- Already in the opening you can see that the film is set in a big urban jungle
- Beautiful female protagonist
- The man Marion is with is in a conflicting situation, he is having to pay off lots of debt
- marion wants to marry him but they would be so poor if she did
- Marion keeps getting herself into further twisted situations
- There are many suspenseful shots of Marion trying to decide whether or not to steal the money or leave it
- Eventually she does ooh
- Long shot of Marion to try to create suspense
- Long (as in time) shots of her in the car, the police car in the review mirror and the road to create a sense of suspense and show that she is doing something very illegal
- Music also emphasis this
- Long shot of Marion in her car while voice over of people discussing what she did and what went on occurs
- Normans character, straight away seems really weird and unusual
- His mother doesn't like women who are not virginal, in fact she straight up hates them and finds them disgusting
- Norman is so weird, talking about taxidermy although he seems like a nice guy and is nice to marion
- Long shots between characters which creates tension
- God I don't think Norman blinks at all in this scene
- Dramatic long shots of Marion in her shower
- Dramatic shots of of Normans shadow creeping up behind
- Long dramatic pan out of her eye as she lies on the floor then pan around room
- classic music screech of violins
- Norman is terrified long shots of him pacing fidgety around the room
- Long scene of norman cleaning the bathroom as if nothing happened
- Normans behaviour is very suspicious --> kinda goes with Hitchcock's psychological characters
- He just dumps marion in his trunk and cleans up the bathroom as if nothing happened
- I don't know why but you can't help but feel sorry for Norman he is a sick, sick guy
- I wonder if Hitchcock's intentions were for us to feel sorry for Norman to some degree
Monday, 23 May 2016
Sunday, 22 May 2016
Critique task
Design task
- We have to plan a scene or two based on a certain director/auteur's style
Critique task
- We are to create a oral presentation task that explores a director who has a signature style that is representative of the styles and conventions of auteur theory
- Many directors work is considered iconic or stylised- W by that doesn't necessarily make them an auteur
- Our task conveys why our director is an auteur based on our explanations of the style
- We need about 2-3 videos 20/30 seconds just to enhance our overall presentation
- We can have other video sequences without sound that play as well.
Our presentation should examine directors
- techniques
- signature style
- reoccurring themes
- plot devices
- symbolic codes or motif
- We need to answer all of these
- While many directors are considered iconic or highly stylised there is still lots of debate about what is and isn't an auteur
- We have to plan a scene or two based on a certain director/auteur's style
Critique task
- We are to create a oral presentation task that explores a director who has a signature style that is representative of the styles and conventions of auteur theory
- Many directors work is considered iconic or stylised- W by that doesn't necessarily make them an auteur
- Our task conveys why our director is an auteur based on our explanations of the style
- We need about 2-3 videos 20/30 seconds just to enhance our overall presentation
- We can have other video sequences without sound that play as well.
Our presentation should examine directors
- techniques
- signature style
- reoccurring themes
- plot devices
- symbolic codes or motif
- We need to answer all of these
- While many directors are considered iconic or highly stylised there is still lots of debate about what is and isn't an auteur
Sunday, 15 May 2016
Auteur theory
- In 1954 Francois Truffaut wrote an essay entitled A Certain Tendency in French Cinema
- he suggested that film be used as a means for expressing the directors intentions
- He suggested that this means the director should be regarded as an auteur
- He stated that there are no good or only bad movies only good and bad directors
- It suggests that the director can use film apparatus like a writer uses pen to paper
- It is the medium for personal artistic expression of the director
- Auteur theory suggests that the best films will bear their makers signature
- Alfred Hitchcock plays up this idea by making sure he appears onscreen in a brief cameo
Alfred Hitchcock
- He is one of the most well known names in world cinema
- His style has established him among the elite class of directors known as auteurs
- This is because his style is so distinctive it can be recognised through his filmography
- He often collaborated with many of the same people when making his films to keep consistency
- His films are all very psychological in nature
- he explores the deepest psyches of character
- He is often known for casting beautiful blonds as leading ladies
- Some critics have often associated this as a freudian response to his own mother
- Hitchcocks psychological connection with his films allows audiences to psychologically connect as well
- Five films: Psycho, North by Northwest, The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window
- He was often known as the master of suspense
- the editing of the scenes create immense suspense if someone else had done it it would not have been as suspenseful
- He doesn't do things unintentionally if he makes you feel an emotion it is on purpose
- Instead of creating suspense in regular ways he plays on different means of suspense
- It therefore manipulates audiences emotional response to the films
- This is a staple in hatchecks works
- He played on why people are the way they are
- His films have classic innovative shots
- His ability to create suspense is also central to his style
- He was the first director to use 3D creatively instead of just gimmicky
- He used 3D to create depth within the shots
- Seeing double is another theme in Hitchcock films
- He often used attractive blonds
What influences have his work had on popular culture?
- Has it been made funny
- Has it been referenced
- Has it been turned around or made funny
- The theme music for Lady Gaga's born this way is sampled from Vertigo
- The Simpsons have paid homage to Alfred Hitchcock many times
- Pretty Little Liars have paid homage to hitcock many times
- One example is a bell tower death paying homage to Vertigo
- Psycho was the first slasher flick
- Julie Andrews worked with him in a film called Rope
- The women he worked with were blond and often the most beautiful women in Hollywood
- He never worked with James Stewart after Vertigo, it was a commercial failure though it is a historical success, he blamed James Stewart, Hitchcock didn't blame himself
- Critics said James Stewart was getting old
- Hitchcock would have worked with Grace Kelly again but she got married and became the princess of Monaco, although she loved working with Hitchcock as a director
- Rear window is an interesting film it is about a man who looks out his rear window every night and one day he thinks he see's a murder. This messes with him
- the work of Hitchcock would have influenced other directors of that genre
- he used optical effects
Hitchcocks signature elements
- The blocking he created wasn't just for the actors
- He blocked every single camera movement in sync with the actors movements
- He would indicate different things to the audience with blocking
- He was a fan of pure cinema which involved telling a story by using strong visuals as apposed to lengthy dialogue
- He emphasised the visuals of a scene
- all his films had a strong thematic connection
- They all feature varying degrees of intrigue, suspense, murder, romance, sexuality and dark humour
- They also often centre around a wrongly accused man
- many deal with patriotism or internal espionage
- Most tell stories of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances
- many of his films feature excessive chases where the protagonist has to go to great lengths to avoid capture, the important elements in these chases are the running, the encounter and the avoidance
- Its never why it isn't explained
- He used smooth called the mcguffin, something that everyone is after but is not explained
- Its a nonsensical device
- he often made the films so visually compelling that no one cared what the mcguffin was
- Location as an important part of the story
- Location isn't a background but an integral part of the story
- he didn't leave anything to chance and every shot was purposeful
- Another thing he does is his actors only show their emotions on their faces
- It is a signature
- People argue that his actors are props too as he uses them for reaction shots only and makes them sudden and brief
- In his films we can often see countless shifting eyes to represent suspicion
In Vertigo Hitchcock uses a beautiful motif for the characters
- When certain characters come on everything reflects their motif colour
- Hitchcock started the slasher movie trend with Psycho
- Hitchcock pushes the boundaries with the Shower scene in Psycho
Wess Anderson
- Wess may be considered a contemporary Auteur
- He has a distinctive visual style
- Every shot is perfectly staged and arranged
- the periphery of the frame is just as important as the centre
- Anderson asks us to look at the edges as much s the middle because that is where the real drama might be occurring
- His visual style is self reflective it draws attention to the very act of looking
- he is renowned for using perfectly entered shots
- His work becomes a meditation on perception on films relationship to analogue film and to paint
- He also makes use of replete primary coloured palettes
- there is also an aspect of nostalgia to his "sunflower" aesthetic
- Anderson populates his films with off beat outsider characters who are either struggling to come to terms with adulthood or trapped in a liminal space where they can't or won't fit
- His stories are absurdist meditations on modern life
Tim Burton
- Almost all of his films are dark and quirky
- Time Burton uses recurring collaborators like Johnny Depp and his wife Helena Bonham Carter
- Tim Burton is actually best friends with Johnny Depp
- Burton likes to make dark movies with humour
- He also uses Danny Elfman as soundtracks
- he often uses saxophones, chimes bells and women choirs to add a creepy sense
- He usually has protagonist characters who are outsiders and against the norm
- He likes to usually have a witch character: This is normally a women with dark hair who is mysterious and often misunderstood
- If these films are not very gothic they are very weird
- Some say he isn't an auteur because he has some films that some consider not dark or gothic enough
- the witch character often creates a atmosphere of intimidation
- He also usually bases the whole story around a very skittish main character
- he suggested that film be used as a means for expressing the directors intentions
- He suggested that this means the director should be regarded as an auteur
- He stated that there are no good or only bad movies only good and bad directors
- It suggests that the director can use film apparatus like a writer uses pen to paper
- It is the medium for personal artistic expression of the director
- Auteur theory suggests that the best films will bear their makers signature
- Alfred Hitchcock plays up this idea by making sure he appears onscreen in a brief cameo
Alfred Hitchcock
- He is one of the most well known names in world cinema
- His style has established him among the elite class of directors known as auteurs
- This is because his style is so distinctive it can be recognised through his filmography
- He often collaborated with many of the same people when making his films to keep consistency
- His films are all very psychological in nature
- he explores the deepest psyches of character
- He is often known for casting beautiful blonds as leading ladies
- Some critics have often associated this as a freudian response to his own mother
- Hitchcocks psychological connection with his films allows audiences to psychologically connect as well
- Five films: Psycho, North by Northwest, The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window
- He was often known as the master of suspense
- the editing of the scenes create immense suspense if someone else had done it it would not have been as suspenseful
- He doesn't do things unintentionally if he makes you feel an emotion it is on purpose
- Instead of creating suspense in regular ways he plays on different means of suspense
- It therefore manipulates audiences emotional response to the films
- This is a staple in hatchecks works
- He played on why people are the way they are
- His films have classic innovative shots
- His ability to create suspense is also central to his style
- He was the first director to use 3D creatively instead of just gimmicky
- He used 3D to create depth within the shots
- Seeing double is another theme in Hitchcock films
- He often used attractive blonds
What influences have his work had on popular culture?
- Has it been made funny
- Has it been referenced
- Has it been turned around or made funny
- The theme music for Lady Gaga's born this way is sampled from Vertigo
- The Simpsons have paid homage to Alfred Hitchcock many times
- Pretty Little Liars have paid homage to hitcock many times
- One example is a bell tower death paying homage to Vertigo
- Psycho was the first slasher flick
- Julie Andrews worked with him in a film called Rope
- The women he worked with were blond and often the most beautiful women in Hollywood
- He never worked with James Stewart after Vertigo, it was a commercial failure though it is a historical success, he blamed James Stewart, Hitchcock didn't blame himself
- Critics said James Stewart was getting old
- Hitchcock would have worked with Grace Kelly again but she got married and became the princess of Monaco, although she loved working with Hitchcock as a director
- Rear window is an interesting film it is about a man who looks out his rear window every night and one day he thinks he see's a murder. This messes with him
- the work of Hitchcock would have influenced other directors of that genre
- he used optical effects
Hitchcocks signature elements
- The blocking he created wasn't just for the actors
- He blocked every single camera movement in sync with the actors movements
- He would indicate different things to the audience with blocking
- He was a fan of pure cinema which involved telling a story by using strong visuals as apposed to lengthy dialogue
- He emphasised the visuals of a scene
- all his films had a strong thematic connection
- They all feature varying degrees of intrigue, suspense, murder, romance, sexuality and dark humour
- They also often centre around a wrongly accused man
- many deal with patriotism or internal espionage
- Most tell stories of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances
- many of his films feature excessive chases where the protagonist has to go to great lengths to avoid capture, the important elements in these chases are the running, the encounter and the avoidance
- Its never why it isn't explained
- He used smooth called the mcguffin, something that everyone is after but is not explained
- Its a nonsensical device
- he often made the films so visually compelling that no one cared what the mcguffin was
- Location as an important part of the story
- Location isn't a background but an integral part of the story
- he didn't leave anything to chance and every shot was purposeful
- Another thing he does is his actors only show their emotions on their faces
- It is a signature
- People argue that his actors are props too as he uses them for reaction shots only and makes them sudden and brief
- In his films we can often see countless shifting eyes to represent suspicion
In Vertigo Hitchcock uses a beautiful motif for the characters
- When certain characters come on everything reflects their motif colour
- Hitchcock started the slasher movie trend with Psycho
- Hitchcock pushes the boundaries with the Shower scene in Psycho
Wess Anderson
- Wess may be considered a contemporary Auteur
- He has a distinctive visual style
- Every shot is perfectly staged and arranged
- the periphery of the frame is just as important as the centre
- Anderson asks us to look at the edges as much s the middle because that is where the real drama might be occurring
- His visual style is self reflective it draws attention to the very act of looking
- he is renowned for using perfectly entered shots
- His work becomes a meditation on perception on films relationship to analogue film and to paint
- He also makes use of replete primary coloured palettes
- there is also an aspect of nostalgia to his "sunflower" aesthetic
- Anderson populates his films with off beat outsider characters who are either struggling to come to terms with adulthood or trapped in a liminal space where they can't or won't fit
- His stories are absurdist meditations on modern life
Tim Burton
- Almost all of his films are dark and quirky
- Time Burton uses recurring collaborators like Johnny Depp and his wife Helena Bonham Carter
- Tim Burton is actually best friends with Johnny Depp
- Burton likes to make dark movies with humour
- He also uses Danny Elfman as soundtracks
- he often uses saxophones, chimes bells and women choirs to add a creepy sense
- He usually has protagonist characters who are outsiders and against the norm
- He likes to usually have a witch character: This is normally a women with dark hair who is mysterious and often misunderstood
- If these films are not very gothic they are very weird
- Some say he isn't an auteur because he has some films that some consider not dark or gothic enough
- the witch character often creates a atmosphere of intimidation
- He also usually bases the whole story around a very skittish main character
Quentin Tarrentino
- He has his own distinctive style
- In his films he does not just use in genre and theme, he often takes a whole bunch of different genre and themes
- Most of his films are classified "Spaghetti Western"
- He has a film that has come out this year called the hateful eight
- He has a few signature shots such as the Gods eye shot
- blood and guts is common for his film, he uses hand cannons
- People get hacked into pieces there are fountains of blood
- Its called a spaghetti western because a lot of Westerns were made in Italy where they eat lots of spaghetti
Sunday, 8 May 2016
star power
Naomi Watts
- (The impossible, more recently insurgent)
- TV series: the sleepwalkers 1998
- Strange planet
Ringu
- Nanako Matsushim
- One of the most famous models in Japan
- first big role in Kon'na koi nohanashi opposite Hiroyuki Sanada thanks to their amazing performance they would go on to star in the Ring.
- (The impossible, more recently insurgent)
- TV series: the sleepwalkers 1998
- Strange planet
Ringu
- Nanako Matsushim
- One of the most famous models in Japan
- first big role in Kon'na koi nohanashi opposite Hiroyuki Sanada thanks to their amazing performance they would go on to star in the Ring.
The main differences in this film and the remake (planning)
- Hollywood has a stereotype when it comes to films and that is over explanation
- In traditional Japanese horror films the power of suggestion is utilised to create feelings of fear.
- the director of Ringu: Hideo Nakata states "This may seem too simple but Asian ghosts can stand just behind you and stare at you and don't say anything, just and and stare at the main character. And that can be scary, from our point of view "
- For Japanese audiences the power of suggestion is suitable to evoke a sense of fear in viewers, however for Westerners the sense of suggestion alone isn't often enough of an explanation for them. they need more information.
The Ring, however managed to go against Hollywood stereotypes by keeping many aspects of Japanese culture within their films.
- In traditional Japanese horror films the power of suggestion is utilised to create feelings of fear.
- the director of Ringu: Hideo Nakata states "This may seem too simple but Asian ghosts can stand just behind you and stare at you and don't say anything, just and and stare at the main character. And that can be scary, from our point of view "
- For Japanese audiences the power of suggestion is suitable to evoke a sense of fear in viewers, however for Westerners the sense of suggestion alone isn't often enough of an explanation for them. they need more information.
The Ring, however managed to go against Hollywood stereotypes by keeping many aspects of Japanese culture within their films.
Ringu and The Ring fast facts
Ringu fast facts
- It was released in Japan an became the highest grossing horror film in the country
- It was shown at the 1999 Fantasia film festival where it won first place award for the best feature in asian films section
- It was ranked 69 in Empire magazines the 100 best films in world cinema in 2010
- It was directed by Hideo Nakata in 1998
The Ring fast facts
- It was released in 2002
- It was directed by Gore Verbinski
- It got many great reviews
- The initial success of the film led Dreamwork to increase the films distribution into 700 additional theatres
Where and when
- Ringu was a very successful film in japan and quickly became the highest grossing horror film in the country, however the Western remake allowed the story much more power by distributing it world wide.
- It was released in Japan an became the highest grossing horror film in the country
- It was shown at the 1999 Fantasia film festival where it won first place award for the best feature in asian films section
- It was ranked 69 in Empire magazines the 100 best films in world cinema in 2010
- It was directed by Hideo Nakata in 1998
The Ring fast facts
- It was released in 2002
- It was directed by Gore Verbinski
- It got many great reviews
- The initial success of the film led Dreamwork to increase the films distribution into 700 additional theatres
Where and when
- Ringu was a very successful film in japan and quickly became the highest grossing horror film in the country, however the Western remake allowed the story much more power by distributing it world wide.
American Horror genre in the 1990's and thinking about planning/questioning
- The american horror genre entered into a slump in the 1990's that it is yet to recover from
- psychological thrillers like psych by hitchcock were gone and slash films were using their appeal.
- In the late 1990's a new wave of horror films known as "J horror" began to develop a cult following in the US
- American remakes often devote large amounts of time to the explanation of why
Things to consider
- Does the remake conform to American stereotypes?
Yes, in a way. the remake still carries many cultural conventions from the original, but it does the American thing where everything is over explained and the antagonist is quite humanised therefore it is both challenging and conforming stereotypes.
Do the films differ for different audiences
- For Japan part of the "J horror" style is to not be too obvious and leave some explanations murky
- everything needs to be very explained for western audiences, they often want to know everything
- The sort of horror films that were popular before the ring were
- Slasher
- People going insane and murdering
- Demon possesion
Thesis:
The Hollywood remake of the ring was important as it allowed for the emergence of "J horror" in the mainstream media
Beginning planning
Before J horror
- Hollywood was stuck in a "Horror slump" from the late 80's to the late 90's where the same ideas and storylines were just being repeated and remade
- It was the same sorts of stories: slashers, people going mad and becoming murderous, demon possession
- the Ring brought something fresh to the scene of horror "J horror"
- This unique idea of a cursed video tape, a terrifying prospect
- That somehow technology could hybrid with forces on the other side to become deadly, chilled viewers and soon these sorts of films known as "J horror" developed a cult following.
- psychological thrillers like psych by hitchcock were gone and slash films were using their appeal.
- In the late 1990's a new wave of horror films known as "J horror" began to develop a cult following in the US
- American remakes often devote large amounts of time to the explanation of why
Things to consider
- Does the remake conform to American stereotypes?
Yes, in a way. the remake still carries many cultural conventions from the original, but it does the American thing where everything is over explained and the antagonist is quite humanised therefore it is both challenging and conforming stereotypes.
Do the films differ for different audiences
- For Japan part of the "J horror" style is to not be too obvious and leave some explanations murky
- everything needs to be very explained for western audiences, they often want to know everything
- The sort of horror films that were popular before the ring were
- Slasher
- People going insane and murdering
- Demon possesion
Thesis:
The Hollywood remake of the ring was important as it allowed for the emergence of "J horror" in the mainstream media
Beginning planning
Before J horror
- Hollywood was stuck in a "Horror slump" from the late 80's to the late 90's where the same ideas and storylines were just being repeated and remade
- It was the same sorts of stories: slashers, people going mad and becoming murderous, demon possession
- the Ring brought something fresh to the scene of horror "J horror"
- This unique idea of a cursed video tape, a terrifying prospect
- That somehow technology could hybrid with forces on the other side to become deadly, chilled viewers and soon these sorts of films known as "J horror" developed a cult following.
More research on the Ringu/ The Ring
How are the characters different culturally?
- In the american version the ideas, thoughts and traditions behind Sadako are not as relevant as Samara
- there is lots of folklore behind Sadako that has been borrowed from the character of Samara (wells, evil spirits who are vengeful)
- Sadako has the ability to kill with a single glance, however in the American version they most likely used the story of Takahashi Sadako and her gift of Nensha
- They explored Japanese culture for this storyline
- Both characters are similar culturally and do what they do, because they are vengeful spirits that have been wronged.
- In the american version the ideas, thoughts and traditions behind Sadako are not as relevant as Samara
- there is lots of folklore behind Sadako that has been borrowed from the character of Samara (wells, evil spirits who are vengeful)
- Sadako has the ability to kill with a single glance, however in the American version they most likely used the story of Takahashi Sadako and her gift of Nensha
- They explored Japanese culture for this storyline
- Both characters are similar culturally and do what they do, because they are vengeful spirits that have been wronged.
The American version
- The production designer Americanised the setting of Sadako's life by moving the story to the American Pacific North West
- He based the visual style of the film and paintings on the works of the American artist Andrew Wyeth
- The American version of the Ring makes specific what the Japanese version leaves murky and ambiguous
- More than one critic, including Rodger Ebert has suggested that the Ring explains too much
- The mosts striking example is in the decision to reveal Samaras entire face at the climactic moment of the Ring
- "In contrast, by revealing only a single baleful eye, the Japanese version forces the viewer to imagine what the rest of Sadako's water logged decomposed face must look like."
- "By leaving much to our imagination, Ringu may be the more effective horror film. We always imagine worse monsters in the dark."
Bringing Peace to a soul in Japanese culture
- In Japanese Bhuddist traditions there are only two ways to get a ghost to stop haunting you
- One way is to perform an exorcism and the other is to resolve what is bothering the ghost
- In both films the protagonist tries to bring peace to the soul of Sadako/Samara although it is shown that their spirit is still angry and still trying to kill people
- He based the visual style of the film and paintings on the works of the American artist Andrew Wyeth
- The American version of the Ring makes specific what the Japanese version leaves murky and ambiguous
- More than one critic, including Rodger Ebert has suggested that the Ring explains too much
- The mosts striking example is in the decision to reveal Samaras entire face at the climactic moment of the Ring
- "In contrast, by revealing only a single baleful eye, the Japanese version forces the viewer to imagine what the rest of Sadako's water logged decomposed face must look like."
- "By leaving much to our imagination, Ringu may be the more effective horror film. We always imagine worse monsters in the dark."
Bringing Peace to a soul in Japanese culture
- In Japanese Bhuddist traditions there are only two ways to get a ghost to stop haunting you
- One way is to perform an exorcism and the other is to resolve what is bothering the ghost
- In both films the protagonist tries to bring peace to the soul of Sadako/Samara although it is shown that their spirit is still angry and still trying to kill people
Ringo Based on a true story
- Ringu is based on the true stories of two Japanese women: Chizuko Mifune lived about two hundred years ago and was said to have ESP
- She became a test subject of a professor
- He ordered a public demonstration
- People didn't believe in her powers and she fell into a deep depression and killed herself at age 25
- One year before her death another psychic was born in Japan
- She would become world famous for her ability of nensha which means to burn an image into someones mind
- her name was Takahashi Sadako
- She became a test subject of a professor
- He ordered a public demonstration
- People didn't believe in her powers and she fell into a deep depression and killed herself at age 25
- One year before her death another psychic was born in Japan
- She would become world famous for her ability of nensha which means to burn an image into someones mind
- her name was Takahashi Sadako
Ringu and mythology day 4
More on Sadako and Jaanese folklore
- Sadako has a lot in common with Oiwa, one of the most famous ghosts in Japanese history
- her story involves her husband poising and killing her so he could go and marry another woman.
- To add insult to injury he nailed her to door and dumped her in a river
- Her story is popular in Japanese pop culture
- In a kabuki version she brushes her long black hair—> bloody clumps of hair—> when she sits up her face is horrible disigured
- This is alive to the shot of sadako’s eye being revealed in Ring
- Oiwa is a quintessential Japanese ghost for her desire for revenge
The desire for revenge
- The origin for this can be found in Japanese beliefs about what happens when you die
- Many Japanese don’t practise only one religion
- They believe in many different ideas from a variety of religions
- Most Japanese believe when you die your soul is impure and unsettled
- they believe that for the next seven years you must purify your soul and detach yourself from the cares of the world and achieve some degree of peaceful response
- So Yuurie ghosts are usually spirits, usually of women, who are between the worlds of the living and the dead.
- Some of them died with a strong attachment to something, making it difficult to achieve peace
- Some of these ghosts were hurt terribly by someone before they died and now all they want is revenge
- these kinds of ghosts are called onryou which are the worst kind of yuurie
- In most cases these were women who were done wrong by men.
Ringu and mythology day 3
- The body is dressed in a white kimono to show the purity of a persons soul
- A famous example of a japanese your ghost that fits the general pattern is Okiku from the famous ghost story Bancho Sarayashi
- Okiku was a servent at the famous Himeji Castle in Western Japan.
- A samurai tried to seduce her but she spurned his advances
- He was enraged by this so he killed her and threw her in the water well.
- Its a real place and the well is real
The well as a symbol
- There are a lot of stories in japan about people dumping bodies in wells or women committing suicide by throwing themselves in wells
- When a women tries to kill herself in Japanese culture it is usually because of a man
- there is a deep connection in Japaes culture between wells and troubled woman
- One example of a well being used is the woman ghost in the film from the 1960’s: Onibaba
- The ghost in Onibaba attacks men and throws them into a deep dark round hole
- Another example of a well like object is in the film Chakushin Ari 2 (one missed call 2)
- Many Japanese also believe water is the pathway to the land of the dead
- Sadako shares many characteristics with many unholy Japanese spirits in films
Ringu and mythology research day 2
- The directer of Ringu directed Ringu 2
- He was offered by Dreamworks to direct the second action ring
Why was Ringu so significant
- Ringu came out in 1998, back before DVD’s and digital media took over the media landscape
- If you wanted to watch a film at home you had to use a VCR
- Nowadays Sadako might get to her victims through a viral video on youtube.
- Ringu kicked off the rebirth of Japanese horror films as a genre spawning a whole series of “J horror” films, many of which were remade into hollywood films.
- Vengeful spirits became a huge business
- Sadako became a pop culture iconic Japanese culture
- Sadako’s appearance and movements were inspired, in part, by Butoh, a strange and grotesque dance form created in japan after the horrors of world war 1
- Her appearance draws a lot from Japanese ghosts
- She shares many characteristics with classic Yuurei ghosts
- Your are usually women with a white face, long black hair and a long white kimono that trails off into the midst where her legs should be.
- the reason for this appearance is; this is how Japanese women looked when they are buried
- Traditionally the woman wore their hair tied up while living, but their hair was let down when they died.
Ringu and mythology (research day 1)
Ringu and mythology
- The ring is a 4 part series of books by kaji Suzuki
- “In my opinion Sadako is a by product of her mothers connection to the supernatural rely, she has gained much more power than her mother and she cannot control it, she went mad with how people treated her mother and with how her father treated her, like a monster. What exactly Sadako and her mother were is a mystery but it seems that they weren’t evil at all, on the contrary they were victims of society and of their family.”
- It is believed that Sadakos mother is based off the medium Chizuku Mifune, who committed suicide
- Like the woman in the film a doctor conducted ESp card experiments on her.
- They were to test whether or not Chizuku Mifane could tell what characters were on the cards without seeing them
- Her doctor claimed she could, at first, then her abilities declined
- There was talk of cheating and scientists became skeptical
- It was around this time her sister developed abilities
- On January 18th when she was 24 years old she committed suicide
- Her sister becoming a clairvoyant was becoming a problem for her
- Her reaction was “I have no use of the world”
- It is also believed that sadako is based off Kyoto tau - A Japanese folk story a yoke that appears as bones wrapped in a shroud
Thursday, 5 May 2016
Watching the Ring and comparing it to Ringu day 5
- There is a dramatic fight between Rachel and Noah just like there is in Ringu
- The well is under Shelter mountain inn, it is not there in Ringu
- Unlike Ringu, Noah does not go into the well and leave Rachel to empty the well using buckets
- Dramatic moment: screws start being lifted from the floor
- TV pushes Rachel into the well
- rachel finds a fingernail in the well
- the well closes itself, unlike the original
- The first thing Rachel sees is Samaras hair, then she is taken back to Samaras death --> Flashback is like the one in Ringu, except it is the mother that pushes her in the well.
- The mother puts a bag over Samaras head
- This scene is more dramatic than Ringu, Samara is floating in the well and she see's it shut... "Before you die you see the ring"
- more dramatic than Ringu is the scene where Rachel holds Samara who rots away in Rachel's arms
- The ending is very similar
- Dramatic moment with Aiden
"You weren't meant to help her!"
"Don't you understand Rachel? She never sleeps."
- Noahs death is very similar to that of Ringu's
- Samara looks more dramatic, more rotten and bleeding
- The idea of making a copy is the same.
- The well is under Shelter mountain inn, it is not there in Ringu
- Unlike Ringu, Noah does not go into the well and leave Rachel to empty the well using buckets
- Dramatic moment: screws start being lifted from the floor
- TV pushes Rachel into the well
- rachel finds a fingernail in the well
- the well closes itself, unlike the original
- The first thing Rachel sees is Samaras hair, then she is taken back to Samaras death --> Flashback is like the one in Ringu, except it is the mother that pushes her in the well.
- The mother puts a bag over Samaras head
- This scene is more dramatic than Ringu, Samara is floating in the well and she see's it shut... "Before you die you see the ring"
- more dramatic than Ringu is the scene where Rachel holds Samara who rots away in Rachel's arms
- The ending is very similar
- Dramatic moment with Aiden
"You weren't meant to help her!"
"Don't you understand Rachel? She never sleeps."
- Noahs death is very similar to that of Ringu's
- Samara looks more dramatic, more rotten and bleeding
- The idea of making a copy is the same.
Watching The ring day 4
- There is a dramatic moment where Rachel looks at Aidens drawings. Its Samaras house
- Aiden is drawing many wells (ooooh)
- Dramatic moment:
"Aiden who told you to draw that house?"
"A little girl she shows me things. She doesn't like the barn, the horses keep her up at night."
"She still lives there?"
"No. She lives in a dark place now."
- Well Aiden and Samara seem to be getting along well then
- I find that really weird she seems to like talking to Aiden is she still going to kill him?
- I still believe Samara its evil she's just misunderstood.
doctor scene
- Dramatic moment Rachel goes to the doctor to ask about Samara
- Doctor gets all weird like everyone does when they get asked about Samara
Dramatic moment!!!
Rachel: "I'm seeing things in my head and so is my son."
Doctor: "I haven't heard someone say that in a long time."
- There is a story about Samara and how she got to the island how she was adopted as Anna couldn't have a baby
- Anna started coming to see the doctor
"She was seeing things, horrible things like they had been burned inside her and it only happened around Samara."
- Doctor thinks Samara is still in a mental hospital
Dramatic moment:
"Ever since that girl has been gone things have been better." --> Thats actually not that dramatic, just very "hollywood"
In Mr Morgans house
- Mr Morgan kills himself, just casually, in a bathtub
- Rachel see's samara in a mirror
- Rachel see's mental patient cords
- She also sees the caterpillar in the draw from the video
- She also finds the tape of Samara in the mental hospital
oooh dramatic moment
"I don't make them I just see them then they are."
"You don't want to hurt anyone?"
"But I do and I'm sorry."
"Daddy wants me to go away."
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!? SHE WAS YOUR DAUGHTER."
- Bit rich for a mother who watched a cursed tape and even brought it home where her curious slightly creepy but innocent son, who clearly has a sixth sense could easily watch it
"MY WIFE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CHILD!"
"Those pictures, oh Christ the things she'd show you."
"She never sleeps."
Dramatic moment
- Rachel and Noah go and have a look in Samaras old room
- The ladder is still there
- She had to sleep in the barn, poor little girl
- Aiden is drawing many wells (ooooh)
- Dramatic moment:
"Aiden who told you to draw that house?"
"A little girl she shows me things. She doesn't like the barn, the horses keep her up at night."
"She still lives there?"
"No. She lives in a dark place now."
- Well Aiden and Samara seem to be getting along well then
- I find that really weird she seems to like talking to Aiden is she still going to kill him?
- I still believe Samara its evil she's just misunderstood.
doctor scene
- Dramatic moment Rachel goes to the doctor to ask about Samara
- Doctor gets all weird like everyone does when they get asked about Samara
Dramatic moment!!!
Rachel: "I'm seeing things in my head and so is my son."
Doctor: "I haven't heard someone say that in a long time."
- There is a story about Samara and how she got to the island how she was adopted as Anna couldn't have a baby
- Anna started coming to see the doctor
"She was seeing things, horrible things like they had been burned inside her and it only happened around Samara."
- Doctor thinks Samara is still in a mental hospital
Dramatic moment:
"Ever since that girl has been gone things have been better." --> Thats actually not that dramatic, just very "hollywood"
In Mr Morgans house
- Mr Morgan kills himself, just casually, in a bathtub
- Rachel see's samara in a mirror
- Rachel see's mental patient cords
- She also sees the caterpillar in the draw from the video
- She also finds the tape of Samara in the mental hospital
oooh dramatic moment
"I don't make them I just see them then they are."
"You don't want to hurt anyone?"
"But I do and I'm sorry."
"Daddy wants me to go away."
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!? SHE WAS YOUR DAUGHTER."
- Bit rich for a mother who watched a cursed tape and even brought it home where her curious slightly creepy but innocent son, who clearly has a sixth sense could easily watch it
"MY WIFE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CHILD!"
"Those pictures, oh Christ the things she'd show you."
"She never sleeps."
Dramatic moment
- Rachel and Noah go and have a look in Samaras old room
- The ladder is still there
- She had to sleep in the barn, poor little girl
Comparing Ring and Ringu day 3
Storyline changes
- There is a different storyline in terms of Samara (Sadako's) past
- Anna Morgan isn't a psychic who is being criticised
- Anna morgan is basically a ranch owner whose horses have all drowned
- Like the psychic Anna also kills herself
- Dramatic part with Rachel pulling the black chord out of her throat
- Dramatic moment with Noah seeing his blurred reflection in the supermarket
- Rachel doesn't drop Aiden off at his grandparents house unlike in Ringu, instead Rachel calls her sister
- There is a dramatic moment where Rachel walks into Aidens room and see's Samara sitting in a puddle or water staring at the TV screen
- Samara reaches out her hand and grabs Rachels arm. I think what Samara shows Rachel is "Rachel" as a child sitting in a mental hospital like Samara used to.
- It is a dream and Rachel wakes up with a hand print on her arm
- She also wakes up to Aiden watching the film
- Her Reaction is the same as the mother in Ringu
- Aiden is so nonchalant "Where is she Rachel?" damn it Haiden don't you know what you've just done. You should know not to watch it you talk to Samara all the time.
- Dramatic moment when the phone rings and Rachel screams into the phone "LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!" It is just Noah and he has a bunch of blurry photographs of himself in his passenger seat. Rachel cries into the phone "Aiden... watched the tape."
In the car
- There is a moment with Aiden and his dad
- "I've seen you in the yard at school"
- Something about this scene makes Aiden seem wise beyond his years
- There is another dramatic moment where rachel looks through Katys book again, it is full of wells and horses
- Rachel and Noah discover a lot about the woman "Anna", how she suddenly just took a bad turn and ended up an a psychiatric ward
- "Before you die you see the ring." oooohhh
- The two of them go to an island on a boat like in Ringu
- I hate this scene so much
- There is a dramatic moment with the horse on a boat that loses it when Rachel touches it and then jumps off the boat.
-It gets caught in the motors and blood leaks out of the boat.
- I hate that it makes me feel so weird and disturbed watching that.
- Noah and Rachel go to a mental hospital --> different storyline to Japanese film. they do this to find more info on Anna morgan
Visting Samaras father
- Noah and Rachel go and visit Annas husband, like in Ringu
- he is reluctant to talk about Anna and Samara
- There are questions about horses --> This is a different storyline to Ringu
- Similar dialouge "Wheres your daughter? I don't have a daughter"
- There is a different storyline, Samara can make "pictures"
- Noah finds pictures
- Aiden draws tons of wells (Dramatic moment)
- There is a different storyline in terms of Samara (Sadako's) past
- Anna Morgan isn't a psychic who is being criticised
- Anna morgan is basically a ranch owner whose horses have all drowned
- Like the psychic Anna also kills herself
- Dramatic part with Rachel pulling the black chord out of her throat
- Dramatic moment with Noah seeing his blurred reflection in the supermarket
- Rachel doesn't drop Aiden off at his grandparents house unlike in Ringu, instead Rachel calls her sister
- There is a dramatic moment where Rachel walks into Aidens room and see's Samara sitting in a puddle or water staring at the TV screen
- Samara reaches out her hand and grabs Rachels arm. I think what Samara shows Rachel is "Rachel" as a child sitting in a mental hospital like Samara used to.
- It is a dream and Rachel wakes up with a hand print on her arm
- She also wakes up to Aiden watching the film
- Her Reaction is the same as the mother in Ringu
- Aiden is so nonchalant "Where is she Rachel?" damn it Haiden don't you know what you've just done. You should know not to watch it you talk to Samara all the time.
- Dramatic moment when the phone rings and Rachel screams into the phone "LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!" It is just Noah and he has a bunch of blurry photographs of himself in his passenger seat. Rachel cries into the phone "Aiden... watched the tape."
In the car
- There is a moment with Aiden and his dad
- "I've seen you in the yard at school"
- Something about this scene makes Aiden seem wise beyond his years
- There is another dramatic moment where rachel looks through Katys book again, it is full of wells and horses
- Rachel and Noah discover a lot about the woman "Anna", how she suddenly just took a bad turn and ended up an a psychiatric ward
- "Before you die you see the ring." oooohhh
- The two of them go to an island on a boat like in Ringu
- I hate this scene so much
- There is a dramatic moment with the horse on a boat that loses it when Rachel touches it and then jumps off the boat.
-It gets caught in the motors and blood leaks out of the boat.
- I hate that it makes me feel so weird and disturbed watching that.
- Noah and Rachel go to a mental hospital --> different storyline to Japanese film. they do this to find more info on Anna morgan
Visting Samaras father
- Noah and Rachel go and visit Annas husband, like in Ringu
- he is reluctant to talk about Anna and Samara
- There are questions about horses --> This is a different storyline to Ringu
- Similar dialouge "Wheres your daughter? I don't have a daughter"
- There is a different storyline, Samara can make "pictures"
- Noah finds pictures
- Aiden draws tons of wells (Dramatic moment)
Ring/Ringu comparison day 2
- Scene with Aiden and his dad walking in the rain is the same as Ringu
- "Take my picture" is the same "you gonna look at me?"
- Way less dramatic photo reveal in this film
- Rachel goes and stands outside while Noah watched the tape, just like in Ringu.
When hourly analysing the tape
- Rachel makes the same point that is made in Ringu where she states that you should be able to see the camera in the mirror
- Student walks in and seems to have some sort of relationship with Noah
- Rachel seems to have a big problem with the fact he has a girlfriend
- Dramaticness "I was fooling myself thinking you could ever just grow up."... Oh Rachel
Mental hospital scene
- This wasn't in Ringu
- Hollywood dramatisation
- Becca looks terrible
- Becca has some sort of 6th sense
- "She'll show you. I know. 4 days."
DOES EVERYONE HAVE A 6TH SENSE ABILITY NOW?
- Maybe everyone except Rachel
- Rachel when hourly analysing the tapes pulls a fly out of a screen and her nose stars bleeding
Wednesday, 4 May 2016
Notes I made while watching the ring and comparing it to Ringu day 1
Sleepover scene
- Similar beginning, two friends talking
- Story about a girl who stays in cabin
- More dramatic --> girl pretends to choke
- Similar dialogue at beginning of Japanese film
- Girls faces are extremely dramatic
- Friend picks up phone and slowly passes it to her friend and it is the mum
- The girl is more rude to her mother -- more like a typical American teenager --> She is also rude to her friend --> "Becca quit being a bitch"
- The film is more dramatic slowly fridge opens, girl slowly walks upstairs
- water comes from the bathroom
- TV scene is much more dramatic
- Zoom in on girls face as it distorts
Classroom scene
- More dramatic about son
- Moment with the teacher alien has drawn samara lying beneath the ground representing Aiden has kind of a 6th sense
- Dramatic lines "You say she died three nights ago? Aides drew these last week."
Tucking Aiden in
- More aiden dramatics
- "we don't have enough time"
"Aiden I know Ive been working late"
"No I mean we don't have enough time before we die"
"Katy told you she was going to die?" --> "Katy knew"
- he's creepy kid, he calls her Rachel
Funeral scene
- Compared to the Japanese film the Funeral is very Westernised
- Much more dramatic reaction to death with the parents especially the father
- In this version um asks Rachel to investigate instead of Rachel investigating on her own accord
- Katy's face when she is found looks way more dramatic
- Mum doesn't break down "This is where I found her" in this version
- Friends act way more like "teenagers"
- Aiden walks upstairs like Yoshino Ringu
- More dramatics, Rachel opens the Year book on Katy's desk and finds Katy has drawn black hair over everyones faces.
Photos
- Photos get developed the last one is blurry as they have watched the tape --> This is the same as Japanese film
- Rachel finds that everyone dies at 10pm. This is different from Ringu where you die exactly 7 days after watching the cursed tape
Hotel
- Rachels hotel experience is shorter, she doesn't go for a nap in the room, find a book a child has drawn or go and have lunch at the lodge restaurant.
- Tape is in the same place as it is in Ringu
- The tape is longer and way more dramatic than the tape in Ringu
- More establishing shots to show time of day
- 7 days phone call is still the same
- Similar beginning, two friends talking
- Story about a girl who stays in cabin
- More dramatic --> girl pretends to choke
- Similar dialogue at beginning of Japanese film
- Girls faces are extremely dramatic
- Friend picks up phone and slowly passes it to her friend and it is the mum
- The girl is more rude to her mother -- more like a typical American teenager --> She is also rude to her friend --> "Becca quit being a bitch"
- The film is more dramatic slowly fridge opens, girl slowly walks upstairs
- water comes from the bathroom
- TV scene is much more dramatic
- Zoom in on girls face as it distorts
Classroom scene
- More dramatic about son
- Moment with the teacher alien has drawn samara lying beneath the ground representing Aiden has kind of a 6th sense
- Dramatic lines "You say she died three nights ago? Aides drew these last week."
Tucking Aiden in
- More aiden dramatics
- "we don't have enough time"
"Aiden I know Ive been working late"
"No I mean we don't have enough time before we die"
"Katy told you she was going to die?" --> "Katy knew"
- he's creepy kid, he calls her Rachel
Funeral scene
- Compared to the Japanese film the Funeral is very Westernised
- Much more dramatic reaction to death with the parents especially the father
- In this version um asks Rachel to investigate instead of Rachel investigating on her own accord
- Katy's face when she is found looks way more dramatic
- Mum doesn't break down "This is where I found her" in this version
- Friends act way more like "teenagers"
- Aiden walks upstairs like Yoshino Ringu
- More dramatics, Rachel opens the Year book on Katy's desk and finds Katy has drawn black hair over everyones faces.
Photos
- Photos get developed the last one is blurry as they have watched the tape --> This is the same as Japanese film
- Rachel finds that everyone dies at 10pm. This is different from Ringu where you die exactly 7 days after watching the cursed tape
Hotel
- Rachels hotel experience is shorter, she doesn't go for a nap in the room, find a book a child has drawn or go and have lunch at the lodge restaurant.
- Tape is in the same place as it is in Ringu
- The tape is longer and way more dramatic than the tape in Ringu
- More establishing shots to show time of day
- 7 days phone call is still the same
Tuesday, 3 May 2016
Japanese culture in Ringu
So Ive been doing some research on the background and mythology of Ringu and I have found many things out.
The Ring and Ringu
So I've watched these films and found that I am way more scared by the western version than the Japanese version. I think it is because the western version is specifically made for its audiences. I find that one major difference is in the Western version they literally tell us everything. We get all the information, some ague almost too much, yet in the Japanese version much more is left to the imagination and not explained. perhaps more being left unexplained for Japanese audiences is far more scary for them but seeing more explained in the Western film makes it more scary for me.
Some major differences are:
Samaras power is to burn terrible images into the minds of other people
Sadakos power is to kill only by willing someone dead
Samara couldn't really help her ability it just happened this is explained when she is being interviewed in a mental hospital. They want to find out her intentions, how she feels about other people and if she really loves her mother. She claims she loves her mother but her dad wants her gone. This explains to the viewers that Samara doesn't mean to make her mother lose her mind.
For Sadako it is left murky and ambigious if she is truly evil for killing someone for not believing her mothers abilities or just angry at the destroyed reputation of her mother and unable to control her abilities.
Samaras father tells the protagonists that she drove her mother into madness and eventually suicide and that is the reason she had to go
Sadakos father tells the protagonists that his wife would stand by the seaside for hours driven to depression by what the press wrote about her. She claims that she would speak another language to the sea, but it isn't clear what she was speaking or why. He doesn't say much at all about sadako nor does he make it clear why he killed her, apart rom the fact it appeared a press man died because of her.
Samaras mother kills her after being driven mad by the images she burned into her mothers mind
Sadakos father killed her because of her ability to kill with one look
Aiden is much more involved in the story, he speaks to Samara on a regular basis it is like they have some sort of friendship like relationship or friendship, perhaps they both connect with a less than adequate home life. Either way Samara still had plans to kill Aiden but they seemed to share a connection, he could see her and communicate with her.
Yoshino is connected to his cousin who has died and communicates with her
The Sadakos mother is a psychic and its presumed that supernatural abilities run in their family.
Samara was adopted and her mother died at birth.
Sadako lived on an island in japan
Samar lived on a Horse farm in North West America
Some major differences are:
Samaras power is to burn terrible images into the minds of other people
Sadakos power is to kill only by willing someone dead
Samara couldn't really help her ability it just happened this is explained when she is being interviewed in a mental hospital. They want to find out her intentions, how she feels about other people and if she really loves her mother. She claims she loves her mother but her dad wants her gone. This explains to the viewers that Samara doesn't mean to make her mother lose her mind.
For Sadako it is left murky and ambigious if she is truly evil for killing someone for not believing her mothers abilities or just angry at the destroyed reputation of her mother and unable to control her abilities.
Samaras father tells the protagonists that she drove her mother into madness and eventually suicide and that is the reason she had to go
Sadakos father tells the protagonists that his wife would stand by the seaside for hours driven to depression by what the press wrote about her. She claims that she would speak another language to the sea, but it isn't clear what she was speaking or why. He doesn't say much at all about sadako nor does he make it clear why he killed her, apart rom the fact it appeared a press man died because of her.
Samaras mother kills her after being driven mad by the images she burned into her mothers mind
Sadakos father killed her because of her ability to kill with one look
Aiden is much more involved in the story, he speaks to Samara on a regular basis it is like they have some sort of friendship like relationship or friendship, perhaps they both connect with a less than adequate home life. Either way Samara still had plans to kill Aiden but they seemed to share a connection, he could see her and communicate with her.
Yoshino is connected to his cousin who has died and communicates with her
The Sadakos mother is a psychic and its presumed that supernatural abilities run in their family.
Samara was adopted and her mother died at birth.
Sadako lived on an island in japan
Samar lived on a Horse farm in North West America
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