Connecting 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' to Classical Literature

[Alternate title: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid except it’s circa 400 BCE and in the Mediterranean]

Though the two genres might appear to be worlds away, westerns and classical literature share a lot in common. The standard conventions of the western genre borrow heavily from the structures and themes of Greco-Roman writing. Though many writing and drama conventions can be traced back to classical antiquity, westerns echo and amplify them in a notable way. Both genres place emphasis on antiheroes and tragic heroes wandering through civilization while escaping their destinies. Both feature themes like community versus individual and nature versus civilization. This can easily be observed in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which in itself, is both a western and an analysis of westerns.

The most important connection between the two classifications is their function. In ancient Greece and Rome, literature and drama reflected their mythology and beliefs. Not only that, but they expanded on them. Virgil’s The Aeneid, for instance, literally develops new myths and “history.” Aeneas, a Trojan hero, becomes the father of the Roman people. However, prior to The Aeneid, Aeneas had no documented connection with Rome. This serves to create a mythology around Rome. It is propaganda. It validates and justifies their culture and behavior, in addition to romanticizing their heritage. Westerns operate in the same way. Films of the genre build and reinforce the myth of American expansion. They cement the United States as a strong power with an important history. They emphasize vital cultural features, like that of innovation and capitalism, or the American dream. Butch Cassidy represents this in the fullest; he is constantly seeking new ways to get rich, and fast. He steals the idea to rob the train on both the departure and return. He even cites western expansion as inspiration and justification behind his plans to make money in Bolivia. In doing so, he validates American ideals. Furthermore, as outlaws, he and Sundance work as a metaphor for America’s consistent tension with authority. The country was only created as a result of the resistance against British control. A century later, the South attempted to secede, resisting against control once more. Even today, incidents like the January 6, 2021 mirror the American mythology of countering authority. Westerns illustrate this dynamic, just like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, by focusing on outlaws and their adventures.

Westerns and classical literature also display similar structure and organization, especially Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The film echoes Greco-Roman writing in character development, themes, and literary devices. Both genres prominently feature anti-heroes and tragic heroes. In the movie, the two main characters are thieving outlaws, who eventually cause their own deaths. In major classical works, like Oedipus Rex, the audience observes as the main characters make foolish and immoral decisions that ultimately lead to their downfall. This character type is often used to explore another shared aspect: the theme of destiny. In Oedipus Rex, characters repeatedly revolt against their destiny. Oedipus tried to escape his destiny, which is to murder his father and sleep with his mother, only to find his attempts directly cause him to fulfill it. Similarly, Butch and Sundance bring about their own downfall in their mission to evade it. They are warned their time is coming to an end; their deaths are clearly imminent. Infamous for their crimes, the pair discover they are being hunted. Being caught means death. In order to avoid this outcome, Butch and Sundance run away to Bolivia. They clean up their act, thinking they can remake their destiny. However, in trying to remain good and innocent, they are forced to turn to crime again. This time, they are caught, not by their former pursuers, but by a Bolivian boy who alerts the authorities. They are surrounded, injured, and overpowered. In the end, by deciding to escape by becoming “good” in Bolivia, they caused their own downfalls.

Furthermore, a critical trait of Greco-Roman drama is irony. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid not only presents a heavy dose of irony, but also employs it in the same way as classical literature. Dramatic irony is used to underscore the tragic hero arc. In Oedipus Rex, for instance, Oedipus proudly proclaims he shall exile the man who killed his father, unknowing that it was, in fact, him. He also mocks a blind prophet, unaware that he, too, will become blind as a punishment. In the final scene of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Butch and Sundance foolishly believe they will be able to escape the Bolivian police. Hidden from their sight, the authorities continue to surround them in overwhelming numbers, all while Butch and Sundance discuss their plans for the future. The audience knows they will not survive, making the moment ironic. The use of dramatic irony furthers their arc as tragic heroes defying destiny. It demonstrates their destiny to be inevitable, just as it does in Oedipus Rex.

In the end, there are a myriad of connections between westerns and classical literature, including many unmentioned. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid proves to be an excellent study of the similarities, mimicking antiquital structure, themes, and devices. Butch Cassidy, and westerns as a whole, are so significant as they maintain a timelessness in their structure and purpose. They illustrate the connection society preserves with the past.

Film Lit Log #2

When watching The Royal Tenenbaums, the majority of the songs stuck out to me. They were sweet hymns that matched perfectly with the setting that was currently playing. After I had finished watching the movie, I actually looked up the soundtrack so I could add some of these songs to my playlist. I found them very fitting and I believe this is part of the reason why I loved this movie so much. Soundtrack is so important when creating a film. Not only the lyrics need to resonate with the viewers but also the tune and melody. If you think about it, a film with no music would be quite boring. Music helps move along the scenes and also can help the viewers connect to the film. I find it quite difficult to pair songs to a specific scene because all scenes are so unique and they must stick to a proper theme. The Royal Tenenbaums have a light-hearted, warm tone that goes along well with the soundtrack that was used. I believe that a few of my ideas go well with my interpretation of this film. A Day In The Life by the Beatles was something I instantly thought of when looking at this movie. Not only the album cover speaks Tenenbaum but the upbeat melody of guitar and piano really stuck out to me. This movie is about family and the upside downs of the difficult relationships within a family setting. This song has a lot going on at once, similar to the family dynamic. The events in this film are confusing and at times emotional. This song stuck out to me because it is going through the day in the life of someone in a chaotic manner. The few scenes where Margot falls in love with Richie makes me think of a complicated love song. Because that is exactly what that is, a complicated relationship. When I think about these characters I find warmth and happiness in their relationship. Although it is strange, Wes Anderson seems to still make it beautiful. And that is why I thought of the song Can’t Get it Out Of My Head by Electric Light Orchestra. This song was made in the 70’s and this movie takes me to a place somewhere in that time. The style that Margot wears is chic and expressive. It resembles something of the 70’s. “Searching for her silver light, and I can’t get it out of my head…” These lyrics remind me of Richie when he is going through a depressive episode searching for the one person that loves him. As he tries to commit suicide, the director plays an almost cheerful tone while this is going on. It reminds me of this song, bitter but hopeful, almost like Richie and Margot’s relationship. Another Beatles classic reminds me greatly of this film. Strawberry Fields Forever comes to my mind when I think about the Royal Tenenbaums. Something about the relaxation of the song that almost seems like it’s slowed down. I believe it would fit perfectly within this film because there are moments where it seems as though the world stops moving. Margot is in a rut with her relationship, Royal has become poor, Chas relives the moments with his late wife, and Richie seems upset with his current situation. Although this song is not necessarily depressing, it takes the tone down a few notches and gives you time to think and ponder the relationship of this strange family. As we take a look at the depressing side of this family, another song that draws me in is Colour My World By Chicago. This slow flute that plays in between the chorus really reminds me of the way in which these children were living their life after they became adults. Although they had a pretty reliable childhood, things seemed to change for the worse when reality hit them. This song seems to fit right in with this soundtrack because once again it is from the 70’s, much of which this movie reminds me of. Colour My World feels as though he is longing for something, or someone, a lot like most of the movie. Although much of this movie does have recurring themes of grief and loss, there is a cheerfulness that comes along with it. The Royal Tenenbaums does celebrate a happy ending. Dust In The Wind by Kansas seems to bring some kind of ending to this twisted story. When the movie ends, I can still imagine what happens, and if that is possible, that means the movie is good. I believe that this song also has a sort of “ending” to it. Something that says, this movie is over, but the story is everlasting.

Lit log

Rear window is a great title for the movie and as a viewer or an outsider you are able to kind of get an idea of what the film would be about just by hearing the title and looking at the film cover art. But if I was given the ability to alter this movie and its title I would go with something a little more suspenseful and less obvious with that being said I would name it “My Point of view”. When it comes down to advertising I would probably give as least amount of information about the film as possible while still being able to take a slight guess about what the movie would be about. I feel like back then a lot of movies followed the same sequence and were very predictable. As a viewer I feel like I would much rather going into a movie saying “yo i dont know whats about to happen in this movie but i feel like its going to be good” instead of me walking into a movie saying “ yo this is probably going to happen but how did the director make it interesting”. The hardest part about it though is being able to find a balance as much as you want to keep the viewers guessing and assuming you also can’t have them clueless. Viewers should be able to at least know the genre and what kind of film it will be because all films are for a different audience. Cant have somebody assuming its a love story then it be action , or you cant have somebody thinking it a drama but then it’s about superheroes, it’s all about balance. I also feel like the cover art for any movie or production is just as important if not more important than the title. And like I said I’d rather have my viewers guessing and the easiest way to do that with the cover art is give them something that they could take 100 different meanings out of. At first glimpse you look at it and see oh this about to happen, then look at it again and say “ but this can happen”. Great advertisement to me is keeping everyone on their toes and you have to find a way to be able to do that through a title and a Image and that’s exactly what I tried to do with my cover art and title, hopefully you enjoy.

In my picture i tried to draw someone lookin out into their environment and see that same exact image but from one point of view you see a reallt good side of everyone and the neighborhood and from another point of view you see a sad miserable neighborhood. But sadly my drawing skills are pretty bad

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Film Lit Log #1: Bigger Connections - Rear Window

The film “Rear Window” was released on August 4, 1964, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It’s a story about an injured leg photographer who had to sit in a wheelchair while healing and believes that he witnessed a murder crime from his apartment. Throughout the storylines in the movie there are a couple of interesting points that I think can be connected to the real world. This includes the actions that Jeff, the main character, takes. The way he approaches watching his suspicious neighbor is questionably legal. Even though Jeff’s behavior paid off and the neighbor was arrested, the steps he made to get to that point may not have been morally correct.

First off, Jeff was bored of having to stay in the apartment until he recovers. One day he found that he could see the apartments across from him and he started to watch and look across the apartment every day as his daily routine during his recovery. There’s Miss Lonelyheart, Miss Totes, the newly married couple, songwriter, and Lars Thorwald and his wife. Everyone seems to have some things to do in the apartment that kind of connect with their jobs and seems like they have some troubles in the beginning. Lars Thorwald is a salesman, he lives with his wife across from Jeff. His wife usually just stays in bed and eats in bed. One day Jeff suddenly realizes that he hasn’t seen Mrs. Thorwald for a long time and starts to look deeper at Lars Thorwald’s apartment. Jeff had kept watching Lars Thorwald’s actions and even want to go in and search for evidence to support his thought. The actions Jeff takes leads me to think that in the real world is it legal to watch people from your house all day every day? In my opinion, if you watch or see something of other people on the street from your house then, of course, it’s legal. As well as if you watch it or accidentally see it then it’s also legal. In Jeff’s case the actions he takes, it goes a bit too far, from watching it a couple of times a day to all day even at night time. Then, I think it’s illegal in real society because it eroded the privacy of others. In the movie, it’s legal that he even get his neighbor arrested and had evidence and everything right for it which is questionable and makes this connection interesting.

Continuing on it also makes me wonder, where does it stop being just watching and becomes stalking? In Jeff’s case what he does, I think the change started once he knowest the dog was died and reminded him of the little flower garden that Mr. Thorwald was working on earlier. Jeff started looking at Lars Thorwald’s apartment and knowing his wife wasn’t in there as well as the blind was closed for a few days and there were no shadows of a person. He starts to use the camera for looking into the apartment and even took pictures of it. The moment he starts taking pictures and watching his actions 24/7 it turns to stalk instead of just watching for fun. In real society, the action of stalking is illegal, and taking pictures of it will get worst in the real world which will turn into a crime and go to jail. If they result in that situation then they might end up with a penalty of up to 5 years in jail.

More on to the legal and illegal issue another idea that I have is that was what Jeff did morally right? In the movie, Jeff’s behavior paid off and the neighbor Lar Thorwald had arrested and confirmed the crime of murder. In my opinion that helping to find the murderer and being brave enough to stand out as being a witness with evidence is really morally right. At the same time, the way he gets the evidence could be not morally right because you shouldn’t be looking and watching others on what they doing in their house and taking pictures of them. Opinion wise I think that the definition of morality and if what Jeff was right or wrong cloud be different depending on the person’s view of seeing it and thinking about it. It’s also really interesting that when we watch the movie we are also watching others’ daily life from the same point as Jeff’s views and we even view Jeff’s daily. In conclusion, Jeff’s actions of legal and illegal, as well as morally right or wrong, and the possible result difference between the movie and real society is an interesting point to think of.

Lit Log #1 // Roger Ebert’s Rear Window Review

Roger Ebert’s review of Rear Window starts by stating, while it is wrong to spy on others, “aren’t we always voyeurs when we go to the movies (Ebert)?” This question wraps up my opinion on the essence of the film. I couldn’t agree more with the fact that we are looking into the lives of others through someone who isn’t, “a moralist, a policeman or a do-gooder, but a man who likes to look (Ebert).” It is a fresh idea for me as I’ve never watched one of Albert Hitchcock’s films in full. The set design truly made the film, it wouldn’t have the same impact if it was filmed in a cul-de-sac or any other neighborhood. I wholeheartedly agree with Ebert on the rating of this movie for sure!

With the film’s main conflict being the murder, the way it was filmed was innovative. The style in which Jeff realizes what has happened is worded by Ebert perfectly, “What he sees, we see. What conclusions he draws, we draw (Ebert).” The limited view shot using his telephoto lens forces us to look deeper into what is happening and capture all the details. Paired along with the rain and we have a very dynamic scene.

Ebert taught me something new about the style of the film, juxtaposed shots were used to show how Jeff’s mind concluded that a murder had just happened. I looked into what this method was exactly and was fascinated with the science behind it. Associating a neutral face with an object can conclude us to different emotions. I believe this is what makes Rear Window so special, it guides us on the journey of Jeff and his mission to observe.

Another thing that I agree with is Ebert’s opinion on Grace Kelly’s character, Lisa. She is a grandiose character that caught my attention immediately. I will admit that I was bored at the beginning of the film, but Lisa immediately lightened the mood. As one of “Hitchcock’s blondes” I am rather surprised that she didn’t follow any major stereotypes. She is smart, brave, quick-witted and her beauty enthralls everybody. By far she is my favorite character and her wardrobe is just a chef’s kiss.

That isn’t to say that Jeff isn’t a good character, because that wouldn’t be true. He is a bit lackluster in comparison with Lisa. This is something I disagree with Ebert about, he tries to overcomplicate Jeff’s character. While I agree that he is just a man who watches, I don’t think he would be as impactful if he didn’t have a leg cast on. The fact that he played a pretty passive role throughout the film makes me believe that most of his personality comes from the way his scenes were shot. Especially with the scene in which Thorvald is in his apartment, what makes it so memorable and funny is the method of filming. Jeff is pretty unimaginative and seems to make his decisions with the aid of others.

Ebert does a good job of explaining how the film is different from being a surprise film. It keeps the suspense of what will happen to the trio throughout the film. Though it isn’t a modern-day suspense film in which it has multiple deep layers, it gets the job done and is a pioneer in its genre. At the beginning of the film, I didn’t quite understand what was happening. The storytelling pulled through and clarified any doubt which is what I look for in a film, a clear plot. Sometimes all you need in a film is a good plot, good actors and good filming. That recipe is sure to make a nice film that I can justify the rating it received.

One last thing I can’t ignore is the ending, I wasn’t a fan of it. Ebert didn’t mention anything about it but I would be a fool not to. It is too cookie-cutter for my taste. While it does tie up any loose ends, it just falls flat. It’s like comparing Lisa with Jeff, he doesn’t hold a mirror to her.

What Ebert does mention about the overall film is that it will be “banking in our memory.” These couldn’t be truer words for me. Even after about a month of watching the film, it remains fresh in my mind. The character of Lisa stuck with me, Grace Kelly is such an amazing actor that made the characters hers. Ebert aced his review with this film, our opinions lined up for the most part. I will look more into his films in the future, I want another Lisa character!

Citations:

Ebert, Roger. “Rear Window Movie Review & Film Summary (1954): Roger Ebert.” Movie Review & Film Summary (1954) | Roger Ebert, 20 Feb. 2000, https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-rear-window-1954.

DeGuzman, Kyle, et al. “How to Master Juxtaposition in Filmmaking.” StudioBinder, 27 Feb. 2021, https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-juxtaposition-definition/.

Lit Log 1 The Rebranding of Psycho

The current poster for the movie Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock is very much of its time. It looks like a romcom poster, not one for a horror movie. That’s why I decided to redraw a poster of it in my own vision. As for the name of the film I have less of a problem with it but I do think it has a different meaning nowadays. Also the way that Hitchcock marketed this movie was weird, the trailer by itself is absolutely bizarre and would never be done now.

To start off we would change the name from Psycho to Broken. The film is all about tension and not knowing what’s going to happen next so when the title is Psycho that kind of gives away the mystery of it from the start. I also think that the movie plays Norman Bates off as a sympathetic character so this title further shows Norman and as a sympathetic character.

For the movie poster I realized that the original poster was very basic and didn’t offer much. It was also of its time and just wasn’t very eye-catching, it also didn’t have a centerpiece or a focus point. In my rendition of it I decided to have the focus point be on the Bates as a shadow figure of mother holds Norman Bates in her hands. I wanted to include the other characters so on the side peeling off of the middle were Marion Crane, Arbogast, Lila Crane and Sam Loomis, and Norman Bates’s taxidermy Owl. I want to give off this effect of importance in this poster for these side characters because even though Lila and Sam solve the mystery, they aren’t featured in the original poster at all. I also think that the owl adds a bit more of a spooky factor to it and is a fun little thing to put on the poster. I also think that having the title at the bottom is cool because it makes them feel like they are barely being held up.

When it comes to advertising this movie I think that I would go with a different approach then Alfred Hitchcock. First the trailer would be clips from the movie not him walking around the set. It would start off by hyping up how much money was on the line. Then we would go into a mad search with a bunch of characters questioning one another all leading to Marion’s scream at the end of the trailer.

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Lit Log #1 // Reviewing the Reviewer

Out of all the movie reviews that I read for the movie Psycho, Pure Psycho: The Art of a Midnight Masterpiece written by John M. Heath caught my attention the most. He focuses the majority of the article on breaking down the techniques used in the film that kindle an emotional reaction from the audience. He includes multiple shots to back up all his points and shows, not tells, the readers what a real cinematic masterpiece this film is. In addition, Heath pulls quotes from the director himself, Alfred Hitchcock, to tie the whole article together. The most impressive thing this article accomplishes is getting me to enjoy the film. Not as a story, but as a picture film. As a person who is not a fan of horror or thriller movies, the interpretation, and breakdown this article goes through make me want to rewatch Psycho to appreciate it for what it is.

Heath starts off strong with a quote from Hitchcock talking about the pride he takes in his film. Hitchcock goes on about the joy he feels knowing that his film, Psycho, had an effect on the audience. He enjoys that it sparks an emotional response from the audience and the fact that he was able to create that reaction through his film. Heath follows this quote with an explanation about how Hitchcock is a part of the “old school silent-era directors” that lived by the rule “Show it, don’t say it” (Heath). Anyone who has watched Psycho knows this to be true, even without previously knowing about the rule. Hitchcock is a master at keeping his audience on the edge of their seats. He is able to execute this level of suspense by not saying much and instead of showing his audience what he needs them to know. Everything, one way or another, leads the audience down to the big reveal at the end.

Something that Heath and most film reviewers can agree on, is the manipulative mastermind that Hitchcock is. In addition to his usage of “Show it, don’t say it,” he also dictates the relationship the audience has with the story. In the beginning, he pins the audience on a birds-eye-view of a city. He immediately follows this by closing in on a hotel room, peaking through the window. Heath said it best, “We feel that we’re prying, witnessing something that we shouldn’t. Yet, we can’t look away.” (Heath). Hitchcock wants his audience to feel like peeping toms. He creates this discomfort, and builds this question of Am I allowed to watch? in the mind of his audience. This allows Hitchcock to enter the minds of his viewers and push the limits with what he shows. He is able to build suspense, real the audience in, and hit them with major and unexpected events, all with the clever use of different shots.

One of the technical elements used in this film that Heath goes into is Hitchcock’s use of strong compositional lines. This specific element triggers an uneasy feeling in viewers and Hitchcock uses that to his advantage. If we remember the rules for watching Psycho, Hitchcock made the film with the intention of trapping his audience in theaters to watch this movie all the way through. Something Heath missed is the importance of the audience’s memory. Because Hitchcock wants the ability to control and impact the audience’s emotions, he needs them to sit through the whole film. This way, when he shows viewers strong compositional lines with the suggestion that they hold a deeper meaning, he needs to trigger a memory in their heads to convey this message. In the article Heath shows these examples side by side, helping readers to understand his point, but in the film, Hitchcock uses his limited runtime to do the same.

Following the theme of repetition and memory, Hitchcock loved to draw parallels between seemingly meaningless events at the beginning and the bigger events that happen later on. He hints at so many little things that some may not even notice. Thankfully Heath does a great job of breaking these small details down for us. For example, there is a weird connection between birds and women in this film. If we remember the birds-eye-view in the opening scene, and then watch the dinner scene with Norman and Marion, we as audience members can begin to understand that Hitchcock wanted us to link the two in our minds. “We learn that these three things (birds, sex, and women) are inextricably linked in the twisted mind of Norman Bates” (Heath). Why does it matter that these things are connected in Norman’s head? As we find out after the dinner scene, it’s because the story shifts to follow Norman instead of Marion. Hitchcock planned this shift all along and was clearly informing the audience about the change through the dinner scene.

It is small connections like this that start to turn wheels in my head and make me want to go back and rewatch to look out for these subtle things. Heath’s article makes me want to go back and look for more connections or small details I missed. It is this very article that makes me want to rewatch Psycho to appreciate it for what Hitchcock intended it to be. A midnight masterpiece.

Rear Window Lit Log

I feel that instead of using the title “Rear Window”, it should instead be titled “We Need More Evidence”. I think as a whole film, it would be most properly represented by this title. Throughout the film, we have seen that Jeff is just watching people across the alley through a camera and binoculars. He is constantly looking and making these ideas in head about what happened to Mr.Thorwald’s wife after he didn’t see her in a couple days. His wife Lisa was always skeptical about believing him because Mr.Thorwald was always such a nice guy and “could never do such a thing”. As the movie progresses, we notice that there is more and more evidence that Jeff gathered to prove that Mr.Thorwald killed his wife. The film as a whole is very slowly developed but still shows significant signs of a very well driven plot with a lot of aspects that are needed in order for the film to progress. The whole time, Lisa is telling Jeff that whatever he thinks is happening with Mr and Ms.Thorwald is completely in his mind until he shows her proof. Even after the proof is shown, Lisa is still very skeptical about his findings. I chose to rename the film “We Need More Evidence” because when Lisa starts to see what Jeff is seeing and believing it, she starts to establish that she needs a closer look in order to show the police. Lisa knows that if they call the police and tell them only what Jeff is claiming to see, no one will believe him. Lisa does a tremendous job in trying to find more evidence. She digs up flowers, climbs the balcony and hangs off of it to not get caught; she finds any way possible to prove what their theory is. Including going into Mr.Thorwald’s house and looking through his things until he finds her. Because it is a suspenseful part within the film, I believe that the new title fits it perfectly without giving the viewer any insight on anything that is happening. I chose to make the cover a pair of binoculars and have the view of the window in it to have some type of knowledge without knowing the significance of the window. I feel that as a whole, the title and drawing would fit the film just as well as the original just to keep the viewer in the dark with the plot and keep them interested and wondering about why it is the way it is.

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"The Rear Window Watcher" Lit Log #1

I decided to take a more modern approach for the film cover I made compared to the original one. Instead of an older style with minimal color I went for an eye popping color scheme which I feel would draw the viewer in and make them more interested. The cover I made also reminds me of a few book covers which really gave me the inspiration to make something like this. Even though it’s an older movie I thought why not approach it as if the movie was made in today’s day and age. It’s pretty simplistic but I still feel the concept of the film gets across. I would advertise the film in a way that would make people question “How much privacy do we really have?” With social media nowadays there’s barely any privacy. People pretty much have access to parts of our lives just by searching our name on the internet. It’s a scary thing, so my goal would be to make people more aware. Throughout the film the theme of voyeurism is explored and really leaves viewers questioning the privacy they have in their own homes. Though Jeff watching out the rear window led to him catching a murderer this obsessive “ watching” of people out a window isn’t a good thing, and is an invasion of privacy. The portrayal of privacy in Rear window was invasive and made me as a viewer see just how little privacy we have in society and even more so now with the rise of social media platforms. I didn’t want to change the name too much so the name is pretty much the same but instead of “ Rear Window” it’s the “ The Rear Window Watcher” which adds a bit of suspense. I changed this in hopes of people wondering who’s watching out of this so-called rear window.

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Lit Log #1

The movie Psycho is a magnificent horror/thriller film created by Alfred Hitchcock. The suspense aspect of the movie was something never experienced before. Hitchcock had the ability to keep his audience in the dark until the moment he needed them to notice. This created a great horror movie that became a classic in a line of suspenseful thrillers. When it came to the marketing, specifically the movie posters, the same skill was used and most of the posters were vague. The original poster only had three of the characters in the movie and the title of the movie. The position and expression of the characters give no window into what the movie is about at all. There are no items that you would expert in a horror movie poster like knives or blood. In my personal opinion, the poster is rather boring in how it looks. The other marketing poster put out was about the “Rule” of watching Psycho. The rule was that you had to be there when the movie began, and that you would not be allowed in after the movie had already started. In all, the marketing was horribly vague and uninteresting. I think that because of the vagueness and mystery behind the posters, it drew people to go and see it. It was something to discover, like an adventure. For my take on the poster I wanted to keep the mysterious aspect, but make the poster a bit more captivating.

When making the poster I wanted to focus on the killer in the movie, but making sure to keep the identity still a mystery. Alongside the killer I decided to put two icons of the movie in the poster, the house and the bathroom drain. As for the color scheme, because the movie itself is in black and white, the poster should mirror what the movie is like. I wanted the viewer to get a good sense of what to expect, but keeping in the dark how the two silhouettes and icons correlate to each other. The “mother” I decided to be the looming figure over the entire scene. She is the mastermind of the scheme while the son, the tiny figure by the house, is weak and small looking compared to the “mother”. The house itself leaks in the drain below to signify connection. The also has something else draining into it, and to the viewer that liquid could be anything which keeps the surprise of what that liquid actually is. As for the title, even though Psycho is a great title, I wanted something that captures the villain of the movie. Mother is Home gives the sense that “mother” was not there before. As to say that this character is unwelcome, in a familiar saying we all know.

LIT LOG #1 (1)

A Rear Window View: Reviewed

I read the New York Times review of Rear Window, published back in 1954. While detailed in its descriptions of the film, I found it interesting how the author did not include any distinct opinions on the movie. Unlike other film reviews, like Roger Ebert for example, there was no numerical rating, nor was there any strong language indicating whether this film was enjoyable or not. Instead, the reviewer explained and analyzed Hitchcock’s cinematic and theatrical techniques and let the reader decide if they appreciate what he has done. They talked about what parts of the movie were well done and what parts were lacking a little bit. The style in which this review was written made it enjoyable for me to read. Oftentimes I am turned off by reviews from other people, especially strangers, because people’s tastes can vary dramatically. How can I know if I can trust the reviewer? I appreciated how this reviewer detached themselves from the film and backed up their claims with evidence from the movie.

When I read this review for the first time, I was immediately captivated by the first line. “The boorish but fascinating pastime of peeking into other people’s homes.” I just loved this line and I feel like it sums up the premise pretty well. Hitchcock chose to create a film about something that we all do, whether we like to admit it or not. But it is not something we ever really do willingly. Every time I have found myself staring into other people’s homes was when I have exhausted just about every other form of entertainment that I have to the point where I have to turn to something that most of the time is not entertaining at all. It truly is very boring and you almost never see anything juicy. Yet, we all still do it to fill this strange biological need to know what everyone else around us is doing. Describing a movie as boring, but in a good way is such a great way to encapsulate the reader.

Towards the middle of the review, the author says “Mr. Hitchcock’s film is not ‘significant’. What it has to say about people and human nature is superficial and glib.” I understand this perspective. When you boil it down, I don’t see any hidden message or underlying moral to the story. Hitchcock is not trying to sell you some idea. But I don’t necessarily see this as a problem. Not every movie needs to be commenting on an issue in order to be taken seriously. In fact, I found this movie to be quite pleasant to watch as a second semester senior because I didn’t have to try that hard to understand the narrative. I felt that the spectacular writing and beautiful set design fully compensated for any narrative shortcomings.

The review dedicated an entire paragraph to describing the side characters in the film. For this film specifically, they are obviously worthy of that space. I liked how this was a main focus in the article and that the reviewer chose it as one of the selling points of the movie. In my opinion, nothing beats a well thought out cast. Deeply developed side characters are a good indicator of a quality film. The reviewer said just enough to interest the reader while leaving out just enough to avoid spoilers and keep them wanting more. The characters are all so absurd that as a reader, you can’t help but wonder how they all fit together into the story. If I hadn’t seen the movie yet, this paragraph would definitely have made me add it to the list.

I understand completely why the author chose not to speak of the ending for fear of spoilers. After all, many people read reviews before they set out to watch the movie. However, from someone who has already seen the film, I craved for some discussion about the end. I want to hear other thoughts about whether the ending came as a shock. While I could relate to LB Jeffries’ curiosity and voyeurism throughout the film, I could not relate to his confidence and need to interfere. I simply do not have the courage to confront people like that. For me, I spent the entire movie doubting LB Jeffries just as I would doubt my own thoughts if I were in his position. Therefore, when Thorwald actually ended up committing the crime, I was truly surprised. Despite seeming like a straight forward ending, Hitchcock subverted my expectations by not including the classic twist ending.

Works Cited Crowther, Bosley. “A ‘Rear Window’ View Seen at the Rivoli.” The New York Times, 5 Aug. 1954.

GBH

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a technical and precise movie that shows its wit in a different way from most movies. It uses comedy that most wouldn’t even try and the storytelling is risky but works extremely well. Wes Anderson, The director of the film uses certain skills in a lot of his movies like his quick and witty comedy that lights up the movie or how detailed he is in his storytelling. The GBH is one of the most technical movies I have ever seen with the way that the director has everything set up so perfectly.

Wes Anderson uses his detailed shots to give the film a more realistic and alive feeling. During the shot where the camera tracks Mr. Chuck while Zero is interviewing for a job follows and pauses multiple times to show how the hotel is very up and running. This gives perspective on the hotel and shows that Mr.Chuck is an important man. This tells the audience the importance of his character and to watch him closely to understand the story. Another example of a technical shot is when Zero was being taught all the ropes of his job and increasingly got better at the tasks. This shows his determination to become a better employee. It also shows that he is grateful for having the opportunity. Wes Anderson is one of the more technical directors with his great storytelling and it shows with these shots how he can transform a simple scene into a scene with a lot of meaning.

GDH shows the characters and the way they act and gives them meaning. Like Zero, for example, he represents immigrants who work hard and how much friendship means in the world. Mr.Chuck represents a good soul who turned bad and has been wandering but once he found a true friend he snapped into place. He saved Zero and in turn, he died for him. The woman’s family represents the lack of love in the world. The importance of these characters was a technical decision. It shows that love and peace will always win over hate and ignorance. The choice of characters is meticulous showing every background and giving characters the background like Zero and being from a country of war or the guests at the modern hotel while not playing the biggest role in the movie still has the background of being taking photographs and writing books.

The last big technical part of the movie is the different timelines. The first timeline shows a young lady getting ready to read a book that seems to have something to do with the statues she’s sitting next to. She doesn’t seem that important but it’s still added into the movie. Next is the present day where a man is staying in a random hotel and is interviewing the owner. The last piece is that the owner tells the story in a flashback story. While risky I think it structures the storytelling well. The young lady is reading the second man’s book while the second man is interviewing the owner about the story he writes. This gives perspective to the timeline and shows how a story can travel over many different times and places and have different impacts on each person who reads it.

The Grand Budapest Hotel shows that a movie can be both technical and beautiful as it has done both things beautifully. From the types of shots to the characters and even the timelines it all comes together to make a masterpiece. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a technical and precise movie that shows its wit in a different way from most movies.

Butch and Sundance (opps)

Westerns fundamentally revolve around the juxtaposition of modern, civilized life and the rudimentary, untamed frontier. They take place in a time of transition. One where the inherent human inclination toward expanding territory coincided with the rapid growth of technology. The technology and desire for growth and adventure fed on one another, creating a society evolving at an extreme pace.

“Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid” captures this feeling precisely. To make a poster reflective of this, I decided to follow the example set by the western genre as a whole and combine new with old. To satisfy the classical aspects of my poster, I examined the trope of western wanted signs and previous movie posters and attempted to format my poster similarly. The elements I drew from these were large, centered portraits of the main character in a semi-painterly style and the type font standard in these posters. I also used text with highlighted bars to draw the observer’s concentration first, allowing them to comprehend the information essential to marketing, such as the name of the movie and starring actors, before looking at the scenes depicted.

Contrasting these widely used tropes of western culture are two images in a more modern style. First is a portrait of Butch and Sundance staring into the camera. While the concept of shoulder and up pictures in a movie poster is nothing new, the gradient behind them and the eye contact with the camera is a new twist used in current posters, such as “Moonlight” and “The Martian.” Along with the contrast, the portrait also captures attention. The human face evolutionarily draws our eye. Therefore, having too large faces will lead to more people looking at the poster, which is the goal. The second image I used to imbue the aspect of modernity is a digitally rendered, 3D scene containing a landscape of dunes and rocks with two blacked-out characters walking from left to right. Similar images are not often used in posters because it is fairly monochromatic, lacking the attention-drawing colors and intense action of other posters. In the context of this poster, the unassuming image is a feature, not a flaw. It is naturally observed after the title and portraits allowing for a complete experience of initial interest-grabbing and further exploration. I chose to create this render in the form I did because it emphasizes the aura of mystery and adventure promoted by the western genre. You don’t know why and where the people are walking. All that is known is that they are, giving an incentive to see the movie and fully understand the poster.

Through an integrated combination of attention curating composition and image, font, and color choice, my poster put a new spin on an established art form and serves as a successful poster.

butch poster
butch poster

Teron's Lit Long

Teron Ingram Lit Log #1 4.8.22 Ms. Giknis

Instead of the movie being called Psycho I would name it either The Boy and His Mother. This title sounds basic but it does sound really scary and it would shock the audience to find out his mother is actually dead at the end of the film. For the poster I just used a simple close up shot of Norman Bates with It saying “Alfred Hitchcock’s The Boy and His Mother in red to represent blood. Not too much going on so I don’t give out a lot of detail just from the poster. I would make a dark and creepy movie trailer and poster to advertise it to the viewers because if it looks good it will draw attention from an audience that likes these types of movies. My decisions would communicate the meaning of the film by exploring both two main ideas which are mental help issues and the relationship a boy and his mother has. In 1960 mental health issues were seen completely differently compared to 2022. The views on mental health issues in the 50s and 60s are that you are considered a lunatic and defective and were sent off to asylums. My decisions would communicate the tone of the film by keeping it suspenseful. This movie did a great job to draw suspense. Watching this film in the 60s would have you on your feet from start to finish. Throughout the whole movie you knew something was going to happen just didn’t know when. Something in my head told me Marion was going to die at some point during the movie, we just didn’t know who was going to kill her or when she was going to die.​​ My decisions would communicate the genre by keeping it the same as the original film with horror, thriller, psychological horror, slasher and mystery being the genres. This movie killed it , and it really changed horror films. Overall the film was good. I really enjoy it even though I’m not big on horror movies. My one negative is I would change the pace of the film because at times it felt slow and some scenes felt dragged out for way too long making me bored and lose a little interest while watching it. Other than that this film is really good and it was definitely ahead of its time for many reasons such as the drawing suspense, camera shots, unique plot and mystery.

The Boy and His's Mother-2

Voyeurism In Modern Society

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is centered around voyeurism. The characters living in this tight nit and closely built community allows for the easy invasion of privacy, even on accident. Each character can easily look into another’s home or space and come up with a conclusion about the events taking place. This is an invasion of privacy for the person being observed and creates tension, especially if they know they are being watched. By watching and concluding, people can assume, make false notions, and even feel entitled to more information or others’ decisions. In a bigger context, it creates a safety issue for both parties. The person being observed has to take liberties to hide what they don’t want to be shown. The voyeur puts themselves in danger by involving themselves in commodities they shouldn’t.

Everyone has become an L.B. Jefferies, an invasive observer at one point or another. The general curiosity we all have can lead to an obsession with someone or something. In turn, we sneakily watch, look or take a peep, and from our perspective, we develop conclusions. They can be outlandish or sound-minded but they were developed from an invasion of privacy.

Close nit housing and row homes in modern-day society create voyeurs because of proximity. Curiosity in addition to access creates temptation. The temptation is then acted on, leading to “peeping toms”. Which in turn prohibits others from their private isolation. Social media creates people who pry. People post intimate things about themselves or their lives. Others observe those posts. Without knowing a person closely or having met them in reality, they can learn or retain multiple facts about their lives and what they do daily. This is especially true with social media influencers. People with a platform or large following that have established credibility with a particular industry can then persuade people to buy things based on their recommendations. Social media influencers, people of high social status, and celebrities are subjected to extreme invasive voyeurism. Their voyeurs develop obsessions. From this obsession, entitlement is produced. Entitlement to more information, judgment on their mistakes or decisions, and entitlement to make choices for them.

Companies have become spies as well. Different “free” apps that use advertisements may be tracking your data and selling it to give you more personalized advertising. The only way they can obtain this information is by watching the different hyperlinks you follow, the ads you don’t skip through, the things you purchase, and how you got to purchasing. By observing your choices, and trying to follow a brain pattern, companies are then able to persuade you. Companies and apps invade your privacy to freely choose. Every choice means something and is closer to putting you in a targetted audience.

Surveillance is also a form of voyeurism because of the observation they provide from cameras in video or photo form as well as audio recordings. Places with surveillance cameras invade people’s privacy to protect others. The cameras themselves or the recordings they create allow others to view you and anything you’ve done or engaged in for that whole recording. Photography and cameras on their own accord not connected to surveillance can be considered voyeurism as well. Cameras and photography can amplify the curiosity and psychological tendency to pry. An example of this could be a picture with background noise, catching people off guard. Regardless of the actions the people committed, they have now been captured without their knowledge.

Voyeurism isn’t always a bad thing, as seen in Rear Window. If the main character had not spied on his neighbor. A murder would go unsolved or noticed. This is true in our modern reality as well. Witnesses can be essential in solving a case and making sure the perpetrator gets the punishment they deserve. Many witnesses obtained their information by watching and observing. These observations are more often than not a product of invading privacy. But without that action and without the testimonies that come from making the observations many people would not receive justice.

Rear Window uses voyeurism to bring awareness not only to the way we watch movies but the way we watch eachother. Watching and observing isn’t always a bad thing but to watch and observe could be invading someone’s privacy. It has thus become a cultural artifact because of this trope.

Lit Log #1 (PSYCHO) - Koba Jaiser

I’m doing this movie title and poster lit log on Psycho (1960) because I feel like the poster could have been a lot better, however, this might spoil bits and pieces of the movie but it would look pretty awesome.

Dissociation - is a break in how your mind handles information. You may feel disconnected from your thoughts, feelings, memories, and surroundings. It can affect your sense of identity and your perception of time. The symptoms often go away on their own.

I changed the name to dissociate because that word means split personalities, something that is a big thing in Psycho. The element of personality is reflected a lot in this movie because there’s an atmosphere of the unknown. My poster doesn’t spoil anything for the movie but provides a simple yet complicated view of what the movie is about. Only when you get to a later point in the movie you’ll realize what the title is talking about. My poster also reflects the theme of the movie and that anyone could be in their alternate personality and you wouldn’t even know. I think dissociating fits the title for psycho because well it outlines that someone has another personality. It reflects how your mind does certain things to handle tough situations and I believe that Norman had this condition because he killed his mother and father’ he convinced himself that his mom was still there which is quite a dilemma that builds up so much suspense. The thought of being two people at once makes my mind feel strange but good at the same time because of how interesting it is to act like someone else. The poster I made this way split in half because I felt that split personalities fit the poster in a way that made it simple. I wanted to make it as simple as possible while still conveying my point of view on the movie psycho. The genre of the film is more or so a psychological thriller and is one of the most popular slashers being one of the first-ever to be a really big hit. I love slasher movies but this one is one of the few with a genuinely interesting story that kept me intrigued till the very end even if the plot midway changed. I think people would like this poster because of how simple yet complicated it is. It reflects the movie psycho well in a way we haven’t seen before. It’s a new take on psycho making the personalities the big focus. It’s the point of view that gets me and how interesting that can be because it can be so different depending on the person and you can tell the difference between the two sides even if it’s black and white. There’s nothing like watching psycho for the first time and that’s what I went through. It showed me a masterpiece of a slasher while keeping the atmosphere the same from beginning to end which is tough, especially being such an old film. So many elements here that are in other movies and shows brought me to a different place. Overall I want people to get a different perspective out of this movie poster.

Dissociate
Dissociate