Discuss the roll toxic masculinity (the psychological term describing traditional male behavior norms that cause harm to society) plays in the 2017 film Phantom Thread. How do the relationships in the film display toxic masculinity, how do the relationships break down this problem? How do themes or tropes in the film distort or alter this. Discuss how this affects the film as a piece.
A fanfiction is defined as a fiction written by a fan of, and featuring particular characters of, a particular TV series, film etc. When a novel series graduates to the big screen or a popular franchise gets rebooted, the series is arguably getting a re-work by someone who is presumably a fan of the original work. A contemporary example could include David Benioff and D. B. Weiss adapting "A Song of Ice and Fire" as a TV series, eventually pursuing beyond the source material. Another might be Christopher Nolan's re-envisioning of the classic Batman character through the Dark Knight trilogy. Taking into account the degree of deviation from the original work, could these series' be considered fanfiction? At what point can a professionally produced piece of film be considered a simple interpretation of fiction by a fan?
An interesting thought process. Now that I think about it, adaptations and reboots can definitely be considered as a form of fanfiction. After all, who amongst us hasn't pictured a book or a movie or any form of art in our own way in our heads? When book to movie adaptations play out differently from what we imagined, we react with shock and sometimes anger. Reboots and adaptations can be the personal perception of a piece of art, which may differ from the original content. This makes me wonder if fan made films should be taken more seriously. Yes, they may not have the resources to produce a film of the same quality as a professional film, but essentially the creators of fan-made films and professional films come from the same place-a love for a piece of work and a desire to see it played out the way they want it to. – SheWhoMustNotBeNamed7 years ago
With the rise of remake films with all female casts being on an upward trajectory, what are some of the pros and cons for doing this? Does this have an effect on how the viewer rates and discusses the movie? If so, how, why? If not, why not?
I love this question! I don't know the answer. But, here is an an example of how ( I believe) it has been a change for the worst: the recent re-make of the Ghostbusters film. Compared to the 1980's all male ( main character) cast, the women actors seemed overly directed and controlled. They are funny women. They are intelligent and they have have gobs of talent, yet, it seemed they were not allowed to fully flesh out their characters, interact and riff off of each other, nor flex their comedic muscles as freely and fully as their male counterparts ( Murry, Akroid, etc.) did in the original. – Joslyn Robinson7 years ago
This is a good question, especially with the controversy around recent franchises like Star Wars and Ghostbusters. It seems like a double edged sword. On the one hand, having more female representation is better than nothing. On the other hand it could be viewed as being superficial, just a name change at best, or blatantly sexist at worst. Most of the "stick to the text" fundamentalism seems pretty stupid to me, given that there have been far more egregious changes to text (like Spiderman's powers in the Raimi movies, or the revisionist ending to Jurassic Park) without the controversy. In general, it seems better to have more female characters, but it would be better if there were just more roles for women in general from the start. – tedytak7 years ago
A discussion of how a character's perspective on time influences their identity.
Some films to consider: Mr. Nobody (time and memory woven and re-runable), The Time Traveler's Wife (time as uncontrollable), Kate and Leopold (does ones place in time impact their identity?), Age of Adeline (the effect of aging differently), About Time (how does taking control of time impact the Characters?), and In time (Time as a limited commodity). For fun a whimsical look at the new Alice Through the Looking Glass could also be interesting.
Analyse Wes Anderson's ability to maintain empathy in a highly constructed world of systems and artifice. Investigate the success or lack thereof of film school graduates who mimic Anderson's style: are they able to replicate his empathy as well as his visual technique? See Simon Baron-Cohen's E-S theories.
1. Define "empathy in a highly constructed world of systems and artifice." – T. Palomino2 years ago
2. Give yourself a summary of BC ES theories and explain why they are relevant. – T. Palomino2 years ago
Also known as "whip zoom" or "crash zoom", this is a cinematic technique where the camera rapidly zooms in on an object for dramatic effect. In modern cinema it can be seen in the works of both Edgar Wright and Quentin Tarantino – the former using it as a form of comedic irony, and the latter using it as part of his homages to older cinema. That being said, the snap zoom can also be seen as a classic trope in westerns and kung fu films as well as horror movies. This article would be a historical overview of the snap zoom; its origin, its place in different genres (i.e. the potential difference between a "western" snap zoom and a "kung fu" or a "horror" one), and perhaps how it has evolved from a simple camera technique to such a stylistic stamp.
A fascinating suggestion, even if somewhat specialised. Nice one! You have my vote. – Amyus7 years ago
When Disney announced their intent to acquire a large chunk of 21st Century Fox on December 14, cinephiles and television enthusiasts alike released a harmonious d'oh! Although the deal could take more than a year to close (if regulators approve), I think we are all left wondering what this merger could mean for the future of media consumption. Domestic box office attendance in 2017 is reported to have been the lowest in 25 years. With Disney simultaneously planning their own streaming service, could this merger signal the death of theatre going as we know it?
The death of cinema has long been predicted. Perhaps with digital media, the demise of movies can be expected. This topic is timely. – Munjeera7 years ago
Definitely interested to see what the writer comes up with, not only in terms of how the merger will affect cinema, but how it will affect both companies and their fans. I'm already seeing memes, comments, and so forth rejoicing over the fact that Anastasia could be considered an official Disney princess, for one. I see some potential new fandoms and fan culture popping up here. – Stephanie M.7 years ago
If Anastasia becomes a Disney princess, so should Esmerelda from Hunchback. But I digress... – Munjeera7 years ago
Digress all you want; she is my favorite honorary princess and I agree, she should be made official. – Stephanie M.7 years ago
Perhaps also talk about the Murdoch empire and their recent run in with regulatory authorities in England. – derBruderspielt7 years ago
The recent Andy Muschetti film 'It' (adapted from the titular Stephen King novel) has been a monstrous success (pardon the pun). Is it the 1980s setting and vibe that connects with adults and kids today? Is it the links it shares with thematic elements of the wildly successful Stranger Things (a show gleefully inspired by Stephen King)? What has made this horror film such a hit?
I think this makes for a compelling discussion. Having seeing both 'IT' and 'Stranger Things', the 80's horror aesthetic and visual is very much so trending right now. I think Stranger Things has pioneered modern pop culture by reviving this style in mainstream television/film. – AdilYoosuf7 years ago
I think a great point to add to this is the nostalgic aspect of such revivals of the 80s settings, which are appealing to the demographic of movie goers and TV viewers that grew up during this period. I think also that the desire to throw back to this period is akin to most nostalgia media in that it allows for a greater sense of connection to occur between the viewer and the product. An interesting discussion to have. – SaraiMW7 years ago
Amidst a string of 80s nostalgia driven tripe (with the occasional good one), I cannot think of a better time to release an It movie that is not only true to the book, but also a great movie on its own merits. It was exactly what we needed in this current uninspired, wash-rinse-repeat market. – AGMacdonald7 years ago
I belief the success of 'It' stems from its source material. Stephen King is a bit of a unicorn in the adaptation world - movie renditions of his books rarely flop. You might explore the reasons behind this. For example, Stephen King spares no detail when it comes to character development. Perhaps the wealth of personality he provides in his novels helps the films adapt themselves (so to speak). And if character development is a contributor to the success of 'It', what does that say about other, lackluster recent releases? Is Hollywood lapsing into one-dimensionality? At least when it comes to developing characters? And our we, as viewers, beginning to notice that lack? Interesting topic! – Jude Romines7 years ago
