tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88976548499707482122024-03-04T21:44:36.115-08:00It's A Visual Medium!Highlighting the best in visual metaphors, foreshadowing, and storytelling from cinema. Warning: Spoilers may be present!Martin R. Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04137223646906808466noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897654849970748212.post-17215817355698983942013-09-27T22:29:00.000-07:002013-09-27T22:29:05.434-07:00Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)/Jurassic Park (1994)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 isn't nearly as good as its predecessor, but it still does some pretty cool stuff:</span></div>
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<br style="text-align: start;" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKT8qLABLNPSSActx6uNIUsH0XiRCAg6xtbFKjfQJUwJ4X7jamsZGJTfApyiAUS5Y1GGLpW_zm2Q7rpw9FdOqoqq5VYkvqBUx1e2N1VOSWg60q5XF4Wcu7b6N6hF3YABa7xzXzAOGdlo/s1600/SamSparks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKT8qLABLNPSSActx6uNIUsH0XiRCAg6xtbFKjfQJUwJ4X7jamsZGJTfApyiAUS5Y1GGLpW_zm2Q7rpw9FdOqoqq5VYkvqBUx1e2N1VOSWg60q5XF4Wcu7b6N6hF3YABa7xzXzAOGdlo/s1600/SamSparks.jpg" height="189" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixALI4jbei4z9YzOU6Plh_RgDafGogOTo5tvE1vTJmmWjGw3vR7iNRqAO8mK_K_3sGl0lZJsqi04BaAseReWuuh0ZojM9Wur7RynLAtmfQXSZYxcTk-sXx96Ulvd_gQFjrCQOYh_C9G5U/s1600/DrSattler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixALI4jbei4z9YzOU6Plh_RgDafGogOTo5tvE1vTJmmWjGw3vR7iNRqAO8mK_K_3sGl0lZJsqi04BaAseReWuuh0ZojM9Wur7RynLAtmfQXSZYxcTk-sXx96Ulvd_gQFjrCQOYh_C9G5U/s1600/DrSattler.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<br />Martin R. Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04137223646906808466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897654849970748212.post-46428817885803734562013-09-03T20:55:00.000-07:002013-09-03T20:57:45.004-07:00The World of Mean Girls (2004), Part 1<br />
Everyone who has seen the movie <b>Mean Girls</b> knows that this is how Regina George dies (Just kidding!):<br />
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<img src="http://imagr.eu/up/522692cef025b_MGBus2.gif" height="231" width="400" /><br />
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But do we realize that the film foreshadows this, gives it away, in fact, in the first five minutes, where we learn that Evanston High School has the worst bus driver ever?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiSvQJx-YyIBlLgCzFBiE__Qedk4xdU2rvCpJ3EDIxNX3uqYkl54CbjE17Hi8TxZv33j-FRSMqI2xx6NPAP633AMPFI5U369op5AXlHn-hBVK_5yjtJQgKcUTMSGm3JLbaGNbZHC3LOqs2OtA=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226915a86116_MGBus1.gif" height="230" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiSvQJx-YyIBlLgCzFBiE__Qedk4xdU2rvCpJ3EDIxNX3uqYkl54CbjE17Hi8TxZv33j-FRSMqI2xx6NPAP633AMPFI5U369op5AXlHn-hBVK_5yjtJQgKcUTMSGm3JLbaGNbZHC3LOqs2OtA=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiSvQJx-YyIBlLgCzFBiE__Qedk4xdU2rvCpJ3EDIxNX3uqYkl54CbjE17Hi8TxZv33j-FRSMqI2xx6NPAP633AMPFI5U369op5AXlHn-hBVK_5yjtJQgKcUTMSGm3JLbaGNbZHC3LOqs2OtA=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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Also, there's this:
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://imagr.eu/up/522693cd2a0e1_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-22h47m38s248.png" height="225" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subtle.</td></tr>
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There's also a brilliant bit of visual storytelling, this time in the form of costuming, that signifies the end of Gretchen Wiener's story arc:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjFIMjCO0kvzN55RI4dtIWLqAvmAy4zXlx-XxjFgEHEhFEj5oHotpMRAdq178rvNh1SfPTAUjVd9KxDah3rJlkv8rykpn1ZSTTtw4soO6bzYG0qzWVS5AQr4Y9xVRW_eToaaxbGPCG8YYg0xgT96fFQiPl2jtEyjHwTTavU6gb_N8GEApg=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226adcb5bdd0_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-23h59m27s165.png" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pssst... it's the earrings. I'm talking about the earrings.</td></tr>
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These two clever bits are really just the beginning of how brilliant this film is. Read on, bee-otches!<br />
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One of my favorite things about this film is the repeated use of the background characters to make the high school feel more like... well, a suburban high school. To highlight how out of place Cady is, some characters appear over and over again, but so briefly that they may be missed, building on the idea that these people really have always known each other. The most obvious example is Bethany Byrd (because somehow most of these character have names) who most of us know as TMI Redhead girl:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEg150WejiSxmfwPLr2xFIjbt5OMDhU0K-IwgAeAyoem-3VwM1Vk2sriANLY5Bw2xTCIKIFefJgXIhlxYSESw-jJWTIMgnQ6RMTlDJI0h14kgrr40HdpMaS4y4zE4yWzPRdM-HuADfmCUIGL0FBV7MfrgeOc1JARUsghOUaqd30yxQfx=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226975819864_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-23h44m44s4.png" height="225" width="400" /></a><br />
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We meet her first during the "introduction to Regina George" segment:</div>
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<img src="http://imagr.eu/up/52269a9a08ef3_vlcsnap-2013-09-03-19h27m22s232.png" height="225" width="400" /><br />
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Here she is again, observing and joining in Regina's new "boob hole" trend, helping save the Plastics' Christmas Carol, and standing next to Damian at the Spring Fling<br />
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These are just a few of the times we see Bethany, she's all over the place. "Big whoop, she's a background character," you may think, right? Well, let's take a look at some of the other people we meet during our introduction to Regina:<br />
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<img src="http://imagr.eu/up/52269e657a590_vlcsnap-2013-09-03-19h41m43s98.png" height="225" width="400" /><br />
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Well, don't worry, Amber D'Alassio, there's plenty of other ways to get famous! Like, making out with a hot dog for example!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sure it was.</td></tr>
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Then there's this dork:<br />
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He's not a very social guy, we don't see him again until the tournament of the Matheletes, where we learn that his last name is Pak.<br />
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Wait a minute, "Pak"? Why does that name sound familiar?<br />
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Thhaaaaaaat's right, apparently Mathelete Tim Pak must be related to the infamous coach-kisser Trang Pak:<br />
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<img src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226a15fb1799_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-23h30m52s195.png" height="225" width="400" /><br />
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This is called "World Building", and it's not just exclusive to comic-book movies. Director Mark Waters wanted to create a tightly-wound community where lots of secrets could be easily exchanged and names could be known, while still giving the appearance of a large population. He does this by selectively re-using characters at distinct points throughout the film, spread out so far that sometimes you don't even realize they're the same person:<br />
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Sometimes we achieve verisimilitude by giving the character a distinct characteristic or attitude in every scene, which, in Kristen Hadley's case, is "looking/acting like a total bitch."<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgT362lBUHts3TqoytlXqMJtETkG2Ks4TfQ0khzsIajg7csVJMcSJxAWmYhoG0PNu3SDktM8Z8897UPpOUVM4h6Ht04FD25fbOpjc7j7UsoRq6huEhw7xaRJcjAJ_OZyMEsOkQTAUQHoYkpq_aKEmkE2psKhVqyINiCif8EpO5R8IDkyTE=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226a52b2fa0e_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-22h30m40s138.png" height="180" width="320" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dawn Schweitzer has a huge ass, you see.</td></tr>
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<img src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226a5f77bc76_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-23h58m25s78.png" height="180" width="320" />
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She DOES like her weird, ginger-fro-ed boyfriend though:<br />
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Which is weird, because he's a wussy.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226a718eeefd_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-23h37m55s79.png" height="180" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note: I really like how he's wearing the same shirt in both of these photos,<br />
with no collar this time.</td></tr>
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And a sociopath.<br />
<img src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226a77601a21_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-23h54m32s57.png" height="225" width="400" /><br />
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The best use of a recurring character has to be the simple transformation of Emma Gerber, who epitomizes the downfall of Regina George's public image. Through the course of the film, Emma's opinion of Regina goes from this:<br />
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To this:<br />
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<img src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226a8ea28add_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-23h24m45s198.png" height="225" width="400" /><br />
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The point is, by repeating these characters and having them make an impact on our brains, even without us realizing it, it makes a massive difference and adds the extra punch when the crowd turns on Cady:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://imagr.eu/up/5226aa09d7399_vlcsnap-2013-08-31-23h42m50s104.png" height="225" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this picture: Emma Gerber, Dawn Schweitzer, Gretchen Wieners,<br />
Karen Clark, Bethany Byrd, Jessica Lopez, and Short Girl.<br />
I'm not making that up. They named the girl with Dwarfism "Short Girl."</td></tr>
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Because in that shot right there, the film is putting us in Cady's position, that's why it's filmed from her POV. And it stings a lot more when people you know fairly well are mad at you that when total strangers, or "extras" are. The use of repeated characters actually gives us a sense of related empathy-by-proxy for Cady. We wouldn't care nearly as much about her making things right if we had no idea who these people were. Unless of course, you just have a lot of feelings, like this girl:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironically, I recognize non of the non-Damian people in this shot.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MBwG2fffqlSrB_rUtq-d0YG6UOQ9WD47lbobCDJqRtUMF2N-pGz6TygbSscr5gZMnsAucwUOFBk0wrklnXxO7bqJ1Ndmlg3G5ECKqAJbqxxSXMxunoWAR1Aw7wCE7I6X6s7koDsvCZc/s1600/Fightthepower3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MBwG2fffqlSrB_rUtq-d0YG6UOQ9WD47lbobCDJqRtUMF2N-pGz6TygbSscr5gZMnsAucwUOFBk0wrklnXxO7bqJ1Ndmlg3G5ECKqAJbqxxSXMxunoWAR1Aw7wCE7I6X6s7koDsvCZc/s1600/Fightthepower3.png" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGwfole5pgIucjQPa9UHpaYGv_QxDi4SlnlyNbWNDmkkswYf2GBvY0T7j0i7rmPkHbLO9FHem1y0VCfh4f38pRYrwX7KMLVtgXKpkLrcy5A9lBRCcl4Xz3IZKu0CXH_MUMDmEnreA-0E/s1600/Fightthepower.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGwfole5pgIucjQPa9UHpaYGv_QxDi4SlnlyNbWNDmkkswYf2GBvY0T7j0i7rmPkHbLO9FHem1y0VCfh4f38pRYrwX7KMLVtgXKpkLrcy5A9lBRCcl4Xz3IZKu0CXH_MUMDmEnreA-0E/s1600/Fightthepower.png" height="176" width="400" /></a></div>
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Probably direct references to:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAXlLHOQCCbflu63eGY0hpEBVyJeRVMa8_S2vFVHTl7m48n6i4ygfVXhV7_VFuejcGZ89zm7W_l5-V-9vArFsqto0E_R7dg70rM-ID-8yrAieMnJUPvtw7kDA-d7m7uy0nn9wql2Gtj4/s1600/8523488_61a11a9f45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAXlLHOQCCbflu63eGY0hpEBVyJeRVMa8_S2vFVHTl7m48n6i4ygfVXhV7_VFuejcGZ89zm7W_l5-V-9vArFsqto0E_R7dg70rM-ID-8yrAieMnJUPvtw7kDA-d7m7uy0nn9wql2Gtj4/s1600/8523488_61a11a9f45.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Martin Scorsese's <i>Raging Bull. </i>Both are films where music and score play an essential part of the narrative, and given <i>Do The Right Thing's</i> themes of Lee's frustration with the fighting between the Blacks and Italians in Bed-Stuy, this homage can be seen as Spike Lee stepping up to Scorsese's level. He's paying his due respects, while also declaring that he is capable of creating something just as good, however different. The fact that Scorsese was and is well-known for showing the "dirty side" of NYC, yet Lee was ready to do the same thing, in a side of the city that hadn't received mainstream representation yet.<br />
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Of course, DTRT has plenty of more blatant references:<br />
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Then finally, a three years later, another film took a great throwaway line from Spike Lee which also owed a great deal to the films of Scorsese:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2PUPsVVbfSrrmgp5jrlF0EVmZmE5O-sII7q8m9lvjtolYr5u4ovOLoRcg-4UgOkE_tVKEfUyH_lXlAXGBF5wQXIyyP0eIKuhjrD6d2gozTfyblngQOpIOmfQcqJnIHgYhDu8_zNzt9w/s1600/dtrt-greekchorus.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2PUPsVVbfSrrmgp5jrlF0EVmZmE5O-sII7q8m9lvjtolYr5u4ovOLoRcg-4UgOkE_tVKEfUyH_lXlAXGBF5wQXIyyP0eIKuhjrD6d2gozTfyblngQOpIOmfQcqJnIHgYhDu8_zNzt9w/s1600/dtrt-greekchorus.png" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Sweet Dick Willy: </b>Shit, Mike Tyson even dream about whoopin' my ass, he better wake up and apologize.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN-PtsgxCIeTW2VRrXkKu-PyaVf7ZxLb8DUX4AszVJ1CmSxI2dAzQQmz90B6JifmfnkotYtlC6_BBZBkt7JrOeVdz08VEEUnf6b2YAkYHGCyJ3NlaPqxq-WhQVEoS2EmtHQ5rZpz90yk/s1600/ShootMeInADream.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN-PtsgxCIeTW2VRrXkKu-PyaVf7ZxLb8DUX4AszVJ1CmSxI2dAzQQmz90B6JifmfnkotYtlC6_BBZBkt7JrOeVdz08VEEUnf6b2YAkYHGCyJ3NlaPqxq-WhQVEoS2EmtHQ5rZpz90yk/s1600/ShootMeInADream.png" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Mr White: </b>Shit, you shoot me in a dream, you better wake up and apologize.<br />
<br />Martin R. Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04137223646906808466noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897654849970748212.post-21053098784809214702013-06-05T17:59:00.001-07:002013-06-05T17:59:30.170-07:00The Switch (2010)Let's be clear about something. The Switch, starring Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston, is not a good movie. It's not a terrible one either, there are moments of brightness to it. However, it's impossible to get over the premise of the film, wherein Bateman drunkenly replaces the sperm sample intended to be <i>in vitro</i> inserted into Jennifer Aniston's womb with his own. Therefore, he literally hijacks her uterus and she spends years believing the biological father of this child is someone else.<br />
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There is one incredibly subtle gag in this film, however. It made me laugh out loud in the theater when I caught it, and no one else understood why I was laughing. In what is supposed to be a sad, introspective moment of the film, Jason Bateman's character is walking down the street, in the rain, moping. Don't pay any attention to Jason Bateman (A good rule in general), instead focus on the background and look at the truck that drives behind him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSinEECwN3jBlNbwefOebLTvB2TBQJu5y2uWWDCaqXtsph1TV7T8b6dFGvb2iVGDm-uc7Hd8CSlg3BUoMPFqN7S_fXDg_XQr3lIAX0_m-JTIHQf1dN8jDL-CZojRWrEN4Q3WTfR23b6yU/s1600/TheSwitchBaster.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSinEECwN3jBlNbwefOebLTvB2TBQJu5y2uWWDCaqXtsph1TV7T8b6dFGvb2iVGDm-uc7Hd8CSlg3BUoMPFqN7S_fXDg_XQr3lIAX0_m-JTIHQf1dN8jDL-CZojRWrEN4Q3WTfR23b6yU/s1600/TheSwitchBaster.gif" height="217" width="400" /></a></div>
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That's not an edit, that's actually in the film. The movie about the worst possible<i> in vitro</i> fertilization situation features a giant turkey baster on screen during what is supposed to be the sad moment. This is evidence that most of the people involved did not take this project seriously at all. (Further evidence: The script)Martin R. Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04137223646906808466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897654849970748212.post-68144547688591275022013-05-04T17:14:00.000-07:002013-05-04T17:14:55.643-07:00Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers (1989-1990)I apologize for the dumb meme, but this is worth mentioning:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNidV_A3zFWS0YLRKHuUWKIl6PkT44_raeVpJXOSOxqvKtgkV8QKy7ng1sSZSdL54wKabagyS7CLAR9V799xWwgajNCEcZh7zEmM9hCq325IFo4L6RMelUnoYo1mmUfzl5wy_pi3bzr_A/s1600/ChipNDale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNidV_A3zFWS0YLRKHuUWKIl6PkT44_raeVpJXOSOxqvKtgkV8QKy7ng1sSZSdL54wKabagyS7CLAR9V799xWwgajNCEcZh7zEmM9hCq325IFo4L6RMelUnoYo1mmUfzl5wy_pi3bzr_A/s1600/ChipNDale.jpg" /></a></div>
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Chip's Indiana Jones outfit has always been an obvious reference, but I'll admit to never seeing the Magnum. This reference is made doubly entertaining with the knowledge of the common trivia that Tom Selleck was Lucas and Spielberg's first choice to play Indy. (Un)fortunately, Selleck was unable... because of his contract commitments to Magnum P.I.Martin R. Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04137223646906808466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897654849970748212.post-23473976025551512522013-04-30T16:15:00.000-07:002013-04-30T16:16:52.913-07:00Raging Bull (1980), Jake LaMotta's Swan SongAnyone who has ever seen Raging Bull is very aware of how important the films score is, filled with classical, almost peaceful, swooping symphonies. Martin Scorsese and DP Michael Chapman understood how important the music was going to be when he filmed it, as he does with most of his films. That's why the opening shot, held through the entire credits sequence, turns a boxing ring:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAXlLHOQCCbflu63eGY0hpEBVyJeRVMa8_S2vFVHTl7m48n6i4ygfVXhV7_VFuejcGZ89zm7W_l5-V-9vArFsqto0E_R7dg70rM-ID-8yrAieMnJUPvtw7kDA-d7m7uy0nn9wql2Gtj4/s1600/8523488_61a11a9f45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAXlLHOQCCbflu63eGY0hpEBVyJeRVMa8_S2vFVHTl7m48n6i4ygfVXhV7_VFuejcGZ89zm7W_l5-V-9vArFsqto0E_R7dg70rM-ID-8yrAieMnJUPvtw7kDA-d7m7uy0nn9wql2Gtj4/s1600/8523488_61a11a9f45.jpg" /></a></div>
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Into a musical staff:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMK8P6GmFqI98wGdkNo1JsoYXTgFxMZCkd6FTpz9KMU_0xzA3XuBrqzOIR_Pmu6rkMtwSXkgz_8owlmWp0xpZr_jOh9LavxiJcIFUP_B-NqwEcz058MD4dbSJWYyg_-eopBQUa2OZ_sVo/s1600/MusicStaff.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMK8P6GmFqI98wGdkNo1JsoYXTgFxMZCkd6FTpz9KMU_0xzA3XuBrqzOIR_Pmu6rkMtwSXkgz_8owlmWp0xpZr_jOh9LavxiJcIFUP_B-NqwEcz058MD4dbSJWYyg_-eopBQUa2OZ_sVo/s1600/MusicStaff.png" height="209" width="400" /></a></div>
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LaMotta is of course, the Treble Clef here. Which is why he never leaves the left side of the ring. He walks up and down the side, but never further into the center, remaining the beginning of the music the whole time.</div>
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Now, considering that the ropes are the lines where the notes are placed, that means that the last note of Jake LaMotta's symphony is of course:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuF25B8dwTEiphEUdJ1WH4HrMtbYXc9TiXE2TaP7g4f97cg9odbyFiw1At_4eBannggkT19YcXL4n4cKfTHpUUtAar-l0UTFv_n9r-ZG90jctjVGwgGOOWV7tnRBZsyxVAMWiEGiEN5Q/s1600/RagingBullblood-on-ropes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuF25B8dwTEiphEUdJ1WH4HrMtbYXc9TiXE2TaP7g4f97cg9odbyFiw1At_4eBannggkT19YcXL4n4cKfTHpUUtAar-l0UTFv_n9r-ZG90jctjVGwgGOOWV7tnRBZsyxVAMWiEGiEN5Q/s1600/RagingBullblood-on-ropes.png" height="212" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Martin R. Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04137223646906808466noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897654849970748212.post-79538844823150012072013-04-28T16:46:00.000-07:002013-04-28T18:06:49.321-07:00Mulan (1998)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the greatest things about animation for storytellers is that it allows directors to present information to the audience in ways that you can't necessarily do in live action, allowing you to physically alter the universe your characters live in, in order to drop subtle hints visually preparing your audience for what they are about to encounter. Animators must be careful to make sure that their designs and ideas all "fit" together, because they are literally creating a world, and if there is, for example, a drastically different, unexplained switch in animation style or character design halfway through the film, it's jarring in the minds of the audience, which are already busy at work processing the fictional universe in front of them. </div>
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Disney's 1998 animated film, <i>Mulan</i> (dirs. Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook), offers many examples of the proper way to play with an animated universe in order to prepare the audience for a satisfactory payoff. In this case, most everything in the film is preparing you for the movie's most exciting sequence, the avalanche scene. Let's take a look at some of the changes and visual motifs present in <i>Mulan</i>.</div>
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<b>Mulan's Eyes:</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2avx3ncxiy_kUttQjc2j52-jeM039Bc_2baxpkLVB7LpWmQY3SHeZt0kxOdYlNx8E_YBv8jUtLbbI1r7HUfTCeHQIb5AvG8i0uN0hiyZgpO4xIjeLXoyz0GAozClzDcMwAehAa4pTxs/s1600/MulanEyes1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2avx3ncxiy_kUttQjc2j52-jeM039Bc_2baxpkLVB7LpWmQY3SHeZt0kxOdYlNx8E_YBv8jUtLbbI1r7HUfTCeHQIb5AvG8i0uN0hiyZgpO4xIjeLXoyz0GAozClzDcMwAehAa4pTxs/s1600/MulanEyes1.png" height="213" width="400" /></a></div>
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When we first meet Mulan, one of her most distinct facial features is her narrow, almond-shaped eyes. They make her seem approachable and warm, and are adaptable for the animation team, allowing them to show both a sense of vulnerability (The "Reflection" sequence we'll look at later,) and of strength:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVBVbsjvrlcnm2b4G1vp2hV0DPzbkGMnzua_XrOB8kDxIIVM_6NGwnrLyiGAjrhCvHYgNFfxS4SkNFgJ-vnhZtRJVnegWAogioFVJvjD2Un7GVP-4_QDjaEgHXzbZZsfpYrK0kV4z_xY/s1600/MulanReflection2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVBVbsjvrlcnm2b4G1vp2hV0DPzbkGMnzua_XrOB8kDxIIVM_6NGwnrLyiGAjrhCvHYgNFfxS4SkNFgJ-vnhZtRJVnegWAogioFVJvjD2Un7GVP-4_QDjaEgHXzbZZsfpYrK0kV4z_xY/s1600/MulanReflection2.png" height="236" width="400" /></a></div>
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However, there is a drastic change in Mulan's appearance from that shot onwards. After she picks up her father's sword, the next time we see Mulan, she looks like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAalqyAN-rMY_2zRbBT9R85s2vWkN-JvHpv4p5ivXnuhTB8NZ1gIbEa_gwM7aGEcKHS4E8WVeAEkNqU7Ulfa5FyutQxYiFfUMfXxYROsW8gncQ_Lx2lGbDFhu4cjhTA9qLhdGP15B5UA/s1600/MulanEyesPing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAalqyAN-rMY_2zRbBT9R85s2vWkN-JvHpv4p5ivXnuhTB8NZ1gIbEa_gwM7aGEcKHS4E8WVeAEkNqU7Ulfa5FyutQxYiFfUMfXxYROsW8gncQ_Lx2lGbDFhu4cjhTA9qLhdGP15B5UA/s1600/MulanEyesPing.png" height="333" width="400" /></a></div>
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See the difference?</div>
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Mulan's new, wide, rounder eyes stay with her the entire time she is in her "Ping" disguise.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEys5U-X07i30fj4_byoc3WHHZFmQjF1rVYhZGetBvtq-FMXv91uNap0LJlo38NAxlpXAUQnDnkcndsWP8RDBC8mxJ8UVY6vyH1aLWNp287TwQrPWMeBYXTjLHbaezWzndcyoJGzspQs/s1600/MulanEyesPing2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEys5U-X07i30fj4_byoc3WHHZFmQjF1rVYhZGetBvtq-FMXv91uNap0LJlo38NAxlpXAUQnDnkcndsWP8RDBC8mxJ8UVY6vyH1aLWNp287TwQrPWMeBYXTjLHbaezWzndcyoJGzspQs/s1600/MulanEyesPing2.png" height="313" width="400" /></a></div>
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Until the avalanche scene, where Mulan is injured. She closes her eyes in pain, and when she opens them, they look like this again:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifHMZuIUnVF9r7_aOSQH7FaG-QiZkxdeC7uaUbxqCMO88o5Pr76kJfCjI7f1h7BjbLWybnWF2K5SglvitCohj32m9qb7mmUjY5FI2v4Y7_EVzonXjhpu6jzLiT6jdOQtXecHzVKfvK7o/s1600/MulanEyesInjured.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifHMZuIUnVF9r7_aOSQH7FaG-QiZkxdeC7uaUbxqCMO88o5Pr76kJfCjI7f1h7BjbLWybnWF2K5SglvitCohj32m9qb7mmUjY5FI2v4Y7_EVzonXjhpu6jzLiT6jdOQtXecHzVKfvK7o/s1600/MulanEyesInjured.png" height="286" width="400" /></a></div>
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Indicating that she is about to switch back into "female" mode. Indeed, the very next scene features Mulan's secret being discovered, and the death of the "Ping" disguise. Her eyes remain their original shape for the rest of the movie.</div>
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<b>The Swirls:</b></div>
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This is one of my favorite parts of the film. Take a look at the bubbles overflowing from the bath caused by Mulan as she prepares to meet the Matchmaker:</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-f0dWNWXRCFawD4hW3_OHI2GPlxbqPt8KYNOwlDc1s_QOYceh8KwaxwSoD9HBulpeNcITqwOQojEOHEqxldlovuhkyxOxW435ejqyMErhk0ENB2ecYBk4KXyuIB1QJb_HA8TWIe8ZNH4/s1600/MulanBath1.5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-f0dWNWXRCFawD4hW3_OHI2GPlxbqPt8KYNOwlDc1s_QOYceh8KwaxwSoD9HBulpeNcITqwOQojEOHEqxldlovuhkyxOxW435ejqyMErhk0ENB2ecYBk4KXyuIB1QJb_HA8TWIe8ZNH4/s1600/MulanBath1.5.png" height="236" width="400" /> </a></div>
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Now check out the design on the snow careening over the cliff during the avalanche, also caused by Mulan:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZ6toyIVIhHFHiy91_Vr4wkOUcEoL7HF8dOStfNq4cyvRStHNmWvrk1l34WKGB-09xvfm99jbN0cObSj5-t2t1iCTwcmJUEIcmDm74Mev3OBeywbXJdehONxe5qt0sqG3LWgYlSdAiiA/s1600/MulanSwirlyAvalanche.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZ6toyIVIhHFHiy91_Vr4wkOUcEoL7HF8dOStfNq4cyvRStHNmWvrk1l34WKGB-09xvfm99jbN0cObSj5-t2t1iCTwcmJUEIcmDm74Mev3OBeywbXJdehONxe5qt0sqG3LWgYlSdAiiA/s1600/MulanSwirlyAvalanche.png" height="236" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's a very cool bit of visual foreshadowing.</div>
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This isn't the only time those swirls appear throughout the film. They're a visual motif that is used heavily to cause callbacks in your brain, as a way to make the way things look in this animated universe make sense to you. They appear in the clouds during the "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" sequence, as another reference to Mulan's relationship with buckets of water:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvp2G-b0gjbpmBPgYzL7VFcCxlgbXQskk5dm-nRX4aTTbfKTYAcKYZkUCDfsxdILT0c-uAR7JErL7vbRo6lTRvZ8hzWrc55wVR9l9XNZ8Yh_gsTxVy_ekYogxE-Um-sucKS0qACsVvhQ8/s1600/MulanSwirlyCluds.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvp2G-b0gjbpmBPgYzL7VFcCxlgbXQskk5dm-nRX4aTTbfKTYAcKYZkUCDfsxdILT0c-uAR7JErL7vbRo6lTRvZ8hzWrc55wVR9l9XNZ8Yh_gsTxVy_ekYogxE-Um-sucKS0qACsVvhQ8/s1600/MulanSwirlyCluds.png" height="237" width="400" /></a></div>
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They also show up in pillars of smoke, which is a pretty crucial focal point for a film revolving heavily around fireworks with a dragon for one of the main characters:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTJLs2Bmzwppe1CUy1dXJLwKa_JxAdgREpJ8e2Uh0PPpIL2xlxlvj0SUHwKqFQ-zIXuFVKiLmRotcEQQ60nUS7Mrc_LZDZwOZv0Yn8LB4CPbC6r_M6nIYnmjFTp-CZTIGMrZWAfJcaAs/s1600/MulanSmokeBeAMan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTJLs2Bmzwppe1CUy1dXJLwKa_JxAdgREpJ8e2Uh0PPpIL2xlxlvj0SUHwKqFQ-zIXuFVKiLmRotcEQQ60nUS7Mrc_LZDZwOZv0Yn8LB4CPbC6r_M6nIYnmjFTp-CZTIGMrZWAfJcaAs/s1600/MulanSmokeBeAMan.png" height="237" width="400" /></a></div>
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They serve as the background for this shot during the training sequence:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoPHiY-EWT_jqGbr-J-IfNYHUD6ei-lN_zxJVjxTVFNOHd3kWtSLMoCZkn03E5lUWpVV86DGemvg6-obqwd8sOR1g_98VNkFpAiFjiI4Y4BA70pZJ_9_JPUCKH7DemOJckelM_X5qHhc/s1600/MulanRocketBeAMan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoPHiY-EWT_jqGbr-J-IfNYHUD6ei-lN_zxJVjxTVFNOHd3kWtSLMoCZkn03E5lUWpVV86DGemvg6-obqwd8sOR1g_98VNkFpAiFjiI4Y4BA70pZJ_9_JPUCKH7DemOJckelM_X5qHhc/s1600/MulanRocketBeAMan.png" height="241" width="400" /></a></div>
Which is the setup for this later shot, visually explaining the progress and confidence Mulan has gained through her journey:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfeqOZKeIIbFRh7rXJ8ZWQ2rC-2Mqxmf8MqxNv9gjxh5z6g7RKCOK0GcxL6DcgOytLFzaI2cHepOX0FWebYJ8WjPtGaWe6kwUbUZnJv2YDvhWjSrWtrybTxHc2dQjTxFAK_uDO48vGDo/s1600/MulanRocketAvalanche.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfeqOZKeIIbFRh7rXJ8ZWQ2rC-2Mqxmf8MqxNv9gjxh5z6g7RKCOK0GcxL6DcgOytLFzaI2cHepOX0FWebYJ8WjPtGaWe6kwUbUZnJv2YDvhWjSrWtrybTxHc2dQjTxFAK_uDO48vGDo/s1600/MulanRocketAvalanche.png" height="284" width="320" /></a></div>
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Further, they serve as framing devices for these two similar shots of the film's Wise Elders, which is fitting as family and ancestry are one of the many themes in this film:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHKz5vT7bkt48463Oz8uYRi54geFFFK-goHywlHAcaLBToy_ggsIaspajv8f1UVRxR-PCNgzphtksreH9uWdGnTzCGki8oCnonehBJEGzvx4QZz4mCcXmWucsvWyAc1R6xHR1R4MaDGE/s1600/MulanSwirlGrandma.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHKz5vT7bkt48463Oz8uYRi54geFFFK-goHywlHAcaLBToy_ggsIaspajv8f1UVRxR-PCNgzphtksreH9uWdGnTzCGki8oCnonehBJEGzvx4QZz4mCcXmWucsvWyAc1R6xHR1R4MaDGE/s1600/MulanSwirlGrandma.png" height="235" width="400" /></a></div>
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The swirls are an important indicator, a piece of visual narration that connects the sequences of the film into one cohesive world, without needing to say anything. They tell the audience "This is the world we've created that Mulan lives in, and this is what things look like in this world." This is why, although they're a simple background design, it's vital that their design be used frequently, and consistently.</div>
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<b>Reflections:</b></div>
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This should be an easy one, as there's an entire song in the movie about it. It is literally the film's main theme. </div>
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We've already looked at the shot of Mulan looking at herself in the reflection of her father's sword, now compare that to her observing her reflection in the water at the beginning of the song "Reflection"</div>
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In particular, look at the change in confidence between the two images, and how Mulan is drawn (Again, check the eyes), to portray that.</div>
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But Mulan isn't the only person who does this in the film.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpicXsaliCv8WdNsKr_3VV7_jwC1_c87xZGrTNVKFTrJU5rnZGHhS7kNEFmFA_zxE52TK4FGEnYotdyPQUdcQnJtslg_X2wJGUAULrVFdgHQ7VmCW1TqS6jslh09UOkNvG62jRdcY6hxY/s1600/MulanShangSword.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpicXsaliCv8WdNsKr_3VV7_jwC1_c87xZGrTNVKFTrJU5rnZGHhS7kNEFmFA_zxE52TK4FGEnYotdyPQUdcQnJtslg_X2wJGUAULrVFdgHQ7VmCW1TqS6jslh09UOkNvG62jRdcY6hxY/s1600/MulanShangSword.png" height="216" width="400" /></a></div>
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Although we never see his reflection, it's very obvious given what we know, that when building a spot to honor his father, Shang is also looking into his father's sword and seeing his own reflection. Like Mulan, he's trying to see some of his father in himself.</div>
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Immediately following this, is the beginning of the avalanche battle. Shang, blinded by grief for his father, orders the last cannon to be fired directly at Shan-Yu, a tactic which would obviously leave the team to deal with hundreds of remaining Huns. Mulan, of course, has a better idea, and where does the inspiration for that come from?</div>
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Obviously, it would be just as easy to have Mulan look up and see the mountain and get her plan that way, but a deliberate choice was made to have her see it in the reflection. Homework time: Why do you suppose that is? Remember that Mulan's father was a renowned warrior in his time, and when looking at his sword to remember what he would do, Mulan finds the strength and inspiration for her own Warrior's Journey.</div>
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I mentioned earlier that many times films are building towards a visual payoff, and Mulan's ends with this. It is the culmination of all the themes discussed in this section, and such a beautiful shot that I feel it's the best possible ending point for this entry.</div>
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<br />Martin R. Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04137223646906808466noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897654849970748212.post-600831746682979362013-04-28T14:38:00.000-07:002013-04-28T14:59:15.658-07:00Intro and Jurassic Park (1993)Welcome to It's a Visual Medium! In this blog, we explore the way movies (and TV shows) convey information to their audience, pointing out all the little visual touches that add themes and motifs in a visual medium. Some of these are original observations, some I take from various sources on the internet. (Mainly the SometingAwful forums' CineDiscusso subforum.) I'm always accepting submissions, and will try to credit everyone who contributes.<br />
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To start, I'll highlight one of my favorite bits of visual foreshadowing, from 1993's <i>Jurassic Park.</i> (dir. Spielberg) In the scene where our main cast is arriving at the island by helicopter, owner John Hammond, (Richard Attenborough) announces that they have to come in fast, and things will get shaky. Everyone immediately buckles their safetybelts without a hitch:<br />
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With the exception of Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), who finds himself stuck with two female pieces, unable to connect:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F1KrZ9-gI0gAfFVR4gTYN9PSU7ATuVJlt9cFfAjh8aVRrNw354dHn8acaJV59MKAsnX4fS-cL2oXVsz3soSNSAV-lLnwbFFugcNItBtcMZlUxWA3UBrT_LHOoNwg934oUAaDa2pny7s/s1600/JPGrantSeatbelt.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5F1KrZ9-gI0gAfFVR4gTYN9PSU7ATuVJlt9cFfAjh8aVRrNw354dHn8acaJV59MKAsnX4fS-cL2oXVsz3soSNSAV-lLnwbFFugcNItBtcMZlUxWA3UBrT_LHOoNwg934oUAaDa2pny7s/s1600/JPGrantSeatbelt.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Thinking quickly, Grant does what come instinctively, and just ties the two belts together, fashioning an improvised harness for himself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZ_Of4ufMn4LWzF4XS1nj39diSXElwvErePt1gCle8lAzfZ5yhdrPzfd9bkfexlKDLfWXK7FRhTiOB9ZotcMOeAkUepH17A5Brz0NlCjIwl5WugD77XSfxqe5oNGhn-lgm1K6W2PVmnE/s1600/JPgrantTiedSeatbelt.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZ_Of4ufMn4LWzF4XS1nj39diSXElwvErePt1gCle8lAzfZ5yhdrPzfd9bkfexlKDLfWXK7FRhTiOB9ZotcMOeAkUepH17A5Brz0NlCjIwl5WugD77XSfxqe5oNGhn-lgm1K6W2PVmnE/s1600/JPgrantTiedSeatbelt.png" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wait a second, here. Two female components that aren't supposed to go together, but they do anyway, to fulfill their natural function? Wait, that seems like it could be important later...</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsChx-Ywx9j0V_frS3n9Vyu8470jRUQJ767Abm0YWl7wzCmZgUa0FmJwvsOaUnSKAoKBbc8B1tzIwFN2uAeaWcyKSxz6WVSlylLc0v9p3_zbce2FxxxWwDPVbWY4yE5qwRZ8CU1HC4npE/s1600/JPLifeFindsAWay.png" height="426" width="640" /></div>
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Life Finds A Way.</div>
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<br />Martin R. Schneiderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04137223646906808466noreply@blogger.com2