COM126-History and Criticism of Film (HCC-Fall20)

 Jennifer Carlos Professor Sapphire COM126 11/6/20 The Ever-Evolving Neorealist Film      In the aftermath of wartime devastation, the Neorealist film movement began to develop in post World War II Italy which focused on the simple depiction of the everyday lives of the lower class. By frequently using non-professional actors, real locations, and a documentary visual style, directors have succeeded in this portrayal. As the human race evolved in its way of life, so don't the films change their portrayals of “real life”.       The Italian Neorealism film movement came to life as World War II ended, signaling a cultural change in Italy. This shift brought a more compassionate point of view to cinema, with emphasis on the value of ordinary people. These films were originally made to explore the conditions the poor were living in, and all of the hardships that came with living in a post-war country attempting to move on with life despite its Fascist p...

  Jamie Horton Hist. and Crit. of Film 10 December 2020 Identity is a daily struggle for all of us to maintain. In a way it's a performance to others, to ourselves, and to our favorite people. And the way we portray ourselves to each other and to those we love and care about can be difficult to maintain in times of stress and in hardship, causing pain, suffering, and even death. The films used in this topic each showcase the way that Identity and the self are used in everyday lives, and the consequences and troubles that It can cause, along with how it is used in everyday life.  Mean Streets, directed by Martin Scorsese and released in 1973, is a slice-of-life film about Charlie, a lower-echelon mafia member who goes out of his way to protect a reckless hoodlum named Johnny, and struggles to keep him out of as much trouble as he can. Charlie himself is deeply religious, yet struggles with his faith, as he sees his protection of Johnny as a way of clearing his conscience, and m...

 Mean Streets (1973) feels the most like a slice of life film than the other two films here. It’s very much an assimilationist work, as Scorcese was clearly influenced by the works of Italian realist filmmakers, and it’s evident from the start. He reworks this style into his own by injecting it with a louder, more stylized approach, but the frameworks of the classic pieces from the 1940s remains. The plot is loose, as it is in both Annie Hall and Do The Right Thing, but the scenes are strung together in a more meandering way. We’re introduced to characters and quickly get to know their distinct personalities and the way they play off of each other in their small circle. But there is very little in terms of a cohesive narrative structure. The film consists mainly of various conversations between the central characters as they inhabit different bars and nightclubs, with a central thread being the recluse Johnny Boy, and the attempts his closest friend Charlie makes to get him to pay...

Kathleen Brosnahan History and Criticism of Film Professor Saphire December 6th, 2020                In the seventies, post-war new American cinema was born, characterized by satire, assimilation, and dissidenism. Satire mocks and turns cinematic norms on its head, creating a characterture of the genres portrayed. Assimilation respectfully reinvents genres of the past and reinvents them in a fresh, new way. Dissidenism is in between satire and assimilation, and creatively challenges film norms, breaking the mould and expanding the genre they take on. Do The Right Thing, Annie Hall, and Mean Streets all tackle an element of new American cinema as well as delve into the identities of not only the minorities portrayed in the films, but the character of New York itself, showing it in unique and different lenses.                Do The Right Thing, directed by Spike Lee, highlights a sweltering summer's ...

Jade Cloud Professor Saphire COM 126.01 4 December 2020   Identity and Cinema             One of the most powerful aspects of filmmaking is its ability to bring an awareness of any underrepresented demographic to a wider audience. Like many artforms, the medium of film serves as a sharing or exchange of human experiences and identities, allowing viewers into the world of different communities in which they have no direct association with. It is no wonder several directors, including Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, and Spike Lee, have taken advantage of the infinite possibilities this medium has to offer, which resulted in these highly personal love letters to the city that shaped each of their existences. True to the dissident principle, these three films did open up the form in their own unique way. But perhaps, what they did not do, is stand the test of time. Ironically, in each of their attempts to depict the underreprese...

      In this topic we learned about how the editing of a movie can affect what we see on screen. We also learned about character identity along with the identity of New York City as a character itself. In the three movies that we watched, NYC played a big role in showing how big and different it can appear based on the type of movie you’re watching.       In Do the Right Thing, we see New York as a neighborhood separated by race. In Mean Streets we see it as a shady neighborhood where mobsters steal and get into fights and shootouts. In Annie hall we see it as a huge populated city where Everything around Alvy seems normal but he feels out of place. In these movies we also see the lives of people with different ethnic backgrounds and religions. With the characters in the movies, we can see how race or religion is important.      Do the right thing was a in your face movie that was showing you the reality that people are living with all over....

Brandon Wright Prof. Saphire COM 126.01 11/18/20 All three of the films that were presented to me this week were fascinating takes on different underrepresented demographics that existed in New York City. The groups of people represented were not usually seen in many films, created at that time, as the main focus.  Mean Streets focused on the daily lives of a group of Italian low level mob members who commit petty crime and try to work their way up the rankings. The setting being in New York City is crucial to the story in regards to how the characters interact with each other. Racism comes naturally to each of the characters represented, but none more evident than Charlie. There are multiple instances where Charlie is openly racist, for example, when he gets anxious to be seen with Miligene because he fears what other people on the street will think about him. Growing up in little Italy Charlie was part of the majority, also taking place in the 1960’s were factors that influence...

  Logan Peterson Joseph Saphire COM 126.01 12/4/2020 I’d like to try something different with this particular post. I don't want to draw conclusions at first, I just want to talk about the three films and their editing. Mean Streets, Do the Right Thing and Annie Hall have a lot to say and I think the best way to do them justice, is to talk about them all at once.  Annie Hall is fairly simplistic in it’s editing. It uses shot/reverse shot editing, particularly in the scene towards the end where Alvy asks her to marry him. The film has some creative choices throughout, but the editing felt run of the mill for the most part. Woody Allen certainly can be very creative, he uses a split screen shot when the two titular characters are at their respective therapists to show their differing viewpoints on their relationships. He’s also a master of breaking the fourth wall. At the beginning of the film, Alvy and Annie go to a theater and Alvy complains about the man behind him giving a...

Julia Rodrigue  Joe Saphire  COM 126  Showing Identity through Film  In the three films Mean Streets, Do The Right thing and Annie Hall all showcase race and identity in their very different cultures. Each film uses New York City as a backdrop. Through each film you can see how much diversity there is in each different part of the city. However all three directors despite being from different backgrounds choose to use editing within their films to showcase each character's identity. When critiquing and analyzing films through this lens of not only narrative but technical choices. It becomes evident that these editing choices play a huge role in creating films.  Mean Streets focuses on Charlie as he grapples with his italian Catholic identity and how that’s affected by his job as a mobster. A main theme in this film is the disconnect for Charlie between his job and what he considers to be sin. The opening scene is a perfect example of him grappling with this. The...

  Ahmiir McIver Com 126 12/4/20 Professor Saphire New York! New York! New York City is a common city that filmmakers use not only as a setting, but as a sort of character to portray their films overall themes and message. In the case of Do The Right Thing, Mean Streets, and Annie Hall ; New York is more than a setting. It’s an identity that has all three films relate to each of the cultures stories that it represents and tells. From the Italian-American community in Mean Streets. The middle class Jewish community in Annie Hall. And the low income black community in Do The Right Thing.  Looking at Mean Streets, it can be seen that the film is an insider looking out. Martin Scorsese being of Italian descent, made this film from what he has experienced while growing up. In the film, we witness an Italian community that our characters have grown up in throughout their lives. With that in mind, they’ve witnessed and most likely experienced racism, misogyny, and crime. It’s a do...

  Garrett T. Marchant Prof. Saphire COM. 126.01 12/03/2020 Identity In the City Through the constant rushing surroundings, endless blur of faces, and elaborate architectural landscapes, the city of New York offers filmmakers a unique setting like no other. Yet, despite the endless visual settings filming in New York has to offer, the most impactful offering may be the city's diverse societal structures existing simultaneously. Much like J.D. Salinger’s book, “The Catcher in the Rye”, the films, Do the Right Thing , Mean Streets , and Annie Hall , leave audiences with the daunting identity questions, “Who am I?”, and “Who am I to those around me?”. These films' authentic representation of New York City pulls audiences away from the Hollywood display of a beautiful bustling city, covered in lights, and shoves them into the harsh reality of living in a city that holds a seemingly endless amount of identity.  In Spike Lee’s, Do The Right Thing , the audience is dragged alongsi...

  Kristin Langevin COM 126.01 Professor Saphire 4 December 2020 Identity, New York, and Editing The intertwining of New York's layout and the display of events within ethnic groups is a great way to encapsulate the everyday happenings of ordinary people. The arrangement of people sets a solid foundation for dispute, mistrust, and controversy between the communities, and can be used as a backdrop for wonderful cinema. The films “Mean Streets”, “Annie Hall”, and “Do the Right Thing” all incorporate different styles of editing to produce a specific message while still retaining the rawness of New York City. In this way, New York becomes a reflection of the troubles that orbit various races, ethnicities, and religions. In Do the Right Thing By Spike Lee, there is an obvious message that is introduced and gets followed throughout the film. The use of almost comedic-like dialogue makes the viewer retract away from this message, and are horrifically reminded of it at the end of its ru...