Ghostbusters Response

Bad Bad Acting: In the commercial for Ghostbusters, the three Ghostbusters have ridiculously bad acting. The actors exaggerate the lack of acting skills of the zany scientists, making them seem completely unable to do a good commercial. One can only assume that the writers drew their inspiration from real life, as local TV is rife with these examples of horrible acting. From small car dealerships, to local hardware stores, these overly staged commercials are ever present.

Adorable Abomination: Gozer as the Stay-Puft guy is a great example of this trope, which is an example of a visual joke. The idea of the most evil threat to humanity be a giant puffy man is pure comedy. One example that I can think of is Spongebob's DoodleBob, a hand drawn Spongebob who wreaks havoc on Bikini Bottom. He is cute and looks innocent, but he can cause extreme damage. One other example could be the bunny from the animated film Hoodwinked, who turns out to be the mastermind behind everything bad going on.

Funny Background Event: As described by TVTropes, the prisoners passing by get increasingly interested in Egon's description of Gozer and Zuul. This is observable in well-known non-comedies like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, and gag-filled films like Airplane and Men in Black. A possible source for this could be Hitchcock's North by Northwest, which was created in 1959.

Erotic Dream: There's no need to go into detail on this one, other than Ray is enjoying himself with a ghost girl. This will be my "hidden grown-up gag": Because of the way the scene is shot, this joke will fly right over children's heads. They could simply imagine that Ray is seeing a peaceful ghost, yet the parents in the audience know that something a little dirtier is occurring. As for the Erotic Dream trope as a whole, Fast Times at Ridgemont High has an excellent example (Brad imagines his sister's hot friend). As for origin, The Bitter Tea of General Yen has an erotic dream, and it is from 1933.

When talking to the Mayor, the Ghostbusters interject a funny bit of comedy-
Ray: Everything was fine with our system until the power grid was shut off by Dickless here. 
Peck: They caused an explosion! 
Mayor: Is this true? 
Venkman: Yes, it's true. This man has no dick.

This little dialogue is simple wordplay, so it can't really be traced anywhere. It is representative of the creativity of film writers, and it shows the range of ways they can make a scene funny. While this relies on language, other scenes employ irony or visual gags.

Jurassic Park Response

The technique that immediately comes to mind is the close-up on the victim's face, as they realize the power of the massive animal they will face. For Jaws, this shot is perfectly portrayed in this clip from 2:00-2:04. IN Jurassic Park, this can be observed when the children realize that a T-Rex is after them. This suspense-building technique accomplishes 2 things: it leaves the audience in suspense as they can't see the beast, and it allows the audience to sympathize with the victim through pathos. By showing them wide-eyed in a close-up, Spielberg effectively portrays them as weak and scared. They tremble and are nothing compared to the animal, yet the viewer cannot yet see this terrible creature. The character of 'Cautious Expert' is established by Hooper in Jaws, and is repeated through Alan Grant in Jurassic Park. 

Jurassic Park conveys the fear of rapid development in technological and genetic fields at the time. The 90s is summarized by the .com boom, in which companies expanded and assaulted the public eye with almost-magical technologies. At the same time, people clashed over the role of human involvement in reproduction. 20 years after Roe v. Wade, abortion was still a very heated debate. To add to this, advancements in science and technology allowed modification of genetics to an unimaginable degree. Only a year later, genetically-modified food was introduced to the public. Jurassic Park presents the reality of technology going wrong. Ironically, it was human selfishness that caused the chaos of the film– both the selfishness of Hammond in creating the park, and the selfishness of the embryo thief.

Star Wars Response

Thematic elements of a space opera are: a sympathetic/relatable character (Luke Skywalker), elements of romance, elements of mysticism and mythology (the Force), elements of heroism (Skywalker blowing up the Death Star), an emphasis on drama (or even melodrama), plot elements of war and battle (Sith vs. Jedi), and an optimistic outlook and/or happy ending (Death Star destroyed).

Monomyth: a typical format in which a hero goes on an adventure, fights and wins in a crisis, and returns home to find they have changed. This image shows the stages:

I think Luke's journey is the "monomyth" of the film, as he leaves his home planet, battles for the rebels and Jedi, destroys the Death Star, and returns home very different.

The Force and technology use different means to accomplish a similar goal: control over the galaxy. The technology is highly advanced for the time, and it surpasses anything people in 1977 had seen. It is left unexplained, but people can infer that the development of technology over time could lead to these inventions. The Force differs from technology in essence- it taps into religious belief, and the power of faith, in order to be used. This is reminiscent of worldwide religious belief, in which religions demand that their followers believe without proof. It is heavily stated, through both point of view and dialogue, that the Force is the "right" choice. People who use technology are often evil, with the prime example being the Stormtroopers. People in the US were dealing with the rapid rise of technology, and at the same time, a New Conservatism which revived religious America. The two forces are represented by the Force and technology in the film.

Media Review 34: Naruto Season 1

Naruto is a Japanese anime, based on a manga which was released periodically, about young ninjas who are learning the ninja way of life. They participate in intense battles and are often pawns of greater political struggles. Netflix just ruined my productivity by adding 3 seasons. The first season is the only one I had seen before, so it was nostalgic rewatching the epic story again. Though I'm ambivalent about the animation style, I really enjoy how an emphasis is placed on striking images, and the endless range of effects which can be created. One thing hugely hinders the viewing experience, and that is the pacing. This show never hesitates to give 10 minutes of backstory. It's great, creating a huge Naruto world, but it can ruin intense situations. The show pauses right in the middle of battle to explain old rivalries. Anyway, its interesting character relationships and intense fight scenes make this show a treat to watch.

Media Review 33: Reebok Insta Pump Fury

Reebok has been really stepping up their shoe game (catch that pun?), and I really love this design. From heel to toe, it exudes futuristic style with some 'techwear' themes. The heel and toe separation makes for a unique sillhouette, and I can't help loving it due to my newfound love for Naruto's fashion. These seriously look like modern ninja shoes. As for the main upper, it is a singular pump unit, which can be inflated to fit the wearer perfectly. This high tech design is something I can really admire.

Media Review 32: Terminator 2

This film combines different elements: Fast-paced action, family issues, and an emphasis on teenage individuality. These elements have been seen before: Family issues in ET, fast-paced action in Star Wars, and teenage individuality in Back to the Future. Terminator presents a much darker vision, however, making all of these elements much less family friendly. This violent film makes the earlier films (all with serious content) look like kids movies. In terms of characters, this film relies heavily on modern archetypes (and some stereotypes) like the Badass Biker, the Dirty Cop, and the Teen Rebel. I think these fairly static characters make room for the intense plot. Overall, this film is an excellently crafted sci-fi with some great special effects.

Back To The Future Responses

1. What was the "New New Hollywood?" 

A generation of filmmakers who graduated from USC, and grew up with TV.

1. Which filmmaker came up with the concept for Back To The Future (1985) by visiting his parents' house?

Bob Gale

1. What does "turnaround" mean for a screenplay being considered for production?

Selling the film to another studio for the cost of development up to that point.

1. What was the production cost of Back To The Future (1985), and how much did it make in the first week? Was this a good or bad sign for the production and distribution companies?

It cost 19 million to produce, and made 18.48 million in 7 days. This was considered an ok sign, as a film was supposed to make back its cost of production in the 1st week.

1. What techniques did film production and distribution companies being to employ in the 80s to ensure a "blockbuster?" What were blockbusters expected to achieve in their opening weeks? What was the technique called that intended to accomplish this?

Companies launched huge advertising campaigns, making sure everyone knew about the film, and about who was behind it. Also, filmmakers included popular culture in films (like Power of Love in Back To The Future) to ensure success and notoriety. Blockbusters were supposed to make back production costs in the first week. The technique used was called front-loading.

1. Who chased Marty McFly around the parking lot before his time jump, and what did this character represent in the film? What is the trope, and how does it relate to the time this film was created? 

Libyan terrorists chased Marty around, trying to kill him. This is the "Anti-Anerican Enemy" trope, and it represents the xenophobia of the U.S. at the time, under Ronald Reagan.

1. What is the significance of the new/first television set in the dining room in 1955? Why do you think Zemeckis and Gale wrote that scene into the script?

That generation was the first to grow up with TV, and it was also the generation of the New New Hollywood filmmakers who created Back to the Future and Star Wars. I think the filmmakers wanted to reveal the heavy influence television had on their lives, and their choices in film.

1. What changed among major Hollywood studios in the 1970s that brought about the need for a new production and funding model? What was that new model? In your own words, explain in detail.

First, studios shifted towards creating single films, rather than multi-part productions. Also, many of the entertainment companies were then owned by large corporations without entertainment experience- and they demanded profit. This meant that films could not occasionally flop and make less than they costed. This caused a shift towards tried-and-true methods of making big money. The new model focused on high production value and spectacular events, and generating enough hype to sell enough tickets before the flaws in the film were discovered.

1. What company created the visual effects shots for Back To The Future (1985)?

Industrial Light & Magic

1. How was auteurism created and maintained in the "New New Hollywood," and why was it important to the filmmakers?

Auteurism was truly established by Spielberg in his efforts at his new company named Amblin. This company had its hand in a huge number of films, imprinting them with signature of their directors. In addition, studios began to include the names of the filmmakers in all of the advertising and branding of films.

The End (An Elijah DeVries Film)