The Godfather

             The Godfather was Nominated for 11 Oscars and won three.  Marlon Brando won best actor and that is not surprising.  He plays his character as a soft spoken but extremely serious man who stands by what he believes.  Despite the fact that he threatens to kill people and has in the past, we as the viewer still root for him and his family.  When the family is betrayed or being attacked you can't wait for them to exact their revenge.  It is as if some attacked your own family.  They kill and murder and beat up, but they always have a reason to and you always stand by them even though it is all illegal.  This was Francis Ford Coppola's first successful film.  You can clearly see his grandiose style apparent in this movie.  I believe the most obvious of these examples is when Michael Corleone is at the baptism and is denying satin as his men go out and kill rival gang members.  The movie is long but the time is used well and the movie never feels rushed. 
            This article explain how in an interview Al Pacino explains that Coppola did not want him for the film.  Coppola wanted to fire Pacino but Marlon Brando kept him on.  Pacino said that Brando was good to him and sensitive.  I think that this relates the character of Don Vito Corleone, to Marlon Brando.  Don Vito Corleone valued friendship and loyalty.  Brando displayed this in keeping Al Pacino in the movie.  I have heard that Marlon Brando is a difficult person but it is good to see that he cared for Pacino and his career.  Maybe Don Vito Corleone had a little bit of an impact on Marlon Brando.       
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1336468/Al-Pacino-reveals-Marlon-Brando-kept-The-Godfather-Francis-Ford-Coppola-wanted-sack-him.html
            I really enjoyed the Godfather.  I really like gangster movies because they plots are always about respect and how to keep it.  I feel that nowadays there is little respect around and that these movies show the one good thing that Italian American gangsters did.  This film encompasses just about everything that the gangs had to deal with: drugs, money, politics, and each other.  The cinematography, acting and plot filled the length of the movie perfectly.  This was clearly Coppola's first big hit, and he had more to come.  I think his style is clear, the content is real.  All of the scenes whith eating prove that this film had an aspect of realness.  I also felt that the lighting was more real.  There was light coming in from windows and also natural light.  The Boondock Saints movies remind me of the godfather.  There is killing and breaking the law but you still like the people doing it.  As long as they are not hurting you, you will like the Corleone family.       




CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM
1) (x) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) (x) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) (x) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) (x) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) (x) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) (x) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) (x) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) (x) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.   

Casablanca

             Casablanca is ranked #3 on AFI top 100 movies.  This is no surprise after watching the film.  The movie made the top three, but Humphry Bogart, the lead actor, is ranked number one.  As we discussed in class the movie has a perfect balance of comedy, romance, and drama.  Humphry Bogart plays all of those perfectly.  Ingred Bergman is ranked #3 by AFI, between Bogart and Bergman the film didn't need much more.  When you first meet the two characters they are frustrated with the fact that they are meeting each other again.  There is a flashback and their chemistry is completely different.  Their mood was much brighter and their acting abilities were clearly displayed between the present and the flashbacks.
             This article was published on November 27th, 1942.  The cast is described as a "top-notch thriller cast" and that the film was " capped...magnificently with Ingred Bergman.  The author could not say enough positive things about the film, it's characters, and it's story.  The article goes on to describe how the "tough" rick still feel s for his love that he met in Paris that has now come back into his life.  After seeing her his "irresistible feeling consumes him in a choking, maddening wave."  The author compliments all of the actors but especially Humphry Bogart and Ingred Bergman.  This relates back to what we talked about in class with their acting ability.  Humphry Bogart was nominated for best actor and Claude Rains was nominated for best supporting actor.  Clearly the actors were, and always will be know as incredible actors and actresses.  All of the plot lines were also discussed in the article, such as, humor, drama, and romance.  My view is only solidified that this film is a wonderful classic.      
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/casablanca-re.html
            This film has a classic plot of wartime romance and the perfect cast.  Everything I hear about the movie is always positive.  Weather it is about the cast, the plot, or the script, people can always find something to love about Casablanca.  Because love and war will always be around and always have been, this movie will still be watched for many more decades.  Even though the film did not do anything crazy like sweep the Oscars, it does not matter because it is and was recognized then as something special.   



CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM
1) ( x) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

The Graduate

            During our class period we talked about how there was a lot of humor involved in this movie.  I think that this film  had the perfect amount of drama and humor.  The humor never took away from the seriousness of the plot.  You were very  aware that Ben is seriously in a rock and a hard place.  The movie has good recurring jokes such as the scotch one.  I think the jokes were good but not uproarious, and that was good because it kept the movie in the exact spot it needed to be in.  I also definitely think that it embodies the the young people who graduate and really have no idea what to do. 

            The Graduate is a groundbreaking movie that follows a boy who is finding it difficult to adjust to life after college.  The themes of the movie also related to what was happening in Hollywood.  New younger directors were creating films.  The film was just as relatable then as it is now.  Both the older and younger audiences were part of the movie with the young soft Benn and Elaine and the older  harder Mrs. Robinson.  During the 60's American youth were growing tired of the rules and standards of their middle class parents.  The soundtrack of Simon and Garfunkel added to the mood and relatability of the movie to college students.  The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won best director.  Short-statured Jewish actor Dustin Hoffman was already cast as Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in The Producers.  He decided to bow out and took the role of bumbling graduate Benjamin Braddock.  In 2002 The Graduate went to Broadway.  This movie was definitely groundbreaking.  Usually when a movie doesn't get outdated decades after it is created, it is something special.  People could relate to the movie In 1967 and they still can now.  Weather they are a parent of a college student or a student themselves.  This article only supported the way I felt about the film.  I had already seen the film and liked it very much.   Ben is a very relatable character and will always be as long as young people have to make a step into adulthood. 
http://www.filmsite.org/grad.html

            Seeing that the director won an Academy Award for the film, it is obvious that The Graduate really is special.  The situation of Ben is not original but many college students feel and felt what he did.  It was something that everyone felt, but never actually talked about.  I think the film is simple, but gets very outrageous with the affair and the marriage.  The affair and the wedding crash took the film away from just a bored kid who is confused and made the movie very exciting.  The viewer could be anxious with Ben as he tries to keep his secret and his love, Elaine.  The movie was so simple with Ben's confusion, and so unique with his affair and love life.  That is why The Graduate is such and excellent film.    

            

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) (  x) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) (  x) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) (  x) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) (  x) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) (  x) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) (  x) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) (  x) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Citizen Kane

           In Citizen Kane, as we discussed in class, the shots in the movie showed a lot of depth.  I noticed that many shots did have a lot of depth, and I feel like that added to the movie a lot.  I think it added a lot of room to the shots and I never felt like a shot had too much action or was cramped.  Almost every shot Incorporated more than just the main characters of that scene.  Some shots showed things through windows or even the ceiling of a room.  I also liked how shots panned extremely long distances.  The very first shot, and the very last shot of Kane's mansion I liked very much.  In one shot you could see much more than even in an extreme long shot.  The depth made it very easy to watch and enjoy.
           Citizen Kane was directed, produced, and co-written by Orson Welles, he also played the lead role.  Citizen Kane proved to be his most important and influential film, it was a drama loosely based off of the life of William Randolph Hearst.  Citizen Kane is frequently cited as the best American film in history.  Foster Kane dies in his massive Florida estate uttering he last words, "Rosebud."  Reporter Jerry Thompson tries to uncover the meaning of his final words.  While the reporter interviews Kane's friends and family the viewer learns of Kane's accomplishments and pitfalls of his fantastic life.  Everything goes downhill when he runs for office and his opponent reveals that Kane is having an affair with a vocalist.  After forcing his now wife (Susan Alexander the vocalist) to be an opera signer he begins filling his massive estate called Xanadu with statues and novelties.  The only award that this film received was best original screenplay due to its controversy with William Randolph Hearst. 
           This article supported what I knew about the article.  We learned in class how Orson Welles based the film on William Randolph Hearst's like.  That it also did not receive very much recognition when it was first released and was almost destroyed.  I think it is awesome how Orson Welles can create such a fantastic movie and still play a main character. 
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/citizen_kane/
            I think that the cinematography of this movie was very well done.  I think that and movie director can learn from this movie.  Every shot was planned and done perfectly.  Every object located in each shot was put there intentionally and played a part in that scene.  Not only were the people involved, but the props also played an important role.  This movie was very easy to watch due to the planning of shots.  Every direcor can take lessons from this movie in order to learn how to set up every scene to make it count.
   
1) (x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______________________________________ Date: ____________________________

Gone With the Wind

The movie gone with the wind reflected what happened in the south in an historically correct manner.  It showed how the Northern forces destroyed everything they could, and how during a war there are less laws.  The northern military men disrespected the southerners after the war was over and Scarlett had to cope with the dramatic changes to her formerly posh lifestyle.  Clark Gable's role in this movie was different from his role in "It Happened one Night."  He was much more successful monetarily, and with women in "Gone With the Wind".  He still went after a particular female in both movies, but socially he was very different.

Many people assume that at least some of "Gone With the Wind" was filmed in Georgia.  Nearly the entire movie was filmed in what was then the Selznick International Studios.  The studio was built by D.W Griffith in 1916, but changed hands many times over the years.  In the very first scene of the movie where "Atlanta" is burning, you can see the giant gates of skull Island from "King Kong."  The movie was shot from Bush Gardens in Pasadena, to Bear Lake in San Bernardino, to even 80 miles north of Sacramento at Paradise Apple Orchard.  The House was based on a house in Louisiana while the plantation was based on the Boone Hall Plantation in South Carolina.  My viewing did not really change after reading the article.  I am impressed how the movie really captured the south and the plantation without ever literally capturing the south on film for the movie.  It was a very good representation without ever leaving California.  My opinion on the content of the movie did not change, but I am impressed. 
http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/g/gwtw.html

I did enjoy the movie "Gone With the Wind."  I think that despite how long it was it could still keep people interested.  The acting, the plot, and the cinematography never let the movie get boring.  The fact that it was never shot in Georgia is very interesting.  It is amazing how an entire movie is based upon an single area and that area was never filmed in once.  I did feel that towards the end they push the plot along too quickly.  After the movie only focused on Rhett and Scarlett every other scene faded in and out to later and later in the story.  Then the daughter died in a very short scene where it basically fades in, she dies and then fades out.  I do think that this movie is a good representation of what was happening then and really zeroed in on a single family and even a single character's struggle through it.  I think this movie is valuable in film history because it tells a believable love story that has everything you need. Cinematography, good acting, humor, drama, and all done on a grand scale.

Plagiarism Statement:  Attach this statement to the end of each journal assignment. CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) (x  ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) (x  ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) (x  ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) (x  ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) (x  ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) (x  ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ______________________________________  Date: ____________________________

Stagecoach

            During the class period it was mentioned how John Wayne was able to act very well with just his facial expressions.  Some characters in the movie were not happy about John Wayne  being in the stagecoach he was not welcome to talk much.  While in the stagecoach many times he was scorned at and all he could to was look at the people to communicate and it was very easy to read his facial expressions.  Also discused in class was how this western was the first serious western movie.  The movie had many adult themes.  The doctor was an alcoholic and another character stole from the local bank while some others were trying to find men to kill to satisy John Wayne's revenge.  There were serious fights and A woman that joined them had a child.  The characters had their chalenges were a constant in the movie and were concured throughout the movie.
           Stage Coach was based on a short story titled "Stage to Lodsburg" by Ernest Haycox.  The movie was filmed in Monument Valey.  The location was tough to get to because he only way to get there was to take a 20mile dirt road.  The location was near a reservation where unemployment was very high.  John Ford employed many Apaches and it helped them very much.  The entire Stagecoach movie was not filmed entirely at Monument Valey but the most striking monent were.  he movie was also filmed Southern California near Chatsworth and Calabasas.  The real journey of the movie was shot at Republic Studios in teh Goldwyn Studios were the interiors were filmed.  I definetly earned more respect for the crew and cast when I discovered that the film was shot in such a secluded and hard to get area.  I connot really imagine taking all the equipment required for a film 200 miles on a dirt road.http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/s/stagecoach.html
           I thought this movie was funny and the actions sequences were very good.  Because there were not many special effects then the stunt man played a big role.  As far as an actual star actor doing dangerous stunts that is not really seen today.  John Wayne did a few stunts and rode hanging out of a fast moving woden bouncy stagecoach.  I liked how when John Wayne was doing stunts you could actually see his face and knew that he was doing the stunt.  Now you would see a man with a bad wig from behind as he does the stars stunts. 

It Happened One Night

            In "It Happened One Night" the female lead, Elie, was trying to get away from her father.  She wanted to be independent and marry the man she wanted to.  When The lead male, Peter Warne, came along she did not want to be bossed around by him either.  We talked in class about how in screwball comedy there is a "war of the sexes."  This was very clear with Elie and Peter.  They argued about who was right and what was the right thing to do in a certain citation.  This competition was very clear when they grew tired of walking and attempted to hitchhike.  Peter had an entire system on how to stop a car and it was based on your facial expression and your hand gesture.  After Elie sarcastically put her faith in him, she showed him how to really do it.  She pulled up her skirt and the first car that passed screeched to a halt.
            The first "Bugs Bunny" cartoon was aired in 1940, six years after "It Happened One Night" came out.  Despite the fact Bugs Bunny was created six years after It Happened One Night, nobody had forgotten Clark Gable's performance in the hitchhiking scene.  It would have been very evident in 1940, as it is still today, that Bugs Bunny was imitating Clark.  Chuck Jone, the creator of Bugs Bunny, explained that the demeanor of the rabbit was based off of Clark Gable.  In the scene Clark Gable casually leans against a fence post and talks quickly while eating a carrot and doesn't stop to politely swallow.  Those who had seen Clark Gable in It Happened One Night, and the Bugs Bunny character, know that there is a clear relation between the two arrogant men. 
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/406400.html
            "It Happened One Night" is a perfect example of screwball comedy.  Peter and Elie struggle for power.  Peter tends to use physicality and Elie uses her wits and sarcasm.  The two argue and banter back and forth for most of the movie.  I enjoyed watching the movie and thought that Gable and Colbert's character portrayal was very funny.  Clark Gable was one of the cockiest characters I have seen in a movie.  I think that men and women can both love this movie because men want to be the confident man that Gable is, and women want to be the confident independent women that  Claudette Colbert is.  It is no surprise that the movie did so well in 1934 and still today.  Scenes of hitchhiking and wedding crashing due to love are now used today in film.  Nowadays women tend to show a little more skin to stop a car though.  In the award winning film "The Graduate" Dustan Hoffman crashes his loves wedding and they run of together and live happily also.  Frank Capra contributed a classic screwball comedy that can last for years and years.  Having swept the Oscars in 1934, that is proof that the is a great movie and everyone in it had an amazing performance.