So, by February 12 at midnight, you need to do the following:
1) Watch a movie made in the same country as the first movie you watched. If you want, you can rewatch the same movie.
2) Comment below after you've watched the movie. Your post needs to include the following information:
- Your name.
- The name of the film.
- What country it was made in.
- The answers to the following questions:
- How did the interview you did with someone from your country of choice help you appreciate / understand this film better?
- What are the most important things you learned about your country of choice by watching both films and doing the interview? How might this knowledge help you in your life now or later in life?
- Does this class matter? Why?
Make sure to avoid too much plot summary in your response. Your response should be at least 3-4 paragraphs long.
Justus Page
ReplyDelete"Stalker"
Russia, 1979
Through my interview with Alla, I came to understand this deeply complex movie. Russia has a rich film history. One filled with a lot of drama and hardship. Stalker is no exception. This film exemplifies symbolic drama and creates the feeling of utmost separation, and lack of love. This film houses deep themes innate to humanity. Tarkovsky was very well known for having dark, complex, artistic films.
To me, this film sums up a lot of what I learned about Russia. Especially during this time period. "Stalker" is a giant symbol of what Russia was like during the time; dirty, full of fear, separated, alone, and trapped. Just like The Zone, where the movie takes place. You have writers arguing with scientists, and people doing what they can to cling to whatever hope they have left. Their country is in shambles, but there's still hope, and still beauty, even among dishonest men. In "9th Company", you get the Post-Soviet feel. Men, disgruntled, young, innocent, joining a war they know nothing about. But yet dedicated to the last. Full of doubt, but also with pride, this company of men have to survive the last war of Soviet Russia, and end up being in its final battle. Glorious, persistent, and loyal, but all for nothing. I'm sure that's what it was like to be in Russia after the collapse of life as they had all known it since 1922. I feel like I understand them better, these solitudinarians suffocating under the solaced shadow of a non-Soviet government. It's a new era for them. They've seen hard times.
This class is very important to me. It's made me a better person. I've learned more about film AND history in this class alone, than Ive learned in either production OR history classes. That's a pretty big deal. I understand the world more. I've evolved. I look at movies differently. I read people differently. This class has changed me. And that's important to me.
Also, as a side note, I would like to acknowledge that "Stalker" is easily in the Top 10 List of Greatest Cinematography Ever. But no, for real, this has got to be the most beautiful movie I've ever seen. The cinematography is quadraplatinum. It's so breathtaking. It's so unique. So gorgeous. If anything, that's the reason you should watch this movie. Hot damn...
искренне,
Justus Page
I really need to see Stalker. I've been wanting to for some time.
DeleteI love to read about the connections you made between the film and what Alla told you. I'm also glad that you found this class useful. You motivate me to keep doing my best to create an exceptional educational experience for y'all.
Jessi Brothersen
ReplyDeleteThe Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus. Filmed in UK.
I believe this movie really helped me understand the UK because the setting is based in the present. Well, sorta anyways. And even in the present there are still people living in poverty. (like Dr. Parnassus and is posse) And thats how England is. There is a higher class and a lower class. The rich get richer and the poor stay, well, poor.
^ I dont really care about any of that stuff though (well, not at the moment.) This movie kicks butt! I really enjoy this movie because it makes me think that any decision can be a bad decision. Like when Valentina loses her virginity to you know who and he turns out to be a total douche. Ha.
Oh and i really like in this movie how Dr Parnassus had been trying to capture souls for like forever long and was failing. But then when Tony showed up and added a little modern twist to their set up everything started working. It makes me think that the younger generations have something to offer too. Yeah, old folk did some stuff but we know how to create an APPEAL and im pretty darn proud of that.
Um, so yeah, this movie is like awesome and stuff and I really like the graphics in the Imaginarium. Theyre so cartoon-y and real at the same time... And make me think back to when i was a kid playing imaginary whatever. I think thats the best part of the movie :) just seeing the creations the makers of this film did. AWESOME.
Glad you enjoyed the movie so freaking much! And I'm glad that you made connections between the film and U.K. cultural stuff with poverty and what not (even if that wasn't what mattered to you the most).
DeleteI would still like to hear how your interview with someone from the UK (did you do that) helped you appreciate the film more and your answer to the third question in the post. When you add that, I'll give you some more points.
Good work.
Tayia Groesbeck-
ReplyDeleteHeavenly creatures-
My movie was made in New Zealand
Well my interview helped me understand my movie better because she told me that everything there is more expensive so I understood why Pauline lived in a small house. I also think that they values their stuff more because its more expensive.
I think the most important thing I learned was that New Zealand is really expensive and that I probably should never move there because if just going to the movies is 15 dollars I can't imagine what it would cost to do other fun things.
Yes I think this class matters because it teaches us and showed us different things in other country's threw movies. And it shows us different lighting in movies to set the scene and things like that.
Wow. Your interviewee seems quite obsessed with the cost of things in New Zealand!
DeleteGood work following directions in this post. I'm glad the class matters to you.
tommy kiter
ReplyDeleteHeavenly cretures mine was made in new zealand also
I have the same movie as tayia because we watched it together because we live with each other.
My person i interviewed helped me alot like tayia said how expensive it was there. understand how they i dont know how to put how much different they were compared to the us? i guess you could say.
I think the most important thing about new zealand is they are alot like us they live, like us but the only difference is, there merchendise cost a little more.
I think this class matters because it helps us better understand different cultures, and countries it definatley helped me respect their movies and their country alot better.
Me and tayia interviewed same person because it was our cousin so that is why my response is alot similar to tayias response.
Was there anything you took away that Tayia didn't mention already?
DeleteI'm doing the same movie as before but I do understand more abouth what was going on and the German culture. So, again My Country is Germany. I watched a movie called Goodbye Lenin. It takes place in post-war Germany, about 1990ish. I had interviewed my mom and she told me much of my own history along with the history of Germany around that time.
ReplyDeleteSo I though that one the most useful things she told me was. That the area where Alex and his mom lived was called East Germany. The Soviet Union controlled that side of Germany. So as you can imagine things weren't so good in the East. It was ruled by Comunism. Everything was made inside the state. So The whole thing about him trying to find a certain type of pickle. Was because when the wall fell basically everything made either in the Soviet Union or there in East Germany all disapeared. Kinda a cool thing to know about the movie.
I think the most important thing to know to better understand the movie is. That things in the West were completely different then things in the East. Where as the West side was controlled by Uk, and Britan. So it was a democracy. But again the east had a comunistic leadership. But one other important thing was that comercialism imedietly came to the East afer the wall fell. So major companies took over the area. Such as Coca-cola, and Burger King. Which i kinda thought was cool....
This is such a great example of how understanding the culture can make a big difference to understanding the movie.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to answer the third question as well.
This message is directed to Stephen.
Delete-Randi Michelle :)
ReplyDeleteSo, I watched the Japanese film Spirited Away a second time, because you told me I could. Plus, I felt like it'd be easier, hahaha. So here I go! I think this interview helped me appreciate the movie more by learning that when you get to know someone personally (like when the lady who took care of Chihiro) it is just as important as showing respect towards family. I also appreciated how it showed how important it is to be loyal to those with higher authority than yourself, even though Chihiro automatically obeyed rules that she knew were important instead of listening to authority when they told her to break them. I learned that unlike homes here, shoes aren't worn inside the house and are removed and stored at the entrance of a home. When guests enter the house, they remove their shoes and put on slippers for indoor use. I also learned that kimonos are worn in Japan, but usually only on special occasions such as a festivals, weddings, performances, family gatherings, etc. I really want to get more into the Japanese culture, I think it would be a fun experience and would help me get a job when I'm older. And even though this class is an elective, I do believe it is important. I've learned so much about how different countries make their movies in their own unique ways, and I actually pay attention to the colours, sounds, themes, etc. and what they mean in each movie. I loved this class, I thought it was really fun while it lasted, and I'd like to take it again next year! :)