Film Study Research - Admission/Application Essay Example

Film Study Research Paper The American film industry has been in a robust since the early 20th century. In thelast century, American films have become globally acclaimed. While America has produced thousands of films over the last century, two films stand out, i.e. Casablanca of 1942 and The Godfather of 1972. This research paper will offer a comprehensive analysis of both films, providing a wide array of details such as the films’ history, content, gimmick, cinematography and the film genre. The paper will also discuss details about the two producers of the said films. Research on films is an integral constituent of film studies. Casablanca Released in the year 1942, Casablanca is perhaps one of the most notable American films ever released. Professional movie critics have dubbed the film one of the best romantic films of all time. Casablanca is a romantic drama movie that centers on an individual torn between virtue and love (Slide 14). The film focuses on a man’s dilemma between his moral obligation with regard to helping the woman and her husband escape, and his affection for the woman. Content- Plot The film focuses on the life of Rick Blaine, who was a rather cynical American residing in Casablanca after his expatriation. Rick possessed a gambling den and nightclub, which attracted all sorts of people. Rick was indirectly involved in the war against Italians as he ran guns to help the Loyalists in the Spanish Civil War. The film depicts the concepts of murder and violence through Ugarte who obtained transit letters after murdering German couriers. These papers gave one the capacity to transverse Europe, which was then under the control of Germans. Police brutality takes Ugarte’s life during his custody under the command of Louis Renault a professed corrupt officer. The plot conceptualizes different themes that include among others, love, violence, redemption and sacrifice. For instance, after becoming the sole owner of the letters of transit, Rick chooses to transfer the letters to Ilsa and her husband Laszlo to enable the couple move to America so that Laszlo could carry on his work. Laszlo is a known fugitive and a leader of the Czech Resistance that fought against Nazis. Rick sacrifices his love for Ilsa to ensure her safety as Ilsa is forced to accompany her husband to America despite her suggesting of remaining with Rick. In order for the couple to have a trouble-free transit, Rick is forced to murder Major Strasser who opposed the couple’s move to the US. Movie Genre As earlier noted Casablanca is a romantic drama film with a thrilling and captivating story line that not only captures the audience’s interest, but also allows the audience to identify with its characters such as Rick, Ilsa and Laszlo. Production The foundation for Casablanca lies in the play; Everybody Comes to Rick’s by Joan Alison and Murray Burnett. The play was directed by Hal Wallis and edited by Irene Diamond in 1942. Hal Wallis bought the rights to the play for $20,000, which is the highest amount paid for play that was unproduced (Slide 84). The film was called Casablanca perhaps in imitation of Algiers, the 1938 hit film. Because only the first half of the script was ready by the time filming began, Casablanca was shot in sequence, and almost the whole film was shot in a studio. The exception was the sequence that shows the arrival of Major Strasser, which was shot at Van Nuys Airport. Direction Wallis entrusted the direction of Casablanca to his close friend Michael Curtiz a Hungarian Jewish emigrant who settled in the US during the 1920s. Part of Curtiz’s family consisted of refugees from Nazi-controlled Europe. Because of his family’s history, Curtiz sought to use images to convey a story rather than shots for their own sake. Curtiz who was born Kertesz Kaminer Mano in 1886 studied film and art at the Royal Academy of Theater and Art and Markoszy University. He commenced his acting and directing career as Mihaly Kertesz in the year 1912 at the National Hungarian Theater. During the First World War, Curtiz served in the Astro-Hungarian Army, but in 1915, he returned to film-making after which he married actress Lucy Doraine (Slide 23). The couple divorced in 1923, and Curtiz left Hungary settling in Vienna where he made more than 20 films one of which captured the interest of Jack Warner who employed Curtiz to his studio with the intention for the latter to direct the film Noah’s Ark for Warner Brothers. Cinematography The film’s cinematography was conducted by Arthur Edeson a renowned cinematographer who had formerly shot Frankenstein and The Maltese Falcon. Edeson paid attention to photographing Ilsa who was primarily shot from the left side, which was the actress’ preferred side. Attention was also made to ensure Ilsa’s eyes sparkled. In order to do this, Edeson used a softening gauze filter, as well as catch lights, which both served to make the Ilsa’s face appear sad, nostalgic and tender at the same time. Edeson also used bars of shadow across the background and characters to imply imprisonment, emotional confusion and the crucifix as a symbol for Free French Forces. In addition, the film’s cinematography entailed the use of expressionistic lighting such as dark film noir in certain scenes, especially towards the film’s culmination. Such shadows, the noir lighting style, use of the environment as framing devices, as well as the fluid camera works are all characteristic of Curtiz’s style. Sound Music plays an integral role in the film’s plot. The film entails the use of several music pieces, which were all used to convey distinct messages. The film’s music was primarily written by Max Steiner renowned for his score in the film Gone with the Wind. However, the film’s director and editor chose to retain Herman Hupfeld’s song As Time Goes By, which was part of the original play. Steiner also based the film’s sound on the song La Marseillaise, which was the French National Anthem. Steiner effectively transformed the two songs to reflect altering moods within the film. For instance, the duel between Laszlo and Strasser at Rick’s cafe is indicative of such changing moods (Slide 111). However, the film’s soundtrack, which entails the use of La Marseillaise, is performed by a full orchestra band. The opposing musical piece for the film is Die Wacht am Rhein, although the original intention was to use the Nazi anthem, Horst Wessel Lied. However, the shift was made because the film was expected to show in non-Allied countries, as well. Furthermore, part of the film’s sound comes from the opening bars of the German national anthem Deutschlandied, which effectively represents Germans as La Marseillaise represents Allies. Other songs that feature in the film include 1910’s Shine by Ford Dabney, 1920’s Avalon by Al Jolson, 1924’s It Had to Be You by Isham Jones, Perfidia by Alberto Dominguez and The Very Thought of You by Noble Ray. The only original song composition for the film is Knock on Wood by Jerome, M.K. The Godfather The Godfather is an American classic crime film released in the year 1972. The film is a renowned gangster films ever produced. The American Film Institute considers The Godfather as the second greatest American film. Because of the film’s cultural significance, The Godfather was, in 1990, selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry. As a result of the film’s ultimate success, two sequels have spawned from the original. These are 1974’s The Godfather II and 1990’s The Godfather III (Slide 217). Content- Plot The film centers on the life of a New York crime family under the leadership of Vito, Michael and Sonny Corleone. The story is captivating as it reiterates the occurrences between the year 1945 to 1955 when Michael Corleone moves from a rather reluctant family outsider to a Mafia boss who employs ruthless tactics to have his way, while also giving an account of the Corleone family history. The film’s story begins during the wedding of Vito’s daughter. Vito is approached for requests in his capacity as the Godfather or Don of the New York crime family. One such request emanates from singer Fontane who wishes to be cast in a movie under the direction of Woltz. The crime family uses violent tactics to fulfill its needs, for instance, the beheading of Woltz’s racehorse, and the placement of the racehorse’s head on Woltz’s bed to convince him to cast Fontane in his new movie. The movie depicts the violence, treachery, competition and death that engulf mafia life. Five mafia families within the New York region seek domination over the state and what ensues is a round of animosity, assassination and betrayal. In the end, many people including Sonny, the initial Godfather’s son are murdered in cold blood. Restoration of peace among the warring mafia families entailed the Corleone family’s acceptance of the drug trade, which they had adamantly refused earlier. Movie Genre The Godfather is a classic gangster film that shows the behind-the-scenes occurrences in mafia families and organized crime organizations. The film is thrilling as it is action-packed, as well as educative of cultural differences. Production The Godfather is based on Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel, which runs under the same name as the film. The film’s screenplay is primarily under Mario Puzo, Francis Coppola, and Robert Towne whose input in the film is unaccredited. The trio worked under the production of Albert Ruddy. Direction Italian director Sergio Leone was the first choice for the film’s direction, but he declined the offer in order to direct his gangster film Once Upon a Time in America. The second choice was Peter Bogdanovich who also declined as Bogdanovich wanted to work on the film What’s Up Doc? Despite Coppola’s eventual acceptance to direct the film under Paramount Pictures, Coppola was afraid that the film would praise violence and the mafia, which would adversely affect his heritage as a Sicilian and Italian. Paramount Pictures wanted to use Coppola as the director because the company wanted an Italian-American director. This was because of the dismal box office performance of mafia-based films directed by non-Italians. However, the film’s directorship was marred by friction between Coppola and Paramount Pictures, which at some point during the film’s production, wanted to fire Coppola. At the time, Paramount Pictures was under a lot of financial pressure and needed a box office hit in order to remain afloat. Born Francis Ford Coppola in Detroit in 1939, Coppola is a renowned American film director who symbolizes a group of filmmakers called the New Hollywood that includes prominent names such as Steven Spielberg, Brian De Palma, Robert Altman and Woody Allen among others. New Hollywood sprouted in the 1970s having mutual and unconventional concepts that questioned contemporary film-making. Coppola’s middle name is in honor of Henry Ford because he was born at Henry Ford Hospital. Coppola is a polio survivor whose childhood was marred by long periods of being bedridden. However, it was during such periods that Coppola indulged his imagination through homemade theater puppet productions. Coppola’s interest in theater began at the age of 15 years when he read A Streetcar Named Desire (Slide 97). Coppola’s interest in film-craft pushed him to produce 8mm edited feature, which he edited from home movies. Some of these features include The Lost Wallet and The Rich Millionaire. In addition, Coppola’s interest in engineering and technology earned him the nickname “Science”. Coppola initially trained for a music career gaining immense proficiency on the tuba, which won him a musical scholarship at the New York Military Academy. Upon his graduation from the Greek Neck north High School, Coppola enrolled at the Hofstra University and majored in theater arts where he further won a play-writing scholarship. However, after watching Sergei Eisenstein’s film, October, Coppola was so impressed, especially with the film editing quality that he chose to go into cinema rather than theater. Cinematography The film’s cinematography was essentially done by Gordon Willis. Most of the film’s photography occurred between March and August 1971. The film’s photography was originally budgeted to take 83 days, but instead it took 77 days. A computer-controlled zoom lens was used to capture certain shots. These include the long and slow pullback that begins with Bonasera’s close-up while he was petitioning Don Corleone. Technicians also shifted lights behind the car to establish an illusion in the scene in which Michael drives with McCluskey and Sollozzo. This was primarily done to deter the cost of back-projection. The movie’s most shocking moment entailed a real severed horse’s head, whose inclusion was denounced by animal activists. Shots of Moe Greene through the eye were inspired by the demise of gangster Busgy Siegel. In order to realize this effect, the actor’s glasses were fitted with two tubes; one with fake blood and the other compressed air and BB. This means that when the gun went off, the compressed air released the BB and shattered them inwardly while the other tube released the blood. The quality of the film’s cinematography is also visible in the scene of McCluskey’s shooting. A fake forehead was placed on the actor and a gap cut in the center then filled with fake blood. When the gun was shot, a fishing line yanked off the top prosthetic flesh on the fake forehead thus releasing blood and making a large hole on McCluskey’s forehead. The film was shot on various locations in New York such as Best & Company, Bellevue Hospital and the New York Eye and Ear infirmary. Sound The film’s main sound track is The Godfather Waltz by Nino Rota. Other musical pieces written by Nino Rota within the film include The Pickup, Connie’s Wedding, Love Theme from The Godfather, Sicilian Pastorale, Apollonia, The New Godfather, The Halls of Fear and The Baptism. However, the film also features Al Martino’s song; I have But One Heart (Slide 157). Conclusion American films have acquired a distinctive place in the global film industry for the production of quality films. Over the last century, the film industry has developed substantially. However, while thousands of films have been released since the early 20th century, films such as The Godfather and Casablanca are still among the world’s greatest films. This paper has researched both films, providing in-depth analysis of pertinent issues of the films. Work Cited Slide, A. Early American Cinema. Boston: Scarecrow Press, 1994. Print. Read More