Movies

The movie Slumdog Millionaire is one of the most famous films at present. It was directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan who is an Indian co-director. The story is based on a novel written by Vikas Swarup and screenplay by Simon Beaufoy. The genres of the film include crime, drama, and romance.
   
On the other hand, Salaam Bombay was directed by Mira Nair. The same director also wrote the story and was transformed into a screenplay by Sooni Taraporevala. The genres of the film also include crime and drama.

Slumdog Millionaire is the tale of Jamal Malik played by Patel who is an 18 year-old orphan living in the slums of Mumbai. He is about to deal with the major day of his life. The whole nation is watching since he is just one issue away from captivating an overwhelming twenty million rupees on Indias Who Wants to Be a Millionaire However, when the show was aired one night, the police officers arrested him on a feeling that he was cheating in the show.

The question is that how could a street kid know so much Due to his desperation to prove his innocence, Jamal shared the saga that represents his life in the slum with his brother. He also shared their adventures together on the road as well as the cruel encounters with local gangs. The most endearing part of the film is his friendship with Latika played by Pinto and who was the girl he loved and lost. With that, every chapter of his life revealed the explanation of the answer to one of the questions of the game show. Essentially, one question remained a mystery what is the motive of the young mans appearance in the game show At the time Jamal returnee to answer the last question, the police and sixty million audiences found out the reason.

The second film is different with the first one in terms of presentation. The second film was also told in the context of being poor. However, the story was presented in a narrative manner in such a way that the story of Krishna who was duped in the end by someone he trusted would emerge as victorious. However, Krishna had drunk the bitter cup of life and learned its hard lessons.

Finally, the style of editing of the two films differs in such a way that Slumdog Millionaire was presented in a flashback manner showing each experience of Jamal in order to prove that he did not cheat on the game show. On the other hand, the film Salaam Bombay was edited in such a way that a narration of the life of Krishna will be given justice. Besides, the film Slumdog Millionaire was done in the present time when there are additional developments of the film making industry for the betterment of film making. Hence, the overall presentation of the movie is better than Salaam Bombay because the latter was filmed earlier. All things considered, both films won awards in the film industry and yet it was Slumdog Millionaire that really gained attention and fame.

The 1973 film The Last Detail is one the films that has serve to represent the New Hollywood era of film making. Thompson and Bordwell (2006) describes New Hollywood, from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, gave rise to directors, writers and actors who had film and dramatic education who worked to inject a new vitality to studio-dominated film industry. They were also is associated with the counter-culture movements in particular, sexual, cultural and political liberation The movement emphasized realism which encouraged the use of natural settings versus movie sets which was aided by greater levity in film production due to changes in the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system regarding location filming. At the same time technological developments in cinematography gave rise to the use of editing for artistic effect and the prevalence of the use of 35mm camera film use.

Ashby shot the film in chronological order and on-location. As much as possible, he utilized the developing relationship of the three actors to be reflected in their particular characters and utilizing natural lighting as much as possible respectively. The latter also contributed to the natural and realistic appeal more similar to documentary film than more traditional filming techniques of the 50s and early 60s. The editing of the film resulted to a number of jumps in the story line and remained to have a number of profanities in the dialogues, issues that were a major concern for studio executives. However, the early previews of the film received high praise which laid the concerns to rest. The film presents its protagonists as flawed characters and does not provide any suggestion of redemption at the end of the film similar to the anti-hero protagonists in other New Hollywood films such as Cool Hand Luke or Bonnie and Clyde.  Its use of profanities and rock well as well as its liberal views on alcohol, drugs and prostitution though to a lesser degree than Midnight Cowboy, also reflected the counterculture movements  disdain of traditional cinema. The films editing, like that of Easy Rider, also provides the significant part of the films dramatic effect, leaving the emotional weight to be implied rather than directly illustrated.

The film, and ultimately New Hollywood movies as a whole, utilized European art films of the period as a model for the revival of Hollywood cinema. The European film industry growth was being driven by the global commercial success of art film which was soon adapted to be artistic and industrial standards in the film industry. This was also seen as an indication of the breakdown of the Old Hollywood and gave rise to independent film makers. This did not imply that studios lost their influence over the industry they remained to be the principal financier and distributor of films, but expanded the field to innovations in how films were developed and made them more socially responsive and relevant. Whereas Old Hollywood films were often theatrical and highly deliberate, New Hollywood films which were considered to be part of the greater Hollywood Renaissance movement, focused on highlighting on social realities though they were often very unflattering, raw and against the idealistic portrayals of American life.
   
In addition to making films more appealing to contemporary audience, New Hollywood directors also embraced the idea of films as a means of social reflection and critique. Thompson and Bordwell point out that previous cinematic tradition had a prescriptive quality to them, often over idealizing the prevailing social norms and values. New Hollywood films on the other hand point out that such ideas often led to the development of social disparities leading to the breakdown of the norms, ideals and values romanticized in film. This opened the idea of poverty, crime and vice not only among racial and other marginalized communities but also how such perceived social ills have become prevalent among the middle class, public institutions and the youth. New Hollywood films were wrought in an era of social and cultural change and it is not surprising the film makers of the time also sought to push the barriers of cinema, particularly is long-held institutions of power and influence. More than anything else, New Hollywood marks the realization of the power of mass media and the social role of media. Thus, New Hollywood has not only been a significant in the film industry but also has prevailing and relevant implications to how films are created and utilized in media as well as society.

The development of film and cinema industry has grown of age. Different periods including supportive technological requirements have made the development of film industry improve its products and services. Numerous directors, writers and producers have been involved in the cinema industry, with each coming with unique approaches and characteristics that aim to improve their final product. Thus, the aim of this paper is to summarize Evolution of the Language of Cinema by Andre Bazin and the film by Charlie Chaplain, Modern times. This paper ends with trying to link the views of Bazin and Chaplin in the development of language and cinema evolution. 

Andre Bazin Evolution of the Language of Cinema
Evolution of the language of cinema is a historical writing presented by Andre Bazin, and it is believed to be written between 1950 and 1955 before he died in 1958. The main fundamental of the entire writing is contrasting between those directors (and films) that rely on montage and those who rely on verisimilitude. Bazin champions the idea of realism and points out that jumping from silent film to sound film was not a major historical phenomenon in evolutional point in film language. Bazin begins his analysis in the silent period through employing stylistic and semi-auteur approach, and he groups most directors between 1920 and 1940 into 2 groups. These groups are those who base their views on image (the imagists) and those who base their views on reality (the realists).

The imagist directors are further grouped into those using plastics (composition, dcor and lighting) and those who work with editing (the montagists). This means realists do not distort space (like expressionists) or time (like the montagists) but tries to depict reality. Some directors that he groups in the realistic camp include Renoir, Murnau, and Dreyer. Moreover, the montagists are grouped into two camps those of the periods between 1920 and 1930 who  include Griffith, and Eisenstein and those of between 1930 and 1940 influenced by Vsevolod Pudovkin.

Mostly, the two camps were evident as Soviet Post Revolution cinema (the montagists) and German Expressionism (the plastics) at the end of the salient period. Moreover, jumping from salient to sound did not cause any effect on editing or shooting styles. Nearing 1940s, sound became a major factor in that it moved editing towards realism, while switching expressivesymbolic to analyticdramatic operational approach. By 1939, film reached a period of classical perfection where form and content was fused. Technology advancement was common since innovations were improving and any further development could be championed by thematic approach. Thus, this resulted in the most appropriate time in aesthetic revolution and hence arrival of mise-en-scene style.

By 1940s, Bazin states that realistic style had been overtaken by imagist style. The salient period belonged to the imagist while in the middle and late 1930s, realist maturation occurred. Realistic style split up into two camps comprised by spatial realists and pure objective realists. The understanding of Bazin is that there will be a period of total cinema. To some extent, this view is true because of salient (imagists) dominated in the 1920s and early 1930s but was overtaken by realism. However, with time, this view has changed since there is nothing like total cinema.

Charlie Chaplain Modern Times (Moments)
Modern times was the last appearance of the Little Tramp this is a character that had brought Charlie Chaplin into the world of cinema and thus fame, and still remains the most fictional image in the history of Art. Modern Times is a 1936 film that brings into consideration struggles that Little Tramp had to undergo to survive in an industrialized world. Thus, the film symbols hardships that are associated with the underprivileged. Moment is a commentary film on the desperate unemployment conditions that resulted because of Great Depression, the conditions that were created from the view of Chaplins, by the rise of industrial automation and other efficiencies of industrialization. Other major characters in the film written and directed by Chaplin include Henry Bergman, Paulette Goddard, Chester Conklin and Stanley Sandford. The factory were the film was taken was designed in a futuristic look.

The story is based on Tramp and a young woman (Gamine) gamines father was killed during labor demonstrations, whom the authorities wanted to put her in an orphanage as they (Tramp and other youngsters) tried to overcome the difficulties associated with street life. Chaplin and Gamin are the main characters since the time the police wanted to arrest Gamine for stealing a loaf of bread. Chaplin defended her because he was looking for means to get back into jail because he had a good reputation. Chaplain then became a security guard and took Gamine to stay with him but burglars broke into the store and stole food (Charlie Chaplain, 2009). Chaplain is then arrested and after ten days in jail, Chaplain is released and within some hours, he gets a job in a factory. He is involved in an incident with the boss and the workers go on strike. The workers hit a police officer with a stone, and Chaplain is again arrested falsely. Both Chaplin and Gamine lands a job in a hotel, but when the police wanted to arrest Gamine for previous mistakes, they escape and walk down a road towards uncertainty and thus the end of the cinema. Nevertheless, Chaplin tries numerous jobs but quickly looses all of them.
It is one of the last salient films made, but Modern Times included sound effects, voices, singers and music coming from louder speakers and radios. However, when the film is about to end, the voice of Tramp is heard as he ad-libs pseudo- Italian and French gibberish into the tune of a popular music that he sings has a waiter.

Moreover, the film was shot at a speed of 18 frames per second, which is a silent speed and when the film was projected at speeds of 24 frames per second (sound speed) the slapstick is seen more frenetic. This may be attributed to the fact that Chaplin had evidenced such features in his earlier films and tries to re-create the effect deliberately.

Numerous memorable and dramatic scenes are evident in this film. For example, Chaplin is trying to tighten a bolt but he is being pulled by enormous machine gears. Another scene shows Chaplin picked up and was waving a flag so that the driver can attract his attention. At the same time, numerous labor protesters were following him without knowing. The police then arrested Chaplin because the police who were trying to break the protest thought that he was the leader of protest.

Generally, Bazin views and Chaplin film shares some fundamentals and features. Most of the films that have been written and directed by Chaplin have factored salient style except this one. Bazin states that the idea of realism began in early 1930s but developed in mid 1930s and this time concurs with the time Moment was directed Moment was released in 1936. Realism is an important factor in development of any film, and Chaplin championed this idea through incorporating the factory, experiences of women through Gamine and general difficulties that people faced after the Great Depression. Inclusion of sound effects in the Chaplin film shows that the approach presented by Bazin that cinema production evolves e.g. 1920s Directors utilized different approach to 1930s directors, thus showing that Chaplin aim of introducing minimal sound effects plus Chaplins own voice illustrates the important of sound features. Thus, analytical analysis of Bazin writings and Chaplin film shows the evolution of language and sound effects in development of cinema. Hence, different views may be championed by other directors and authors but most of the films and cinemas that were produced within this period somehow illustrates salient features has explained by Bazin.

The silent movie Battleship Potemkin depicted the struggles of the soldiers in such a comic kind of way in which no dialgoue was ever heard and the sound was the primary element in progressing the story from one theme to another. Unlike in the movie Les Quatre Cent Coups in which there was an extreme use of voices, Battleship Potemkin reflected uses fast movements and emphatic actions to relay to the audience what had been happening. In the Les Quatre Cent Coups, which was one of the New Wave Films, uses more of the cinematic effect of the environs of the main characters rather than focusing on the direct movements of the main characters to portray what the movie was all about.
In the Battleship Potemkin, the key elements in silent films, which are the conclusions and abstractions (Reisz  Millar 1995), were clearly manifested as evidenced by the way the narration was written. The utilization of emphatic words such as  Dont Shoot   Give us this day, our daily bread,  and the way the chapters were titled such as  The Men and the Maggots  had greatly contributed to the progression of the story without the use of dialogues and even the sounds created by the environs.
 Both the films differ in this feature because the  in Les Quatre Cent Coups, the sounds of the environs were present and there was no use of the comic-like narration. Also, being a product of New Wave Cinema, Les Quatre Cent Coups appeared more edited with the use of technology as they were no unintelligible sounds or noises heard in the background.  It was noted tha the New Wave cinema had incurred changes in film-making technology after the World War II. Such innovation was able to render the film a scratchless appearance on the screen plus the equal sharing of the black and white shades which were enough to make the characters and the emotions they conveyed stand out from their environs.
The equal distribution of black and white shades could be attributed to the avoidance of sophisticated lighting and the usage of the natural light instead coming from natural locations. The element of lighting in film editing is crucial and the proper distribution of shading were crucial in film-editing (Fairservice 2001). This feature was not applied in the Battleship Potemkin because it was evident that the film contained some unintelligible noises which were derived from editing and shadows of the actors were not properly. Blocking was also the weakness of the Battleship Potemkin as it violates the use of light in emphasizing certain scenes in the movie. Also, there was an improper use of the black screen technique in the particular scene involving the baby in the stroller falling down the stairs. The story was not able to show what happened next which stomped the excitement of the viewers.  
     The  autobiographies in the Les Quatre Cent Coups, even the least sophisticated, involved elements of stylization in which experience was fused into language resulting to an autobiographical narration charged with meaning (Gillain 1990).  Compared with the Battleship Potemkin, Les Quatre Cent Coups used  a dramatic dialogue which were wordy enough and there were scenes, in particular, a teenager running in the woods which were long enough and makes the pacing of the movie slow. In contrast with the Battleship Potemkin, there were fast movements, a feature which could be resembled to a film being pushed into a fast- forward mode. Also, the film did not contain dramatic dialogue, had no lucid moments and every scenario was charged with emotions which ignited the excitement of the audience. Such film expressed the originality and creativity of the director using a freer and more visual film style.
Since the New Wave cinema came before the dominance of the television dramas (Nelmes 2003), street-level and documentary look characteristics were given focus in the Les Quatre Cent Coups. Usage of hand-held camera became a distinct feature in the film which had its primary aim to show the world of the Parisian everyday life. Truffaut worked his wonders on the film by using the unconventional conditions of low-budget productions, mobile equipment, available light, and shooting few retakes (Neupert 2002).
While the Les Quatre Cent Coups reflected a smooth yet dramatic lifestyle of Paris, the main aim of the Battleship Potemkin was to provide a panoramic view of the most relevant events in 1905 from the Russo-Japanese War down to a certain bloody Sunday massacre. In charged with the films editing, Sergei M. Eisenstein said that the he applied some principles on the script the absence of central heroic character, an emphasis on the mass, on collective action, and so on (Taylor 2000).  In contrast, Les Quatre Cent Coupss drama plot necessitated a central heroic character.
Some of Eisenstein visual analysis of the skiffs sequence included the change in the frames articulation from vertical lines to the structure of the arch the plastic arch occupying the foreground and moves into the opposite resolution the contours of a group forming a circle the backs o the small-scale people moving into the background being replaced by large-scale static figures filmed at the front (Taylor 2000). The Les Quatre Cent Coups had a freestyle approach to every scene.
In conclusion, the two films differ in the themes they portray Les Quatre Cent Coups being more focused on lifestyle kind of cinematic effect while the Battleship Potemkin was a panoramic picture of historical events. Both used black and white mode to instigate ingenuity and vintage. The elements of characterization, lighting and film equipment were also used by the films in their own varied ways. Dialogue, script as well as the era which the motion pictures belonged to also varies according to technological innovation in film-making.

The advent of industrialization and motion picture brought with it many societal changes. The conservative Protestants who thought of the changing dynamics of society as a cultural and social revolution that threatened the morality of the society, considered the motion picture at the forefront of threatening family values. The first ordinance to regulate film exhibitions was imposed in 1907. The Supreme Court also voiced its concern over motion pictures effects on the social transformation.  The sex lives of most Americans were also changing as concerns for sex hygiene became popular. While filmmakers made female sexuality a central theme of their films, the conservatives were increasingly becoming uncomfortable with female sexuality on screen. For filmmakers, it was becoming a multimillion dollar business. For the conservatives, it was an evil that could distort family values. Theatre owners and film distributors created their own rating board to avoid governmental censorship.
In the meantime, Production Codes were imposed on films. The largest production companies created a trade association, the MPPDA, to limit the influence of pro-censorship movements.  The president of the Association, William H. Hays, strived to limit the sexual depiction in films. But the success of films such as The Merry Widow (1925) which had a scene of orgy, inspired many other filmmakers to continue with increased sexual depiction in their films. Hays had little compliance from the studios and had more pressure from conservative movements, which led him to form the Studio Relations Committee which was placed between the filmmakers and the public which claimed to protect artistic freedom while still maintaining strict limits to expression.
Later, the Studio Relations committee was reorganized into the Production Code Administration (PCA) in 1934. The code succeeded for several reasons including the threats of boycotts based on the ratings developed for Catholics. Hence, the fear of boycott made it significant for many filmmakers to seek the seal of approval that abided by the conservative normative standards as stipulated by the code. Since the code was open to interpretations, filmmakers worked around the code by manipulating it the way that suited them.
When the MPPDA was replaced with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), it was more moderate in its approach than its predecessor organization.  Moreover, the code received its first major blow when motion pictures received their First Amendment protection. Increasingly, films without the seal of approval were getting more popular. Also, the revision of the Production Code that lifted the ban on homosexuality and other non-normative sexual behavior indicated that concessions being given to filmmakers and the increasing acceptability of sexual depictions in movies.
Distortion of Sexual realism through censorship laws and production codes
The restrictions on sex depicted through the cinema had the effect of denying the sexual diversity that existed in America. Till the late 70s, little was known about the sexual lives of the Americans, and the cinema was one of the best sources to show what people did. But the practice of censorship through censorship laws and the production code actually distorted the reality about sex. Instead of showing the sexual themes popular at the time, many filmmakers tried to align their films with the production code so that the seal of approval could be obtained.
To comply with the codes and other restrictions at home, filmmakers would make different versions of the same film for domestic and international release such as in the case of The Ambassadors Daughter(1965), which had a brassiere nightclub scene for the American version while a topless nightclub scene for the European version.
Among the downsides of the wide restrictions was the repression of freedom of expression in movies. Filmmakers had difficulty in exact representation of what they wanted to express. Hence, instead of creating great works of art when it came to sexuality, filmmakers retreated to make carefully edited movies that did not stretch the boundaries too far. In their search for approval and compliance with the codes, great cinematic works that depicted the true sexual themes could not be produced. Moreover, age diversifications in the market were widespread, with themes of mild sexuality intended only for mature audience while deeper themes had no place in the cinema due to the wide restrictions. Hence, the censorship laws had an even greater impact on sexual themes that broke away with traditions and these themes could not be brought to the cinema.
In essence, the censorships had a greater impact on movies and America for a very long time. It even had an impact on the movie costumes and environments. For example, the Tarzan movies before and after the enforcement of the Production Codes show a stark contrast in the costumes of the actors. Moreover, for a long time, many American public could not have access to mature themes that they liked to see on big screen. For American cinema and the public, the censorship laws were among the greatest impediments in their quest for freedom of expression and the changing sexual norms. In the backdrop of morality, American cinema was deprived of great artistic work in the form of sexual expression that has been a significant aspect of motion pictures.

When the Roman Empire fell, the Visigoths one of the barbarian tribes that sacked and pillaged Rome migrated and eventually settled on the modern Spain. The lands of that time, those within the boundaries of Portugal and Spain which was then known as Iberia was a place of convergence between the Jews, Christians and Muslims which eventually arrived from Arabia. The first settlers during the migration were the Jews, which settled in Toledo, a place in Spain. The Visigoths eventually converted into Christianity and began persecuting the Jews. During the power struggle between the two religious denominations, a new religion was established in the Arabian Peninsula. The expansion of the ArabianMuslim people eventually reached the land occupied by the Visigoth kingdom via North Africa. The battle between the Christianized Visigoths and Muslim was inevitable and the Muslim was now integrated into Visigoth society where the previously persecuted Jews welcomed the Muslim because they now have an ally in the view of the minority. The Muslims were now the authority in the land and for the Jewish and Christian they become a protected group, paying a tax or tribute to the Muslims but enjoying internal autonomy. A member of such group was known as a dhimmi. The Muslim when they conquered a tribe forced them to become Muslims, but it was a different situation with the Jews and Christians because only polytheistic tribes were forced to convert into Islam.

    The culture of tolerance was brought upon because the Muslim authorities let the other group of people do their own thing and practice their own culture. The Muslim authorities did not feel threatened with the cultures of the minorities. This atmosphere of tolerance while it lasted was brought about by trade especially between the Jewish people.

    The collapse of the Arab rule was partly due to the increasing aggression of Christians in the northern region of Spain. The tolerance given to the Christians were limited which gave dissension in the Muslim authorities. Mainly the collapse of Muslim rule was also due to the divisions among the Muslim authorities, which took its root the selection of the eleven year old son of Al-Nakam who died in 976 which many of the Muslim people felt that his younger brother is a more suitable successor.

    The movie presented the Islamic rule of Spain very adequately. There are authorities on the topic were knowledgeable in the subject and they presented their studies in a way that the audience will understand clearly. The refrained from using terms that are arcane which helped very much in the understanding of the topic. The presentation of the sites of the land helped the movie visually which brought about more understanding and astonishment of that era where religious tolerance was practiced. The narrators were concise in the explanation of the events and people involved in the subject. The addition of other narrators helped transport the audience in the appreciation of that era.

Gojira, also known as Godzilla among the English speaking people, is an original Japanese production that comments extensively on the popular Japanese culture. In fact, much of the issues raised in the film, significantly resonates with the themes identical to the Japanese post war experiences such as the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima and the wider scope of the American role in the economic practices.
The director of this movie uses the most compelling theatrical skills to depict the awakening of some sort among the Japanese. Accordingly, Gojira succinctly defines the Japanese culture by effectively underscoring how the Japanese are able to learn from the post war experiences and develop a new set of attitudes to help them move own after such ugly experiences. Essentially, the movie provides a profound social crisis by offering a metaphorical representation of not only fears of disaster but also hopes for a better tomorrow all rooted in the pursuit for deliverance.
Gojira can be viewed as a multilayered work of fiction. It leads the way not only as an allegory that warns against the rampant scientific approaches that are beyond restraints but also provides a vivid snapshot of the Japanese society of the post war time (Buehrer, 2000 218-231). Accordingly, this is a society complete with social differences, fears and attitudes towards the events of the Second World War, factor that points out their skepticism in science and the ideology of whether science is playing God (Jerome, 2003 256-261). Moreover, Gojira is directed in such a way that through its rich and undeniable contemporary cultural symbolism, it stands out as a compelling master piece that touches on the aftermaths of the post war experiences.
The movie also depicts the Japanese people as very optimistic. It focuses on the principles of work ethics to pull together and commence on rebuilding Japan. For instance, scenes of total destructions coupled by scenes of workers busy in the pursuit to clean up and rebuild Tokyo clearly demonstrate immense hope (Buehrer, 2000 278-289). This concept points out the attitude behind Japans speedy and thorough economic recovery after the war. The movie achieves its success from the combination of the many narrative aspects and unique symbols.
To understand the role of Gojira in commenting on the attitude of Japanese on every aspect of Second World War and the subsequent experiences, it is prudent to picture the primary influence of the move on the Japanese people in terms of the aftermaths of the war. Particularly, Jerome (2003 113-122) contend that Gojira was released at a time when Japan as a society had just been liberated from both religious and secular authoritarianism. Therefore, the film traces the depredations of an irritated sea monster, which all the brigades, military efforts and the civilians can not defeat. According to (Mellen, 2005 86-101), the portrayal of such sentiments reflects the relentless efforts of the Japanese people in fighting the enemy in the Second World War. For example, Gojiras sudden appearance echoes the disturbance of the natural order that was severely affected by the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings.
To appreciate this influence, it is safe to argue that this total and anticipated catapulation, ideally brought up the irreversible turn of fortunes in the Japans political life that in some way is recalled by the sudden advent of the monster (Buehrer, 2000 142-151).The Japanese felt shameful and often shunned their victims because, the effects of the bombing were so devastating that they caused immense destructions and continued to exact a toll of deformity as well as disease. Accordingly, the movie underscores an aspect of violation of the national body which is succinctly captured in the metaphor of Godzillas assault that entirely fills the hospitals with mutilated and dying human beings, many of whom are injured beyond the levels up to which medical science can treat (Mellen, 2005 178-189).
Furthermore, literary critics and gurus in the world of cinema take the position that a culturilist view of the movie depicts a newer attitude that the Japanese holds about the war. In essence, the film influences many of the Japanese see that inability of the army to halt the monstrous threat as a post militarist fear of being overcome by the invaders (Jerome, 2003 89-97).The American military occupation, for instance, led to the transformation of the once imperial and powerful army into a less strong defense force. With regard to this, the movie comments on the resigned helplessness of the Tokyo populace in the face of Godzillas assault. This largely experiences the collective dread at having violated the submissive spirit of traditional culture through the failure of the war effort.
Similarly, Buehrer (2000 111-121) outlines that the spirit of traditional culture was abandoned in a Japanese society that is now dedicated capitalism. Accordingly, the Japanese people are portrayed to feel that they were denied the chance to die honorably in an apocalyptic defense of the home islands. Those who survived the post war era did so in the face of an ethically demanding self annihilation, before any acceptance of the national dishonor. Somehow, Godzilla comes to make amends about this failure and perhaps threaten an apocalypse that is avoided only after a host of deaths and destructions (Mellen, 2005 167-174).
To recap, Gojira is definitely a successful masterpiece made in the world cinema. It touches on the Japanese history and culture thus it portends an apologetic allegory to the trials, times and tribulation of a country that struggles to rebuild its ways of life as well as economy. It is equally summed up in an irony that the whole film was created from fears, negative sentiments and horrors of the atomic tragedy that have eventually become iconic to the extent of endearing millions of Japanese who suffered those tragedies. This film is indeed a timeless classic.

1. Why are you applying to this course and what would you hope to achieve at the end of it.
Cinema has been my passion ever since I was a child. I remember being captivated by the colorful images flitting across the big screen, one after the other, and remained under their spell long after they were gone. Their mannerism, their uttering and their dressing impacted my day to day life. Can I make similar images, I used to wonder. There must be a way to create them. Before I realized, my childhood fascination and urges got converted into dream of a career in filmmaking, for the fulfillment of which I am seeking admission to this course. 
My knowledge about filmmaking is limited but my desire and enthusiasm to learn and assimilate, unlimited. I expect to learn a great deal about theoretical and practical aspects of filmmaking from your programme with a view to master latest technology. I am willing to dedicate my time, and give my best effort to take this course to actualize my potential as a cinematographer and a filmmaker. I believe its going to be a remarkable experience which will be gained from both, professional teaching staff and diverse group of talented students.

According to survey of NTFS for finding aptitude for independent film making and technical proficiency, I am deeply interested in studying filmmaking with a special emphasis on cinematography. The survey justifies my decision to pursue this course and is an encouraging factor. 

Film making is a very competitive field in which survival depends solely on performance. For good performance one requires expert training and guidance in an environment that stimulates creativity. I believe that the craft of cinematography and film making can be learnt well through your programme. I hope that this programme will equip me with technical expertise and other inputs required for success in films and keep me informed about latest developments in the film industry.

2.Describe why you feel your background experience and aptitude make you a suitable candidate for your chosen specialisation.

I feel that I am at right stage in my life for cinematography study. Coming from an art and design background, I have been involved with drawing since early age. Being creative has always been a natural self-expression for me.

My formative years saw the deepening of my artistic urges and strengthening of my resolve to carve a niche for myself in the artistic world. My love for art gradually induced in me a desire to learn photography. I take photography as a prelude to cinematography-the ultimate art of creating life on screen through images. Although it has been a short period since I am doing photography, I can see my dream taking a concrete shape. The photography allows me to explore the world from my own perspective angle and has helped to develop my aesthetic sense and visually thinking, both being must for filmmaking. 

Since my coming to the UK, I have undertaken varied jobs which taught me the value of hard work in life. A memorable experience is becoming a tattooist. Two years summer time I served an apprenticeship with top-level tattoo artist Hori-Jouji and his crew to earn my title. I have been working in a tattoo studio ever since I could tattoo independently. It is a valuable experience as it involves working in a professional environment and direct interaction with the clients. It has helped me stay focussed and sharpened my skills as an artist.

Filmmaking is a challenging task. High level of energy and my capacity for intensive hard work gives me confidence and optimism. With my strong desire to learn and determination to achieve goals and the expert coaching under your programme, I am sure to emerge victorious. My passion, devotion, age and successful past experiences make me an ideal candidate for the programme.

3.Given your choice of specialisation, describe in your own words the role you would expect to take in the process of development and production of a film or television programme.
The specific area that I would very much like to concentrate to work on is the cinematography across all genres of production including TV Commercials, music video albums and Short and Feature length drama. The cinematography plays an important role in production process and has ultimate control over the visual image. The job of the cinematographer is recording images on a film translating the directors ideas and creating atmosphere and look of the film. Cinematography is not merely physical recording of a physical event, it is an interpretative process. Selection of camera with lenses to be used and film stock are essential decisions to be taken by a cameraman or director of photography. Besides he has to plan and supervise others to obtain desired camera shots, lighting and set design and a wide variety of tasks during different stages of production. Sometimes, his contribution matches that of the film director in importance. Though he has to portray directors vision, he can lend it a uniqueness through his style. He is the most competent person to advise the director while shooting. The association between the cinematographers and the processing laboratory is also of highest importance which requires the cinematographer to spend hours of time after shooting and checking the negative A good job by cameraman makes the task of editor easier.
The job of a cinematographer is multifarious and challenging and highly significant in shaping the ultimate product, which is all the more reason for me to select it of all the jobs in the production of a film or television programme. I am aware of the intense competition in the film industry and would prefer proactive approach to achieve the goal. I am fully papered to devote my energy and time for assuming my responsibilities first, as a student aspirant for cinematography by pursuing your programme and later on as a skilled cinematographer.
4. Select one item from your submission and write an evaluation of the dramatic strengths and weaknesses including that of your own creative contribution.  The item must be either your adaptation or original idea.

A short film called The Tattoo was made towards end of my uni year, in which I collaborated with a young director. From start to finish, I was involved in all stages of production. As a production designer, I created two characters with different looks and completely different styles of outfits to conform to their personality as outlined in the script. The project proved to be a great learning experience.

During the shooting, I successfully performed the role of a camera man. To keep the budget low, a decision was taken to select the digital shooting equipment. It was also decided to use wide angle lens to exaggerate the virtual space to expand the apparent distance in the very small interior scenes. Holding my nerves together, I experimented with camera positioning. It was exciting to see how the placement of camera different angles altered the look and effect of shots. As we wanted the film to exude Hong-Kong filmic feeling, we emulated screen style from several Asian films to obtain the shots associated with old fashioned Hong-Kong. The result worked out as we expected. I realised the importance of harmonious team work in producing a motion picture. 

On reflection, I find that story telling in short films is much tougher as their timing is less and budget small. Compromises have to be made in all departments of filmmaking which affects quality of the final product. Individually, it was a highly enriching experience and I enjoyed every moment of it. I realized that becoming a cameraman requires a high level of discipline, imagination and a knack for effective incorporation of properties or natural objects while filming a scene. The task is demanding but as a poet Rilke wrote That something is difficult must be a reason all the more for us to do it.

5. What kind of films, television programmes or media productions do you intend to concentrate on in your future career  Please give examples andor influences.

I see for myself the possibility of a career in cinematography in the film industry. I visualise a start as a cameraman in music video production. It will hone my skills, sharpen my abilities in shot selection and camera movements and enhance my confidence to handle bigger projects. Working in a few serials comes next on my list. I would love to do socials, whether serious or light comedies, as well as serials based on      horror and action. I would focus on creating the desired effects through varied camera angles and would like to experiment with lighting and use of different colours in set designing for intended effect. I would like to learn the practical aspects of even the smallest of jobs and actual handling of every shooting equipment be it a focus puller of clap loader. After working for music video productions and serials for four-five years and thus gaining much needed experience, I would like to devote rest of my life to film cinematography and film making. I would like to do films of all genres.

My primary influences are eminent cinematographers-- Vittorio Storaro, Nstor.Almendros, Freddie Young and Christopher Doyle. Three time Oscar winner Vittorio Storaro inspires with his superbly controlled camera movements and masterly use of nuances of colour to produce telling images as in The Conformist and Apocalyse Now. I admire Nestor Almendros for his striking originality. He discarded old fashioned beliefs in cinematography like faces should never be in a shadow. Freddie Young utilizes diverse camera angles to tell the story. His filming of desert in Lawrence of Arabia or icy Russian countryside in Dr. Zhivago is awesome and inspiring. Powerful play of image and sound lends a unique beauty to the work of Doyle. Like my ideals, I desire to produce quality work as a cinematographer.

Sports is a very in demand topic in American Cinema now a days. The probable hype behind this is the kind of thrill that a sport-themed film could give as compared to other genres. The fact that it is family oriented and is of literary merit draws the audiences. Moreover the sporting events depicted in these movies are often factual adaptation rather than make believe stories. Thus, it attracts a lot of movie-goers because they can put their own feet into the shoes of the characters. A good example is Cinderella Man, a great biographical movie directed by Ron Howard. It is a drama film, released in 2005 threading into the world of boxing. James J. Braddock is the main protagonist, an Irish-American boxer striving to earn a penny for his family. Set in 1929, the Age when most of America was reeling under the onslaught of the Great Depression, the movie Cinderella Man comes across as a very fine depiction of that era. The movie not only conveys the mood of the people, which was of hopelessness and despair, but also depicts the heroism of individuals in those difficult times.  The culture, social and economic conditions of the period in which the movie is set is very well reflected in plot of the movie. The movie presents a true picture of society in the period of 1920s, as it brings forth the ruinous effects of the Great Depression on the lives of the people and the society, the significance of family in the life of an individual and prevalence of sexism in the society.
   
Great Depression   
As the society in the 1920s was going through a period of hardships and sorrow, sport provided them with a source which aided them in diverting their attention from their miseries.

The movie Cinderella Man focuses on the life of a boxer in this era where people turned towards sports as a respite from their hard times. The protagonist in the movie Cinderella man, James J. Braddock starts his life as a light heavy weight boxer. Boxing was an extremely popular sport and liked by people during those times, whether it was to forget their misery or for the entertainment value. It was huge--as popular as baseball, and maybe more so. Heavyweight champions were superstars, with a Michael Jordan-like fame. Fans by the tens of thousands thronged to see the big matches, with millions more avidly following via radio and the colorful stories of newspaper sportswriters. (Pollard). The use of boxing in the movie effectively takes the viewer back to the 1920s. The filming of the boxing sequences bring to life the tone of the film. The palette used throughout the movie ranges from bleak, dark city streets to brash, golden boxing rings lit with the pop of flash bulbs. (Julia). The gloomy environment of the streets stands in contrast to the brightly lit boxing rings.
Forced to give up boxing in the middle of his career, because of an arm injury, Braddock is forced into hard labor to support his family of three kids and wife. The situation in the country, pathetic in those days of depression in America is shown eloquently in the movie. But as luck would have it Braddock gets a break and he comes back into the boxing ring and has successive wins. It is his magnificent gesture of paying back money to the government for supporting him in difficult times that catapults him to fame. Howards development of the characters in the film and the depiction of the Great Depression are magnificent. 
The pitiable condition of people is apparent in the movie. People had no food to eat. Braddock was out of the boxing ring due to his injury and hence was left without a means of income. As Howard remarks in an interview with The Morning Edition You know, they were

on the soup lines and he was working as a laborer and there was a moment when he thought he wasnt going to be able to keep the family together and he despaired and he was humiliated by it,
but he was able to fight his way out. (NPR). The despair becomes worse when the disparity between the rich and the poor people is visible. In the movie, a scene which shows a rich family going to a swanky restaurant depicts this disparity and brings forth the vulgarity of the rich in a period where the majority of the people in the nation were reeling below the poverty line. The following comments of Braddock point towards the despairing conditions in which people were leading their lives. Mr. CROWE (As Jim Braddock) Things aint easy at the moment, Joe, youre right. Theres a lot of people worse off than what we are. I guess good things aint easy. That dont give you the excuse to take whats not yours, does it Thats stealing, right We dont steal. No matter what happens, we dont steal. Not ever. You got me (Sound bite of Cinderella Man).
The Great Depression began in 1929 in America and lasted for almost a decade. A ripple like effect was felt all over the world. As this was said to be the worst depression after the dawn of the industrial age, a ripple like effect was felt all over the industrialized countries. It caused the stock market to spiral down out of control, and caused the major slump. Financial institutions and banks were forced into insolvency causing millions of people to lose money. The faith of the people in the government and their own future was lost. So the rich spent less. The decrease in the spending capacity meant decreased production, forcing thousands out of employment. The story of Cinderella Man is dated right in the middle of The Great Depression. The movie beautifully depicts the culture at that time. The dark age is emphasized by the dark and gloomy atmosphere in the movie. Filmed in Toronto Ron Howards has taken

great pains to redress many areas of Toronto to get a look like New York of that period in entirety. For example, the Bay Queen Street store was completely camouflaged to look like Madison Square. Watching a recreation of painful historical episodes isnt always fun. After all, the Depression was sodepressing. But at the same time. and grim faces. Its the next best thing to being there. On second thought, its better. (Pollard). The realism in the movie succeeds in recreating the society of New York during the period of The Great Depression.  
    Socio-political riots, obstructions, and crimes are depicted in the film. Civil unrest was significantly reported all over the country because of poverty, oppression, and unbalanced economy. Civil disorder as purported in Wikipedia.org is a byproduct of economic slowdown, severity of inflation, political crisis, unemployment, and even sporting events in other nations. Indeed, it was far worse than the recession that the Americans have been experiencing today. The movie captures the struggle and mentality of the people during these taxing times. The plot of Cinderella Man weighs winning and losing in superlative perspectives. To win the game means a lot for it defines how much food and shelter one could owe to his family especially that it was set in the Great Depression days.
    The economic situation depicted in the movie stands in accordance to the definition of crisis which resulted from the emergence of the Great Depression. The period of Great Depression brought significant changes in the lives of the people, as numerous people were pushed on the verge of poverty and starvation. Within short span of time, people living a luxurious life found themselves in a situation where they have to struggle to fulfill their basic needs. Sure, regular work, money, and food were tough to come by, many had to subsist out on the streets, and countless families were forced to send their kids away to live with distant

relatives just to keep them from starving. (Schager). In that time, the worst economic turmoil was experienced by the crippled masses in the entire U.S. History. And Braddock was one among these crippled masses, whose life was deeply affected by the Great Depression.

Sexism
    Another significant aspect of the society of the 1920s depicted in the movie is the prevalence of sexism in those times. The film presents the topic of sexism through the depiction of Braddocks wife, Mae as played by Rene Zellweger (Chicago, Cold Mountain). Even though Mae is courageous, she comes across as a submissive wife in course of her married life with Braddock. This behavior of Mae gives a higher leverage to Braddock as he is the dominant person in the relationship. Mae is soft-spoken, and though timid she tends to be very strong as the light of her family. She is always afraid that shell lose her husband whenever Jim would engage into a brawl in the ring. During those times, women were just regarded as home keepers and that it means that they were not allowed to interfere in any matters that were going on outside the house. Their opinions were hardly ever given importance. This shows that chauvinism was the norm of the society. It was part of the American culture also, that men were considered more dominant than women, henceforth, giving these women just the role of a housewife whose only duty was to look after the household duties and take care of the children. The character of Mae in the movie depicts the secondary status of woman in their relations with the men in their lives.
    Zellweger stated in an interview, My character (as Mae Draddock) was difficult because she wasnt present on the page. It was more in-between the lines. I really had to understand

society at the time of the Depression and how it made an impact on this woman (Pearlman).
Likewise, biased attitude of the society regarding the social status and competence of the women were among the major issues affecting women in 1920s. The sexist ideologies enforced restrictions and limitations on a woman, making her to lead a subservient life. Sexism in science, as history has it, seems to be a sacrificial lamb for women to attain a respectable status quo. Derivative works of women in the fields of politics, sports, entertainment, business, science and technology, and their humanitarian causes are all conclusively contexts of an outlet to their voices. In the film, the metaphor was shown when Mae sought independency when she decided to move into her relatives abode, finding a remedy to their desperate condition. Mae desired to find a solution to their financial woes, as Braddock was unemployed for while after having an injury from his dangerous way of livelihood, as quoted by his wife. Later in the film, it must be noted that Braddock sacrificed his ego and pride in accordance to his desperation to get his family back.

Family Values
    One more aspect of the society of 1920s which is portrayed in the movie is related to the significance of family values in the American culture. Through the depiction of Braddocks relationship with his family, the movie presents the influence of family values on the lives of the people. The screenplay of the movie beautifully portrays the relationship Braddock had to his family. Its more than a boxing film. (Expressen). Because of this, the once close-tied family values that Americans had was exposed in a most dramatic and unconventional way. It is a fact that family is the center of a mans life in the American culture and that one would do anything

for them, just as what Braddock did for his family in the movie. The setting was remarkably set
during the Great Depression days in the United States in the 1930s. To connote an intense and descriptive mood, the cinematographers created an often gloomy or rather melancholic atmosphere through the harshness of camera angles. Most of the recreated scenes are like a time turner, evolving in an authentic climate in that era. New York City, in particular homeless people were stricken into savagery, lining for an ample amount of food, as they were jobless. The best part of the movie is when Braddock is working hard for the sake of his wife and his three kids. He gives up his pride so that he can take care of his familys needs, In the movie Cinderella Man, Russell Crowe plays Jim Braddock, a boxer who through injury, bad breaks and the Great Depression finds himself .that Jim Braddock sells all he owns, surrenders his pride and begs enough money to keep his electricity on and his family together. (James 128).  He works hard as a laborer near the docks during his temporary retirement due to his injury from a previous boxing match, the importance of family values hard work, trust, and willingness are among the strong points being plotted out in the movie.

THEME
In the worst of times, you need to be strong, tolerant, true to yourself and kind to the people who need it the most in order to aid survival and no matter how tough things get, Dont let it beat you. (Rozema, 2008)

PLOT
 Set in Cincinnati at the beginning of the Great Depression, the film begins with Kit in her tree-house club typing frantically on her typewriter in an attempt to follow her dream of becoming a young reporter.  The people of Cincinnati are slowly beginning to feel the brunt of the depression as friends start losing their houses and Kits father loses his car dealership. Her mother, who was once having tea parties for the neighbors, now has to take in boarders and sell eggs to survive while her husband moves to Chicago to look for work. Tension and mistrust is in the air as there have been plenty of robberies and muggings where a few hobos have been suspected of committing the crime. This is hard to believe for young Kit because she has had the pleasure of meeting a few hobos herself, namely Will and Countee, who take her to the hobo forest where a whole lot of respectable but unemployed people live. She wants to tell their story and try to get rid of the blemish that has stuck to their identity but the newspaper editor will not stand for it. Meanwhile, the drama continues in her house and even though there is a lot of work, the boarders are an entertaining motley crew of magicians, dancers, nurses and mobile librarians. The story reaches its peak when Kits mothers safety box and Kits best friends house is robbed. When Will is blamed, Kit doesnt believe it was him because of the recurring observation of a tattoo on the thiefs arm.  The young aspiring sheriff along with her two best friends, Ruthie and Sterling get to the bottom of the case when they discover that the magician, his cousin and his girlfriend (the mobile-librarian) are the masterminds and eventually succeed in getting them arrested with a little help from, none other than, the hobos.

III.CHARACTERIZATION
 Even though Kit is the protagonist of the story, I feel Mrs. Kittredge is the character that develops the most. At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to Mrs. Kittredge (played by Julia Ormond) as a beautiful, kind, positive soul who is like a beam of light in these dark times. Her generosity and kindness is evident in the scene where we are first introduced to her, Will and Countee. She is held in stark contrast to the company she keeps  is clearly the only selfless and open-minded soul amongst all the other ladies at the tea party, as we can tell by their comments and expressions. Mrs. Kittredge is a survivor and is not afraid of facing the future. She adopts an abandoned dog even if it means having another mouth to feed just so that her daughter is happy and so the dog is not left to fend for itself. She is compassionate toward Will and Countee and even gives Will her husbands old shoes. She feels sorry for her daughter because she has been made to clean and work when, at her age, she should be out playing. Later on, however, we see her strength slowly wearing out as communication with her husband in Chicago starts becoming less frequent. She stops laughing and smiling and looks worn-out. In the end, when she sees her husband, she breaks down and embraces him and her emotional plight comes through in that one scene.

IV. FILM AS LITERATURE
Irony
 One case of irony in the film is that while the hobos are the ones being held responsible for all the crimes in Cincinnati, in the end they are the ones who are instrumental in catching the real criminals.
The other case of irony is that the real criminals are actually the rich people and the hobos prove themselves a more respectable part of society than the self-proclaimed gentry.
Symbolism
The tattoo is a recurring symbol in the film and symbolizes the evil.
The other recurring symbol is the tree-house club oath, which symbolizes trust.
Foreshadowing
When Mr.Kittredge says Dont let it beat it you, it foreshadows the events to come and the strength Kit will need to get through the times.
4. The four conflicts
Man with man  There is a constant battle between the rich and not so rich or poor, whether these are still employed versus recently unemployed or slightly-better-off versus hobos.
Man with himself Kit doesnt ever want to sell eggs or wear chicken-feed dresses, but when the time comes she realizes that making the most of their resources at the time was more important than being teased at school and so she does away with her inhibitions.
Man with tech Kit almost destroys her typewriter when she cannot get it to work but then her father tells her a story about his trouble with a car which he overcame, thereby helping kit overcome her obstacle.

V. FILM TECHNIQUE
1. Playing the Audience
When Kit and Ruthie are about to get caught snooping around in Mr. Burks room, Sterling throws a pebble into the window with the hobo sign for danger on it in order to warn the girls. We see Ruthie pick up the stone and realize that its a warning and the shot is cut to Mr.Berk and his cousin walking into the room, heightening the suspense in the scene.
2. Lighting
Most of the film is hot in high key except for scenes like in the charity restaurant and the hobo jungle, which is slightly dimmer to create the grim mood of it. The film, on the whole, is pretty bright since most of the scenes take place in the day.
3. Camera Angle The scene where Mr.Kittredge is apologizing to Kit after she catches him at the charity restaurant uses a high shot to show Kits point of view from the tree house  a low angle to show his point of view of Kit.
4. Sound The music aids in establishing the setting, especially in the opening scene where old, 30s music is playing and the camera is panning over old black and whit photographs of important people of the time. Sounds like that of the type-writer and the clicking of the old camera also aid in doing the same.
5. Transition shots
At the beginning of the film, the camera is focused on Kits roller blades when a tram cuts the shot and later, through the tram, we see her roller blades come to a halt again. Thus, the tram serves as a transition between the shot of Kit moving to a shot of her coming to a halt.
6. Reaction Shot
When Mrs. Kittredge picks up the plate of sandwiches to offer Will and Countee, the camera focuses on the expression of one of her guests behind her who is surprised at her hosts behavior.
7. Subjective Camera Shot The shot of the nuts on the table at the tea party is taken from a low level to represent Countees point of view.
8. Close up shot A close-up of the footprint in the mud after the robbery indicates that the criminal could be Will, adding an element of mystery and suspense.
9. Long Shot  The shot where Mr. Berk  his cousin turn onto a dirt road when going to search for the loot is a long shot to  give the audience a spy-like perspective.

VI. THE ENDING The ending is romantic, because it perpetuates the myth that in the end, everything works out for the best. Everyones problems are solved in one way or another - the thieves are caught, so the hobos are off the hook, the rewards money pays the Kittredge houses mortgage, Kits father returns home and the editor shows up at Kits house to tell her that shes a reporter and eventually ends up getting together with the dance instructor.  A realistic ending would have been if the father had found work in Chicago and sent them money so that together, they would have all contributed to paying off the mortgage.

VII.FILM REVIEW
 1. Roger Ebert  All of this (the missing loot, Kits ambitions and Those Important Clues) are of course the very lifeblood of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books, and Kit Kittredge not only understands that genre but breathes life into it.
I would agree with Roger Ebert in the sense that Kit Kittredge is a clever adaptation of young detective novels. Right from the beginning there are little clues and foreshadowing instances like the observation of the tattoo, the red wallet and the footprint in the mud. We learn early in the film that Kit wants to be a reporter and she has a knack for being observant. The drama and the mystery are all carried out in a very realistic and human setting and in a time of great distress making it easier to identify with and adding a universal message of friendship and trust.

2. Ty Burr The Great Depression it shows us is sugar-coated but only mildly so, which is to say its seen through the clear, optimistic eyes of a 10-year-old.
I dont entirely agree because the reason the Great Depression seems sugar-coated in the film is because the entire film has an extremely bright look to it right from the lighting to the colors used in the film. Even the chicken-feed sacks are a bright and beautiful blue However, we must keep in mind that the movie is set at the dawn of the great depression  therefore, times were not half as bad yet. It is true to say that the movie is an optimistic childs worldview but the idea of the film is to portray a creative way of overcoming financially tough times rather than the damage caused by the Depression.

3. Jessica Reaves Less predictably, she and producer Lisa Gillan and executive producer Julia Robertshave skillfully introduced messages of proto-feminismand the best of Americas leftist ideology (to each according to his or her abilities and needs) into a big-budget summer movie.
I agree because throughout the movie, we see that the men have gone to look for jobs but cant find any and it is the women who are doing all the work in the film. Mrs.Kittredge is making money by taking in boarders and selling cloth and eggs, while Kit is helping with the chores. In the end, it is Kit who manages to pay off the mortgage for the house and become a successful reporter. Political undertones of the film come to light in scenes like the tea-party where one of the guests passes a comment saying that her husband believes in letting the hobos go hungry so that they wouldnt come to their town, or in the scene where the only thing the man who was robbed notices about the thief is that he was a hobo. Even the newspapers dont want to print anything nice abut the hobos because its not what people want to hear  they just want an easy target. (Rozema, 2008)

Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) is separated from her husband of whom she has two kids. One weekend, her husband, Jack Willis (Christopher Meloni) picked up their two children for a weekend visit in his place. It was during this encounter that his estranged husband sought for reconciliation. Jack left without getting a positive response but a promise that she will think about it. Jack and his two children left Adrienne at home preparing for her own trip to an inn at Rodanthe, North Carolina, owned by her best friend, Jean (Viola Davis), over the weekend. She has to take charge of the inn and the expected guest while Viola is not around. The old-looking yet romantic inn is found in a lonely place right at the beach. Adriennes stay at the inn was also hoped to be her own retreat.
The expected guest, the only guest, is Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere). He was in Rodanthe to meet the husband of the elderly woman who died at the operation table in a surgery conducted by him. This doctor went to Rodanthe with many emotional burdens  his failing relationship with his son and the lawsuit filed by the family of the woman who died in the surgery.A very strong storm came that made Dr. Flanner and Adrienne work together to protect the inn and themselves. During that dark night, when the two had to fight the storm, they found comfort from each other that led to their romantic relationship. Through the support of Adrienne, Dr. Flanner was able to face and talk to the husband of the woman who died in the surgery conducted by him.
    Dr. Flanner had to leave Rodanthe for South America where his son works as a doctor to help the very poor people of a certain place. It was in that reunion that Dr. Flanner was able to make up for the lost time when he chose his career over his son. Adrienne and Dr. Flanners relationship continued to grow through love letters written in their own hands. They were eager to see each other in person but when that day came, Dr. Flanner did not make it to Adriennes place.
    Adrienne later learned that he died in a mudslide. The news was brought in by his son, Mark, who visited her and handed her a box filled with Dr. Flanners personal belongings. He thanked her for giving him back his father. She had to deal with the grief but she found comfort in her best friend, her children and the beach in Rodanthe.
Characterization
    At the start of the film, Adrienne was seen as a very tired, confused and lonely woman. However, she was portrayed as a very responsible mother to her children. She had to deal with her children and her husband who left them for another woman but was back to try to win her again. She went to Rodanthe and had spent her first few hours in the inn crying. When the only guest of the inn came, she was back to the responsible and industrious woman that she is. Her character has changed because of the responsibility she promised to carry for her best friend thus, she has to stop crying and carry on with the task at hand.  She was able to protect the inn from destruction on the night of the storm. But it was also during that night when she found comfort from Dr. Flanner that led to a romantic evening and a blossoming relationship. They shared time together and enjoyed sharing their stories to each other which led to the showing forth of another side of her. She was able to freely reveal to him her love for the art which made him proud of her. Her character has changed after coming home from the weekend stay at the inn. Adrienne finally had the courage and inspiration to make beautiful pieces out of driftwoods because of the inspiration given by Dr. Flanner. She also had a comfortable and happy disposition as a result of her constant communication through love letters with Dr. Flanner. However, things changed when he died. Adrienne was dealing with even greater grief which changes her character  from a happy and peaceful woman to one who loses hope. But, at the end of the story, she was able to win her daughters affection back and was able to find comfort from the love of his children and her best friend and the memories of the beach in Rodanthe. The story ended with Adrienne winning back her hopeful character.
Film as literature
1. Irony  The irony is that Dr. Flanner wanted to become a good doctor more than a good father and a husband or lover but he ended up thinking that he was not good enough as a doctor and wanted to be a good father for his son.
    The irony is that Adrienne wanted to become a good wife and mother all her life but she felt, while in Rodanthe, that she was not good enough as a mother for failing to be with her son on the night he was rushed to the hospital.
    Ironically, Adrienne uses crooked and rough drift woods for she believes that the more unappealing it looks as a drift wood, the more opportunity it presents to become beautiful and unique when turned into something useful.
    It is ironic that the hurricane that shattered and messed up the furniture of the inn where Adrienne and Dr. Flanner stayed is the same hurricane that brought them together and started to clean up the issues that they were dealing with as separate individuals.
2. Symbolism  The bed and breakfast by the sea in Rodanthe symbolizes the peace and healing that the two burdened soul, Dr. Flanner and Adrienne, wanted to have.
    The dark blue room where Dr. Flanner was assigned to stay stands for the unhappy, frustrated and helpless person that he has become.
    The small chest made of drift wood which was shown by Adrienne to Dr. Flanner at the upper room symbolizes their lives  rugged and crooked at the beginning but had eventually become a beautiful pieces when put together to carry the beautiful memories that they eventually had.
    The herd of wild horses that passed her by at the end of the story symbolizes the hopeful and beautiful life that she still can have with her best friend, her children and the memories, love and lessons that Dr. Flanner left her.
3. Foreshadowing  Adriennes act of throwing all the old canned goods of her best friend foreshadowed her subsequent decision of unburdening her life from the pain caused by her husband and her decision of finally separating from him.
    The scene where a man was playing with his son which Dr. Flanner saw when he left his saw foreshadowed the restored relationship which he eventually had with his son.
4. The four conflicts
A. man vs. man  Adriennes daughter did not understand her mothers decision not to reunite with their father. Her daughter believes that their father deserves to be forgiven and given a second chance while Adrienne, on the other hand, decided to give herself her own second chance in life, love and happiness. 
B. man vs. self  At some point, Adrienne was giving upon her husband and found the courage to separate with him but at the same time she was also considering giving her children a happy and united family.
C. man vs. nature  when the strong storm came and smashed, shattered and destroyed many of the things inside and outside the inn in Rodanthe
    - when Dr. Flanner was killed in a mudslide
D.  man vs. technology  the loud music and the head set that covered the ears of Adriennes  daughter caused a lot of difficulty in communicating with her
Film technique
Playing the audience  During the very strong storm, the audience can see an impending disaster brought about by wind and the simultaneous destruction of the electricity and the telephone lines. The chandeliers and furniture were shown moving violently. When a big cabinet was about to fall on Adrienne, her face showed terror and helplessness. She had no idea that Dr. Flanner was already at her back. The audience is forced to feel like pulling her away from the danger and pushing Dr. Flanner to keep her from danger.
Lighting  That morning, even prior to the pouring of the rain, the lighting depicted a gloomy and sad atmosphere. Brightness was never shown. Its very low lighting led us to foresee the upcoming disaster.
Camera angle  The camera angle used on Dr. Flanner in the flashback of his life as a doctor prior to the operation, which he recollected as he was jogging by the seashore in Rodanthe on an early morning, made him appear high and confident. The shots of him as a doctor were usually from waist up to his face. But at the same time, after every flashback at the same instance while he was jogging and trying to recollect the incident, the angles made him appear differently. There were close up shots that showed his present emotions while jogging which were shown all over his face  a worried and frustrated feature.
Sound  The beating of the drums that overpowered the sound of the strong rain and wind outside the inn tells us of the rising emotion and the fast beating of their hearts prior to their first love scene and even during their passionate kisses.
One shot, two shot, three shot  One shot was used when Adrienne was sitting by the shore after the hurricane, angry and frustrated at herself for not being able to be with her son when he was brought to the hospital the night before. Two shot was used when Mark (Dr. Flanners son) and Dr. Flanner was talking about his concern for his sons decision to work as a doctor in the south. Three shot was used when Adriennes children finally went home from their stay at their fathers place. The two kids found there mother sitting with her legs on the table and looking so miserable.
Transition shot  a picture of a child held by his father in the air fades out as the story continues and fades into Adriennes sleeping face at the start of the film.
Reaction shot  When Mark Flanner came to Adriennes house and introduced himself while carrying some stuff, the camera focuses on Adriennes confused face then to Marks sorrowful face then back to Adrienne who finally understood Marks facial expression. The reactions on their faces showed what happened without the need for any conversation.
Subjective camera shot  When Dr. Flanner was holding on to a photo frame of him and his son, the camera zooms in to his face partly covered by the frame to show how he looks at his son and how much he wanted to be with him again.
Close up shot  The close up shots made when Adrienne first found the letter from Dr. Flanner and when she opened it showed much excitement in her face.
Long shot- A long shot of the road while Dr. Flanner was driving his way out of the community where he was living showed the road he had to travel to get to Rodanthe and symbolically the road to the heling of his broken relationship with his son.
Example of Director intrusion  At the start of the film, the scenes of a young child that fades out then fades into a scene of that child with the father holding her high and then finally fades in to Adriennes face before waking up showed the directors use of special effects to capture the happy memories that Adrienne were carrying with her in her sleep.
The Ending
    The ending is romantic because a myth is perpetuated when a love affair that started over the weekend led to a long and lasting love that caused healing, forgiveness and finding of ones self even after the death of one of the lovers. The realistic ending for the film would have been for Adrienne to become more bitter and miserable in life after losing the man who loved her and made her love herself.
Film Reviews
Manohla Dargis  A hurricane is a-coming and so is Paul (Mr. Gere), one of those lonely Jaguar-driving geniuses of the operating room. I agree with the reviewers view of the presence of Dr. Paul Flanner in Rodanthe and in Adriennes life. His coming was placed at the same plane with that of the hurricane but the effects of his presence, I believe, in the life of Adrienne, was that of a hurricane that started sweeping away the bitterness, loneliness and confused character of Adrienne.
Kam Williams  Other than crows feet caught on close-ups during their steamy   clinches, it doesnt look time has aged either of these matinee idols much, or diminished their ability to generate chemistry. I agree with the reviewer that despite the age, the chemistry between the two leading actors is evident in whole duration of the film. The chemistry that they brought on screen enabled them to reach out not only to adult audiences but also to younger ones.
Reyhan Harmanci  In the final third, though, the movie picks up steam. If Sparks can do anything for his audiences, it would be to restore the power of letter-writing. As with The Notebook, the forced separation of these lovebirds (Adrienne to her home Paul to see his son in South America) is the occasion of a hot epistolary romance. There is joy in watching Adrienne run to the mailbox and rip open the love letters, and then, like a guilty child, hide them from her kids. The portion where the main characters exchanges love letters written in their own hands and vividly expressing how they felt for each other is one of the most romantic parts of the movie. I agree with the reviewer that there is joy in finding Adrienne happily opening a love letter from the mail box considering the advancement of the technology nowadays and her act of hiding it from her child in this modern time.

Todd Haynes renders a delightful yet subtle touch to the theme of racism and heterosexuality in his 2002 award winning movie, Far From Heaven. The movie is set at the backdrop of 1957, a period when racism and orthodox feelings were at its peek in the society. The plot revolves around Cathy Whitaker who is shown as a good wife, good mother and a perfect homemaker. Her husband Frank is an executive at Magnatech. The film starts with the scene when Cathy gets a call from the local police about her husband who happens to be on the line. He says police mistook him for someone else and they are not leaving him alone. In the sequence of scenes that follows, Frank begins to stay late at office and develops obsession with the other men while Cathy develops love with Raymond Deagan, who is their late gardeners son as well a black man. Meanwhile Franks relationship with Cathy gets strained, and he turns to alcohol. Soon relationship between Cathy and Raymond leads to severe relationship between him and his daughter.   Meanwhile Frank is not able to suppress his feelings as homosexual and falls in love with other man seeking divorce from Cathy. In the whole film, we could see double tension perpetuating among the protagonists desires with each scene portraying interracial romances or one or the other issue of the homosexuality. The pool scene which appears almost near the end of the movie carries the themes of race and homosexuality more clearly and very closely entangled within the film and is beautifully fused within the whole structure of film. This scene takes place at Miami where Frank and Cathy go to rejuvenate their married life. In the previous scene one has observed the stealthy look that passes between Frank and a handsome blond boy. In this pool scene, while Cathy is sitting just near the poolside, Frank has just finished some laps to catch his breath. While he is sitting on steps with his legs submerged in the waters, he notices that members of the blond family are coming out and their son does not seem to be with them. Frank gets up, stretches himself, comes out of the pool and as he is going to pickup his towel, a black boy aged four or five years rushes besides him towards the pool. Soon father of the young boy runs towards him and shouts at him as other white guests are watching Now what did I tell you about going in that pool You know youre not allowed in there (Far From Heaven)    Boy is taken away forcefully and he begins to cry. Though he has just been on the first step of the pool yet pool gets emptied within few moments. The atmosphere gets tensed and further increases when one white lady hysterically orders her daughter to immediately come out of the pool. When the daughter asks the reason, she retorts Because I said so (Far From Heaven). This scene shows the limit to which Americans are afraid of the blacks, and are extremely afraid of their black bodies the bodies that can cause infection. This misconception is so beautifully and realistically portrayed that it shows the extent to which people are engrossed in the racism and their prejudice that they can be easily carried away with the delusion that black bodies are contaminated and thus they cannot even share the pool with them.
The camera shifts between Cathys perspective who is looking out of the pool, and then moves straight on to the Cathy herself to make the audience feel the thoughts that may preponderating in her mind. She is wearing sunglasses signifying a protecting cover to the feelings emanating from her heart. The whole scene becomes a minuscule of the large drama that is unfolded inside the pool illustrating Cathys futile love affair with Raymond. The stress on the black father and the white mother taming their children to remain aloof with each other is suggestive of the deeply imbedded wall that is divided between the two communities socially, psychology as well as emotionally. The scene then turns towards Frank, and camera is focused on Frank when he sees the blond boy. At the time when the tense situation perpetuated by the racism begins to calm down, the camera moves to show the viewers Franks thoughts on racism. Close up shot is taken as camera is focused on the Franks face as he observes the body of the black child and then of a blond teenager, both suggestive of the fact that Frank is trying to sort out this whole drama as he himself is so confused at the time. At this juncture, Frank decides to move back into their hotel room to get Cathys book. Inside the room when he is looking at himself in the bathroom mirror, he feels somebodys presence behind him. He sees the reflection of the blond boy in the mirror wearing the same dress i.e. white robe and bathing trunk as that of Frank. A feeling of surprise, guilt and also a kind of craving can be seen at one go on his face. When Frank sees the boy putting his hand inside his robe, and moving down towards the crotch, he as if hypnotized turns towards him. The scene abruptly ends here leaving to the imaginations of the viewers what must have happened next. In the whole scene is shown mixed emotions of Cathy who has unfoundedly got infatuated with a black man but is scared of the stereotype thinking of the society. On the other hand is Frank who is homosexual and wants to liberate and exert his independence fully as a gay man. It is the struggle to come out from the subjugation and the feeling of suppression that dominated the homosexuals as well as blacks during 1950s. This twin feeling of the human beings has been juxtaposed through out the movie and this scene becomes the juncture of the whole impending turmoil of the protagonists struggling to come out.