Hales, Becnel- "Time Enough at Last (An E-book Version)"

This short is a modern take on my favorite episode of the Twilight Zone, "Time Enough at Last." In the original, the main character (Burgess Meredith) wants to read constantly but is inhibited by everyone else in his daily life. He takes his lunch (reading) break in the safe at the bank he works at when he sees in the daily newspaper that there is a possibility of an H-bomb. He gets back to his reading and then hears the bomb. When he emerges from the safe, he finds that he is the last living man on earth. He is ecstatic about this discovery because now he can read all day and no one can bother him. Only, as he walks down the steps of the library with his arms full of books, his glasses fall and break. He is left with no human interaction and no way to read. 

We did our version with a Kindle. Tragedy ensues when the electricity goes out around the world... leaving no way to charge the "book."

Becnel Blade Runner

Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, is set in a decaying 2019 Los Angeles. Rick Decker (Harrison Ford) is a reluctant blade runner ( replicant hitman). When four replicants escape to earth to find their creator(Tryell Corporation) to extend their short life span of 4 years, Rick is sent to track them down and retire (terminate) them. While the "little people" or the non-cops/ non- Tyrell Corporation are treated as secondary citizens, the replicants are the lowest of the low. They are not considered human; they are considered machines, or lower life forms. When talking to Rachel (Sean Young), a Tryell employee who we later find out is a replicant because of Decker's replicant detector test, Decker says, " A replicant is like any other machine: a benefit or a hazard. If it is a benefit, it is none of my business." According to W.A. Senior's article "Blade Runner and Cyperpunk Visions of Humanity", "Replicants were built to be human in almost every way, yet they are denied human status, like many of the others who cannot quality for off-world placement, in a technologically racist society that views them as disposable slaves." They are not supposed to have feelings or have attachments to memories, but Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), the leader of the rogue replicants, has more emotions, feelings, and appreciation for life than Decker.

Blade Runner is based on Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Some of the main questions that Dick evokes in his novels, are " what does it mean to be human?; what are the boundaries of humanity?; how human or humane are humans?; and when androids/ replicants and humans meet, how can one tell them apart?" In the film, they ask the suspected replicants questions while their pupils are monitored. This test is the only "exact" measure used to determine if they are a replicant, because to the naked eye replicants look and act just like humans. The only difference is replicants are created and have a 4 year life span. "Blade Runner insinuates a wide range of constantly metamorphosing humanities from the regressive street rats to the superhuman replicants: 'Eventually all the boundaries are blurred between the master and slave, hunter and hunted, hero and villain, the animate and inanimate, the human and the non human' (Francavilla 8)." Instead of working together towards advancement, the humans and blade runners (excluding Rick) would rather terminate the "problem" of the replicants. The value of the replicant's life takes a back seat to the fear of the humans.

In Blade Runner, fear is a motivator and the lack of choice for the replicants proves fatal for them. They would love to live a full life, but they were given no choice, just 4 years.

Becnel Casablanca

The Political Expediency Theory is when the film tries to create a balance not to alienate the audience. They try to hide their message under a neutral veil. This is what Casablanca does. Casablanca's screenplay arrived at Warner Brothers on December 8, 1941 (one day after Pearl Harbor). Soon after America was involved in WWII. Rick (Humphrey Bogart) portrays a kind of American reasoning before the war. He "won't stick his neck out for nobody." Before committing to the war effort, America had an isolationist stand. We had broken out of it for WWI, but returned to it after. We find out that Rick did fight against the Fascists in Spain, but after secluded himself. As the film progresses, Rick softens and puts himself behind the war effort. He allows Laszlo to start singing La Marseillaises (the French Anthem) when the Germans are singing their song about the Reich. Risky move considering he is in Vichy France. He puts his neck on the line for the cause by helping Laszlo ( Paul Heinreid), a Free French activist, and Isla ( Ingrid Bergman), his love, escape from Casablanca. In the scene where Laszlo and the clients at Rick's sing their moving rendition of La Marseillaises (1:12: 40- 1:13:50) , the audience can get a feel of how important their heritage and way of life before the Nazi invasion is to them. This scene is very dramatic and emotional. According to Roger Ebert, most of the extras in the film where European refugees from the war, and the emotion that they showed while singing was real. They knew that they had to keep the memory and faith alive. It may just come across to some as just an opportunity to belittle the German oppressors, but to others it is a moving show of patriotism and the fight for what is right and cherished: a life where man can be himself and in charge of his own destiny, not a life where he is oppressed by a evil totalitarian regime. When watching this scene, you realize that your "problems don't amount to a hill of beans", and that you need to unslefishly put yourself behind the effort. You are not just fighting for yourself, but for all of those who have lost so much already and still keep the flame of hope lit in their hearts.

Mis En Scene:

1. Dominant: Laszlo
2. Lighting: high key on Laszlo, but low key in the foreground where the band is; in the background it is high key also
   
3. Shot and Camera Proxemics: the camera is personal to social distance in the beginning, but moves in closer to intimate to personal distance as the scene progresses to create more of an emotional tie to the singers of the Marseillaise and Laszlo, their leader in song and spirit
   
4. Angle: eye level; we look at the characters head on, and the camera is sometimes stationed behind people so we get more of a feel that we are there
   
5. Density: this scene is very dense; there are alot of people and instruments in the scene; the scene feels cramped
   
6. Depth: does not seem 3D
   
7. Compostiton: the foreground, middleground, and background work together to give the audience that we are there and we are apart of the action


8. Form: open; seems very natural
   
9. Frame: tight; closed in; allows minimal movement; the characters stand up and move their arms; they do not walk about freely
   
10. Filter: some kind of filter/ guase was used in the close-up shots to create a softer look
    
11. Color value: the film is in black and white
    
12. Subsidiary: after Laszlo, our eyes are drawn to the band and the clients at Rick's
    
13. Staging positions: the characters look at each other
    
14. Character proxemics: the characters arein intimate to personal distance from one another to create a sense of comradery
    
15. Character placement: the characters are standing near the tables and band in Rick's

Becnel Social Network

The film Social Network had many features that I thought were noteworthy. First, the film had an instant "intrigue factor" because it is a bio-pic that involves something that most people use every day, facebook. The story of how facebook emerged is very interesting, and the film put us right into the middle of the story. It is controversial, which adds to the allure and hype of the film.
The Winklevoss twins are happy with their portrayal in the film. They believe that they were cast in the right light, and that the film was true to the original story.



Mark Zuckerberg, on the other hand, claims that the portrayal of his relationship with his girlfriend (later ex-girlfriend) in the film is far from the truth. In an interview, he has been quoted saying, "...The thing that I think is actually most thematically interesting that they got wrong is -the whole framing of the movie, kind of the way that it starts is, I'm with this girl who doesn't exist in real life, who dumps me, which has happened to me in real life, alot- and basically to frame it as if the whole reason for making Facebook and building something was because I wanted to get girls or wanted to get into some sort of social institution. And the reality for people who know me is that I've actually been dating the same girl since before I started Facebook, so obviously that's not a part of it." (slashfilm)
Second, the script was well written. It was sarcastic and darkly humorous in some scenes (Eduardo and the chicken) and intensely passionate (the depositions and the break-ups of the relationships)in others. Third, the soundtrack fit well with the movie. The songs that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross chose conveyed the feel and mood of the scenes well. Fourth, the movie was well casted. The actors are believable as the characters they are depicting, most notably Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg and Armie Hammer as the Winklevoss twins.













The film is getting recognition from the critics. The film currently has a 4 star and 2 "thumbs-up" rating from Roger Ebert. I would agree with his grade of the film. In my opinion, Social Network is a full 4 stars, but not 5.

Becnel George of the Jungle

One of my favorite scenes in George of the Jungle is the scene where Ursula (Leslie Mann) and her friends watch George (Brendan Fraser) interact with the white horse( 1:05: 30- 1:14:15). This scene, in my opinion, has great movement. The scene starts out George, wearing a loose, long-sleeved, unbuttoned white shirt, moving in slower motion interacting with a white horse. The camera is focused on George. We are looking at him as though we are Ursula. His graceful, sweeping slow motions are symbolic of Ursula falling in love with George, and realizing there may be more to her feelings than just warm friendship. It adds a feel of romance to the scene. He is like the knight in shining armor riding up on his white horse to save her and sweep her off her feet. Ursula and her friends are standing along a white fence, all enamored with George and his effortless appeal. They all comment on him, and as the conversation progresses, Ursula becomes more aware of the appealing qualities of George. She tells them that he doesn't have the appeal of a banker or lawyer, but he definitely has something else. Her friend answers, "sexual intelligence". He is innocent in a way that allows him to be more free and expressive of who he really is than men who grow up in a society that is about putting on appearances. Two guys in the scene ask the question, "What is it with chicks and horses?" It is not the horse that they are swooning over, it is George, with his innate aristocratic qualities, his gentleness, and his obvious "jungle cowboy" allure. As the scene comes to an end, the camera zooms (slowly) back onto Ursula's face. This zooming suggests that like Ursula we are realizing that there is more than we first thought between the two charcters. We knew early on George's feelings for Ursula. Now, her feelings are coming to light.

Becnel My Avatar

An avatar is an embodiment of an idea, value, or concept; a futuristic projection of one's self. My avatar is the "jett setting Audrey Hepburn" type. She is the beautiful, demure, sweet, and elegantly sophisticated "star" of her own life. She has a loving family, and is everybody's favorite friend. She has friends all over the world, and everyone enjoys her company. She has a great paying job and is determined and hardworking, but knows how to balance work and fun in her life. She is the well rounded, cultured traveler whose passion for meeting new people, going to exciting places, and having new experiences brings her all around the world. Her favorite "stomping ground" is Europe. She especially loves, London, Paris, and the Italian countryside. Some of her favorite places that she has visited are:

She has the most amazing stories from her travels: she has been invited to dine with dignitaries and to ski and sail with royals, and has walked where some of the most historical figures have walked. Her confidence is irresistible. She knows who she is and embraces it. She is not afraid of being herself or venturing off the beaten path. She creates her own path, and all the obstacles on the way only made her stronger and more experienced. She lives by her own personal motto: "For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." (Audrey Hepburn) She is everything that I want to be. She does all the things that I want to do, but am too afraid to do. She is my avatar.

Becnel Beowulf and the Mermaid

After this sea monster battle scene, the scene that I feel needs further editing begins.

The scene in Beowulf that needs more editing, in my opinion, is the scene where Beowulf, while swimming against Breka and after battling the sea monsters, is pulled under water by the mermaid (26:35-27:02). He doesn't tell the Danes that a mermaid pulled him under; he instead tells them that a monster pulled him under and that he killed the monster. His inability to kill or resist the mermaid is a foreshadowing of his being lured in by Grendel's mother and his mistake of not killing her, which proves to be Beowulf's downfall. In the scene, the mermaid reveals her self to Beowulf and swims to embrace him. The way the mermaid swims is not very fluid or smooth and resembles graphics from a bad early video game in comparison to the rest of the animation in the movie. Even though it is a short scene, if it was edited properly it would have added more to the film.

The Mis En Scene of the mermaid scene:

Dominant: The dominant in the scene is the mermaid. Our eyes are drawn to her first and for the longest amount of time. We are intrigued by her; Beowulf said he fought a monster, not a beautiful mermaid and we are curious to see what happens.

Lighting Key: The lighting is very low and the scene is comprised of dark colors: the deep blue/green of the sea and the darkness of the depth of the sea.

Shot and Camera Proxemics: The camera is at first far away( a social to public proxemic) from the mermaid, but as she reveals herself and swims towards Beowulf, the shot becomes more of a close-up (an intimate proxemic).

Angle: The camera is level for most of the scene, but slightly tilted down when she comes up to Beowulf, as if we are seeing her from his eyes.

Color Values: The dominant colors are the dark blue/greens of the ocean. The darkness also helps with the foreshadowing of Beowulf's downfall (his inability to resist or kill bewitching women).

Lens/Filter/Stock: The scene had a cloudy look to it when the mermaid was revealing herself.

Subsidiary Contrast: The second thing that catches our eye, after the mermaid, in the scene is Beowulf. The last thing our eye focuses on is Beowulf's sword falling to the bottom of the sea.

Density: There is not too much visual information in this scene. The mermaid and Beowulf's encounter gives information, but it is just the empty sea background and them in the scene.

Composition: The background ( the sea) and the middle and fore ground seem to blend in together.

Form: The form is open and natural. It does not seem to be closed or stylized. Not taking the fact that this scene needs more editing into consideration, it does have more of a natural feel than a fake or choreographed feel.

Framing: The framing is loose; the characters are allowed to move around the scene freely.

Depth: Even though the movie is animated to feel like a 3D film, this scene seems very 2D.

Character Placement: The mermaid occupied the center, the left, and the lower center of the scene, whereas Beowulf occupied the upper right and center of the scene.

Staging Positions: The characters do not look into the camera. The mermaid looks towards the camera, but not directly into it. Beowulf looks at the mermaid, and at one point has his back towards the camera.

Character Proximics: The characters start off in a social proxemic, end up in intimate proxemics from one another, when they embrace.

Becnel Wolfman

While the 2010 remake of the 1941 Hollywood- Horror classic The Wolfman is loosely based on the original and is very different in terms of most of the story line and characters' roles, the transformations that Larry Talbot underwent to become the wolf man were particulary similar in look, but different in application.

Lon Chaney, Jr.'s (Wolfman 1941) transformation involved adding "materials like yak hair, collodion, spirit gum, and cotton" (Jones) to make the make-up more realistic. The make-up artist responsible for Lon Chaney, Jr.'s transformation was Jack Pierce, "the man behind the monsters". Even though some critics have said "that Lon Chaney, Jr. looks more like a wild boar than a wolf" (Jones), Jack Pierce's work is still impressive for his time. In 1941, they did not have the luxury of computer generation or animatronics to apply to the transformation scenes. Also, the original Wolfman had to deal with censorship from the MPAA. The MPAA would "not allow direct man-to-wolf transformations", or "Lon Chaney, Jr. to "look too bestial" (Jones). When Lon Chaney, Jr. became the wolf man, he looked exactly like it sounds: a man with wolf like features, but still discernibly a man. He did not transform into an unrecognizable creature of full wolf.

Benicio del Toro's (Wolfman 2010) transformation involved " pieces of latex prosthetic make-up and loose hair, which were applied" by make-up artist Rick Baker "to del Toro's face each day" and "several dentures and wigs" (Wikipedia). The transformation was computer genrated, which did not sit well with Rick Baker, because he felt that "it would look unrealistic" and the animators did not have his creative "knowledge of design" (Wikipedia). He is a fan of Pierce and wanted to stick to the feel of the original. When Benicio del Toro transformed, he, like Chaney, Jr., looked like a man with wolf- like features. He still had discernable human features, but looked more supernatural. His hands, feet, and body morphed, instead of just growing hair all over his body and his nose changing (like Chaney, Jr.'s transforamtion). You were able to experience the full transformation, instead of experiencing only parts of it, like in the original. In my opinion, del Toro's transformation is more of what I think of as a transformation into a supernatural being than Chaney, Jr.'s.

Becnel Old School scene

In this scene from "Old School", the dominant is Will Ferrell's character, Frank. Our eyes are drawn to him first. He is in the center right of the image. He is also in the middle ground of the scene, in front of the other characters. All but one of the other characters are looking up at him. The character looking down at his notes, the dean, does not want Frank to do well. To the dean, Frank is not important. Frank is in the air twirling a red ribbon. The ribbon also draws attention to him. The lighting is high key at the top of the image and is a little less bright towards the bottom of the image. The sun is coming through the windows at the top of the image. The camera is tilted slightly up and is a social distance from Frank. We are looking up at Frank like the other characters. The other characters are in personal to social distance from Frank. The other characters are in intimate to social distance from each other. These features of mis en scene convey the message in this scene that at this moment the characters collectively are anxious to see how Frank will do. The fate of their fraternity, where they will live, and if they are allowed back into the school is in the hands of Frank and his ribbon twirling ability. His performance holds a part of their fate, they are hoping that he does well. He is the most important person right now to the other characters, and is shown as the most important character at this point to the audience.