It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night

Joe Katulak

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

Not only was “It Happened One Night” entertaining but it is a great historical representation of how the 1930’s were. The film touched on many of the social norms and how society behaved back in the 1930s. The film is classified as a screwball comedy, yet it still has a well-structured story line that plays off of society from the 1930s. We can tell from early on in the film that Ellie is a young but very wealthy woman with a very powerful father. As the film progresses we can see how Ellie often tries to use her money or good looks to her advantage but she quickly finds out from Peter, a lower class journalist that money can’t do anything for you. For example when Ellie leaves the bus in the morning to go get breakfast, she assumes that the bus driver was going to wait for her just because she asked him to. Throughout the rest of the film we see how Ellie portrays herself as a strong powerful woman, yet she still finds herself learning a great deal from Peter. This is similar to how society was in the 1930s. Often times lower class citizens would find themselves helping or imparting knowledge on upper class people because of the variety of life experiences they would have most likely been through that the upper would have not. This is exactly what happens in the case of Peter and Ellie; without Peter guiding Ellie back to King Westley, Ellie would have most likely got herself lost or found by her father.

2) Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content. You may use the library or the internet.

The article, “Looking Back at ‘It Happened One Night’” by Michał Oleszczyk dives deep into what makes the film so great. The article summarizes the movie throughout however, it does a very good job of describing critical points in the movie throughout the summary. The article briefly discusses how there are so many important pieces that were needed to make this movie as spectacular as it is. Starting with the writing, the screenplay, which was adapted from a short story really creates the characters and gives the director and actors and terrific story architecture to play off of. Pair the screenplay up with the two main characters played by Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert and the movie really becomes something special. Oleszczyk also praises the dialogue between the two main characters and the way they play off of each other in every scene, such as the mock argument they have in front of the detectives as well as the hitch hiking scene. At the end of the article Oleszczyk comments on the cinematography and how it is “gritty and gauzy” and does a good job of capturing details as well as the wider establishing shots. Overall the article “Looking Back at ‘It Happened One Night’” did a good job of summarizing the movie and more importantly pointing out why the film is so great and can stand the test of time.

http://www.rogerebert.com/far-flung-correspondents/looking-back-at-it-happened-one-night

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.?

The article “Looking Back at ‘It Happened One Night’” really supported the way I thought about the film after first watching it. Two of the most important parts of a romantic comedy are the two main characters and the dialogue/script. The author of the article really accentuated how important and beautiful the interactions were between Peter and Ellie and that was something that I noticed from early on in the film. From even the beginning of the movie, the audience can sense the chemistry that is going on between Peter and Ellie. What is so amazing about the chemistry between Peter and Ellie is not only how much they grow together on the screen, but the different situations and circumstances they are in that allow them to grow together so quickly. The article applauded at the cinematography of the film. I agree that the cinematographer did an excellent job of being able to portray the emotions from Peter and Ellie whether it is from the variety of camera angle or the proper lighting to give the right mood. In summary the article “Looking Back at ‘It Happened One Night’” was a good refresher of the story and gave me more insight to why the film is so great.

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 am less interested in whether you liked or disliked a film, (although that can be part of this) than I am in your understanding of its place in film history or the contributions of the director.

Overall I really enjoyed the film “It Happened One Night”. Even though it is still an early film and one of the first major films with sound, when watching it, the film did not feel much different than a romantic comedy from today. Everything from the directing, the writing, the acting, and the editing, easily makes this one of the best romantic comedies/ screwball comedies of all time. The way Peter and Ellie grow together and build chemistry throughout the film is exactly what you want to see in a romantic comedy. From what I noticed, the writing most importantly helps to shape the characters throughout the entire movie. The way Ellie and Peter interact with each other on the screen through their actions also plays a big role on how the story plays out. We are able to sense right away that Ellie is a rich, stuck up girl that is used to having everything her way, however, Peter realizes this as well, which is one of the reasons that he looks out for her. And because Peter and Ellie are coming from two different background (Peter a journalist), they both have so much to offer and learn from each other. One example of this could be when Peter was attempting to hitch hike. Peter thinks he knows how to hitch hike and how to get someone to stop for him, but he quickly finds out that Ellie’s way (showing some leg) works much quicker. The characters most importantly make you feel for them. At the end of the movie when we see Ellie about to marry King Westley, everyone in the audience is hoping for her to run away again, or for Peter to come and break up the wedding. The wedding does eventually get broken off, and even though the ending may have been somewhat predictable, I don’t think it takes anything away from the story itself.  “It Happened One Night” is a great film and will be looked at as one of the best romantic/screwball comedies for many generations to come. From the witty banter between Peter and Ellie, and well-designed shots, “It Happened One Night” rightfully deserves its place in history.

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: __Joe Katulak_________________ Date: __10/1/14________________

Gold Rush

Gold Rush
Joe Katulak
Film History 1

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

Charlie Chaplin, the star of the “Gold Rush” will forever be known as one of the originators of comedy on the big screen. However Chaplin was not the only person in Hollywood in the early 1900’s that was pioneering comedy movies for future generations.  Mack Sennett was one of the first real pioneers of comedy in movies. Sennett created Keystone Films, and under that he was able to produce many major comedy stars including Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, two of the biggest names in comedy during the early 1900’s. There were also visual effects that Sennett was able to create with the camera such as shooting at 8-10 frames per second which added a different look to the films. By shooting at 8-10 frames per second and then speeding the film up to 16-20 frames per second in the projector, it gave the films a more fast paced look which worked for comedy movies.  After working under Sennett, Chaplin eventually became an auteur of his own and truly began making his movies stand out from other comedies. Chaplin played the role of the little guy or underdog that many main characters have not portrayed in the past making his work unique and ground breaking for his time period.

2) Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content. You may use the library or the internet.

The article “Philharmonic mines Charlie Chaplin's classic 'Gold Rush',” takes a look at the new way the classic film “Gold Rush” is being played and reproduced in the 21^st century. The Lexington Philharmonic let by director and conductor Scott Terrell has reproduced “Gold Rush” in all of its glory except this time it is doing it with a live orchestra. The score from the original movie is essentially being reproduced, just being played alongside the film. And even though Scott Terrell claims he has seen the film 80-100 times, conducting the score alongside the movie still had its challenges. Even though Terrell and his orchestra know the movie very well it’s still difficult to keep the exact pace with the movie the entire show. Terrell however proved himself as a great conductor by being able to slow down or speed up the tempo of the music in order to keep proper pace with the movie. Terrell had great confidence in his orchestra and for that night it was said that, "It's all orchestral and all Charlie.”

http://www.kentucky.com/2014/03/13/3137441/philharmonic-mines-charlie-chaplins.html

 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.?

After reading the article, “Philharmonic mines Charlie Chaplin's classic 'Gold Rush',” it definitely gave me a better understanding as to how the film should be viewed and appreciated. When I first watched the movie I don’t think that I fully understood how influential the score was throughout the film.  In the early 1900’s when the “Gold Rush” was made there was still no dialogue in films so having a strong score such as the one in “Gold Rush” really helped to emphasize parts of the movie. A scene such as the dinner roll dance might not have been viewed as such a great scene without the strong music playing to back it up. Chaplin was able to write the music that went along with dinner roll dance and was able to actually have parts of the dances change on the beats of the music. This was something that was still new and exciting to movie goers in the early 1920’s and this article really helped me notice and appreciate that the sound for the movie is just as important as the visuals.

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 am less interested in whether you liked or disliked a film, (although that can be part of this) than I am in your understanding of its place in film history or the contributions of the director.

Overall the film “Gold Rush” was a spectacle to the eyes and ears of movie goes in the 1920’s and there is a reason why it is still considered one of the best movies all time today. The film starts off showing the struggle of the many Americans that were traveling through the cold and snowy mountains during the gold rush. Not long after we meet The Tramp, Charlie Chaplin’s character, the mood of the story quickly changes after we see him getting followed unknowingly by a bear on the edge of a cliff. Charlie Chaplin had a good eye for the screen and knew how to place the Tramp in many situations that would be enjoyable for the audience. This is done throughout the film, where we see funny things happen to the Tramp much before he is aware of what is going on. A prime example of this is when we see The Tramp turn into chicken and begin walking and flapping his wings inside the cabin. Also Chaplin was great at the art of slap stick comedy.  He knew how to make himself get hurt in front of the camera by making it look dramatic but also assuring the audience through his mannerisms that he is never in any real danger. The score to movie also helps a great deal because at this time there was no real dialogue to carry the movie, only brief quotes placed on the screen.  The score to movies in this time period is so important, that when it’s done well it can improve the mood of a scene or make shot that’s boring become exciting, such as the famous dinner roll scene. There are still some slow parts in the film, especially when compared to modern movies, but that should in no way take away from the great triumph this movie was at its 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: _Joe Katulak_________________ Date: _9/23/14_________________

A Trip to the Moon

Film History 1
Joe Katulak

A trip to the moon.

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

A Trip to the Moon was truly a ground breaking movie for all of film history and some of the effects that were used in the film greatly influenced how many films of today are even made. As we discussed in class, the film was shot at only 16 frames per second as opposed to the 24 frames per second that we have since been accustomed to in more recent films. However being able to shoot 16 still images in one second and displaying them consecutively to tell a story was still ground breaking for its time. Also the use of practical effects in the film really set it apart from any other film of its time by creating an optical illusion to the audience. By being able to make a quick cut in the film when the moon monsters were attacked, then cut to another frame but in place of the monster there was a puff of smoke. This technique gave audiences something they have never seen before and began to open the door for other directors to get creative in their own ways in other films.                  

2) Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.)

and summarize the content. You may use the library or the internet.

The article, "Georges MéLIèS: First Wizard of Cinema" from the New York Times, discusses the legacy of Georges MéLIèS and how he had such a great effect on the film industry and left a lasting impression. The article discusses how before becoming a film maker he was once a magician, and because of that he was able to use what he knew from being a magician to translate those types of effects onto the big screen. The article goes on to further discuss some of MéLIèS works (including a trip to the moon) and describes at the time how influential they were and groundbreaking for that era of film making. The article also mentions how MéLIèS was not progressive throughout his entire career and was eventually surpassed in the film making world by many of his colleagues. The article concludes by mentioning that because of MéLIèS work we are able to have  the types of movies that we have today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/18/movies/homevideo/18dvds.html

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.?

Overall the article did not change my opinion on GEORGES MéLIèS, the director of “A Trip to the Moon”, however the article did give me a little more insight to who MéLIèS was and what he did throughout his career as a film maker. Learning about how MéLIèS was first a magician before becoming a film maker really made sense to me as to why he was able to use the effects he used in his movies. The effect of having the moon monsters turn into puffs of smoke was definitely a trick that came from his background in magic and in a way revolutionized the way movies were made.  It was however sad to learn that even though his ambition for creating better effects continued, the actual quality his story telling  declined, which ultimately led to him being surpassed by other film makers later in his career.  And even though the special effects that appeared in “A Trip to the Moon” are nothing compared to what we are used to in terms of special effects today,  it’s hard to not appreciate what MéLIèS did for film making during his time. For me the article really put that point through, that even though not all of his movies were great, what MéLIèS accomplished for the film making industry was truly remarkable.

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 am less

interested in whether you liked or disliked a film, (although that can be part of this) than I

am in your understanding of its place in film history or the contributions of the director.

Overall I genuinely enjoyed “A Trip to the Moon”. Being that this was one of the earliest movies that was able to tell a story with moving pictures, I thought it still held up as entertaining today, even with the higher standards that we have now. First of all I thought that the strong body language and over the top performances from the actors help keep the viewers interested in a time when there was no dialogue to tell the story. In most films from this time period the directors would mostly rely on set design and performances from the actors to tell the story; however in “A Trip to the Moon”, MéLIèS also is able to use practical effects which make the movie much more aesthetically pleasing in my opinion but also allow the story to be told in a way where it might not have been able to otherwise. Using simple effects such as the changing facial expressions on the moon add another layer to the film that had not been done in other films.  Also the way the film was edited I think really added a new dimension to how films could be made. The use of dissolves was an effect that was a spectacle to many people in the audience where as now it is something that is more or less expected from a movie.  Overall I think this is a film that I think will be talked about as long as movies are still being made and it is no wonder that the film has recently been released on blu ray.

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:Joseph Katulak________________ Date:9/16/14________