Documentary Cinema Response Journals - Movie Review Example

Documentary Cinema Response Journals BERT HAANSTRA, GLASS (1958) The provided documentary film is d to be directly reflecting on the needs of ‘nonfictional-motion-pictures’, which projected to documents some features of realism. The documentary is one of the most important reflections of historical records in film’s mode of conversion. In contrast, poetic films are created with the effective level of experimental nature of filmmakers who incorporate a theorizing concept as perception of poetic image in films. Glass (1958) was a short documentary film of Netherlands, which was directed by Bert Haanstra who was a Dutch director. The main plot of the film surrounded the glass industry of Netherlands. The film was allowed its viewers to reciprocate with handmade crystals of Dutch society, in contrary to the machine made portion of Royal Leerdam Glass Factory with automated machines that facilitated bottle making. Haanstra’s strong stylistic interventions depicted the film through a polemical space. He has used very essential origins of film language, which includes image, sounds, and montage. My point of view regarding the documentary was largely focused on diversified range of music jazz to techno. In the short segment of time in this documentary, artisans created various glass goods by their own hands and added up to the mass production of diversified glass product of Netherlands. According to the viewers, this short documentary film often acclaimed to be a perfect short documentary that successfully spun around the subject and aligned the overall basic plot of the movie. FOROUGH FARROKHZAD, THE HOUSE IS BLACK (1962) The House is Black (1962) was an Iranian short documentary film, directed by Forough Farrokhzad. The film reflected on the other side of life and suffering in a leper colony as well as focused on human condition in reflection to the beauty of creation that has been depicted through the documentary. The director Farrokhzad, used some quotation from the Old Testament, as well as Quran along with her own poetry. This poetic feel gave this film a versatile dimension that was absent in the other similar types of documentary films. The artistic views of the poet also reflected from the unique selection of the name of the film that was aligned with the needs of the subject. The documentary based on story of the “Behkadeh Rail colony”. The director has directed only one film throughout her life. Additionally, this particular film has been successful in developing an attention outside Iran, after its release, the film was successfully recognized as a milestone of Iranian film Industry. Many of reviewers described this film as a prototypal essay film, which paved a new wave towards the Iranian film industry. The running time of this film was 22minutes, these twenty-two minutes of poetic documentary was free from any clash in between documentary subject and poetic thought that was associated with this Iranian film “The House is Black” by Forough Farrokhzad. The most important part of the film was associated with the fact that the film stated a diverse approach that was more practical than the than religion gratitude. WALTER RUTTMAN, BERLIN: SYMPHONY OF A METROPOLIS (1928) Berlin: Symphony of a Metropolis (1928) was categorized as a city symphony film, which could be largely clarified from its name as well. The film was directed by Walter Ruttman. Although, this was a silent film but it successfully adhered to the needs of a beautiful musical montage of orchestra that was played throughout the body of this film. In accordance to the perception of the city symphony film, it provided an in depth understanding of the life of the city, through the visual impression only. Without the narrative content within the film, the film reflected on the mainstream lifestyle of the people and created a diverse impression on the minds of the people. However, the sequencing of facts can be implied as a series of ‘loose-impression’ of the city’s daily life the same reflected on the overall lifestyle of the people at large. According to my perception, this genre of films always displayed the filmmaker’s knowledge of theory about the film’s content. This strategic position of the film industry was even noted to be affecting the creative level of the people and was observed to delay true creativity. This blocked the progress of arts and encouraged artistic talent to move out of the country. The film was envisioned like a ‘time capsule’ of particular time period that reflected on the diverse happenings of a specific place. This particular film framed a critical time of Berlin, and upheld the period of Nazi influences, Ministry dominance and other influences of similar criteria. In specific, I would like to say that this film particularly showed us, the overall societal set up of Berlin, the rhythm of the particular era through the effective landscape set up that started from early morning of Berlin and ended with the deepest night in the same city, but in a different manner. FRANCIS THOMPSON, N.Y., N.Y. (1958) N.Y., N.Y. (1958) was a special type of film the reason behind it is that this film was a collection of various scenes in the New York City. An important issue according to this film was that, this film used kaleidoscope lenses for shooting the film. The humors that are attached with the film reflect on the fact that it has taken ten long years for shooting the entire film. The film was one of the successful creations that bloomed under the prominent direction of Francis Thompson. Additionally, this film has a very uncommon factor that is associated with the lifestyle of New York. The director incorporated a visionary art in his documentary film. In this strange as well as extra ordinary film, we are able to see the new form of New York City, this appeared through multiple prisms, or reflected through the back of the spoons or spherical and parabolic mirrors. Thus, the use of the lens that was incorporated in this film was unique of its kind but was able to recognize all the stuffs, like, house, shops, people, taxicabs, along with other social and stuffs that reflected on the social dimension as well. We recognized all these elements as a different aspect that was related with one of the living geometries, which all has visionary experiences. In these fifteen minutes film, director Thompson has introduced a new world of color photography, as well as a fresh cinematography art. As a perception that has been reflected through the film, I must say that it gave me an amazing feeling and enhanced my ability to develop virtually pictorial inventions, significantly intense sequence and relevant other factors that was evident within the film. This film moved swiftly through a day in New York City, turning the city’s familiar scenes into a new world of fantasy. This was the particular reason that inflicted the magic in this film and brought out the artistic feel that was associated with the film. JEAN ROUCH, LES MAÎTRES FOUS (1955) The genre that was based on the ethnographic views reflected on a systematic study of people and cultures. It indicated the presentation of empirical data on human societies as well as cultures. The film i.e. Les Maîtres Fous was largely based on this particular subject. The movie was a French short documentary film directed by well-known French director Jean Rouch. The director of this film was an ethnologist. Ethnologists are takes responsibilities of research about different cultures as well as successfully compared and contrasted these differences. This film was a docu-fiction, the first ethno-fiction film that was directed by the renowned director. The subject of this film was the Hauka movement, this movement included beautiful moves and dances that were involved with mimicry and dancing. This movement was processed in Africa and was a typical African genre. According to this film, the film offended both colonial authorities as well as African students. Indeed the film was so controversial, in terms this controversial needs that it was at first banned in Niger, after that in Ghana, which was den under the rule of the British territory. This film deliberated an offensive approach to colonial authorities because of the Africans blatant mimic the ‘white oppressors’. On the other side, African students, teachers and directors found that the stated film reflected ‘exotic racism’ that was one of the most important aspects of the African people. According to my view, this film has contributed a lot to the cultural differences, but the process of showing this differences was little harsh, in terms of the diverse impact of racism in Africa. JEAN ROUCH AND EDGAR MORIN, CHRONICLE OF A SUMMER (1961) Chronicle of a Summer (1961) reflected on the genre of films, which can claim a certain amount of influence in the history of world cinemas. Film reviewers concluded about this film, to be provocative and created debate about the typical nature that was associated with specific documentary. Director, anthropologist Jean Rouch, and sociologist Edgar Morin, was involved towards the epic creation of this documentary film. This film was shot during the summer time of 60’s. Directors used a cast of real-life individuals in the film, at the beginning Rouch and Morin discussed about casual acting and sincere acting in front of the camera, the film went through the themes of French society along with its people, their happiness about their work and cultures. At the end of this film, both the directors showed some footage, which was compiled to bring out an essence associated with the level of reality as well as the thought of the film. At the viewers point, I can say that it this was an experimental and structurally innovative film in the world of films. All the vivid use of landmark of experimental film added to the beauty of the portrayal. In my point of view, the film reflected on the turmoil was faced by every people and reflected on the common question “are you happy?” that was clearly noted to be a provocative and eternal question. Additionally, the film expanded its base towards the political issues that broadly included Algerian War. Both the directors skillfully revealed the hopes as well as dreams of different people from various aspects. Specifically, Chronicle of a Summer, has approached a penetrative document of a time and place with extraordinary emotional depth. D.A. PENNEBAKER, DON’T LOOK BACK (1967) Don’t Look Back (1967) was a documentary film based on Bob Dylan’s concert tour that was organized within the country of United Kingdom. This film was directed by D.A. Pennebaker and was one of the most popular American documentaries. According to the critics, this film was “culturally, and aesthetically significant”, and the same received an accreditation of being joint ninth best documentary film of all times. From the film, we generated our idea about the famous band, “the Animal”. The film featured Joan Baez, Donovan, Alan Price and Bob Dylan. The film was all about beautiful songs by Dylan, his charismatic, charming nature, as well as contrary natures, love-breakups, his bands, concerts that specifically reflects on the flows of his life as a performer and as a human-being. Through the whole film, Dylan has incorporated his all times hit songs that broadly includes, "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word", "Only a Pawn in Their Game", "Its All Over Now, Baby Blue". The songs touched viewer’s heart one way or another. In those 96 minutes of the film as a viewer, I was in an esthetic feeling and mesmerized by the music that blew me through the phases of life, drama, emotions. the film closely revolved around its core aspect of the fact that the life must go on, and “Don’t Look Back”. ALBERT AND DAVID MAYSLES AND CHARLOTTE ZWERIN, SALESMAN (1969) Salesman (1969) was directed by Albert Maysles, David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin. The film contended the category of direct film. This documentary reflected four sales-men’s life during which they traveled through New England, south east Florida, to sell Bibles. The reason of selling those “expensive bibles” among the poor and low-income people was to attend a meeting in Chicago. The film focused particularly in the struggle of those salesmen who moved around for selling bibles to maintain their needs. It was the first non-fiction feature film in the world of cinema. The director brothers of this film, had themselves been sales-men in the past and they incorporated their experiences within the film. While viewing this film, I could easily reflect on the relations that were drawn from personal experiences of the common world. I can say that, the film was “a human interest story”, and the whole crew was part of it, and so are the viewers. This film was elementally enriched with the popular culture that appeared in the backdrops of film along with the song "If I Were a Rich Man", and “The Beatles” song “Yesterday”, and popular TV shows, boxing matches. This film reflected on the continuous dealings of sales-men and the way they faced with constant rejection, wistfulness, along with unavoidable burnout as they went through the long miles to sell those “expensive bibles” to low-income Catholics. Throughout this film, I was thoroughly related with the life of sales-men and their struggles. This film was definitely a bold step forward to the direct film of industry. FREDERICK WISEMAN, TITICUT FOLLIES (1967) In the year 1967, Frederick Wiseman directed a film named Titicut Follies. The film was about the patient who was admitted in the Bridgewater State Hospital. This film was nominated under different genre of awards and won several such awards specifically in Germany and Italy in the same year as well. Through this film, the director took the viewers inside the Massachusetts Correctional Institution Bridgewater, where people stay trapped due to their psychological disorders. Some of them were unresponsive and rigid and always holed up unit cells, for better hope of living. The film reflected a devastating situation of inmates, in terms of force feeding, strip naked publicly, behaved like indifferent and bullying by the institution’s staffs. The director highlighted on the prevailing conditions that were evident at Massachusetts Correctional Institution Bridgewater. This Boston-born director showed his lawyer’s characteristics through his story telling nature in this film. This film was the debut film of this director. The 84 minutes of controversial survey of conditions of mid 60’s at the State Prison for the people who were having criminal records as well as psychological imbalances were admitted in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. For this controversial content of documentary, this film barred until the year of 1992 from Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. They claimed that the documentary reflected an invention of intimate privacy of Bridgewater, along with that this film was imitated stark and graphic images to expose the exact treatment of inmates by the guards and social workers of Bridgewater. This film stood in front of us like a true picture of ancient physical plants. ALBERT AND DAVID MAYSLES, GREY GARDENS (1975) Albert and David Maysles were the director brothers who directed Grey Gardens in the year 1975. The film represented everyday life of an aged mother and her daughter of mid age, who lived in Grey Gardens of New York City. The story was noted to be flowing for decades with the limited funds in increasing filth along with isolation, with its base at this old house named Grey Gardens. The film reflected the condition of house, which was infested by fleas, raccoons, deprived from running water, as well as filled with garbage and collapse. On the other side, the film also reflected on the story of the two high society dropout people. This documentary showed how they reconciled their mansion, sometimes thrived together to manage the expenses, along with other impossible deeds. These two director brothers impossibly generated a unique portrait of this unbelievable situation of the life of the mother and daughters, along with the house. According to my perception, this American documentary film was an art of classic film and generated a strong place in the world of classic film industry. This documentary also included variety of sound track like, "Tea for Two", "You and the Night and the Music", "Night and Day", along with "People Will Say Were in Love". Additionally, from the perception of a viewer, I would like to say that, those melancholies, merged with a classic documentary that has generated a marvelous combination of magnificent piece of art. ROBERT DREW, PRIMARY (1960) (CLIPS) The film was Primary produced by Robert Drew, directed by Richard Leacock and edited by D.A. Pennebaker, which is based on the concept of Direct Cinema documentary. The film is a story founded on Wisconsin election amongst John F. Kennedy and Hulbret Humphrey. Film Primary employed lightweight equipment, hand-held cameras, synchronous sound that left a breakthrough experience over the audience. Robert Drew used the immense team, tripod mounted equipments and studio sets that aided him in the making of a film of equal magnificence as that of Primary. In Canada, USA and Europe the filmmaker started employing this technique in the year of 1960s. This film can be considered to remove all the barriers between the viewers and the subject, though the barriers are motorized, structural or procedural in their attributes. Utilization of synchronous sound was used only in the portion of Wisconsin election between Kennedy and Humphrey. The use of synchronous sound in that time resulted landmark achievement based on the mesmerizing presentation of the film. The message behind the making of film like Primary is to show the audience what goes on in the election in certainty, which aided in learning about Direct Cinema. The ability to shoot the cinema in private place as well as in public place proved effective in some of exciting scenes where the candidates of the election were shown to be worn out. The Direct Cinema is oriented to focus on the real time problem that has been marvelously shown in the film. ANDREW JARECKI, CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS(2003) The film Capturing the Friedmans was directed by Andrew Jarecki. The film was primitively centered on the investigation of Arnold and Jesse Friedman for child molestation. The film was listed for Academy Award for Documentary Feature in 2003. Consideration message underlined in the film was the increasing child molestation cases within the society. Capturing the Friedman is a non-fiction film and it scored landmark achievement reward by the Grand jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. It is a movie to be shown to children for the first time as the film has the ability to leave them spell bound and curious. Capturing the Friedman is a film whose story is like a monster story and there is need to apprehend the philosophy underlined. The maker of Friedman faced certain objection but while making the film director went rolling and developed variant views regarding the Friedman family. Friedman movie is based on a legal case where root of child molestation is discovered and it is a best movie that was perfect for children. The film created a lot of empathy for the Friedman family and it truly left behind the question to think about the one-sided opinion of the society. Friedman film is a HBO documentary film that has been successfully found a position within the domain. There is a considered focus on documentary capturing the Friedmans, where the critics argued this Oscar-nominated documentary that best reveals the technical relationships through which the white pedophile come into view as the practical image of a modified liberal views. The film successfully revealed the real part of a visual code that is to be considered as a call of memory for new epoch. ERROL MORRIS, THE THIN BLUE LINE (1988) (CLIPS). The film The Thin Blue Line whose director as well as writer is Errol Morris. It is a film founded on criminal fiction and depicts how guiltless person is erroneously crooked and convicted for murder as because of the fraudulent justice system in the Dallas constituency. The film is to be considered for Errol Morriss unique documentary direction that dramatically re-enacts the crime scene and investigation of a police officers murder in the flicks. The writer and director of the movie himself remained convince for wrongful confinement of an innocent person. The considered view is that fate of the person is well acknowledged, as the story is framed on the real fiction of life of the convicted person. The Movie was directed and the way it was being publicized convinced the audience that the person has been convicted without base and suspicion. The movie also gives message about the corrupt system that was evident in Texas. The movie clearly highlights the distorted and ambiguous attitude of the court. In the film, the writer Morris obtains the right with documentary form by means of these impractical, however highly stylized and visually appealing, film noir-like generic scenes. While the re-enactments never assert to be helpful for revealing truth, it made audience imagine beside all cause that one or more detail acted as an altered point of analysis for vision. That will suddenly disclose the truth, making us all passionate detectives in heart, putting us in the jury’s place. The criminal fiction of Morris enables the audience to think and show the corrupt picture of Dallas constituency. CHRIS MARKER, SANS SOLEIL (1983) The film Sans Soleil is French movie directed by Chris Maker. The movie is an investigational essay-film, which is a composition of thoughts, images and scenes, chiefly commencing from Japan and Guinea-Bissau. It is a movie of two severe limit continued existence by mounting the documentary genre. The movie Sans Soleil portrayed by Michael Walsh is certainly amongst the most physically attractive, the most creatively abbreviated, and the most texturally classy movie of recent French films. The film presents the image as a reflection on present day of Japan, and on the happening of globalization. Sans Soleil is considered as the complete masterwork of editing, but it is much more than a showy implementation. The work of Marker is devoid of romantic pessimism that most often inflects the rough daydream and self-reflexivity. Sans Soleil is considered as an attack on the present apprehension of images. Utilizing an amalgamation of still and refill locality, the movie itself seems to enter the famous curves of both the poles. At the end the movie, it suggest about the time travel and the elements of science fiction. In considered opinion, Sans Soleil emerged as an outline of Markers long travelling. The movie is complicated journey of time and memory. Marker beautifully edited the movies script and to state the audience the time travel for down the memory lane. Marker tends to predict the quality of contemporary life. San Soleil is a complete self-captivated movie that closes up all but the most devoted Marker students. AGNES VARDA, THE GLEANERS AND I (2000) (CLIPS) The Gleaners and I is a movie whose direction given by Agnes Varda. The movie features different kinds of gleaning and the foundation of the film that is based upon French documentary film. The film is distinguished for the exercise of hand-held camera and for its extraordinary camera point of view technique incorporated. The film tracks the series of gleaners who are the person to collect every bit of thrown away items and ornaments. For the shoot of the movie, Varda had travelled across France, Paris, Beauce, Jura, Provence and Pyrenees. The film released in 2000 and the critics had admired the movie for the extra ordinary work of camera and the shooting location used for the shoot. The movie has depicted not only the field gleaners but also the urban gleaners, the persons connected therewith the gleaners and presently who were the restaurant owner. The film has beautifully coordinated the use of recycled materials. The Gleaners and I shows the French law concerned to the gleaners and to the property that are abandoned. In the considered opinion, Varda can be recognized as the talented figure of the French Cinema. The movie is cumulative management of chronological and sociological assessment that at one time far-reaching in its scope and small if it is glaze. The movie was justifiably voted for the best documentary of 2001. The movie deals with the political aspect on its file. In the considered opinion, the movie covers the social aspects such as reusability, sustainability, preservation and capitalistic that at the turn of the 21st century was just beginning to achieve a grip in the outsized civic perception. MARLON RIGGS, TONGUES UNTIED (1989) The Tongues Untied directed by Marlon Riggs and released in the year 1989. It is a documented film directed in the United States and is a semi documentary fiction. Documentary portrays the world and the scene of the nation’s disruptive stillness on the issue of sexual and racial discrepancy. This television documentary depicts the black gay society who cannot express themselves. Marlon Riggs have mixed the documentary footage with his own personal account to represent the situation of black gay culture in front of heterosexual culture. The narrative structure of the movie is both activist and attention grabbing. This work of Marlon Riggs was controversial at the time of release and was highly criticized among the critics. The best part of Riggs documentary is that he had used his own thought as gay man in Tongues Untied. Silence referred in the film depicted throughout was the prejudicial thought about the black gay people and the lesbian. This piece of documentary is the Marlon Riggs journey towards searching his own identity as a black gay man in America. The effect used in the film recalls the theatre stage. The contemplation of the documentary led the spectators to grab the snap and however remark the sad series allusion. The documentary begins with the phrase Brother to Brother. Riggs work in the Tongue United have depict and remind African –American melodic and rhythmic ability that has chronologically proved to be one of the few permitted forms of recognition. In considered view, it can be said that the documentary depicts the political call to action. JONATHAN CAOUETTE, TARNATION (2003) (CLIPS) Tarnation is a documentary founded on the autobiography of Jonathan Caouette’s past life. The documentary is a movie directed by Jonathan Caouette and it took twenty years for him to direct the film. The film was co-produced by Stephen Winter and Jonathan Caouette. Movie reflects the complicated life of Caouette with his mother and the struggle of his mother as mentally disable person. The movie covers the drive of his entire childhood as a child, friend, parental structure and his transformation as an actor, writer and director. Caouette has also shown how he turned gay and moved to New York at an early age and he way found his friend in the city. It is an autobiographical narrative of the director’s personal life. the same could however be identified to be a striking ruin. Considerably the movie features mental paralysis, rape, exploitation and homosexuality, altogether enveloped in emotive journal of family life. The phrase “Tarnation” exactly means damnation, initially setting a pitch of express disapproval and depression. In the considered view, it can be apprehended that mental trauma which he faced right through his life enabled us to enquire his sense of certainty and truth. Biological and the mental stage of Caouette depicts that he is stuck between his childhood and youth. Sudden turn up of his perception towards himself and his surroundings startles the spectators. The film persists with the idea and thought that there are two or more sides of every story. The autographic documentary of Caouette is cautiously assembled to throw light on his feelings. ERROL MORRIS, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (2008) Standard Operating Procedure is a documentary film directed by Errol Morris. The movie released in 2008, it explores the snap taken by the U.S. military police and the brutal treatment given to the prisoners by the U.S. soldiers. Standard Operating Procedure is an examination done by Errol Morris about the consequences of Iraqi war with a focus on the Abu Dharib prison that attracted attention in the media in 2004. The film raises significant moral inquisition amongst the person about the cruel torture led by the junior ranked U.S soldiers. The movie depicts Abu Dharib as a carnival of criminality endorsed by the U.S. military force upon the prisoners. The movie is testimonial whereby the perpetrators of these acts admit, rationalize, and agreed for their actions in progression of foremost person, direct-to-camera interviews. Errol Morris exposes, how the Abu Ghraib confession was as much a disguise as a confession of wrongdoing on the part of the US government. It is quite opposite that, Morris puts forward a constant revelation to so much terror, and to so many crimes, which has only equipped our defenses. The familiar approach only gave the thought to divert the mind that for which there is no substitute. The expression of those scared, perplexed men and women coming to terms with historical forces of which they too are miserable sufferers. It is easy to opine that Standard Operating Procedure suggests the less sense to the facts of such terror, which should necessitate no exaggeration, than our crash is not one of considerate, but of thoughts and understanding that is a risk much closer to home. ROB REINER, THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984) This is Spinal Tap is movie based on rock music, directed by Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean. The movie shows the blend of metal band and spinal band. The movie is completely based on music. The mock component of the film is that creates mockery among the people who has the knowledge about pop music. The most watchable part of the movie is the Spinal tap stage show. Most appraising fact about the film is the scene where all the members gather to sing inside the hotel. It is a comedic film based on the British heavy band. The film portrays two stories within it, one is the fear that they cradle in their mind and what phenomena actually happens in their surroundings. Reason behind the affection that the spectators view in their opinion is the innocence they bear in their action. “This Is Spinal Tap” is one of the mock movies that have ever been made. It is regarding a batch of things but one of them is the approach the actual story is not in the questions or in the answers, but at the edging of the mount. The appreciative part of the movie is the skill used by the director and the editor. In the considered opinion, the loveliest irony of “This Is Spinal Tap” is that the band obtains on a life being the owner. The film depicts the member of the band as holy fools rather than intended one. Read More