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I also agree with the article stating that this film emphasizes on yhis appeal to post-modernism with its unconventional writing style. This idea of going outside the traditional style of film was huge for Run Lola Run because it gave the movie international fame and huge national fame. I have to agree with you that the music aspect adds on to the youth seen in the film. That was something I did not think about that makes sense and accurately adds on to this push for post-modernism. Great Post!

Viewing Response 14

In his article, Owen Evans writes how “With its unconventional narrative structure, use of animation and music, and allegedly ‘post-human’ qualities, Run Lola Run undoubtedly delights in a playful disregard of the classic cinematic form which has been perceived as characteristic of the postmodern grammar of American directors.” His analysis of the film portrays how it exemplifies a postmodern film. Throughout the film there is up beat club-like music playing in the background as Lola runs through the city which very clearly adds that postmodern effect to the film. The overall story about how she goes through the same “mission” three times is also a postmodern characteristic. This film covers a lot of genres as well from action and drama to romance and crime, “Run Lola Run has achieved international acclaim precisely because it transcends such inherently German themes.” It is clear that every aspect of this film creates a postmodern style making it such a success in cinema.

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I have to agree with your post. I felt that the movie indirectly was promoting the modern idea of taking a more abstract approach to life. Lola being able to make her own choices and keep on running shows that she is free to do whatever she wants to do. I felt that she was living her life the way she wanted to which it makes it her best life. Helping Manni was her choice so I have to disagree with your argument for her to stop. Lola is empowered by this film and that's what it promotes in my opinion.

Viewing Response 14

Run Lola Run is a movie that attempts to comment on post-modernism by stating that it needs to move on and focus on everyday life. Owen Evan’s writes about this in his essay Tom Tyker’s Run Lola Run Postmodern, Posthuman, or Post Theory? when he writes “one could argue that the message of Run Lola Run has acquired even greater importance at the beginning of the twenty-first century when we need, perhaps, to take a less abstract view of the world and get on with living life.” This perfectly embodies the message that the film attempts to convey with the ending of the movie. The entire scene shows Lola in exasperation as she frantically searches for Manni only to find that he found the money and fixed his problem on his own. In the end Lola did affect the outcome of the day but she needed to let Manni figure out the problems on his own. She needed to “get on with living life” and stopped worrying about fixing Manni’s problems and live her life as best as she can.

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Viewing Response 14: Cinematic Style II

Unfortunately this is the last post of the year from my end but we went out with a bang. This week we analyze the film Run Lola Run (1998) and the supporting article “Tom Tykwer’s Run Lola Run: Postmodern, Posthuman, or ‘Post-theory’?”, by Owen Evans. The film is a genre-packed German film that hits you with drama, adventure, thrill, action, suspense, and much more. Lola does not stop running as she relives her life, fixing the mistakes she had committed in her previous opportunity. Owen Evans explains in his article based of the film, that “ we need, perhaps, to take a less abstract view of the world and get on with living life.” This film does exactly that. We see Lola running with her red hair, jaywalking all the streets, bumping into people, and screaming at the top of her lungs and we enjoy it. The film is free and shows the freedom through its characters that are living life the way they want to be living life. Evans goes on to mention that this film broke so many barriers in Germany and that it was a huge success. It was able to do this because it is modern and it is adapted to the changes going on in the world. With the introduction of more lives per character, allowing them to relive and improve, there is an appeal to the postmodern era of film which in 1998 was a boom. The film does a great job in presenting Lola as this girl who is willing to keep on running no matter the obstacles in her way, to help save her boyfriend Manni. the scenes that define this are her confrontations with her father. She is willing to break up her family for this guy and she does it twice, knowing that her father is cheating on her mother. This shows resilience and maturity as a young person which appeals to this modernism of having young people make the decisions. I loved the movie and the post really defines the impact that this film had in regards to breaking the barriers and exposing the changes that need to be made to social judgement.

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It was difficult to follow at first because it is uncommon to see women’s enjoyment on the big screen. We as viewers are accustomed to seeing men’s enjoyment. The fact that the film opens up with this scene at the this adult club immediately implants a new idea to the viewer. This film tackles different ideas and arguments that we are not accustomed to viewing. I feel that it gives this voice and platform for which to approach the problems brought upon by social judgement. I have to agree the camera angles and movements indeed have a deeper meaning than simply presenting the image. I feel as if the camera is telling a story and then dumping the story on the characters for a visual representation. Great Post.

PARIAH // CINEMATIC STYLE

Felly Nkweto Simmonds’ “‘She’s Gotta Have It’: The Representation of Black Female Sexuality on Film” states that women need to seize control of film narratives from men in order to redefine their own sexuality. Additionally, in “Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion”, Judith Butler asserts that true gender is a combination of recurring practices rather than solely biological characteristics. The opening sequence of Dee Rees’ Pariah demonstrates both of these points, depicting Alike, a closeted teenager, and her openly lesbian friend, Laura, as they watch a pole dancer perform. The scene opens with an upside down shot of Alike that turns around, suggesting the ensuing reversal of gender roles. Both Laura and Alike wear more traditionally masculine clothing, such as baggy shirts and caps to cover their hair. Attending strip clubs and throwing money at the dancers, as Laura is shown doing, is typically considered a more masculine performative act, an expression of male sexual prowess and ownership. In engaging in these practices, the girls are able to define their own gender and sexual identity, despite what convention may promote. Similarly, the stripper onscreen is not displayed for the pleasure of the male gaze, but rather for the female gaze, as her performance is enjoyed by Alike and Laura. In this sense, the filmic narrative has seized back control of female sexuality by presenting it as something for  women’s enjoyment, not just men’s.

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I was also moved by the scene that shows Alike having to change in the bathroom of the school. It shows the struggle she had to face in not being able to be who she wanted to be publicly. It is Simmond’s article that explains how the gender roles are engraved in society because that is how history has been. It is the norm we are accustomed to seeing. Alike goes against this norm and it is her parent’s rejection to who she is that defined the struggle of lesbians in society. Alike represents something far bigger than her. Great Post!

Viewing Response 13: Cinematic Style I

Judith Butler discusses how gender and sexuality are portrayed in the media. While Felly Nkweto Simmonds discusses the portrayal of gender roles in the media. Both essays apply to the film Pariah, because the movie shows a struggling lesbian teen, which moslty supports Butler’s essay, and her parents’ relationship, which supports Simmonds’s essay. Alike portrayed the stereotypical lesbian image, but she was not allowed to fully show it. She had to pretend to come to school dressed as a girl, then change clothes the bathroom because her mother did not approve of the boy clothes. In the end, Alike’s struggle was resolved but not as expected. Instead she chose to leave and in a way start fresh. 

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Viewing Response 13: Cinematic Style I

This week we viewed a film that was different to what I am accustomed to watching. The film Pariah (2011) by director Dee Rees is a film that touches upon multiple cultural struggles that affect the youth and the parents of such youth. The main struggle presented is that of gender and sexual orientation. We see through Alike (Li), how difficult it is in a black household to open up the truth of your sexual orientation especially with strict parents. To help analyze this film, we read two passages that explain more on the topic of gender. We read Judith Butler’s “Gender Is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion” and Felly Nkweto Simmonds’ “‘She’s Gotta Have It’: The Representation of Black Female Sexuality on Film.” Each passage is unique in their presentation of information however both do happen to lead to the same conclusion. We see in Butler’s article how she mentions how a heterosexual norm carves out the different sexual identities that may be present within a community like the one we see in the film. The stereotypes emerge from these carved out divisions that Butler is referring too. In the passage by Simmonds, there is a more specific approach to the topic of gender since the passage focuses on black female sexuality but from the viewpoint of males. It is in this film where we see a woman retake the narrative control. Simmonds states that retaking the decisions from males is what will give a voice back to women and allow them to express their feelings and orientations more publicly without the importance of stereotypes. We see in this film how Alike takes control of her life by dressing how she wants to and by choosing to leave her house. She confronts her father and it is in that moment where she takes command of her life. This scene is the changing moment where we see Alike stand up for herself as a women but also a lesbian teen who is ready to live her life with or without the help of her parents. This scene is the turning point as we see her father walk away and go back home. This film is explained through the information presented in the passages. We see how stereotypes are created by the norms of society and the overpowering of male figures. When portrayed from a counter view, we see how free people can be. 

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I also agree that the interview portions included are what make this documentary great. We see how factual knowledge is introduced and then backed up by multiple sources presenting their side of the story. It excites the viewer because the information is new and you get drawn into the story. This documentary did a splendid job by bringing in big time artists but also showing more unknown people to show that no matter what social level you are at, you too can be part of this story. It engulfs all viewers and the interviews are more personal. Great post!

Viewing Response 12

In the article, Trinh T. Minh-ha explains how documentary is used to inform people and how it uses elements of story to capture the truth. Trinh says how “It sets a value on intimate observation and assesses its worth according to how well it succeeds in capturing reality on the run, ‘without material interference, without intermediary.’” In Twenty Feet from Stardom, the story was told through a compilation of interviews with the people the film was about. It was interesting to see the women like Darlene Love and Lisa Fischer talk about their past and how the frame would switch over to a performance of them in the past as they were talking about it. For example, the switch to Lisa’s performance with the Rolling Stones and then having Mick Jagger himself be interviewed to get his side of the story, really put everything together for the audience making it a very realistic truth. Documentaries, especially those containing interviews, really allow a deeper insight into the truth of the past because it allows the audience to connect with that person’s past through observation and “without material interference.”

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Your post defines what was going through my head when I was writing mine. I was thinking the same thing, that I would have no idea who the singers were if it weren't for this documentary. For that reason it defines what a documentary is, a factual representation of a subject. The documentary intends to inform wether you know of the subject or not. All viewers are welcomed and that is why this documentary was great. Great post!

Viewing Response 12

In the text “The Totalizing Quest of Meaning” by Trinh T. Minh-ha, the purpose of documentaries is identified as providing information to the masses and serving as an alternative for the monopolistic nature of entertainment films in cinema. As Minh-ha states, documentaries “puts the social function of film on the market”. This definition relates to Twenty Feet from Stardom in that the documentary actively works to not only entertain the audience and show the lives of background singers, but inform and provide insights into their often unnoticed journeys. The scene where Darlene love discusses how people talked about what an amazing song Christmas (Baby Please Come Home Is), without even realizing it was her singing shows how hard it was for these singers to star their solo careers. She later discussed having to clean houses to pay the bills, and heard that song playing on the radio. The interview format in the documentary allowed all these experiences to be shared with the audience, and it was amazing to learn all of the huge songs that these backup singers had a major role in. Without watching this documentary, many viewers such as myself would never have learned about these backup singers and their roles in iconic songs. As a result, this documentary affirms Min-ha’s definition as serving to teach the audience and illustrate the problems of real people in society. 

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Viewing Response 12: Documentary Film

This week, we analyzed Trinh T. Minh-ha’s “The Totalizing Quest of Meaning” in reference to the documentary film Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013) by director Morgan Neville. The text presented goes in depth on the topic of documentary films so that the reader understand what their purpose is and why they are presented in cinema in an alternative way. Minh-ha states that “purpose of documentaries is identified as providing information to the masses and serving as an alternative for the monopolistic nature of entertainment films in cinema” (Minh-ha). Documentaries inform the public about a topic or person by presenting facts and stories that truly happened. For the most part, there are records of these stories and multiple speakers can vouch for the validity of the presented story. According to a text, a documentary goes against “non-factual” or “artificial” information. We see this in the early quote and we see it throughout her text when she mentions how documentaries are contrary to the falsified cinematographic experience that Hollywood has become with modern technology especially. In this film we see the struggle of being a backup singer. we live through the experiences of Darlene Love and Merry Clayton who are backup singers who never got the big spotlight. We are presented interviews from artists such as Stevie Wonder and Sting, who drop facts after facts about the importance of these backup singers and how their experiences with these fine ladies was memorable. Through the use of sound, close up shots and character isolation, we are able to fully grasp what it was like for these women. We see the difficulties that they went through when no one knew it was them singing a song. In the scene where Darlene explains her struggle with the Christmas song, we feel her pain and suffer with her. This is because we know the facts about her experience and we have others mentions the same story. It is a great documentary film that deviates from the traditional Hollywood lies and simply presents the facts about a topic that was never brought to light. Minh-ha’s article fits perfectly with this film because we see how important it is to have many facts and stories to inform the public with a great documentary film. With the abundance of facts we feel the characters and that is something that only documentaries can do. Present a real story that strikes the viewers emotions.

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I also mentioned this categorization of the three genres in my post. The film in fact does fall into one of them which is melodrama. The film is Sci-Fi/Thriller but it also has part melodrama. This is because of the lapse in realism that is shown throughout the film. However, based off of what you mentioned, I agree that there is this objectification of women. The role of Zhora alongside that of the other female replicants shows that the film intended to portray this idea women that is obviously not realistic. The scene in which she is killed, we see a change in emotion from Decakrd. He instantly is shocked by what he forced to do and in a way realizes that despite being a replicant, she was a woman and he killed her. It is a difficult scene to interpret but I understood your message and have to agree with it. Great post!

Viewing Response 11: Genre II

In Linda Williams’s essay, “Film Bodies: Gender, Genre, and Excess,” she discusses the three body genres which are pornography, melodrama, and horror. She also explains how the female body is seen as primary and objectified in films. This is represented in Blade Runner when the female characters are just being built for objectification. For example, Zhora being built just for doing certain tasks. Even though Blade Runner doesn’t fall completely into one of the genres described by Williams, the film still may partially support some of these. A scene that shows how it can partially fit into one of the three genres is when Zhora is murdered by Deckard. The scene shows violence against a female character, done by the so-called hero. This scene shows her running away from “death” in slow motion and really focusing on her running away and trying to fight it. 

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Great post! I also agree that the quote you chose definitely fits the film. Williams’ mentions many things throughout her article that seem to fit in well with Blade Runner. This is one of the better mentions I would say simply because it explains this false reality that is seen throughout the film. The scene that you picked is a great example. We see how the fight scene between Pris and Deckard is different to the other fight scenes. She is able to take down Deckard once or twice and then she gets shot down easily. The other fight scenes especially the one against Roy, presents a more difficult situation for Deckard. The movie shows over-sexual representation of women and even shows how they are seen as objects instead of subjects. This is the lapse that Williams’ mentions that allows for the film to be categorized as a melodrama. I could not agree more with you.

Viewing Response 11: Genre II

In the 1982 film Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott, Deckard is recruited to help retire several Replicants that have escaped from their colony and made their way back to Earth. Though this film may be popularly categorized as a science fiction movie, based on Linda Williams’ article “Gender, Genre, and Excess”, this film can actually be categorized under the larger umbrella of melodrama. Williams explains that “this extended sense of melodrama can encompass a large range of films marked by ‘lapses’ in realism”, which describes many of the fantasy components of this film. One scene from Blade Runner that I thought represented this idea of “lapses in realism” and also the common presence of the over-sexualized female body, as mentioned in Williams’ article, was the scene where Deckard is fighting Tris. In this scene, Tris can be seen using an unconventional acrobatic fighting style while wearing a fairly revealing outfit. Even though many of the scenes in the film were slightly unrealistic, this one seemed especially out of place, since Tris’ male Replicant counterparts fought Deckard without all of the flashy choreography and costumes. This example of a lapse in realism is one of the many from Blade Runner that could be used to categorize this film as not only a fantasy or science fiction film, but also a melodrama. 

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Viewing Response 11: Genre II

This week we continued our understanding of genre through the analysis of Linda Williams’ “Film Bodies: Gender, Genre, and Excess” and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982). In the article, Williams mentions that there is an illogical exciting appeal when sex, violence, and emotion are excessive. The excitement is due to the audience feeling the sexual passion, sweating the adrenaline of violence, or sobbing the pain of emotion. Williams mentions that the three body genres that encompass this abundance of emotion are pornography, melodrama, and horror. The film is melodrama which is why it fits in perfectly with the article. We see the abundance of emotion in the final fight scene between Deckard and Roy. There is an excessive amount of violence in that scene. We see how the fast paced camera switches and frame jumping adds to the adrenaline rush of the action. We also see how the sound of the music and the howling that Roy does affects the intensity of the sequence. The film builds this fight up the entire way. We know Deckard and Roy are going to eventually meet from the very beginning. This sci-fi/ thriller melodrama makes the audience react especially in the final scene I mentioned above. The “sense of over-involvement in sensation and emotion” is what drives the audience and defines the genre as one of the three body genres (Williams). The film correlates with article and we get an understanding that the genre is dependent upon audience reaction and that reaction can be triggered by only the excess of certain aspects of film.

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I think we could all agree that from the article we learned that there are two approaches; semantic and syntactic. The definitions are very clear and understanding. When you mention these definitions in response to a melodrama is where I was drawn in. I thought it was very interesting to see how both of the definitions you provided for melodrama were present in this film. We see that emotional main character and we see how the story of the characters emotionally affect the audience. It's incredible that the article correlates perfectly with the film. When both approaches come together is when we get the accurate genre and we can agree that it is a drama with a hint of melodic romance. Great analysis and great job getting the class to view this new understanding.

Viewing Response 10: Rick Altman and IMITATION OF LIFE

Rick Altman discusses in his paper titled “ A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre “ that film genre can have two forms of description and discussion: the semantic approach, which describes a genre based off of the subjects of the movie, and the syntactic approach, which looks at the relationships between the movies’ subjects and events. In light of this, one can look at Imitation of Life by Douglass Sirk, and how it fits into the genre of “melodrama” in both a semantic way and a syntactic way. Semantically, a melodrama features a struggling protagonist, usually female, that faces social pressures, threats, fears, and other difficulties; and, they work through them throughout the plot. Imitation of Life features each of these things, as the four main characters are all women facing challenges relating to ambition, romance, and race. The syntactic definition of melodrama is a plot that appeals to human emotion, and uses stereotyped character development, interaction, and highly emotional themes. Imitation of Life also fits into this description as the plot relies on emotional reactions, and uses the stereotypes of the distant mother, the bubbly teen, the rebellious daughter, and the righteous mother. Thus making Imitation of Life a perfect model for the genre in terms of Altman’s thesis.

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I agree with the reasoning you provided in the post. This film is an overall drama because of the problems that each character goes through. We see the struggles cause problems between the characters and this is huge for the narrative of the film. However, I think the theme of romance is big as well. We see how the love triangle that was mentioned above in another post is one of the big problems that causes a big argument between characters. That is why in my post I categorized it as a romantic drama. IMDB agrees with both is us because they have the film as a romantic drama genre.

Discussion 10

In “A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre,” Rick Altman explains how “…we can as a whole distinguish between generic definitions that depend on a list of common traits, attitudes, characters, shots, locations, sets, and the like-thus stressing the semantic elements that make up the genre-and definitions that play up instead certain constitutive relationships between undesignated and variable placeholders-relationships that might be called the genre’s fundamental syntax.” The genre of The Imitation of Life can be described as a drama/romance. Based on the definition of semantic elements and syntax, we can distinguish the genre of the film. Semantically, we see the protagonist, Lora, who goes through life facing problems involving her family, friends, job, and romantic life. Lora isn’t the only one facing troubles, but so are the three other woman. Because of the troubles they all face, this movie can be described as a drama. The relationships between the characters can be described as romance syntactically. There is an ongoing relationship within the film between Lora and Steve and eventually Susie. The scene that portrays this mix in genre can be seen in the scene where Lora confronts her daughter Susie about her feelings for Steve. Semantically, the attitude between the characters and shots of them portray a drama and the topic they are discussing are their feelings for a man.

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Viewing Response X: Genre l

This week we analyzed Rick Altman’s “A Semantic/Syntactic Approach to Film Genre” and watched Imitation of Life (1959). The article by Altman is a breakdown of what truly makes a genre. He describes that the categorization of genre is determined by the semantic and the syntactic interpretation of the film. Altman also states that there is a more in-depth analysis to be made of films because we expect a genre to be something already established when in reality it is something that could encompass a film and somehow still leave the audience oblivious. In the film Imitation of Life we see what seems to be an easy-to-interpret drama. However, the film tackles on stereotypes and racial issues of the date. In the scene of Sarah Jane dancing at her second nightclub and Annie watching from the crowd in a hiding fashion, we see this notion of girls being rebellious and ending up in a nightclub. The reason why this film is categorized a romantic drama is because the film entails this semantic of being sad and emotional because of a runaway daughter being ashamed of her race but it also entails this family love and love for other humans with the syntactic approach when Annie grants Sara Jane what she wishes for. The film does a great job of piecing this together and we see how in that dance scene, tension builds up after in the hotel room between Annie and Sara Jane. Altman’s interpretation states that the piecing of both of the emotions let out by the movie come together and that is what is defined as a genre. That is why we see how Sara Jane is angry but also emotionally tied to her mother. This film fits in perfectly with Altman’s reasoning behind genre.

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This was an interesting way of interpreting the film and the narrative. After reading your post I have to agree that gazing is a huge role in Hollywood and that black women are overpowered by white males because of their inferior roles. This film completely shatters the established norm and empowers black women. It gives them a voice and an opportunity to tell their actual story. The article reinforces the effects of the film. I agree that Eula' s final scene is the most powerful part of the film. Her release of years of disrespect is portrayed in one big scream and that is so meaningful.

Viewing Response 9: Narrative Film II

In Bell Hooks’s essay, “The Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators,” she discusses how black women are portrayed in films, focusing on gazing. Black women gazing has been overpowered by white males, specially. Daughters of the Dust tries to go against this idea of black women being overpowered by gazing. The main characters in this film are all black women, and the majority of the characters in general are also black women. These women are not being overpowered, they are the focus of the film. In addition, they follow their African traditions. The are strong women who stand up for what they believe in. For example, when Eula expresses her frustrated opinion regarding the family moving to the mainland. Eula standing up to her family to show her frustration, shows that she is a strong, passionate woman when it comes to her family, and she is not being dominated by anything else in that scene. 

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Great analysis! I have to agree with both your post and the comment above in that the black women in fact were the main subjects and not once referenced as objects. It completely went against the customs of Hollywood and it was powerful. I agee with the passage as well, white males are always seen as the main subject as they objectify everyone however it was the opposite in this film. It is nice to actually see the real lives of people instead of falsified images.

Viewing Response 9: Narrative Film II

In “The Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators” the author explains how different groups are catered to in different amounts when it comes to film. White men are the most catered to while black women are the least catered to. This means that the kinds of films being made are aimed towards mostly white, male audiences. The film “Daughters of the Dust” however, turns this norm on its head. A majority of the main characters black women who are not reduced to objects. The black female characters have depth, and unique personalities and traits. Each of them have their own story in the film, making each character feel crucial to the plot as a whole. The film focuses heavily on the heritage of the family, and the scars that come with it. It is major influence on each woman’s personality. Some want to hold on to their history and honor tradition, while others see it as a painful past something to move on from. Not only does the movie feature black women, it centers the entire story around their way of life on that island, and the values the family holds dear.