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HBO's"Oz" and the Immutability of Heterosexuality, 2008.
An analysis of Joe Wlodarz' article 'Maximum Insecurity: Genre Trouble and Closet Erotics In and Out of HBO's "Oz"' in "Camera Obscura 58".
2,010 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 102.95
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Abstract
This paper relates that Joe Wlodarz, in his article, 'Maximum Insecurity: Genre Trouble and Closet Erotics In and Out of HBO's "Oz"', analyzes the interplay between genre and sexuality in the HBO television program, "Oz". The author explains that, in an attempt at a Foucauldian reading of the series, Wlodarz succeeds and fails in making a point about the notion of seeing sexual acts as an epistemological guarantee of identity. The paper also points out that, ultimately, Wlodarz falls prey to some of the same assumptions he is arguing against. The author underscores that, by queering the genre of prison drama by describing it as soap opera, he also queers the very identities he is trying to examine based upon the 'queer' acts that they are performing. The paper argues that seeing these acts as 'queer' is an instance of submitting to the same epistemological fallacy that Wlodarz seems to be working so hard to undermine.
From the Paper
"Wlodarz writes that even in the 'love story' scenario between two of the main characters in "Oz", there are no loving sex scenes, no space between these men where sex is used as a resolution, or a place of comfort. Wlodarz argues that this is an indicator that "the series refuses to contain sexuality, to limit sexual identity, or to suggest that romantic and / or sexual relations are anything less than dangerous and destabilizing." I would argue, instead, that this portrayal of the sexual activity between men who call themselves straight and who only have sex with women when they have the option shows that they are indeed straight, despite the biological sex of the bodies of their partners."
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"American History X", 2008.
This paper discusses the issue of racism that is present in the film "American History X".
1,665 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 8 sources, MLA, AU$ 88.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer maintains that while 'American History X' tries to be a movie about ultimately overcoming racism, it fails in this task.
The writer looks at the unstated contrast between the white characters and the black characters in the film and discusses that throughout this movie, the various groups interact in ways that reflect confrontation and eventually violence rather than cooperation. The writer also discusses that the implicit message in this film is that whites have made huge sacrifices on issues of civil rights. The writer notes that according to the film, the whites are the ones who have gone through the transformation, so they are now the ones suffering from discrimination.
From the Paper
"Throughout this movie, the various groups interact in ways that reflect confrontation and eventually violence rather than cooperation. In one of the critical scene, a flashback, three black youths try to break into Derek's car. Alerted by little brother Danny, Derek rushes out to his car and shoots two of the three youths. This is his murder scene, and he clearly enjoys the power of life and death over the black youths."
"This movie tries to be a story about the dangers of white supremacy, but in many ways it is almost literally the opposite of that. It contains many white supremacist messages and a great deal of problematic imagery and material. While the filmmakers may not have intended that it be read in this way, they may have inadvertently perpetuated many of the very stereotypes that they claim to have wanted to challenge. This is often a problem of insidious rather than overt racism."
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Mass-Produced Art, 2008.
An examination of the essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" by Walter Benjamin.
2,326 words (approx. 9.3 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 115.95
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Abstract
The paper explores Walter Benjamin's, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" and looks at how digital cinema may be interpreted as a classic instance of technology democratizing the creative and artistic process. The paper discusses how the camera in general is a tool that can become exploited by those with political objectives in mind. Finally, the paper looks at the redemptive aspects of modern mass-produced art. The paper shows how the age of mass-produced and mass-replicated art offers much that is promising and redemptive, but also presents some genuine challenges.
From the Paper
"Benjamin begins by writing that works of art, at least in principle, have always been reproducible. To wit, man-made creations could always be replicated by man - such as students in an art studio creating copies for the honing of their craft. In the age of mechanization, however, the mechanical mass-reproduction of art meant that an item could be replicated at an astonishing speed - indeed, with a speed that previous generations would have found bewildering (Benjamin, 2). Suffice it to say, digital cinema intersects with Benjamin's observation to the extent that this commonplace piece of contemporary technology now makes it easier than ever before for someone to capture an object - be it a painting or any other form of art - and to distribute said image to whomever and wherever they wish (via electronic transmission, of course)."
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"Frankenstein", 2008.
A review of the film "Frankenstein" (1931), directed by James Whale.
1,108 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 62.95
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Abstract
The paper examines the way the film "Frankenstein" treats human relationships. The paper presents the thesis that four key relationships, all involving Dr. Frankenstein, form the central structure of the plot's development and create a multi-faceted, balanced picture of functional as well as destructive relationships. This includes Dr. Frankenstein's relationship with the Monster, with his assistant, Fritz, with his fiancee, Elizabeth and with his old professor, Dr. Waldman.
From the Paper
"Frankenstein is a 1931 film released by Universal Studios and directed by well-known genre director James Whale, who also directed its sequel. It is loosely based upon the original 19th century novel by Mary Shelley and also a later play by Peggy Webling, with the script composed by at least five separate screenwriters ("Frankenstein.") Over the years since its release it has become the most well known of many Frankenstein adaptations and its portrayal of the Monster made Boris Karloff famous as well as establishing the iconic appearance of the Monster for many sequels and pastiches over the years."
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Film: "The Notebook", 2008.
This paper analyzes Erik Erikson's life stage theory by using the 2004 film "The Notebook", as a test of the validity of this theory.
1,380 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 3 sources, APA, AU$ 75.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Erik Erikson's life-long model states that the individual does not reach his or her ultimate integration of personality and the final target of maturity and wisdom until the final life stage. The author then argues that this model is lacking in applicability within the modern culture as presented in the 2004 film "The Notebook". The paper states that the film depicts the lives of a couple at two stages in their relationship. The author relates that one stage of their adult life, shown through flashbacks, is when they are younger adults building their relationship, their courtship and the setbacks they faced before finally getting married and that their final stage, in present time, is now their relationship living in an old-age care facility. The paper contends that the two main characters in this film, even at the end of their lives, have remained at Erikson's life stage of young adulthood and will never complete all of the stages in Erikson's model.
From the Paper
"It is possible that Noah is engaged upon a journey that would be similar to Erikson's model of the late adulthood stage, but the film certainly does not present us with any such knowledge about him. Instead, he focuses completely on Allie, lives in an old-age care facility when he does not need to and ignores his children's pleas for his return home. The fact that they say that they miss him, and that he is absent from his children and grandchildren, seems to matter less to him than being with Allie, even though she no longer recognizes him."
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The Portrayal of Women in "24", 2008.
An analysis of the portrayal of women in roles of leadership, in the television series, "24."
2,149 words (approx. 8.6 pages), 7 sources, MLA, AU$ 109.95
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Abstract
This paper attempts to analyze how women are portrayed in the television series, "24." It analyzes this series that exemplifies the equality of men and women in their portrayal of roles of authority and leadership. The paper suggests that the series is atypical of real-life settings of typical individuals and therefore portrays women narrowly, but equal in stature to men.
From the Paper
"These events, while atypical of real-life settings of typical individuals, portray women narrowly in the sense that the situations are not only atypical and for all intents and purposes, extraordinary, but also portray them in extreme circumstances, equally atypical of real-life. The reactions of the characters are somewhat restricted in this sense. On the other hand, the genre of this series inherently restricts the amount of variability that can be shown, especially with the time constraints imposed by the structure of the series. The 24 series, while its portrayal of women in a 21st century setting and culture is fairly accurate, particular nuances pertaining to womanhood are left out. In the same light, the series reflects the equal stature of women and men in this present age, particularly with regard to positions of command and authority."
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Midlife Crisis, 2008.
This paper discusses S. Coppola's Film, 'Lost in Translation', and Daniel J. Levinson's ideas on midlife adulthood.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 9 sources, MLA, AU$ 98.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that Sophia Coppola's Oscar-winning film 'Lost in Translation' (2003) features themes of life stages and transitions that have been popular in mainly American psychological theory of the post-World War II decades. The writer then discusses the film as it relates to themes of mid-life adjustment and crisis. The writer also notes that Daniel J. Levinson's orientation towards life expectations was modernist, post-World War II and American, too and looks at midlife difficulties and new orientations according to Daniel J. Levinson.
The writer maintains that stage or transition theories in psychology have been brought into question, beyond matters of differences in men and women. The writer further points out that what is known popularly as a midlife crisis is seen as an event of predictable modernist life expectations that have given way of postmodern alterations.
Outline:
Introduction
Daniel J. Levinson and Adult Development
"Lost in Translation" and Transitions
Concluding Note
From the Paper
"The idea of midlife difficulties and new orientations was certainly popular among sophisticated urbanites of North America or Western Europe by the early 1960s, as in Elliot Jaques article, stressing the necessary production of a 'new' person at midlife through proper processing of where one had been and new realities. As stage theorists of the same day tended to insist, human development meant getting through stage achievements, the adjustment not made successfully, then experiencing unwanted symptoms of decline in despondency, chronic unhappiness, alcoholism or isolation. More recently, there seems a sort of theoretical compromise. For example, Heckhausen's discussion of physiological changes and life events at midlife refers to a set of adjustments that North Americans have now long been expected to encounter, in process models that indicate eventual adjustment and considerable 'resilience', a term seen to replace 1980s and 1990s ideas of human vulnerability. Levinson's generation stressed the midlife crisis as something that might be most difficult, radical and life transforming, many individuals not prepared for its arrival. One now sees a more tentative approach as in Heckhausen's article on expecting an eventual adjustment of some kind that will be managed by the individual, a stronger notion of the person who is aware of what he or she negotiates perhaps without significant emotional suffering or upheaval."
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"Fight Club", 2008.
An analysis of the writing, photography, acting, editing and ideology of the film, "Fight club," directed by David Fincher.
1,421 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 1 source, MLA, AU$ 77.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the film, "Fight Club," directed by David Fincher. It discusses five key thematic elements of "Fight Club" and how the movie succeeds or fails at each. Specifically, the paper looks at the film's writing, photography, acting, editing and the ideology of the film. The paper provides examples from the film in order to elaborate on these points.
From the Paper
"Just as the writing of the movie is challenging, so is the photography. It is a dark movie, and occurs often at night. As Tyler is a night owl by nature, and he is the one who sets the tone of the film, much of the movie is dark. However, that is not the only reason why the film is dark. It is dark largely because the movie is intended to be subversive. By nature, subversion works to undermine the status quo, and thus operates on the dark edges of society. Therefore, rather than taking place in an IKEA filled apartment, it largely happens in an abandoned house. (The IKEA apartment blew up early on in the film.) This darkness permeates the film. The fight scenes are shot in a dirty and (of course) dark basement of a bar. There is nothing polished about the way that the movie looks. It is rough and dirty, and the photography reflects that. The use of photography to emphasize these things draws the viewers further in to the film. They become sucked in, and are drawn in to the internal world of the narrator and Tyler. This world is full of new things, but it is also a world that is the underbelly of society. Thus, the darkness is compelling."
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Science Fiction Dystopia, 2008.
A review of two films, "Punishment Park" directed by Peter Watkins and "Demolition Man" directed by Marco Brambilla and a comparison of their themes with Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World."
3,977 words (approx. 15.9 pages), 11 sources, MLA, AU$ 175.95
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Abstract
This essay considers two science fiction films that have referred back to Aldous Huxley's chilling novel, "Brave New World", written in 1932. The two films discussed are "Punishment Park", directed by Peter Watkins and released in 1971, and "Demolition Man", directed by Marco Brambilla and released in 1993. This essay compares and contrasts the themes, narratives, characterization, setting and plot of these three works and, in the process, reaches some conclusions about what elements are necessary to create a believable and useful dystopia.
From the Paper
"Thus, we see that Huxley's Brave New World most definitely belongs in the genre of science fiction, and indeed is the subtlest form of science fiction, in that Huxley plainly used it as a medium for social comment. The novel deals with a range of key social and political themes, including the possibility that we will be dehumanized by scientific progress (by for example automating natural human processes like reproduction); the implicit dangers of mass production (for example that it will generate a overwhelming need for a consumerist society); and the possibility that we could end up in a totalitarian dictatorship (which would be propped up by extreme methods of socialization, such as Pavlovian conditioning). As will be dealt with further below, Huxley was on the money with several of these key themes (Huxley)."
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Bad Women, Spies and Vamps, 2008.
A proposal for an early cinema series for Cinematheque Ontario whose theme would appeal both to those interested in early cinema as well as those interested in gender issues and feminism.
2,387 words (approx. 9.5 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 119.95
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Abstract
In this article, the author explains that, if asked to program an early cinema series for Cinematheque Ontario, the them she would choose for the program would be "Bad Women, Spies and Vamps: Female Gender Transgression in Early Cinema." The author then goes on to explain why she thinks this theme is appropriate for this cinema and then identifies a number of films to be screened in the program, as well as some issues and information that would be included in the pamphlets accompanying the films.
Outline:
Introduction
Bad Women and New Women: Traffic in Souls
She Spies, Shoots and Saves: Serial Queens of the Early Cinema
Pearl of the Army
The Perils of Pauline
The Early Cinema Femme Fatale: Les Vampires
Conclusion
From the Paper
"One of the interesting features of these films is that their narratives are often dominated by the dynamic tension between two figures: the Bad Woman and the New Woman. It should be recalled that this was a period when the traditional gender norms were under assault; most notably in the form of the Suffragette movement in the United States and Great Britain where women were protesting for the right to vote. As a result, there was a great deal of uncertainty as to what were the proper gender roles for women in this changing society. In this environment, reformers were at pains to distinguish between the New Woman - who was demanding unprecedented rights and privileges - and traditional Bad Woman who violated gender norms for different purposes. The issue of moral regulation was a central concern in this debate, as is illustrated in the words of one reformist text from 1913 .. "
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Semiotics in Science Fiction Films, 2008.
An analysis of visual semiotics and popular culture in modern science fiction films.
2,277 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 6 sources, MLA, AU$ 114.95
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Abstract
This paper explores science fiction films. It particularly discusses semiotics and how it expands our understanding of popular culture and visual signs in our mass media culture. The paper argues that modern cinematic technologies allow directors an unprecedented capability to shape the visual cinematic codes and iconography of their works and thereby multiply the levels of signification upon which their films operate.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Cinema of the Mind's Eye
Special Effects and the Post-modern
Conclusion
From the Paper
"In this regard, the assertion that "films are metaphorical mirrors of life" (Danesi 88) is placed under significant pressure as the "real-life activities" (Danesi 88) that are represented in the science fiction film increasingly bear no connection at all to real-life as we understand it in the modern world. In particular, with the advent of digital technologies, entire cinematic environments can be created in which - while the characters are still recognizably human and have human concerns - the visual signification is alien to anything in our existence. In this way, science fiction films can be seen as visual signs of postmodernity, simulating a reality so perfect that it is indistinguishable from our own and yet, at the same time, utterly alien, that it calls into question our understanding of reality itself."
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Mass Media and Semiotics, 2008.
A discussion of semiotics and consumption in the age of mass media.
2,199 words (approx. 8.8 pages), 8 sources, MLA, AU$ 111.95
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Abstract
This paper essay examines how the study of the sign and semiotic theory may be applied to mass media texts and, in particular, to television. The paper argues that, while there exist two distinct textual forms in television media - advertising and programming - a semiotic analysis reveals the ways in which these forms structurally reinforce each other in creating a semiotics of consumption for the mass media audience. The paper explains that the particular signs, signifiers and referents may change over time as television mythologies evolve, but a constant through this entire evolutionary process has been the "language of consumption". The paper looks at how semiotics allows us to understand how the medium of television operates in our collective consciousness.
Outline;
Introduction
The Sign and its Field of Study
Television and Semiotics
Television and the Culture of Consumption
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Given the prominence of mass media in our society, it is perhaps not surprising that semiotics should have focused considerable attention upon the most dominant of these media: television. The field of media semiotics, as pioneered by French semiotician Roland Barthes, has focused particular attention upon the production of meaning in the area of pop culture in which television assumes obvious prominence (Danesi 240). Barthes argues that the "semiotic method" takes the form of two investigative processes:
- the study of the historical (and thus highly connotative) origin of meaning systems;
- unraveling the nature of signification in human activities, whether it manifests itself as a word, a novel, a TV program, or some other human artifact."
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Invasion and Colonialism in Science Fiction, 2008.
A discussion of invasion and colonialism themes in science fiction.
1,565 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 10 sources, MLA, AU$ 83.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the theme of invasion in science fiction and how it is, in fact, a colonial topic. The paper also takes a look at related themes such as infestation and infection. It draws upon famous film examples such as "Robocop", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", and "Alien" to illustrate the symbolic significance of the invader's appearance and what it represents. To conclude, the paper asserts that battles against slick and slimy science-fiction monsters and bad guys reflect the West's battle against outside religious extremists.
From the Paper
"Invasions taking over the mind or body, in an offensively intimate way, are all part of the colonial horror. We are beguiled by a slick oppressor. Memorable science fiction films hone in on this theme of the intruder's allure. A storm trooper is as glossy as a Nazi soldier's boots. There is a brutal anonymity to their sheen, which makes viewers feel dishevelled yet intrigued with what lies beneath. On the other hand, the monster in Alien is covered in slick ooze (Pickover 99). The monster resembles a malignant organ. Ridley Scott's monster is like the lost part of our civilized psyche's missing mojo, and we almost want to stuff it back in, though the monster's only goal is to destroy (Mulhall 47). It is like an AIDS virus: death within temptation. In my opinion, this connection between bodily fascination and death has helped keep the Alien franchise lucrative."
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Imamura's "The Pornographers" and Japanese Culture, 2008.
A review of the psyche of the protagonist in Shohei Imamura's film, "The Pornographers."
1,710 words (approx. 6.8 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 89.95
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Abstract
This paper examines Shohei Imamura's most well-known film outside of Japan, the 1966 film, "The Pornographers." It views the film from the perspective of a series of interlocking journeys through the psyche of the protagonist. The paper suggests that the journey that Imamura's protagonist takes through this often nonlinear narrative structure is what makes the story so compelling, both as a film and as an example of Japanese culture in the middle of the 20th century.
From the Paper
"The closure to Ogata's long and oftentimes nonlinear psychic journey comes when Ogata makes a life-sized "sex doll," at the cost of great time and effort, in a vain hope to cure his (no doubt psychologically-induced) impotence. This is a powerful image in the film, and shows as well as anything else the transformation of the character's inner obsession into outer, material manifestations. On the surface, it seems that Ogata has reached his final destination: in leaving the real world with real women, he continues to suffer from flashbacks and his lifelong isolation and masochistic traumas seem no closer to resolution. Yet he continues to manipulate his appetite for sex, as if Imamura were using Ogata to make the statement that such primal appetites are in fact fundamental and unavoidable. As he drifts out to sea in his boat, the audience must sense a new and final journey has begun."
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Film: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", 2008.
A look at how the film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" conforms to traditional attachment theory and is in fact a graphical illustration of that theory.
2,480 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 6 sources, APA, AU$ 122.95
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Abstract
In a discussion and analysis of the film, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", this paper explains that this film depicts the human being as a web of emotional attachment that is unconsciously tied back to the parents and interlinked in very complex ways to external objects as well as to multiple areas of the brain. The paper then goes on to examine how "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" not only conforms to attachment theory but combines that theory with cognitive-motivational structure theory.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Rationale for the Film
The Process of Erasing Attachment
Attachment Theory and the Main Characters
Two Patterns of Attachment Theory
Communication Style
Care-seeking at the Infantile Level
Conclusion
From the Paper
"According to Wampler and Riggs (2004), the techniques of the two individuals in seeking comfort and security from one another in their relationship often are similar. This is because they can switch roles. Research indicates that the majority of partners will assume both roles and move back and forth between the roles of support and comfort-seeking during any problem-solving discussion. Clementine is quite aggressive and is the one who suggests having a drink and spending the night at Joel's place. More importantly, she knows hoe to attack his defenses. She describes him as close-mouthed and herself as constantly anxious."
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The Semiotic Role of Violence in American Films, 2008.
An analysis of film violence and its semiotic significance in American popular culture.
1,725 words (approx. 6.9 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 89.95
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Abstract
This paper examines cultural conflict through dramatic recreations or presentations of these conflicts in American film narrative. The paper holds that, in the popular media, violence has a semiotic role. To much of the world, the paper adds, film violence is a mark of American culture, and many social critics within the U.S. find the same to be true. The paper points out that many filmmakers state that they are not fostering violence but only exploring it, and with some films, the issue of using violence in popular culture is itself examined either directly as a subject or as an inherent element in the structure of the film. The paper concludes that violence is a particular sign in the film, a sign that may mean its direct cause, like anger and fear, or that may reflect something larger about society, such as alienation or lack of empathy.
From the Paper
"Consider Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs", a film that takes a satiric look at itself, at the genre of the caper film and the dynamics of betrayal and the criminal code seen in such films. The film is extremely violent, which for many viewers may mask the satiric thrust of the story and the way the interplay of characters involves a twisted sense of morality, the so-called "honor among thieves" that here is a palpable presence holding together a group of professional criminals who have nothing else to believe in except that they will be able to rely on each other. As the film unfolds, though, they can rely on nothing in a universe of random events over which they have no control."
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