Sunday, November 2, 2014

11/3-11/5


Our horror unit is over.

We Watched Night of the Living Dead, 28 Days Later, Carrie, The Amityville Horror, Psycho, and Se7en.

Here comes the work!

Danse Macabre

  • Read Chapter VI of Danse Macabre and compose typed responses to the accompanying questions. Your typed responses are due by Wednesday (11/5)



  • Pick two horror films we viewed in this unit. Create a PowerPoint explaining the text and the subtext of each. 
    • A minimum of 4 slides is required.
    • Be prepared to present on Wednesday (11/5).

  • Read this article from Slate. 
    • King wrote this about The Thing and America in the 1950's: “The hawkish ones, like The Thing, usually extol the virtues of preparedness and deplore the vices of laxness, and achieve a goodly amount of their horror by positing a society which is politically antithetical to ours…”
      • Does this subtext inform modern horror? Explain.
      • Can you relate this concept to 28 Days Later?
        • Post your response as a comment to this blog post. Comments must be posted by Wednesday (11/5).
David Fincher

  • Watch this video from The Atlantic.
    • Respond to the following questions:
      • What is Fincher's approach regarding information and exposition?
      • When does drama occur in a Fincher film?
      • Explain Fincher's 3 rules.
      • What does Fincher think about people?
    • Your typed responses must be submitted by Wednesday (11/5).
Basically, this work is all due by Wednesday (11/5).

This is also the time to complete your Hamlet soliloquies if you have not yet done so.
  • If submitted before Wednesday, you may earn half credit for the assignment.
  • Also, please submit your Kubrick essay if you have not yet done so.

30 comments:

  1. Does this subtext inform modern horror? yeah it describes how the people want a more powerful and manly force taking control over Ebola, not some nerdy and wimpy science guy. Like how in modern horror subtext the people in horror movies the people want a big manly force to control of the situation.

    Trevor little

    •Can you relate this concept to 28 Days Later? The military literally took over the situation with all the zombies (disease). The problem in the movie was being taken care by guns and military force.

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  3. Ebola, a fatal, unknown, and incurable disease broke out in West Africa and there’s a disagreement in the government's plan of action. The article “General Hospital” goes into detail about two vastly differing ideas. While others want to leave the problem to be solved by medical officials, others want war generals to take action. The article insists on the idea that the people have absolutely no trust in public health officials. When people are scared they tend to drift to ideas of which they are certain. The people are certain that warlike tactics always work and that they’re the only way to successfully prevent an outbreak of Ebola in the United States. The people don’t want scientists to research the disease, the want someone who will stop the disease.
    This relates to 28 Days Later because, like the movie, the government has failed to contain the outbreak of the infection. There wasn’t even a government to stop the infection. Million of people died and the only way the situation was resolved was through the power of the military government.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Video from The Atlantic

    1. It’s one of the most important things he worries about
    2. When someone learns a new piece of information and how it fits with everything they know, and how they react to learning a little more about the truth
    3. He does not do handheld, but he does a couple scenes in his movies and unmotivated camera moves. He doesn’t do close-ups unless it is necessary and he doesn’t like the sense of a human being operating the camera, other director add a camera shake to make it seem like a person was there.
    4. He thinks people are perverts.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Atlantic Video

    1. Fincher really cares about information and sometimes does nothing but exposition.
    2. In Fincher's world, drama happens when the character learns a new piece of information and how it effects their situation.
    3. Fincher has three simple rules: no close-ups, no handheld cameras, and the sense of a human being operating the camera.
    4. Fincher thinks people are perverts.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Article from the Slate

    1. Yes, in this day and age everyone is scared of any type of disease of anything that’s not normal. Modern day horror has left the cinema screen and has transferred to the TV screen. I believe that no has nightmares about the scary movie they just saw, it is more like the real life situations from the news coming to life in their dream, such as murder, burglary or Ebola.
    2. Yes because the disease has a whole country in panic when it shows no realistic threat to society, but the difference between the two is the way that the government is handling it. In “28 Days Later” there is no form of government taking control of the situation.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "​The Genius of David Fincher, Explained" Questions

    1. Out of the things he worries about, this is the most important.

    2. When Someone learns a new piece of information and how it fits with everything they know, and how they react to learning more about the truth.

    3. He does not do handheld, but he does a couple scenes in his movies and unmotivated camera moves.

    He doesn't do close-ups unless it is nescessary.

    He doesn't like sense of a human being operating the camera, other director add a camera shake to make it seem like a person was there.

    4. He thinks people are perverts.

    Article from Slate Reaction:

    In today's world, we are scared of anything that is the "unknown" or not normal, like bizarre deadly diseases, because lets face it.. no one really is welcoming to the idea of death. Modern day horror film's goal is to leave us with nightmares, to spark the personal and socio-political fear's of its audiences. I believe that if you were to watch a modern day horror film before bed, there's more of a chance that you will have a nightmare about that, then if you were to watch a news special about a disease epidemic like Ebola. This is because I believe nightmares play into our creative and unrealistic fears, but I would agree that diseases like Ebola or other deadly illnesses, would pose more a realistic threat to your not-subconscious mind. In "28 Days Later" the fear that the audience shares while experiencing the movie it that of this fear of a "bad death", that getting ripped apart by monsters, or becoming a monster is the horror. Good horror films, like 28 days later play into both these subconscious and conscious fears. Like the unrealistic demolishment and abandonment of cities, and zombie- like monsters.. but also the very realist fears, like institutional failure, and death through contagion.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Article
    1. Everyone is afraid of something. Range from the smallest things like viruses to things beyond our knowledge like aliens. It affects everyone. For instances, I am terrified of dolls like Chucke/Annebelle. It haunts my nightmares and it will forever be my worst fear. It may seem silly but that is what I'm afraid of. It is inhumane to be not afraid of anything. Everyone has phobias.
    2.This articles is a direct relation to "28 Days Later". People are deadly afraid of Ebola. This unknown virus travels 3000 miles across the Atlantic ocean and is now infecting people here. There is no cure and any information about the virus. People are afraid of the unknown. They expect the the government to do something just like in the film.
    Video
    1.This is the most important thing to him
    2. When the character gets a new piece information. It effects their decision later on.
    3.No handheld shots (He does a few shots), No close-ups, No non-mechanical shots
    4.He thinks they are perverts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://images6.fanpop.com/image/polls/1193000/1193623_1363739475454_full.jpg

      Delete
  9. Slate Article:
    Modern Horror can range from the most simplest of things, like the dark, to extremes, like death. Currently, most people are frightened by this disease that is world wide, Ebola. I personally don't think people are even that scared of the disease itself but the fact that there is no cure for it. "28 Days Later" is very similar to todays modern horror. This incurable, disease breaks out and zombifies these people that causes the people without to panic.
    The Atlantic:
    1. Fincher cares about information and does nothing but exposition
    2. When a character learns a new piece of information
    3. Fincher does not use (a lot) handheld shots; no close ups unless its important; sense of a human being operating the camera.
    4. Fincher thinks people are perverts.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 1. Exposition and information is really important to him.

    2. Drama occurs in Fincher films when characters learn a piece of new information about the truth. They react to what they have just learned thus creating the drama.

    3. When it comes to camera shots Fincher lives by three rules: be VERY intentional on close-up shots due to what it can say to the viewer, make the camera seem less like a person and more like a gateway for the viewer to be able to see what's taking place, and no hand held cameras. In Se7en he shook the camera when it was on Detective Mills and kept on a tripod when on the serial killer. By being intentional about his shots Fincher portrays emotion.

    4. Fincher thinks people are perverts. Simple as that.

    By Tyler Sarfert

    ReplyDelete
  11. 1. Fincher is all about information and exposition, look at “The Social Network” it’s nothing but providing a background for Mark Zukkerberg.
    2. Drama occurs in Fincher’s Films during dialogue, and when a character finds out a new valuable piece of information and it pertains to what’s happening around them and how it fits in.
    3. Fincher does not like handheld shots, he uses them sparingly. Fincher does not enjoy unnecessary close ups, if he does a close up he makes it important and doesn’t hold it for very long while still making it meaningful. Lastly he does not enjoy camera shake and making it seem like a person was behind the camera.
    4. Fincher believes people that take a liking to his films or any film for that matter are perverts.

    ReplyDelete
  12. 1. the most important things to him is what Fincher worries about
    2. Drama occurs when a character learns new piece of info
    3. No hand held cameras, no unmotivated camera moves, and no human operated
    4. People are Perverts to Fincher

    Tyler Manno

    ReplyDelete
  13. The subtext of this article is the base of almost every horror movie today because like “28 Days Later” the subtext was how the government gave up on trying to cure and fix the community, instead they quarantined it off and just left people to die. “28 Days Later” is essentially what’s happening today with ebola. The article refers to republicans listening to generals instead of doctors, wanting to shut down travel to infected areas, quarantining anyone that comes back from these areas, and not providing medical attention because it runs the risk of the medical staff being exposed. Like we read in the article “General Hospital” the medical staff are the most likely to become infected so why help the sick instead of letting them die, why risk more casualties?

    ReplyDelete
  14. - People Want more power in the world and is mainly taking control over something such as Ebola. In modern horror movies the main character mostly takes control over the situation/problem.
    - You can related this to 28 days because the military took over the situation with guns and there armed forces. Not only did the military but the main characters did to because they were taking zombies out one by one.
    Tyler Manno

    ReplyDelete
  15. "​The Genius of David Fincher, Explained" Questions

    1) In certain films, all Fincher uses is exposition and this is what is most important and valuable in his work.
    2)The drama occurs when a character discovers something new and fits it into the information already known and given.
    3)He believes in none or very little handheld camera shots, to use the least amount of close ups as possible, and no cameras operated by humans.
    4)He believes all humans are perverts.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Article
    In today's world what we fear most, is the unknown. Every time something new comes around or is discovered we atomically fear it to an extreme because its change. The change leaving us with no information and having to seek it instead of knowing effects and causes is what scares us most. Like Ebola. No one knows much about the disease or how to stop or cure it so we fear to an extreme. But yet at one point everything was of the unknown. Horror movies scare us in a different way by taking realistic events and making them extreme. They indicate the 'bad death' for example in "28 Days Later". The fear and thought of being eaten alive by another human being. the viewers view the being eaten part the most instead of the underlining message of it all starting from a disease. In both Ebola and the movie, everyone fears it so much because its unknown. More time is spent worrying about how we don't know anything rather then searching for information and a cause.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Movie:
    1. It is most important to him and his work.
    2. When characters discover new information that fits the rest of their puzzle.
    3. No close-ups, no handheld cameras, no human operated shots. If any very few.
    4. Believes everyone is a pervert.

    Article:
    1. Everyone in todays day an age fears every disease. No one wants to expect death or the abnormal. Ebola being the new abnormal has everyone fearing it. Horror movies make the deaths in the movie seem more real and make you fear it more because the viewer sees the whole story. But fear that you gain from horror movies is definitely moving towards the new stations and becoming more realistic.
    2. In "28 Days Later" the underlining messages is how a rapid disease started it all. the viewers see more fear in the zombie its self instead of the possibility that we could encounter a disease that rapidly spreads and can not be controlled. This could be a case with Ebola and that's why we are fearing it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Article

    1. It is saying that everyone has a fear or a phobia. Everyone is scared of something whether it is a the littlest thing or the biggest thing. I personally am afraid of bridges and close my eyes every time I am on them or come close to one. It is impossible to not have a fear. It doesn't necessarily have to be an item or a thing it could be an achievement like being afraid of failure and such.

    2. This particular article relates to the fillm we watched called "28 Days Later". In this time in the United States people are deathly afraid of Ebola. The reason why they are scared is because it can not be controlled, there is no cure and small if any information on it. We look for people to blame such as the government like in "28 Days" because we are ultimately afraid of the unknown or just simply not knowing what to do or what exactly is going on.

    Video

    1. This is very important to him
    2. After receiving more and more information it will cause the decisions to be changed later on.
    3. The shots are not extreme such as very little foot shots and not a lot of different angles for face shots or even body shots.

    ReplyDelete
  19. 1. A virus is something everyone is scared of once its starts to kill and when no one understands the virus.
    2. Ebola and the movie 28 days later relate because that's how everyone is viewing in right now
    3. No close ups, no hand held shots, no non-mechanical shots
    4. pervs

    ReplyDelete
  20. 1. A virus is something everyone is scared of once its starts to kill and when no one understands the virus.
    2. Ebola and the movie 28 days later relate because that's how everyone is viewing in right now
    3. No close ups, no hand held shots, no non-mechanical shots
    4. pervs

    ReplyDelete
  21. 1. A virus is something everyone is scared of once its starts to kill and when no one understands the virus.
    2. Ebola and the movie 28 days later relate because that's how everyone is viewing in right now
    3. No close ups, no hand held shots, no non-mechanical shots
    4. perverts

    ReplyDelete
  22. 4. he thinks people are perveted(reminds me of the shining)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Text & Subtext Presentation:
    https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oxQlzllYi7wErKpzj3CG-JGEBTo8907pKh8EUvwfEaM/edit?usp=sharing

    Article Questions
    1. The fear of the unknown is a big factor used in horror movies. If a person doesn't know what it is and it is totally out of that person's control, they will become terrified of it.

    2. Oh yes, it definitely does. These Republican guys are all saying, "Let's let the military take control, isolate the USA from everywhere else, and we'll be fine. But, in 28 Days Later, I don't think that a military force taking control worked out to well, and Marshal Law isn't always the way to go.

    Fincher Questions
    1. Fincher likes information a lot, and likes the use of exposition as a way to show drama in a scene.
    2. Drama happens when a character learns something new, and how a character reacts to learning this new information.
    3. No handheld camera, no human operating, no unnecessary close ups, no unmotivated camera movements.
    4. Fincher thinks that all people are perverts.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Article From Slate
    In the film The Thing, an alien appears to earth and it causes a lot of controversy. Some people believe that the military should take action by simply just killing the alien. Others believe that the scientists should take the alien for close observation and studying. It is decided that the alien will be taken by scientists who will nurture it and monitor it. The film ends in chaos with the alien murdering everyone and obliterating everything in its path. The concept of this movie is very similar to the concept of the article written by Slate. Slate discusses how the government believes that we can cure ebola and that we are going to conquer this horrible disease, while others believe that we should leave this disease in the hands of scientists. King writes “The Moral was simple-such appeasement doesn’t work; you gotta cut ‘em if they stand and shoot ‘em if they run.” This idea King has is the same idea that Americans have, and is what The Thing tries to portray. Making friends with the disease is not what should be done, we need to get rid of it, and put an end to it. This subtexts informs modern horror because this is a constant topic that people debate over and is usually the belief of many Americans.
    This concept relates to 28 Days Later because in this film, the institutions were not prepared and they could not handle what was coming their way. The government should have been ready and should have protected the people instead of leaving all of the power in the scientist’s hands, ending in destruction.

    The Atlantic Video
    1. Information is really important to Fincher and he sometimes tends to do nothing but exposition.
    2. According to Fincher, drama takes place when a character learns a new piece of information and how it effects the situation they are in.
    3. Fincher has three rules he abides by: no close-ups, no handheld cameras, and the sense of a human being operating the camera.
    4. Fincher believes that people are perverts.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Vincent Leszczynski

    Fincher Questions
    1. Fincher finds exposition to be immensely important and he spends a lot of time on it in each of his films.
    2. Drama occurs whenever a character learns something new or when a truth is revealed.
    3. -He will not do handheld shots unless it is completely necessary
    -he only does close up shots when it is completely necessary
    -He never likes it to feel like there is a human operating the camera\
    4. He thinks people are perverts.

    Slate Article reaction.

    Society at this point wants to see an aggressive solution to problems even when they require a simple, easy solution. Modern horror movies play on this need for a quick and aggressive reactions by highlighting the failure of these powerful institutions that protect us and the possible betrayal that these institutions can inflict on us in a desperate time. Society today also fears things they do not understand, like Ebola. They fear stuff they cannot control and they fear what isn’t easily explained. So modern horror also uses this fear of the confusing and uncontrollable to play on our conscious and unconscious fears. This is why movies like “28 Days Later” are so popular and so effective. This movie combines the fear of a “bad death”, getting slowly ripped apart and beaten, and the fear of institutions failing, the military giving up and turning on those who they were supposed to protect.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Gabrielle Johnson
    Stephen King, Danse Macabre

    1. The artistic value the horror film most frequently offers is the ability to form a liaison between our fantasy fears and our real fears.
    2. The two main categories for horror films that King suggests are, socio-political horror films and movies that revolve around personal fears.
    3. Films that center on personal fears, points inward and looks for those deep-seated personal fears we all must cope with. These types of movies are frightening because they are realistic and relatable.
    4. A “bad death” is a demise that is usually slow, painful and/or unexpected.
    5. King implies that in a society with a fascination for youth, beauty and health, the idea of possible death and decay become terrifying, taboo and horrific.
    6. The Amityville Horror is about a large house on the coast of Long Island where newlyweds George and Kathy Lutz and their three children move into the house that they hope will be their dream house but it ends up in terror. The subtext of The Amityville Horror is the economic crisis during the 1970s.
    7. According to King, films just like dreams
    8. According to King, claustrophobia and xenophobia were two concepts generated due to The Thing.
    9. Kings says that appeasement do not work. World War II taught the world that we cannot reason with the enemy nor should we try to please them, we must kill them all.
    10. During the 1970s, science fiction films shifted dramatically due to Love Generation that devoted itself to peace, love and understanding. Rather than murdering the enemy or attacking those who were different like their parents (WWII era-folks), these people attempted to befriend the creatures.
    11. By using political subtext in horror films, the filmmakers are appeling to the audiences as well as pass hidden agendas.
    12. According to King, Kubrick understood that crossing into the taboo may cause laughter as well as horror.

    ReplyDelete
  27. • Subtext informs modern horror because, This is the kind of horror that drives deeply into our collective memories and taps into our most primal survival based fear.
    • In 28 Days Later, the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. In America, due to the recent Ebola crisis many are turning to potential military answers. After all the institutions have failed, the army provides the only logical answers. As the public draws nearer to the potential, yet unlikely ‘zombie apocalypse’ our fate seems similar to that of the survivors in 28 Days, (if the republicans win.)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Trevor Little Video Questions
    1. Information and exposition is all Fincher cares about
    2. Drama occurs when Fincher's learns a new piece of information.

    3. Fincher rules: no close-ups, no handheld cameras, and wants a human to use the camera
    4. Fincher thinks people are perverts.
    1. What is Fincher's approach regarding information and exposition?
    2. When does drama occur in a Fincher film?
    3. Explain Fincher's 3 rules.
    4. What does Fincher think about people?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Video Questions
    1. Information is the most important to Fincher.
    2. Drama happens when characters learn a new piece of information in Fincher's films. Information is mostly about the truth.
    3. Fincher doesn't use many handheld shots. Also, up-close shots are rarely used and overall, he doesn't like to make it obvious that a human is operating the video camera.
    4. Fincher believes all people are perverts.

    ReplyDelete