violence is it need in film

I feel violence can be useful in film when its used correctly, it works well to heighten a situation or create a large impact in a scene, because action really do speak larger than words. i do feel though if the boundaries can be pushed to the point were violence becomes pointless and almost totally gratuitous, violence for the sake of violence which i think is pointless, sometimes seeing less is more.

I feel horror movies need violence and gore but it has to be in the right context to accentuate the scene and really enhance the shock. one of my favourite scenes that use this kind of impact is in Predator, the creature rips out the spinal column of the character Billy just before the final show down its a quick scene with great impact it really shows the creatures strength and brutality and really sets up the next scene the show down. it really makes you think the hero character is in big trouble, how could he beat such a strong character that seems to have very few weaknesses. Predator is one of those quite gory films which uses gore effectively to shock but not totally overwhelm the audiences, skinning, trophy taking, cutting these are all things we all associate with hunters but it flips totally on its head when its a creature doing it to us.

sci-fi

after having the science fiction lecture, i found it greatly interesting that Metropolis was the blue print for every science fiction film todate, which really makes it a bench mark in film history, which means i am now going to have to track down a copy and watch it, because i really have alot to thank this film for as it was most likely inspiration for some of my favourite films, examples Alien, Predator, Terminator, Blade runnner, Robocop.
I can certainly thank Metropolis for every android and robot movie which inturn went on to the creation of movies that had cyborgs in which i always find greatly interesting and very entertaining especially in 80s where really enjoyed the use of live effects, which is one of the many reasons i want to pursue this kind of career.

reflection

looking back at the last lecture i get the feeling it wasn't aimed at us that much, it was a good lecture quite interesting. especially the parts looking back at the evolution of camera angles that was interesting, to thing films use to have one set solid angle and now they can come from anywhere. First person, third person above, below, eagle eye and the list continues. their really have been some bizarre camera angles in film i think one of my favourite angles would be from Jaws i love that first person angle of the shark looking up at the girl swimming in the very beguinning and it gets closer and closer till....... the bite thats a really impressive shot.
I've always really enjoyed camera angles in horror films, especially ones by John Carpenter he has such away with angles like in halloween how he makes Michael Meyers even more intimidating with the use of high and low angles, it really gives a sense of power, making him larger than life and it really works and horror movies still mimic the technique.

structuralism

after having some time to think about the structuralism lecture i was considering the grey area and how this effected certain aspects like cyborgs how they are men, women etc with modifications but then i thought this is maybe how the Terminator was so effective it really has a large impact from the grey area. a cybernetic organism is how its described, something that appears completely human but is a walking death machine underneath, i can see why this was so effective its take's something we take for granted, humanity, the human form and makes you think what if this man was machine underneath and i would have no way of stopping it or reasoning with it. this concept is made by considering the grey area, something that is among us but we can't tell its a danger until its to late, unnerving.   



DEJAVU

The new Predator movie was released yesterday, i really like it, its an enjoyable film which really works but the reason i feel it work is because it is so much like the first movie. Their are just so many intertextual connections and similarities to the first movie, the musics almost identical, they in similar looking jungle, their are certain character which seem to mirror characters from the first movie, the Russian also use the same chain/mini gun from the first movie, the Yakuza character speaks virtually no lines and has a one on one stand off with a predator just like Billy the Navajo Indian from the first movie.
Their are so many lines of dialog which has been literally lifted of the original " common kill me, what are you waiting for" you do get a real sense of dejavu whilst watching this movie. in some respects it really works, it takes the best parts of the first and takes it a step forward, the director has real love for the first movie and it really shows, and its this love of the movie which really reflects the director and gives me great respect for the movie, especially the mirrored scene of the predator in camouflage when their eyes flash green that's truly awesome, and something that has never made it into any other sequel, and predator's still look totally amazing in the jungle its the best scenery for this creature, it just works so well the look and colours truly iconic.