Three main characters of No Country For Old Men

Sherrif -

            This is the character of Sheriff Ed Tom Bell played by Tommy Lee Jones. His character serves as the heart of No Country for old men, he portrays the typical western Sheriff with an implied compassionate nature and a respect for tradition and values. As a Sheriff he holds the law as a great importance, placing him into the default 'good guy' character archetype. This is expressed in the opening narration to the film 'I was sheriff of this county when I was twenty-five years old. Hard to believe. My grandfather was a lawman; father too.' Here Sheriff Bell provides slight context for his character, suggesting himself to be a very adept at his job due to receiving the position at a young age which suggests he's grown competent with age, something that is reflected on at the end of the play when he discusses his dreams which both revolve his father, implying he became a Sheriff due to his father's influence and is perhaps unsatisfied with the life he has lived as he hasn't had the chance to focus on his own personal aims instead of doing what was expected of him.

 He is seen wanting and trying to help the characters in the play but unlike a normal Western where he would have succeeded, in the Neo-Western he appears to fail at every attempt; to protect Llewellyn Moss, to help Carla Jean and to capture Chigurh. His troubles grow in the film until he reaches the point where despite representing the law there are certain situations beyond it. This is time lined in the form of him jumping from saving a cat from a tree to a full blown investigation into Chigurh, which despite his best efforts is unable to catch up with. This is further referenced by his name 'Bell' which suggests when 'rung'/called he cannot help but do something about it as it is not only in his job description but in his nature as the character fully embodies what it means to be a Sheriff. Yet despite all this he isn't portrayed as a threat if Chigurh had seen him as one he would have taken him out or at least attempted to) which suggests that in certain situations such as this one, evil is able to overcome good but unlike neutral which can pick and choose relevant points from both both evil and good are restricted by their alignment.

Cowboy -

This is represented by the character of Llewellyn Moss who is intended to follow the traditional hero narrative but destroys it by stealing money from drug dealers changing the course of his otherwise implied mundane life and setting in motion the events of the film. Yet unlike the majority of western hero's Llewellyn fails and his failure transcends to the people within his life and others affected by his actions. Despite this the character is presented as a good man, showing that he is the sole provider for his wife and himself as well as being a war veteran, his sniper past allows the audience to at least fantasise that he stands a chance against Chigurh but unfortunately due to his greed he ironically doesn't even get to enjoy the funds he illegally procured and ends up abandoning hiss wife in order to save said funds. The death of this character is brushed over quickly in the film, not depicting his death but revealing it in the scene after without showing the audience creating an anti-climax effect and a sense of frustration. This is potentially done to show that in death everything and everyone is rendered meaningless, characters are killed off throughout the film but audiences tend to feel emotional disconnect from this as we are not informed of background characters names, or personal details before their deaths so it is a struggle to empathise with them; by killing Llewellyn in this way it renders him in the same position as everyone who'd died before in the film which allows the audience to see it from Chigurh's POV similarly as he views deaths as just another body because on a basic level, that's all it is.

Hired Gun -

   Lastly Anton Chigurh represents all that is evil in No Country for Old Men, his very name sounding dark and foreign, unlike the other characters who mesh well with the surroundings. Chigurh exudes his evil through his shadow-like manner of dress, stoic gaze and chilling voice he is akin to a missionary of death. He has a set of rules he follows, it is not made clear the origin of these rules but when he breaks them he is shown to lose some of his supernatural aura and appear somewhat human. "There's no power in the coin, it's just you."

Casablanca Last Scene Analysis

Rebecca Nlewedim

Casablanca Last Scene Analysis

The last scene of Casablanca features the characters saying their final goodbyes in a renowned scene and imperatively key scene to the plot. It uses film form to display the cinematography, meaning and response, various context and auteur with stylistic features which is who is responsible for the film. There are also very prominent elements of classical Hollywood style.

The characters of Casablanca all represent different levels of alignment as that is a key theme throughout the film, what side are you on, seems to be a constant question within the narrative. Characters talk in 'double talk' and a type of code which clearly displays to the audience the lack of trust that is valued and portrayed by the characters in Casablanca; This is shown not only in the performance but throughout the film form as in context people are talking in code as this is a movie made during WW2, a sort of romantic war drama genre film, so people are commonly discussing senscamera,matters with innuendos and various telling nuances.

"It's the same old story/ a fight for love and glory..."

In terms cinematography the lighting is black and white so that already gives the foundation to make the film shadier and darker and the film excellently uses shadows to display the cracks and flaws in the characters as well as clue the audience in on how they're feeling.during the scene. Shadows are a great device to use as they can be so easily created in Casablanca with lamps and placement of characters within a scene which can quickly reference to the audience that everyone has a shadow so it creates an immediate connection to the characters and the objects surrounding them. The majority of Casablanca's lighting is artificial and it allows the shadows to exist by allowing them to deflect off them and express deceit and conflict.

While the lighting is used to light a scene or draw attention to a character, it can also be used to highlight the alignment of a character whether good or bad (reference photo above).  It also affects mood as it follows the traditional notion that happy joyous moments should be brightly lit and sad, upsetting ones should be dimmed or dark. Like for example the last scene which is awkwardly lit to represent the awkward goodbye that is shown on screen, the weather is very misty/foggy which perfectly reflects the air of mystery and the secluded nature of their surroundings (trapped in Casablanca/airport) as they have no here left to run there is a focus on the action (Rick shooting Major Stresser) then leaving it with Ilsa (heroine) leaving with Victor Lasslo (would-be hero) while Rick and Louis go off to join the fight. This was very typical of Old Hollywood in terms of using lighting to convey emotion but Old Hollywood films with Film Noir elements rarely end as happily as Casablanca. However it's ending could be interpreted as unfair by the audience as in modern cinema Rick would have ended up with Ilsa.

1. In terms of camera it zooms in on important character moments which was rare for a camera of that time to be able to do as it able to relatively track Major Stresser as he drives into the scene. It moves along to follow the story and highlight key points: rejection of the Vichy waster by Louis as he throws it in the water and the focus of the camera on that is a reference to him changing sides of alignment and choosing to fight for his country, a very patriotic moment. It also features a close up on Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa) who manages to deliver a beautifully emotive face with each shot which heightens the emotions of the scene. The lack of close up in the shooting scene allows an atmosphere of shock to settle in then be taken way as the Major shoots and miss allowing Rick to shoot and not only save his own life and the other characters but show the audience his readiness to defend his life. This could be interpreted as Boggart Film Noir background settling into the character and expressing his Old Hollywood background through that as Ingrid does with her beautiful heroine background.

(In A Lonely Place-1950- Film Noir: Humphrey Bogart & Gloria Grahame)

Classical Hollywood is considered to have occurred in circa 1930 - 1960 it is the idea of the origins of the Hollywood we know today and the familiar style used in cinematography within modern cinema; it shares context and influences with Casablanca but while Casablanca posses more links with modern cinema and individualistic techniques. Classical Hollywood focuses mainly around Film Noir which could perhaps be summed  up cigarettes, shadows, Bogart (main male lead in Casablanca, famous Film Noir Gangsta actor before hand), fate, guns, back and shady streets; Evidently it shows Casablanca uses a lot of these themes but is not a Film Noir film as although both are restricted historically in terms of  context to Black and White film, as colours
 had not been developed: Film Noir simply is much darker although some my argue that Casablanca has a not necessarily light-hearted ending.

Casablanca is an excellent example of film as it wasn't meant to be a blockbuster film that year but due to the machine that was the studio system allowed a good film to break through the cracks of this well oiled process; with use of carefully placed props and instructed directing that turned it into the masterpiece it is today without that even having to be the intended purpose making clear example of brilliant film.

Soft vs Wasp

WASP

SOFT

Soft and Wasp are two British short films, each famous in their own right with their particular micro-features, camera angles and themes. While both films have family related context they carry different genres and other connotations; Soft having more of a drama genre and Wasp being more or a sort of romantic indie drama mix, both involving what could be thought of as adult themes in Soft (violence/abuse, class issues) and Wasp, (love/lust, child neglect, class issues) .

Soft for example uses the male stereotype that they're not allowed to be feminine and they're refusing to admit their fear as a weakness instead of the expected action it's usually displayed s within film, this allows his son to take on the mantle of man of the house as he figuratively steps up and defends his home after repeatedly asking his father if he was scared; a clear sign of him not only mocking him but showing the audience he's already recognised his fathers fear and will overcome it. It's as if it shows the typical transition of boy to man without even having o detail it in the script, simply by performance alone which is best acted by Micheal Socha (Misfits-E4) who plays the thug. He clearly displays how abuse can affect even those who appear to be the most well put together.

In contrast to Wasp which details a struggling lower class family with a mother who clearly isn't coping but evidently does love her children, it brings up the social issue of having children too young and questions what it means to be a good mother. Her youth is stated but shown in her performance as she speaks to her children as if they were friends not the more disciplined maternal relationship that is socially thought of as acceptable. The mother seeks out a father figure and provider for her children as well as romance for herself but the film has a sort of karma aspect as she tries to hide her children from her date only for him to discover then in an embarrassing situation. However despite this and over dark aspects of the film, it has a relatively optimistic ending with the mother and her kids leaving with her date after he buys them chips; a previous desire stated by the children earlier on in the play which is meant to be a metaphor for him making their dreams come to true, further relating to the optimistic ending as this further highlights this theme t audiences, leaving the film on a nice note. 

Analysing their camera angles; Soft begins with a fight with what appears to be a low quality phone camera on a distorted angle, cluing the audience in that it is most likely another teenager they're currently using the POV of to view the scene. This use of mise en scene carries on and switches to a suburban road from a birds eye view POV on what appears to be a fairly normal English day, or at least his is what is portrayed to the audience, from the change in camera and mood it is a clear indicator that not only has the POV matured there has a been an increase in wealth as the camera quality has improved; suggesting a lower class/upper class divide. This is all followed by birds chirping in the background of the film without any being visible which creates an immediate feel of suspense. This suspenseful feel isn't resolved until the car alarm in the film starts ringing, turning the mood frightful and frantic as the characters struggle with their conclusion this is relayed back to the audience with this sound effect.

Wasp opens with a sort of shaky cam effect symbolising the mothers instability with her life and her family situation, this is also further exaggerated as the opening scene is a fight between two struggling families over what seems like  completely ridiculous argument is actually a fairly accurate representation of reality. They grey bleak lighting from when they enter their home shows that they're not truly happy in their environment. Grey is a brilliant colour too use as not full being black it doesn't represent darkness but just one of the bleaker stages of life.

Both films display family from different points but both are ultimately about the overall care of children, how we treat them and the affects parents share on their lives with their children's. It questions the basis on whether or not a good parent or the right parent is an achievable goal and ultimately both decide it's not as perfection is not attainable so they highlight the key flaws in human nature so we can recognise them within.

Film Review: Mulan

Rebecca Nlewedim
A-level Film Studies

Film Review: Mulan

Recently I watched the Disney classic Mulan, it tells the story of a young girl in Ancient China who goes on a journey of self-discovery who ends up filming herself and saving her country in the process.

Mulan herself is an inspiring character who is set out to be a role model, (as many Disney characters are) but her character differs greatly from other Disney 'princesses' before her. This is done by creating a character that doesn't necessarily fit into the repeated stereotypical feminine archetype; mocked in the film when she is forced into a coming of age sequence to prepare her to be a bride and the character fails horrifically as she doesn't fit into that role. By putting the character into a masculine role it allows the character and the film studio to make a point of breaking down gender stereotypes, and creating a potential generation of film watchers and children that are able to be influenced by this decision and allow them to put these good values and morals forward. This is a deliberate move done by film makers to encourage parents to take their children to watch these films as if they believe it has a good message they will want it to inspire their children which also helps boost the films likability.

The other supporting characters strive to help Mulan on her goal; this includes several animal companions and a group of misfit humans who are generally there to serve as comic-relief. The character Mushu is the next most prominent side character, voiced by Eddie Murphy he adds the humour element to the film all on his own, delivering some of the most memorable lines and often the most humorous as well. The group of misfit humans fit into usual stereotypes as the overweight one, the tough one and the 'funny' one; each of them all on the lowering levels of intelligence. This is done to showcase the more prominent characters and make their decisions seem the slightest bit smarter as the characters around them aren't seemingly intelligent enough to come up with their own individual plans but always help out in the end and in turn the main character ends up helping them achieve their goals as well.

Mulan's journey also takes her to the Chinese Imperial Army in which she then decides to take it upon herself to assume her father's role in the army, completely going against the law and the female social conventions at the time it would have been completely unheard of and in a realistic case it would have cost her life; yet the film allows her to live only to show that even if exaggerated because the film itself appears feminist in nature and from the way it's characters behave, it's based off a real Chinese legend so it reflects it's source material. 

Which Mulan herself is a progressive character she is still confined by Disney's already binary definition of feminism as it reinforces masculine stereotypes throughout the films duration, from the song: I'll make a man out of you'- which reinforces gender stereotypes by encouraging Mulan to bring the 'man' out of her. The film essentially decides Mulan needs to be masculine to be strong. It doesn't show appreciation for femininity or being feminine and classifies it as weak when paralleled to how they portray masculinity. 

In conclusion, the topic of feminism isn't entirely central to the film although it is key, it is generally a family friendly film meant to watched with some thought but not too much in depth analysis as it can't be held to the same standards as one initially set out to challenge this message so it successfully fills its quota as a brilliant family friendly film but doesn't truly define feminism.

Get Off My Land - Ralph Comparison

Film Studies A level

Rebecca Nlewedim

Get Off My Land - Ralph Comparison

'Get Off My Land' and 'Ralph' are both two short films with varying themes. GOML and Ralph reflect themes of isolation and strained/complicated relationships with their partners. Ralph portrays this in a variety of different ways, one of which being the camera angles; this allowed the film to portray Ralph seemingly completely on his own throughout the opening sequence of the film, although we can see multiple background characters their faces are blurred out and not very clear. This and his wardrobe. (Very bright and very stereotypically British) emphasises to the audience his clear divide from everyone else surrounding him.

In contrast to this GOML reflects isolation in it's surroundings and interactions between its characters. By presenting the characters in an open field it already sets the tone of emptiness as the characters navigate their surroundings, this is a deliberate effect done to show the audience that even though there are two initial starting characters these characters themselves are very different in mindset and choice of action. This is made clearer when the character costumes are examined; The male is dressed in a way that isn't practical in terms of their hiking and the actor expresses this by showing irritation and constantly dusting down his clothing, these nuances are what make up a film.

Ralph shows the complex relationships in it's film in the form of a love-triangle, a popular form in film of showing the desires of various different characters and how well they connect or don't connect with other characters. Ralph also uses the nuances between characters to express emotion without the use of dialogue; this is used when the titular character Ralph is conversing with the French girl as he describes his relationship with the girl he'd initially come to Paris to meet. She smirks and the conversation dissolves into giggles, this nuance is placed to show the audience that he has now realised he misunderstood his relationship with the girl he was meant to meet and it's not as it seems to be, something that was made clear to the audience earlier on in the film but this is the moment when the character himself comes to the realisation.

In conclusion GOML and Ralph share many similarities in terms of their themes and use of camera angle for effect, while Ralph puts more stress on it's theme of isolation the relationship angle of GOML is one that isn't actually spoken about in the film but evidently obvious.