Rosebud...

 "Kane was a man who got everything he wanted, and then lost it. Maybe Rosebud was something he couldn't get, or something he lost."

CITIZEN KANE! Even if you live in some far off land, disconnected from Internet and TV, you have probably heard of Citizen Kane. And you probably also know about the infamous mystery word "Rosebud" To truly understand what "rosebud" means, I recommend watching the film. But, I will try to give a taste for what it means, and to the best of my ability, explain it's meaning.

The movie opens on Xanadu, Charles Kane's sprawling estate, and a lone-lit window. As we cross the estate, we see a snow globe, held by Kane. Kane whispers "rosebud," the snow globe hits the floor and shatters. The meaning behind his last word become a media sensation, and people begin scrambling to solve the mystery. The media look to his private life and childhood to find the answer.

It is discovered the Kane had a tumultuous and underprivileged childhood. However, when gold was discovered on the family property, Kane was shipped to the east coast by his mother to begin schooling. Kane had no contact with the family's suddenly-acquired wealth, until he became 25. After this, he entered the newspaper company, becoming a writer of "yellow journalism" for the New York Inquirer. He eventually seizes control of the newspaper. His reign, however, is hardly positive, and we see that his means were hardly pure on his rise to the top.

He eventually runs for mayor of New York, and becomes married to Emily. Slowly, his marriage begins to disintegrate. He begins an affair with a woman named Susan. The affair is soon discovered by his wife, but also his political opponent. The affair is leaked, ruining his campaign and his marriage. His marriage to Susan is tumultuous as well, as Susan attempts suicide, unable to cope with Kane's controlling ways. The rocky marriage ends when Susan finally decides to leave Kane. Kane is left alone  on his sprawling estate, and stays this way until his death.

At the end of the film, it is declared that the mystery of "Rosebud" will never be solved. However, it is revealed to only the audience that Rosebud was the name of the sled he played with as a child, and it becomes clear to the audience that this was the only time in his life during which he was completely happy. The sled is sadly burned along with the rest of Kane's belongings.

A heartbreaking ending to a heartbreaking life. Kane lived a life full of turmoil and loneliness. The moral is simple -- power and possession does not lead to happiness. Kane spent his whole life attempting to collect wealth and power, though it never quite filled the void in Kane's soul.

I think the power of Citizen Kane, visually, is how Wells forces your eye toward the back of the scenes. There are layers in each shot, be it the lit window that makes you look to the very edge of the scene or a boy outside the window.

Cinematography porn:

Audio in Film + Technicolor

Diegetic vs. Non-Diegetic

For this post on audio in film, I wanted to focus on the pros and cons of diegetic vs. Non-diegetic

I first want to define the two:

Diegetic: Sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film: 

• voices of characters 
• sounds made by objects in the story 
• music represented as coming from instruments in the story space ( = source music)

Diegetic sound is any sound presented as originated from source within the film's world Digetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame.

Non-Diegetic: Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action: 

• narrator's commentary
• sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect
• mood music

Non-diegetic sound is represented as coming from the a source outside story space. The distinction between diegetic or non-diegetic sound depends on our understanding of the conventions of film viewing and listening.  We know of that certain sounds are represented as coming from the story world, while others are  represented as coming from outside the space of the story events.  A play with diegetic and non-diegetic conventions can be used to create ambiguity (horror), or to surprise the audience (comedy). 
Another term for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound. 

(source: http://filmsound.org/terminology/diegetic.htm)

Putting it Together

While yes, non-diegetic is very powerful in the terms of mood setting, I do prefer diegetic. I think lots of times, if you are to take out the non-diegetic sounds, the film can certainly feel less effective -- be it simply added sound effects or a soaring soundtrack.

Another powerful non-diegetic tool is the use of themes for a character. This goes back to Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, when a small portion of Tristan's theme would play whenever he was on-stage. This is still used in films today. It helps set not only the mood, but help define the character themselves. Are they stoic? Are they depressed? Are the frail? Take superheroes for example. In movies, they have theme songs specifically written for them. This often plays as the heroes saves the day. 

The Jaws theme that plays each time the shark is about to attack is a good example of a GOOD use of non-diegetic. In fact many horror movies do this, most likely taking a cue from psycho. It gives a feeling of dred as the audience hears the themes begin (particularlly Jaws escalting song) The audience can hear it and no what's going to happen, but the characters have no idea of what is about to hit them.

I do believe sometimes the use of film soundtracks can be abused. It becomes all about the soundtrack and less about the subtleties of the films soundscape. Crescendos do not a film make (Looking at you Hans Zimmer...)

Solely diegetic sounds have their own effect as well, and can at times be just as harmful. It depends on what effect the director is looking for. Sofia Copolla tends to use mostly diegetic sound in her film. It certainly aids in the realms of realness, but can tend to make the film feel slower. However, this is often Copolla's aim. In this scene, we hear all the sounds of the bar, including a softly playing piano, coming from the bar itself.

Technicolor

Despite the fact that Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite films, I had not previously known how they managed to make such a colorful world.

It's pretty remarkable the effect it had, by using a relatively simple technique. However, just because the idea was simple, does not mean it was as simple to execute. In fact technicolor was expensive and the process overall was cumbersome. Adding to it's cost inefficency was how many lights it required for it to work properly.

Skeleton Dance + Napoleon

While I couldn't find any music videos that used "The Skeleton Dance," I did find a few omages in film history.
One specificially is the scene from The Corpse Bride (awful movie) but it definetly uses some of the same coreograhpy, particularly when the skeleton is drumming on the others spine. (1:33)

I have definetly noticed this video being used in more and more pop culture, or at least more people seem to know about it. It has gained notice once more on popular sites such as Tumblr, where I find at least one gif a day of The Skeleton Dance (see first picture)


Napoleon
While I have never seen Abel Gance's Napoleon, it is certainly one I have heard of. It is refered to as timeless and is part of the Criterion Collection. In my research, I found that is is mainly the inovative cinemotograhy that makes it such an important film. Gance apparently used close-ups, multipile camera exposure, and unqiue editing styles for this film. He also used underwater cameras and split screen. Most of these styles had not been used previously, and these techniques created the sort of "epic" film we may see nowadays. More immediately, he inspired French New Wave film makers, who also used experimental cinematograhpy methods for their films

A Trip to the Moon and Why I Hate Instagram

Melies' Le Voyage dans la lune is absolutely stunning. Though I've seen the iconic moon face-shot before, I have not seen the film in it's entirety.

Each scene is full of spelendor and detail, which is what I imagine Melies became famous for. His use of the magical and beautiful is something that to this day, is still stunning.

I also found it interesting how each scene is so long. I imagine this is because it is a silent film, you need lenghter scenes so as to ensure each audience memember understand fully what is occuring. I also think in the case of Melies, the scene length serves as a way to ensure that every detail is seen. He sets it all up so it almost becomes a piece of artwork, so I feel that the length is a way to have peopl relish in those details. In particular, the shot of them standing on the moon is somehow both cheesy, and beautiful.

The wa Melies made his sets dynamic is also remarkable given the time. 

As a lover of sci-fi films, I love seeing where it all began. I think Melies was almost ahead of his time, but I'm glad people of the time appreciated the Magic Melies.

I'd also like to take a second to talk about photography and Muybridge

Muybridge has always been a favorite of mine. Muybridge motion studies turn into beautiful pieces of art.

Photography has always been a hobby of mine, though I am a die-hard film enthusiast. I had a mourning period when Polariod was discontinued, and will have yet another when film is killed. I personally hate instagram. While anyone can use it to take pictures of their feet or what they had for breakfast, it does not have the same soul as film. The effects you get will film are may be able to be duplicated visually, but instagram just feels souless to me. 

People will argue that instagram allows anyone to become a photographer. Well, in my opinion, anyone can become a photographer whether they had instagram or not. VIVA LA FILM!!!

Tech-Saavy Broadway

1. Wicked-

We'll start with the simple illusion of flight on broadway. Somehow broadway has us believing that people can actually fly. And in this fantastic scene from Wicked when Elphie takes flight on her broom, with her cape soaring behind her, the flight-illusion was taken to a whole new level.

2.Wicked (Again, because I love Wicked...)

Again with the flight illusion. But this one is a little different. Here we have Glina who is supposed to appear to be floating down to the Ozians in her bubble. I enjoy this one because it reminds me of the Operas and the Deus Ex Machina. Specifically The Queen of the Night entry in the Magic Flute.

3. Chicago- They Both Reached for the Gun

A more simple use of technology. Amazing how the use of strings being suspended from the ceiling, attactched to hands can give the illusion that everyone is a puppet!

4.Spamalot-The Black Knight/The Knights Who Say Ni

One of the more humorus "illusions" or uses of technology. The Black Kights limbs seem to be chopped off, and he appears stabbed, and then vanishes. This scene is hilarious. Also, the Knight who says Ni appears to be 7 feet tall. While these are both simple uses of technology, one cannot dismiss them, as the scenes wouldn't be half as effect, both visual and comically, without them. Can you imagine a fight scene with the Black Knight where his arms DIDN'T fall off? Can you say boring and pointless?

5.The Phantom of the Opera

Say what you will about Phantom of the Opera, it has some impressive uses of technology. The fog, the moving boat, all impressive. It certainly isn't anyone flying over the stages or soaring into mid air, but it is yet again highly effective. I don't think the scene would have worked as well had the boat been stationary. It may not be the best broadway, but when it has such good stage trickery, you gotta respect that.

6. Les Miserables- Javerts Suicide

How the heck did they make it look like he was falling?! (Also, I'm just going to say that I LIKE Les Miserbles...) There's been a few variations of this scene, all using different technology, but I enjoy this one best for it's falling illusion. Flight is easy enough, just have to find the aparatus to lift them, but how do you get it to look like the stage has no bottom? Much trickery, and well executed here.


7.Phatom of the Opera- Masqurade

Let's skip to the end of this one, as we sit in awe and say "how did he....how is he!!!???" AGAIN- say what you want about Phantom of the Opera, but this stage illusion is remarkable. Not sure how many broadways can say they made someone disappear and then reappear out of thin air. Sure, it's much more complicated than that, and probaly easy to breakdown, but the stage effect is strong and poweful, and make the character fearsome.

Broadway, Jazz, and Why I Hate New York

I guess I'm a little jaded about New York and Broadway. Watching that video was almost laughable as it's hard to see NYC as this glorious town of arts, as it was where I was mugged, went broke, and probably got most of my nerousis. I also avoided Time Square with every fiber of my being. It was especially laughable when in the video they mentioned the Bowery, as it was where I lived for my two years in NYC (between a homeless shelter and...an OPERA HOUSE!) Hard to imagine the graffiti covered buildings as a haven of culture.

Here's a picture of my old apartment (the building on the left) and the Opera house (the white building)

Anyways, I digress. I guess as jaded as I am, Broadway still definetly has some sort of magical pull. I'll give an anecdote. I work in a dance store, where I fit pointe shoes, and various other dance shoes. The other day I had a young girl and her mother come in to the store for shoes for the girl. Obviously hard on their luck, I wondered why they would be spending hundreds of dollars on shoes. I struck up a conversation with them, and found out that the girl had relocated from Colorado with her family, so as to attend the Patel Conservatorvy (this is a dance/theater/music program at the Straz Center). Her goal was to make it to Broadway, and her and her mother were dead-set that this was going to happen.

My favorite discussion about Broadway today was the talk about womens liberation! There's something I can get behind! I think women looked more free then than they do now!
Also, I nearly swooned when we mentioned Dita Von Teese. Be still my heart!

Jazz

Let's talk about Jazz. Which, I'm going to be honest, I don't know much about. So I had to do a little research before I begin here. Which was difficult as jazz has so many genres, and sub genres, and sub sub genres, it's hard to sum it up. Jazz, from what I gathered, seems to have originated in the South, specifically New Orlean. I was confused as to why they kept stating jazz was "birthed" in NYC, as I beleived it to be popular in Chicago before New York. And my research seems to have confirmed this. Jazz went to Chicago and was popular their during the 1920s, and was also gaining momentum in NYC. I think it would be a travesty to overlook the jazz culture developing in Chicago, and saying the New York was jazz's only haven.
Also, fuck New York.

Todays Entertainment

I'd have to say that since the recession, todays entertainment has become less creative and original. Seems like there's an influx of sequels, prequels, trequels, "Released in 3D!", and so forth. I think now people in Hollywood and show business don't really want to take gambles on something that might not succeceed. So their solution is to churn out things they know have already been successful in hopes of simply making money. We were talking about in class how Disney movies are now being made for Broadway...and why? For money!!

And has anyone seen that Finding Nemo is going to be released in 3D now? Just because.

The only original content I've seen recently was ParaNorman which is AMAZING and everyone should go see it. But aside from that, I can't name one other original movie I've seen recently.



Back to Broadway
I'll end the blog entry on a happier note, a Broadway song! Which is my favorite broadway song ever, and I wish it had been discussed more in the video we watched. Perhaps not a happier note afterall...

Opera, Opera, and more Opera!

It was fun to really start dissecting and looking at some operas in class. I can admit I've NEVER seen an opera (How uncultured of me.) They were just never my cup of tea...or so I thought! I think the stories behind the operas themselves, and how politically charged they are, is absolutely fascinating.

I do appreciate that the Deus Ex Machina (practicing how to pronounce it so I don't sound like a fool anymore) was phased out. I like the drama of the operas, so why get rid of that with a lame save? I think the drama and the tragedy is what makes the opera so unique. 

I believe I'm preferring the more romanticized operas overall. Wagner's music is break taking (despite the fact that he's a big ol' racist...) and the music for Madame Butterfly still stuns me.

I think the appropriation of opera into modern TV, Film, and even commercials (both musically and story telling) is an exciting study. I think it seeps in more than we realize, and has infiltrated our culture. I recently watched Melancholia (the most depressing movie I think I've ever seen) and they use one song throughout. I loved the song, and didn't realize until recently it was the Prelude from Wagners Tristan and Isolde.

Excited to start my paper soon, now that I feel like I have an understanding on opera and won't sound like an idiot.

The Diva!

Talk about a modern interrpration! Nothin' like an alien woman singing Avia in a rad scifi film to moderinize Opera. This movie is incredible. This scene is incredible. The song itself is so heartbreaking and magical, and then it's turned into an ass-kicking jam. I don't think many versions of Opera songs can be described as "ass-kicking jams."