokosch turns his marriage with Camille (Brigitte Bardot) on it’s head. Sticking to well-known themes in a drama such as tragedy, romance, infidelity and change, ‘Le Mepris’ breaks our hearts by touching on the beauty of a classic.

Godard’s distinctive style is prevalent in the significance of the story, as the way in which the film is both written & directed is in touch with each emotion & colour throughout. The rocky marriage between Camille & Paul on the backdrop of a film set actually reflects Godard’s personal demons - his struggling marriage and dissonant relationship with Hollywood at the time. Bold blues, reds, whites and yellows colour the film, which is something rather ironic, as emotion can be seen as something badly represented with such uplifting tones remaining in a heartbreaking scenario. Yet, this is all apart of Godard’s wonderful filmmaking. As a directer and writer, he brings realism to the table, where most romance pictures don’t. As the anguish of love decaying is on the forefront, Godard’s style still remains throughout, showing that although emotions change, the world around us really doesn’t. However, Godard also utilises these colours as a means of drama, the sultry opening scene with a naked Bardot & Piccoli soaked in an erotic red. Colour and costume is a hugely recognisable feature of the New Wave Era, as the 1960s began to explore aesthetics more freely. With Tanine Autré as the leading costume designer, the clean-cut & artistic costumes all sit well with each beautifully painted scene. Stripes and colour-blocking in the summer style are all reflective of the New Wave Movement. Even the 1960s interiors that Godard chooses reflect his storytelling style. Modern buildings, references to art and the human figure is relevant, as for a film about love, the male gaze is utterly, yet tastefully focused on French bombshell Brigitte Bardot. The visual spectacles are phenomenal, but still have meaning. As Godard focuses on realism, classism and a very Eurocentric story in ‘Le Mepris’, this can be seen as him even mocking Hollywood’s growing commercial and idealised storytelling at the time.  

By connecting cinema with life, striking reference is made to many emotions & creates space for a beautifully relevant drama. For a movie about movies, when art and love mix, disaster strikes. Scorsese quoted Contempt, saying ‘it’s one of the greatest films ever made about the actual process of filmmaking’ & named it as “brilliant, romantic and genuinely tragic”. Godard filmed a variety of scenes with tracking shots, in a natural light & near-real time. He too focuses on the beauty of Capri & the settings of the characters, rather than the characters themselves. The cinematography celebrates film itself, relevant to a storyline focusing on movie-making. With a painfully moving, stringed soundtrack and sweepingly romantic landscape wide shots, audiences can feel as though they are watching the film being made by Prokosch & Paul. Even the dialogue is reminiscent of the film, cleverly making connections between the project being made and the drama in Paul’s marriage. As Paul & Camille discuss ‘The Odyssey’, Paul states, “I agree with Prokosch’s theory. That Ulysses loves his wife, but she doesn’t love him”. Camille has no reaction to this comment, but we as audiences know that Godard is linking ‘The Odyssey’ with Paul & Camille’s fading love. Furthermore, Paul states that he is to “walk back with Mr. Lang (the director) to discuss the Odyssey.” This is followed by a comment by a crew member on set who comments, “I should have done a scene at the beginning, in which the Gods discuss the man’s fate, in general & the fate of Ulysses in particular”. It isn’t hard to see the comparison made between Paul and Ulysses’ romantic situations, one a Greek king & the other a script writer, yet still both are relevant & though contrast vastly, are mighty men. Both wonder about their fate. This is the great connection between the two storylines - the beauty and pain of cinema & how it all too often relates back to our own demons, so gracefully presented in ‘Le Mepris’.

Brigitte Bardot in ‘Le Mepris’

Godard’s clean-cut directing & blunt writing style, along with the impressive acting are all successful in presenting a widely emotional drama. Set in the outstandingly beautiful Capri, melancholy and mourning is mixed with the sunlight and dreamy landscape of the island. As Godard worked with cinematographer Raoul Coutard, he contrasts light and dark, showing the unexpected nature of life - where love can grow in a beautiful area, it can also be killed. We associate colour and light with positivity, yet the fact is that however life changes, the world around us does still remain the same. This is reflected in the writing of the film, as Godard’s straightforward dialogue hits hard. Rather than creating a falsely dramatic ‘movie magic’ script, there is no drama in the very real & blunt adult conversation that characters’ Camille & Paul have in establishing their feelings for one another. As Paul questions as to why Camille has been acting so distant, she simply replies with, ‘it’s true. I don’t love you anymore’. Paul asks, ‘you still loved me yesterday?’ & Camille replies with ‘yes, very much. Now it’s over’. With statements along the way from Camille like ‘that’s life’, there is melancholy reality, which is beautifully French in comparison to the excessive, long-winded scenes we see in todays writings. Yet the film seeps in elegance through it’s script, as when any words are spoken, each is valuable. As Camille reflects on the breakdown of her marriage, she metaphorically states, ‘We used to live in a cloud of unawareness, in delicious complicity. Things happened with sudden wild, enchanted recklessness’. Character Prokosch brings statements like ‘I don't believe in modesty. I believe in pride! I believe in the pride of making good films’. Furthermore to this, it, again, is the realism that breaks our hearts through the masterful filmmaking. The acting in ‘Le Mepris’ is very real, as Godard had the actors improvise lines in the moment. When asked about this, he stated, ‘I need them, just as I need the pulse and colours of real settings for atmosphere and creation’. Godard’s focus on realism is great as it is something so sincere and authentic. He also rather fitted the character of Camille to Bardot herself, rather than having Bardot act as Camille. This too made for an authentic script, as Bardot’s supposed acting ability shone through, bluntly delivering bold lines & somewhat rising above the typical sensual blonde that she was used to playing, as she had a voice. Godard’s writing brings in slices of poetry to inspire us & add to the artistic nature of the cinematic experience.

The Guardian’s description of it as ‘poetically sour’ encompasses the beauty of 1963 classic ‘Le Mepris’, as iconic director Jean-Luc Godard creates a heartbreakingly real tale of love lost. Through the recognisable New Wave style of the early 1960s that Godard helped define, the significance of ‘Le Mepris’ is made through it’s visuals and aesthetics, that we as an audience can recognise and appreciate. The beautifully artistic and European summer drama shines through with it’s ability to challenge everyday filmmaking. Godard hits the nail on the head with every emotion throughout, presented through not only dialogue, but the ravishing soundtrack, cinematography, set design and overall disposition. ‘Le Mepris’ remains a wonder that inspires and transports us to a world that, through it’s passion, seems all to familiar for some.

Stars Out of Five: 5/5

[lady-sansa-stark-of-winterfell]

Game of Thrones 8x06 Review

Things I liked

Sansa Stark becoming the Queen of the North and getting the Northern Independence

The Iron Throne being destroyed.

Tyrion becoming the Hand of the king again and showing that he has indeed some brain cells left.

Also the scene, where Tyrion was grieving for his brother and sister.

Jon's ending and going back to the Night's watch. Honestly I do think that it made sense and is a bittersweet conclusion to his story.

Also Jon Snow reunited with Ghost.

The council meeting at the end.

Ser Podrick!

The overall atmosphere and tone of the episode. The story definitely did not have a happy ending, but it had the bittersweet one grrm had mentioned.

Beautiful cinematography, soundtrack and acting.

Things I didn't like

How they handled the Daenerys's plot line. Her becoming the Mad Queen was ultimately an interesting and promising idea, but it should have been a lot better developed. The same problem with Jon killing her. It was rushed and it's just needed more time to be properly built.

Bran becoming the King. It feels unearned and a bit dissatisfying, but out of all the people that were left he was probably one of the only good options.

Bran being the Three Eyed Raven and Jon being brought back from the dead and discovering he was a Targaryen ultimately played no major part of the story.

Overall the season and episode seemed rushed.

[cameron-ashurst22]

Year 2 Weekly Summaries - Week 4

Day 1- Film language Lecture 14th October 2019 

Horizontal lines are the calmest type of composition.

Vertical lines give height and dimension being more active.

Diagonal lines are the most active and show perspective.

Wide shots establish the setting.Helps understand depth and three dimensional space.

Two shot - When two people are in the shot. Used in dialogue 

Eye line helps to show the focus of the scene.

 Draws people attention:

-movement

-Brightness

-eyes

-Vanishing point 

-contrasting in any visual component

Camera Movement

-Pan 

-Tilt 

Camera moves with motivation of the story. The camera can have its own voice by being un motivated.For example:

Slow push in creeps towards the subject makes people to look harder. This starts from a still frame but slowly moves towards the subject.

The creep out -Makes the figure look smaller almost abandoning the subject. Gives depth to the scene and can show lack of compassion, intimacy etc.

Camera turns away - the Camera move leaves no hope for escape. Shows the trauma is too much to view.

The distracted , the wandering Camera- explores other parts of the world. Doesn’t focus on the story but moves to other subjects. Isn’t the subjective camera and becomes its own character, telling its own story.

The Yelling Camera- Shows what too look at and when to look at it. Immediately grabs the attention of the viewer.

Tracking shot is on tracks. Shows the movement of travelling with the character through their story.

Dolly Shot - similar to a tracking shot

Crane shot is a shot taken by a camera on a moving crane or jib. Most cranes accommodate both the camera and an operator, but some can be moved by remote control.

Crossing the line , the 180 degree rule : The 180-degree rule is a cinematography guideline that states that two characters in a scene should maintain the same left/right relationship to one another. When the camera passes over the invisible axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line and the shot becomes what is called a reverse angle.

Sources: https://indiefilmhustle.com › 180-degree-rule

The 180 Degree Rule in Film (and How to Break The Line) #180degreerule

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW0bKUfvH2c

Breaking Down the 180-Degree Rule

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HinUychY3sE

Transitions

Cut-Most used cut is too cut on action

Mix- Dissolve, fade to black 

Wipe- involves movement

Jump cut 

A morph

Source:

Cuts & Transitions 101

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAH0MoAv2CI

Essay -

Find two pieces of film that demonstrate an aspect of film language and compare the two. For example a film that uses colour and a film that doesn’t use colour. A film that uses a lot of camera movement and a film that uses limited camera movement. Focus on a specific aspect of the film as well , fight sequences. Choose a sequence that isn’t very long.Talk about the mechanics and don’t sound like a film reviewer.

Fight scenes in the Dark knight vs Fight scene in creed.

Camera Movement examples:

Source:

1917 - In Theaters December (Behind The Scenes Featurette) [HD]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hSjs2hBa94https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hSjs2hBa94

15 Essential Camera Shots, Angles and Movements in Filmmaking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y0ouVBcogU

5 Brilliant Moments of Camera Movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2c3JZ6X3f8

6 of the Best Shots of All Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLHNBssyuE4

Meaning Behind Camera Movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDC8DiGfxrs

How to Shoot Better Tracking Shots [Examples of #Trackingshots]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkVYpzyJvG8&pbjreload=10

How Kubrick, Spielberg, and Inarritu Stage their Scenes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-4rk3T8PbQ

3 Strategies Behind the Best Long Takes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9AEYFYPYTM

How to Use The Dutch Angle Shot [Cinematic Techniques in Film] #dutchangle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9FUEScjB1U

How to Achieve a Cinematic Film Look [Sidney Lumet Making Movies]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdWdlM9x9l4

Day 2 - Sound principles and terminology lecture - Phil Archer

Elements of a soundtrack:

The sound of characters and there actions is called foley sound

Diegetic sound-  is the sound that the characters can hear.

Dialogue

Atmospheric and environmental sound

Special effects

Example of a trailer with not all layers of sound design exported:

The Mummy Trailer without music or sound effects

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRqxyqjpOHs

Sound:

Suggests a mood, evoke a feeling

Set a pace

Indicate a geographical locale

Indicate a historical period

Clarify the plot

Define a character

Connect ideas, characters, places , images or moments

Heighten realism or diminish it

Heighten ambiguity or diminish it

Draw attention to detail, or away from it

Indicate changes in time

Smooth otherwise about changes between shots and scenes

Emphasises a transition for dramatic effect

Describe an acoustic space

Startle or soothe 

Exaggerate or mediate it

Pixar - The God

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93xY06Sh7FE

Reverb- How sound waves are effected

Frequency- Pitch measured in Hertz

Synchresis- sound and image together

Day 3 - sound induction

Today I was introduced to implementing and cutting sound in adobe. For this induction we had to cut clips of sound and rearrange them on a timeline as well as add effects to them . I found this to be a very easy process and can see how this will be implemented in the future for the project. I also liked how we can change the pitch and increase the volume of the audio with the program. This allows human conversation to be understood and clear with other factors playing underneath.

Day 3- Media lab Session

In todays session I continued to iron out the rest of the animation. I began to focus on the movement of the ball and introduced the use of a blend shape. Blend shapes allow me to transform the shape of an object, for instance I changed the shape of the grape so that it appeared to be squashed on impact with the toaster. To do this I had to duplicate the shape the change the properties of the duplicated shape to resemble a splat. I then used the blend shapes tab to create the transition, finally I removed the visibility of the ball on the specific frames were I wanted the impact to occur.

I also began to model the rest of the kitchen, for this I created a fridge that  would be placed behind the toaster. I added the same material as the spoon to have a metallic texture. I then also extended the countertop downward so it adds better depth to the scene.

The next part of the process in todays session was to figure out the issues I was having with lighting. I found that my scene overall wasn’t very well lit so to counter this I added three more lights. These lights resembled the style frames I am currently creating to give the night time aesthetic. The light colours are a soft muted red and a brighter yellow. The yellow helps enhance the light that is not casted by the shadow of the utensils and the red is supposed to help add depth to the shadows themselves. However, then I went to render the frame the lights do not seem to appear. So I will have to ask for help from Adam or John to understand the full process of lighting the scene.

Day 4- Life drawing

In todays life drawing session we focused on using the medium of paint to help establish light and tone within a piece. The first exercise was to create two paintings using an olive green background as the mid tone , a flesh tone and a dark. I Initially misjudged the proportion of the figure for the first attempt due to me believing that we were not doing the painting on the same side of the canvas. I was disappointed with my outcome as a result of this as I had to cram the second painting into the corner. Although I achieved a likeness I believe that on a bigger scale I would have been able to show more of the tones within the piece. The second exercise was to create a painting focused on a specific area of the model. For this I chose to paint the face of the model. Initially I found that starting out the painting was the most difficult. This was due to me having to use paint as a guide layer instead of a pencil. I was disappointed with some of the scale and proportion used within the face especially as the nose is too large in comparison to the rest of the features in the face. I also struggled with the detail around the eye as it seemed to become lost as I added more layers of paint. I want to improve my use of paint but feel like it is a medium that I will continue to avoid as I prefer to use pencil or even work digitally.

Day 4- Group tutorial with John 

In todays group tutorial I was able to gain feedback on my current work in progress. The feedback was that the acting overall in the piece was good and clearly showed the direction I wanted to take the piece in. However, I need to improve both the camera movements and the curve of the ball. John suggested that I add more of a curl to the ball as it would offset the straight line created from the run up of the character. This intern would make the piece more visually appealing by having the ball come on and off screen. The camera critique was that there needs to be more holds introduced to fully show the movement, although it flows introducing cuts would greatly increase the effectiveness of the camera as a whole. Personally ,  feel like the run up of the character to the ball needs work as it I one paced and to do this I will start off slowly and then increase the speed of the character as he kicks the ball. I am looking forward to fine tuning my animation over the course of the next few weeks.

[niamsuggitt]

The Ides Of August 2017

Yo! What’s up? I’ll tell you what’s up, and it’s the goddamn Ides of August! Yeah, that’s right, I’ve written some words about all of the various media I’ve been checking out for the past 30 days. It’s been a bit of a rough month personally (hence this being late), but that does mean I’ve had a lot of time to watch a lot of films, including, for the 2nd month in a row, a trip to the actual in-the-RL cinema.

There’s also the small matter of the return of Game Of Thrones, more Nintendo fun and an intriguing fantasy novel from one of my new favourite writers.

Let’s do this thing.

—

Movies

Lots of movies to talk about this time around! I’ll start with more of my Universal Monsters Box-Set, as I watched 2 of ‘em. First up was The Invisible Man (James Whale 1933). I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The special effect of making Jack Griffin ‘invisible’ were very impressive for the 1930s, and it was refreshing that the main character was basically just an unrepentant dick with his power. He really is a darkly human monster and Claude Rains is a lot of fun and gives a great performance, especially as you never see his face until he’s dead. It was in line with my only previous experience with the character, Moore and O’Neill’s League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which takes it even further (that rape sequence is horrific). I was also very pleasantly surprised to see Henry Travers, Clarence from It’s A Wonderful Life appear as Dr Cranley.

I then watched Bride Of Frankenstein (James Whale 1935) which was also very good. I really liked the opening sequence, which shows us the real world origins of Frankenstein, as Mary Shelley tells her story in the Villa Diodati. It’s a great moment when it’s revealed that the same actress, Elsa Lanchester plays Shelley and ‘The Bride’. I was less keen on the scenes that basically undo all of the ending of the previous film, as both Frankenstein and the Monster survive, but once Doctor Pretorius appears and the story really kicks in, I was back on board. The main thing people talk about when it comes to this film is the queer subtext, and it really is strong. Pretorious is a very gay-coded character, and you really can read a lot into his and Frankenstein’s relationship. Boris Karloff’s performance as the Monster is just as iconic as ever, and it was great to see him do a bit more in his scenes with the blind hermit. They were like an extended version of the little girl in the first film. I was actually surprised by how little we see of the title character, she appears, screams and dies. But still, it’s another iconic horror moment and an all-time great look. I would say overall that the first film is better, but I can see why some people prefer this film, if you like the auteur theory, there’s a lot more of Whale in this one.

I stuck with the monsters, but got a lot more contemporary next, with Kong: Skull Island (Jordan Vogt-Roberts 2017), which was a lot of fun, if flawed in some ways. I am a big fan of King Kong, going back to some GCSE coursework I did comparing the original film to Peter Jackson’s remake. One thing I appreciated about this film was that it wasn’t a remake, but instead used everyone’s favourite giant Ape to tell a new story, and in particular, an anti-War story. The decision to set this during Vietnam is a great one, and it gave us some fantastic imagery of Kong fighting helicopters. The action scenes here really are great, very stylish and fun. The Vietnam setting also provides a truly great soundtrack that thankfully doesn’t go full-on Suicide Squad in terms of needle-dropping. The main flaw with this film is that some of the characters, in particular Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson, who are ostensibly the leads are boring and don’t actually do that much. You probably could have removed Hiddleston entirely and it wouldn't change much. Thankfully, the rest of the cast helps to elevate things, with Samuel L Jackson, John Goodman and particularly John C Reilly, who plays a WW2 soldier who’s been trapped on Skull Island for decades delivering great performances. But the real star here is of course Kong, who not only looks real, but is fucking huge, way bigger than other versions. Any time he’s on screen is brilliant, and the fights are, as I said, incredibly cool. I was initially a little wary of this being a shared universe with Godzilla, especially as the tone of this and Gareth Edwards’ film are very different, but I can’t deny that the end credit sequence was cool and the prospect of this Kong and that Godzilla fighting each other is tantalising. I suppose it’s the same as the Marvel and DC cinematic universes, just the idea of Batman Vs Superman or King Kong Vs Godzilla is enough to at least pique my interest. So far the so-called ‘Monsterverse’ is better than the DCEU, but far off the MCU. But it’s only 2 movies!

Speaking of Marvel, I then watched Logan (James Mangold 2017) and was absolutely blown away. It’s not only the best X-Men movie by far, but also one of the best superhero films I’ve seen, and I have seen pretty much all of them at this point. I think what makes Logan so good is that it really has that weight of history that the best superhero stories have behind it. We’ve seen Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Patrick Stewart as Professor X on our screens for 17 years, nearly 2 decades now. Some people who were able to go to see Logan in the cinema were not even born when X-Men came out. So seeing these characters and actors age and (eventually) die really has an impact on us as a viewer. It also allows Jackman and Stewart to deliver far more nuanced and powerful performances. I can’t see it happening, but Stewart deserves awards recognition in my eyes. His senile Professor X is just heart-breaking. The other great performance in the film comes from Dafne Keen as Laura/X-23, who is fantastic, despite not saying much at all. Her action scenes in particular are excellent and surprising. That applies to much of the film, which really does have some impactful scenes, I really don’t think Logan’s claws caused so much blood to spray in previous films! The story here is refreshingly simple and light on mythology, but it works, and helps tie the story and character into the classic Westerns Mangold is drawing on. There’s a reason why they watch ‘Shane’ in the motel. Wolverine is comics’ original ‘Man with no name’ and this film really is true to those roots, delivering some truly iconic images of the character for me. I really can’t wait to watch it again, but Logan really is a great reminder of how great a character Wolverine is. I love that in 2017 the X-Men franchise, which has given us a fair amount of pablum is, with this and Legion and even Deadpool are stretching the kinds of superhero stories we get on screen.

One director who also stretched the superhero genre is Christopher Nolan, and up next I took a trip to the cinema to see his latest film, Dunkirk (Christopher Nolan 2017) which really gave me a lot to think about. I’m still mulling it over weeks later, which to me is the sign of a good film, and whilst I am conflicted about some of the messages, I really think it’s an incredibly profound and effective experience that really got across the horror of war and the Dunkirk evacuation in particular. Everything, from the soundtrack to the cinematography really put you in the shoes of the soldiers and I felt incredibly tense throughout. I particularly liked that this was a WW2 movie where you don’t see a single Nazi soldier. You see some planes, but that’s it. The threat they pose is all-encompassing, and you don’t know where they are coming from. All you get is the bombs, or the bullets coming through the hull of the ship. It really helps the paranoia and isolation the men must have felt, and means you can buy the scene where Harry Styles thinks Aneurin Barnard might be a spy (he turns out to be French). The way Nolan shot the aerial battle sequences and the sea also contributed to that feeling, where they are actually rather empty. At times, the English Channel looked like that endless ocean planet from his previous film, Interstellar! I thought the performances from everyone were very strong, whether from acting heavyweights like Branagh, Rylance and Hardy, or the younger actors. I mentioned Harry Styles earlier, and he’s actually very good here, and I think his casting works on a meta-level as well, because if Styles were to have been alive back in 1940, he wouldn’t have been able to become a popstar, he would have gone off to war. It really made me think about, despite the many problems of 2017, how lucky we are to be around today as opposed to then, something I was already thinking about given that the 100th Anniversary of Passchendaele happened the same week. My great-grandfather fought there when he was younger than I am now! That’s why I think the message of Dunkirk is a powerful one, it shows that even in retreat, we hailed these soldiers as heroes and eventually regrouped and won the War. It’s not jingoistic like many war films, contrary to what Nigel Farage may tweet! My only real issue is that it took me a while to work out how all of the storylines were taking place at different timescales and not at the same time, so when Cillian Murphy interacted with Fionn Whitehead’s character I was very confused, but I think that’s more on me that the film! Overall, Dunkirk worked for me, and is probably my favourite Nolan film since Inception.

Things are getting a bit heavy, so let’s lighten up with Moana (Ron Clements and John Musker 2016), another thoroughly delightful Disney musical from the same team that gave us Frozen and Tangled. This was a funny and fun romp with some great animation and a very strong vocal performance from The Rock as Maui. One thing I appreciated about this film is that it bucked the trend of Disney Princess stories and didn’t feature any romance at all really. Moana’s journey is to help her family and her people, not to fall in love, which is a modern touch I appreciated. The music was good, nothing here is quite as immediately iconic as ‘Let It Go’, but I found ‘How Far I’ll Go’ and ‘I Am Moana’ to be powerful songs. I’m obviously not the target audience for these films anymore, but this is certainly one of the better kids cartoons I’ve seen lately. There are enough jokes to get you through, and like I mentioned, the animation and look of this is brilliant. At times it reminded me of The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and there can’t be much higher praise than that!

Nearly done! I then watched The Incredible Jessica James (James C. Strouse 2017) on Netflix, and found it to be a very strong, modern romantic comedy with a truly great central performance from Jessica Williams. I had liked Williams as a correspondent on The Daily Show, but she really shows she can act here, as she really shines in every scene of this. She’s not only very funny, but able to handle the more dramatic parts of the story too. Not that this story is incredibly dramatic, it’s actually very straight-forward, and I imagine that many people are sick to death of hip sexy young people falling in love in Brooklyn. For me though, the performance of Williams elevates this above those familiar elements. The supporting cast is also strong, Noel Wells from Master Of None is great, and whilst I still find it weird that Chris O’Dowd is getting so many Hollywood Rom-Com roles, he’s great too. And of course Lakeith Stanfield is good as Jessica’s ex, he’s showing up in more and more lately, and he’s always good. It’s going to be a long wait for more Atlanta. I also liked how this film used social media. So much of modern romance is done online, and making Tinder, or unfollowing your ex on Instagram a plot point was intriguing, and something I want to see more of. It felt much more true to life than many films, and hopefully won’t date things too much. This isn’t ‘You’ve Got Mail’.

And finally, I re-watched Get Out (Jordan Peele 2017) again on DVD and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. Particularly how knowing the twist allows you to see earlier scenes in a new light. Like when you first see Allison Williams convince the Cop not to check Chris’ ID, you think she’s being cool and not-racist. But then you realise… she doesn’t want the Cop to know Chris was with her so they can trap him! Genius.

Television

There’s really only one place to start with TV, and that’s the return of Game Of Thrones (HBO) for it’s penultimate season. I am sort of conflicted about the season so far. On the one hand, GoT remains the best-looking, most lavish TV show on the air right now, and it’s gotten even bigger this year. The Dragon attack on the Lannister Army in Episode 4 was one of the most epic things I’ve seen on the small screen, and can probably rival most movies in terms of the CGI on the Dragons. It’s also been fantastic to see so many long-awaited moments and reunions, it’s been literally years since the likes of Arya, Bran and Sansa have been in the same place. The same goes for Tyrion and Jaime. And it’s been a lot of fun to see Daenerys actually interact with characters she’s never ever met before like Jon Snow and to see the series really cut to the meat of the story there. But therein lies my big issue with the season, and I think it’s because we really are ahead of the books now and we lack that wider context for these bigger moments. Because the show moves at a much quicker pace and has changed a lot of elements, previously, when they did that, we as fans knew the wider context and meaning because we had seen it in the books. But now, we haven’t, so things are just… happening. Awesome things for sure, but I can’t help but think that George RR Martin’s original versions will be better. The books have always been more humane and had more heart than the show, which takes the cynicism and darkness a bit too far. It’s odd, initially I thought that the show getting ahead of the source material would lessen my excitement for Books 6 and 7, but it’s having the opposite effect, I now want to read The Winds Of Winter more than ever. It’s certainly going to be different, especially because the show has cut so much meat off the bone. But I’m supposed to reviewing the show, not hypothetical novels. What else? I think the show has taken another step up in terms of editing and directing, I think that freedom from the novels has allowed them to do different things, like the toilet cleaning montage with Sam in the Citadel. That was a great sequence, and one I think they should do more of. Not the shit, but the montage, especially since so many people are complaining about how quickly people seem to move across Westeros now when compared to previous years. I don’t mind that too much, but it does add to that feeling off things just happening. But nevertheless, Game Of Thrones remains one of the best things out there in any media. I can’t quite believe there’s only 2 episodes to go this year. Hopefully by the time Season 8 rolls around my issues will have been resolved because I’ll have ben able to read that book!

Also in terms of new stuff, I watched the premiere of the revived DuckTales (Disney XD) and very much enjoyed it. Like most people of my age, I watched the original when I was a kid (even though it ended in 1990, UK Kid’s TV still repeated it a lot), particularly the movie where they get a Genie Duck, and as an adult I’ve gained a new appreciation of the Duck Family thanks to learning about the importance of the Carl Barks and later Don Rosa comics. I try to fight against my own nostalgia a lot of the time, but when that classic theme tune hit, I was hit with a proustian rush of it, it was great. But even as an adult, this new show has a lot going for it. It’s funny, the animation is strong and the voice acting is great across the board. David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck is one of those choices that is almost too good and having Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz and Bobby Moynihan play Huey, Dewey and Louie is also great fun. It is a bit weird that Donald Duck is the only one to speak in the classic way, but I think it works because Donald really is a unique weirdo. The show isn’t back properly until September, but I’ll certainly watch it, if only to hear Paul F. Tompkins appear as Gladstone Gander.

Now for another cartoon about kids going on adventures with an older relative that has an entirely different tone… Rick And Morty (Adult Swim) is properly back for Season 3 now after the premiere on April Fool’s Day. So far I’m really enjoying this year, because it’s just as insane as previous years, but also delving far more into the darkness at the heart of the characters. This week’s superhero episode was just fantastic, not just because the superhero parody element was so good, but also because of how Rick was just straight up the villain. Pickle Rick was also a standout episode. The violence was insane (I think the rat slaughter shocked me more than the Dragon War in the same night’s Game Of Thrones) and the discussion of therapy at the end was just incredibly bleak. I can understand why some people are thinking the show has been fumbling a bit this year, but I’m still digging it, and it’s certainly not going down the same path Season 3 of Community did. At least not yet. I hope Dan Harmon can break his cycle of going up his own ass, and so far, for me, he has. Perhaps it’s going up Justin Roiland’s ass instead? And that’s just a better ass?

In terms of continuing shows, Preacher (AMC) is still thoroughly enjoyable in Season 2. I am a bit disappointed that we aren’t actually getting to the road trip aspect of the show, and instead have spent most of it inside a dingy New Orleans apartment, but I suppose that’s budgetary. The actual story has been very good, with the threats of the Saint Of Killers and Herr Starr and The Grail being handled very well, and faithfully to the comics. The character work has also been very strong, Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy have all had to deal with some heavy shit, and it’s been very interesting. I’m particularly worried about what is going to happen with Cassidy and his son Dennis, who has become a Vampire too. It’s going to be tragic. This character focus is really the best thing about the show, because like I’ve said before, whilst, story-wise, it’s very different from the comics, in terms of characterisation and tone, it’s incredibly faithful to Ennis and Dillon. I think that’s why I don’t mind the divergences here as much as I do in Game Of Thrones.

Now for my catch-up viewing! I finally got around to the last 3 episodes of the first series of Inside No. 9 (BBC Two) on DVD, and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. It’s just great to have each episode be entirely different. ‘Last Gasp’ was perhaps the worst of the series, but it was still enjoyable and had a great performance from Tamsin Greig. ‘The Understudy’ was a great Shakespearean send-up and man, the final episode, ‘The Harrowing’ was a real shock. It was barely a comedy, just straight-up horror. I kept waiting for the comedic twist to come, and it never did! Brilliant stuff. I have Series 2 to watch and then I’ll have to buy the 3rd. I really can’t believe I didn’t watch this when it originally aired, what was I thinking?

I’ve also finally tackled Vikings (History Channel) Season 3. I watched the first 2 seasons in fairly quick succession last year, but somehow never found the time to continue. Now I have that bit of time, and also an iPad so I’ve been streaming the shit out of Ragnar and his friends. I really enjoyed this season, Vikings has always been very consistent, but it took a step-up here I think. Travis Fimmel’s Ragnar remains a very underrated performance, you never know what he’s planning, and I also continue to thoroughly enjoy King Ecbert’s scheming. It’s going to be very satisfying if and when he finally gets his. I also like how the series continues to surprise by having events that you’d think would be save for a climactic finale happen at unusual junctures. Big characters that have been around since the first episodes die in the 3rd and 6th episodes of the season, and it really does keep you on your toes. So much so that I almost bought Ragnar’s ‘death’ in the finale, before realising it was just a ploy to get into Paris. The whole Paris storyline was great, in particular the battle scenes. The one that took up pretty much an entire episode, ‘To The Gates’ was just brilliant, and really bears comparison to some of the best battles in Game Of Thrones or Spartacus. The new French Villains are less exciting (Count Odo’s sadomasochism came a bit out of nowhere, and it was weird how only that scene in the entire series had nudity right?) but I imagine they will be fleshed out in Season 4. The same thing happened with The Saxons. The only real negative in this season was the weird appearance of Kevin Durand as a character who might be the actual Odin. In a series where the conflict between the Norse Gods and Christianity plays such a big role, having one side appear as ‘real’ just didn’t work for me.

Music

Only one CD to talk about this month, but it’s kind of a big deal, in that it’s the new one from Arcade Fire, one of the world’s biggest bands. So far I haven’t been able to listen to Everything Now (Sonovox/Columbia 2017) as many times as I’d like (though I am listening to it now as I type this. Right now. Right… now) but I think I like it rather more than what the general consensus seems to be, and certainly think it’s a return to form after ‘Reflektor’ which I never fell in love with. It’s not up there with ‘The Suburbs’ or ‘Funeral’, but frankly, few albums are. For me, this is a very enjoyable record with some interesting new developments for the band. Yeah, the title track does sound rather a lot like Abba, but I don’t mind that, and I would put ‘Signs Of Life’ up there with Arcade Fire’s best songs. You can really tell that Thomas Bangalter from Daft Punk produced those tracks, they feel much more dancey. I do think some of the meaning behind the songs and the cultural commentary is a bit wanky, but on the record itself, it doesn’t get in front of the music itself. I think Arcade Fire are kind of suffering from Jonathan Franzen-syndrome, where people focus way more on the interviews and news around the work, than the work itself. Who cares about fidget spinners and whether or not they enforced a dress code or if it was a joke or not. Just listen to the music and forget about ‘the discourse’. I know it’s hard, and I’ve certainly failed to do that here, but still, I’m going to make an effort.

Books

I’m going to keep this short because I wrote more general thoughts last week, but I really did blast through the back half of 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History Of Protest Songs (2010) by Dorian Lynskey. It’s a fantastically readable book and even though it’s over 500 pages long, it never felt like a chore. I was up the the 1970s last time, and this month I read from then, through the 80s and 90s and up to Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’. The focus of the book spreads a bit wider, as the focus of the protest movements becomes harder to define and the culture as a whole became more diffuse. So the chapter that is nominally about U2’s ‘Pride (In The Name Of Love)’ is actually more about Bruce Springsteen and Live Aid than those loveable lads from Liverpool, and the Steve Earle track becomes about the musical response to 9/11 and the Iraq War as a whole. It’s still interesting, but does lack the immediacy of the anti-Vietnam and Civil Rights songs from earlier. If anything, that’s my only criticism of the book, in that Lynskey’s history only goes up to 2003, and is a bit too much a part of the ‘end of history’ neoliberal consensus era. With recent events showing that to have been completely wrong-headed, this is one history that will certainly benefit from an update in a few years, once we’re able to see the true impact of Trump and Brexit and all of the other huge events. That’s if there any good protest songs to come of the current climate? Last month I said there aren’t any and that’s still the case. Maybe Lynskey could sub in a podcast and write about Chapo Trap House?

I then took a turn back into fiction, in particular fantasy with Saladin Ahmed’s Throne Of The Crescent Moon (2012). I picked this up after being very impressed by the first few issues of Ahmed’s Black Bolt, which he does, along with the amazing artist Christian Ward for Marvel. He’s giving new life to the Inhuman King, and it’s probably the best comic to come along as part of the big Inhuman push we’ve had over the last few years (I sort of don’t count Ms. Marvel or Moon Girl as Inhuman books, even though I probably should). This novel is a fantasy, but what sets it apart from the standard is that it isn’t set in a quasi-medieval European setting, but in a Middle Easternish universe. A lot of fantasy novels have these oriental settings, but most of them are set apart from the ‘real’ action, like Game Of Thrones’ ‘Essos’, but here, the main focus is the magical Arabian Nights, and I found the setting to be very interesting, and something cool and different. But setting is only a part of it, the characters Ahmed uses to populate his world are well-developed, and I found Adoulla to be a very strong central character that went against cliche. He’s not a young chosen one, he’s a middle-aged magician who can’t really be bothered. I think the closest comparison I can think of for Ahmed’s book is Scott Lynch’s ‘The Lies Of Locke Lamora’, as both are not sprawling epics where people go on quests, but tighter stories where the action mainly takes place in a bustling metropolis. The scope of this story is a lot smaller than I expected, but that just means the focus is sharp. You can certainly tell there is a wider world going on, and I am excited to see how that is developed in future novels. If you like modern fantasy and what something with a little different spin on it, this is definitely worth a read, and it won’t take 3 months to read like a lot of others. And seriously, pick up Black Bolt, it is great.

Games

I feel like I’m finally getting into the real meat of The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (Nintendo Switch 2017) as I’ve actually started to do the main quest instead of randomly dicking around Hyrule. I’m now doing one of the ‘Great Beast’ stories having accidentally ran into a Zora during some of that aforementioned dicking around. It’s a bit of an adjustment going to a bit more of a traditional Zelda structure here, but I do welcome it. At times, the sheer scale of the game can be a bit overwhelming and I can't decide what to do. I wen through the same thing with GTA V if I recall correctly, before eventually knuckling down and completing the thing. I don’t have anything else to really say about how good this game is though, it’s superb and at this stage I’m just going to be updating you on my progress. I hope it doesn’t take too long, it took me over a year to beat Ocarina Of Time, and that’s a much smaller game! But then again, I was 12 then.

I’ve also played a bit more of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch 2017) as my Cousin is back from China and wanted to play. It’s so much fun, particularly on multi-player and I’m enjoying slowly but surely unlocking more cool vehicles and extra stuff to play as. I also really like the fact that some classic tracks from older games are on here. I didn’t realise how well I remembered Mario Kart Super Circuit from the GBA, but it’s been buried there in my sub-conscious all this time.

And finally, I bought an Apple iPad this month! I’ve been meaning to get one for ages and I had a bit of a cash surplus so decided to be spontaneous. So far I’ve mainly used it for streaming video and surfing the web, but I do have one game, Football Manager Touch 2017 (iOS 2016). So far I’m very impressed, it’s exactly the same as the classic Football Manager… only on the iPad! For me, FM has gotten a bit too fiddly on the computer in the last few years, so this slightly more streamlined version is welcome. I just hope I don’t get too addicted like I have to past incarnations. I’m thinking the portable nature of the iPad will help with that, I can’t play for hours on end because the battery will run out! I’m only in pre-season with Sheffield Wednesday so far, but I did win one friendly 5-0, I’m definitely going to smash promotion, I can tell.

—

So there you have it. I’ll be back in September. Dunno what I’ll have to talk about, I’m in a bit of a funk so probably just… ‘I played Football Manager for a month straight and now it’s the year 2040 and everyone’s a regen’. I saw an article on Vice the other day where 2 guys played a Management sim for a thousand in-game years. This is my goal.

See you then!

[bairbreinspirationhandbook]

INSPIRATION HANDBOOK Bairbre Connolly

IDEA

For my inspiration handbook, my creative idea is recreating the soundtrack for the movie Carrie (1976) using modern-day music.

I chose this theme for the handbook because for me, career-wise, I am interested in selecting the music to accompany a TV advertisement. I have always been interested in how a song can enhance a visual. So i’ve always been passionate about movies and music videos.

I had the idea of focusing on the movie Carrie as it is my favourite movie, even though I don’t think the soundtrack is highly memorable. It suits the film in the sense that it’s a relatively low-budget 70s horror movie, but I was intrigued by the idea of giving it a more contemporary feel.

The purpose of the handbook is varied. It could be for a re-release of the movie with a whole new soundtrack, perhaps for its 50th anniversary, which would be the year 2026. Artists could contribute music to the project which would act as an interesting new platform to showcase their music to a new audience. Some of the scenes I believe could be highly effective ad campaigns. I can imagine the scenes being projected across a large room filled with people, maybe at some sort of outdoor event, which I feel would be a very artistic idea. I would love to have my favourite movies, music videos and live performances played in the bar I work in.

I think that for people who aren’t overly familiar with the movie, it may be beneficial to first of all watch the original scenes with their original music. Then you can really appreciate the difference when the new songs are played instead.

I have focused on 5 key scenes from the movie, and edited them all together in one video. I hope the video, even though it is just 5 scenes and with no dialogue, will tell the story of the movie. I have included the video as a youtube link.

INSPIRATION

One of my sources of inspiration for the project is Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic Psycho. The iconic shower scene showcases the power of music and sound in setting a scene. Hitchcock had originally intended for the scene to have no music, but composer Bernard Herrmann insisted he try his composition. Herrmann created an all-string soundtrack composed of screeching violins and violas titled “The Murder”. He felt that the single tone colour of the all-string soundtrack reflected the black and white cinematography of the film.

For me it’s the perfect example of how the movie soundtrack really sets the atmosphere of the scene. The shrieking of the violins almost mimics the sound of Marion, played by Janet Leigh, as she is murdered in such a terrifying manner.

Carrie’s director Brian de Palma was heavily influenced by Hitchcock and Psycho in particular. Musically, this is evident in the violin motif that is played whenever Carrie uses her telekinesis powers, in a nod to Herrmann’s score. De Palma even named Carrie’s highschool “Bates High School” in reference to, of course, Norman Bates.

It is this impact of the shrieking violins that inspired me to explore how the music used in a film can really altar the overall atmosphere of the scene. For my handbook  I decided to focus on some of my favourite scenes from Carrie as it is my favourite film. I feel like the overall soundtrack for the film sometimes doesn’t do it justice. Pino Donaggio’s score is beautiful but the other music used throughout the film isn’t always as effective. Of course it was made in the 70s with a low budget, so the music will reflect this, but I thought it would be interesting to reinvent the soundtrack using modern-day pop music.

Another film that inspired me is Drive (2011), as I think it has one of the slickest soundtracks. The music is so captivating. James Verniere of the Boston Herald graded it an A, stating, "The cool crowd isn't just watching Drive; they're listening to it, too ... The Drive soundtrack is such an integral part of the experience of the film, once you see it, you can't imagine the film without it." the music in Drive is so integral because the film uses very little dialogue. The main character, played by Ryan Gosling, is simply named “The Driver” in the end credits as his character says so few lines and gives away so little information in the film. This influenced me in the sense that it showed me the importance of music in film and how it can really enhance the film itself. I adopted this influence in my reboot of the spinning dance scene from Carrie. I took the song Under Your Spell from Drive and put it over the dialogue, hoping to recreate the same effect.

Visually, the film is quite stylish and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The soft blur of the retro 70s style has a vintage feel while also being fashionable today due to the vintage revival.

The songs I have chosen all have a similar vibe. They are essentially pop songs but feature an electro or 80s feel, evoking a sense of nostalgia that compliments the visuals. This means they fit in with the images of the film, while also bringing it up to date.

I have always had an interest in soundtracking TV advertisements /TV shows/films, and I think the results i got are really interesting. I feel like my some of my results could be used as an ad campaign, or even as a trailer for the film, perhaps the release of a new anniversary DVD.

As Carrie is my favourite film, I have watched and researched it many times over the years. My real passion is music, and I found that certain songs would remind me of Carrie when i listened to them, or evoke the thought process of “this song would sound good in Carrie”/”this song captures how I think the character of Carrie would have felt at this moment”.

This idea for my inspiration handbook is one that I’ve had in the back of my mind for years but never had the opportunity to utilise. Originally I had an idea a long time ago to remake the soundtrack or even the film using only music from the 1960s. The romantic lyrics and melodies from some of these songs inspired me further to want to recreate the soundtrack in a different style. I decided against using 60s music for my handbook as I think more modern-day music sounds far more interesting and it’s a more new and exciting idea.

Link to 60s playlist:

Carrie 60s Soundtrack

Another source of inspiration was a magazine photoshoot Lana Del Rey did where she was styled as Carrie; wearing a prom queen tiara and had trickles of blood down her face. This appealed to me as Del Rey is an artist I really admire. So this inspired the idea of merging this old movie with modern day artists and music. And the fact that it was my favourite singer dressed up as my favourite movie character made it feel personal.

FIVE SCENES

https://youtu.be/8rJz9KHmGO8

Scene 1. The detention scene. Song: Started Out - Georgia

For me this is one of the most memorable scenes as I love its energy and colour, as well as the fashion element. It is quite aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The students’ gym clothes are very on trend, and the focus of the camera on Miss Collins’ Reebok trainers mean it could almost be used as an advertisement for the brand Reebok, or for a shop such as Urban Outfitters which could sell clothes similar to the gym uniforms and of course the retro Reeboks.

The song I chose to accompany the scene is “Started Out”, released in 2018 by London artist Georgia. The song was was created using 909 drum machines and analogue synths, which gives it an 80s feel while still sounding fresh. I feel that its energy compliments the girls’ exercise routine really well. The “Not working out” lyric is effective because it mirrors what is happening on-screen.

Scene 2. Carrie and Tommy arrive at the prom. Song: Slumlord - Neon Indian

This scene has such an energetic and exciting feel, the sparkling stars and soft retro blur of the colours can make us feel like we’re really there at the prom. The song I’ve chosen here is Slumlord by electro chillwave band Neon Indian. I think it really goes well with the sweeping overhead crowd scenes.

This scene in particular I think could be used as a music video for the song. There isn’t too much going on on-screen that it takes away from the song, so you really hear and appreciate every detail of the audio.

Scene 3. The spinning dance scene. Song: Under Your Spell - Desire

This is probably my favourite scene from the movie, as it captures a really lovely intimate moment between Carrie and Tommy. Originally soundtracked by Katie Irving’s I Never Dreamed Someone Like You Could Love Someone Like Me, the scene is mesmerising. The crew set up a circular dolly track and the camera travelled around the pair in the opposite direction. The result was a dizzying feeling, much like Carrie’s whirlwind of emotions but also with a sense of unease.

The lyrics obviously reflect how Carrie feels about Tommy, so it’s quite heartwarming and romantic, yet at the same time suggesting that something sinister is stirring.

I heard this song in the movie Drive and it’s always reminded me of Carrie’s character, so for me this could absolutely be used as a music video.

Scene 4. Carrie and Tommy win prom king and queen. Song: Safe and Sound - Justice

This track really captures the pandemonium that is unfolding in front of our eyes. The intro of the airy vocals could be sung by the crowd, and when the bass groove kicks in carnage ensues. Carrie’s epic prom-night revenge is in full swing. I think it really works because the music is so upbeat and funky, while the scene is intended to be horrifying, especially the look on Sissy Spacek’s face throughout.

I think a good creative use for this scene would be to have it on television or a projector in a bar, clothes shop, or record store. In the latter, it would be an interesting way of promoting a song and a movie, potentially resulting in sales of said CD and DVD.

Having it on in a bar would just be something different so I think customers would find it interesting.

Scene 5. Carrie returns home after prom. Song: Let it Happen (Soulwax Remix) - Tame Impala

The soulwax remix of this Tame Impala banger has a mildly spooky feel, putting us on edge and anticipating what further antics Carrie is about to get up to. Its beat is infectious, drawing us in and making us anxiously wait for the beat to drop.

Again I can imagine this being displayed in a bar, it’s more authentic and cool than a normal music video that people have seen before.

Bairbre Connolly

bairbre_connolly@hotmail.com

[omodramas-blog]

Duel (2017) Review

Genre: Detective, crime, thriller, science fiction Episodes: 16 Synopsis Trailer

Review:

I've finally gotten back into watching dramas after a few years of just not really having the time to do so, nit that I actually have the time now, but I am making it. Im so excited to say that Duel was my first drama after a long hiatus, because it truly was my type of dramas. For those who knew me when I was DramaAddiction, should know that I am really into the whole crime and mystery type dramas, add a dash of melodrama in there and Im in my perfect world. Duel offered me both of those and I was extremely happy to have fallen into such a unique and mesmerizing drama for my first time back in the saddle.

I would say Duel is a unique drama, it deals with things that we really don't see in the drama world, perhaps a couple times on the Hollywood screen, though I have never seen any, but I think that Duel has taken an unique approach to the whole human cloning situation and science fiction genre and put well, heart into it. This show has heart, the characters, the main ones at least, have heart. They care, and they have feelings and feel pain and urge and want to do things that they think are right and they think should be done because of the pain that all the science in the drama has done to them and would do to help them. The show revolving around a father who happens to be cop, who is trying to save his dying daughter who has been kidnapped by a clone or perhaps by two clones is a very interesting story. Now you would think that it wouldnt take long for things to get over with, the dad just saves the daughter the end, but you would be wrong. This show dives deep into the history and world that is built around this plot. There are twists and turns everywhere and its all a mystery. I found myself pulling out a notepad and writing down my theories and trying to connect the dots to why this is all happening and I think it was beautifully done. I'm not much of a crier in real life, not many things in real world situations can pull tears from my eyes, but dang dramas can and I love it. This drama left me a crying fool, not sobbing, but a nice cry and that my friends is a good  thing. Having the ability to write such detailed and wonderful characters with story-lines that actually make you feel something is important when it comes to dramas and at times I find that criminal dramas do lack in that situation at times, however this one really got me. I was in for the ride and feeling all the emotions from episode one.

The story telling in this drama was fantastic. The writer of this drama did a fantastic job flushing out such a fantastic cast of characters with their own history and motives that really keeps you on the edge wondering why they think this sort of way an why they do things. It has you rooting for your heroes, and cringing at the thought that perhaps the evil person may win, or perhaps they arent even evil to begin with. Finding out how these people became this way and how the their present selves are going to use this knowledge in the end to achieve goals was really great. So props to them. I dont want to spoil anything so I am keeping it kind of vague, sorry about that.

The cinematography for this drama was great, I enjoyed it, there were a few times I thought the editing was a little choppy, however it may have just been my copy of the drama so I am not quite sure about that to be honest, since the rest of it, like 99% seemed to be doing just fine. The color correction on this drama as well, was really pretty. The blue and gray lighting really amplified the feel of the drama and helped it with the tones throughout. The original soundtrack however, there was only 1 original song which is kind of disappointing to me, since Im a sucker for a good OST. One of my favorite parts of a Korean drama is the OST but sadly there was only 1 song, however the song was pretty good and by the end did get me in the emotions when it came up, however I dont think it is by far the best OST ever.

The acting in this drama was superb. I really enjoyed most of the casts portrayal of their characters. Jung Jae Young as Jang Deuk Cheon was fantastic. This older gentlemen really pulled it out and even though Ive seen over 200 dramas I dont think I have seen him in any other dramas. He did really well with all his scenes, making me tear up now and then, I really felt his pain and I was rooting for him for the most part. I really should check out some of his other work. Yang Se Jong playing two of the most vital roles in this drama was fantastic. I have never seen this actor before and from my understanding this was only his second drama. I thought he did an amazing job. He protrayed two different characters with extremely different personalities and it was flawless. I really enjoyed his work and he is a very handsome man and I am looking forward to seeing more of his work. Lastly there was Kim Jung Eun. I have never any of her work actually and to be honest I was far from impressed. I got the feeling her character was suppose to be a little cold, but the lack of emotion in her face really bothered me throughout the drama and its such a shame because I thought her scene brought down the drama tad bit. She just had the same look on her face the entire time, even when she was surprised she just had this small smirk on her face. Now I am not one to judge, and I think more power to you if you get plastic surgery because fuck what anyone else has to say its your body, but I am no expert on her or her personal life but I am assuming from what I saw in this drama, that she had gotten Botox of some sort. Im thinking that the Botox was keeping her from showing more emotion and I know you can get the amount of Botox that doesnt do this but I think she really was suffering from stiff face, I could kind of see a lift in her face that didnt seem natural but I could be wrong, that could be her face and if it is, Im sorry to say but I dont like her acting if that is the range of emotion she can show. She disappointing me greatly in this. Its too bad to be honest.

Overall I thought this was an amazing drama and yet again I find myself a little behind on dramas, however loving one that I dont see a lot of talk about. I would highly recommend this drama if someone is looking for a change of pace from the typical romantic drama. I think this is a pretty great hit and I would be looking out for most of these actors and actresses in future dramas because they really impressed me.

Final Score: 126/150 [4.5 Stars]

To see my scoring system please go HERE