Richard Porton, “Notes from the Palestinian Diaspora”
1. Based upon the interview as a whole, summarize Suleiman’s perspective on nationalism, both in terms of Palestinian identity and the concept of Zionism.
He says he’s Palestinian. Now if Israel accepts Palestinians in government positions and the state is called Israel, he says he would be Israeli. It doesn’t matter to him whether he’s Palestinian or Israeli, but as long as religion and radicalism is a norm in Israel, he’ll stay a Palestinian because they are who he identifies with most.
2. Also summarize Suleiman’s perspective on storytelling and film style. Which filmmakers does he tend to identify with, and why? Which filmmakers does he not identify with (including other Palestinian filmmakers) and why?
He likes Bressen, Ozu and Hou because of their self-reflexive manner of filmmaking. But he’s “indifferent” to Khleifi or Chahine because their films are just not as interesting to him.
Gertz and Khleifi, “Between Exile and Homeland”
3. What are some of the essential differences between Sulieman’s two feature films, Chronicle of a Disappearance and Divine Intervention, and what had changed in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict between the release of the two films?
The first film has implicit violence/passivism and the second has explicit violence. Chronicles of a Disappearance uses more indoor spaces of homes; while in Divine Intervention, the home is mostly removed from the film. Divine Intervention also uses more Palestinian symbols. In between the release of the two films little has changed for the Palestinian people as promised by the Oslo Accords, in fact things have become worse for the Palestinians.
4. What is Suleiman’s position on showing violence (or the aftermath of violence) in the cinema? How does his position relate to our discussion of the end of Waltz with Bashir?
He no problem with violence in the cinema, but doesn’t like real violence. There’s violence all around in Israel/Palestine, so it’s something everyone is used to and deals with daily.
5. How does Suleiman use images and symbols common to Palestinian culture and Palestinian cinema in unique ways in Divine Intervention?
He uses them in ways to envelope pride and patriotism for the Palestinian people. One example is the “Ninja” scene where symbols like the kaffryah, a gun, hand grenades, a map of Palestine, and a Crescent Moon and Star are all used to show Palestine’s struggle and to induce thoughts of pride in one’s people.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Response for 11-16
1. State the Haaretz argument against the politics of the film in your own words. How does Gideon Levy support his argument with details from the film? What else does he use to support his argument, outside of the film?
Levy argues what is portrayed in Bashir is all false and made up propaganda. He talks of the soldiers singing in the film about how Lebanon is beautiful and then they destroy the country, killing men, women, and children. The protagonist filmmaker visits a psychologist and they relate his interest in the Palestinian camps to the concentration camps his parents were in during WWII, forcing him to realize he acted like the Nazis.
2. State the Commentary argument against the politics of the film in your own words. How does Hillel Halkin support his argument with details from the film? What else does he use to support his argument, outside of the film?
Hillel argues the background story, or context, of Bashir is not properly explained. The other battles and massacres before the events in Bashir are not even mentioned. Also nothing is said of Bashir’s assassination or of the PLO.
3. Respond to Levy's or Hillel's critique of the politics of the film. Support your argument with details from the film, as well as with details as you understand them about the conflict and the region.
In my opinion, any film with a political message is propaganda. In response to Levy’s argument, I do feel using art, especially comic-like drawing and violence, is a strong form of propaganda. It can be used to relate a subject to an audience and it’s easier for the audience to accept than the harsh reality of documentary footage or journalistic photos alone. It gives a buffer to get the message across without being too aggressive. Most of Bashir looks as though it came from a comic book, which detaches us from the reality of the situation; however at the end we are brought into the harsh reality of the event with the images of documentary footage of the aftermath. This punch line at the conclusion of the film strikes the message home that this really happened, these horrible things actually happened and Israel let it take place.
Levy argues what is portrayed in Bashir is all false and made up propaganda. He talks of the soldiers singing in the film about how Lebanon is beautiful and then they destroy the country, killing men, women, and children. The protagonist filmmaker visits a psychologist and they relate his interest in the Palestinian camps to the concentration camps his parents were in during WWII, forcing him to realize he acted like the Nazis.
2. State the Commentary argument against the politics of the film in your own words. How does Hillel Halkin support his argument with details from the film? What else does he use to support his argument, outside of the film?
Hillel argues the background story, or context, of Bashir is not properly explained. The other battles and massacres before the events in Bashir are not even mentioned. Also nothing is said of Bashir’s assassination or of the PLO.
3. Respond to Levy's or Hillel's critique of the politics of the film. Support your argument with details from the film, as well as with details as you understand them about the conflict and the region.
In my opinion, any film with a political message is propaganda. In response to Levy’s argument, I do feel using art, especially comic-like drawing and violence, is a strong form of propaganda. It can be used to relate a subject to an audience and it’s easier for the audience to accept than the harsh reality of documentary footage or journalistic photos alone. It gives a buffer to get the message across without being too aggressive. Most of Bashir looks as though it came from a comic book, which detaches us from the reality of the situation; however at the end we are brought into the harsh reality of the event with the images of documentary footage of the aftermath. This punch line at the conclusion of the film strikes the message home that this really happened, these horrible things actually happened and Israel let it take place.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Response 11-9
Ilan Avisar, "The National and the Popular in Israeli Cinema"
1. How and why has the concept of nationalism changed since the end of the Cold War? Why does Avisar emphasize the notion of an “imagined community” when discussing nationalism? What are the negative and positive connotations of nationalism?
It is believed nationalism lead to the first and second World Wars. Since the Cold War it has caused problems in Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East with developing countries of former colonial rule. Avisar feels nations and a sense of nationalism are not real things, they are just made up to give people false senses of control and freedom. Nationalism can unite people of a country who only have the nation as a common bridge, but it can also build up the wall between the “us” and the “them” separating people from one another.
2. What are the three principal historical forces guiding the movement of Zionism as it emerged in the 19th century? How do these three forces correspond to Benedict Anderson’s definition of the nation?
First, the Jewish people were tired of living in exile and wished to return to Zion, the homeland. Second, they wanted to escape anti-Semitism. Third, they had a sense of nationalism, with values of self-determination, preservation of national heritage and to build a cultural identity.
3. If there was no “indigenous Jewish national culture” because there was no Jewish state, how was Jewish identity and culture defined and expressed before the establishment of Israel?
Jewish culture was based on the religious practices. The “men of letters” expressed the Jewish national identity of wanting a homeland, the use of Hebrew as a common language, and recalling common texts of myths and folklore.
4. What other ideologies of Jewish existence competed with Zionism in the 19th and 20th centuries? What characterized Zionism in contrast to these competing ideologies (what ideals were the “backbone” of Zionism)?
One ideology was to assimilate with Europeans; another was a Marxist revolution; and the third held America as the promise land. Zionism, in contrast, wanted Jews to unite and work together for their common good. It encouraged hard agricultural labor, collectivism, and the combat of hardships and threats in the homeland.
5. What irony does Avisar observe about the rise of overtly critical political films in the 1980s? How have these critical political films affected the relationship between the Israeli cinema and its own local audience? What replaced this cycle of critical political films in the 1990s and 2000s?
He observes the films were having a redundant effect because politicians and news organizations were also discussing the same political issues. Film as a medium for political and social protest was unneeded. The local audience turned away from these films creating a gap between the Israeli cinema and the audience. What filled in the vacuum of political films was a series of liter films which used humor to discuss the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians. These films are more compassionate toward the characters and the settings. They helped build a constructive dialogue between the Israeli filmmakers and their local audiences.
1. How and why has the concept of nationalism changed since the end of the Cold War? Why does Avisar emphasize the notion of an “imagined community” when discussing nationalism? What are the negative and positive connotations of nationalism?
It is believed nationalism lead to the first and second World Wars. Since the Cold War it has caused problems in Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East with developing countries of former colonial rule. Avisar feels nations and a sense of nationalism are not real things, they are just made up to give people false senses of control and freedom. Nationalism can unite people of a country who only have the nation as a common bridge, but it can also build up the wall between the “us” and the “them” separating people from one another.
2. What are the three principal historical forces guiding the movement of Zionism as it emerged in the 19th century? How do these three forces correspond to Benedict Anderson’s definition of the nation?
First, the Jewish people were tired of living in exile and wished to return to Zion, the homeland. Second, they wanted to escape anti-Semitism. Third, they had a sense of nationalism, with values of self-determination, preservation of national heritage and to build a cultural identity.
3. If there was no “indigenous Jewish national culture” because there was no Jewish state, how was Jewish identity and culture defined and expressed before the establishment of Israel?
Jewish culture was based on the religious practices. The “men of letters” expressed the Jewish national identity of wanting a homeland, the use of Hebrew as a common language, and recalling common texts of myths and folklore.
4. What other ideologies of Jewish existence competed with Zionism in the 19th and 20th centuries? What characterized Zionism in contrast to these competing ideologies (what ideals were the “backbone” of Zionism)?
One ideology was to assimilate with Europeans; another was a Marxist revolution; and the third held America as the promise land. Zionism, in contrast, wanted Jews to unite and work together for their common good. It encouraged hard agricultural labor, collectivism, and the combat of hardships and threats in the homeland.
5. What irony does Avisar observe about the rise of overtly critical political films in the 1980s? How have these critical political films affected the relationship between the Israeli cinema and its own local audience? What replaced this cycle of critical political films in the 1990s and 2000s?
He observes the films were having a redundant effect because politicians and news organizations were also discussing the same political issues. Film as a medium for political and social protest was unneeded. The local audience turned away from these films creating a gap between the Israeli cinema and the audience. What filled in the vacuum of political films was a series of liter films which used humor to discuss the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians. These films are more compassionate toward the characters and the settings. They helped build a constructive dialogue between the Israeli filmmakers and their local audiences.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Response for 11-2
Fred Camper, “In Chaos, Truth: Kippur”
1. What is Gitai’s position on objectivity, and what does Camper find interesting in how Gitai transitions from an “objective” to “subjective” viewpoint in Kippur?
Gitai says there isn’t an objective view; only subjective views exist from many perspectives. Gitai uses long takes and moves for long shots in to close ups.
Nitzan Ben-Shaul, “Israeli Persecution Films”
5. Define the terms “Zionism” and “Sabra.” In what ways does the Sabra woman in Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer “metonymically represent the future of the state”?
“Zionism” is the establishment and development of a Jewish state. A “Sabra” is a native-born Jewish revolutionary agent of Zionism, who works/fights to gain land and participates in the socialist collective. The Sabra woman in Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer represents the future of the state by surviving the war to live in Israel as it moves to a better future. She also has a non-Jewish foreign lover, which shows the peace between East and West.
6. What is the significance of having both nativist (Sabra) and diasporic (non-native born) characters in the group defending Hill 24?
They are all Israelis, no matter where they come from, fighting against the Arabs who wish to destroy them and remove their presence from the region.
7. Why was the period following the Six-Day War (1967) significantly different than the period following the War of Independence?
The cinematic focus shifted from patriotism to the persecution of the Israeli people by their Arab neighbors and the world in general. There was a sense the world disliked the Jewish people and wanted to bring down the Jewish state.
8. Ben-Shaul suggests that Israeli ideology shifted “to an individualistic social paradigm as a better social coping mechanism than the collectivist one.” How did this shift manifest itself in films of the period (1967-1977) and particularly in the film Siege?
They felt an individual can influence his society and would be better able to lead the society than the collective thought of society. To illustrate this, the woman, in Siege, is being influenced by her husband’s friends and neighbors (society). As a whole, society shows attitudes of mourning, loneliness and claustrophobia; while the woman’s attitudes change to that of boredom, defiance and disrespect. These conflicting attitudes go against what social pressures are asserting on her.
9. Ben-Shaul suggests that in the 1980s, “persecution thematically dominates Israeli war films as never before, along with the often vague suggestion that Israel is somehow responsible for the persecution it suffers.” Why is this particularly true for films dealing with the Yom Kippur War (1973)?
The director’s of these films have a lot of anxiety because of the switch in power from a left leaning government (one they support) to a right leaning one (one they are unsure of). These films also portray war as gruesome, and that everyone is a victim of an interconnected cycle of war.
1. What is Gitai’s position on objectivity, and what does Camper find interesting in how Gitai transitions from an “objective” to “subjective” viewpoint in Kippur?
Gitai says there isn’t an objective view; only subjective views exist from many perspectives. Gitai uses long takes and moves for long shots in to close ups.
Nitzan Ben-Shaul, “Israeli Persecution Films”
5. Define the terms “Zionism” and “Sabra.” In what ways does the Sabra woman in Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer “metonymically represent the future of the state”?
“Zionism” is the establishment and development of a Jewish state. A “Sabra” is a native-born Jewish revolutionary agent of Zionism, who works/fights to gain land and participates in the socialist collective. The Sabra woman in Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer represents the future of the state by surviving the war to live in Israel as it moves to a better future. She also has a non-Jewish foreign lover, which shows the peace between East and West.
6. What is the significance of having both nativist (Sabra) and diasporic (non-native born) characters in the group defending Hill 24?
They are all Israelis, no matter where they come from, fighting against the Arabs who wish to destroy them and remove their presence from the region.
7. Why was the period following the Six-Day War (1967) significantly different than the period following the War of Independence?
The cinematic focus shifted from patriotism to the persecution of the Israeli people by their Arab neighbors and the world in general. There was a sense the world disliked the Jewish people and wanted to bring down the Jewish state.
8. Ben-Shaul suggests that Israeli ideology shifted “to an individualistic social paradigm as a better social coping mechanism than the collectivist one.” How did this shift manifest itself in films of the period (1967-1977) and particularly in the film Siege?
They felt an individual can influence his society and would be better able to lead the society than the collective thought of society. To illustrate this, the woman, in Siege, is being influenced by her husband’s friends and neighbors (society). As a whole, society shows attitudes of mourning, loneliness and claustrophobia; while the woman’s attitudes change to that of boredom, defiance and disrespect. These conflicting attitudes go against what social pressures are asserting on her.
9. Ben-Shaul suggests that in the 1980s, “persecution thematically dominates Israeli war films as never before, along with the often vague suggestion that Israel is somehow responsible for the persecution it suffers.” Why is this particularly true for films dealing with the Yom Kippur War (1973)?
The director’s of these films have a lot of anxiety because of the switch in power from a left leaning government (one they support) to a right leaning one (one they are unsure of). These films also portray war as gruesome, and that everyone is a victim of an interconnected cycle of war.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Response for 10-26
Bordwell, “Hou, or Constraints.”
1. What are the basic parallels and contrasts between the City of Sadness scene described on p. 186-187 and the scene described on p. 229?
They both take place around a table. Horizontal planes are used to conceal and reveal characters at particular instances. The first scene uses windows, while the second is more tight and close.
2. In what ways does Hou take the idea of deliberate constraints even further in his subsequent films, especially Flowers of Shanghai?
I don’t know.
Valentina Vitali, “Hou Hsiao-Hsien reviewed”
2. What are the three broad trends identified by Vitali in how Hou’s films were discussed in reviews and articles?
Characters, political allegories for the present and future, and thematic and stylistic continuity across all Hou films are mainly discussed in reviews.
3. What point does Vitali make using the extended example from an article by French critic/filmmaker Oliver Assayas?
He speaks of the nostalgia of a past French/European cinema based on French nationalism and anti-Americanism parallel to that found in Taiwan and discussed through New Taiwanese Cinema.
4. What conclusions does Vitali make about critics who suggest looking at Hou’s films as “universal” or critics who “propose injunctions not to take into account historical references?”
The films are Taiwanese and historical references help shape Hou’s films to being distinctly Taiwanese, and the historical references should not be ignored.
5. Ultimately, why is the “instruction manual” inferred by Vitali in her reading of these reviews similar to the instruction manual for approaching mainstream Hollywood films?
The “instruction manual” for approaching Hou’s films view accepts the narrative devices as part of a universal film language, similar to that of Hollywood film making. The directors Hou and Lynch are compared with the film technique of the play-back, utilized by each.
Paul WILLEMEN, “The times of subjectivity and social reproduction”
1. Why does Willemen not love the films of Hou Hsiao-hsien because of their complexity?
He says bad films can be complex as well.
2. Why does Willemen not love the films of Hou Hsiao-hsien because of their “Tawianness”?
He says he can learn more about Taiwan from a book or article than watching a Hou film.
1. What are the basic parallels and contrasts between the City of Sadness scene described on p. 186-187 and the scene described on p. 229?
They both take place around a table. Horizontal planes are used to conceal and reveal characters at particular instances. The first scene uses windows, while the second is more tight and close.
2. In what ways does Hou take the idea of deliberate constraints even further in his subsequent films, especially Flowers of Shanghai?
I don’t know.
Valentina Vitali, “Hou Hsiao-Hsien reviewed”
2. What are the three broad trends identified by Vitali in how Hou’s films were discussed in reviews and articles?
Characters, political allegories for the present and future, and thematic and stylistic continuity across all Hou films are mainly discussed in reviews.
3. What point does Vitali make using the extended example from an article by French critic/filmmaker Oliver Assayas?
He speaks of the nostalgia of a past French/European cinema based on French nationalism and anti-Americanism parallel to that found in Taiwan and discussed through New Taiwanese Cinema.
4. What conclusions does Vitali make about critics who suggest looking at Hou’s films as “universal” or critics who “propose injunctions not to take into account historical references?”
The films are Taiwanese and historical references help shape Hou’s films to being distinctly Taiwanese, and the historical references should not be ignored.
5. Ultimately, why is the “instruction manual” inferred by Vitali in her reading of these reviews similar to the instruction manual for approaching mainstream Hollywood films?
The “instruction manual” for approaching Hou’s films view accepts the narrative devices as part of a universal film language, similar to that of Hollywood film making. The directors Hou and Lynch are compared with the film technique of the play-back, utilized by each.
Paul WILLEMEN, “The times of subjectivity and social reproduction”
1. Why does Willemen not love the films of Hou Hsiao-hsien because of their complexity?
He says bad films can be complex as well.
2. Why does Willemen not love the films of Hou Hsiao-hsien because of their “Tawianness”?
He says he can learn more about Taiwan from a book or article than watching a Hou film.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Response for 10-19
1. The February 28 incident took place in Taiwan. It was sparked by police beating a woman. Regular people became angry and erupted into riots. The government cracked down on rioters and people that could lead riots, which lead to thousands of people being killed and arrested. Martial Law was instituted for over four decades as a result.
2. City of Sadness does not directly confront what the Nationalist government did in the February 28 incident.
3. The film was somewhat confusing watching it the first time because time would jump considerably sometimes. I would have to reassess what the space and time were to understand the plot. The spaces were mostly the same throughout the film, like the home and the streets, but the actors would change as the boys became older. I would have to put a new face with a name in order to follow the plot. Also, when Hou cut from scene to scene, he would often establish the scene with a space, and I wouldn’t know when the story was taking place.
2. City of Sadness does not directly confront what the Nationalist government did in the February 28 incident.
3. The film was somewhat confusing watching it the first time because time would jump considerably sometimes. I would have to reassess what the space and time were to understand the plot. The spaces were mostly the same throughout the film, like the home and the streets, but the actors would change as the boys became older. I would have to put a new face with a name in order to follow the plot. Also, when Hou cut from scene to scene, he would often establish the scene with a space, and I wouldn’t know when the story was taking place.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Response for 9-28
1.What are the two dimensions of symbolic violence discussed by Teo in relation to the Election films?
Symbolic violence referring to violence containing symbols, according to law and ritual, and symbolic violence referring to violence of male domination are the two dimensions of symbolic violence discussed by Teo. The first refers to, for instance, the triads fighting over a baton, a phallic symbol, or another physical object with a symbolic meaning. The second refers to the triads as a patriarchal power which subjugates its members, men are ruled and controlled by other men in accordance to the laws of the gang.
2. While gangster/triad films are an internationally comprehended genre, why does Teo argue that the Election films present a distinct localized version of the genre? What are some of the parallels and contrasts between the fictional world of the Wo Sing Society and the politics and history of Hong Kong as a whole? Specifically, how have general elections worked in Hong Kong since the 1997 transition?
To’s films portray the triads in confrontation with each other and the police. In Election, the triads elect a new leader and violence erupts once more. In the 1997 transfer of power, many triads were uncertain of their future in a new unified Hong Kong – China. China doesn’t want democracy in Hong Kong, and the democracy inside the Wo Sing Society is a false one.
3. Why does Teo argue that Election 2 is the more political of the two films? In what way does it comment on socio-economic changes since the 1997 transition to Chinese rule? In what ways does Election 2 draw parallels and contrasts between the mainland Chinese government and the Wo Sing Society?
It directly shows the conflict between the Chinese government and the Hong Kong triads. It shows a democracy, of sorts, in a Communist leaning society. In addition the struggle of triad interests versus Chinese interests. A parallel, however, can be drawn between the triad elections and Hong Kong elections in that the triad leader is chosen by a closed cabal of high ranking individuals similar to how Hong Kong’s chief executive is chosen.
4. Here’s another attempt to tackle Walter Benjamin’s concept of mythical violence. Earlier in the book, Teo describes mythical violence as “a meta-critique—a form of violence that critiques the violence in our midst.” (p. 8). If this is the case, then what is the commentary in the Election films on the violence of the triads and modern urban environments?
It critiques the struggle of power and desire for stability with an unknown future.
5. What is the distinction between “yin” violence and “yang” violence, and how does Teo use this distinction to suggest why the Election films stray from genre conventions? How does this distinction help convey the political message of the film?
Yin violence is a “feminine” violence that is devious, clumsy, and confused. Yang violence is a “masculine” violence that is sober and clean. Election uses yin violence, men using a feminine approach to violent acts. The violence is messy. Swords are used as opposed to the traditional gun in action genre films.
Symbolic violence referring to violence containing symbols, according to law and ritual, and symbolic violence referring to violence of male domination are the two dimensions of symbolic violence discussed by Teo. The first refers to, for instance, the triads fighting over a baton, a phallic symbol, or another physical object with a symbolic meaning. The second refers to the triads as a patriarchal power which subjugates its members, men are ruled and controlled by other men in accordance to the laws of the gang.
2. While gangster/triad films are an internationally comprehended genre, why does Teo argue that the Election films present a distinct localized version of the genre? What are some of the parallels and contrasts between the fictional world of the Wo Sing Society and the politics and history of Hong Kong as a whole? Specifically, how have general elections worked in Hong Kong since the 1997 transition?
To’s films portray the triads in confrontation with each other and the police. In Election, the triads elect a new leader and violence erupts once more. In the 1997 transfer of power, many triads were uncertain of their future in a new unified Hong Kong – China. China doesn’t want democracy in Hong Kong, and the democracy inside the Wo Sing Society is a false one.
3. Why does Teo argue that Election 2 is the more political of the two films? In what way does it comment on socio-economic changes since the 1997 transition to Chinese rule? In what ways does Election 2 draw parallels and contrasts between the mainland Chinese government and the Wo Sing Society?
It directly shows the conflict between the Chinese government and the Hong Kong triads. It shows a democracy, of sorts, in a Communist leaning society. In addition the struggle of triad interests versus Chinese interests. A parallel, however, can be drawn between the triad elections and Hong Kong elections in that the triad leader is chosen by a closed cabal of high ranking individuals similar to how Hong Kong’s chief executive is chosen.
4. Here’s another attempt to tackle Walter Benjamin’s concept of mythical violence. Earlier in the book, Teo describes mythical violence as “a meta-critique—a form of violence that critiques the violence in our midst.” (p. 8). If this is the case, then what is the commentary in the Election films on the violence of the triads and modern urban environments?
It critiques the struggle of power and desire for stability with an unknown future.
5. What is the distinction between “yin” violence and “yang” violence, and how does Teo use this distinction to suggest why the Election films stray from genre conventions? How does this distinction help convey the political message of the film?
Yin violence is a “feminine” violence that is devious, clumsy, and confused. Yang violence is a “masculine” violence that is sober and clean. Election uses yin violence, men using a feminine approach to violent acts. The violence is messy. Swords are used as opposed to the traditional gun in action genre films.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Response for 9-21
3. What are some of the factors contributing to the so called “unevenness” of the films discussed in this chapter? Why does this unevenness present obstacles to discussing To as an auteur? Why does this unevenness present obstacles to discussing the films in terms of genre?
The unevenness comes from many sources. First, To co-directs many projects with another man, Wai. To’s job is to make things filmable and filmed in interesting ways, while Wai job is to write the stories and come up with the themes. The two director on a project can lead to an unevenness to the films produced.
Second, To works in multiple genres. He does not work in a set genre and often combines genres.
Because his work in uneven it is hard to judge To as an auteur because typical auteurs work in a single genre and their work is consistent. To’s films have inconsistencies and blemishes because he makes “one [film] for the people, one [film] for the critics.” He dives between the popular and high culture which adds to the inconsistency of his films.
4. Explain this tricky claim in your own words: “If we look at To’s career as a system of correlated elements, we can begin to consider inconsistency as one element in his authorial system.” Why does Teo consider inconsistency as a possible value rather than only a fault?
If there is a pattern of inconsistency then maybe it is conscious and stylistic of To’s filmmaking approach. It is just another condition of what make his films solely his own.
5. To understand Teo’s argument about To and Postmodernism, take the following small steps, and consider the relationship between your answers:
a. If genre is considered to be a social institution which leads to constraints on the author, in what ways do filmmakers (including To) “overcome structural constraints as part of a movement of postmodern cinema”? Hints: What does Teo say about generic plurality on p. 147 and sectarian modes of thought on p. 148?
Teo says there is no essentialist text at the same time there is. To’s films combine multiple forms of genre like comedy, for example, is separated into slapstick and romance in “Love on a Diet”. Sectarian modes of thought describe the values a film portrays that are typically a religious matter like charity (Christianity) or death and reincarnation (Buddhism).
b. How is the answer to a. related to the “uneven market capitalist conditions” and the history of Hong Kong in the 1990s?
There was a lot of anxiety in Hong Kong in the 90s because of the economy and the future turnover from British control to Communist China. At the same time, HK’s film industry was being influenced by outside forces. Directors had to adapt to the changing social and political conditions of the times.
c. How is the answer to a. and b. related to the claims that “postmodernism is a social theory that celebrates kitsch and camp, the bad along with the good”?
The films of postmodern directors were made to be commodities for popular consumption. Their imperfections make the films unique and interesting to a postmodern audience who finds inconsistencies and imperfections in the film a part of the film culture and art.
d. Tie all of these answers together: Why has the Hong Kong film industry and audience produced such a “broad church” definition of genre? How is this "broad church" related to Teo's claims about unevenness in the films in this chapter?
These films all fall into specific genres at the same time they fall into many genres. The films also deal in social and political subjects unique to HK. Also, they are made by directors interested in both the popular and higher film cultures. With the restrictions of film placed by genre, and the conflict of ideas of the director’s views of society and politics creating an unevenness of films, the definition of genre must expand to encompass all these related ideas.
P.S. I tried but I don't fully understand all these terms about genre.
The unevenness comes from many sources. First, To co-directs many projects with another man, Wai. To’s job is to make things filmable and filmed in interesting ways, while Wai job is to write the stories and come up with the themes. The two director on a project can lead to an unevenness to the films produced.
Second, To works in multiple genres. He does not work in a set genre and often combines genres.
Because his work in uneven it is hard to judge To as an auteur because typical auteurs work in a single genre and their work is consistent. To’s films have inconsistencies and blemishes because he makes “one [film] for the people, one [film] for the critics.” He dives between the popular and high culture which adds to the inconsistency of his films.
4. Explain this tricky claim in your own words: “If we look at To’s career as a system of correlated elements, we can begin to consider inconsistency as one element in his authorial system.” Why does Teo consider inconsistency as a possible value rather than only a fault?
If there is a pattern of inconsistency then maybe it is conscious and stylistic of To’s filmmaking approach. It is just another condition of what make his films solely his own.
5. To understand Teo’s argument about To and Postmodernism, take the following small steps, and consider the relationship between your answers:
a. If genre is considered to be a social institution which leads to constraints on the author, in what ways do filmmakers (including To) “overcome structural constraints as part of a movement of postmodern cinema”? Hints: What does Teo say about generic plurality on p. 147 and sectarian modes of thought on p. 148?
Teo says there is no essentialist text at the same time there is. To’s films combine multiple forms of genre like comedy, for example, is separated into slapstick and romance in “Love on a Diet”. Sectarian modes of thought describe the values a film portrays that are typically a religious matter like charity (Christianity) or death and reincarnation (Buddhism).
b. How is the answer to a. related to the “uneven market capitalist conditions” and the history of Hong Kong in the 1990s?
There was a lot of anxiety in Hong Kong in the 90s because of the economy and the future turnover from British control to Communist China. At the same time, HK’s film industry was being influenced by outside forces. Directors had to adapt to the changing social and political conditions of the times.
c. How is the answer to a. and b. related to the claims that “postmodernism is a social theory that celebrates kitsch and camp, the bad along with the good”?
The films of postmodern directors were made to be commodities for popular consumption. Their imperfections make the films unique and interesting to a postmodern audience who finds inconsistencies and imperfections in the film a part of the film culture and art.
d. Tie all of these answers together: Why has the Hong Kong film industry and audience produced such a “broad church” definition of genre? How is this "broad church" related to Teo's claims about unevenness in the films in this chapter?
These films all fall into specific genres at the same time they fall into many genres. The films also deal in social and political subjects unique to HK. Also, they are made by directors interested in both the popular and higher film cultures. With the restrictions of film placed by genre, and the conflict of ideas of the director’s views of society and politics creating an unevenness of films, the definition of genre must expand to encompass all these related ideas.
P.S. I tried but I don't fully understand all these terms about genre.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Response for 9-16
1. Write a brief response to A Hero Never Dies.
I liked the film, especially the use of lighting. The low key light with occasional use of color like red and blue made the film dynamic and interesting.
The story line was a little strange, but made for ample opportunities for action sequences.
2. What are some of the broad characteristics of the jianghu? What genres are associated with this concept?
A jianghu is an action film driven through ideas of righteousness, loyalty, and bonding.
Gangster, hired-killers, and detective genres are associated with jianghu.
3. What are some of the key elements of the so-called “infrastructure of violence” associated with both traditional Westerns as well as “urban Westerns”?
The “infrastructure of violence” are the tools used by characters to commit their violence. A few examples being: transportation (horse, train; cars, boats), communication (letter, telegram; cell phone), and most importantly weapons (guns).
4. Explain in your own words the concept of “mythical violence” and what function it serves in the films of Johnnie To. You may consider looking at additional discussions of the concept later in the book (consult the index).
“Mythical violence” in film is an archetypal form of violent acts and a stylization of the act. In other words, the violence on screen represents real violence and struggle and is stylized by film language to get its point across.
5. What are some of the key characteristics of “Kowloon Noir” and what is meant by the term “Destiny-machine.”?
“Kowloon Noir” is characterized by a shift in alliances, cross-alliances, misalliances, and coincidences that take place in the present. The “Destiny-machine” is the impersonal and sinister force of fate acting on the protagonists in the film. In many cases, everyone dies in the end.
6. Summarize in your own words Teo’s argument about the relationship between genre conventions and To’s “auteur function.” Why does Steve Neale argue that it is inappropriate to equate genre with auteurism?
Genre is a term, describing a type of film, established by the populous. Similar films based on subject matter and film language fall into particular genres, like comedy or sci-fi. An auteur is a director who has a particular method of telling a story unique to him and usually deals in a set subject matter or “genre”. Auteurism, in Neale’s mind, is of higher culture, while genre is of popular culture. A genre director must conform to a film style to make a profit, while an auteur is not seeking profit but aesthetics.
I liked the film, especially the use of lighting. The low key light with occasional use of color like red and blue made the film dynamic and interesting.
The story line was a little strange, but made for ample opportunities for action sequences.
2. What are some of the broad characteristics of the jianghu? What genres are associated with this concept?
A jianghu is an action film driven through ideas of righteousness, loyalty, and bonding.
Gangster, hired-killers, and detective genres are associated with jianghu.
3. What are some of the key elements of the so-called “infrastructure of violence” associated with both traditional Westerns as well as “urban Westerns”?
The “infrastructure of violence” are the tools used by characters to commit their violence. A few examples being: transportation (horse, train; cars, boats), communication (letter, telegram; cell phone), and most importantly weapons (guns).
4. Explain in your own words the concept of “mythical violence” and what function it serves in the films of Johnnie To. You may consider looking at additional discussions of the concept later in the book (consult the index).
“Mythical violence” in film is an archetypal form of violent acts and a stylization of the act. In other words, the violence on screen represents real violence and struggle and is stylized by film language to get its point across.
5. What are some of the key characteristics of “Kowloon Noir” and what is meant by the term “Destiny-machine.”?
“Kowloon Noir” is characterized by a shift in alliances, cross-alliances, misalliances, and coincidences that take place in the present. The “Destiny-machine” is the impersonal and sinister force of fate acting on the protagonists in the film. In many cases, everyone dies in the end.
6. Summarize in your own words Teo’s argument about the relationship between genre conventions and To’s “auteur function.” Why does Steve Neale argue that it is inappropriate to equate genre with auteurism?
Genre is a term, describing a type of film, established by the populous. Similar films based on subject matter and film language fall into particular genres, like comedy or sci-fi. An auteur is a director who has a particular method of telling a story unique to him and usually deals in a set subject matter or “genre”. Auteurism, in Neale’s mind, is of higher culture, while genre is of popular culture. A genre director must conform to a film style to make a profit, while an auteur is not seeking profit but aesthetics.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Response to "Gabbeh"
The color in "Gabbeh" was amazing. The colors were saturated and bright. Color was also used in the narrative: yellow and red were the sun, green the plants, and blue the sky and water. These colors and elements combined all equal life. The story was about life, marriage, and birth.
I also enjoyed the surrealist elements in the narrative. How people would fade in and out of the picture. How the uncle teaching the children of color pointed at a color and then took the color in his hands. And how the old woman spoke and touched Gabbeh in one shot, then in a subsequent shot the woman still spoke but was speaking to no one.
On a side note: parts of the film reminded me of films by Alejandro Jodorowsky like wandering through the desert and the goat giving birth; the strange, bizarre, and gross elements, mixed with the surrealist narrative of "Gabbeh" reminded me of "El Topo".
I also enjoyed the surrealist elements in the narrative. How people would fade in and out of the picture. How the uncle teaching the children of color pointed at a color and then took the color in his hands. And how the old woman spoke and touched Gabbeh in one shot, then in a subsequent shot the woman still spoke but was speaking to no one.
On a side note: parts of the film reminded me of films by Alejandro Jodorowsky like wandering through the desert and the goat giving birth; the strange, bizarre, and gross elements, mixed with the surrealist narrative of "Gabbeh" reminded me of "El Topo".
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Response for 9-9
2. What were the general restrictions of the “Rule of Modesty”? How does this relate to some of the stylistic decisions we saw in A Moment of Innocence? How did this lead to problems of realism for Iranian audiences when watching domestic interior scenes?
Women had to be veiled at all times and men and women could not make eye contact. In A Moment of Innocence the young cop and the young woman can’t make eye contact when they speak. The young woman covers her gaze and looks in a perpendicular direction as the young cop. Also, when the cop and young cop go to get a uniform the tailor is constantly yelling off-screen at someone to help out the two gentlemen. The “Rule of Modesty” is unrealistic to Iranian audiences in terms of interior scenes because in reality women do not veil themselves in interior spaces like their home, or in front of related men like their husbands. In film, women must veil themselves because the audience is watching the people on screen.
6. According to Mottahedeh, what function does the spectacle of color serve in Makhmalbaf’s Gabbeh, and how does this relate to the codes of realism and linear narrative?
Color in Gabbeh disrupts the temporal and spatial continuity of the film. Temporal and spatial continuity is the backbone of conventional narrative filmmaking. The color does not attempt to make the film appear more real, but it gives a new perspective on how to find truth in film other than through the conventional realistic narrative methods.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Response to "A Moment of Innocence"
Personally I love the film because of the editing. A scene is shown from one perspective and then from another and the audience must reevaluate their understanding of the previous scene. For example, one scene follows the cop and the young actor playing the cop. During the scene a young woman interrupts the cop and the actor from rehearsing the incident by asking what time it is. Later, in the next scene following Makhmalbaf and his young actor, the two find a young woman to play the role of the woman who distracted the cop on the day of the incident. They choose to use the young actor Makhmalbaf's cousin. The two young people walk through the streets and then separate. The young woman wants to know what time it is and asks around. Eventually she passes a young man in uniform and asks for the time. This moment is a repeated moment in the film but is arrived at in two different ways. What seemed insignificant in the first scene was the culmination of the second.
I also liked the comedic aspect of the film with people arguing. For example, the girl (Makhmalbaf's niece) and her mother (Makhmalbaf's cousin) about not being allowed to act in the film and having to remain indoors. The arguing made the film more relatable because it shows people displaying their frustrations and how they deal with them. And to some extent hearing and argument it comedic, that's why people watch Jerry Springer.
I also liked the comedic aspect of the film with people arguing. For example, the girl (Makhmalbaf's niece) and her mother (Makhmalbaf's cousin) about not being allowed to act in the film and having to remain indoors. The arguing made the film more relatable because it shows people displaying their frustrations and how they deal with them. And to some extent hearing and argument it comedic, that's why people watch Jerry Springer.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Response for 8-31
2. What function does repetition of locations serve both within individual films and between films? What does Bransford mean by “visual rhymes” (what is the analogy with poetry)?
The repetition of locations is to help establish an association between places and ideas. The visual rhyme is the use of a location through its repeated use to create an association with an idea.
3. According to Bransford, why does Kiarostami stage most of his action outdoors? How does this affect Kiarostami’s visual style (mise-en-scene and cinematography)?
7. What were some of the key changes in the second phase of his filmmaking career (1986-1988)?
9. Why does Dabashi constantly use the term “sur / real” to describe Makhmalbaf’s work, particularly in the discussion of A Moment of Innocence, Gabbeh, and The Silence?
His films are seen both as realist and surrealist. He uses both actors and non-actors in roles in his films.
10. How does Dabashi position Makhmalbaf’s work in relation to discourses about colonialism?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Response for 8-24
Q: 1. What are the 5 areas in which art cinema generally distinguishes itself from Hollywood Cinema?
A:
· cinematic aesthetics and practices
· shows social and psychological realism
· disturb classic realist narrative codes and conventions, as well as temporal and spatial constructions
· display formal innovations
· affirm certain directors as auteurs
Q: 2. How does Tay suggest that Kiarostami’s reception in the West relates to these 5 areas?
A: Kiarostami is seen, in the West, as an art cinema director because he often addresses cinema aesthetics and practices, questions realism, and displays social issues in his films.
Q: 3. What was Ayatollah Khomeini’s attitude towards the cinema?
A: He was against cinema.
Q: 6. What was the significance of cutting the soundtrack during the school prayer in Homework?
A: Cutting the soundtrack allows the audience the no longer be distracted by the context of the event taking place and directs the attention to the behavior of children being children.
Q: 11. Write a 50 word (or more, of course) response to the excerpt of Homework screened on Wednesday.
A: I thought the film was interesting because it shows how the relationship between children and schoolwork is universal: they don’t want to do it. Children would rather be children and play and tease and wrestle. But the film also showed and insight in to Iranian schools where children are segregated by gender; no girls were seen.
Stylistically I found it interesting how Kiarostami would show an insert shot of the camera and cameraman while the children were interviewed. This was very peculiar to me because he would draw attention to the filming itself. However, I realized it could also be a tool used in the editing of the film to bridge a hole in the dialogue of the interviewed children. Kiarostami could use J and L cuts with the insert of the cameraman filming to bridge the dialogue and not show a jump cut of the children speaking.
Ex: Visual Child answers question > Cameraman > Child continuing to answer question
Dialogue Child answers question > * > Child continues to answer question
Where the > are cuts and * is a cut of unwanted dialogue and the two answers are spliced together seamlessly.
A:
· cinematic aesthetics and practices
· shows social and psychological realism
· disturb classic realist narrative codes and conventions, as well as temporal and spatial constructions
· display formal innovations
· affirm certain directors as auteurs
Q: 2. How does Tay suggest that Kiarostami’s reception in the West relates to these 5 areas?
A: Kiarostami is seen, in the West, as an art cinema director because he often addresses cinema aesthetics and practices, questions realism, and displays social issues in his films.
Q: 3. What was Ayatollah Khomeini’s attitude towards the cinema?
A: He was against cinema.
Q: 6. What was the significance of cutting the soundtrack during the school prayer in Homework?
A: Cutting the soundtrack allows the audience the no longer be distracted by the context of the event taking place and directs the attention to the behavior of children being children.
Q: 11. Write a 50 word (or more, of course) response to the excerpt of Homework screened on Wednesday.
A: I thought the film was interesting because it shows how the relationship between children and schoolwork is universal: they don’t want to do it. Children would rather be children and play and tease and wrestle. But the film also showed and insight in to Iranian schools where children are segregated by gender; no girls were seen.
Stylistically I found it interesting how Kiarostami would show an insert shot of the camera and cameraman while the children were interviewed. This was very peculiar to me because he would draw attention to the filming itself. However, I realized it could also be a tool used in the editing of the film to bridge a hole in the dialogue of the interviewed children. Kiarostami could use J and L cuts with the insert of the cameraman filming to bridge the dialogue and not show a jump cut of the children speaking.
Ex: Visual Child answers question > Cameraman > Child continuing to answer question
Dialogue Child answers question > * > Child continues to answer question
Where the > are cuts and * is a cut of unwanted dialogue and the two answers are spliced together seamlessly.
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