Tag: films

The Dreamers (Three)

arthurcortez on

A perk of working part-time at a video store, more than anything, is stumbling upon the most eccentric films you would ever lay MV5BMjA4MDU3ODM3OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMDE0Njc2._V1_SY317_CR0,0,214,317_your eyes upon. Bertolucci’s The Dreamers conveys the story of Matthew, an American student who finds himself entranced with the lives of the exotic French beauty Isabelle and her unorthodox-thinking twin brother, Theo. The film begins by conveying the three protagonists’ addiction to the cinematic art, for which they consistently attend the Cinémathèque Française. This provides us many opportunities of insight into the world of cinematic exclusivity by using snippets from both classic and New Wave films.

Bertolucci’s cinematography in the film reminds me (once in a while) of Godardian techniques, specifically in his choice of long shots and sweeping (panning) movements. The use of red to shock symbolism in certain scenes is another example of this intertextuality. A key moment arrives when the film’s Theo quotes the cahiers du cinema‘s “the camera is like a peeping hole,” aligning this statement to the curious child’s keyhole to his parents’ bedroom. Of course, the film maker himself adapts this within the voyeuristic elements of the film, as the audience continue to pry into the lives of the three teenagers like the inquisitive stalker.

Essentially, the film’s plot holds over the American kid thrown into the sensual gratification of the French siblings, enraptured in a whirlwind of sexual experimentation without no necessary direction. Bertolucci, and of course the actors themselves, are largecommendable in being unafraid to reveal the extent of what the human body is capable of, in a flurry of flesh, smoke and bodily fluids (and not just blood, at that). The film also touches on the taboo topic of incest, exploring the abnormal proximity between Isabelle and Theo.

This is one of those films that welcomes response in opposites, or the “You love it or hate it” scenario. It isn’t really something that I would look forward to seeing more than twice, but it is definitely something to try if you want something out of the conventional.

Intertextuality

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In the pretext of applying the concept of intertextual studies to my learning, the idea of sharing my exploits in creating TV for Broadcast media on my blog is suggested by Elliot. Considering that creating media is my passion and reflection is not, this would be a minimalist initial attempt at such.

Having created short films since 2010, I wouldn’t say that I had any trouble with the actual production side of things. I confess that as a solo film maker, I had my problems having to rely on other people’s availability, but I sincerely believe that it all turned out really well. The idea of representing an organisation (RMIT) and communicating with other organisations such as Sensis and St. Michael’s Grammar School purposefully, gave me a sense of pride in what I do, rather than amateur projects I have been involved in the past. The post-production side of things, however, is something I only became aware of recent times. I mostly acquired my proficiency with Adobe Premiere through experimentation at the beginning of the year, having relied on other people to do my editing in the past for me.

A massive event that would influence my career in film making, however, is my very first attempt at using green screen. This is a thought that every amateur film maker and media man would think of as professional, although it is proven to me as easier than I thought it would be. Through experimentation and the gift of You Tube tutorials, I was able to create a substantial segment opening appropriate to our host program, ABC’s Behind the News. Adobe After Effects was always something I shied away from, but this first step towards advanced editing and animation inspires me to pursue this course of learning.

One thing about film making that I desperately profess as a weakness and that this assignment has not helped whatsoever, is the use of lighting. I am a purveyor of wonderful stories and am aware of the importance of lighting in framing a scene but it is not yet something that I am capable of achieving. Perhaps future projects may do the same thing this one did for me.