Did Digital Cinema Kill Film?

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Directors like George Lucas would argue that digital is the way to go, albeit, his creativity is limited in regards to his movie genre of choice, Science Fiction. On the other hand his fellow Film school buddy, Steven Spielberg, would argue the point that film is the way to go. I believe that both of them truly believe in their choice of capture and are unwavering in their decisions to deviate from that. Film will be around for a while longer and it’s not totally dead by any means at this time. I love film and what it has contributed to the cinema for the last 100 years. Silent films all the way up through film noir and the French New Wave can never be duplicated. It’s the look that I admire so much! It’s kind of like an old wine, as film ages, it shows through the film as the look of an old painting. This is what makes it more valuable to us. It’s the age! The older it is, the more unique it becomes. Film is nostalgic indeed! But, I think that all had its time in place. In 60 years from now, I don’t think anyone would want to watch “Baraka” if it had the same aged look as “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.” Continue reading

I’ll wait for the next one, Short Film Review

In the short film “I’ll Wait for the Next One” directed by Phillippe Orriendy, we are introduced to a seemingly lonely middle-­‐aged woman who’s walking home alone. As she heads down the escalator her attention is totally focused on the couple riding up on the other side of the escalator. At this point it becomes more obvious that she doesn’t have a male counterpart and perhaps is longing for a relationship.

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Editor Research Report: “Thelma Shoonmaker and Eisenstein’s Theories of Montage”

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Editor Research Report:  “Thelma Shoonmaker”

My editor research report is on Academy award winning editor, Thelma Schoonmaker. Thelma Schoonmaker has been nominated for six Academy Awards for best editing and won three times for her work on, The Departed, The Aviator, and Raging Bull. A significant amount of Thelma’s work has been a collaborative effort with director Martin Scorsese for more than 35 years. Continue reading

The Spine of “The Full Monty – 1997”

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The inciting incident: Two unemployed steel workers Gaz and Dave decide to form an all men dance ensemble to try to make some cash after visiting an all woman’s male strip club. Gaz sees this an opportunity to be worthy of his sons admiration.

PLOT POINT 1: After being confronted by Gerald for ruining his seemingly last chance at landing a good job, Gaz and Dave decide to recruit Gerald and other out work men to become a part of their ensemble.  They begin tryouts. Continue reading

The Spine of “Dog Day Afternoon – 1975”

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The inciting incident: Sonny and Sal pull out their guns and hold up a bank with only $1,100.

PLOT POINT 1: “Attica”, “Attica”, Sonny yells to the crowds winning over their sympathy. The hostages also see the human side of Sonny and Sal and also begin to start sympathizing with their situation and botched attempt of a routine robbery. Every time Sonny emerges from the bank, he is cheered by the sympathizing crowds. Continue reading

The Spine of “Donnie Brasco – 1997”

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Genre: Crime Drama

I think it’s hard to spine this film because it doesn’t follow the typical structure. Since it’s based on actual events, I believe Paul Attanasio chose to stay as true to the original book as written by Joseph Pistone and Richard Woodley.

The hero’s journey?

Joespeh Pistone was a man who was determined to bring down a crime lord. He was so determined, he struggled with keeping his life together while saving the life of another. Donnie had engaged in small crimes in the beginning to win over the trust of the mob. Continue reading

The Spine of “Thelma & Louise” by, Miguel Bigueur

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Thelma, A bored housewife married to an unappreciative and controlling husband who is very unhappy at home. Louise, a career restaurant waitress who is sees the same people everyday and lives an unrewarding life. Both of them plan a short road trip to get away from their dull lives and seek out some excitement while letting their hair down. Immediately we see them having fun starting to live it up at the bar drinking and dancing.

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The Spine of “Witness – 1985”

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On the Amish farm, we bear witness to a funeral a symbol of death! The scenes that follow show farm lands and tractors, it’s a peaceful existence, one of solace. The departure from the native lands takes us on a journey into a whole new world. As the train speeds along the tracks, we see a horse and carriage as it races to keep up with the train but soon the train leaves the horse drawn carriage behind. This scene is significant because it symbolizes that the train is much faster than the horse drawn carriage. The train is a symbol of modern technology that was created by the new more advanced world that awaits their arrival ahead. The train, the Iron Horse, is taking the boy into the new modern world and he will bear witness to new and deadly discoveries. Continue reading