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"Shaft", 2006.
Analyzes the cultural popularity of this 1971 movie directed by Gordon Parks.
1,230 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 4 sources, APA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
In 1971, a new type of movie hero appeared on the screen. "Shaft" was the first Hollywood production that capitalized on a growing black audience who had demonstrated their box office clout with a strong response to Van Peebles's "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song". The paper questions whether the main character, John Shaft, was just another iteration of the 'big, bad black buck' or whether he constituted a new black persona.
From the Paper
"To understand the cultural context of a Black superhero, it's important to appreciate the political climate of the time. Black Power and Black Nationalism were political movements expressing a new racial consciousness among blacks in the United States in the late 1960s. Black Power represented both a logical outcome of the decade's civil rights movement and an impatient reaction to persisting racism that continued to resist the efforts of black activists during the early 1960s. Black Power was influential mainly in the late 1960s. Black Power meant different things to different people."
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"The Scent of a Woman", 2006.
An analysis of the film, "The Scent of a Woman", starring Al Pacino and Chris O'Donnel.
1,485 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 0 sources, $ 49.95
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Abstract
This paper summarizes and analyzes the storyline and the main characters in the film "The Scent of a Woman". The paper explains that the film, while initially appearing as if it dehumanizes the disabled Slade (played by Al Pacino), in the end the film actually objectifies and humanizes Slade.
From the Paper
"Charlie Simms (Chris O'Donnell) is a scholarship student at a prestigious preparatory school. In order to earn money for a plane ticket home at Christmas break, Charlie answers a listing posted on the school' s job board. It is an appealing position: care for a family member over the Thanksgiving weekend. Unfortunately, that family member turns out to be Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino), who is angry, often unkind, and even more often self- destructive. He is also blind. This is where Slade seems to be dehumanized. He appears to be saying the blind are angry and bitter. Howver, it is also obvious he is depressed, and that depression makes him seem human. It may not be politically correct to say so, but a disability, especially to a man like Lt. Col. Slade, can cause depression. This is not dehumanizing, but realistic. It is not saying all disabled people are depressed, it just acknowledges depression exists."
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Freud and Bandura "Analyze This", 2006.
A modern take on Sigmund Freud and Albert Bandura's differing theories of behavioral patterns. The author uses their beliefs to examine the main character in the movie "Analyze This".
889 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 0 sources, $ 31.95
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Abstract
The author seeks to show how Sigmund Freud's personality theory and Albert Bandura's competing theory can help shed light on contemporary theater, including the 1999 film "Analyze This", about Paul Vitti, a mob figure who experiences guilt over "whacking" his enemies. The writer believes that while Freud would contend that Paul Vitti's ID and ego have taken over his life, Bandura would insist that the internal and external are heavily interrelated, and inextricable from one another.
From the Paper
"Freud would remark that Paul Vitti's id and ego have taken over, and his superego is dormant. His actions are largely, if not completely, devoid of ethical considerations. Murder, beatings and extortion are part of Paul Vitti's day. However, the more sympathetic Bandura would offer that Paul Vitti's behavior is learned, since as mob boss, we infer that he grew up with the mob."
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"Girl Interrupted", 2005.
This paper discusses the issues of art and reality in the mental health film "Girl Interrupted", based on the book by Susanna Kaysen and directed by James Mangold.
2,070 words (approx. 8.3 pages), 0 sources, $ 65.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, from a reality point of view, "Girl Interrupted" is true in the sense of not making the mentally-ill post-adolescent girl a babbling idiot, even though there are some scenes of screaming and tantrums. The author points out that the "art" of the film is seen in the lighting and camera placement, which sets the mood and an outstanding "supporting" performance by Vanessa Redgrave, as the head doctor of the mental hospital. The paper concludes that there are moments of starkness and quiet subtlety in this film, which not only wakes it "watchable" but also makes one want to see it again to catch some nuance that may have been missed the first time.
From the Paper
"Art, of course, is always in the eye of the beholder. But, "Girl Interrupted" presents Art (with a capital A) to an audience for whom the art of cinematography and all the technical aspects of it, mean relatively little. In this film, the intended audience can be caught up in the emotions, clearly visible with a lot of very tough close-ups, and, finally, how it is possible to come to terms with oneself and go on into life, even if it is not "normal" according to society. It is also a strength of the movie that it is not preachy and that the "adult" characters are really only a sort of signpost on the way to potential recovery."
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"West Side Story", 2006.
An discussion of the social impact of the 1961 movie "West Side Story".
2,301 words (approx. 9.2 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 71.95
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Abstract
By discussing the social and economic situation in America in the late 1950s and early 1960s, this paper explores how "West Side Story" impacted American society. The paper explains how the class structure and economic situation of the movie are a clear indication of the America of the time. The paper explains that because the movie rang so close to home for so many people, it was one of the most popular movies of all times.
From the Paper
"Thus, whether one agrees or disagrees with the feminist viewpoints of the latter reviewer, the positive review of the work "West Side Story," stands in stark contrast to the negative reviews of the two male reviewers. Furthermore, her review is much more in line with the reviews of both the Broadway play and the movie adaptation of the story at the time of its release. And, these reviews, both old and new emphasize the entertainment value of the movie and discount heavily any truly significant tie in with social, cultural, or political views modern day teachers attempt to force upon this magnificent work of art."
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?Mr. Deeds Goes to Town? and ?When Harry Met Sally?, 2006.
A review and comparison of the movies "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" and "When Harry Met Sally".
1,950 words (approx. 7.8 pages), 0 sources, $ 62.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews the 1936 film "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" and the 1989 movie "When Harry Met Sally", examining their historical, contextual and social significance. As the author says, the classic film and the contemporary blockbuster may appear to have little in common. However, the paper shows that both movies relate to feelings of worthlessness that result from the inability to fulfill societal expectations and adhere to cultural norms during particular eras in history.
From the Paper
"In the time of The Great Depression, when "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" was released, men spiraled into despair, some to the point of committing suicide, because the stock market crash left them unable to fulfill their historical role as a family provider. Comparably, in the modern age of "When Harry Met Sally" both men and women often feel worthless and dejected because they are unable to fulfill their contemporary role as spouse/parent/successful career-person. In both cases, these issues are presented through characters that embody these doleful emotions in a way that anyone who has ever experienced them can soulfully relate."
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History in "Daughters of the Dust", 2006.
A summary and analysis of the film "Daughters of the Dust".
940 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper describes this film about black families that have lived in virtual isolation for generations on a small, coastal island of the coast of Carolina called Edo Island. The paper explains that the film, "Daughters of the Dust", examines how memory keeps the lessons of the past alive and provides a sense of continuity and community for the family.
From the Paper
"The time frame is revealed through the clothing worn by both men and women, and there is reference in the dialogue about Theodore Roosevelt. At the movie's opening the date is specified as 1902, but the story is not linear and is told in flashback, and it is necessary to reinforce the time frame visually as well as verbally."
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Regulation and Censorship in the Film Industry, 2006.
Examines the history of regulation and censorship of the film industry in America and the reasons many in society wanted the industry regulated.
5,107 words (approx. 20.4 pages), 11 sources, MLA, $ 128.95
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Abstract
Through an examination of the history of film in America, this paper looks at the censorship and regulation of the film industry and argues that the need for regulation was forced upon the industry (and still is, in a way) for no other reason than that conservative elements of America felt that what the average American could see should be censored. The paper further argues that this regulation was not merely to prevent bawdiness, lewdness, or unsuitable physical actions that stimulated sexual feelings, but also to regulate the politicization of the movies.
From the Paper
"Following the end of the War, while many film makers now turned to a rather "new" sophistication, there was also a very serious anti-Communist note in some movies. While the real "Red Scare" occurred in the 1950s, in 1919, for example, there was real concern that the newly Communist Russia might actually invade the U.S. "Conservative films such as The New Moon (1919) disparaged communists and communism with scenes of perfidious Bolshevik officers attacking vulnerable young women....In The Penalty...audiences saw 10,00 disgruntled foreign workers, armed with rifles and pistols, waiting to open fire on police and take over the city of San Francisco." (Ross 136). Politicians applauded these films, even though they often misrepresented actual events. This included several truly anti-Semitic films, which, under extreme political pressure, were forced to change character names and some dialogue. "Pressure from the Yiddish press and Governor Al Smith forced the producers of The Volcano to alter its blatantly anti-Semitic plot. The hero's name was changed from Garland to Nathan Levison and the hook-nosed villain was given the line: 'I am not Jew. I am a Bolshevik.!'" (Ross 141)."
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"The Good Woman of Bangkok", 2006.
A detailed analysis of the 1991 Dennis O'Rourke film "The Good Woman of Bangkok".
3,900 words (approx. 15.6 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 106.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the controversial film "The Good Woman of Bangkok", directed by Dennis O'Rourke. Most of the reviews of the film were negative, which the author explains is understandable given the controversial subject matter of the film. In the film, O'Rourke plays a "fictional" filmmaker who comes to Bangkok after his divorce, and then sets out to have sex -- and film it -- with one of the prostitutes who cater to the foreign market. The paper investigates the motivations and actions of the characters, and then considers the various reviews and public responses to this movie. The author also attempts to understand O'Rourke's intention in directing the film and to present his subject honestly.
From the Paper
"The first major problem with the presentation of the prostitute Aoi is the "reward" she is being offered for her appearance in the film. The filmmaker offers to buy her a rice farm. This might be seen as just another act of prostitution. Aoi gives the filmmaker what he wants in exchange for compensation. This, along with the documentary conventions of nights with a hand-held camera in bars and the attempted elicitation of the cool and ambiguous Aoi, contributes to an effect of what Cynthia Fuchs (2002) calls the film's "lumpy moralizing". Fuchs continues her harsh judment of the film by claiming that the filmmaker used his film and his stated purpose for the film simply as a screen for gratuitous sex."
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"Field of Dreams", 2006.
A review of Phil Alden Robinson's film, "Field of dreams".
1,735 words (approx. 6.9 pages), 0 sources, $ 56.95
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Abstract
This paper gives an analysis of how the various characters in the movie "Field of Dreams", view reality, dreams and life. It also addresses the overall philosophical statement in the film. In conclusion it explores the strengths and weaknesses of the fore-mentioned statement.
From the Paper
"Ray and Annie's daughter, Karen, fully embraces her fathers dream, representing the innocence of a child's ability to see no real demarcation line between dream and reality, between dream and life. To Karen, everything is real. As a counterweight Annie's brother Mark, and to a lesser extent her mother and sister-in-law, are the empirical and jaded realists, to whom life holds no place for dream, probably not even in sleep. While Mark laughs at Ray's dream and tries to assimilate him back into the mainstream, Karen leads Ray to his ghosts - she is the first to see shoeless Joe Jackson, guiding her father to his manifestation."
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"Run Silent, Run Deep", 2006.
A review of the 1950s film "Run Silent, Run Deep"
750 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 0 sources, $ 26.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews the film "Run Silent, Run Deep", produced 13 years after the end of the Second World War and starring some of the premier actors of the time. The author gives the film high praise, calling it an intense human drama of ego and duty. According to the author, the film avoids pandering to Cold War stereotypes, instead examining how in the midst of horrific conflict, the line between the ego and duty can easily become blurred.
From the Paper
"Run Silent, Run Deep brilliantly captures the claustrophobic and tension-ridden atmosphere of a submarine at war. Made in 1958, it's a fast paced and thoroughly engaging wartime drama that stars some of the preeminent actors of the day: Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster. Alongside the two leading men is an excellent ensemble cast that includes Don Rickles and Jack Warden."
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Dracula: Stoker, Browning and Coppola, 2006.
This paper analyzes two "Dracula" movies, the one made in 1931 by Todd Browning and the other produced in 1992 by Francis Ford Coppola.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 45.95
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Abstract
The author compares and contrasts two versions of the movie "Dracula"; one from 1931, and one from 1992. The paper focuses on two factors, which the author maintains determined the filming direction -- the expectations and sophistication of the movie audience and the time in which the film was made.
From the Paper
"The lower classes had Jack the Ripper. The Victorian Upper and bourgeois class had Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'. The original intent of Stoker, to bring out the hidden lust of Victorian women, who did not have the sexual outlets their men did, was lost in Todd Browning's 1931 version, which was truly a 'horror' movie. As to the Coppola 1992 version, '...although hardly 100% accurate to the book, this is the most ambitious...' ((Reel.com, p. 1)"
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How Television and Society Shape Each Other, 2006.
A discussion of whether television is the cause or the effect of the way society is shaped.
3,224 words (approx. 12.9 pages), 14 sources, MLA, $ 92.95
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Abstract
The paper analyzes the effects of television shows on society. The writer discusses things such as whether violence on television causes violence in society or vice versa. The paper discusses parental control when television shows have adult content and/or violence. In conclusion, the writer states that television is "today's art" and quotes the phrase that "art imitates life".
From the Paper
"The quintessential example of a popular television series that was affected by the time in which it was produced is the 1970's sitcom, "All in the Family." The show affected the public in various ways, too, and as a result it has been the topic of thousands of articles, letters, speeches, and sermons. Specifically, "All in the Family" blazed a brave path into television's future. It changed people, and touched people, by making them laugh, making them angry, and mostly, making them talk about the issues that reflected their own lives."
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"Mr Smith Goes to Washington", 2006.
A discussion of the directoring skills of Frank Capra in his 1939 movie "Mr Smith Goes to Washington".
1,751 words (approx. 7.0 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 56.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the directoring history of Frank Capra, a classic movie director in the 1920s and 1930s. It looks at criticism of Capra's style, but also how his unique genre of 'feel-good' movies was widely accepted by the masses. The paper focuses on his movie "Mr Smith Goes to Washington".
From the Paper
"Frank Capra has been dismissed as a movie director because his films are too feel-good. The plots which he favored were, to use his phrase as quoted in Daniel D. Fineman's article on Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, "'Capra-corny'" (1130). This remark shows that Capra took pleasure in his image of being a director of sentimental films. His films, however, as more than mere sentimental sappiness. One reason for this is the superb acting he coaxed from the cast of his movies. But there is another reason, as well, as to why Capra's films avoid being mere maudlin: there is an element of social criticism in them. This is particularly true for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Although the storyline certainly is sentimental, and there is the predictable happy ending of the honest David triumphing over the corrupt Goliath, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is an indictment of the Goliath that was twentieth-century politics, complete with its political machines involved in graft."
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Olympic Games Documentary Films, 2005.
This paper contrasts the 1936 Olympic Games documentary film by Leni Riefenstahl and the 1964 Olympic Games documentary film by Ton Ichikawa.
1,375 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 0 sources, $ 45.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that that Leni Riefenstahl's film of the 1936 Olympic documentary is propaganda, focusing more on German and German-sympathetic athletes and the ambiance of the Berlin stadium, seen in its new Nazi grandeur; whereas, in the most stunning photography, Ton Ichikawa's film of the 1964 Tokyo Olympiad is a salute of the exertion of the athletes regardless of race, nationality or ethnic background. The author points out that "Tokyo Olympiad 1964" is not a "sports documentary" in the traditional sense of showing races, winners and celebrating crowds but rather a technically and emotionally gripping documentary about the effort of preparation and the Olympic spirit. The paper concludes that, in a sense, this film is just as much a propaganda piece about Japan's new maturity as was Olympia 1936 but in a way that the glorification politics do not interfere with the presentation of the athletics.
From the Paper
"There is no real story line easy to follow, even though this nearly three-hour film opens with buildings being demolished to make way for the Olympic stadiums and arenas, and training areas as well as housing. As we see this, there is a voice-over which gives the other previous Olympic locations and dates. One of the next scenes is the obligatory Olympic documentary one of the torch reaching Japan, and the following thew various runners in the countryside, running to bring the torch to Tokyo and its new Olympic stadium. For Americans, the win of the Native American, Billy Mills, in the 10,000 meter race is a highlight. But, interestingly enough, the camera stays at the finish line until every racer has finished. There is also a somewhat poignant story line about the single athlete from Chad, who shares no common language with any other athlete, and trains alone. When he loses in the semi-final heat, Ahmed Isa is ignored by the crowd, but not Ichikawa. Here is loneliness amid the shouts of tens of thousands."
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Styles of Documentary Films, 2005.
This paper defines styles of documentary films as exemplified by Robert Flaherty's "Nanook of the North", Albert and David Maysles' "Grey Gardens", Errol Morris' "The Thin Blue Line" and Kidlat Tahimik's "Perfumed Nightmare" ("Mababangong Bangungot").
855 words (approx. 3.4 pages), 0 sources, $ 30.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Robert Flaherty's "Nanook of the North" and Albert and David Maysles' "Grey Gardens" are examples of the evidential style of documentary film, a sort of cinema verite, or truth-cinema, which attempts to portray reality through the lens of the camera, objectively and truthfully, with no commentary or underlying message. The author points out that Errol Morris in his documentary "The Thin Blue Line" uses a rhetorical style, in which the filmmaker has no intention of remaining objective to the subject matter and often features the filmmaker as a primary character or narrator, and, in contrast to evidential documentaries, often employs the use of dramatization, staged scenes and direct interviews for the purpose of convincing the audience of the truth of the film's message. The paper relates that rhetorical and evidential documentary techniques are not completely mutually exclusive as presented in Kidlat Tahimik's "Perfumed Nightmare" ("Mababangong Bangungot"), which blends dramatization and filmmaker interaction with objective, removed footage of unstaged events in real life.
From the Paper
"The Maysles brothers did not feel the need to stage scenes or use interviews to glean the information they were looking for, because that information was simply a glimpse into the real lives of the two women. This was achieved nicely in the film, which used a "hands-off" technique to capture the way life really was for the Beales. "Grey Gardens" does such a successful job of portraying reality that at times in the film when one or the other of the subjects is looking or speaking directly at the camera, the audience gets the impression that she is addressing a wall."
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Japan's Film Industry, 2006.
A paper discussing the history of the Japanese film industry.
3,515 words (approx. 14.1 pages), 12 sources, MLA, $ 98.95
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Abstract
This paper traces the history of the Japanese film industry beginning with its early success and subsequent failure in the face of competition from American films. The paper looks at famous Japanese film directors and their films and describes the techniques and styles used by the directors as well as their impact on the Japanese film industry. The paper also looks at more recent films produced by Japan's film industry that have received accolades and financial success in the Japanese and Western markets.
From the Paper
"Although Japan is the world's second biggest movie market, analysts in film and business claim that the country's film industry is dying or dead. In the early 1960s, nearly two-thirds of the films that were popular in Japan were made in that country, while today the same percentage of films that are showing in Japan are made overseas. [1] Critics claim that the industry is not commercial enough to appeal to a broader range of viewers outside of Japan. Critics also claim that television and video games have ruined the Japanese love for their cinema, whose history is more than a century old."
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Martin Scorcese?s film "Gangs of New York", 2005.
This paper discusses Martin Scorcese's film "Gangs of New York", a drama, opening in 1846, depicting violent incivility in the Five Points area of New York City.
1,490 words (approx. 6.0 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 49.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Martin Scorcese's film "Gangs of New York", a drama depicting America as a political community, represents three potentially discordant elements in Americans' souls: Social passions directed toward one's own group, rational concern for the common good and rational submission to a common law. The author describes the opening of the in 1846 in New York City's infamous Five Points district as two rival gangs, the Natives and the Irish Catholics, organize to scuffle; there is speechifying on both sides, which gives the event a strangely formal tone and then suddenly the screen erupts in an orgy of blood and screams, which dramatizes the chaos beneath the orderly surface. The paper relates that the conflation of distinct time periods in the film is confusing as it jumps between the Irish famine migration, a decade later during the Civil War when Irish immigrants, sanitary reformers battling cholera and--most outrageous--the competing political parties of the Democrats and the anti-immigrant Know-Nothings plus a central plot thread involving the politically powerful William Marcy Tweed and his Tammany Hall cronies.
From the Paper
"In the film, the narrative of Amsterdam's vendetta against Bill--and of ethnic strife in 1860s Manhattan--is constituted deeply by the past. Accordingly, the film shows a prelude, a rumble in the Five Points in 1846. However, this struggle is portray in primordial imagery that suggests a time almost beyond any recognized era. The Dead Rabbits and other Irish gangs--commanded by Amsterdam's father, "Priest" Vallon--and their native counterparts--led by Bill "the Butcher"--wield crude weapons (clubs, axes) and fight in an bare field between shacks and dilapidated buildings. The battle appears not only before civilization but also for it. Bill declares, "On my challenge, by the ancient laws of combat, we are met at this chosen ground to settle for good and all who holds influence over the Five Points--us natives, born right wise to this fine land, or the foreign hordes defiling it." A sense of divine mission on the part of both natives and immigrants powerfully highlight the spirited and primal character of the struggle."
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"Dances With Wolves" and the Social Penetration Theory, 2005.
This paper uses the social penetration theory to analyze "Dances With Wolves", the novel written by Michael Blake and the film directed by Kevin Costner.
1,540 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor's social penetration theory suggests as relationships grow deeper as self-disclosure deepens and uses social exchange theory, also called the game theory, to analyze the cost-reward balance of these self-disclosures. The author points out that "Dancing With Wolves" provides excellent examples of how totally different cultures can both attract and repel one another, how friendships and trust are formed by deeds not just words and how different intersecting strata of social and cultural lives either repel or attract one another. The paper relates that it teaches that the differences among people tend to be created without truly being aware of one another and can be resolved as those "onion skin" layers are removed revealing our true inner personalities.
From the Paper
"There are many examples of initial encounters in "Dances With Wolves", and the manner of the meeting does not always provide the result of closeness, of course. What makes the novel so fascinating is the contact, verbal and non-verbal that links the white man with the Comanche, and prepares him for a life he had never known or understood before. Was it simply loneliness or necessity that brought these encounters to fruition? Is social penetration merely a theory that evolves as social circumstances change? Are we different, socially, today, than were the people in the post-Civil War era covered by this novel?"
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