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Midlife Crisis, 2008.
This paper discusses S. Coppola's Film, 'Lost in Translation', and Daniel J. Levinson's ideas on midlife adulthood.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that Sophia Coppola's Oscar-winning film 'Lost in Translation' (2003) features themes of life stages and transitions that have been popular in mainly American psychological theory of the post-World War II decades. The writer then discusses the film as it relates to themes of mid-life adjustment and crisis. The writer also notes that Daniel J. Levinson's orientation towards life expectations was modernist, post-World War II and American, too and looks at midlife difficulties and new orientations according to Daniel J. Levinson.
The writer maintains that stage or transition theories in psychology have been brought into question, beyond matters of differences in men and women. The writer further points out that what is known popularly as a midlife crisis is seen as an event of predictable modernist life expectations that have given way of postmodern alterations.
Outline:
Introduction
Daniel J. Levinson and Adult Development
"Lost in Translation" and Transitions
Concluding Note
From the Paper
"The idea of midlife difficulties and new orientations was certainly popular among sophisticated urbanites of North America or Western Europe by the early 1960s, as in Elliot Jaques article, stressing the necessary production of a 'new' person at midlife through proper processing of where one had been and new realities. As stage theorists of the same day tended to insist, human development meant getting through stage achievements, the adjustment not made successfully, then experiencing unwanted symptoms of decline in despondency, chronic unhappiness, alcoholism or isolation. More recently, there seems a sort of theoretical compromise. For example, Heckhausen's discussion of physiological changes and life events at midlife refers to a set of adjustments that North Americans have now long been expected to encounter, in process models that indicate eventual adjustment and considerable 'resilience', a term seen to replace 1980s and 1990s ideas of human vulnerability. Levinson's generation stressed the midlife crisis as something that might be most difficult, radical and life transforming, many individuals not prepared for its arrival. One now sees a more tentative approach as in Heckhausen's article on expecting an eventual adjustment of some kind that will be managed by the individual, a stronger notion of the person who is aware of what he or she negotiates perhaps without significant emotional suffering or upheaval."
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"Fight Club", 2008.
An analysis of the writing, photography, acting, editing and ideology of the film, "Fight club," directed by David Fincher.
1,421 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the film, "Fight Club," directed by David Fincher. It discusses five key thematic elements of "Fight Club" and how the movie succeeds or fails at each. Specifically, the paper looks at the film's writing, photography, acting, editing and the ideology of the film. The paper provides examples from the film in order to elaborate on these points.
From the Paper
"Just as the writing of the movie is challenging, so is the photography. It is a dark movie, and occurs often at night. As Tyler is a night owl by nature, and he is the one who sets the tone of the film, much of the movie is dark. However, that is not the only reason why the film is dark. It is dark largely because the movie is intended to be subversive. By nature, subversion works to undermine the status quo, and thus operates on the dark edges of society. Therefore, rather than taking place in an IKEA filled apartment, it largely happens in an abandoned house. (The IKEA apartment blew up early on in the film.) This darkness permeates the film. The fight scenes are shot in a dirty and (of course) dark basement of a bar. There is nothing polished about the way that the movie looks. It is rough and dirty, and the photography reflects that. The use of photography to emphasize these things draws the viewers further in to the film. They become sucked in, and are drawn in to the internal world of the narrator and Tyler. This world is full of new things, but it is also a world that is the underbelly of society. Thus, the darkness is compelling."
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Science Fiction Dystopia, 2008.
A review of two films, "Punishment Park" directed by Peter Watkins and "Demolition Man" directed by Marco Brambilla and a comparison of their themes with Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World."
3,977 words (approx. 15.9 pages), 11 sources, MLA, $ 108.95
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Abstract
This essay considers two science fiction films that have referred back to Aldous Huxley's chilling novel, "Brave New World", written in 1932. The two films discussed are "Punishment Park", directed by Peter Watkins and released in 1971, and "Demolition Man", directed by Marco Brambilla and released in 1993. This essay compares and contrasts the themes, narratives, characterization, setting and plot of these three works and, in the process, reaches some conclusions about what elements are necessary to create a believable and useful dystopia.
From the Paper
"Thus, we see that Huxley's Brave New World most definitely belongs in the genre of science fiction, and indeed is the subtlest form of science fiction, in that Huxley plainly used it as a medium for social comment. The novel deals with a range of key social and political themes, including the possibility that we will be dehumanized by scientific progress (by for example automating natural human processes like reproduction); the implicit dangers of mass production (for example that it will generate a overwhelming need for a consumerist society); and the possibility that we could end up in a totalitarian dictatorship (which would be propped up by extreme methods of socialization, such as Pavlovian conditioning). As will be dealt with further below, Huxley was on the money with several of these key themes (Huxley)."
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Bad Women, Spies and Vamps, 2008.
A proposal for an early cinema series for Cinematheque Ontario whose theme would appeal both to those interested in early cinema as well as those interested in gender issues and feminism.
2,387 words (approx. 9.5 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 73.95
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Abstract
In this article, the author explains that, if asked to program an early cinema series for Cinematheque Ontario, the them she would choose for the program would be "Bad Women, Spies and Vamps: Female Gender Transgression in Early Cinema." The author then goes on to explain why she thinks this theme is appropriate for this cinema and then identifies a number of films to be screened in the program, as well as some issues and information that would be included in the pamphlets accompanying the films.
Outline:
Introduction
Bad Women and New Women: Traffic in Souls
She Spies, Shoots and Saves: Serial Queens of the Early Cinema
Pearl of the Army
The Perils of Pauline
The Early Cinema Femme Fatale: Les Vampires
Conclusion
From the Paper
"One of the interesting features of these films is that their narratives are often dominated by the dynamic tension between two figures: the Bad Woman and the New Woman. It should be recalled that this was a period when the traditional gender norms were under assault; most notably in the form of the Suffragette movement in the United States and Great Britain where women were protesting for the right to vote. As a result, there was a great deal of uncertainty as to what were the proper gender roles for women in this changing society. In this environment, reformers were at pains to distinguish between the New Woman - who was demanding unprecedented rights and privileges - and traditional Bad Woman who violated gender norms for different purposes. The issue of moral regulation was a central concern in this debate, as is illustrated in the words of one reformist text from 1913 .. "
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Semiotics in Science Fiction Films, 2008.
An analysis of visual semiotics and popular culture in modern science fiction films.
2,277 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 70.95
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Abstract
This paper explores science fiction films. It particularly discusses semiotics and how it expands our understanding of popular culture and visual signs in our mass media culture. The paper argues that modern cinematic technologies allow directors an unprecedented capability to shape the visual cinematic codes and iconography of their works and thereby multiply the levels of signification upon which their films operate.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Cinema of the Mind's Eye
Special Effects and the Post-modern
Conclusion
From the Paper
"In this regard, the assertion that "films are metaphorical mirrors of life" (Danesi 88) is placed under significant pressure as the "real-life activities" (Danesi 88) that are represented in the science fiction film increasingly bear no connection at all to real-life as we understand it in the modern world. In particular, with the advent of digital technologies, entire cinematic environments can be created in which - while the characters are still recognizably human and have human concerns - the visual signification is alien to anything in our existence. In this way, science fiction films can be seen as visual signs of postmodernity, simulating a reality so perfect that it is indistinguishable from our own and yet, at the same time, utterly alien, that it calls into question our understanding of reality itself."
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Mass Media and Semiotics, 2008.
A discussion of semiotics and consumption in the age of mass media.
2,199 words (approx. 8.8 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 68.95
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Abstract
This paper essay examines how the study of the sign and semiotic theory may be applied to mass media texts and, in particular, to television. The paper argues that, while there exist two distinct textual forms in television media - advertising and programming - a semiotic analysis reveals the ways in which these forms structurally reinforce each other in creating a semiotics of consumption for the mass media audience. The paper explains that the particular signs, signifiers and referents may change over time as television mythologies evolve, but a constant through this entire evolutionary process has been the "language of consumption". The paper looks at how semiotics allows us to understand how the medium of television operates in our collective consciousness.
Outline;
Introduction
The Sign and its Field of Study
Television and Semiotics
Television and the Culture of Consumption
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Given the prominence of mass media in our society, it is perhaps not surprising that semiotics should have focused considerable attention upon the most dominant of these media: television. The field of media semiotics, as pioneered by French semiotician Roland Barthes, has focused particular attention upon the production of meaning in the area of pop culture in which television assumes obvious prominence (Danesi 240). Barthes argues that the "semiotic method" takes the form of two investigative processes:
- the study of the historical (and thus highly connotative) origin of meaning systems;
- unraveling the nature of signification in human activities, whether it manifests itself as a word, a novel, a TV program, or some other human artifact."
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Invasion and Colonialism in Science Fiction, 2008.
A discussion of invasion and colonialism themes in science fiction.
1,565 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the theme of invasion in science fiction and how it is, in fact, a colonial topic. The paper also takes a look at related themes such as infestation and infection. It draws upon famous film examples such as "Robocop", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", and "Alien" to illustrate the symbolic significance of the invader's appearance and what it represents. To conclude, the paper asserts that battles against slick and slimy science-fiction monsters and bad guys reflect the West's battle against outside religious extremists.
From the Paper
"Invasions taking over the mind or body, in an offensively intimate way, are all part of the colonial horror. We are beguiled by a slick oppressor. Memorable science fiction films hone in on this theme of the intruder's allure. A storm trooper is as glossy as a Nazi soldier's boots. There is a brutal anonymity to their sheen, which makes viewers feel dishevelled yet intrigued with what lies beneath. On the other hand, the monster in Alien is covered in slick ooze (Pickover 99). The monster resembles a malignant organ. Ridley Scott's monster is like the lost part of our civilized psyche's missing mojo, and we almost want to stuff it back in, though the monster's only goal is to destroy (Mulhall 47). It is like an AIDS virus: death within temptation. In my opinion, this connection between bodily fascination and death has helped keep the Alien franchise lucrative."
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Imamura's "The Pornographers" and Japanese Culture, 2008.
A review of the psyche of the protagonist in Shohei Imamura's film, "The Pornographers."
1,710 words (approx. 6.8 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 55.95
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Abstract
This paper examines Shohei Imamura's most well-known film outside of Japan, the 1966 film, "The Pornographers." It views the film from the perspective of a series of interlocking journeys through the psyche of the protagonist. The paper suggests that the journey that Imamura's protagonist takes through this often nonlinear narrative structure is what makes the story so compelling, both as a film and as an example of Japanese culture in the middle of the 20th century.
From the Paper
"The closure to Ogata's long and oftentimes nonlinear psychic journey comes when Ogata makes a life-sized "sex doll," at the cost of great time and effort, in a vain hope to cure his (no doubt psychologically-induced) impotence. This is a powerful image in the film, and shows as well as anything else the transformation of the character's inner obsession into outer, material manifestations. On the surface, it seems that Ogata has reached his final destination: in leaving the real world with real women, he continues to suffer from flashbacks and his lifelong isolation and masochistic traumas seem no closer to resolution. Yet he continues to manipulate his appetite for sex, as if Imamura were using Ogata to make the statement that such primal appetites are in fact fundamental and unavoidable. As he drifts out to sea in his boat, the audience must sense a new and final journey has begun."
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Film: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", 2008.
A look at how the film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" conforms to traditional attachment theory and is in fact a graphical illustration of that theory.
2,480 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 6 sources, APA, $ 75.95
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Abstract
In a discussion and analysis of the film, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", this paper explains that this film depicts the human being as a web of emotional attachment that is unconsciously tied back to the parents and interlinked in very complex ways to external objects as well as to multiple areas of the brain. The paper then goes on to examine how "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" not only conforms to attachment theory but combines that theory with cognitive-motivational structure theory.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Rationale for the Film
The Process of Erasing Attachment
Attachment Theory and the Main Characters
Two Patterns of Attachment Theory
Communication Style
Care-seeking at the Infantile Level
Conclusion
From the Paper
"According to Wampler and Riggs (2004), the techniques of the two individuals in seeking comfort and security from one another in their relationship often are similar. This is because they can switch roles. Research indicates that the majority of partners will assume both roles and move back and forth between the roles of support and comfort-seeking during any problem-solving discussion. Clementine is quite aggressive and is the one who suggests having a drink and spending the night at Joel's place. More importantly, she knows hoe to attack his defenses. She describes him as close-mouthed and herself as constantly anxious."
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"28 Days", 2008.
A film review of Betty Thomas' film "28 Days".
725 words (approx. 2.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper is a critical review of Betty Thomas' movie "28 Days", starring Sandra Bullock as the protagonist, Gwen. The movie tells the story of Gwen's struggle with accepting and overcoming an addiction. The paper comments that the movie seems to follow, in a relatively textbook manner, the road from living an addiction to establishing a new and strong, sober life. The paper maintains that the movie is successful in covering the process of coming to sobriety. Also, despite the textbook nature of the movie, the paper admits that the film provides interesting insight into the process of rehabilitation. The paper concludes by recommending that the reader see the movie.
From the Paper
"Gwen's return to her old life in New York is a time of re-evaluation for her. She meets with her boyfriend and realizes that they are no longer working out together. He won't stop talking, and keeps trying to tell her good stories. Gwen says, "I'm tired of stories. I've got enough stories to tell." This is critical, for it shows that rather than continue to live the lifestyle that she has in the past, she is choosing to live a new one. This symbolically is reflected in her ability to get the horse to raise its foot. Before, while she was in rehab, she could not get it to happen, no matter how hard she tried. Now, after coming to a deeper place of peace, is able to do it. At last, after all the pain, her internal thoughts match her external actions. It is with this knowledge that she is able to tell her boyfriend goodbye, and walk away into a new life. She, in this action, does not secure her future, but rather makes one more step forward in the recovery process."
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