Cinema and the CIty of God

In this article by Brianair, the author explores and clarifies the stories of individual characters in the film from their beginnings to the present day occurrences of the people. He also talks about the film’s background and its place in the Brazilian cinema. He talks about the importance of the genre conventions, editing, traditions, and political influences as well as the overall impact of society on this film.

The main ideology communicated within the film surrounds the violence that is present everywhere you look in the favelas. It is the life of the characters and all of the hardships they go through to survive and attempt to leave this hostile environment of crime and drug trade and violence. The violence leads to an ongoing clash between two rival gangs who fight over power and money and control of the city that they can not ultimately escape. It is very authentic in its use of social-realist subject matter because it portrays the real life drug lords in Brazil. We see the context of Brazilian life and this is shown very accurately in this film. A centralized issue here is violence and most of the film, aside from the coming of age and innocence and other topics such as romance, revolves around it.

There are many film traditions, genres, historical and political influences are communicated in the film. There were some obvious traditions and genres used. The genres included were violence films, gangster films, and also action filmic techniques. It is an action movie because all of the examples of fast-paced actions and adventures that the characters face. It is a gangster film because there are essentially two different rival gangs fighting to power among the Brazilian favelas which is the setting for the story. It is evidently a violence-themed film because of the illustration of ruthless violence and the taking of innocent lives as well as gang-violence throughout the film. Also non-diegetic sounds are used when the narrator or music is shown to portray events outside the actual film almost as if it serves to give background of the movie as a whole. This allows for a greater understanding of the film. Historical influences can be seen as the portrayal of setting within the era of the 1970’s. Political influences are the actual class-structure and way of living in this society in Brazil. There is a large separation between the poor and filthy favelas and the rest of the society and when the character wish to escape for a better life, they can not ultimately escape ever because they are trapped and this serves as an ongoing motif throughout the story as a symbol of hardship and pain. Flashbacks are used to tell stories of how the characters got to the point where they currently are as well. A final significant technique used was switching between the anecdotes about the characters in a non-orderly fashion to cause drama and suspense while giving us insight about who these people are and their relations to one another.   

Based on the research that I have done so far on the City of God, the focus area that most interest me for my personal research is the growing up essence of the film. IT is a coming of age story for many of the characters and the fact that it is an action film helps because these are usually intertwined. But then again I wanted to focus on the violence within City of God because there is a reason why the director wanted to make this detail such an obvious issue that is shown in a very explicit and large way. It is a very important issue and must be stopped in this society. I wanted to look at how the famous Godfather related to this film in terms of genre as a noir film and gangster film and how they show impacts on society through filmic techniques.  

Portrayal of Violence in City of God

In this article by Jennie Carlston, she talks a lot about the way violence is portrayed and its impact as a whole based off the film City of God. The film is directed by Fernando Meirelles and it offers a eye-opening view on the lives of people that live in the favelas of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. The entire film revolves around the violence in this inner city area and the way in which people want to leave the poor, drug ridden, and crime lord atmosphere. In this article she talks about the nature of the violence portrayed from its roots in the favelas to its relation to gangs. She also talks about alternatives to violence as well as means of controlling it.

“There is no justice system within the favela; the police act apparently on impulse. Shaggy, a member of the Tender Trio, is pursued and killed on only the word of another criminal, who has just been arrested for the murder of his own wife. The systemic violence of the state, and the fatalism with which it is accepted, is most evident in the film's ending.”

Through the main character of Rocket, a young boy who loves photography, we learn about character roles and the motives of these characters. It is interesting to observe how these people strive to get out of the favela and live a life without violence but they end up coming back to it time and time again. This quote shows the norms of society here in the favelas. Since there is no justice system within the favela, there is high crime rates and drug trade going on. The police do not seem to have a crucial role and even they are afraid of the violence here. Also, killing people ruthlessly and without reason is very common as seen in this quote. If you do not like someone or you are annoyed by them or if you see a happy child roaming the streets and talking about rumors they heard, you just kill them. It is completely normal here. We see various shot composers throughout the film due to this fast paced action. Quick cuts are often used as scenes have very short durations and shots are not held very long unless it is a very tense moment in the film such as the part when Rocket is stuck in the middle of the street along with the police on one side and Little Ze’s gang on the other. This shows that the film has a very interesting narrative structure based on the way the story is told through Rockets eyes and also through the many actions of violence which propel the plot because the crime lords hunt each other and when one is killed a new target is approached.  

“While a variety of instrumental motives are offered for the violence done by others, L'il Ze seems unique in his pure enjoyment of violence. A simple reading might suggest that L'il Ze uses violence to attain power and money (he is made rich by his first major act) or out of self preservation (the elimination of his enemies), but Meirelles seems to be suggesting something more excessive. The child L'il Ze (then known as L'il Dice) accompanies the Tender Trio in a robbery, but escalates the violence into a slaughter; he does so not as an act of initiation (at first, the Trio doesn't even know he has done it, nor does the audience) but because he wants to.”

Here we can see that there are many motives that the characters have. The most brutal and violent of the characters is L’il Ze. Due to the ways in which the kids are brought up in the society (we know this through the use of flashback which create backstory and serve as the intro to film) many of them become involved in the violent drug trade and war that is seemingly endless in the favelas. When the child character of L’il Ze is revealed to have been involved in the killings and robbery that the Tender Trio committed, many loose ends are tied up. He was very excited by the thought of killing and there is a scene in which it shows him killing innocent people in the building and then laughing. He became like that when he was a child and he never changed after that. He grew up to be a violent and ruthless murderer. The kids think that they need to do something in order to fit in with the society. Power and money and killing innocent people is what the adults men savor so they want it as well. This further explains the genre of the film which is a gangster crime drama film.  

“The favela is on one level a defined space with specific geography, straight rows of houses and repeated locations. On another level, it is a landscape with violent and incomprehensible qualities. In chase sequences, for example, camera angles are repeatedly reversed...”

In this excerpt we see more about the cinematography of the film. Many of the scenes if not all of them revolve around life in the favelas. The landscape is portrayed as a filthy and poverty stricken area filled with crime and drug trafficking. As we discussed in class, when we watch the film many angles are used and this creates not only suspense but confusion among the audience because of the camera angles and movement within the shots. We do not know the exact direction and spacing of the characters and the objects such as cars in the frame. This disorientation can be seen as a motif because the characters also are lost in confusion among this huge long lasting war between two of the gang strongholds in the favela. I also found it interesting how Rockets point of view is shown and when he is holding the camera and running, for example, we see exactly what his life is like at the moment and even then we are still confused about the direction and spacing. In the article it is also evident that shots from spaces within the buildings of the favela are interesting and create special cinematography. There was a mention of sniper targets and how these are shown by using point of view shots and changing the camera angle fast to find the shooters.

“In fact, bodies, the site of so much violence in City of God, are not dwelt upon. Throughout most of the film, they are treated with alternating casualness and calculation. The audience sees bodies falling, or lying on the ground, but the editing is rapid and generally cuts immediately away. The audience doesn't see the blood or tearing of flesh that we assume must accompany events.”

The edit of City of God is very interesting as well. We are not used to seeing bodies flying everywhere like we do in the film. Nor do we see the ruthless killings in films in our society. I liked how the author of this article talked about the nature of how casual the killings are. Some of the crime lords just kill people without any intention or reason for doing so. The bodies in particular are not shown much attention throughout the story. Once the bullet is fired from the guns of the soulless people, the people that the bullet goes through are not important any longer. The quick transition from the killings to the events that precede these is very noticeable after a while when you are watching the film. The viewer does not notice or sympathize with the victim anymore because we are so used to seeing human beings killed in a really violent manner.

“The camera/gun analogy is most explicit in the final standoff. Surrounded by L'il Ze's heavily armed gang and the police, Rocket stands frozen as the camera circles

around him.

The police leave and the gang clamours for a photo. The sound recedes and the camera continues to circle as Rocket is paralysed by indecision, perhaps

considering the act of violence he is about t o commit”

This quote talks about the last part of the film. It is my favorite shot of the film as well because of the way the camera rotates around Rocket to reveal the the police and the gang are on either side of him. I liked how the author related the camera to a gunshot because of the power behind his camera. In the film, Rocket is used by L’il Ze to get his gang in the newspaper and he enjoys the attention that the media is bringing towards him and his friends in the gang. We see a recurring symbol of a shot. The shot can be a bullet or even just a picture. In the favela, both of these mean the downfall of the person being affected. Rocket is shown as the power of the media and those that glorify its use in the film.

Film Language and Representation

The 5 minute film extract: 101:00- 106:00

This extract takes place between one hour and one minute and one hour and six minutes into the film. This is when Norman is in the sheriff's office because it is found that he has been the killer all along. Also, the psychiatrist is explaining to Marion’s sister and Sam why he killed Marion. This is near the climax and the resolution of the film and this is the only reason why the location of the police department is  significant. The visual aspect in shown in the room where Norman s in confinement. The camera is static and focused on his face. The camera is only moves at the end of this segment. The issues in the extract are the mental confusion and disruption in Bate’s mind by his mother who is controlling him. This voiceover plays while Norman thinks to himself and this scene is not done in a very extravagant manner with a lot of filmic techniques and variety. This picture shows this scene.

Norman is very disturbed by the voice of his mother. Compared to the last scene, this one is darker and scarier because of the minimal lighting and Norman is in confinement of this room and there are no objects or people with him. It seems like he is trying to resist her but is trapped. This is further shown with the symbol of the fly which lands on Norman’s hand but he does not try and swat it or move his hand. This creates a tension in the film and an eerie sense of uneasiness. This is shown in this picture. The angle of the camera in this point of view shot shows Norman’s perspective and we learn that he is not controlling himself but his mother is. Anthony Perkins does a terrific job in acting in this scene. He is very sinister looking and stares deeply into the camera. It was very creepy to watch this.

The camera movement is not varied in the scene. It rarely actually ever moves other than when the psychiatrist is speaking to the sister of Marion in his office. Framing is important because some of the objects in his room can be symbols or motifs that were in the rest of the movie as well such as the painting of a bird in the location behind the psychiatrists head. The dialogue is limited and the audience feels awkward because it is a tense and sad moment in the film when the loose ends are being tied together. The score or music in the scene when Norman is just sitting against the wall is very eerie and suspenseful and we almost feel like we are in nightmare sequence when the two voices of Norman and his thought are disrupted by his mothers voice. It is very weird when they begin to speak at the same time and I have never seen this technique used before. Lighting is not very evident in either scene as well. Sound effects such as the buzzing of the fly are key because they enhagnce the tone which is very dark and scary. The stillness of the images we are being shown add suspense because we don’t know what will happen next. Editing in this extract is also simple.

I really enjoyed watching this film and this extract was particularly interesting to me. All of the loose ends were tied and we learn about why Hitchcock chose to include the things that he does in the rest of the film. The twist is shown and we see a conclusion. This extract was not very filmic but rather simple but all the more suspenseful and dark compared to the rest of the film. I think this picture below does a good job in showing Normans character and is symbolic of who his character is.

Genre: Comedy Films

Genre Research: Comedy

I want to explore comedies and pitch an idea for a humorous piece for the upcoming short film. I will use the famous Ferris Bueller's Day Off  for some inspiration and movie conventions in my piece.  I also want to look more at Dazed and Confused because I think it will be a good complement to my film if I incorporate some techniques used there.

The conventions of genre used in this film are numerous. They are light-hearted dramas that are made to amuse and entertain the audience.  There are many jokes, exaggerations, humorous mistakes, unexpected twists, and tons of laughter in the process. These films usually end happily or ironically because they wouldn't truly be a comedy film if they ended sadly or horrifyingly. The actions of the characters and dialogue are primary ways that comedy functions. There is a protagonist or protagonists and usually there is a goal they want to reach and there are many forces that stop them and this helps in propelling the plot. The characters seem to make a lot of mistakes and this leads to some sort of downfall. They also go on a journey and the comedic part is revealed in this act. The settings, production design, and lighting are all varied for comedies. Probably because there are so many sub genres within the genre of comedy. There are romantic comedies, action comedies, comedy horrors, black comedy, sci-fi comedy, and military comedies. Each one has its unique set of production design. For example, romantic comedies will not be as dark and sinister looking than a comedy horror. Also, romantic comedies would focus on the characters being more glamourous and the lighting being brighter in the film. Lighting that creates some sort of mood is not that common in comedy. The film I want to create is an action comedy or romantic comedy. Staging is more focused on as well as what is in the frame. The timing of cuts are extremely emphasized to create a funny moment in the film. Sound effects are key in comedies because they can also be manipulated to create humor.

Logline: A teenage boy ditches school to hang out with his friends on the day of a big exam.

Psycho Film Oral and Assessment

Self-Evaluation

I think I deserve a 16-20 on my piece. My actual grade would probably be around a 16 or 17. I think I spoke clearly and loud but there were many flaws in the piece such as awkward silences and stuttering and the many uses of "umm.." and "uh..." to be honest. When I was speaking I think I hit all the points I wanted to but I felt rushed at times because I knew there were specific topics I absolutely had to talk about. I think my analysis of my extract was fairly detailed. I went into some insight about what actually happens in the scene and why, in my opinion, it was chosen to be incorporated in the film. I think I talked about some topics better than others and these lesser ones were more vague and didn't sound as professional. I went into detail about the historical part of the film as well and through this I hit on some of the sociocultural points in my notes. This was a great experience and I learned a lot from it.

Kim's Evaluation

I definitely think Kim's piece deserved a 21-25 on the higher end of the rubric. It was presented really really well and it was very coherent and easy to understand  She hit on all the points she needed to and I actually learned a lot from it. I liked how she knew what she was saying and she sounded very insightful in this response. It had excellent analysis from when Marion in the film purchases her car to the time when she "stumbles on the Bates motel". She explores the casting and how Hitchcock wanted to include blondes as sympathetic and pure characters in his films. She talks about symbols such as the highway in her oral and the importance of characterization and once again she is very intelligent about the small details in her piece. She talks about the lighting in the scene and how it can be symbolic of Marion's character as well. She talk about the individual shots in the scene and also the musical scores and sound effects with a ton of insight about them. Overall, her analysis was excellent and I hope to be able to speak like her when it comes time for my oral Senior year.

Narrative and Film Extract

Psycho is constructed in a linear narrative pattern with touches of a uniqueness within the story. Psycho is organized by plot sequence. The film is based primarily on cause and effect. We see an event such as Ms. Crane stealing the money, then we see the consequences of it and her motives and what she plans on doing in the future. This example of a MacGuffins helps to propel the plot and these shots are part of the films most interesting scene where she is running away. It is also based on time sequence because we never jump to flashbacks or the past other than when Norman tells us of his past. The way in which Alfred Hitchcock presents this order of events is really interesting because of the events that happen in his characters lives. For example, Marion Crane is killed very early in the story. For me it was actually like two movies joined together, one being a sequel to the first. When she is killed, the protagonist eventually dies and the rest of the story is very entertaining which was was not common in this era. Foreshadowing plays a large role in the movie. I found some quotes that highlight foreshadowing, after a second time of seeing the movie, are “We all go a little mad sometimes,” “A boys best friend is his mother,” and “I must have one of those faces you can't help believing". All of these quotes serve to help the reader create thoughts about the present and use these hints to learn more about what happens later on in the story. Also, there is the famous example of the bird scene when Marion and Bates first meet at the motel. 


The nature of the our engagement with the story is very interesting because Hitchcock is able to create such a reaction that it impacts the viewer. This is truly evident in the character Norman bates who is the owner and operator of the Bates motel. This is where Marion stops the night during her escape because she has been driving for countless hours and there is a storm on the same night. When we meet Norman, Hitchcock creates sympathy for him because he is a lonely character. Also, we are told that the poor guy lives with his “mother”. What could be worse than that? He is very courteous and shows a lot of respect and kindness towards his newly introduced guest. He  For example, the audience can build sympathy for the character of psychotic murderer Norman Bates. He talks very politely and shy and we gain a sense of trust in him and we know nothing can possibly be wrong in this character. But soon we realize that is exactly the case. We see his attraction towards Marion when he asks her if she would like to spend the night with him and have dinner together. Then we learn about his darker side when the shocking murder, well not really shocking to the audience of the time because Hitchcock was known widely for his thriller films, takes place. After this, there are many hints that tell us more about his true identity such as his obsession with birds and taxidermy. We also learn about his mother who is really him in the end. He has literally gone psycho and has mental problems which allow him to think he has two different personalities  within his single scrawny body.

 
The casting and the nature of the relationships in the film can be explored in the film's narrative and themes. The casting was very important in the film. Hitchcock used Norman’s seemingly innocent and shy character for a reason which was to create suspense and make that final twist when we realize who the actual murderer is. Yes, its the mama’s boy people. Marion and her really friendly man friend were used to show the motive for the escape. She saw an opportunity to be with him and help him out so she stole the $40,000 dollars from her boss and took off. She switched cars and then she was free. She lands at this motel, and eventually is killed there. Hitchcock wanted to use a working woman so she could be related to in the audience which would make the story more realistic. Also, the casting of the mother was very important. Even though there were no actual scenes or shots with her character incorporated, her presence was very important to the understanding of the film. Hitchcock himself, as shown in the documentary we had the pleasure of viewing in class, didn’t tell the rest of his crew about this during the production! Her character relates to the ongoing theme of lying and these absurd psychological behaviors shown in Norman Bates.

Socio-Cultural Influences in Psycho

Socio-Cultural Influences in Psycho

1. What do the film's themes say about the culture it's part of?

The themes within the film Psycho are numerous. It has become Alfred Hitchcock's most famous and valuable film and the culture it belongs to is that of America during the time period when it was made and intended to be set in. The themes revolved around central issues in this era and setting. One of these themes would be the use of money in society and its impact on characters and people of this era. It also serves to highlight the negative social events and even violent ones. Murders in the period were at an all time high due to a hike in taxes and a need for capital. Also, psychological illnesses such as the one portrayed in the movie are real and they exist today. This has to do with sexuality which poses a strong role for many ideologies and organizations and groups today. It is a very controversial issue and should be dealt with more efficiently.

2. What is the film's geographical and historical context?

The films geographical context is entirely within California and Arizona. The film was meant to be shot on just a studio area. He constructed the studio sets exactly how he envisioned the ending product of the movie. He wanted to put the characters in controlled environment as well. The hotel and house where the character Norman Bates lived and managed were on a set in Los Angeles. Paramount studios had given him a space where he could fully undergo this project. Remember, Paramount was the first and only studio to think his film could be a success so they assisted him in the distribution and screening of the film. The establishing scenes were set in a hotel in Arizona. The car dealership was the only scene other than the previous one I mentioned that incorporated the aspects and authenticity of the time period because it was actually physically at the location rather than on a studio set. The film was very low budget although it raked in many millions of dollars. This efficiency led to other filmmakers to use the tactics Hitchcock used in his films.

3. What big questions does the film address?

The film addresses the questions created by the themes in the film that relate to the culture it is in. It answers the questions about greed and dishonesty and other immoral acts such as lying and stealing.  Mr. Cassidy loses his fortune and he is very careless about them. Also it reveals that these immoral acts are faced with serious consequences that can be as monumental as the initial act of negativity. Marion is killed and through this we know that she died because of her previous acts. It also brings the issue of violence and psychological disorders, which is evident in the actual title of the film. In the issue of lying, it is shown that the truth will find its way out in some shape or form even in the most detailed and elaborate lies that may seem to work at the beginning.

4. How does the film add to the ongoing discourse?

Psycho was made in a time period when there was controversial issues revolving around censorship. The film and many films made in this era incorporated some aspects that were not known regularly to be in film. Some ideologies were not accepted and some things, based on their acceptance into society and the audience, were not shown in film. Psycho incorporated violent murders, although the actual stabbing was not entirely shown. It did depict a hand and blood spewing and then occasional shots of a screaming, squirming woman inside of a bathtub. These shots were put together to show that the woman was being killed without showing the actual violent act being committed. This did, however, cause much controversy and today it is one of the most famous and referred to part of the movie. Hitchcock also used some nudity in the film when Marion is in a bra. This idea was not all that common and society wasn't very accepting of it. In the documentary we also learn that Hitchcock was very fearful of the police. So this “dangerous” aspect was included in the film to add more suspense through the chase scene. After the film was made, people could do anything they wanted with film. Due to his previous fame and reputation, he was already allowed to pass through the censorship laws.

5. Where does it fall in the evolution of the genre? Primitive/Classic/Revisionist/Parody

I believe Psycho is a classic film in the evolution of genre. It has the techniques and aspects that are respectful to the genre. It has incorporated both old and new ideas and the entire work is done so well and truly is a masterpiece. The film incorporates an incredible amount of detail and perfection. st film Historians define classic films as those created when the Studio System was in place, that received high recognition. The film was made during the studio years, so it can be classified as a classic. This was when actors were signed with exclusive contracts that limited them to work for a specific company only. It also continues to receive great recognition and opinions  from great critics.

6. What is the film’s socio-cultural context?

The film Psycho was a monumental film. It created a new ideology within the film industry and also resolved, or went against the censorship bans and issues with what should be put in film in the era. Hitchcock influenced many other directors in the making of the film. It addresses issues that were in the American society. An example would be the issues of violence and love and psychological issues with some people. It reflected a lot on the society to which it belonged.

Sources

http://www.classicfilmguide.com/
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Psycho_(1960_film).html