Frame by Frame

Composition produces meaning thousands of times per film. But what can we say about the patterns of composition that go across films? How can we describe the effects of compositional style? Let's just think about the Coen Brothers...

Check out a much more comprehensive selection here. Think about these questions:

What stands out about the composition in these films?

Can you tell which compositions are meant to be comedic, and if so, how? 

Look at the very different ways the Coens can portray similar settings in different ways.

How do they use long shots of characters?

What about extreme long shots? Close ups? Extreme close ups?

In short, how would you describe the visual style of this famous duo?

Look around the site! Does looking at your favorite films broken into compositions like this help you re-read them in a productive way?

Color Coding Movies

Selected 2012 movies... 

Argo

Django Unchained

Life of Pi

Moonrise Kingdom

Prometheus

...see more at http://moviebarcode.tumblr.com/

Is your movie there?

How Persona Gets Produced

This week, we watched All About Eve, focusing on the performance of Bette Davis. Of course, the film boasted several other kinds of performance, from the complex and deceptive Eve, to the stalwart Birdie, played by Thelma Ritter exactly in type.

What is type, and what goes into making "persona?" Well, accrued casting choices, for one thing, but other performances in the public eye, as well as the performer's natural attributes. Let's enjoy a look at one of All About Eve's cast members' persona.

Yes, "The George Sanders Touch: Songs for the Lovely Lady." That's the real title of his album.




Before All About Eve, George had already been published as a mystery author, though the books were ghostwritten. The George Sanders brand, sophisticated, intelligent, dangerous, debauched, was established. The jacket text is pretty wonderful.

Devastating, is a good word here.

What other peculiar things did the old boy get into? Well, he was husband #3 (of 7) to Zsa Zsa Gabor...

... but did you first meet him here?

After that, at age 65, he checked into a Barcelona hotel, took five bottles of pills, and wrote:

"Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck."

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of Tuesday morning 190 sections!

Creative and analytical projects produced in response to course content will be posted here.

Oh, and one more thing....

 have a wonderful semester!