The Godfather

1.) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.The Godfather is a romantic portrayal of t inner workings of a Italian American crime family.Aside from the many nominations and awards The Godfather is a classics classic. Beginning with the wedding scene the movie shows aspects of a secret society never before shown on the silver screen. The movie stays true to the values and mentality of the people whom its portraying and never vers into an inauthentic moment. From the food to the religious accepts, the godfather is brutally realistic.

2.)Find an Article and relate it to the film.

From Al Capone and Vito Corleone to John Gotti and Tony Soprano, real-life and fictional mafiosos have captured the public imagination since the 1920s. Ruthless and violent, these men are nonetheless often seen to maintain their own personal brand of honor and decency. In this way, they are modern-day versions of the outlaw heroes of the Wild West, such as Jesse and Frank James or Billy the Kid. Gangsters were only a tiny percentage of the huge migration of Italians, primarily from the south of Italy, to America in the early 20th century.

3.)Relate the article to the lecture.

In a lot of ways the godfather didn't start the glorification of the gangster, but it sure made it the thing to do. Even people who have never seen the film know many things about it, or have seen references made to it in numerous films. The godfather shed light on a dark part of society and the public responded with a cry for more. Insanely popular as it became, it is still relevant today and paved the way for some of the baddest gangster flicks out there.
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 movie is what every classic aspires to be. It is great, and it is original Is there another look at a similar topic as realistic as this one is debatable. Is there one thats a better film is not up for discussion. The godfather will make you feel like a witness and an accessory to murder at the same time. In that scene before before Michael's brother is killed on the turnpike, you could practically smell those meatballs, and Al Pacino is my favorite actor to boot so my opinion on this film was pretty much as set as a statue a very classic statue at that.

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: _____Benaiah Ross_____ Date:___________________________

The Graduate

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

This film had a completely different feel to it. Where the previous films where well behaved and well mannered, this film was the equivalent of a rebellious out of control teenager. It was much more free in spirt and had numerous adult themes and situations. The film was a perfect symbol of the era to be with radical new ideas and ways of thinking this film was the temperature of the conscious of a nation.

2) Find a related article and summarize the content.

The movies is about a man finding his own path, and like the title may suggest college isn't the end of finding yourself, in many ways as illustrated by this film it is only the beginning. 1960s america is an era known for its rebellious youth its free spirited use of drugs and sexually freedom. Funny that most of those people are now parents how cant fathom how there children can make the same mistakes as they did. But this film really did a great job capturing that spirt, and the techniques used to capture that spirt are no exception.

http://www.filmsite.org/grad.html

3) 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 class powerpoint helped me understand how the movie was filmed. Not that it wasn’t already easy to notice that there were a lot of cutting and editing, I probably would’ve thought that the film was poorly created but in essence, the director was filming the movie through art.   

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: __Benaiah Ross___ Date: _____________

Casablanca

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

We discussed the unforeseen success  that was Casablanca. The movie was put out without expectations of greatness it was one of many movies put out by that studio that year. Bases on the non produced play "Everybody Comes to Rick's", the film took on that feel. having very few locations and quite a few monologes. It has won Academy Awards in Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay. It has also been nominated for best actor, supporting actor, and best black and white cinematography. The movie has been known for its quotes “here’s tlooking at you, kid”, and “we’ll always have Paris”.

2) Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/16/showbiz/casablanca-piano-auction

In this recent article I found it interesting they put the piano from the movie up for auction and it sold for over 600,000 dollars. The piano was the one where Dooley Wilson famously Plays as times goes by, and we see Rick express emotion we thought he was impossible of expressing. It just goes to show how cherished the true classics are. A nearly 100 year old 58 key standup saloon piano would go for a very nice house says that people are still interested and still in love with the most charming movie you'll ever see in any color.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

It impressed upon just how impressive Casablanca was. What became clear to me was the movie had something even great movies can lack. Casablanca had Characters. While is story telling scope may have been of the limited variety Casabalnca introdouced many great personality that mangage to play there roles to perfection with out clashing and that wonky old Piano played by Mr. Wilson was no exception, full of character.

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.

Casablanca is a movie that needed no color. It needed no special effects nor fancy camera tricks. Casablanca needs no tricks to be great. The acting is class, the direction is so good you dont notice it, and the period is one of the most exciting in history and its a love story. It does what it set outs to do and no more with unapologetic flair. Ive seem Casablanca once before this class in a communications class at a different university and enjoyed it just as much the second time around, really great film with that rare perfect ending. 

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: __Benaiah Ross___ Date:  __________________

Citizen Kane

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

After speaking about Orson Welles and his creative control durning the making of Citizen Kane, the discussion digressed into the remained of Welles carrer and how it was affected by the lack of critical acclaim he received when the film was released. We discussed the film in more detail paying close attention to how the character was portrayed and the devices Welles used to illustrate Kanes personality such the camera angle and his overwhelming presence and demur.

2. Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9431706/Is-Citizen-Kane-still-the-greatest.html#disqus_thread

Citizen Kane remains a great film. Since 1962, Sight and Sound magazine publishes a list of the top 10 movies. movies chosen and critiqued by conglomerates of writers, directors, and producers. Citizen Kane h remains a standard within this circle and many others besides. Its a film that was ahead of its time, and even though it took the world a long while to catch up, Welles finally did receive the recognition he earned.

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

The above article phrases the movie in an easy to understand light. Citizen Kane was a film that made you think and if you only viewed it one time, many small details might have passes you by. Welles was particularly obsessive with his attention to detail in manner which i would say few things was unconsidered when it came to the film. This article breaks down some of the veil and puts in words a child could reason with and updates it to todays times.

4. Write a critical analysis of the film

I thought that the strength of the main characters grabbed at my conscious. Welles portrayed a larger than life character that could achieve anything he wanted to and accomplish everything he set out to do. Yet no matter how much larger than life this character became he was still a mortal man, doomed to his fate before he took his first breath. Before he became Kane. It was a deep film in the way of a complex puzzle of great art. Something great was there if you made the effort to put the pieces together and when the world finally did, they finally recognized the greatness of Citizen Kane.

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: ___Benaiah Ross____ Date: _________________________

Gone With the Wind

1.

In todays class we discussed the role black actors and Black Cinema in Hollywood around the time of Gone with the Wind was released. We talked about there roles, and how they were portrayed to be happy and servile. We discussed actors such as Bill Robinson and Film makers such as Oscar Micheaux. We then discussed Gone With the Wind and briefed its history, noting that it was adapted from a novel written by Margaret Mitchell which took over 10 years to write and was her lone publication. We reviewed the power house cast of the film with actors such as Vivian Leigh and the slick Clack Gable, and Finished with noting how the film made history by gaining allowance for an amendment to allow for the famous line, "Frankly, my dear; I just dont give a damn."

2.

Find a related article and summarize the content. 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2063861,00.html

In this article written in time, the author makes reference to many interesting facts that can be used to draw comparisons today and truly grasp and understand how much of an under dog Gone with the Wind should have been. According to the article no one thing made it necessarily great but together it just worked. In 1939 the great depression was strangling the american dream, yet at 3 dollars todays equivalent of 50 dollars the novel sold a million copies.

3. 

Gone with the wind was is and will continue to be very popular both in text and film form. Alough it was written by a relative literary novice, it was both powerful and unabashed. Were other authors would tread lightly mitchell blunders fearlessly through even the biggest moments which results in an experience not even the best seer could predict.

4.

The fact that Gone with the Wind is the highest grossing film of all times does a diservice. It fails to adequately capture just how impressive an accomplishment this film was and is.  In an era where we constantly move on to the next best thing, Gone with the Wind remains entrenched like a distant mountain in the landscape of Hollywood and American films.

5.

This film was a gift to independent produces. Released in 1939 it managed to steal the academy awards with some of the most deserving competition ever seen. The film went up against many major titles and came out with 8 major Academy Awards including Best Picture. Hattie McDaniel was also the first African American to be nominated and win an Oscar. Gone with the Wind is a film atop any legitimate list of great films of all time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Name: ______________________________________  Date: ____________________________