Cinema of South Korea

Cinema of South Korea

Korea is said to have been founded by Dangun Wanggeom, who “descended from heaven.” He founded the first Korean kingdom, Gojoseon in 2333 B.C. From there, three kingdoms split off, Koguryo, Paekche, and Shilla. Shilla unified the three kingdoms in 668 AD and ever since the country has been controlled by one unified government. With the emergence of one central government came a cultural and ethnic identity that has last to this day. Korea was the target of many imperialist nations such as the Mongols, Japan, Russia, and China. In 1910, Japan took colonial rule of Korea and suppressed its people, and with that brought an end to the Korean Choson Dynasty as well as “Traditional Korea” (AsianInfo.org). In 1945 Korea was liberated from Japanese rule but the country was divided in half. The Northern side adopted a Communist government The Republic of Korea was the southern side and adopted a democratic government. This became the South Korea we know today.

Capital: Seoul

Area: 38,690 square miles

Population (in 2017): 51,446,201

Religion(s): 56.9% Unaffiliated with any religion

                   19.7% Protestant

                   15.5% Korean Buddhist 

                   7.9% Catholic      

Ethnic Group(s): Hangul

Languages: Korean

Unemployment: 3.7% in March of 2017

Poverty and wealth: 15% live below the poverty line.

GDP: $35,277

Economy: South Korea’s economy is mixed and it is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The economy was hit hard in 1997 during the Asian Financial Crisis. The South Korean won (currency) fell and the country fell into a crisis for years. But it bounced back and now is one of the top economies in Asia. The country mainly relies on exports of technology, steel, textiles, and cars to fuel its economy today.

Industries: Electronics, cars, steel, textiles, shipbuilding, tourism.

A key social impact on the country was the invasion and colonization by Japan in 1910 to 1945. The Korean people were oppressed by the Japanese. In World War II, Korean men were sent to fight while women were made sex slaves (“comfort women”) for Japanese soldiers. The Korean language was banned from use, with Japanese being the main language. After liberation, the effects have still been felt. There is heavy anti-Japanese sentiment throughout the country, and war crimes have yet to be answered for by the Japanese. Koreans feel reparations are owed to them for what the Japanese did.

South Korea is at risk of typhoons and accompanying floods mainly. On average, South Korea experiences one typhoon every year.

 

South Korean cinema started in full in 1945 post-liberation from Japan. Liberation itself was a prominent theme of Korean cinema at this time, with films that focused on Korean freedom fighters during the end of Japanese occupation. The Golden Age of Korean cinema was from the mid-1950’s to the mid-1970’s. Many films were produced in these years, as opposed to just a few being produced as was the case in 1945 to the early 1950’s. This was because the South Korean president made filmmaking exempt from taxation in an effort to increase morale. However, in 1961, the government stepped in again but this time to censor and control the production of films. The number of films released in a year went from in the 70’s to about 16 per year. In 1979, with the assassination of the South Korean president, the government hold on cinema was relaxed and directors were free to explore political themes again. Today the South Korean market is dominated by Hollywood pictures, but has domestic films too. Korean films do well in international festivals, especially Oldboy which is one of South Korea’s most famous films.

 

The Housemaid (Hanyeo) (1960) Director: Kim Ki-young.

 

This is a thriller/horror film that focuses on a family and their erratic housemaid. A young composer and his pregnant wife hire a housemaid to help around the home. She begins showing strange behavior and eventually seduces the composer. Everything culminates in the housemaid killing the couple’s children, and the couple committing suicide. However, there is one final twist to the film in which it turns out the composer was the narrator of the entire story and nothing has actually happened to him.

 A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) Director: Kim Jee-woon

Best Picture winner at Fantasporto Film Festival in Portugal, 2004.

A young girl (Im Soo-jung) is sent home from a mental hospital back to her father, stepmother, and younger sister. The sisters are very close and dislike their stepmother, who is cold and emotionally distant. Strange things begin to happen at the house involving ghosts and it all seems to be tied to their stepmother. The film has a shocking twist ending that has made it famous. This was the first South Korean film to be released in the United States theatrically. It won several Best Actress awards at several film festivals for actresses Im Soo-jung and Yum Jung-ah. It also won several Best Film awards at several film festivals like Screamfest Horror Film Festival, Fantasia Festival, and the Gérardmer Film Festival.

 

Oldboy (2003) Director: Park Chan-wook

Grand Prix winner at the Cannes Film Festival, 2004

A man, Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), is imprisoned for fifteen years without knowing why or who his captors are. When he is suddenly released with no warning, he goes on a quest for vengeance and gets mixed up in a conspiracy of violence. He also falls in love with a young woman who may have a secret of her own. The film is one of the most famous South Korean films and had a huge impact internationally. It received high praise and won several awards from various film festivals, including best director and best film.

 

Directors

Park Chan-wook

One of the most acclaimed and famous South Korean directors, Park’s films have broken the international barrier many times. He has worked on two American films as well, Stoker (2013) which he directed, and Snowpiercer (2013) which he produced. His famous Vengeance trilogy contains Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance He also uses many of the same actors in his films, such as Choi Min-sik, Song Kang-ho, and Shin Ha-kyung.

Bong Joon-ho

Nicknamed “Detail” in Korean, Bong’s films are filled with heavy subject matter and black humor. He reached critical fame in his home country with his film Memories of Murder (2003), which was a rousing success. He made international success with his film The Host (2006), a monster movie with biting social commentary. This film brought a new international interest in South Korean cinema and in Bong’s work in particular. In 2013, Bong directed the English-language film Snowpiercer.

 Kim Jee-woon

With a filmography that spans genres, Kim has become one of South Korea’s most eclectic filmmakers. He works a lot in horror, action, and comedy, with films like I Saw the Devil (2010), and The Good, The Bad, and The Weird (2008). Kim has also crossed over into international fame and directed the American action film The Last Stand (2013) which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger.

 

Actors

Choi Min-sik

Born in Seoul in 1962, Choi is a Korean actor with almost 30 acting credits to his name. He is considered one of South Korea’s most acclaimed and talented actors, and is probably the most famous. His role in Oldboy made him internationally recognized.

 

Song Kang-ho

Starting out as a stage actor, Song became a famous star in South Korea by scene-stealing in several movies in which he played bit parts. It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that he broke out as a major leading star in The Foul King (2000). He has gone on to star in movies like The Host, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance , and Memories of Murder. He broke the international barrier by taking a supporting role in the American film Snowpiercer for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival.

Jun Ji-hyun

Originally a T.V. actress, and pop icon for her role in a Samsung commercial, Jun rose to stardom in her breakout role as “The Girl” in My Sassy Girl (2001), the highest grossing comedy in Korea. She also starred in The Uninvited (2003), The Man Who Was Superman (2008), the American film Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011), and The Berlin File (2013).

 

 

 

Citation

Ahn, M. (2006). "Representing the Anxious Middle Class: Camera Movement, Sound, and Color in The Housemaid and Woman of Fire". The House of Kim Ki-young.  

http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/korea/pro-history.htm

Ebert, R. (2005) Oldboy. http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/oldboy-2005

Kim, K. (2013) “The Housemaid: Crossing Borders” The Current. https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2993-the-housemaid-crossing-borders

Gamm, K. (2004) Teaching World Cinema. London, England: British Film Institute.

Thomas, K. (2004) A stylish and creepy Korean “Tale” LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2004/dec/17/entertainment/et-Tale17?pg=1

Sousounis, P., Louie, M., Kafali, C., Butke, J. (2010) Managing Typhoon Risk in South Korea. AIR Currents. https://www.air-worldwide.com/Publications/AIR-Currents/2010/Managing-Typhoon-Risk-in-South-Korea/

 CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: Melissa Faitoute  Date: 5/9/2017

Screening Report 8: Denmark - After the Wedding

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class we discussed the use of extreme close-ups on faces and eyes. The director chose to do this to get the most emotion out of the shots and the actors. We also discussed the symbolism in the dead animals that litter the film. The shot of the dead fox and the many heads of hunting game in Jorgen's office all foreshadow Jorgen's illness and upcoming death.

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/30/movies/30wedd.html

This review talks about the themes of family and "haves and have-nots"(Dargis, 2007). Which is, I think, an interesting way of the looking at the film. Jacob and Helene's relationship being the have-not, after what they gave up almost 20 years prior to the film. The review also talks about the sweeping camerawork and interestingly refers to this style as Dogme-lite. Dogme is a style of filmmaking founded by Lars Von Trier in 1995 that has a long set of rules such as: it must be shot on location, props must not be used, etc. The review says this is Dogme-lite because it uses what looks like a hand-held camerawork style.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

I can see the Dogme influence on the film, as it uses sweeping camera movements and the camerawork looks hand-held at many points. The abrupt editing is also Dogme-like. The article also talks about the theme of bloodline, which can be seen in Jacob's relationship to Anna. The article mentions that Jorgen has the "entitlement as absolute as that of a king" (Dargis, 2007). It also mentions that Jorgen can be charming as well as terrifying, which is very true. The performance by Rolf Lassgard is stunning and he plays the range of Jorgen's emotions with passion.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion,  formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.


I thought this was a really great film and was engaged with it all the way through. It dealt with heavy themes and at times was beautiful in the way it handled those themes. Mads Mikkelsen plays Jacob beautifully, being a frustrated man caught between two worlds: his life in India at the orphanage and the new life he's been thrust into in Denmark. Rolf Lassgard is terrific as Jorgen, who can be charismatic and charming and turn on a dime to someone terrifying and cruel.


After the Wedding. Susanne Bier. IFC Films. 2007.

Dargis, M. (2007, March 29). Shifty Wedding Crashers: Secrets From the Past. Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/30/movies/30wedd.html


CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: Melissa Faitoute  Date: April 30, 2017

Screening Report 7: Iran - Persepolis

 

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class we discussed the film's backdrop in the country of Iran. We talked about the Iranian Revolution and how that shaped the film. There is a world of difference between what we Americans think of Iran and what life is actually like for Iranians. This film showed a side to Iran that is not often seen on the world stage. We also discussed that the film was originally a graphic novel and that influenced the style of the animation.

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/25/movies/25pers.html

The New York Times review of the film summarizes the plot, but also points out the themes of the film. It talks of Marjane's sense of social justice and freedom, something she feels she is born with. But, the article points out, that when in Vienna Marjane comes to the realization that she can be free and give up her home, or she can give up her personal freedoms for her home. "In this age of Pixar and “Shrek,” it is good to be reminded that animation is rooted not in any particular technique, but in the impulse to bring static images to life." (A.O. Scott) the article states. It describes the animation style, the way the blacks, whites, and grays create a magical yet somber effect.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

The article made me consider the themes of the film- this wasn't just a history lesson, it's a coming of age story. Marjane's story is universal while still being unique to Iran and its history. Her coming of age in Vienna is like that of any other teenage girl's- she falls in with a new crowd, gets into an alternative scene, goes to school, etc. But Marjane faces issues that others don't usually face- particularly her frustration with her friends' nihilism. She shouts at them for not caring about life when back home, life is not guaranteed.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion,  formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article

This film was powerful - probably the most powerful of the films screened so far in class. It tells a history that I think very few Americans are aware of. We all think of Iran as a radical Islamic country that supports terrorism, but this film shows that, like here, there are regular people who live there. The film humanizes a country that the West has demonized. And more than that, it's a coming of age story about a young girl, which is not often seen in mainstream cinema. The idea of "coming of age" tends to be about boys in the mainstream cinema, but here it is about a young girl and her dearly-held social justice beliefs. Marjane's story is universal and at the same time unique to her and her alone.

 

Scott, A.O.  "Rebel With A Cause" New York Times. 25 December 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/25/movies/25pers.html

 

 

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: Melissa Faitoute  Date: 21 April 2017 

 

 

Screening Report 6: South Africa - Tsotsi

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class we discussed life in South Africa, specifically Johannesburg and the great divide between the wealthy and the extreme poverty. Tsotsi takes place mainly in the main character's poverty-stricken and rough life. But we see the wealthier side of South Africa in the family he harasses. We talked also about the apartheid which still effects the country to this day.  

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tsotsi-2006

Roger Ebert's review of Tsotsi gave insight into the film. His article is concerned with the emotional journey Tsotsi goes on, how we see the man go from a lonely, violent person to someone who is forced to care for a life other than his own. He praises the performances of Presley Chweneyage (Tsotsi) and Terry Pheto (Miriam). Chweneyage for his subtle and emotionally restrained performance and Pheto for having the power to draw Tsotsi out of his shell. Ebert says that the movie could easily fall into a romanticization of poverty but here there is nothing but raw realness of this world. 

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

What struck me most about Ebert's review was this quote: "Tsotsi doesn't become a nice man. He simply stops being active as an evil one[.]" (Ebert, 2006). I didn't think of Tsotsi in that way but having now seen him in that context it makes him a more fascinating character. We're always aware of the danger Tsotsi represents but we see over the course of the film that his hardened exterior begins to soften and he begins to try to do the right thing. He takes care of Boston, he gives money to the homeless man, and most importantly, he returns the baby to his parents. There's always a threat of violence in Tsotsi's presence but it softens as the film progresses.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion,  formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

The movie did a great job at showing life in poverty in Johannesburg and the great divide between rich and poor. While he doesn't start out as a sympathetic character, Tsotsi slowly wins the audience over with his increasing acts of kindness and his nurturing of the baby. He is out of his element with handling the child so he resorts to violent means to help, but even then we know he's doing it out of desperation and for a good reason. The movie also brought up social issues in Johannesburg and South Africa at large. The discrepancy between rich and poor was one, but it also dealt with disease such as AIDS which is a major problem in the country. It also showed prevalent crime and showed the lengths people had to go to to deter crime (even the suburbs had to have gated driveways to protect themselves). It was a good movie that showed that goodness exists even within those who may have lost since lost their humanity.  

Citation: 

Tsotsi. Gavin Hood.Miramax, 2006. Film.

Ebert, Roger. (2006). http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tsotsi-2006. Retrieved 9 April 2017.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: _Melissa Faitoute_  Date: 9 April 2017

Screening Report 5: Taiwan- The Wedding Banquet

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class we discussed the differences between Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese cinemas. Hong Kong is known for its material arts films, while Taiwan can blend West and East in its cinema. That was certainly the case seen here in The Wedding Banquet. The main character, Wai-Tung, is caught between worlds - the East (his parents and their traditions) and the West (his nontraditional sexuality and his partner Simon). 

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://library.kean.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,cpid&custid=keaninf&db=ufh&AN=28439727&site=ehost-live&scope=site

William Leung's So Queer Yet So Straight: Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet and Brokeback Mountain deals with the question of whether or not Ang Lee's gay films (The Wedding Banquet and Brokeback Mountain) can fall under the genre of Queer Cinema. Queer Cinema is a genre of films that are either: A) directed by an LGBT person, B) deals with LGBT themes, and/or C) has a large LGBT cult following. The article focuses a lot on Brokeback Mountain but what it has to say about The Wedding Banquet is fascinating. Leung argues that Lee has made a "straight queer story" meaning that he has melded both the straight world and the gay world into a cohesive film. 

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

I think that after having read Leung's article, I can see that this movie is not just a melding of East and West, but of two other cultures- gay and straight. For being a straight director, Lee gets a lot of small things about gay culture right- for example having Simon being part of ACT UP, a vocal and popular AIDS-research activist group that was prominent in the 1980s and 1990s. He also treats his gay main characters with respect and care- showing them as tender and intimate lovers who genuinely care for each other. It would have been easy to make them into a joke - flamboyant and feminine, but instead Lee treats them with respect. Likewise, he has a great respect for the traditional side of Wai-Tung's family too. The parents too could have easily been made into jokes, but Lee respects them. He finds a way for both halves, the East and the West, to work together cohesively.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion,  formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

This is one of my favorite movies screened in class so far. I appreciate the way Ang Lee handles gay themes in his films (Brokeback Mountain and Taking Woodstock are the other two that deal with gay themes); he has a certain respect for gay people that's sadly hard to find in a lot of mainstream films. The movie is funny but the humor doesn't come at the expense of xenophobia (there are no jokes about how "weird" and backwards the Gao's are) or homophobia. It's simply a comedy of errors told in a new and original context.

Citation: 

The Wedding Banquet. Ang Lee. The Samuel Goldwyn Company. 1993. Film.

Leung, William. So Queer Yet So Straight: Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet and Brokeback Mountain. Journal of Film & Video, Spring 2008 Vol 60 Issue 1. http://library.kean.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,cpid&custid=keaninf&db=ufh&AN=28439727&site=ehost-live&scope=site

                                                              Retrieved 30 March 2017.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: ___Melissa Faitoute______ Date: _30 March 2017____________________

Screening Report 4: Italy - Cinema Paradiso

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

We discussed the Italian Neorealism movement that came about in the immediate aftermath of World War II. A famous film from this time period, and arguably the one that kicked off the movement is The Bicycle Thief. An unemployed man and his son search the city of Rome for a bicycle that was stolen from them, a bicycle desperately needed for the man to be able to do his new job. The film showed the daily hardships and struggles that the majority of the Italian population was facing after the war. As A.O. Scott discusses in a video for The New York Times, Neorealism often used non-professional actors, used real locations, and told stories about the hardships faced by the common man. This set up the backdrop for Cinema Paradiso, as it too takes place in the immediate aftermath of WWII.

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/28/movies/film-cinema-paradiso-blows-a-kiss-to-the-movies.html?pagewanted=all

The New York TImes' FILM; 'Cinema Paradiso' Blows a Kiss to the Movies discusses the film's director Giuseppe Tornatore and where he drew inspiration from for the film. Despite growing up in the 1960's, Tornatore drew many inspirations from his own childhood to put in Cinema Paradiso, which takes place in the 1940's/50's. He mentions that he'd go to the cinema every single day, sometimes more. And he relates the fact that like Toto in the film, he'd pull pranks in the theater, he'd fall asleep from being there for hours, etc. He does admit to making up the part about the priest censoring the kissing scenes, however. The article also explains that Cinema Paradiso was not a success in its home country; Tornatore blames this on Italians' cynicism. Without the Cannes Film Festival the movie may have not gotten an international release at all. 

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

Having seen CInema Paradiso way back in high school, it's kind of surprising to know how close it came to being a flop and never being seen on a worldwide stage. The New York Times article mentions how nostalgic the film is, and Tornatore makes no excuses for that. I think that's the secret to the film's success- we all love a romanticized version of the past. Even though postwar Italy must have been a ravaged place with pain and struggle all around (much more akin to the Neorealist movement), CInema Paradiso was far enough removed from these hardships that it was easy to look back with rose-colored glasses.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion,  formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

Cinema Paradiso is a fine film and sentimental but I find it a bit too sweet for my tastes. Having watched The Bicycle Thief and other Neorealist films, I find myself drawn more to them than something as romanticized as Cinema Paradiso. The country was suffering and even though the movie posits that through the magic of cinema, your world can be elevated, the characters never really seemed to be aware of the gravity of the situation in their country.

Citation: 

Cinema Paradiso. Giuseppe Tornatore. Miramax. 1988. Film.

Haberman, Clyde. FILM: 'Cinema Paradiso' Blows a Kiss to the Movies. The New York TImes. 28 January 1999. Retrieved 1 March 2017. http://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/28/movies/film-cinema-paradiso-blows-a-kiss-to-the-movies.html?pagewanted=all

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: Melissa Faitoute__________________________________  Date: March 1 2017___________________

Screening Report 3: Spain - Talk to Her

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

We discussed Pedro Almodóvar and famous Spanish actors who have broken into American films. Almodóvar has also broken into the American consciousness with films like All About My Mother, Bad Education, Volver, and the film we watched, Talk to Her. As was discussed, Almodóvar is a "woman's director" meaning that his films focus a lot on its female characters and the women often outweigh the men in terms of characters. However, Talk to Her didn't seem to be one of these films as the focus was entirely on the two male leads and neither of the women in the film had much agency. 

2)  Find a related article and summarize the content.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/aug/23/1

Peter Bradshaw's review of Talk to Her for the Guardian explains the sexual issues of the film, specifically Benigno's rape of Alicia. He argues that with the warmth and sympathy Almodóvar creates for Bernigno, the rape is "neutralized through a combination of sympathy and alienation." (Bradshaw, 2002). He says that the silent film in the movie, Shrinking Lover, is a metaphor for Benigno's feelings for Alicia. That he doesn't see his actions as inappropriate but as acts of worship for her. He goes on to say that the movie focuses on male femininity- we see Marco cry multiple times in the film, especially when watching the dancers.Bradshaw explains that these men put their women up on pedestals only to be hurt by them later.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

I disagree adamantly with Bardshaw's excuses for Benigno's rape of Alicia. While yes, the film does its best to make Benigno sympathy (by making him a lonely alienation person with no social contact barring his mother) it's not enough to get past the fact that he stalks and rapes a girl who doesn't even know him. The notion that Benigno worships Alicia, like the man in the Shrinking Lover worships his lover's body, is not enough to distract from Benigno's overall creepy persona and the fact that he's a delusional rapist. 

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion,  formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

The film was off-putting and alienating to me. From what I can gather, however, this does not seem typical of Almodóvar's works as he is described as being a woman's director who puts an emphasis on his female characters. I found the character of Marco much more sympathetic than Benigno as Marco is more grounded in reality. He loves Lydia and is distraught by her coma.Yet he can never make the leap that Benigno does and actually talks to her while she's comatose. 

Citation:

Talk to Her. Pedro Almodóvar. Sony Pictures Classic. 2002. Film.

Bardshaw, Peter. "Talk to Her". The Guardian. 20 February 2017. 

• CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 
  1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.
  
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  3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.
  
  4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.
  
  5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.
  
  6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.
  
  7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.
  
  8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.
  
  Name: ____Melissa Faitoute__________________________________  Date: _________20 February 2017___________________