Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Laurel Canyon
Laurel Canyon
I really can’t categorize
here's another interview with the director. she talks about jane's character and how she was inspired to create certain roles.
Movies about infidelity disturb me
Is it just me or do the morals of the characters in this course seem to get progressively worse?
Along with the theme of female directors, I noticed (at least in the two movies we have watched so far) a theme of fear and/or lack of commitment. In The Piano,
Another aspect is mother-child relationships and the perpetuation of the reality that your children never turn out exactly as you would imagine or want. This relationship is somewhat contorted between Sam and Jane, as Sam does not have the kind of mother he would like to, he wishes that she would be more normal and subdued, while Jane’s opinion on Sam is more unclear short of her desire for him to have fun and relax. The scene with Wyatt and his mother is a perfect example of this truth, though. He is a typical rebellious teen who is angry at his mother for wanting so much from him, whereas his mother only pushes him because she wants the best for him and wants him to turn out well. Wyatt rebels against his straight cut mother by doing drugs and being a hooligan. Sam rebels against his hippie swinger mother by going to medical school and trying his best to be normal and typical. In a way, Wyatt and Sam play each other’s opposite in this movie.
-Cynthiathe piano
Laurel Canyon
The most interesting aspect of Laurel Canyon was the relationship between the carefree, hippie-ish mother, Jane, and her son, Sam. Jane is far from the typical mother in the way that she is completely open around her son, even exposing him to her sexual life and her heavy drinking and pot smoking, and she is not responsible in the way that is expected of mothers. Therefore, Sam rebels against this lifestyle, as is evident in his uptight, closed-off nature, and his desire to pursue a responsible, upstanding career in psychiatry. I thought it was interesting that he didn't rebel in the conventional manner of sex, drugs, and rock n roll, since this was the very thing he was rebelling against. However, I think it was the mark of a female writer-director, Lisa Cholodenko, that Jane wasn't portrayed in a negative fashion, in fact, she was portrayed as mostly positive, since she was a likable, vibrant character. Although she definitely was not a responsible mother and had some regrets in the way she raised Sam, it is still clear that she is unapologetic for her lifestyle choices. I think this is because as a woman, Cholodenko realizes that there is more to woman's life than simply being a mother, and she shouldn't have to sacrifice everything for her child. However, I think it is acknowledged that some degree of responsibility and sacrifice is required to raise a child, and this is something which Jane did not fulfill. However, a male director would have made her into a negative character for these reasons, but from a woman's point of view, we see Jane in a more complex way. Another illustration of this is the way that Sam deals with one of his patients, who is rebelling against his uptight, controlling mother by experimenting with drugs. Sam tells the mother that she needs to be less angry and more understanding. This shows that he appreciated the emotional openness that his mother does have, and so he isn't completely resentful of his upbringing.
Another major aspect of the film was the way in which Sam's girlfriend, Alex, was pulled out of her quiet academic lifestyle towards the partying lifestyle of Jane and her boyfriend Ian. However, I thought this was a kind of cliched storyline, and the way it was resolved left a lot of questions, like as to whether she actually enjoyed her experimentation, because at the end she went back to the same lifestyle. I thought Sam's relationship with her was more revealing, especially the fact that he was uptight sexually with her. He even used the excuse that he was tired, which was a definite gender role reversal, and again a sign of a woman's direction. Sarah's forwardness in pursuing him was another example of this. Sam's uptightness about sexuality could be seen as a response to his mother, but I think it is also a result of female direction, because his motives (and Ian's, which fulfilled the typical rock star cliche) were less clear than the women's. I don't know if this is because Cholodenko wanted to show that men are less open with their emotional motives than women, or because she was less sure of how to portray this herself. I also thought the ending was extremely open to interpretation as well. Sam's going in the water of the pool was an obvious symbol of a rebirth or new beginning for him, just as Alex's sexual experimentation in the pool was a sign of her initiation into a new realization of her sexuality - the water was like a weird kind of baptism. But beyond that, I think that the ending was too open ended to have any real effect. It seemed like him and Alex would work out their issues and stay together, but this was not entirely clear, and there was still the entire issue of Sarah completely out in the open. It seemed like a cop out, as if Cholodenko did not know how to end the film, and so left it that. I thought it was a somewhat disappointing ending for a film that was otherwise interesting for its unconventional female characters and questioning of traditional gender roles.
Laurel Canyon-mother son relationship
Sam's complaints in the beginning of the movie set the stage for what occurs in the movie. Alex is set up to be curious of a woman who she is told is a horrible human being, but when she meets Sam's mother, she comes to a different conclusion. Her confusion from what Sam said and what she sees creates more curiousity to find out what Jane's whole world is about, plus the fact that she's never experienced something so unstructured and unconventional. Yes, because of Sam's upbringing, he has become jaded of his mother and all that is associated with her, but that carries onto all other aspects of his life, especially in his relationship with his fiance. That is only natural, and anyone could see that if anyone knows anything about psychology.
Water in the Canyon
Jane’s son, the uptight and moral psychiatrist Sam uses the pool as an escape. While vigorously swimming laps in the pool Sam blocks out the world and isolates himself from the inhabitants of the house (including his own wife). Sam appears to use the pool as a way to diffuse his anger; his character in the film is decidedly passive aggressive.
The musicians, on the other hand use the pool as a place of relaxation, experimentation, and fun. The studious Alex is quickly drawn into this world. For Alex the pool acts as a liberating force, removing her from her ‘ivory tower’. Indeed, at first Alex won’t go near the pool, for fear of getting wet. Eventually Alex gives into the hedonistic pleasures offered by the pool and jumps in. The film’s first ‘threesome’ ensues.
The repeated uses of water in this film, especially the final scene where Sam goes underwater, seem to be a direct reference to the Graduate and its infamous pool scene. Like Sam, Benjamin in the Graduate uses water to isolate himself and escape his parents nags and concerns (what are you going to do with your life?). Also, Benjamin’s characters journey parallels that of Alex. Both characters in the onset of the film are wondering what to make of their lives and have not really ‘lived’. They are naïve and not quite experienced. Then, an older woman with lots of experience presents herself (Mrs. Robinson and Jane, respectively) and complications ensue. Both Benjamin and Alex learn about life, make mistakes, and gain experiences. They learn that you can’t plan your life and you can’t control your heart. Benjamin falls in love with Elaine against her mother’s wishes and Alex experiences attraction to Ian.
Kate Beckinsale is Smokin!
She is a terrible mother because she wants Alex sexually. That is just against the rules in any society. I do not like how Sam even was considering that Israeli doctor when he has that piece of ass back home just waiting for some loving. That is one thing that is interesting about the course thusfar, both female directors love watching females being unfaithful and sneaky. I do not know if I like that. I have a serious girlfriend, she better not do things that I do not know about behind my back. I get sort of an uneasy feeling about these films because it is always happening. What ever happened to good old fashioned one man, one woman relationships? I feel like they are so hard to come by these days.
This movie was just an interesting idea. Having a weird mother try to seduce have a threesome with her sons boyfriend and her. humm... WEIRD. My guess is that the director smoked a bit of the ganja back in her day as well. Anyway, this movie exceeded my expectations by a lot. I really liked it. I really would not mind in Kate Beckinsale and I got together. I am also excited to see Lost in Translation. I have never seen it and heard great things. See you all tomorrow. Good Flick.
-Nahmias
Laurel Canyon
Laurel Canyon
-Claudia Brancaccio
Laurel Canyon and Water
The use of water in the film was primarily that of Jane’s pool. It is the thing I was first drawn to when introduced to her house. Also, when Sam and Alex are first arriving at Jane’s house we see them pulling their suitcases along the bumpy stone path. I felt that this was important to recognize because usually people go through a rough time and then cleanse themselves to become pure, which is essentially what happens at the end of the movie with Sam. He goes through a rough time at work with his attraction to Sarah, in addition to walking in on Alex, Jane, and Ian. Also, it is after Sam’s first swim in the pool that we see the relationship he has with his mother Jane. This is important to the audience because up until this point I was confused as to why he called his mother Jane instead of mom. In this scene, the audience is also exposed to the character flaws of Sam. Jane says to him, “why are you always stuck on the negative” and “Are we ever going to have a relationship?” However, conducting this scene after Sam gets out of the pool shows how now that he is “clean” he can address his past with his mother.
The final scene of the movie, where Sam hangs up the phone and ducks under the water, mirrors that of “The Piano.” I found it interesting that in both films the main characters use water as a way to be free. I did not like this ending because I felt that the movie could have gone on further. Yes, it made me question whether Sam lives or not, but I didn’t think it went along with the storyline. Overall, I really enjoyed this film, but wish the ending was different.
Laurel Canyon
Just as seen in The Piano,
“We don’t want her joining the scientologists or the vegetarians” This comment made at the party is an initial bust on the way people treat and view women. Other than this, women are shown to be in positions of power, Alex and Jane are both intelligent women, one working on her dissertation and was top in her class, and the other a very successful music producer. In addition, Sam’s forbidden love interest is a thriving doctor who is well respected and Jane’s boss Claudia is obviously a big executive at a music company. Again, the theme of women working their way up and being powerful is present.
This movie could be typified as a chick flick because it deals a lot with relationships and personal struggles, but has many surprising scenes. Included are the scene in the pool where the three are skinny dipping and end up kissing, and also the scene where Sam and Sara share their deepest desires of what they want to do to each other. This is shocking and very forward, but at the same time not vulgar. Overall, the film was well made.
Wow, once again the movie we watched was directed by a female, however, it was far from a chick flick. This movie was certainly not as sad as “the Piano”, but it nonetheless dealt with issues on marriage and fidelity. In both movies, the leading women were not “married” per say, but they were in seeming monogamous relationships. Yet that fact did not prevent them from experimenting sexually with other people, people other than their partner. But why is that the case? Is there such a thing as love? Or are there simply no hypothetical laws to bind a monogamous pair together? Or are there stronger urges that love?
The movie we saw today, “
I also wondered throughout the movie if there was any significances in the colors and scenes. The pool, for example, kept popping up and was a prominent piece of the background. But at the same time there were also bottles of alcohol and cigarettes scattered throughout the entire movie as well. But, one question I had was what was the point of the movie? And was the ending really that sad? Or was there some hope for the future?
The Piano, put together
Despite how surprised I was after watching the film “the Piano”, I was nonetheless moved to reflect deeply about its meaning. To begin, it was definitely NOT a chick flick, though it was written by a female, Jane Campion. Indeed, the film was far from the fluffy predictability that I normally associate with chick clicks, instead it was gloomy, and I’m still not sure whether or not the ending was a happy one.
Perhaps in the end the main character
I liked the movie, it was certainly on a topic that I was not very familiar with, that time period and that type of situation. It was sad, but interesting, not bad.
After reading the chapter on “the Piano” by Jane Campion, I was a little surprised to learn that when it came out, it was categorized as a “chick flick”. The reason for my astonishment was that before reading that chapter, I would have never classified that movie as a chick flick. I thought it was a sad and kind of dark movie, certainly not light and fluffy, as I normally classify chick flicks. I also found it interesting that “the Piano” was such a big deal during the time it came out. Indeed, I had heard many of the movies and clips that parody and refer to the movie, but I had no idea what they were talking about having never before seen the movie.
Laurel Canyon
Sam wouldn't even have stayed at his mother's house very long, except his girlfriend Alex kept lying about all the apartments she visited. It seemed like he was trying to get away from his mother the entire movie.
It bothered me a little that there wasn't much of a conclusion at the end of the movie either. Sam and his mother reconciled for the most part, but Alex never finished her dissertation and there was still the entire issue of Sam and Sara left entirely unresolved.
Jane Campion
After reading the chapter on “the Piano” by Jane Campion, I was a little surprised to learn that when it came out, it was categorized as a “chick flick”. The reason for my astonishment was that before reading that chapter, I would have never classified that movie as a chick flick. I thought it was a sad and kind of dark movie, certainly not light and fluffy, as I normally classify chick flicks. I also found it interesting that “the Piano” was such a big deal during the time it came out. Indeed, I had heard many of the movies and clips that parody and refer to the movie "the Piano", but I had no idea what they were talking about having never before seen the movie.
The Piano
The movie, The Piano, was a shocking account of a chick flick because it was dark and dreary but it still had the makings of a chick flick: romance, emotion, sickness, and destruction of property. It may have not been a conventional romance but it did demonstrate a love that was kept from one character, Baines, for a period of time, which is present in most “chick flicks”. Emotions were stirred by the use of music, lighting, and use of sex scenes, although very explicit. Emotions were provoked by the use of betrayal by the daughter, Flora, of her mother where she ultimately has her right index finger cut off by her own husband for her indiscretions with another man. The characteristic of sickness was demonstrated through the mother’s muteness. In the film, it was seen as a sickness by other characters while it could be seen as a contribute to her character because she overcame the barrier of silence to communicate with others through hand movements, touch and other body movements. The destruction of property in the film was not demonstrated in the most common sense when we think of destruction of property. The destruction of property was done to another human being,
The explicit sex scenes are used to illustrate the primal part of sex and love. At first, it does not have to encompass love but it can eventually as time passes. The use of nude scenes and lack of clothing on the natives also shows how primitive their world is. It suggests that the natives are not as civilized or modernized as others, but the use of the “white” people’s clothes on the natives also demonstrates how the invasion has affected the natives. They are trying to incorporate the new people into their lives but still keep their identity.
Sex and Music
The Piano
As far as the question of sexuality in this movie, I got the feeling that the stereotypical gender rolls gets reversed in the relationsip between Baines and
Another aspect I found curious about the sexuality in The Piano is the lack of monogamy, especially considering the time period. The exact story behind who Flora’s (
One part I found amusing, and definitely derived from a female mind, was the scene with the Maori ladies and their children sitting around doing laundry and gossiping. This is a typical, timeless activity for ladies. This scene seemed so warm and comfortable to me, you instantly knew that all the people there were close and had grown up together. I found it interesting how open the Maori people were about talking about sex, especially compared to the Europeans who found that sort of thing completely taboo. The Maori characters are definitely more free spirited and open minded, which gives them a more welcoming feel.
-CynthiaI have seen some intense movies with blood, murder, erotic sex, bizarre twists, etc., but none have wowed me as much as the Piano. Even now as I sit hear contemplated what to blog about I have no words to describe how this movie made me felt. The story line itself was very bizarre and I never really knew what was going to happen next. Unlike most of the chick flicks I choose to watch, this film was not predictable. I never imagined that she would throw herself at Baines or that his sick obsession with her would lead to any lasting relationship. She was so dedicated to the memory of her former lover that I never imagined she would give in to Baines. I thought Baines was going to rape her, so when she jumped him I was quite shocked.
I hated the part when the husband cut off Ada’s pointer finger and blood splattered all over the daughters face. That was vulgar and totally unnecessary, and made me think about the woman who wrote this film. What was Campion thinking? Campion portrayed Ada as a bad mother as well, making decisions solely based on her personal needs. I would think that a female writer and director would portray women in a good light, as a good mother and wife, rather than I women with some serious baggage.
I also found it interesting that Campion included male frontal nudity. Tons of movies include women exposing their breasts, but very rarely does the male genitalia get any time in the spotlight. It makes me wonder why men in the movie business think it okay to show breasts in every other shot, but very rarely expose the penis.
The Piano
The beginning of The Piano reminded me of the beginning of another more recent film,
The Piano
Although The Piano is considered a chick flick, it is much different that what one would usually think of when hearing the term “chick flick”. The films that come to mind when describing a chick flick are usually light, romantic comedy, sometimes ditzy teenage girls, or sometimes a woman in about her 30s finding true love. Part of defining a chick flick can be that it is unrealistic, it will never happen to the viewer watching the film, but they always hope that it will anyways. I would not usually define The Piano as being a chick flick because it is sad, dark, depressing, and even at the end, the lightest moment, it still has a melancholic feeling. In some ways if I hadn’t known this was a female director, I probably would not have guessed it. The film did not portray men or women in a positive way. At first I felt bad for
the piano
Throughout the movie, the theme of male dominance is portrayed. First, Ada’s father places her in an arranged marriage forcing her to travel to a country which is new and strange to her. Ada has a strong attachment to her piano which she uses express herself, and without it she is silent in a world of sound. Campion further shows how men tend to control women through her husband’s dislike of the piano and his choosing to sell it even when he realizes her love for it. Although eventually Ada grows to love Baines, the man who the piano is sold to, he also tries to control her as well. It is evident that the film comes from a female perspective because Ada follows her heart instead doing what was logical she takes a risk by going to be with Gaines. The film portrays that Ada like many other women are forced to have their feelings barricaded by men. When Ada’s husband wants to prevent her form seeing Baines he locks her inside placing boards on the windows causing her the daughter to look through the holes in the wood in order to see outside. This is also how Ada’s husband confirms her affair with Baines as well. The female point of view is also shown through the fact that although Ada cannot speak and Baines cannot read they are able to communicate in other ways. In the end I believe that Ada realized that the piano was not her only way to express her emotions, and with the piano buried she was able to release her emotions and desires.