Jordan Ilan A-Level Film Studies

The Grandmother (Lynch, US, 1970) (34 minutes) Synopsis: Something about a boy being abused by his parents so he spends time with his grandmother? The story is told through music and weird images that are a blend of live action and animation. Inspiration: I liked the focus on music being used to tell the story and I liked the stylistic choices that Lynch used to convey his film The Wrong Trousers (Park, UK, 1993) (30 minutes) Synopsis: Wallace & Gromit short with a penguin starting to replace Gromit as Wallace's companion  and how the penguin takes an immediate liking to the trousers Wallace got Gromit for his birthday. Inspiration: The use of humour and animation to tell the story When The Day Breaks (Forbis/Tilby, Canada, 1999) (9 minutes) Synopsis: This film depicts how the animals lives are changed forever after an incident involving them occurs and the consequences that follow off from this which affect their daily normal routine. This is a fully an

Tarantino Auteur Traits Aestheticisation of Violence: Images and descriptions of violence a key component of the film in a 'stylistically excessive' and a 'significant and sustained way' where the audience connect to genre conventions Dance Scenes: Ironically joyous scenes Ensemble Casts: A cast assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and Tarantino's ensembles consists of established actors and lesser known actors Fake Product Placements: Makes the film more realistic, an extra trademark for Tarantino Long Takes & Tracking Shots: Develops a deeper connection with the characters Mexican Stand-Off: Confrontation amongst two or more parties where no strategy exists that allows any party to achieve a victory. Was originated in Sergio Leone's 'The Good, The Bad & The Ugly' (one of QT's favourite films and a key inspiration to him) Neo-Noir: A 'dark movie' that involves a sense of something sinister and shadowy but expresses

How cinematography shows the production context of Vertigo: - The colours in Gavin Elster's office foreshadows everything that will happen to Scottie. All the colour values are used as symbols; red consuming the room signifies blood & death, especially the wide shot of the red rug. The use of red reflects the fear of Scottie  which is reflective of the production context as this represents the fear that the everyday man faced in America during the 50's due to the many conflicts that were occurring. - Vertigo conveys its production context as the movie pushes boundaries through cinematography. Vertigo invented the dolly zoom (when the camera zooms in and out, as seen when Scottie tries to rescue Madeleine and chases her up the staircase) which once again reflects the  turbulent  nature of America during the 50's as this scene shows chaos which reflects the chaos of the conflicts and wars that happened in the 50's

Pulp Fiction 'Explore how far your chosen film are experimental in challenging conventional approaches to narrative' (20 marks) Look at: - Conventional narratives with Hollywood films - Number of narratives in Pulp Fiction - Do they individually follow conventional structure? - Techniques Tarantino employs to ensure audience follow what happens? - Effect film's structure has on audience? Pulp Fiction is a 1994 film directed by Quentin Tarantino that challenges conventional approaches to narrative as the film unfolds in a non-linear structure that diverts from the typical Hollywood structure. Pulp Fiction differs drastically from the conventional narrative in a Hollywood movie; the conventional approach to a narrative in a Hollywood picture has a six-point structure (beginning -> equilibrium -> disruption -> goals -> obstruction -> conclusion) and follows this pattern rigorously. However Tarantino prefers to make films in a non-linear style as he n

Pulp Fiction Representations Racial - Use of the n-word throughout the film -> controversial, Spike Lee (racial activist, highly critical of Tarantino) - Positive outlook on race - Final scene: 1 black character in the scene -> peacemaker/hero, white guy is the bad gut (held the place up) -> goes against the stereotypes at the time/film history -> Jules is the one with common sense to change himself Ethnicity Gender: 28 minutes to 31 minutes Key element: Sound - Diegetic - Son of a preacher man (Dusty Springfield) -> sexual element -> ironic, song juxtaposes what's occurring in the actual scene (drugs/alcohol etc), however Travolta's black & white clothes show hint of holy element -> auteur trait                                                   - Mia's voice - intercom -> Sound creates a seductive/sexual element, representing the female as mysterious -> assertive & sure of herself -> camera builds on that Sound: Sexual +

Quentin Tarantino: The Inspiration for Pulp Fiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5KkI_YS4ug  Notes on Tarantino: - Loved movies from a young age, had an early inspiration. Originally wanted to be an actor, wanted to quit school & become an actor at 16 - At 22, got a job at Video Archives, a famous video store - Worked on his first film whilst working at the video store, used the money he got from his job to fund this. Was amateur but his version of a 'film school', learnt new skills & techniques - Used to be that Europe was character-mood based film & America told the story but now believes America tell the worst stories -> prefers film that unfold in a non-linear style - Doesn't consider himself as a writer, considers himself as a filmmaker - Prefers to write his own stuff -> more personal, his own idea - Works in the crime genre: got a kick out of it - Harvey Keitel, Lawrence Bender (producer), Marty?, Richard Gladstein (executiv