The Actors of Back to the Future (1985)

The movie Back to theFuture was an instant classic and remains one of the great cinematic achievements today.  An excellent story, convincing effects, and brilliant acting all helped to make the movie what it was.  The stellar cast included big personalities, relative newcomers (at the time), and well respected if lesser known actors.  One interesting element in this film, like many other great movies, is the unique amalgamation of differing styles and personalities.  Three very good examples include Michael J. Fox in the lead role of Marty McFly, Christopher Lloyd as Marty’s friend and mentor Dr. Emmett Brown, and Crispin Glover in the role of Marty’s father George McFly.

Michael J. Fox could best be described as a personality actor.  Goodykoontz & Jacobs (2011) describe personality actors as those who essentially portray versions of themselves on screen.  Fox has starred in some fairly diverse roles throughout his film career including such titles as The Frighteners, Doc Hollywood, and Teen Wolf (Internet Movie Database, 2014).  His roles, whether portraying a cursed teenager, an out of his element doctor, or what have you, have certainly varied; but in every case, we still essentially see the same character, the same mannerisms, and the same person.

Playing opposite Fox in Back to the Future, Christopher Lloyd, too shares some of the traits of a personality actor; however, he fits more comfortably into the category of character actor.  A character actor is able to assume a wide variety of different character types (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011); one might say this type of actor becomes the person he/she is portraying.  While Lloyd certainly has some distinctive characteristics that might better fit the description of personality actor, his tendency toward highly animated movement and his raspy voice, for example; he is very much a character actor, assuming diverse personalities across varying roles and movie genres.  In Back to the Future, Lloyd’s character is an eccentric and reclusive genius who has invented a means of time travel.  His behaviors are erratic and animated, he flies from thought to thought, often rambling wildly, and yet he conveys someone who really does know his stuff.  He fits seamlessly into this role.  Contrast this with his other works, and it becomes even clearer that he is a very flexible talent.  In one of his early film roles, as Taber in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Lloyd actually lived in a mental asylum to prepare for his role and adopted traits of the inmates in his portrayal (Internet Movie Database, 2014).  This is quite a departure from eccentric inventor!

Most interestingly, though, playing the role of George McFly is a true wildcard and character actor, Crispin Glover.  Character actors are often hard to place; even those who are in high demand may be difficult for audiences to immediately recognize (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011) due to the diverse nature of their portfolios.  Such is the case for Crispin Glover, who is a highly respected and critically acclaimed actor with an almost cult-like following (Internet Movie Database, 2014).  Glover perfectly encapsulates the awkward outcast, the bullied teenager turned downtrodden husband.  The discomfort and nervousness George feels when speaking to his high school crush and eventual wife is almost palpable.  We cringe with George when his seemingly lifelong nemesis Biff calls his name (see Clip 1).  Glover so perfectly embodies George’s awkwardness, that his end of movie evolution into a successful and self-confident author seems all the more breathtaking.

Clip 1

You're George McFly!

Back to the Future at MOVIECLIPS.com

Though Crispin Glover leans toward the eccentric and awkward, he is anything but a one size fits all actor.  From quiet recluse, to angry demon, to maniachal lunatic, Glover has embodied all nature of character type and personalities.  His acting credits include a wide range of genres from little known independent efforts like his role as Bartleby in the movie Bartleby (Internet Movie Database, 2014), large scale blockbusters like Beowulf in which he portrays the demon Grendel (Internet Movie Database, 2014), and even animated works like 9 where he voices character #6 (Internet Movie Database, 2014).  His characters are all over the map creatively, in one role a demented maniac (see Clip 2) and in another a reckless showoff (see Clip 3).  Indeed, Glover is the epitome of the wildcard character actor.

Clip 2

Jingle Dell

Wild at Heart at MOVIECLIPS.com

Clip 3

References:

Best Movie Quote. (2014). Hot Tub Time Machine (3/8) Best Movie Quote – One Armed Phil (2010) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbgwNS0s1Is

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C.P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. (Ashford University ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Internet Movie Database. (2014). Back to the Future. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Movieclips.com. (2014). Jingle Dell [Video file]. Retrieved from http://movieclips.com/uS2nL-wild-at-heart-movie-jingle-dell/

Movieclips.com. (2014). You’re George McFly! [Video file]. Retrieved from http://movieclips.com/YNZnz-back-to-the-future-movie-youre-george-mcfly/

The Sounds of Star Wars: Episode IV

Arguably one of the most revolutionary movies of its time, Star Wars: Episode IV hit theaters in May of 1977 (Internet Movie Database, 2014) and forever changed the landscape of Science Fiction and Fantasy.  The story was engaging and action packed, the visual effects stretched the imaginations of moviegoers everywhere; but it was the sound that truly made this movie an instant classic.  Few would dispute the importance of sound in cinema.  Sound, after all, tells the story, moves the plot, and heightens the emotional impact of a scene.  Without sound, scary scenes would be less scary, romantic climaxes less climactic, and movies just not so moving.

There are three important elements of sound in any movie.  Most obvious, of course, is dialog.  Dialog is simply characters talking to one another or to the viewer (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011).  When dialog is used effectively, it helps to develop plot, it expands on characterizations, and it provides information that the audience needs to understand the movie (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011).  

In an early scene in Star Wars IV, as seen here in Clip 1, dialog reveals a great deal to the viewer.  We learn about the development of a battle station by the Empire, we hear of mysterious lost/stolen plans laying the groundwork for events to come, and we are even introduced to the mystical powers of the Force.  All of this would have been unimaginably difficult to convey without the use of dialog.

Clip 1:

Sound effects help to bring the story to life by audibly depicting various movements and actions on the screen.  These can be as mundane as the sound of footsteps as characters walk, or the background noise of a crowded restaurant.  Sound effects might also be major elements like explosions, or they might even imagine the sound made by something that doesn’t in reality exist.  In Star Wars IV, we experience all of these elements from the clanking boots of marching stormtroopers to the alien backgrounds of an intergalactic bar.  We also hear what it sounds like when a space ship accelerates away from dock (or at least what George Lucas believes that would sound like).  

Possibly the most iconic of sound effects is that of the light saber depicted here in Clip 2.  Imagine how different this scene might have been if light sabers made the sound of swords crashing together.  Would we still now, over 35 years later, still recognize that sound?

Clip 2:

Finally, music is also employed in movies in a number of ways.  Music may be used as background for scenes in a movie to help set a mood, it may be used to help move the story, or it may act as a characterization of the film or as a theme.  “Some scores actually prove so important to a film that they become well-known themselves” (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011, sec. 6.4).

This is very much the case with Star Wars IV.  From the very beginning, as can be seen in Clip 3, the stirring score composed by John Williams sets the tone of things to come.  Imagine, after all, watching the first two minutes of the movie absent the soundtrack.  The score itself is practically a battle hymn of regal proportions.  It tells us without question that we are about to experience war.

Clip 3:

Certainly, Star Wars would not have been Star Wars without the dialog, music, and especially without sound effects.

References:

Edge Adamworth. (2008). Star Wars Episode IV: “I find your lack of faith disturbing”. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzs-OvfG8tE

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C.P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. (Ashford University ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Indifference1990. (2008). Obi Wan vs Darth Vader Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prSHdCOuNeY

Internet Movie Database. (2014). Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/?ref_=nv_sr_2

Lord4SHOT. (2013). Star Wars original opening crawl – 1977. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKRIUiyF0N4

Scarface (1983) - The Art of Lighting

Brian DePalma’s 1983 re-imagining of the classic Scarface, starring Al Pacino and Michele Pfeiffer with screenplay by Oliver Stone (Internet Movie Database, 2014), artfully depicts the rise to and ultimate fall from power of Cuban refugee and future drug lord Tony Montana.  The film is gritty and violent, replete with dark themes and dramatic intent; it is prototypical of the gangster/crime drama genre.  While not entirely removed of it, DePalma’s Scarface, however, departs from the typical use of low-key lighting (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011) in films of its kind.  With many of its scenes occurring outdoors, DePalma makes use of more natural lighting sources.  For the indoor scenes, the film aspires to a grittier feel relying on basic fill lighting, as can be seen in Tony’s initial conversations at his mother’s house (Clip 1).  We do get a sampling of the extreme darkness and shadow of low-key lighting at the very end when Tony and Gina leave the house; however, much of the scene is more natural in appearance, the contrast of the characters achieved more from the color of the kitchen walls than due to lighting.

Clip 1:

Many of the movie’s scenes presumably take advantage of natural light sources, being staged and filmed outdoors.  In a relatively early scene, following Tony and Manny’s successful entry into the drug business, the casual conversations and interactions between Tony, Manny, and several onlookers (as seen in Clip 2) show the natural feel of the outdoor scenes.

Clip 2:

Still, the movie is not entirely absent the more dramatic effect achieved by techniques like three-point lighting (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011).  In most of these, the low-key effect of extreme shadows is maintained as if evident during Gina’s last minute entry into Tony’s office in attempt to avenge her new husband’s death at Tony’s hand (see Clip 3).  Note how distinctly Gina stands apart from the backdrop of Tony’s office.  Still, other moments achieve the effect in a more traditional application of three-point lighting, reducing the appearance of onscreen shadows while causing the actor to “pop” from the screen (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011).  This can be seen very distinctly during Tony’s last stand (see Clip 4) and possibly one of the most iconic moments in this movie and throughout pop-culture as a whole.  Here we see Tony clearly against the very busy backdrop of his office with very little interference from the shadows.

Clip 3:

Clip 4:

DePalma makes art of the science of lighting and cinematography in this gritty drama.  His use of multiple lighting strategies capture both the realism of outdoor life as well as the drama and intensity of some of the film’s most climactic moments.  It is no surprise that this film stands strong among an elite list of movies of its kind.

Fin

References:

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C.P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. (Ashford University ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Graspinbtch. (2011, December 9). Scarface – Tony’s Mother. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8op0_1equSQ

Internet Movie Database. (2014). Scarface. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086250/?ref_=nv_sr_1&licb=0.124921994516626

Movieclips.com. (2011, June 16). How to Pick-Up Chicks – Scarface (3/8) Moviei Clip (1983) HD. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKpXTy-sCxg

Movieclips.com. (2011, June 16). Scarface (7/8) Movie Clip – Gina Shoots Tony (1983) HD. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4GsCEopbd4

Movieclips.com. (2011, June 16). Say Hello to My Little Friend – Scarface (8/8) Movie CLIP (1983) HD. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_z4IuxAqpE

A Clockwork Orange - Stanley Kubrick - 1971

The classic Kubrick film, A Clockwork Orange, like much of Kubrick’s work is a multifaceted and multilayered spectacle that is at times enthralling and as often cringe inducing, yet no less dazzling.  Originally a novel by author Anthony Burgess, the film was adapted for the screen, both written and directed by Stanley Kubrick (Internet Movie Database, 2014).  The film featured a young Malcolm McDowell in the role of Alex McDowell who was accompanied by a supporting cast that included Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke, and Aubrey Morris (Internet Movie Database, 2014) among many others.

In short, the movie follows Alex DeLarge through a series of criminal escapades, including rape and murder, ultimately leading to a rift among his gang of followers that results in Alex being sentenced to prison.  While in prison, Alex learns of an experimental aversion therapy which promises an early escape from his sentence.  Following a grueling process which leaves Alex unable to experience violence or sex without becoming extremely nauseous, Alex earns his early release from prison.  Unfortunately, Alex is greeted by the outside world with much the same enthusiasm that he applied to his earlier violence.  Through a series of unfortunate encounters, Alex winds up the guest in the home of one of his earlier victims, a writer whose wife he and his gang had raped and who Alex had beaten so badly that he was left crippled and in a wheelchair.  One might expect that this results in Alex’s final comeuppance, and indeed it seems so when Alex is coerced into attempting suicide by leaping from an upstairs window.  As it turns out, however, the final mea culpa rests with the government that arguably mistreated poor Alex who incidentally survived his fall.

The film is presented chronologically, dutifully establishing Alex and his gang’s violent ways and outlining his brutal path into the experimental program, which ultimately led to the completion of the circle in Alex’s being reunited with one of his victims.  One very interesting element, which serves as both a symbolic representation of the film and perhaps even foreshadows some of what is to happen is Kubrick’s repeated references to Beethoven, and specifically to his Ninth Symphony.  Indeed, the movie’s original trailer, which makes no secret of the violence in the film, is set to the Beethoven work (see below Clip 1, (MoviesHistory, 2014)).

Alex, in fact, becomes enthralled by Beethoven’s Ninth, which in the movie becomes his undoing, as the music is also linked with his conditioning against sex and violence.  This is the very device that ultimately drives him to attempt suicide, as his captor (originally his victim) blasts the music until Alex can no longer stand the sickness he feels.  Kubrick’s use of Beethoven is interesting on two fronts.  There is first the link to violence, which is thanks in large part to Hitler and Nazi Germany’s repeated use of Beethoven’s Ninth during the reign of the Third Reich (Hyong, 2011).  There is a slightly deeper and probably lesser known link to violence in Beethoven’s original inspiration for the symphony’s pinnacle movement coming from a particularly violent Schiller poem (Hyong, 2011).  In these ways, the symbolism behind Kubrick’s use of Beethoven is fairly direct.  There is another link though, one that is perhaps slightly ironic.

Kubrick also took advantage of the fact that Beethoven was at one time was culturally recognized as a link to utopian society (Hyong, 2011).  Given Kubrick’s portrayal of a dystopian London, it would seem that he may have been taking a bit of a stab at either our perceptions of Beethoven, or more likely our perceptions of society, utopian or otherwise.

Fin



References:

Höyng, P. (2011). Ambiguities of Violence in Beethoven's Ninth through the Eyes of Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. German Quarterly, 84(2), 159-176. doi:10.1111/j.1756-1183.2011.00109.x

Internet Movie Databse. (2014). A Clockwork Orange. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/?ref_=ttpl_pl_tt

MoviesHistory. (2014, March 23). A Clockwork Orange – Official Trailer [1971]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmm5jeeH8mY