Weekly Journals

INTRODUCTION This review is written in attempt to determine the elements of French New Wave in Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard in 1960. The theory to use is semantic and syntactic approach in genres. THEORY DISCUSSION French New Wave emerged in the 1950s during the mobile camera era where shooting and film-making outside studio became possible due to portability of camera. The filmmakers were filming reality to show the truth, and followed the characters around during the shoot.  The film usually puts a sane man in a lunatic asylum which then leads him to frustration and eventually go insane. French New Wave favors mise-en-scene to let visuals tell story, manipulates mise-en-shots and intensify script to create meaning.  French New Wave  rejects montage aesthetics and continuity editing. Traditional filming style is also rejected to avoid making an escapist film. It makes sure the audience would think about the film while watching it. SYNOPSIS ...

https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/topic_images/p19c7d0hjr1jacnc91a96mr953.jpg INTRODUCTION This review is written in an attempt to determine the elements of Italian Neorealism found in the film Ladri di biciclette directed by Vittorio De Sica in 1948. The theory to use is semantic and syntactic approaches to genres.  THEORY DISCUSSION According to cineCollage (n. d.), Italian Neorealism is a style of film characterized by stories set among the poor and lower working class, filmed on location, and frequently using non-professional actors. The films mostly reflect the conditions and everyday life of people in Italy after World War II (WWII) economically and mentally such as poverty and desperation.  Italian Neorealism generally abolishes planned plots, the scripts are improvised on site. Due to limited budget, they don't film it in studios or hire professional actors. Instead, filmmaker uses real local people and real locations to establis...

https://events.kcrw.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/MAL002AG-1600x900-c-default.jpg INTRODUCTION This review is written in an attempt to determine the elements of Film Noir in the film The Maltese Falcon directed by John Huston in 1941. The theory to use is semantic and syntactic approach to genres.  THEORY DISCUSSION Film Noir features a world of criminals, darkness, and violence. The characters's central motives are usually greed, lust, and ambition as there are no good person in the film. Every character is up to something and never reveal their real side. Film Noir also portrays fear and desire in reality as the world is not always pure and simple.  Visually, Film Noir is usually dark with lots of shadows due to high-contrast lighting, and it's German expressionistic. It also has cynical, dark, and pessimistic themes with corrupted characters, blurred morals and intellect, and features hard-boiled antihero vs femme fatale.   SYNOPSIS ...

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hDBGBCamBvI/maxresdefault.jpg Introduction This review is written in an attempt to determine the German Expressionistic elements found in Sleepy Hollow directed by Tim Burton in 1999. The theory to use is semantic/syntactic approach to genres.  Theory Discussion Semantic approach which is related to the visual aspects of the film determines the German Expressionistic elements in the film such as Gothic settings with dramatic shadows, unnatural acts of characters as well as realities in the film.  In terms of Syntactic approach which is the thematic aspects of the film, revolt, madness, self-analysis, primitive, and sexual savagery determines the German Expressionistic elements in the film.  Synopsis Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of bizarre murder cases where the heads of victims cannot be found at the scene. Ichabod does not believe in the locals when they tell him that th...

INTRODUCTION This review is written in attempt to determi ne  mise-en-scène and mise-en-shot in the film In The Mood For Love directed by Wong Kar-wai in 2000. The theory to use is semantic and syntactic approach to  composition. THEORY DISCUSSION Mise-en-sc ène designates setting, lighting, spacing, costume, staging and acting, and special effects in a film. It describes the stuff in the frame and the way it is shown and arranged within the frame.  Meanwhile mise-en-shot covers camera position, camera movement, shot scale, length of shot, and pace of editing. It's a process of translating  mise-en-sc ène into film through filming.  SYNOPSIS Chow Mo-wan is a newspaper editor who moves into a new building with his wife. At the same time, Su Li-Zhen, a beautiful secretary and her executive husband also move into the crowded building.  With their spouses often away, Chow and Li-zhen spend most of their time togethe...