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You fucked up my son’s life; therefore, you fucked up my life.

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“When you love someone you have to be careful with it, you might never get it again.”

Nocturnal Animals (2016) - dir. Tom Ford

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Drive (2011), dir. Nicolas Winding Refn

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Her (2013) dir. Spike Jonze

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Theodore - Oil on wood. I recently painted this portrait of Theodore from the film, Her (Jonze, 2014). I sought to explore the idea that, occasionally, films stay with the spectator, long after the film has ended. I feel utterly connected to this film, I feel as though I have had many of the thoughts that Theodore has, that we think and feel similarly. His monologue to Katherine at the climax of the film, has never failed to make me emotional, in the many times that I have seen this film. There are many unique and stunning qualities that this film possesses, I am entranced by the use of colour, futuristic fashion and architecture. I have enjoyed Oil paining for some time and I think this portrait resembles my tendencies to attach personal meaning to film texts. This is a testament to the love I have for this film, one that envelopes the spectator through it’s melancholic sentiment and beautiful cinematography.

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The Role of Mirror/Face in Cinema

The following is an abstract that accompanied my audiovisual essay - the role of Mirror/Face in cinema. 

The Role of Mirror/Face in Cinema sought to uncover the intentions of various filmmakers, past and present, when uniting imagery of mirrors and faces in their works. I decided to draw on bodies of work that I had found, previously to evoke intense haptic experiences. The majority of the films integrated were among my favourites before I had even acknowledged their similarities. Strangely, the repeated inclusion of renowned actor, Jake Gyllenhaal. However, most notably, their recurrent imagery of faces in reflections. There are many pulchritudinous film examples of mirror, to which I endeavoured to list in audio-visual format.

 I was rivetted by the discovery that films containing this specific imagery were all films that firstly, appealed to my emotionalism and secondly, satisfied my aesthetic cravings. While searching for historic examples such, as Duck Soup (1933) It became apparent that mirror as a tool is highly versatile, through its repeated use, in genres ranging from psychological thriller to slapstick comedy.

Mirrors as a stylistic element, plays with symmetry to produce geometric patterns of color and line. These qualities amalgamate to create visual interest. Furthermore, mirrors lend merit to the cinematography through their inherent visual complexity and implication of other worlds. It is important to appreciate that mirrors in film are continuously accompanied by an almost inordinate amount of meaning, considering how difficult they are to incorporate into movies seamlessly, without the camera accidentally appearing in frame. Mirrors ultimately present truth, which forces the introspection of the protagonist. While the shattering of mirrors symbolizes the fall of the ego, elements of surrealism among the visual of a face in the mirror, customarily indicates a character’s mental deterioration and eventual decent into madness. It is only through glimpses in reflection that the spectator is granted insight into the protagonist’s transformation into a manifestation of evil, such as in the films Black Swan (2010) and Carrie (2013). The character’s denial of their negative attributes is refuted by the blatant visual of their own face. In scenes of reflection, the mirror is key in shattering conjured ideas of how the character may perceive themselves, by introducing them to who they truly are.

This audiovisual essay was rewarding in its exploration of my own, subconsciously imposed voyeuristic requirements that enable me to appreciate a film.

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Nina - Oil on wood.

While it may be considered unsurprising, Black Swan (Aronofsky 2010) is another one of my favourite films. I painted this portrait to capture my favourite shot in the film as Nina dances the white swan in the climax of the film. The use of red is to symbolise blood, as she is soon to commit a voilent act.

I have had an excellent experience studying films in the subject MSS3SSB. It has allowed me to appreciate my favorite movies in ways that I had not yet conceived. It was liberating to write about my favorite films, in the name of research. Many of the people in my life are tired of hearing me speak about many of these movies, this was a space that rewarded it - and for that I am grateful.

What I didn’t expect to encounter, was the need to be highly technologically literate. This encouraged me to improve my abilities at video editing, downloading footage to edit, website-making and voice recording.

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Cinema as Door

“A film has many more points of entry than merely the screen on which the diegetic world unfolds” (Elsaesser p.41).

The Place Beyond the Pines (Cianfrance, 2012) is a neo-noir crime drama that stars Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Dane DeHaan. The film adequately conceptualizes cinema as door through its exploration of perspective, moreover, positions the spectator in three separate protagonists’ bodily experience of life throughout the film. While there is limited reference to the entering of literal doors, following three individual characters in one single chronology is what makes this film so entrancing, as we enter and exit their respective psyches.

The main character Luke (see image) is a motorcyclist, working as a mechanic to get enough money to support his infant son and to get close to his love interest, the mother of his son. When the money of a part-time mechanic is not enough, Luke decides to rob banks and is eventually shot and killed by a policeman (Avery) to which the viewpoint switches to.  Avery is treated as a hero, however he is internally aware that he misconducted himself, given the fact that he shot-first.

Avery grapples with this lie, to which he eventually concedes, losing his job and credibility. Thirdly, a young man befriends Avery’s son in the local high school, where it switches to the final character perspective, revealed as being Luke’s son, having reached adolescence (A.J.).

The Place Beyond the Pines (Cianfrance, 2012) plays with morality and the idea that one’s bad actions, can often originate from a place of good intention. An individual will excuse their bad behavior, negating the conception that they are inherently evil, in pursuit of a greater purpose, a heroic goal that requires drastic measures. It exposes the human condition as one that is doomed to a self-serving and self-preserving mindset. That only they are the ‘good guy.’ The film excites and surprises the spectator as an antagonist is unexpectedly empathized with as Avery is transformed into a protagonist and exposes the notion that the law doesn’t necessarily signify what is ethical.

There is a memorable scene depicting Luke out the front of a bank, working up the confidence to enter the building and demand money from the tellers. As he enters though the door, he is an entirely different creature, animalistic and screaming hysterically for the tellers to ‘put the money in the bag.’ This is Cianfrance’s more visual depictions of the notion of door. Leaving a world of innocence, to the lifechanging choice of committing an armed robbery. The bank entrance door is depicted as a “passage from one world to another, which pre-supposes the co-existence of two worlds separated as well as connected by the threshold” (Elsaesser P.36).

1.       The Place Beyond The Pines 2012, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Directed by Derek Cianfrance.

2.       Elsaesser, T & Hagener, M 2010, Film Theory: An Introduction Through the Senses, Routledge, New York.

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Week 5: Cinema as Skin and Touch

“The lived body transparently provides the primary chiasmatic premises that connect and unite the senses as both carnally and consciously” (Sobchak p.84).

My favorite film, Her (Jonze 2013), starring Joaquin Phoenix, is a melodramatic and ever-precise sensory overload. In an urban, futuristic setting, the protagonist Theodore (see image) is haunted by memories of his wife, whom, for reasons he is yet to come to terms with, has recently left him. Reduced to a melancholic blur of reality, burdened by nostalgia, Theodore treads lightly as he finds himself falling in love with a highly intelligent operating system, Samantha.

The motif of contact and touch plays a fascinating role in this film, as it is arguably limited in its blatant visual portrayal, however unthwarted in its ability to elicit a haptic response in the spectator, through harnessing alternative carnal means. Skin-to-skin sensations are manufactured in Samantha and Theodore’s relationship, where touch is replaced by the visceral implication of sensual experiences, providing the spectator with the same “sensuous and bodily form of perception” (Sobchak p.54). This is demonstrated primarily in sex scenes in the beginning of the film, where they solely rely on the characters imagination and story-telling ability to convey intimacy. Furthermore, Jonze employs a technique that is “not predicated on a negation of the visual, but rather attempts to understand the senses and their interplay” (Elsaesser p. 110). It could be said that Theodore is positioned as a spectator himself, as Samantha uses vocal imagery to produce a haptic-like response in Theodore, to which the audience is able to identify. Moreover, this pseudo-cognition of being touched, without physically being touched, is experienced in Theodore, similarly as it is to the audience when watching the film.

Imagery of skin-to-skin contact, however, is Illustrated in a scene where Samantha invites a woman into Theodore’s home to host a sexual experience between the two partners. This is interesting as Theodore is not used to the sensation of a woman’s touch when engaging in sexual practices with Samantha, to which he ultimately finds it overwhelming. Jonze incorporates breathy, close to the microphone, stimulatory whispering sounds accompanied by the visual of pulling of clothes, close-ups of on-skin hand placements to allow an “undifferentiated experience of sense that grounds and conjoins body and language” to which the “feeling and knowledge of their coincidence so ordinary in our experience, that their sudden divergence is marked as frustrating” (Sobchak p.75). Jonze emphasizes physical touch is a mere ingredient in the complex cocktail of sensory indicators involved in perceiving intimacy and connection in adult relationships.

1. Her 2013, Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc, Directed by Spike Jonze.

2. Elsaesser, T & Hagener, M 2010, Film Theory: An Introduction Through the Senses, Routledge, New York.

3. Sobchak 2000, What My Fingers Knew: The Cinesthetic Subject, or Vision in the Flesh

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Cinema as Ear: Acoustics and Space

Purely through instrumentation and acoustics, Insidious (Wan 2010) entrances the spectator and fuels the conception that there is a demonic presence at play. The score of Insidious (Wan 2010) is dynamic and tantalizing. It is continually surprising the viewer with its sudden volume changes, harrowing nature and strategic scene placement, to which greatly assists Wan in his pursuit to spark the audience’s intrigue, yet frighten them simultaneously. This film score is an excellent example, demonstrating how sound transcends the confines of the visual plane and manipulate the perception of the film’s narrative as a “conduit of radical changes affecting the spatial configuration of the cinematic experience” (Elsaesser p. 142).

 In the opening sequence of the film, you are guided through a haunted house, as the camera tracks room-to-room, presented with imagery of veiled brides, wearing black and antique furnishings. This eventuates into an abrupt transition to the title card (see image) with a backing of the most horrifying high-pitched strings. Sudden loud noises are often employed in the genre of horror however, it is arguably one of the main scare tactics utilized in Insidious (Wan 2010), lending merit to the score and composer Joseph Bishara.

The theme ‘the farther you travel, the darker its gets’ is threaded throughout the film’s entirety, particularly heard in jump-scare moments, rather than story building scenes. Furthermore, during the film as the dialogue begins to discuss matters of ‘the further’ a limbo where the spirits reside, this theme will quietly begin to play, providing a “suggestive effect” (Elsaesser p. 142), which then hauntingly trickles into a crescendo of deafening strings. Interestingly, the composer is featured in this film as the main demon character that possessed the body of young boy, Dalton. The composer sought to produce music that featured atonal scratchy violins, mixed with ‘weird piano bangs.’ During these scenes featuring the demon known as ‘the man with the red face’ another notable song, ‘Tiptoe Through the Tulips’ by Tiny Tim (1968) repeatedly plays in the background. Furthermore, when this song begins to play the spectator is conditioned to expect the presence of the terrifying demon. This is interesting because Wan recognizes that sound influences the subconscious of the viewer, able to instigate suspense, without the viewer realizing this is taking place.  

 Performed predominantly with a quartet and a piano, the score was mostly improvised and structured in the editing process. Frantic motions of the bow played on an out-of-tune violin is heavily used in this composure and undoubtably causes the hair to stand on the back of the spectator’s neck. This theme song in the film is adapted from another song known as ‘threnody for the victims of Hiroshima.’ This harrowing composition sought to replicate the sound that ensues after a nuclear bomb has gone-off.  The orchestral techniques deliberately negate the traditionally imposed rules of what it means to make music that is pleasing to the ear, moreover, actively opposes music order and harmony to unsettle the spectator’s senses.

  1. Insidious 2010, Blumhouse Productions, Directed by James Wan.

2. Conductor Antoni Wit, Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima, National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp3BlFZWJNA

3. Elsaesser, T & Hagener, M 2010, Film Theory: An Introduction Through the Senses, Routledge, New York.

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Cinema as Brain: Mind and Body

“Does the film we are watching exist independently from ourselves as spectators, and if not, does it take place on our retina, in our brain synapses and our body’s nervous system?” (Elsaesser p.150)

Drive (Winding Refn, 2011) is a transporting cinematic masterpiece. Set in the streets of downtown Los Angeles, the protagonist played by Ryan Gosling, singularly referred to as Driver through the entirety of the film, is a getaway driver for various gang-related heists, using his skills acquired through previously being a Hollywood stunt-driver.

This gorgeously shot, cult-baiting film is influential in is aesthetic quality and envelops the spectator in its use of iconic fashion, such as the Driver’s jacket. This is a simplistic, yet striking white bomber jacket, which features a golden scorpion on the back. This movie stays with you long after the film has ended, through its romantic sentiment and gruesome imagery. The spectator is forced to question the how the protagonist’s aura of heroism is undisturbed, despite his undeniable flexible morality.

The arthouse film of brutality and love uses little dialogue, allowing the audience to focus on their other senses, such as the sounds and imagery Winding-Refn has strategically put into fruition. A beautiful romance blossoms between the driver and his neighbor Irene, played by Carey Mulligan.

The soundtrack, specifically my favorite song, Nightcall by Kavinski, is one that I have personally found to demonstrate the direct linkage between cognition of cinematic material eliciting a physiological affect in the body. I am subject to classical conditioning in the experience of listening to Nightcall, much like Pavlov’s dog salivating at the sound of a bell, an irrepressible response is provoked.  I become riddled with nostalgic sentiment, forcing forgotten emotions to the forefront of my mind, all while envisioning an idealistic situation where I am cruising down an empty highway at night, showered in romantic streetlight. It transports me to a place of deep introspection.

This continues through the rest of the film as the as the score has a heartbeat-like baseline in most scenes. Therefore, as the frequency of the sounds increases, my heart races to match the chase-scene likely ensuing. Drive (Winding Refn, 2011) does not conceptualize the spectator’s “brain as a passive receiver and executer of signals, but as an active mind that oscillates between mechanical conditioning of Pavlov and sensually activated memory of Proust” (Elsaesser p. 152).

1.       Drive, 2011, Bold Films, Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn.

2.       Elsaesser, T & Hagener, M 2010, Film Theory: An Introduction Through the Senses, Routledge, New York.

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Cinema as Eye: Look and Gaze

“Film has depended on voyeuristic active/passive mechanisms. Woman, whose image has continually been stolen and used for this end, cannot view the decline of traditional film form with anything much more than sentimental regret” (Mulvey p.26).

Black Swan (Aronofsky 2010) is a brilliant psychological thriller showcasing protagonist Nina (Natalie Portman), a dedicated ballet dancer driven to insanity in her pursuit to unattainable perfection.

Visually the film employs an array of techniques, namely utilizes color to demonstrate Nina’s transition from innocent (wearing only white) to progressively incorporating darker colors into her wardrobe (see left image) until her eventual metamorphosis into the wicked beast, or rather psychosis, known as the Black Swan. Pertaining to the eye motif, a close, tracking shot follows Nina having fully realized her Black Swan alter ego. The camera focuses closely on Nina’s bloodshot eyes. Aronofsky uses this disturbing and demonic imagery to effectively unsettle the spectator (see right image).

The male gaze as a paradigm, surfaces as imagery of women’s bodies and faces are relentlessly used to decorate films. Even in the casting of films, where casting directors are obligated to book actors that meet an attractiveness criterion, as Scopophilia rules the subject matter of the modern film industry. Or in plain terms, sex sells. There are many close-up shots of Nina’s face with a sultry facial expression that would likely be considered pleasing to the male gaze. Moreover, this is mirrored in the film as the male antagonist (Thomas) exclaims for Nina to “seduce us” with her movement. This chaotic scene follows Nina as she frantically practices her lead role choreography, while getting cat-called with corrections. We see a passive/female against active/male dynamic, that projects Thomas’ “fantasy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly” (Mulvey p. 19).

Nina’s self-worth is determined by how talented and beautiful she is in the eyes of Thomas, the head of the ballet company. This is brought to light through Nina’s iconic quote ‘I just wanted to be perfect’. However, this is merely Thomas’ version of perfect, not one that is necessarily desirable in western society, given that she is objectively mentally unhinged. The film explores topical themes of systematic sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, moreover, pertaining to the ‘me too’ and ‘times up’ movement. Black Swan (Aronofsky 2010) resembles instances where Nina is “subjugated to her image as a barer of the bleeding wound; she can exist only in relation to castration and cannot transcend it” (Mulvey p.14). The competitive dancers face a hierarchy that is not merit-based, but rather only reach the top or maintain their success through their willingness to perform sexual favors for their male superiors.

1. Images 1 and 2: Black Swan 2010, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Directed by Darren Aronofsky.

2. Mulvey, L 1998, Visual and Other Pleasures.

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Reflection: the viewing of Nocturnal Animals

Nocturnal Animals (Ford, 2016) is a psychologically encapsulating film. The storyline is split between two narratives, one with a horrible murder and a fathers struggle to obtain justice and another with a woman who is troubled by a past relationship she had where she wronged her partner by getting an abortion in secret.

The film plays with the notion of revenge. It is difficult to decipher which element of the film are real events that transpired, as in the first story line, or the details of the novel that her former partner had written. Overall, I enjoyed this film thoroughly and it contiuend to perplex me hours after the film had finished. 

Image link: Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturnal_Animals#/media/File:N octurnal_Animals_Poster.jpg

Nocturnal Animals (Ford, 2016), Fade to Black Pictures.

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Cinema as Brain: Mind and Body

‘The idea of film being detached from reality is voiced in the reassurance: “Its only a movie!” But whether uttered in order to bring credulous contemporaries to their senses or to ward off too much emotional involvement, the phrase registers the fact that a film can leave a deep imprint, appealing directly to one’s consciousness and feelings.’ – Elsaesser 2010

The Wolf of Wall Street (Scorsese, 2013) is a black crime comedy film set in 1987. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, this film is a biographical telling of the life and career of Jordan Belfort. Jordan is painted as a wolf in his abrupt rise to success on Wall Street, working as a stockbroker at Stratton Oakmont. Famous for his alluring energy and motivational speeches, Jordan harnesses his innate and compelling skillset in coercion, selling stocks of lower value that possess a higher commission rate. He ultimately reaches his peak by conning many innocent investors, who had placed their trust in his supposed ability to predict the stock market and are ultimately swept off their feet by his charm.

While Jordan began as a humble, engaged man this film highlights how abrupt success can lead to reckless risk-taking behavior, as he ditches his old life for an onslaught of narcotics. Jordan addresses the cameras as though he is being interviewed about how he reached his success. This allows the spectator to be charmed and personally addressed by Jordan, similarly to his clients. The real Jordan Belfort admits that the film achieves an element of realism however he concedes that the drug use is underplayed in the film. In my opinion, the drug use was very prevalent. The necessity for these businessmen to take large quantities of illicit drugs, highlights the psychological effect this sort of high stress gambling has on the brokers. this demonstrates the immense desire to numb their negative emotions and potentially negate the feeling of guilt when committing acts of fraud and manipulation.

The audience would likely be inspired by Jordan’s tale of working class to extreme wealth and his infectious confidence. This alters the spectator’s perception of reality and enables the film to live within the spectator after it has finished. Secondly, This film is a fascinating study of human behavior in its portrayal of high-stake salesmanship. Moreover, this film is highly entertaining and interesting in its seemingly accurate depiction of Wall Street businessmen. They are described as animalistic, sex crazed, shallow and emotionally inept adrenalin junkies. While some hold the opinion that this film endeavors to glamourize fame, reckless spending, prostitution, workplace sexism and drug taking, I would argue it paints this lifestyle as one that is hollow and doomed to corruption.

The use of manipulation tactics is another reason why this film circulates the topic of psychology. Jordan is a master manipulator which is masked by the conception that he is merely an outstanding salesman.

The Wolf of Wall Street (Scorsese, 2013), Paramount Pictures.

Elsaesser, T & Hagener, M 2010, Film Theory: An Introduction Through the Senses, Routledge, New York.