The Beauty and the Beast

Anthony Menza
12/11/11
Beauty and the Beast
Language: French
Directed by: Jean Cocteau
Date: 1946

The 1946 French version of Beauty and the Beast is a very interesting and dark tale of Belle, a young woman, and a beast, that seems to have magical powers beyond any humans grasps. The beast witnesses one of his roses being stolen by Belle’s father, and proposes either the father be eaten by the beast, or the father give up one of his daughters to the beast. The father sends his daughter, Belle, to take his place.
    By genre, this film is at its core, a love story.  Beast is burdened with the curse that keeps him in the body of a monster, and is in search of a love that will set him free. At the same time, Belle, who was engaged to be wed in the beginning of the film, is treated like a servant in her home, and feels she deserves more from life. Both of these two characters are in the full form of love when they meet each other. Beast is moved by Belle’s beauty, and while Belle does not find Beast to be physically appealing, he has the heart of a gentleman, and treats Belle like a princess. In the end of the film, Belle looks past beast’s exterior, and into his good soul. She fully confesses her love for him, and unknowingly sets him free from his curse, and reveals a handsome man underneath the beast.
    Roger Ebert states that this film really utilizes its capabilities, and resources, for the time period. By today’s standards, this film may not be up to par with our computer generated effects and editing, but Beauty and the Beast used what they had to tell a phenomenal story. “Before the days of computer effects and modern creature makeup, here is a fantasy alive with trick shots and astonishing effects, giving us a Beast who is lonely like a man and misunderstood like an animal,” says Ebert.
    Michael Miller, of the Village Voice publication, seems o be enthralled more with the film’s design, and overall dark feel, than with the film’s obvious early 90’s release date. He states, “The castle is at once an enchanted palace and a stifling prison. With designer Christian Berard, Cocteau transforms the architectural space into living, breathing form. Human arms emerge from the walls, holding candelabras that light themselves. Caryatids open their eyes and blow smoke. Hands emerge from a table to serve food. Doors open without being touched. There is something haunting about the way this house dresses and feeds Belle, anticipating her every need. It is not luxurious so much as infantilizing.” He goes on to praise the character of Beast’s execution, by Jean Marais, and how his wardrobe matched the tone of the film perfectly.
    Overall, this film is a great, thought provoking piece. Even viewing as an english speaking viewer, I was very caught up in the story of the subtitles, I had almost forgotten I was reading them.

Roger Ebert- 

 http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19991226/REVIEWS08/912260301/1023

Michael Miller- 

http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-08-13/film/simple-twists-of-fate/1/

Rashomon

Anthony Menza
10/17/11
Rashomon
1950, Japanese
Akira Kurosawa




The film Rashomon, directed by Akira Kurosawa, is a very unique film, in its presentation of different points of view. The film has three main characters, each with separate recollections of the main conflict in the film, and each are presented to the viewer in a different way. The main characters are: Tajomaru, a thief and murderer, a samurai  and his wife. The conflict was played out in ultimately four different ways, each ending with the stabbing of the samurai. The way the film is presented, with four different points of view, is very interesting, as it is each of the main characters telling the story in entirely different scenarios. The most interesting part of the telling of the story is that the stories greatly contradict eachother, setting a very clear premise that one of the people telling the story is dramatically lying. It turns this film into a "who done it" sort of mystery.


The movie's dramatic cuts and unique presentation of each story was not unnoticed by many affiliated with the film during its production. As Roger Ebert explains, "Kurosawa's  three assistant directors came to see him. They were unhappy. They didn't understand the story." Roger Ebert, having a clear understanding of what the film was trying to achieve, says "Kurosawa is correct that the screenplay is comprehensible as exactly what it is: Four testimonies that do not match. It is human nature to listen to witnesses and decide who is telling the truth, but the first words of the screenplay, spoken by the woodcutter, are "I just don't understand." His problem is that he has heard the same events described by all three participants in three different ways--and all three claim to be the killer." As Ebert clearly states, the film begins with the first piece of dialogue being "I just don't understand." That is the perfect preface to this story, and sets the tone for what the viewer will soon, inevitably, feel themselves. Ebert seems to respect this film for what it is; a showing of human nature. The natural tendency to embellish and stretch the truth when speaking about themselves, almost defensively. 


James Berardinelli of Reelviews Movie Reviews has a very interesting point of view on Rashomon and its viewers. He says, "Many people watch Rashomon with the intent of piecing together a picture of what really occurred. However, the accounts are so divergent that such an approach seems doomed to futility. Rashomon isn't about determining a chronology of what happened in the woods. It's not about culpability or innocence. Instead, it focuses on something far more profound and thought-provoking: the inability of any one man to know the truth, no matter how clearly he thinks he sees things." This is a perfect explanation of how the jurors in Rashomon must have felt. They essentially have a mans life in their hands, and yet they are unable to confidently make a decision or verdict, because the accounts of the crime are being distorted with each different point of view. The more stories are told, the more they must question the last. "All of the narrators in Rashomon tell compelling and believable stories, but, for a variety of reasons, each of them must be deemed unreliable," says Berardinelli. 


Ebert has an intelligent take on Rashomon as a film. It is more so a piece of film that is made, in an hour and twenty eight minutes, to show the viewer that man at his heart is a liar. Such lies are always told to protect ones self, and this case is no different. In the end of the film, a child is found abandoned, and neither of the jurors trust one another fully to take care of it. It is a perfect example how so many lies being told and processed force us to question everything. Even though the jurors did nothing to eachother, their lack of trust is formed from clearly being lied to by so many defendants. They believe they have to question everything, and it appears they are correct. 


I personally am not a fan of Roger Ebert or his critiques of films, but I have to say, I agree whole heartidly with his review of Rashomon. It is a film that shows the lack of honesty people have when they are backed into a corner. Throughout the whole film, you are forced to question every aspect of each testimony and story. There is no trust. The ending scene proves that, as neither of the jurors trusted one another with such a thing as an abondoned child. Such a child would have died if one of the men hadn't taken care of it, yet they were  both still questioning one another. It is a perfect example of what the movie seems to express: trust is not something that should be given without caution. 

The 400 Blows

Anthony Menza
10/17/11
400 Blows
French
François Truffaut


   The film The 400 Blows is a film directed by Francois Truffaut, that perfectly captures the atmosphere of the time period it portrays. At this time in France, as with most parts of the world, there was a clear distinction between upper and middle class. As the main character, a young boy named Antoine, struggles to make his family happy, he is thrust into the world of misconduct; stealing, vandalizing, lying. All while trying to gain attention from his parents, who have issues of their own, and let them effect Antoine.
   Roger Ebert calls this film "one of the most intensely touching stories ever made about a young adolescent." It most certainly seems that Ebert has a positive opinion on not only the film, but the lead actor as well. Antoine Doinel was played by Jean-Pierre Leaud, who has a kind of solemn detachment, as if his heart had suffered obscure wounds long before the film began." The words spoken by Ebert show a strong support for the young actor, and the importance of that is crucial, as one of The 400 Blows' main appeals is the impecible acting by the young man. Such acting chops, and chemistry between him and the director, Truffaut, is the reason why the actor and director maintained a professional relationship long after the film finished production.
   Jason Korsner, reviewer from BBC, stated "This film is a landmark in modern cinema, launching the French New Wave and turning François Truffaut from a critic into one of the world's most distinguished film makers." Interestingly enough, not only does Korsner state the lead actor, Leaud, as a remarkable talent in the film, but also gives the same amount of credit to Truffaut, almost remarking him as an actor himself. "There are two outstanding talents in the film. As Antoine Doinel, the young Jean-Pierre Léaud delivers a tremendously deep, sympathetic, and convincing performance in the role which he would reprise four times in the following 20 years. And Truffaut himself, in his first feature, displays the directorial flair that would make him such an influential auteur." That "flair" would launch this film into such a success, and cement Truffaut's name into history as one of the greatest and innovative directors of a generation.
   Korsner states "12-year-old Antoine Doinel lives in a tiny flat with his mother and stepfather, who are poor and generally inattentive." This is made obvious in many scenes of the movie, but in particular, until Antoine leaves his home, feeling hes done his family wrong, his mother never has a good word to say to him. One of the very first scenes between them involved Antoine's mother making him run out of the house to fetch a bag of flour, and in no way was the dialogue nice, as one between a mother and son should be. Only when the mother would seem to change her tune with her son was the chemistry between them ANYTHING RESEMBLING a  functional mother and son relationship, and even then, Antoine would still cause trouble and chaos.
   In my opinion, this film is a very good portrayal of a neglected son, and his odd relationship with his family, and himself. Getting into trouble seems like an outlet for Antoine, as he is living in a sheltered time, at a sheltered age, and feels neglected and abused by many people. He is searching for something within himself. Throughout the whole film, it always seems like Antoine is trying to escape from something. Whether it be in running away, stealing, lying, or even in his school work and readings. He is trying to escape the realities of the life he is living. 


Sources: 
Chicago Sun
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19990808/REVIEWS08/908080301/1023
BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/02/28/400_blows_1959_review.shtml