The Seventh Seal (1957)

Let's set this one up with this description from wikipedia: "The Seventh Seal (Swedish: Det sjunde inseglet) is a 1957 Swedish film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Set during the Black Death, it tells of the journey of a medieval knight (Max von Sydow) and a game of chess he plays with the personification of Death (Bengt Ekerot), who has come to take his life. Bergman developed the film from his own play Wood Painting. The title refers to a passage from the Book of Revelation, used both at the very start of the film, and again towards the end, beginning with the words "And when the Lamb had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour" (Revelation 8:1). Here the motif of silence refers to the "silence of God" which is a major theme of the film.^[1]

"The film is considered a major classic of world cinema. It helped Bergman to establish himself as a world-renowned director and contains scenes which have become iconic through parodies and homages."

This is definitely a movie that is meant to be digested slowly more than crassly consumed in a moment. It takes some investment in the form of careful thought and consideration for this film to yield its fruits but that can be well worth it. Let us know what you think of the film. As you do so, consider the following:

- What do you feel Bergman is trying to say with this film?

- What worked for you? What didn't? Are you interested in watching more Bergman films? Why or why not?

- What did you learn from the film about history, the world, other cultures, filmmaking or life that is valuable to you? Explain.

Mr. Vampire (1995)

What if there were a movie where Hong Kong martial arts masters fought vampires?! And what if the vampires vamped people with their long, spine-like fingernails? And what if they were blind but could see your breath? And what if they hoped everywhere? Like a bunny. Yeah, they should definitely hop like a bunny. That would be awesome. Oh wait! That movie's already been made! It's called Mr. Vampire and it is awesome. So, react to it below. Start with the following but be sure to respond to each other comments as well:

- What do you like and dislike about the film? Why?

- What did the film help you understand about Hong Kong cinema and culture?

- Who would win in a fight: American vampires or Asian vampires? Why?

Third Movie at Home

Well, after a term of learning about your chosen culture, the end is in sight. By Tuesday, May 22, you need to watch your third film at home and report on it in a comment below. This report will be longer than the others as you will report on the film and your experience with the entire project. This is what you need to do:

1) Write at least 2 paragraphs on the 3rd film. Answer at least two of the following questions:

- In what specific ways do you feel this film meant more to you after learning so much about this country?

- What did you like and dislike about the film? Why?

- What do you feel that Hollywood filmmakers could learn from this movie?

2) Now, write at least 3 more paragraphs about your overall experience learning about your chosen culture. Answer at least 2 of the following questions:

- What are the most important things you learned about this culture? What do you still want to learn about this culture?

- Using examples from your experience in this class, discuss why it matters to learn about other cultures and countries.

- How did the films you watched help you understand your chosen culture in ways that the interviews alone could not? In turn, why was it important to do the interviews and not just watch the films?

The Illusionist (2010)

It is no wonder that this endearing film about the adventures of a French Illusionist and a young woman was nominated for Best Animated Feature in 2011. The attention to detail in the animation is incredible! It is hard to say what country this film comes from as the writer is a French mime and the director is British. As you comment, consider the following:

- What British influence do you see in this film? What French influence? Discuss more than the places and cultures depicted in the film and talk about style.

- How would this film be different if it were made by Americans?

- What do you like and dislike about the film? Be specific, of course.

Ikiru (1952)

Kurosawa's movie about a man learning to really live ("ikiru" means "to live") because he learns he will die was a film which was personally important to Kurosawa as he'd been deeply effected by watching a friend of his go through the same experience. It also happens to be a film which is deeply important to me, probably because the themes resonate so deeply with my own life experiences. It is a very impressionistic and expressionistic film, meaning that the acting style and filming style do not mean to reflect reality but convey a reflection of the emotions happening inside the characters. As you reflect and comment on the film, keep the following in mind:

- What did you see in this film that was stylistically similar to the other Kurosawa film we watched, Seven Samurai? What was different? (Remember to talk about style, not genre -- we all know this is not a samurai flick.)


- What did you learn about Japanese culture by watching the film? What questions about the culture did the film raise for you?

- What did you like and not like about the film? Why? Be specific.

Second Interview

This is the fifth step of the term cultural immersion project. What you have to do is a second interview with someone from your chosen culture and then report on it in a comment below. Write a good 4 paragraph report and answer at least two of the following questions:

- What was the most valuable thing you learned from this interview? Why?

- How did what you learn change on perspective on the films you have watched from this country?

- What is the greatest misperception that you have realized you had about your chosen country? Why does it matter that you've overcome that misperception?

Le Samouraï (1967)

I love the description of this film on the back of The Criterian Collection DVD: "In a career-defining performance, Alain Delon plays a contrast killer with samurai instincts. A razor-sharp cocktail of 1940's American gangster cinema and 1960s French pop-culture—with a liberal dose of Japanese lone-warrior mythology—maverick director Jean-Pierre Melville's masterpiece Le Samouraï defines cool."

Here are the questions to jumpstart the conversation:

- How is this film typical of the French New Wave? Of film noir? Provide very specific examples.

- What do you make of the title "The Samurai"?

- What do you make of the ending. Why did Jef do what he did? What was going on in his head?

- Overall, what did you like and dislike about the film? Why?

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

One of my favorite movies of all time, Jacque Demy's bittersweet love story is a audial and visual feast. Most famous for its use of music (every line is sung), we discussed in class how the film also masterfully utilizes color to tell its story about the choice to follow one's heart in the rain or put up an umbrella and play it safe.

As we discuss this film, let's begin with the following questions:

- What did you like or not like about the use of music and color? Why?

- Which characters do you most relate with? Why? Which characters do you dislike? Why?

- How did this film help you connect with French culture?