Blog Post #5, Six Films

During my time this summer working on The Art of Film, I've really enjoyed several movies that we have watched.  Although all of them are great, I want to take a look at three of them that I feel really spoke to me and have become some of my favorite movies.

First off, I really enjoyed the modern noir film L.A. Confidential (1997, dir. Curtis Hanson).  After watching it, it has instantly become one of my favorite movies.  Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey are two of my favorite actors, but aside from that there was much more to the film that really captured my imagination.  The mise-en-scene in the film was excellent.  I really enjoyed the fact that a lot of the movie was shot on location in Los Angeles.  I really felt this lent authenticity to the movie, and I just love a movie that is shot in L.A.  I also enjoyed the gritty noir feel of the movie when it came to the lighting, and many of the more brutal scenes are shot at night.  It really brought some grittiness to the crime and betrayal in the story. 


Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential (1997)

My second favorite film of the semester has to be Julian Schnabel's The Diving Bell and The Butterfly (2007).  To me, this movie was absolutely heart wrenching and an excellent film.  The cinematography in this film is absolutely breathtaking.  The POV shots, dream like sequences, and then harsh cuts to reality showing his body paralyzed and being handled by the nurses were just absolutely jarring when all cut together in the editing room.  I agree that this film is almost like a moving painting.  It's a work of art that is very unique, and the emotion it elicited out of me really just left me thinking about it hours and days after I was done watching it.


Mathieu Amalric in The Diving Bell and The Butterfly

For my third film of the semester, I really enjoyed Sam Mendes' American Beauty (1999).  For me, the cinematography and camera work were great.  As I watched the film, I really enjoyed the use of red throughout the movie to signify Lester's passion, or as a metaphor for passion and life throughout the movie.  I also really enjoyed the plot of the movie and was just really entertained by how everything unfolded.  The use of music in the movie was great too.  Once Lester decides to quit his job and reinvent himself rock music begins to be used in the film, which I thought was a great touch. 


Kevin Spacey in American Beauty (1999)

When I think of all the many films I've watched throughout my life it's hard to narrow down three that I feel someone studying film should watch but I will try. 

For my first pick, I believe Andy and Lana Wachowski's The Matrix (1999) is a film that any interested student can watch and break down different elements of film design.  This film has incredible elements of Mise-en-Scene throughout.  A very noticeable element with the use of colors is all the scenes that take place in "the matrix" have a green tint to them, to signify that they are not in the real world.  The sound design is also excellent, with audio cues when agents enter the Matrix and other things happening inside the world of the Matrix.  It's an excellent movie with many different aspects a film student can study.


Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix (1999)

The second film I would recommend studying, that was way ahead of its time, is Ridley Scotts Alien (1979).  This is an excellent film blending elements of science fiction, horror, and a gritty realness that made it a classic.  The mise-en-scene in this film is really incredible to me when I think about it in terms of what we have learned in class.  The set design and alien costume are truly ahead of their time, because if you watch the film now it still holds up to or is better than many modern films.  This should be no surprise as it won a best visual effects Academy Award.  Alien is also notable for having a strong woman as the central character.  I believe Sigourney Weaver's portrayal of Ellen Ripley is an all time classic as a strong herione, and her performance helped to create a film franchise that has spawned many sequels and spinoffs.  I highly recommend that anyone who hasn't seen Alien to watch it right away.  Maybe just watch it with the lights on, and on an empty stomach.


The infamous Alien creature from Ridley Scott's Alien (1979)

Lastly, I will switch gears from sci-fi movies and recommened that any fan of film watch Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).  This is a wonderful, whimsical movie about a man swearing vengeance on destroying a shark that ate his best friend and partner.  The film blends wonderful mise-en-scene, sound design and beautiful cinematography to create a fully realized story from Wes Anderson's unique mind.  One example of how eccentric the film is that many David Bowie songs are used throughout the film but are all sang in portugese and sang by one of the crew members of Zissou's ship The Belafonte.  This is an example of how Wes Anderson implements his vision not only visually, but as a part of the sound design as well.  It's a great movie and I recommend that anyone wanting to see how all the parts of film design can come together and create a unique style, which is apparant in all of Mr. Andersons movies.

Seu George performing David Bowies "Rebel Rebel" in portugese in Wes Andersons "A Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (2004)

In conclusion, I am so happy to have taken this class in the summer session.  I have been a lifelong fan of film, and this summer I was able to see some films that I've never seen before as well as learn how my favorites are made.  Learning how much work and love is put into filmmakers works of art has given me a new found respect for them and their craft.  I look forward to using this knowledge to look at all future films I see in a different way, and appreciate them that much more.

Dustin Hoffman Interviewed on the Treatment

The guest on my episode of "The Treatment" is acclaimed actor and Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman.  Mr. Hoffman is considered one of the greatest actors in his generation, with the roles to prove it.  He has many credits to his name but some of his most famous portrayals were in such films as The Graduate (1967), Midnight Cowboy (1969), Rain Man (1988), Hook (1991), and Wag the Dog (1997).  Mr. Hoffman has won two Academy Awards, Best Actor for Kramer V. Kramer (1979) and Best Actor for Rain Man (1988).  This episode originally aired on June 10th, 2015.

Dustin Hoffman as Raymond Babbitt in Rain Man (1988)


Mr. Hoffman was on the show to promote a Master Class in acting which he is involved in.  He spoke about trying to help young actors or those involved in film, so the main reason for his visit was to explain that.  In listening to this episode of "The Treatment" I came away very impressed with how humble and personable Mr. Hoffman came across.  Although he has achieved all kinds of accolades and success in his career, he came off very humble and personable.  He just seemed like a really nice guy.  I was very surprised to learn that Mr. Hoffman was a poor student as a young man, and attended Santa Monica Community College because he couldn't get into a university.  He only took an acting class because a friend told him that it was an easy class and everyone passes, and he was trying to get some easy units.  Taking the class ended up changing his life and he became a great actor.

One of the quotes that really struck me about Mr. Hoffman is what he stated about acting.  "Every director or someone who wants to be a director...should take an acting class to know what it feels like...to be terrified...that's really what acting is all about".  I thought this was really just striking coming from such an accomplished actor.  Mr. Hoffman really explained that you are really up there in front of everyone and trying to connect with the audience but at the same time be real and authentic.  It sounds difficult and it shows that it's really an intimidating thing to try and do.  To transform yourself into a role such as Captain Hook and utterly try to own it and make it real, and without succumbing to a fear of failure is really impressive and a skill not all actors have.

Dustin Hoffman as Captain James Hook in Hook (1991)

In addition to having some fear when acting, Mr. Hoffman also mention something else that is really interesting.  He stated "You're someone who follows orders, and that was difficult for me".  The reason he stated this was very interesting.  He said in film school you learn all about inhabiting a character and having a process, but once you get on a film you are working, and you are more goal oriented on set.  You are told to stand here, walk over there, pick this up etc.  That sounds like it would be a difficult thing to do, to be ordered around by a director while you are also focused on creating a character.  It really shows how much there is to being an actor, and how much focus one must have to make your characters achieve great heights like Mr. Hoffman has been able to do.

The last quote that Mr. Hoffman said really connected with me as far as the characters he has played throughout his long career.  He says "I was always someone that was uncomfortable in my own skin, and that's why I gravitated to those characters".  This really sheds some light on why in some of his most famous roles such as "Ratso" Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy (1969) and  Raymond Babbitt in Rain Man (1988) he is playing such strange characters, a con man and a autistic genius, but utterly inhabits them both and gains critical acclaim.  I feel that he draws from that part of his personality and it really brings some of these strange but fascinating characters to life.

Dustin Hoffman as Enrico Salvatore "Ratso" Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy (1969)

In conclusion I believe that Dustin Hoffman has really shown what an actor can accomplish by embracing their fear of failure and their insecurities, and channeling all of that energy into bringing a character to life onscreen.  His films read like a list of classics, and he has shown over the years that he can reinvent himself in different genres and styles.  Mr. Hoffman truly is a master of his craft, and he is now trying to pass on some of his knowledge to a new generation of actors and filmmakers.