The Power of a Narrative

Persepolis (Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi, 2007)

The experience of watching this film reminded me of what a “narrative junkie” I tend to be. As a literature lover, despite appreciating the various forms of film, I always seem to succumb to my love for well developed stories. Therefore, through viewing Persepolis, I asked myself the question: Why is it that documentaries and films based on true stories are both undoubtedly grounded in reality, yet I lean towards the latter?

I found that the answer was as simple as my love for a narrative. In Persepolis, Marji Satrapi portrays an intimate perspective on her personal experience in pre and post-revolutionary Iran and the events that accumulated to make her leave her home country behind. This political landscape was tumultuous and full of traumatic events such as the passing of her uncle and grandfather and the overtly sexist ideologies forced upon citizens. A documentary on this subject would definitely make me feel a sense of pain and heartbreak at knowing the terrors that were experienced, however I find that a film imbues the topic with the feeling that the audience is connected deeply to Marji and her journey. This connection allows occurrences throughout the disastrous Iran/Iraq war to resonate as I am given the opportunity to view it through the lens of a small girl who simply desired freedom. 

This also reminded me of my experience watching the movie “The Boy In the Striped Pajamas”. With World War II as the backdrop, it centers around an 8 year old boy whose family ends up relocating near a concentration camp due to his father’s position as a commandant. The utilization of World War II as a setting that ultimately leads to a tragic ending for the little boy at the film's conclusion allowed me to feel a different level of investment in the unfolding of events. The power of following a particular perspective has shown its effectiveness time after time, which explains why it happens to exist as such a common formula in Hollywood. 

The Battle Between the Old & New in Julie Dash's "Daughters of the Dust"

 Julie Dash "Daughters of the Dust" (1991)

One of the most captivating aspects about Julie Dash's was the constant grapple between adhering to tradition and commencing the start of a new life in modernity. Throughout the course of the film, many of the characters are confronted with the conundrum of where they wish to establish the rest of their lives. The decision to remain rooted on the island would cement members of the Peazant family in African tradition while embarking to the mainland would signal a new chapter in "civilization". Despite the seemingly strict separation between tradition and modernity, Nana encourages a blurring of the lines between the two concepts through prompting members of the family who wish to depart that remembrance of their ancestors remains vital. This reminder is representative of the notion that a coexistence between convention and modernity is possible. 

 "We are two people in one body. The last of the old and the first of the new."

Nana's conclusion to bridge the two vastly different worlds through coexistence in one being reminded me of my general approach to the common debate of tradition versus modernity. In reality, to actively ignore one's ancestry is an unfortunate act of cultural erasure. On the other hand, advancements in civilization have shown it to be necessary to adjust to a new era of society. Therefore, to be able to achieve an appropriate balance between the opposing ideas would aid in eliminating a troublesome divide. 

Thoughts on Reassemblage (1982), Trinh T. Minh-ha

Reassemblage (1982), Trinh T. Minh-ha 

My subjective viewing experience throughout this documentary drastically contrasts with my objective analysis of the film’s effectiveness. From one angle, an angle admittedly full of bias, I can firmly say I did not enjoy watching “Reassemblage”. This had nothing to do with the subject matter as I appreciate the focus on the people of Senegal. However, the experimental nature of the documentary made it relatively easy for my mind to stray and for me to lose focus. From my experience with any form of entertainment, sound is a vital aspect of my enjoyment. Therefore, while the cutting of sound at random points does make an important statement about documentaries, it often took away from my immersion.

On the other hand, I can applaud and appreciate what Filmmaker Trinh Minh-Ha is attempting to communicate about documentaries. As she highlights in her writing “When the moon waxes red”, Trinh T. Minh-ha is able to shed a light on the flaws present in traditional documentary making. The calling into question of how easily documentaries can concoct a narrative and control how the audience views a topic is impressive. Instead of telling the audience what to feel, we are made to determine this for ourselves. However, once again, I can only really appreciate it from an objective point of view because subjectively I was rather bored. 

In class, there was an interesting discussion surrounding documentaries and what aspects of them make people want to watch. For me personally, I only watch documentaries when I have a prior interest in the subject matter or the person involved. For instance, Demi Lovato’s recent documentary “Dancing With the Devil” chronicles her near fatal overdose in 2018. As someone who has been a fan of her and her music for a long time, I had an immediate desire to watch the documentary to learn more. Similarly, as someone who loves video games, watching short documentaries about the creation process is an enlightening experience for me. In the case of “Reassemblage” while I do find the lives of people in Senegal interesting, the experimental format prevented my deep investment in the material. Who knows? Perhaps my love for a good narrative has skewed the way I view and enjoy media.

What Stood out in "Suture"

 

Kaja Silverman “Suture”

One of the most fascinating aspects of Kaja Silverman’s “Suture” is the way film can utilize the eye of the camera to unconsciously draw the viewer’s attention to a particular object.  In the first scene the camera, as described by Silverman, “moves backward to reveal a corner of the bed not previously exposed, on which lies the envelope of stolen money“. Later on in the scene, the camera pans out to once again reveal the packet of money. Even in subtle moments where Marion is fixing her hair in front of the vanity table, the stolen money is revealed in a reverse shot. Finally, Marion sits to gather the money into her purse. In one scene, cuts to the stolen money occurred a multitude of times. This established the future importance the money would have to the plot and Marion’s character arc without the use of words. To me, this is a representation of the concept “show, don’t tell”. If Marion was constantly looking at the money throughout the scene or actively mentioned the money to Sam, the glimpse into the future of the film would come across as heavily obvious and overly hinted. However, subtle shots to the envelope allow for only those paying close attention to note the significance of the object repeatedly shown.

The Good and Bad in Hitchcock's Psycho (1960)

 Psycho (1960)

 

If someone were to ask me where I thought Psycho excelled the most, I would answer: The plot twists. The first plot twist involved the destruction of the “plot armor” the main character of a series or movie is often equipped with. In many cases the main character of a series is immune to the dangerous occurrences surrounding them and are often seen to escape near death situations repeatedly. However, as someone who never saw the film before, it was shocking to see the demise of Marion at the halfway mark. A character who was set on improving her life and escaping the “trap” she found herself in had her story abruptly ended by the knife of Norman Bates. On the topic of Bates being the killer, the second and final plot twist that took me by genuine surprise was the reveal of Norman’s split persona as his mother. The psychological trauma that led him to kill his mother and take on the role of a caregiver immensely envious of anyone who gained her son’s affection was strikingly haunting. Furthermore, the seeds regarding this reveal planted through Norman’s nervous reactions under investigation and his refusal to let anyone meet his mother made the revelation more rewarding. 

Despite my satisfaction with the two major plot twists, there were certain moments that disrupted my engagement with the content of the film. The fact that the knife did not convincingly touch Marion once, removed any sort of fear I would have felt watching the death of someone at the peak of vulnerability in the shower. Additionally the soundtrack to the film, while iconic in the context of horror, became very recurrent and monotonous midway through the movie. These aspects coupled with exaggerated acting made the process of immersing myself fully into the realm the movie tried to create difficult. Overall, while I can understand the movie’s position as a classic, I would not watch it again. 

Thoughts on: A Trip to the Moon (Georges Méliès ,1902)

 A Trip to the Moon (Georges Méliès ,1902)

Similarly to the film “Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat”, A Trip to the moon captures a monumental moment in history through existing as an early representation of the essence of science fiction: ideas tied to science intermingled with sparks of fantasy and imagination. By entirely eliminating sound from the black and white film, the viewer’s sense of sight is heightened when experiencing the film as excitement can solely be brought forth through images and motion. For instance, aspects such as the frantic movements of the actors as they scramble to board the aircraft and the special effects such as the stars are accentuated through the absence of sound. Furthermore, unlike “Arrival of a Train at la Ciotat” which featured a still camera focused on one setting, A Trip to the moon features multiple settings that chronicle the journey to the moon and back. In terms of the effort expended on the film, I have a great appreciation for the work which was invested in order to produce a film with multiple scenes, cuts, movement and effects in 1902. However, sound whether natural, human made or musical is a vital part of viewing a piece of media for me as a consumer. Without sound I am left without a layer of immersion. Therefore while I did not particularly enjoy the experience of watching A Trip to the Moon, I have immense respect for Georges Méliès for creating an iconic work of science fiction in 1902. 

Analysis of Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat

 Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (The Lumière Brothers, 1895)

The simplicity of this film created in 1895 by the Lumière Brothers is in itself a reflection of the monumental moment in history that occurred with the first screening of the film. Similarly to the arrival of a train existing as a seemingly mundane event to those of today who have access to a variety of modes of transportation, to experience the grandeur of a film in cinema is relatively common. However, at the time of the pieces’s creation and projection, this represented a new and transformed model of entertainment. This presentation of daily life in black and white features a still camera that captures the rapid movement of civilians. The quick paced steps of the patrons serve as a mirror to the upbeat piano music playing in the background. Furthermore, the noise typically caused by loud voices is entirely eliminated from the piece to highlight the two primary focuses of the scene: the people and the train they eagerly await. Personally while I can understand and appreciate the importance of this moment in history, I could not see myself revisiting the film in the future as it lacks the excitement and engagement I need when indulging in any form of media.