Representing the Real Documentary Films:
Chapter 8: (pgs. 270-299)
"Broadly speaking, a documentary film is a visual and auditory representation of the presumed facts, real experiences, and actual events of the world (pg. 272)."
Compared to the glitz and glamour of "Hollywood" movies, documentary films help to shine a light on unseen truths and they pull back the curtains on the unpleasant realities of the human condition. Cable television has had a really positive impact on documentary film making. Since, through cable TV, million of viewers can be reached at once, channels like The Discovery Channel, The History Channel, and Animal Planet are extremely popular with their viewing audiences. Also, public television has been a real champion of high-quality documentary films. If you can think of a topic, there has been a documentary made about it. From the history of baseball in America to war, famine, and diseases throughout the world.
"For centuries, documentary cinema was anticipated by oral practices such as maps, photographs, and paintings; musical practices such as folk songs and symphonies; and written practices such as letters, diaries, poems, scientific treatises, and newspaper reports (pg. 274)."
Prior to documentary films, people would get their information orally through speeches, sermons, and academic lectures. Also, knowledge was gained through pictures, paintings, drawings, maps, and charts. Music has historically been a way to convey information as well. For example, oral history was passed down through chants and folk songs. Any written document, such as, a letter, newspaper article or even a public record has and still is used as supporting evidence when developing a time line for historical accuracy.
"Even more than narrative cinema, documentary cinema, documentary films emphasize meaning and often make their appeal to audiences explicit. Although moviegoers have always been attracted to a films entertainment value, from as early as the 1890's, audiences have also appreciated the cultural and educational values of non-fiction movies (pg. 288)."
The documentary Restrepo (2010), gives a first-hand narrative account of a group of young men deployed to the mountains of Afghanistan. These soldiers were expected to fight an enemy that they could barely see. Their goal was to help the local people build a road through the mountains. To do this, they needed to keep the enemy at bay by pushing them further back into the mountains. Progress was excruciatingly slow. Especially since some of the locals were helping the enemy. They had to put up with terrible living conditions, the constant attacks through enemy fire, and eventually the stark reality of losing friends and fellow soldiers.
This documentary allowed the viewer to see what these brave young men had to endure. Even though some times they did not understand why they were there or what purpose they were really serving, after losing some of their friends, they fought hard to capture a strong hold at the top of the mountain ridge. They named the post "Restrepo" in honor of one of their fallen comrades. Because the enemy did not regain control of this post while they were there, this allowed the soldiers to leave at the end of their deployment with their heads held high knowing that what they did meant something and that all of their effort was not waisted. They knew their friend Restrepo would have been proud.
This documentary was not only informative, but disturbing and heart wrenching at the same time. Especially when you heard the first-hand accounts told by the soldiers themselves. As they talked about their experiences about what they saw and felt while fighting on that mountain in Afghanistan, knowing that they will never be able to forget, nor do they want to forget, what they experienced and had lived through. Also, knowing that they were not in it alone and that, ultimately, they were a team, helped them get through it together.
http://restrepothemovie.com/
New Directions in Film:
Chapter 13: (pgs 495-505)
"Instead of defining culture as great works produced by transcendent artists and appreciated by knowledgeable patrons, cultural studies uses an anthropological definition; culture as a way of life, including social structures and habits (pg. 495)."
Movies have become part of the American culture. Studying the effects of film on social, cultural, and educational subjects, within particular groups at specific times, through stories being told by actors has resulted in the creation of film classes, like this one, in colleges all across the country. Many students that take this type of class will decide to go on to other colleges to study film. The education they receive will prepare them for many different jobs within the film-making industry. In this class, we were fortunate to be able to view quality examples of student films.
Movies have become part of the American culture. Studying the effects of film on social, cultural, and educational subjects, within particular groups at specific times, through stories being told by actors has resulted in the creation of film classes, like this one, in colleges all across the country. Many students that take this type of class will decide to go on to other colleges to study film. The education they receive will prepare them for many different jobs within the film-making industry. In this class, we were fortunate to be able to view quality examples of student films.
"One kind of research we might undertake to examine the contributions of stars' image to films involves looking at fan magazines, a type of publication that emerged early in the twentieth century (pg. 499)."
If you look at any tabloid magazine today, you will see images of young celebrities that have fallen prey to the fame that was thrust upon them before they were mature enough to handle it. Lindsey Lohan is a perfect example of this unfortunate set of circumstances where many young actors and actresses find themselves. They say that "no publicity is bad publicity," but that is not always the case. Unfortunately, in Hollywood, bad behavior is rewarded. Our children look up to these celebrities, who are not and should not be considered role models.
"Because social out-groups are often denied access to the creation of representations that reflect their lives, members of such groups may find meaning and creativity in their own kind of consumption of popular forms (pg. 497)."
Different groups in society may feel out of place and feel like they do not fit in to main stream society. For example, gay and lesbian audiences do not identify with movies that deal strictly with heterosexual story lines. They will seek out films that better represent their beliefs, lifestyle, and sexual orientation. Often gay roles will use stereotypes and the gay and lesbian community, who find this offensive, will avoid films with their lack of accurate representation. In the movie, Silence of the Lambs (1991), there was a public outcry because of the stereotyping of the murderer in that story. The gay community was outraged and offended.
Works Cited
Home — RESTREPO — A Film by Sebastian Junger & Tim Hetherington. Web. 02 Apr. 2011. http://restrepothemovie.com/.
"The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - IMDb." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. 02 Apr. 2011. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102926/>.
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