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. Please answer two of the following questions:

• 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?

Life is Beautiful (1997)

I was editing while you guys were watching this one. When I heard the audio of the moment when the American soldier in the talk talks to Joshua, I knew that the end of the film was nigh so I poked my head out to see your guys' reactions. I saw that many a face was tearing up. That's OK. It's hard not to respond that way to this film.

I just learned something interesting from the internet: the horse that Guido rides off with Dora on in the middle of the film is decorated in a particular way. These decorations have a very important meaning that ties into the subject matter of the film. I recommend looking this up yourself.

Also, here is a most choice video of the actor who plays Guido accepting the Academy Award that this film won.

As you respond to this film in writing, please answer two of the following questions:

• What is it about this film that causes people to cry? This is a chance to really think about story, particularly the idea of set-up and pay-off. Write IN DETAIL about all the set-up's throughout the script that make the end pay-off so strongly. Really thinking hard about this question can help you become a much better screenwriter.
• This film has two distinct parts: the first is about Guido trying to win Dora's heart and the second is about the experience in the concentration camp. How does the first half of the film strengthen the second half? What do the filmmakers do to help the two halves to go together in spite of them being almost two different stories?
• What did you learn about history or about Italy by watching this film? What questions about history or about Italy did it raise?

Children of Heaven (1997)

Majid Majidi's Children of Heaven is one of many great neorealist films coming out of Iran and other Middle-eastern countries right now. If you liked this film, I recommend checking out more of Majidi's work and also other films from that part of the world.

This film is also a good example of how knowing a bit about the culture can help you appreciate an international film much more. A lot of people I know who watch Children of Paradise hate the ending because they say it is anti-climatic. But, the end means more when you consider the Iranian traditions surrounding gold fish:

"Nowrooz, or “new day,” is a highlight of the year marked by spring cleaning, visiting friends and family, and setting a table with seven symbols of life, health and beauty. These include candles, colored eggs and goldfish in a bowl, which are considered a symbol of a happy life" (http://www.jpost.com/Features/Front-Lines/Goldfish-endangered-as-Iran-marks-New-Year)

Another interesting but mostly unrelated little fact: the article I quoted above advocates for Iranians to stop using goldfish in their New Years traditions because it results in the death of so many fish.

Anyway, for this response, please answer two of the following questions:

• This film is definitely quiet. Did you ever have trouble getting into it for that reason? If so, at what parts? Which parts were the most engaging? Why?
• What did you learn about Iran by watching this film? What questions about Iran did this film raise for you?
• How would this film be different if it were produced in Hollywood?
• What do you feel are this film's strongest qualities? What are its greatest weaknesses? Please explain your answer in great detail.

International Cinema Extra Credit / Makeup Work

If you would like to watch an extra international film (not made in Hollywood) to makeup an assignment or earn some extra credit then, by all means, please do so. After you watch the film, answer all of the following questions:

• What is the name of the film?
• What country was the film made in?
• Did you like or dislike the movie? Why? Would you recommend that other students in our class watch it?
• What did you learn about the country of origin by watching the film?
• What questions do you have about the country of origin after watching the film?
• What did you notice that the film did artistically? (I.e. how did it use filmic elements like shot choice, color, editing, cinematography, lighting, production design, symbolism, narrative structure, theme, etc. in unique ways?) Why do you feel that the filmmakers made these decisions?

First Term Project Deadline: Dec 13 (deadline changed to Dec 14 at midnight)

UPDATE: RATHER THAN REPORT ON THIS HERE, REPORT ON ALL FIVE PARTS OF THE TERM PROJECT BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK.

The deadline was changed because I personally failed to post my comment by midnight on December 13 and I will not hold you to an expectation I cannot meet.

By December 13 December 14 at midnight, you need to have completed two of the following:

• Watch the 1st movie from your chosen country.
• Watch the 2nd movie from your chosen country.
• Watch the 3rd movie from your chosen country.
• Do at least 2 hours of research about your chosen country and its films using books or the internet.
• Interview someone for 30 minutes or more who lived in your chosen country.

After doing two of the above, post a comment below where you answer all of the following questions:

1. Which two tasks did you do?
2. If you watched a movie / movies, what were the titles? If you interviewed someone, who was it? If you did research, how long did you spend researching and what sources did you read?
3. What did you learn about your chosen country by doing these tasks? Please be detailed. Answer this question with at least a paragraph.

Om Shanti Om (2007)

Welcome to Bollywood! It's a wild world, that Bollywood. I hope you enjoyed it (but if you didn't, this blog response will be your chance to rant!). In the comments below, please respond to this film by answering at least two of the following questions:

• What characteristics of Bollywood film did you notice in this movie? After seeing this film, do you want to watch more Bollywood? Why or why not?
• Did you like or dislike this film? Why or why not? Be very specific?
• What is the theme of this film? Please give at least three specific examples to back up your theme statement.
• What did you notice about how the film used color, shot choice, symbolism, editing, and/or production design to communicate meaning? Please explain thoroughly.
• How do you feel about the film's depiction of women? Please explain thoroughly.

Hero (2002)

When we watched Hero in class today, it was my second time seeing the film. The first time I watched it, I, of course, noticed all of the vivid use of color and had all kinds of thoughts about what each color might symbolize.

This time I watched the film, I noticed the shot choice and editing. In the first half of the film, during the flashbacks, the filmmakers frequently cross the line, use jump cuts, or present long stretches of action using only close-up's.

This makes these parts of the film feel very disorienting and sometimes even leaves the viewer feeling a little confused. During many of the moments when one character kills another, we don't even see it happen because the camera is stuck on the characters' faces or on a cut away. If the cinematography weren't so freaking amazing, I might assume that the filmmakers were amateurs and were making mistakes. In addition, these disorienting shots and edits were not used in the second half of the film's flashbacks (the sequences when the characters wore white). Also, the second half of the film featured wide shots where we clear saw characters deal each other the final blow. I am convinced that these unconventional shot choices and editing decisions were intentional. I have theories as to why they did this but I won't share those with you quite yet because I want to read your untainted opinions.

Please reply to this post with your response to the film. Your response needs to answer, in detail, at least two of the following questions:

• What did you make of the use of color in this film? What do you think the colors symbolize?
• Why do you think the filmmakers used such disorienting shot choice and editing in the flashbacks at the beginning of the film?
• Why did the Chinese government choose to finance this film? How does it advance their agenda?
• Write a theme statement for this film. Give at least three specific examples from the film that back up this theme statement.
• In what ways was the style of this film very different from the style of Hollywood cinema?
• What did you learn from the film about Chinese culture? What questions did the film raise about Chinese culture for you?

Also, bonus points for doing extra research about the film or about Chinese culture and including that research in your response.

And now, you may respond below.

The Gate (1987)

"You've got demons."

I heart this film.  I'm very happy to have experienced it again, a truly important film from my youth, with you all.  It is a true example of many creative forces working together, most people doing multiple jobs for not a lot of money, to tell a story they all care about.  This movie is a true gem.  It's a horror movie for children, thus the happy ending and children protagonists, but one that has the "guts" (pun intended) to put some seriously scary stuff in.  One that respects the fact that children can handle fear, that they are braver than adults often give them credit for.  Plus, it makes for a horror film that you can still love every bit of as an adult (I'm going to be watching this one with my own kiddos one day, that's for darn sure).  I don't think scary movies made for kids have the same bravado anymore.  Do they even make scary movies for children anymore?


I'm leaving this one very open ended.  I just want to hear your
thoughts.  What did you think of The Gate?

'80s Anthology TV Shorts

The '80s was a magical time for TV shows to be short horror tales (Tales from the Crypt, The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone re-boot, Tales from the Darkside, and Monsters, to name a few).  They serve as excellent study pieces, because limited budgets and very short shooting schedules led to stories that had to be told with minimal characters in a minimal amount of locations.  The two we watched in class were created by the same writing team - "Trick or Treat" (Tales from the Darkside) and "The Match Game" (Monsters).  Tales from the Darkside was first, had a bigger budget, and had the infamous George A. Romero, father of the modern day Zombie movie, attached to it.  Monsters had a lower budget, but it had a handful of the same passionate writers who, after Darkside's demise, kept fighting to tell creative tales, and although they had more restrictions budget wise, the show has a lot of charm and heart.  Sometimes creative solutions to restraints cause for creative results.



I love both shows, and feel like they both had creative teams that cared about their work deeply.  What are your thoughts on each show?  Which one do you like better?  Why?


If you missed them, or would simply like to watch them again because they are stinkin' rad, the links are here:  Tales from the Darkside.  And, Monsters part 1 and part 2.

Drag Me to HELL (2009) - EXTRA CREDIT

In order to snag up some sweet extra points here, check the movie out from your local library, rent it from your nearest video store, borrow it from a friend, and finish the film.  You'll be glad you did!

Once you've watched it, write on here what you thought?  Mr. Raimi has a very distinct horror film style, and "campy"... well, let's just say Sam Raimi and Campy are two peas in a pod.  Sam is the jelly to Campy's peanut butter.  Don't believe me?  Check out these delicious trailers, they serve as proof: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness.

Did this style work for you?  Did you like Drag me to Hell?  Why or why not.

Finish the movie, comment below, and those sweet sweet extra credit points shall be yours.

The Others (2001)

Before we get into this blog post I need you all to raise your right hand to the square and make an oath to never, no matter how excited you are about this movie, spoil it for anyone.  You can tell them it is a great ghost story and that they should see it.  You can tell them it is set in the '40s in England, that it has fantastic acting, that it was directed by a thoughtful Spanish filmmaker, that it has crazy awesome set design, great period costumes, amazing cinematography, and that it is scary and brilliantly crafted.  But, you must never spoil the movie for them, is that understood?  Now, everyone, raise that hand, make the oath...

Good job, thank you.  Good filmmakers, and good film-watchers, never spoil a movie.  This is the unspoken creed between us.  If you wish to be a part of our elite group, you too must adopt this creed.  So much power comes in a good story with the moments being saved for the viewer.   

This movie, in my opinion, is a masterpiece.  But, what is your opinion?  What are your thoughts?  Did you like this movie?  Why or why not?  Would you watch it again knowing now what you know about the story? Be thoughtful in your answers.

And, always remember your oath...

Horror Book Reports (Due Friday November 8th)

Book reports!  Turn in your book reports!

In order to give us more time to engross ourselves in the horror genre, students who have chosen to do their book reports on the horror genre will be turning them in here, as a response to this post.  I am very excited to read about what you have learned.

Please present us with enough material in your response below that one would find in a 5 minute oral report in front of the class.  This response needs to be longer and more detailed than most your film responses.  This is worth 50 points.

Remember to include your name, what book you read, a brief idea of what this non-fiction book talks about (it can be very brief, we want to read more about what you learned), and what you learned about the genre.  Tell us how what you learned benefited you as one who is studying the genre, how it will influence the way you think about horror from now on, and how it might influence your screenplay you will be writing soon.

This report is due on November 8th!  You also have your at home movie review due on the 10th, so get crackin'!

The At Home Horror Watching Hullabaloo (Due November 10th)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

What a perfect week for this assignment to be posted.

As you enjoy watching horror films at home this fall season, especially this Halloween week, you can totally kill two birds with one stone (...I always found that saying to be quite morbid, but based on the assignment we are doing, I guess it's quite appropriate). 

Two rules:

One, it must be something your parents are OK with you watching.  Please, get permission from them if it is something stronger than you'd see at school.  Heck, if you want, watch it with them.  Nothing like a warm bowl of popcorn on a dark night while getting the the living daylights scared out of you with your loved ones! 

Two, it must be a film you have never seen before.  I expect you to watch your favorite Halloweeny tales this week.  I just watched The Thing last night, which is my annual Halloween tradition.  But, for this particular assignment, stretch yourself - look up lists of some of the best horror films, try something older, something in black & white maybe, or something from a different country.  Who knows, maybe you'll discover a new Halloween tradition.  

After you watch the film, write a review of it as a comment on this post.  Make sure you tell us your name (so we know who you are, and not just your blog name), the name of the movie you watched, and a very basic non-spoilery plot synopsis, for example: "After a misunderstanding, Earnest P. Worrell unleashes an evil troll on Halloween," (that's straight from Earnest Scared Stupid's official IMDB page; best movie synopsis ever!).  Nothing spoiled there.   Or, respect points for anyone who can guess this film, "A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living."

Then, write if you think other members of the class should watch it, and why.  Write about ways in which this film was a typical horror movie, and in what ways it may have deviated from the normal horror characteristics.  Ask yourself, "did this movie deliver the expected elements of the genre, or not.  If not, did it go above and beyond, or was I disappointed?"

Have this bad boy watched and posted by November 10th for full credit.


Enjoy... if you dare!

When a Stranger Calls (2006)

If I had to describe this film in one word, I'd use the word formulaic.  Defined, that means: "A method of doing or treating something that relies on an established, uncontroversial model or approach".  This film ain't no Kubrick's The Shining (which, interesting fact, Stephen King hated Kubrick's representation of his book, maybe because it was so unconventional (I personally think it is fantastic!)).

Why, then, do you think I chose a "formulaic" piece to start off our journey down the path of horror in cinema?  Remember our packet on genres by our friends Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush, film scholar extraordinaires, as they, in a sense, said making a genre piece comes with it a contract with its audience.  You better deliver the goods just as the audience expects - if you don't, it better as heck be something much better.  Do you feel like this movie delivered the goods?

Being formulaic doesn't necessarily mean something is bad.  But, it also doesn't mean something will be good.  Maybe the formula made it uninteresting to you.  That's valid.  Maybe the formula made it fun for you as you geeked out over the filmic elements common to the genre.  That's valid, too.

I appreciate the formula.  To me, it is an indicator that the filmmakers understand the genre, and they delivered.  Have I experienced more satisfying horror films?  Heck yes.  Would this movie be one of my favorites?  Not even close.  But, I respect this little film for what it is, and what it does.  Plus, I always smile when a low budget film with no-name actors gets made, especially if I feel like it was made with care.

What are your thoughts and feelings?  Why do you think I chose this film to show first?  Did you feel it was formulaic as well?  Did that bother you?  Why or why not?  And, most importantly, I want to know: did you like the movie?  Did you enjoy watching it?  Why or why not?  Be extremely thoughtful in your answers.  Remember, it is OK to disagree with people, but do so respectfully.  We are all given the ability to form our own opinions, and how boring a world it would be without that.  I'm excited to read your thoughts.

Now.... go!

Steampunk Pitches

Click here to link to a copy of the criteria that I am using to grade your pitches. We pitch on Friday, October 11 (so, be sure to be at school even though it's a half day!) I can't wait to hear them!

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Hayao Miyazaki has made some great films. The question is: is this one of them? Does this film hold up with his masterpieces such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle? What I'm really asking is: did you like it? Why or why not?

In what was is this movie Steampunk? In what ways is it not? Back up your opinion with specific examples?

What was the theme of this film? Does it have themes in common with other Steampunk works (if it is Steampunk)? Are there themes common to Steampunk or, since it's more an aesthetic, do the themes vary too much to identify one or two common ones?

And the age-old question of deep characters and themes? Does this film have them or is it just about cool fantasy and sci-fi elements? Back up your opinion with examples.

And as always, be sure to post twice in the comment thread. Be sure to write deep, well-thought opinions that will really matter to the other people who read these. And be sure that at least one of your posts is at least 4-5 lines long.

P.S.: I would like to point out what a breath of fresh air this film was, for me, in comparison with the nausea-inducing sexism of Wild, Wild West.  After we finished Nausicaä, I had some meditative time as I locked up the studio.  I was thinking about how refreshing it is to see a movie with the kind of heroine I would want my daughter to look up to as she grows.  The relief I felt to find such a heroine in media actually brought me to tears as I went through the studio, thinking.  I will definitely be watching this film with my daughter as soon as she is old enough to appreciate its plot.

The City of Lost Children (1995)

Well, there you have it. That's The City of Lost Children. What did you think? Good? Not so Good? OK? Just too weird or French for your tastes? Good because it's weird and French?

I was excited to show this film in order to give you a taste of what can be done with live action Steampunk without much CGI. But that only works if this really is Steampunk? Is it? Why or why not?

Was this film helpful in getting you thinking about ways to shoot the cool Steampunk special effects you would need for your story ideas? If so, how? If not, why not?

What do you think of the story? Is it just about the Steampunk elements or does it have deep characters and themes?

Since Steampunk is a sub-genre and is almost always mixed with another genre, it is good to ask the question: what other genre is this? What do you think? Back up your opinion with examples from the film.

And as always, be sure to post twice in the comment thread. Be sure to write deep, well-thought opinions that will really matter to the other people who read these. And be sure that at least one of your posts is at least 4-5 lines long.

Steampunk Video Games

We were introduced to four Steampunk video games in class:

• Final Fantasy VI.
• Bioshock.
• Bioshock Infinite.
• Dishonored.

Thank you to Aaron, Tyler, and Jacob for the preparation they did to share these games with us.

All you need to do for this post is the following:

• Pick one of the four games we observed and make an argument for whether or not it really is Steampunk. Back up your argument with specific examples.
• Comment on at least one other person's post and raise specific examples that either further substantiate their point or contradict their point.

Steampunk Fashion

Nalani gave us an excellent background on Steampunk Fashion. For the blog post related to that, I want you to do the following:

• Post a link to a picture of a Steampunk outfit you would like to wear. State in your post why you like this outfit and what elements of it make it Steampunk. Do not post an outfit someone else has already posted (first come, first serve).
• Then, comment on at least one other person's posted outfit what you think of it!

Enjoy! I'm excited to see all your outfits.

Steampunk Extra Credit / Makeup Work

If you would like to makeup missing points or earn some extra credit then you can do the following:

• Watch or read or experience some kind of Steampunk form of media. It could be a web series, book, movie, TV show, video game, etc.
• Then, comment below and write the answers to the following:
• What media thing did you choose to experience for this assignment
• Describe it to us in a paragraph so we get its plot / gameplay / essence / whatever.
• What Steampunk elements were present? Was it really as Steampunk-y as you thought it would be? Was it actually more Dieselpunk or Cyberpunk (or Atompunk or Biopunk, etc.)?
• Were the characters and themes substantial or was it just about the sensation of the cool Steampunk elements?
• What ideas did you get from this thing that you want to incorporate in your own Steampunk script?
• What else are you dying to tell us about it?

Steampunk "Movie" at Home (Due October 15th)

The time has come for all to experience Steampunk media of their choosing at their house. Since Steampunk is new to the world of movies, you may choose to watch a Steampunk feature-length movie, watch 5 Steampunk short films, play a Steampunk video game for at least three hours, read a Steampunk novel, or read 5 Steampunk short stories. And perhaps you will think of some medium of storytelling I haven't thought of before that is Steampunk. If so, you may do that for this assignment with my approval.

One rule: you cannot have seen / played / read this thing before.

After you experience whatever media you experience for this assignment, you can get on this here blog and answer the following questions:

• What media thing did you choose to experience for this assignment?
• Describe it to us in a paragraph so we get its plot / gameplay / essence / whatever.
• What Steampunk elements were present? Was it really as Steampunk-y as you thought it would be? Was it actually more Dieselpunk or Cyberpunk (or Atompunk or Biopunk, etc.)?
• Were the characters and themes substantial or was it just about the sensation of the cool Steampunk elements?
• What ideas did you get from this thing that you want to incorporate in your own Steampunk script?
• What else are you dying to tell us about it?

For your convenience, here are a list of media you might use for this assignment (but this is just the tip of the iceberg):

Feature Movies:

• League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
• Van Helsing.
• The new Sherlock Holmes movies.
• Castle in the Sky.
• City of Ember.

Series (watch at least two-three hours of the series for this assignment):

• Electric City (link here to the trailer where you can see how to watch it).
• The Legend of Korra (Book 1 -- Book 2 is not as Steampunk-y).

Short Films:

• Search YouTube for these.
• Also, check out the Steampunk Abraham Lincoln post.

Short Stories:

• There are a few anthologies published. You can borrow one from me.
• Search the internet for them.

Novels:

• There are lots of these. Use the internet to find them then check them out from the library.

Video Games:

• Final Fantasy VI.
• Final Fantasy IX.
• Bio Shock Infinite.
• Dishonored.
• The Thief games.

Steampunk Short Films

Watching Steampunk short films and learning about Steampunk fashion might have been, for me, the most fun day in Genres class so far. Thank you to Nalani and Sydnie for sharing such cool stuff with us.

So, about those short films—please answer the following questions:

• Which Steampunk short film was your favorite? Why?
• Which Steampunk short film was your least favorite? Why?
• Sydnie said that she watched eight hours of short films to pick out the ones she showed us in class. She said the rest of the ones she watched were either badly made or just gross and not so appropriate for high school. Why do you think so much Steampunk media is such low quality / so non-high-school-appropriate?
• How did watching all these different Steampunk videos expand your understanding of what Steampunk is / can be?
• After watching all these films, what new ideas do you have for your own Steampunk script?

I know that many of you want links to the films we watched. Here they are:

• Arm's Race: Five minute short film with British soldiers fighting a steam robot.
• Elephant's Dream: Ten minute short film with two men running through a strange "imaginary" world.
• PBS Steampunk Documentary: Five minute documentary about Steampunk.
• City of Lost Children Trailer: Trailer for a movie I hope to watch in class next week.
• Steam Powered Giraffe Music Video: The music video with the pug sing-along. "No, that's the red star!"
• Eye of the Storm: The rotoscoped music video with the solo airship captain.
• The Mysterious Explorations of Jasper Morello: The 25-ish minute short Steampunk Noir about airships, monsters, and sickness.

Also, be sure to check out the post with Steampunk Abraham Lincoln where we can share with each other cool Steampunk stuff we find. There is already some cool stuff there.

Ok, now it is time to comment. Full steam ahead!

Wild Wild West (1999)

I remember first seeing Wild Wild West at the drive-in theater when I was 15 years old. I really looked forward to seeing it but, in the end, was disappointed with how over-the-top it was (the giant mechanical spider was a bit too much for me).

It was interesting watching it this time through the lens (or goggles) of Steampunk studies and see it from a different angle. What aspects of Steampunk did you see in the film? Is this film really Steampunk? In what ways did the film help you better understand what Steampunk is / can be? How did the film help you formulate ideas for your own script? Please provide specific examples to back up your opinions and observations.

Also, back to what is becoming a central question of our study of Steampunk. How strong are the characters and themes in this film? Are they deep or shallow? Explain. Be specific.

BTW: just so you know, this movie is based off an old TV show from the 60's. You might want to check it out. The pic to the left is from that TV show.

And one final note: I feel a strong obligation to not let my silence ever be an endorsement of the immoral treatment of human beings. So, I want to point out that I strongly object and am even disgusted by how this film depicts one half of the human race (I'm referring to the half with two X chromosomes). I feel this movie was valuable to watch as a case study in Western Steampunk but my showing it is in no means an endorsement of the belittling sexist innuendoes and disturbing portrayal of the lead female character (disturbing in the way that she either happily or stupidly responded to the heroes' demeaning objectification of her).

That is all. Now comment:

Steamboy (2004)

I experienced Steamboy for the first time along with you guys and I was happy to see that it was the perfect choice for our first Steampunk feature watched in class. It was so quintessentially Steampunk that if made my valves burst (metaphorically).

Which elements of Steampunk did you see in the film? Did it help you understand better what Steampunk is? If so, how?

We talked in class about how it is important when writing in any sci-fi/fantasy drama to be careful not to let all the cool technology/magic stuff distract you from telling a good story with strong characters and themes that matter. How do you feel Steamboy did with this? Was this a strong story with deep characters and themes or was it just cool because it had cool Steampunk stuff going on? Defend your opinion.

Also, this is pretty cool:

Steampunk Short Stories

Each class member will be assigned a different short story from the book Penny Dread Tales: Volume III: In Darkness Clockwork Shine. Read the short story and then answer the following questions in a comment below:

• What happens in your short story? (Provide a paragraph-long synopsis that quickly tells us the beginning, middle, and end.)
• What are all the elements of Steampunk that are present in your short story? (I.e. list all the different Steampunky things that are present; e.g. Steam-powered robots, a ray gun, an airship, etc.) How did each of these play into the plot?
• In addition to Steampunk, what other genres would this story fall under? (E.g. romance, horror, time travel, comedy, road trip, drama, etc.)
• How interesting were the characters in your story? What did or did not make them interesting? How interesting was the plot? What did or did not make it interesting?
• Overall, would you recommend that others in the class read this story? Why or why not?

Then, after you have made your comment, read the comments left by other class members and reply to at least one of them. In your reply, list any reactions you have to what they wrote or questions you have. Your reply can also be at the bottom of the comments session and be a general reaction to all of the posts where you point out any trends you are seeing.

NOTE: I know that some of these stories have unusual vocabulary. This is often because the people in the Victorian era used words we don't normally use today or because the stories refer to lots of historical events or trends that we are not familiar with. If you struggle to comprehend the reading, please try the following strategies:

• Circle words you don’t know as you read. Guess what they mean based on context and write that next to them. If you can’t guess, then use a dictionary to look it up.
• Next to each paragraph or page, write a very basic summary of what is happening.
• Guess what will happen next and then read to see if that happens.
• Read the questions on the blog that you supposed to answer and read to answer those questions. As you go, mark the answers to questions as you find them (for example, you can circle all the Steampunk elements you see and put a box around all the indications of other Genres that you see.)
• Read outloud in a group of two in an edit bay and help each other. If you do this, both class members who read together need to post a comment below.

ANOTHER NOTE: I really want a keyboard like the one pictured above. Keep that in mind this Christmas ;)

Share Cool Steampunk Stuff Here

Now that we're learning what Steampunk is and think a lot about it, many class members keep sharing cool Steampunk stuff they find on the internet (memes, pictures, short films, etc.) with me.

This got me thinking that it would be great to have an official place where we can all share this stuff with each other. This is not an assignment but, for fun, you can post any cool Steampunk things you find here in comments below.

Again, this is not an assignment. But it is fun and does help all of us get a better idea of what Steampunk can be. So, enjoy!

Le Samouraï (1967)

Wow!  A Noir that is French, that is in color, and that is about a guy who fancies himself a samurai?  Sign me up!

This French movie, made in the late '60s, intentionally wants to be a Film Noir.  Do you feel like it does a good job?  Does it contain the elements of the Noir genre?  Which elements?  What elements does it leave out, if any?

How does it compare to super legit American made Noir, like, say, Sunset Blvd?   What about the way the dialogue is written in each of these two films?  Differences?  Similarities?  

Did you like this movie?  Why, or why not?  And, do you feel like Le Samouraï is a good title for this film?  Why or why not?



And, is it just me, or does anybody else think Jef Costello kind of looks like Joseph Gordon Levitt?  I mean, if his hair was longer and all over his face and stuff? ... anybody?... anybody?

Brick (2005)

This neo noir featuring a very young-looking Joseph Gordon Levitt is, in a my opinion, a gem of a movie. It is especially so when you know the conventions of film noir and can see how they are being played with in this high school setting.

I am super curious to see how you all, being high school students yourselves, reacted to the movie. Did the fact that you are currently experiencing high school make this movie mean anything to you that it wouldn't have if you weren't in high school?

What, overall, did you think of the film? What were your favorite parts? Why? What conventions of noir did you notice? How did your background in noir affect your experience with this movie?

P.S.: I am pretty certain that everyone who did not watch the movie in class said they were planning on doing so at home. So, I assume that everyone should be able to do this post then. If you are unable to complete this post because you are unable to view the movie, let me know and I will happily give you an alternative assignment :)

P.S.S.: Tolkein (you know, the guy who writes the Hobbit books) is a great writer because he describes stuff good.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Who would have thought that the first neo noir we watch in class would star an animated bunny in the title role? I suppose stranger things have happened.

So, it's full of cartoons, is it really noir? In what ways is it nori? In what ways does it deviate from the noir conventions? Be sure to challenge each other's assumptions on this as appropriate and back up your opinions. Give an air tight, bullet proof argument (yes, I know that's a mixed metaphor).

In general, what did you think of this film? What was good? What not so much? Why? How did knowing so much about noir change your experience watching it?

Did this film give you any ideas you'll apply when writing your own noir? If so, please elaborate.

I noticed that the writers of this film put a lot of work into giving the perfect introduction to each character. The visuals, lines, and circumstances surrounding each characters' introduction are carefully planned to help us understand what each character is about as quickly as possible and tell us what we should think about each character. There is much to learn as writers from this aspect of this film. Did anyone else notice this? Feel free to write about specific things the writers did to introduce specific characters and what that teaches us about screenwriting.

Without further ado ... write away right away:

Touch of Evil (1958)

This film directed by and starring Orson Welles (who you might know as the director of Citizen Kane, the guy who narrated the famous radio broadcast of War of the Worlds, and/or the voice of Unicron in the 1986 animated Transformers movie) is a pretty important movie if for no other reason than for the opening scene. Did you notice how many cuts were in that scene? If not, watch it again (click here) and check it out. That scene would have been so freaking hard to shoot. I salute all the actors and crew who worked on it.

I (Josh) have personally loved this film for some time but didn't use to think of it as a film noir (mostly because Charlton Heston's character seems too good and heroic to be the protagonist of a noir) but since it shows up on so many lists of best film noirs, we thought we'd show it and see what you think. Is it a noir or is it not? Why?

Also, I would like to point out right now that Heston's portrayal of a Mexican is rivaled only by John Wayne's performance as the Mongolian conquerer Ghengis Kahn. Also, Orson Welles is very fat in this movie (if you didn't notice).

Asphalt Jungle (1950)

This ensemble heist film, based on the novel by W.R. Burnett, starred Sterling Hayden, Jean Hagen, Sam Jaffe, Louis Calhern, and James Whitmore. Oh yeah, and some no-name actress named Marilyn Monroe (her name wasn't on the poster because she wasn't as big as all those other guys). I see this film as the Ocean's Eleven of its day: a bunch of big name actors star in a movie about a group of people trying to steal stuff.

What did you think of the movie? In what ways was it noir? In what ways did it deviate from the usual noir conventions?

What did you learn from this film that will help you write your own screenplays?

What worked for you in the film? What did not?

And I keep writing to make this post be as long as the long poster to the left. Just a little bit longer ... a little longer ....

There. Now, comment!

BLAST of SILENCE (1961)

You've watched a lot of films so far.  Some of you watch two noirs a day at school - along with the films you need to watch at home.  Good job.  You're getting those film watching calluses on your eyes.  Film watching isn't always easy - much to the surprise of the world, it can be hard work.  Especially when it's not from a genre or time period you are used to.  It takes a lot of energy, focus, and thought.  And, it can take some getting used to.  Getting a film degree in college was more time consuming and demanding than my roommates' majors in engineering and plant biology.  They were shocked with how much more energy and time I had to put in compared to them.  The filmmaker's path isn't an easy one, but it is freaking cool.  Just like an author has to be well-read, a filmmaker has to be well-watched. Like I mentioned in class, for every one western Tarantino makes, he probably watches 500 westerns (which, so far he's only made one - but almost all his films have heavy western influences - the more westerns you watch the more westerns you realize he's watched - it's pretty cool).  That dude is well-watched.  Get him in an interview where he discusses movies, and you can tell.  So, bear with us as we study important films from the genre.  I bet you Mr. Chris Nolan, king of Neo-Noir, has seen all the films we've watch, and hundreds more.  Keep going into each film with eager minds ready to think, learn, grow.  Minds ripe with creativity.

Ok, enough with the spiel, onto Blast of Silence.  

Narration.  That's something we hear a lot of in this film.  Narration that isn't really the protagonist's thoughts, rather narration that talks to the protagonist - but the protagonist doesn't hear it... or does he.

Narration is one of the key traits of film noir, but in this movie it's different.  It's almost as if the narrator is another character completely.  It is another voice actor.  Did that bending of that element of the genre work for you?  Why do you think the filmmakers chose to do it in that way?

Wow, there is so much to this film.  Better than I've seen a lot of slick modern action films about assassins, this one shows the reality of the deep loneliness in the life of someone with that line of work.  Being alone.  Alone.  Alone.  That was a reoccurring theme.   And, it showed the emotional complexity one in the killin' business's life is.  Could you imagine how awkward it would be to run into old playmates from your childhood, them asking what you do for a living, wanting to catch up with you?  How would you answer, how could you?  They can never really get to know you.  They can only know the lies, the cover up stories.  Not the real you. Loneliness.  Never having that special someone in your life you can fully connect with, bear your soul to.  Always having to keep your guard up, never sharing too much.  But that's the way he liked it, being alone.  Or was it?  His narrator kept saying so, but what do you think?

It's fun to see how these classics influence contemporary cinema.  The complexity of being a hitman who unexpectedly runs into old friends is very reminiscent of one of my favorite dark comedies of the 90s: Grosse Point Blank.  Here's the trailer, give it a look-see, you'll love it: GROSSE POINT BLANK TRAILER.  I've seen Grosse Point on some neo-noir lists, it didn't dawn on me before that it could fit into that genre, but now I see why.   If I were a gambling man, I'd be willing to bet anything the writers of this movie had seen Blast of Silence.

Tell me your thoughts on Blast of Silence.  Did you like it?  Why or why not?  How noiry is it, in your opinion?

What benefit do you see could come from fully, intensely understanding the genre, even if you're film in the end bends some of the rules?

"The MALTESE FALCON (1941), see."

All right.  You've done.  You've officially watched the FIRST film noir ever.  Feel good about yourself.  Feel more legit as you grow in your noir studies.  It's always an impressive thing when a young person can say they've seen a film classic - and this is an important film (plus, you can feel awesome every time you use the phone by the office and look at the Maltese Falcon poster above it).

What'd you think? Does it deserve to be on a top ten noir list? Why or why not? What characteristics of typical noir does it have? Which does it lack? What did you learn that will help you write your noir screenplay?

This is the film that is typically used as an example when people explain what a Mac Guffen is? What was the Mac Guffen in this movie? What did you learn from the film about the nature of a Mac Guffen and how you might use Mac Guffens in your scripts?

Film Noir Extra Credit or Make-up Work

If you missed a day of class (when we were studying film noir) or would simply like some extra credit, then you can do one of the following:

• Do research on film noir and learn something about film noir or about a film noir movie that we haven't already learned in discussed in class. Comment below and state your name, how much time you researched for, what you learned, and why what you learned matters.
• Watch a film noir we didn't watch in class and write a comment below in which you state your name, the name of the movie, the ways in the which the movie is a typical film noir and the ways in which it isn't, what you learned from the movie that will help you write your film noir script, and anything else you feel is important.
• Do some other activity approved by Josh or Will. Report on said activity in a comment below.

Film Noir at Home

For this assignment, you need to watch a Film Noir at home that we didn't watch in class. Do a google search for "best film noirs" or "best neo noirs" to find lists of films you can watch. Make sure to approve the movie with Josh or Will to make sure we aren't planning to watch it in class.

After you watch the film, write a review of it as a comment on this post. In your review, tell us your name, the name of the film you watched, a very basic plot synopsis, and whether you think other members of the class should watch it (and why). Write about ways in the which the film was a typical film noir and ways it which it deviated from the typical film noir characteristics. Write about any ways in which the film helped you develop your idea for the film noir you will write in this class.

Please watch your film and post on this by September 9 to get full credit.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard is cited in most people's top ten film noir lists. Some people even put it at the very top of their lists. I know we haven't watched a lot of film noir's yet but, from what we've seen so far, do you feel they are right to do so? Is it that great of a movie? Why or why not? Were there certain portions of the film that worked better for you than others?

What typical aspects of film noir were present? Which were not? What did you learn that will help you write your own film noir?

Someone might also want to do research on Billy Wilder himself. He's considered by historians to be a pretty important filmmaker so it'd be good to know more about him. What did you learn about his life and career that helps you better understand what's going on or being said in this film? Is this film typical or atypical of Wilder's style and stories? How so? What do you think this film is saying about the filmmaking industry itself?

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

I am really curious what you all thought of Kiss Me Deadly. Watching an entire feature length film noir from the 50's may have been a new experience for some of us. Did you find it engaging the whole time? Only parts? What sections of the film / scenes were working for you? What wasn't? Why?

And how about Mike Hammer's very manly signature double slap?

What typical aspects of film noir did you notice in this film? Which were not present?

What specific things did you learn from this film that will help you as you write your own film noir?

This film uses a writing device that comes up a lot in film noir but which we didn't talk about in class yet. It is called "MacGuffen". Some of you might want to do some research to find out what a "MacGuffen" is and report on that in your comment. Then, start a conversation about the MacGuffen in this film: what was the MacGuffen? How was it used to create/build drama? How does the uses of a MacGuffen in this film a good or bad example of how MacGuffens usually work?

Also, you might think about the fact that this film was made during the Cold War. It deals with issues very relevant to the Cold War era. We are all young enough that we don't remember how frightening it was to live with the constant fear that the Soviet Union might bomb us today. How can this film help us understand better how people felt during the Cold War? How might people's reaction to this movie been different when it was shown in the Cold War verses when we watch it now?

So, go ahead and comment below. And remember ... don't open the box.

Imperfect (2012)

Today in class, we watched our first film! The first film of the first Genre Studies and Writing class ever. It is a grand event that shall be remembered for generations.

We watched "Imperfect". A short film noir. It's a little bit longer than the 12 pages we will be writing in our class but it is a good reference for us because it is a short. We can use it as a good or bad example (depending on what you thought of it) of the sort of film noir we might write in this class.

"Imperfect" is not a classic film noir (it was made in 2012, not the 40's and 50's) so I am wondering how true you think it is to what we've learned about the film noir genre in this class. Which elements of film noir does it have? Which does it not have? Did you think it was a good movie? Why? Did you hate it? Why? Or did you just think it was OK? Why?

What did you learn that you will use to help you write a sweet film noir in this class?

Film Noir Research

OK, here's the first blog post for our new class: Genre Studies and Writing. We're kicking off the trimester with a study of Film Noir. Before we watch our first Noir film, we want to make sure that we all know what Noir is all about. That context will help us appreciate the films more. So, in class, you were each assigned a few research questions related to Film Noir. Do some research, answer those questions, and then respond to this post. In your response, write each of your questions and what your research revealed in the way of answers. Please also provide links to the sources you used.

Most of us will probably instinctually go to google to research and that's fine. But before you try google, please give this new resource a chance. Visit http://pioneer.uen.org/k12/ and log in (get the login info from me in class) and then click on the link that says EBSCO and use the search engine there to search for articles that might answer your research questions. When you search, though, be sure to slick the box that says "full text".

Ready ... set ... RESEARCH!

Nausicaa, A Separation, Amour, and/or Castaway to the Moon

We will watch / have watched most of these movies during the last week of International Cinema but you are not required to write about them. If you do choose to write about any of them then do so as a comment to this post and answer two of the following questions and you receive extra credit. Be sure to write which of these films you are responding to:

• What is the theme of the film? Explain.
• How was color used in the film? What did it symbolize?
• How did the film help you understand another culture better?
• Name something you've learned in this class that helped you appreciate the film more. Explain.
• Imagine that a friend of yours was going to watch this film. What would you tell him or her ahead of time to prepare him or her to appreciate the film more?
• How would this film be different if it were made in Hollywood?

Princess Mononoke (1997)

So, this film took A LONG time to watch. It's 132 minutes spanned three class days! I hope you thought it was worth it.

Personally, I hadn't seen Princess Mononoke for a few years before we watched it in class together. And I must say that I forgot THAT IT IS A FREAKING AMAZING FILM! Wow. I really like it.

So, now you get to say what you like about it. Please answer two of the following questions or respond to something someone else wrote:

• What is the theme of the film? Explain.
• How did what we learned about Japanese culture help you appreciate the film more?
• How did the film help you understand Japanese culture better?
• What did you like most about the film? What did you like least about the film? Explain.