Einstein and Hitchcock

Watch the clip from Battleship Potemkin. What film techniques does Eisenstein use in the Odessa Steps Sequence?

After watching the Shower Scene from Psycho, compare and contrast the film techniques. What makes the scene memorable?

MONTAGE SCENE IN BATTLESHIP POTEMPKYN
things coming at the camera quickly (the umbrella, the woman's face going toward her child)
people falling down slowly
the music is very intense
the woman is going in the opposite way.
violence- child being stepped on
close up on the belt buckle. swan. swan song?
jump cut

SHOWER SCENE IN PSYCHO
close up of the hand
shot reverse shot of the killer and the victim
the close up of the shower head
close up of the drain
close up of the shower curtain falling
close up of the her eye- it looks like she's dying

The Master of Suspense

Why is Hitchcock the Master of Suspense? What techniques does he use? Have you noticed any of these techniques so far in Rear Window?

Hitchcock is known as the master of suspense because he has made mostly thrillers. His heart racing thrillers create suspense that keeps you glued to your seat.

The Showdown

Analyze the film techniques Sergio Leone uses in the final shootout among Blondie, Tuco and Angel Eyes. Think of the camera angles, music, and camera movement especially. How does he reinvent this typical Western device?

quick cuts from person to person
pan
extreme close ups on faces, hands, eyes
wide angle shot
long shot
medium shot
birds cawing
tense music- bells, flamenco clappers, drums, cymbal

Evolution of the Western

Read the article about Westerns. How has the Western changed over time? How does this reflect changes in the U.S or the world?

Over time, the western has developed to be more modern. We see westerns being about controversial issues such as the film Brokeback Mountain. Also, they have developed into action movies and science fiction movies, such as Star Wars. This change reflects what issues and what genres are acceptable in the US and in the world. The western has many key elements and a certain style, that by applying it to a different genre, it's still a western.

Reinventing the Western

Look back at your original Western Blog. What were the characteristics of the Western? How was The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance a Western? How is The Good, the Bad and the Ugly different from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance? (They both have really long titles!)

The characteristics of the western were having the film set during the civil war/post civil war time, and there being an official hero, an unofficial hero and a bad guy. The unofficial hero is the one that has to work harder to show that he is a good guy.

Film Timeline and Film Techniques

Right now we are around the 1950s, such as in 1959 with the French New Wave.
In the 1960s, American cinema was challenging the Hays Code.
In the French New Wave, some film techniques are jump cuts, tracking shots and mise en scene.
Kurosawa used tracking shots, shot-reverse shots, flashbacks, point of view shots, low key lighting and wipe transitions.
In Children In Heaven they used a close up of the shoes everywhere, and the tracking shots of the children running.

Cost of a Soul

I thought that Cost of a Soul was an amazing movie. The acting was fantastic and the way that it was filmed made it seem more real life. The film was really good and I dont think that there needs to be any improvements.