Journal #2

Top Hat

One of many Ginger Roger/Fred Astaire dancing movies proves to be what it should be hyped up as. Directed by Mark Sandrich in 1935, Top Hat is filled with constantly wonderful orchestral music, obnoxious plot details, goofy acting, and ridiculously inventive tap dancing.

The plot itself is very stereotypical of a dancing musical old movie. In essence, the plot is just a mere carrier for the singing and dancing. The story line is very unrealistic, with many twists that the characters don't realize until the end, but completely perfect for the mood the movie gives you. The fact that Jerry (Astaire) is a professional dancer makes the spontaneous dancing spurts seem a lot more believable than if he had just been a man in dressy clothes. Of course, Jerry falls madly in love with Dale (Ginger Rogers) and their affair includes tap dancing, ballroom dancing, cheesy love lines, and many amusing complications.

For the time period of the 1930s, the costumes are perfectly believable and essential to the feeling of elegance of the movie. Since filmed in black and white, the men wearing suits and bowties all the time seem very standard- just a normal outfit. In contrast, the outfits of Dale (Ginger Rogers) are extremely elaborate to fight the lack of color. They are definitely noticeable dresses, with feathers, shiny things, beads, or obnoxiously large skirts/sleeves. Her costumes can a bit detract from the dancing when she's with Astaire, but it's all forgivable. The sets are also rather fun; when there's a room that looks like half the furniture has been cleared away you know there might be a dance scene coming up.

The sound editing is key in this movie. The switches between diegetic and nondiegetic sounds are always keeping the audience alert. What one may think is just lovely background music may turn out to be a live orchestra positioned right near the main action. Also, the tap dancing is always heard very clearly above the music to show off the unique rhythms of Astaire.

The dialogues between the characters in this film are very scripted with trying-for-laughs one liners. There is something about the charm of the conversations that makes one want to forgive the cheesy-ness of the dialogue and focus on the brilliant dancing.

The filming itself is very basic but it definitely shows off what it was intended to show off. The dancing. Whenever Fred Astaire is dancing, the camera has him in full view, no flashy zoom ins or fade outs, it's all about Astaire's dancing. He fills the frame and does all the fancy footwork without the audience missing a beat.

One big confusing miscommunication after another, the characters finally are all straightened out in the end with a resolution lasting maybe two whole minutes.

quality movies require quality music

I wouldn't consider myself a real knowledgeable movie watcher, but I do know one thing: a movie without the perfect soundtrack is not worth experiencing. And vice versa, the perfect soundtrack in a movie can make you want to bask in the radiant beautifulness that the music gives you. Let's just examine a few of my favorites....

- Forrest Gump. what would this movie be without the music?! All the classic songs from the time periods Forrest goes through are perfect; it's one of the best transitions because everyone can recognize the general themes of those songs and put them to a decade or revolution/movement. The classical music score also, (by alan silvestri(sp?)) adds to the feeling of the movie. Listening or playing through it can give you the mood of the whole movie in less than 10 minutes. Brilliant.

- The Land Before Time. "As we hold on together" ... need I say more? This movie can make me cry EVERY single time I watch it just because of that one song. The song comes up whenever the director (?) wants you to feel that sorrow and it really works.

- Signs. I don't care what you think about the director, Mr. Klobuchar, this movies' soundtrack is very effective. When watching the movie, if you are uncertain of when to be scared or anxious or nervous, the music helps you out quite a bit. At any and every mood change the music is the initiator.

- Titanic. I find it so amazing that if you listen to the musical score to this movie you can go through the whole story without needing the visuals. You know the music is good when you don't even need anything to go with it. (don't get me wrong though, I love the movie)

In conclusion, I love music. Movies can only get my complete attention if they have good music. I suggest to you all to go see Immortal Beloved. now. (even roger ebert appreciates it! and compares it to citizen kane!)

Journal #1

The movie "The Jane Austen Book Club" comes out on September 21st and I read this review about it, to see if it would influence my desire to see it. The reviewer, Dennis Harvey, discusses the plot of the movie quite extensively and comments on the cast as well. He starts the review with a positive ( I think ) remark about the movie;

managing a highly eventful narrative in brisk terms without seeming rushed; drawing moderately complex characters and conflicted relationships with economy and feeling. In those regards and others, the pic is much more satisfying than recent femme-centric adaptations "The Nanny Diaries" or "Evening," let alone the pandering, formulaic likes of "Because I Told You So."

In that excerpt, I respect Harvey's opinion and I like how he explains it. He explains how in this genre, this movie does quite well for itself. I appreciate how he compares it with other movies, because having seen them I am relieved to know that he thinks this movie is better. Those few sentences alone have already influenced my desire to see it; it makes me want to see it because it is "much more satisfying" than those other films.

I really like the way the Harvey goes through some of the characters and the plot without being overtly biased or opinionated. While explaining the ins and outs of the many relationships and connections to other characters, he doesn't use many adjectives that would affect how I would view the characters. He doesn't go out and tell me that one of the characters is poorly portrayed, which is good- I can make that decision on my own. However, he also gives his opinion that the "Cast is first-rate all around, unafraid to play up the annoying, insensitive or self-pitying aspects of their nonetheless likeable characters," which gives quite an insight as to how he feels about the cast.

The reviewer supports his view of the film through some of the ways he talks about the film as a whole. He says that the film is "Slickly handled in all departments" directly after going through how well the producer worked with the actors in the film and put it all together for a well produced movie. He says that "Swicord's direction proves as accomplished as her script at handling an incident-packed story with ease, capturing humor and drama sans cheap laughs or tearjerking."

It really is a 'feel good' kind of review, which in my opinion are the good ones to read. Although the opening lines could have been interpreted as sarcasm or obnoxious-ness, they really turned out to be a compliment to the movie and another reason to see it. I think that this review really influenced how I will like the movie. Having read this, I predict that I will like the movie more than if I had not read this. I am an easily persuaded person, and coming from a reliable source I will probably assume he is "right" and agree with what he says...which is totally fine with me!

first post

cross your fingers that my blog won't be flagged again! This post is supposed to have more substance to it than just a few sentences so here goes. My name is whitney! and I am a pirate. When I grow up I plan on becoming America's next top model as well as traveling deep into the Mariana trench and building an exact replica of the RMS Titanic. My favorite coffee shop drink is a chai tea latte with amaretto and i really have a special place in my heart for dichotomous keys. I hope that's enough!