The Big Lebowski

The film The Big Lebowski is so radically different from anything that has been produced before it and initially did not receive the recognition it deserved. As discussed in class, a cult classic film can be defined as a film that is accepted by a smaller demographic of moviegoers. Over time, a once absurd film is seen as a new genre of film and is widely accepted by filmmakers and audiences as a true classic and memorable film. Another example I can automatically associate with is Napoleon Dynamite. When this film first came out it was regarded as a ridiculous comedy with an absurd storyline. It is ultimately the main character that makes these films so successful. The character is almost normal, and is portrayed as an individual that almost everyone can relate with. Though there may be no real plot, there is always a conflict that is resolved which is the basic ideal any film needs to be produced. It did not adhere to the normal expectancies of viewing audiences, hence the box office failure, but given time it was greatly appreciated and has made up for its opening failure with success in DVD sales and overall merchandise sales. The Coen Brothers made an attachment to other filmmaking techniques, focusing on elements rather than content. The audience is mainly mesmerized by the performance of Dude, and the story ultimately follows the life of this main character, rather than focusing on setting and plot. 

The Hudsucker Proxy

The Hudsucker Proxy, in my opinion, is one of the best Coen Brothers films ever made. The film has a good storyline, in that it involves work ethic and overall business settings that people can relate to, which is ultimately the goal in creating any film. The element of time progression was creatively used; in that there is a flashback that plays out bringing the film full circle and a moment where time freezes, even the characters just by stopping a clock from ticking. The fact that all the main events that occur in the film, Hudsucker’s suicide, Barnes’s fall, and Hudsucke’s reappearance to save Barnes his job, are brought upon by one large clock on the side of a building is what amazes me. It is not really that the Coen Brothers used some sort of new filmmaking styles it is just that the stories are outrageous, in that they take real life situations and make them absurd. Just like in The Big Lebowski, Barton Fink, and Fargo, the Coen Brothers use their talents to play out relatable events that all play on the element of time. Whether it be long pauses between dialogue, freezing time, or even just a ten second shot of someone walking, their films make the audience think while still letting you have fun with the story and relate. I feel as though their films truly are radical and strange, but this film definitely gives them more recognition in the creative aspect of filmmaking. 

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

The filmmakers of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest spent a numerous amount of time researching in to psychotherapy and the context of the book the film is based on. The lengthy amount of research put in to the film was due to the filmmaker’s desire to create a realistically accurate film. All actors in the film were expected to put forth the same effort and commitment in preparation for their roles. The characters in a film help develop the story and if the actors aren’t being true to the ideal character than the authenticity is lost. According to the “Real Reels” article, the actors conveyed the utmost level of accuracy in their performance. The new nurse believes the film to be very accurate in its perception of a psychiatric mental hospital. The old nurse believes the film to be deceitful and misconstrues the truth of how a psychiatric mental hospital is run. Based on the two articles and the viewing of the film, my interpretation is that the film is a combination of the two reviews. The characters seem real and truthful, while some of the events that occur seem unreal and inaccurate. McMurphy, as played by Jack Nicholson, is accurately portrayed as the chance of a fault in the institution and the influence one patient can have over a system in the presence of poor judgment. Nurse Ratched, as played by Louise Fletcher, is accurately portrayed as an imperfect psychiatric nurse who lets poor judgment get in the way of her professionalism. If the actors had not taken their roles as seriously as portrayed the film would not have seemed as real and defined.

Rio Bravo

Conforming to the classic Western genre, Rio Bravo displays several long shots and the character isolated in the landscape and western terrain. The Western genre is defined as a story that portrays the desolate and hard life of frontier families, as they are faced with change and conflicts with a greater force. A true western embodies the spirit, struggle and demise of the new frontier. Fitting to the stereotypical definition of the classic western hero, the film features men in cowboy hats, with cowboy boots and spurs. It also features the usage of rifles, and guns in general, the classic sheriff’s badge, and an infamous saloon fight. There is also the usage of horses for transportation and a desolate and widespread frontier in which the story takes place. The main character, and hero of the film, Chance is portrayed as the all-powerful and influential sheriff who isn’t afraid to turn down a fight and remains dominant, refusing the aid of fellow allies unless necessary. There are almost no close-up shots and the film is shot in the same location, with the men always carrying a gun, and concluding with a happy ending. The film pretty much fits all the parameters of the Western genre, except for the fact that the hero doesn’t go riding off into the sunset at the conclusion of the film, but this element isn’t really crucial to the genre. In the end, the hero was victorious, Chance wins over the girl and all the conflicts are resolved.

Mon Oncle

The film, Mon Oncle (1958), is about a man, Monsieur Hulot, and his day to day experiences involving his sister and brother-in-law. Director Jacques Tati implements a rather unique filming style, focusing more on actions and displaying the lifestyles of the characters with music and sound effects, rather than telling the story in the typical manner with dialogue. None of the characters speak until about 6 minutes or so into the film and yet the audience still feels engaged and fully up to speed with what is occurring even though there is no narration. It begins by showing the town and the meticulous activities of its residents, and then introduces the main character, Hulot, shortly after introducing dialogue into the story. The film focuses on the themes of modernization and progress. The Arpel’s are living in an immensely modernized home with all sorts of gadgets that Hulot just doesn’t understand. Hulot is trying to fit in to the rapidly progressing lifestyle in the city and even tries to get a job, which results in failure. Tati created a comedic film about the rapid modernization in the world and how the simple man has to adapt to the changes.

Tati certainly focused his efforts as a filmmaker on details and content. Every scene was planned out perfectly so that Tati could capture the right shot, thus conveying his desired effect on the audience. One specific example was when the man in the market got his pants soaking wet. A car drives through a puddle, splashing water on half the man’s pants.  Then Hulot rides his bike through the puddle and you can see that there is a mechanism in the puddle that sprays the rest of the man’s pants with water. Tati wanted to get the right comedic effect out of the scene, and when the bike was incapable of producing his desired splash factor he implemented the effect on his own. Though it seems that Tati has a somewhat A.D.D. methodology for filmmaking, it isn’t really justifiable since his corrections aren’t exactly subtle.

Sherman's March

McElwee is such an innocently mediocre, yet comedic filmmaker, which makes people want to see a film about his life. In the film Sherman’s March, he started out with the initial goal of creating a film documenting General Sherman’s march to the south, and ended up with a personal documentary about his search for romance and love following the same path as Sherman from Boston down south. It isn’t just a documentary about his life; it is a story about finding true love. His is deterred from his original mission when he stops in New York and his girlfriend breaks up with him. Overcome with sadness and grief, McElwee sets out on a new mission to see if he can find love in the south, meeting several old friends along the way. 

Sherman’s March is different than any other documentary that I have watched. The filming style is unique and one would think that you would get bored watching a story about an average guy traveling down south, but it is actually entertaining to watch. This film expresses the idea that it does not take much to produce a documentary. Sure, McElwee’s story was unique but anyone with a camera has the capability to make a personal documentary about their insights and exploits. It just depends on the writer’s commitment to the project as to whether or not it is going to be successful. It is basically McElwee’s positive outlook and intriguing personality that makes him a charismatic protagonist in his personal documentary. His commitment, philosophy, and personality combined ultimately gained him success in the film.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

The film Exit Through the Gift Shop sends the message that you shouldn’t be afraid to follow your dreams, no matter how random or unlikely they seem. Theirry Guetta, the man whose footage is displayed in Banksy’s documentary, spent his days recording every single event in his life. One day he decides to start filming graffiti artists in Los Angeles. He compiled boxes upon boxes of footage that sat around unwatched, until Banksy finally convinces him to create a documentary displaying the work of all the well-known graffiti artists in the world he had captured footage of. After 6 months Guetta had completed his documentary; basically, a film containing choppy footage and no words, deemed incomprehensible. Though Banksy is a shady guy, I trust the way the film was pieced together and I agree with everything he was saying in his documentary, which is a lot better than what Guetta attempted to create. 

The documentary was supposed to be about Guetta’s adventures through the streets and all the footage he captured of various graffiti artists, but Banksy turns around and makes his own documentary boasting his own work and undermines Guetta's integrity. It basically makes Guetta seem like an idiot, as if he is a failure at filmmaking and got lucky in promoting himself as a street artist. Overall, the documentary was a lot different than all the other historical ones out there, but it was pretty good. It was such an odd film but the story was funny. It complemented the true artists out there while showing what kind of a guy Guetta is. Guetta starts out on one mission, to film graffiti artists, and ends up putting everything on the line for something completely different, his own graffiti artist lifestyle and art show. He is so easily influenced by the ones around him that it is truly entertaining to watch.