Apocalypse Now- Analysis of Colonel Kurtz

Colonel Kurtz is an extremely fascinating character and his actions warrant a thoughtful analysis. After being dissatisfied with the horrors of war, Kurtz decides to completely turn his back on morality. He acts as a God and exercises complete control over a village in Cambodia. Kurtz resorts to using barbaric techniques in order to maintain his power. He essentially gives in and embraces the brutal disorder of nature. It becomes clear that he wants to die and he wants Captain Willard to do the deed, however he wants to bestow knowledge upon Willard before he passes away. He wants to expose Willard to the savagery of war and hopes that he too will denounce it. The last words that Kurtz utters are "The horror... the horror." Kurtz has seen horrible things in his life and to for him, death is the escape from the horrors of this earth.

Exploring Film Technique pt 2

The clip from The Wall that I found most intriguing was the scene in which the oppressive nature of the British school system is explored. The vocalist along with school children belt out the words “we don’t need no education, we don’t need no thought control.” These words of protest are heard while the viewer sees the children marching into a machine which transforms them into faceless dummies. The face is the most unique physical element of a human, so when the children go through this machine, they are essentially losing what makes them unique. This transformation is meant to be a metaphor for the oppression that the children are forced to experience. Rather than encouraging creativity and individuality, the teacher in the film seeks to produce a class of homogenous individuals. The way in which the school system restrict its students is particularly damaging to the film’s main character, Pink. It results in “another brick in the wall” being added to the emotional wall that he has build to separate himself from having meaningful relationships with others. He is mocked by his teacher when he tries to express himself creatively by writing poems in class, so he imagines himself and his classmates rebelling against the abuse they are forced to face day after day. This furthers the theme of oppression which this iconic scene is meant to illustrate.

Decalogue

The first film in the Decalogue series is very engaging and emotional. It examines the first commandment of the bible- “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.” In the film, Krzysztof and his son Pawel are infatuated with a computer. The father, more so than the son, places his faith in the computer rather than in God. This ultimately ends tragically. Krzysztof trusts his computer program when it informs him that it is safe for his son to skate on the pond, but when Pawel goes skating on the pond, the ice breaks and he drowns. Pawel’s death made me wonder if the filmmaker was trying to illustrate God’s wrath. Did God take Pawel’s life to teach Krzysztof a lesson? Will Pawel’s death cause Krzysztof to develop faith in God? Initially Krzysztof took a very scientific approach to death, but now that death has affected him so closely, will he put aside his faith in science and pursue a faith in God?

Requiem for a Dream

Aronofsky's film explores the inherent evil that exists within our world. His films takes the viewer through an intensely emotional journey. Most films recognize evil in the world but focus on the good that ultimately triumphs over evil. This is not the case in Requiem for a Dream. Evil wins the battle against good in this story. The four main characters, consumed by their addictions, end up as shells of their former selves. In a fiercely cathartic sequence of events in the last ten minutes of the film, we see the tremendous amount of damage that drug abuse has had on the lives of these characters. They succumb to evil temptations and ultimately lose themselves.

Reflecting on Religion

Reason and the reality before us is not enough to explain why we are here. It is not enough to explain our purpose, or if we even have a purpose. It is not enough to explain what awaits us after death. Because of this, human decide to look beyond what sits before them. Many search for purpose and meaning, and religion provides meaning to those who seek it. Religion is used as a means of explaining the unknown. The reality is, we cannot know anything for sure. This is where the concept of faith comes into play. If humans were to be certain in the existence of god, faith would be unnecessary, and the thousands of religions that exist today would be needless.

Life of Pi

Life of Pi is a film that explores the concept of faith. As an old man, Pi tells the fascinating story of his life. However he tells two stories; One story involves animals and other fantastical events and the other one involves humans and is rather gruesome. Pi admits to his audience that neither story can be proven so he asks them which story they prefer. They decide that they prefer the story with the animals, and Pi responds by saying “and so it goes with God.” Pi is suggesting that a life with God is preferable. If the meaning of our existence cannot be explained, isn’t it better to have faith in a story that makes life more beautiful? Having faith in a religion can enhance an individual’s life, and this is what Pi teaches us through this film. 

Memento

I found the film Memento to be very thought provoking. This film revolves around a man, Leonard, who has suffered from a traumatic brain injury. This injury destroys his short term memory and he is unable to make new memories, so often times throughout the film, Leonard forgets what he is doing. He must to rely on notes, polaroid photos, and sayings that he has tattooed on his body to achieve his goal of finding the man who killed his wife. Leonard’s memory is unreliable, so what makes up his identity… isn’t it our memories that make us who we are? This idea is also examined in Blade Runner. When Rachel discovers that she is a replicant and her memories are entirely false, her world is shattered. She has no clue who she really is. Leonard is able to remember the events leading up to his injury, so that is all he has. He knows who he was, but doesn’t really know who he is. 

The Village

I watched M Night Shyamalan's The Village when I was in sixth grade thinking that it would be a typical horror movie about scary creatures that haunt helpless individuals. At the time I wasn’t aware that the director was Shyamalan and that he was known for his mind boggling plot twists. With all of that said, I was thoroughly shocked when I discovered the truth about this small quasi 19th century town in Pennsylvania. Dissatisfied with the evil and corruption prevailing in the modern world, a group of individuals decided to create their own self sufficient town and live simpler lives like those of the 19th century. The village actually exists in the 21st century and the elders allow no man to go beyond the woods where they would discover the truth about the world. 

A few years ago when I read Plato’s Allegory of the cave, I noticed a lot of parallels between the two stories. The citizens of the village are essentially shackled like the humans in the cave. The villagers and the cave dwellers are unaware of their true reality. This idea has forced me to question my own perceived reality and ask the question: Is there something that is even more real and true than what I can currently perceive? 

The Name of the Wind

This fantasy novel is the first in a trilogy of books that follows the life of Cvothe the King Killer. In the first book we see a young boy barely able to survive on the streets, as a homeless child growing up after his family was massacred by The Chandrian. He grows up with fight and knowledge in his soul. He figures out a way to get off of the streets and goes to the University where he learns magic and other arts. This story would make a great film because of the underlying power of narrative. This book explains the power of individual desires through the motives of a young boy. By examining his individual fight for survival and betterment the reader can see how his internal power creates external power. Cvothe's fight for acceptance and progress makes the story a religious narrative about the power of human action.

Lamb

Have you ever wondered what Jesus's youth looked like. The book Lamb takes a look at Jesus through the eyes of his BFF Biff. This satirical fiction explores religion and friendship and the paths that create the people we are. While this novel is just a fun read, it holds powerful meaning for the choices we make in our life. This novel follows Jesus (Joshua) in his youth as he explores the power of sin that holds itself over human nature. His calling as the son of God sends him on his quest to explore humanity and figure out his purpose as a divine incarnation.  This book is funny and telling of the innocence of youth and the power of choice.

Babett's Feast

This sweet film showed the compassion of different cultures. The power of sisterhood and friendship help create a tone of care for this movie. In a small Danish village two young sisters grow up under the power of their father and local minister. As they age and their father dies they hire a young woman to be their servant. Her refugee status making her agree to help these women with whatever they want. Through the film Babett cooks and cleans for the women but they never let her explore her French culture. When Babett wins the lottery and is able to return to her home in France she cooks one last meal for the ladies. Her fanciful French cooking is not what these women are used to and by allowing them to try a new culture, they realize how locked away they have been.

Wings of Desire

My least favorite film of the class. This movie was so hard for me to watch but I know it was a wonderful film. I had such a hard time connecting to the characters because they were so un-connectable. The lives of angels are not meant to be shared with humanity. Humans cannot comprehend the power these creatures have and the angels cannot live the full and diverse lives that humans lead. This film focused on the life of an angel that just wanted to be loved. His willingness to give up his image and power for a human life shows the emotional nature of existence. Love is the holy figure in this film, by letting the character explore his love through a veil of angelic power their connection grows. Her love for more and his love for more gives them something to look for in each other. His desire to be able to love her helped him escape into the world of humanity.

Mr Nobody

This movie has plagued me throughout this class. My final paper on this film can barely grasp the power of this film and the craziness of the plot. The plot of the film jumps around more than I've ever seen. The life and non life of the main character is confusing and fragmented. The meaning of this film truly comes from within. My watching and becoming frustrated by the film it is easy to see the frustration of actual choice. This film asks us the question of choice, and if we don't make one are all things possible. This existential philosophical film uses internal questions to explain an un-explainable film. The movie itself is not the artwork, the artwork is us, humanity. We make our lives from nothingness, our choices create us and we in turn help create others. Mr Nobody is a well made work that is not the type of film many will like, its confusing nature grasps at my soul to answer question not yet asked.  

The Incarnations of Immortality Series: Death

The series of books called "The Incarnations of Immortality" takes a deep look into the lives of the people who make up our existence. The first book is Riding a Pale Horse, this is Death. With his scythe  and hourglass he is an immortal human that takes up the role when he kills he predecessor. This book explores fantasy and religion by breaking down the wall between life and death. The liminality of the book allows the reader to explore their own feelings on religion. By accepting fantasy as a means for explaining life the reader can understand the deep workings of our religious infrastructure.

The Thin Red Line

This film was my absolute favorite. From the music to the disconnected narrative in the beginning It felt like there was this unique undertone which I had not felt in other movies we had watched. The power of war is portrayed so beautifully in this film. The use of character and cinematography to lay out the deep problems of this period allowed the film to ebb and flow. I was surprised to find this film was not just a war film, it was a piece of art. The emotions I felt from this film were like nothing I had ever felt before. The power of war and the power of human emotion created a fear and willingness within me. I wanted to participate in the situation with my mind and body. I was pulled from my chair and inserted into the film. It was amazing to watch and I finally need to watch all of it with no interruptions.  

Across the Universe

Like the film "The Wall" this movie uses music from The Beatles to tell a story of love, and life in the 60's. The hippy culture of the period becomes present through the acts of the Vietnam War and the lyrics of "All You Need is Love". The movie sets a tone of destruction and power in the scene "She's So Heavy" when the soldiers are metaphorically carrying the statue of liberty over the Vietnamese landscape. The contrasting scenes between war and drugs tell the vibe of rebellion against the institution. The power of love is written in the words and felt in the movement of the story. From start to finish this film tells a narrative of Jude and his quest for the holy power. His outsider status lets the viewer see his journey without the connection of American liability. His life is lost in the waves of disconnect, and the holy power of love brings him back.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

J.R.R. Tolken is the master of the fantastical. His book series The Lord of the Rings created a world of mystery that could only be deeply explored through his vastly expansive histories. The first movie made from his trilogy is The Fellowship of the Ring. This movie explores the life of Frodo Baggins as he is given a grave task, to return the one ring to the fires of Mount Doom. In his task he is aided by men, hobbits, elves, and dwarfs, the power of their diversity giving the fellowship a power. The power of the film is not only within the characters, but within the beauty of the landscape. New Zealand is home to these films, and Peter Jackson's direction created pieces of art. The special effects and cinematography make the film the powerhouse classic that it is.  

Ex Machina

The film "Ex Machina" explores the power of artificial intelligence and the willingness of human mortality. This film is unique because of the reliance on limited characters to drive the story. There are only three main characters in the film, a mad inventor, a young tester, and Ava the robot. The games played by all characters create a startling drama that asks the question of existence. The film is shot mainly in one location and uses the gorgeous landscape to play off the dramatic encapsulment of all characters. The beauty and fear the film provokes leaves the viewer wanting more, and the seemingly real possibility of AI makes it even scarier.

The Princess Bride

The film "The Princess Bride" reminds me of the movie "Big Fish" we watched in class. The use of story to convey a message beyond the exterior is prevalent in both movies. The use of fantasy scene design and special effects convey a mysterious story that tells the tale of real life actions via the subconscious. Tales are a method of escape from the bonds of reality. The story The Princess Bride gives the child a path of escape from his bedridden state. The story allows the grandfather and grandson to connect on the same level despite their age differences. The generational gap is nothing compared to the power of a story.