Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho; "The Rainstorm" by Bernard Herrmann 

Psycho (1960) poster

     Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film, Psycho has shocked audiences with its chilling screenplay and equally effective music. In fact, Bernard Herrmann's score for Psycho has become one of the most iconic horror themes of all time. 

     In this scene ("the Rainstorm") from Psycho, the protagonist, Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) becomes consumed by her thoughts of her recent crime. She has stolen $40,000 from her employer in the hopes of starting her life anew with her Californian boyfriend Sam Loomis (played by John Gavin). After hours of driving, Marion has succumbed to paranoia as she begins to imagine possible reactions and conversations from the people affected by her crime. Bernard Herrmann's score adds to her urgency as the all-string-orchestra is fast paced and continuously builds. When it begins to rain, the music mirrors this natural event as the softer pizzicato plucking of the instruments create a foreboding lull in this scene. The short and sharp staccato notes foreshadow the knife induced horrors yet to come. Now Marion has found herself lost in the storm, the music swelling. Her exhaustion festers as as the pulsing music ends. The Bates Motel sign slowly comes into view. Marion slowly drives up to the vacant motel seeking only sanctuary. 

Bates' house on the hill and Norman overlooking the motel

     This scene is beautifully complimented by Bernard Herrmann's iconic music. I find the composition of this scene both unsettling and interesting. I remember when I first saw this scene, I was captivated by the camera's locked on focus on Janet Leigh. Her eyes were so expressive though they hardly blinked. Her expressions were subtle and yet I was able to read an entire range of her emotions. The music was something that also left an impact on me. I dedicated  several years of my life playing the Double Bass in an all string orchestra, and so I was able to appreciate the subtler aspects of Herrmann's score.  

Alfred Hitchcock (left) and Bernard Herrmann (right)

     In "the Rainstorm" scene, Herrmann creates a tense atmosphere through his music that succeeds his intended response. The effectiveness of his score has withheld the test of time; as his music holds the same effect on its viewers today as it did in 1960. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho has become my favorite film of all time. I believe that a large portion of the reason that I enjoy the film as much as I do, is due to the amazing soundtrack. Bernard Herrmann's score heavily compliments Hitchcock's film and I could not imagine Psycho without it. 

Marion meets Mrs. Bates

The Perfect Pumpkin by David Gonzales (music: Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns) I do not own the music in this video.

Wes Anderson Interviewed on The Treatment

Wes Anderson

     Wesley Wales Anderson, better known as Wes Anderson is an American film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive cinematic style. He is best known for such films as: The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) and Rushmore (1998). On June 15th, 2012 Wes Anderson was interviewed by Elvis Mitchell on KCRW The Treatment to discuss his latest film, Moonrise Kingdom. 

Suzy and Sam

     In his interview, Anderson discussed how Moonrise Kingdom is about a set of misfit twelve year olds that fall in love with one another. The film is set on a New England island in the year 1965, and like much of his films, is quirky and reminiscent of an idealized past. He also explained the origins of his film. He stated that the 1976 French film Small Change, directed by Francois Truffaut greatly inspired him to make this movie. Small Change is a film about the daily lives of children and employs interesting camera angles to achieve the effect of viewing the world as these kids would. 

     The two main characters, Sam Shakusky (played by Jared Gilman) and Suzy Bishop (played by Kara Hayward) are both outcasts as Sam is an orphan constantly bullied by his fellow khaki scouts, and Suzi is a troubled child who constantly clashes with her family. Anderson stated that, "They're both on their own in their separate ways." After a series of long distance letters, the two "make a sort of pact to escape their lives, together." The subject of a broken family is explored in several of Anderson's films including Moonrise Kingdom as Suzy's mother has an affair with another man, and both of Sam's parents are dead.

Moonrise Kingdom Uniforms

     Wes Anderson also stated that, "Most of the people in the film are wearing some kind of uniform and I think the hero and heroin of the story are more or less against every institution that these uniforms represent." Many authority figures in the film wear uniforms, whether it be the the woman from Social Services, the Island Police Captain, or the other khaki scouts. Sam and Suzy on the other hand have a distinct look to them, and though Sam wears his uniform, he wears his unique raccoon skin hat and broach to set himself apart.      

Suzy's suitcase filled with fantasy books

      Focusing in on the overall atmosphere of the movie, Anderson stated that, "[Suzy] has all of these fantasy books...and that the movie really ought to feel like it is one of those books and belongs in her suitcase. The title of the movie is like the title of the kind of a young adult book: Moonrise Kingdom." The saturation of the film, the colorful characters and the quirky music reminiscent of a fantastical era create a world of magical nostalgia and serious reality. 

Wes Anderson on the set of Moonrise Kingdom

     The interview KCRW interview on The Treatment was an interestingly insightful look into Wes Anderson's 2012 film, Moonrise Kingdom. Wes Anderson contributes greatly to the world of film as his unique style reflects beautifully into his movies. Wes Anderson is a personally one of my favorite directors and Moonrise Kingdom has become one of my favorite movies of all time.  

The Treatment interview can be found here: 

http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/tt/tt120613wes_anderson_moonris

TRENT REZNOR

Composer/Producer/Songwriter/Musician

February 27, 2011

Michael Trent Reznor: 

• Reznor was born on May 17, 1965 in Mercer Pennsylvania.
• His parents were Nancy Lou (nee Clark) and Michael Reznor. 
• He married Mariqueen Maandig on the 17 of October, 2009, and together have two children.
• Trent Reznor began playing the piano at the age of five and showed an early aptitude for music.

Career:The majority of Trent Reznor's career as a musician has been as both the funding and primary member of Nine Inch Nails. Latter on in his career he began composing music for video games, films and television. He worked with  Atticus Ross to compose the score for David Fincher's The Social Network, and in 2011 worked with Fincer again to provide the score for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Awards Won:

• 2011 Academy Award Oscar for "Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score" for The Social Network (2010)
• 2011 Golden Globe for "Best Original Score- Motion Picture" for The Social Network (2010)
• 2013 Grammy Award for "Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media" for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Known For:

• The Social Network (2010)
• Lost Highway (1997)
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
• Se7en (1995)

Trademark: His Dark and edgy music that often creates an industrial sound. 

Filmography:

The Hangover Part III (writer: "Hurt")                                                      2013

 2012The Cabin in the Woods (writer: "Last") 

 2011The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (producer: "Immigrant Song") / ("Immigrant Song") 

 2011Colombiana (writer: "Hurt") 

 2011/ILimitless (writer: "The Believers") 

 2010The Social Network (performer: "In the Hall of the Mountain King Op. 23") / (producer: "In the Hall of the Mountain King Op. 23") / (arranger: "In the Hall of the Mountain King Op. 23") 

 2008Wanted (writer: "Every Day is Exactly the Same") 

 2007The Hitcher (writer: "Closer") 

 2002Resident Evil (writer: "Fist Fuck") 

 2001Lara Croft: Tomb Raider ("Deep") 

 2000Final Destination (writer: "Into the Void") 

 1995Se7en (writer: "Closer") 

 1994Natural Born Killers (writer: "Something I Can Never Have", "A Warm Place") 

 1987Light of Day (arranger: "True Love Ways") 

Natural Born Killers "Burn" Nine Inch Nails

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - In the Hall of the Mountain King

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

1. Overall Look: Julian Schnabel’s 2007 film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly utilizes the qualities of the film stock, lighting, lenses, framing, angles, camera movement, and use of long takes to achieve an overall look. The film stock used in the movie shifts to a jittery, blurred, and gritty composition to give us a sense of the chaos that Jean-Dominique Bauby experiences. The lighting also impacts the mood as shadows and bright lights are alternated especially in the scene in which Bauby awakens from his coma. In this scene, lenses are used to zoom in and out, focusing and unfocusing on objects. The film’s diverse array of framing, camera angles and camera movement as well as its use of long takes to create interesting cinematographic aspects throughout the film.
   
2. Images: A key image in The Diving bell and the Butterfly is that of a diver using a diving bell. The diver is alone in a vast ocean, struggling and trapped. This image represents the isolated suffocation of Bauby’s paralyzed state. The image of the butterfly emerging from its cocoon represents Bauby’s blooming imagination. The image of the collapsing icebergs is a representation of Bauby’s declining hope for recovery.
   
3. Shot Lengths: There are close up shots used in the film when intimacy is being projected as well as a technique used to give the audience a view of the world through Bauby’s eye. 
   
   Long shots are also used to give the audience a sense of Bauby’s isolation and loneliness, like in the scene in which he is sitting alone, encompassed by the roaring sea and little else.
   
4. Shot Types: A scene in the film that uses a shot type that breaks free from the norm is the scene in which Bauby’s eye must be sewn shut. Not only are close shots used to explore what Bauby would see, but we are able to literally see through his eyes as the doctor sews his bad eye. We see a blurry background and in the foreground, his eyelashes and his eyelids being sewn shut with a needle and thread in this unique shot type. 
   
5. Camera Angles: The camera angles used throughout this film are usually low angle shots. The reason for this allows for the continued allusion that the audience has been placed into the position of Jean-Dominique Bauby. Because Bauby is in a paralyzed state and is often in bed or in his wheelchair, a low angle shot allows for imitating his viewpoint. The scene in which Bauby is driving in his car also utilizes low angle shots, however this does not give the audience Bauby’s point of view, but rather gives dominance to his character as he is at a successful point in his career, and has not been paralyzed as of yet. 
   
6. Composition: While the film contains scenes that are equally balanced and properly composed to the rule of thirds, other scenes contain elements within the frame arranged with little pattern to evoke a more chaotic and uncertain composition. 
   
7. Camera Movement: The camera movements throughout the film often evoke a sense of confusion or chaos, whether it is in the scene where Bauby awakens from his coma, or when Bauby enters the shooting session at Elle. The camera moves wildly about the room in the scene of the shooting session to express Bauby’s excitement for his job.
   
    
8. Cinematography Style: The cinematography in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly intentionally calls attention to itself. The cinematography often gives the audience a firsthand experience of Jean-Dominique Bauby’s experiences after awaking from his coma. The film beautifully blends Bauby’s lush imagination with the horrors of his harsh reality into the film’s artistic styling. 
   

Film Noir

Film noir is a category of film that lasted from the 1940s to the 1950s. Traditional film noir contains tragic plots and posse the question: Why me? French film critics named these American films “film noir” (which translates to black film) because of their dark stories, looming shadows, and mysterious characters. 

In the documentary, Film Noir, director Abraham Polonsky stated that these films are, “reflecting this sense of jeopardy in life which is what exists in all film noir. It’s a correct representation of the system’s anxiety. The 1944 film, Double Idemnity provides a great example of a film noir as Barbara Stanwyck stars as a provocative housewife that lures Fred MacMurray down a dangerous road. 

Double Idemnity (1944)

Barbara Stanwyck’s character, Phyllis Dietrichson embodies anxiety and containment as she states that her husband, “keeps [her] on a leash so tight [she] can't breathe.” This type of jeopardy in her life causes her to contemplate the possibility of the murder of her husband to escape her entrapment as a loyal wife.          

            Phyllis Dietrichson is a femme fatale. Janey Place describes the femme fatale as being, “smart, powerful and sexual,” in the documentary, Film Noir. Phyllis constantly uses her sexuality as a tool to manipulate Fred MacMurray’s character, Walter Neff.  We first meet Phyllis Dietrichson on the inside balcony of her house, wearing nothing but a towel. Her alluring character becomes evident in this scene as well as her dominance. She is filmed looking down at Walter Neff while he is filmed looking up to her. Phyllis will use this powerful sexuality to drag Walter down to his doom.

the Femme Fatal

            The uses of shadow and light play a huge role in film noir. Moody shadows add to the mystique of the dangers of edgy life. The colorless contrast between blacks, grays and whites only enhance the motifs of good versus evil, as well as the unknown. The shadows cast by Venetian blinds suggest entrapment, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. 

Shaddows and light

When Phyllis and Walter finally commit the murder in the car, the murder itself is not shown, but rather a close up on Phyllis’ emotionless face is shot. This not only allows for the extent of the brutality to be created by the audience’s imagination, but also builds on the cruel character of Phyllis. There is not a slight sign of remorse as her husband slowly dies beside her, but rather a sense of satisfaction that appears on Phyllis’ face as the swelling of the music climaxes. These examples compliment one another to make a great film noir. 

The perfect murder

            Although traditional Hollywood film noir is a thing of the past, neo-noir plays homage to the original film style. Roman Polanski’s 1974 movie, Chinatown is one such neo-noir film. The introduction of color to these films adds a new sense of visual realism, while taking away an artistic styling of an otherwise black and white movie. 

Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunnaway in Chinatown

The overall story of Chinatown plays in to traditional Film Noir. The story includes the detective type protagonist, the femme fatale that he falls for, and the bitterly tragic ending. The Mis-en-scene of Chinatown includes similarities to film noir, such as the uses of lights and shadows, however it is not afraid to hold back on the elements of danger, brutality, or love. While Film Noir relied heavily upon insinuations and ambiguity, neo-noir films are able to create a detailed account of what happens in the story. In Chinatown, we see Jack Nicholson's character get his nose cut by thugs, a bare chested Faye Dunnaway, as well as her shocking death.

A bloody nose

A neo-noir film can also use its musical soundtrack to play homage to film noir. Chinatown's striking score by Jerry Goldsmith not only beautifully accents the film, but has become renowned as one of the best cinematic soundtracks of all time.  

What Makes a Great Movie?

What does it take to make a great movie? There are many key factors that play into what I consider a good movie; however, I believe that a movie must have a great script, fine acting and powerful emotional impact. Most all of my favorite movies contain these three components.

Georges Méliès’ 1902 silent film, Le voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) is not only a fest for the eyes, but a film that changed the history of film itself. The film tells the story of a group of astronomers and their expedition to the moon. 

The iconic landing on the moon 

            

Once the group lands on the moon, they soon find trouble as they encounter strange creatures. After their brief confrontation with the creatures, the group escapes to the safety of their spaceship. They leave the dangerous moon and crash-land into the safety of Earth’s ocean.

Discovery of the Moon Creatures

            The film was revolutionary from its groundbreaking effects to its imaginative storyline. I found Méliès’ film a great movie. The story was playful and interesting, as the astronomers escaped one wonder only to face another. Watching this film gave me the sense of passion that Georges Méliès put into this film and made it that much more of a great film.

            Edwin S. Porter’s 1903 film, The Great Train Robbery also provided the movie industry with great technological advances. The film, considered to be the first Western ever made, includes a large cast of actors. Actor Justus D. Barnes is responsible for the films infamous finale. Barnes, the gruffy leader of the outlaws menacingly aims and fires at the audience as the camera remains focused dead center upon him. Barnes’ portrayal of the rugged outlaw is extremely convincing and truly gives his character a soul.

The dangerous outlaw

Michael Curtiz’s 1942 film Casablanca has become a popular “Great Movie” as well as a personal favorite movie of mine. Casablanca stars Humphrey Bogart as an American expatriate Rick Blaine, owner of the upscale “Rick's Café Américain.” Ingrid Bergman stars as Rick’s former love, Ilsa Lund; and, Paul Henreid as Victor Laszlo, Ilsa’s husband and fugitive leader. Set in World War 2, the film beautifully tangles the stories of love, war and danger and has created a lasting influence that has only grown with time. The acting in this movie is truly brilliant weather one analyzes the motives of Humphrey Bogart’s dynamic character or admires Dooley Wilson’s admirable character as Bogart’s friend, Sam. 

Sam (Dooley Wilson) left, Rick (Humphrey Bogart) right

The brilliant script throughout the movie keeps the audience on their feet as the uncertain fate of the characters is constantly questioned. When dissected, most all of the film’s dialogue seems almost poetic. The emotional impact that this film has created has created for countless generations has caused this film to become a timeless classic. At a key point in the film, emotions escalate as the all too real conflict created by the War enters the Café as Laszlo orders the house band to play “La Marseillaise” against Strasser’s “Die Wacht am Rhein”. 

Wartime emotions escalate 

Emotions are also stirred as the film's complex love triangle becomes uncertain at the film's airport climax.

"Here's looking at you kid"

The Rodgers and Hammerstein film adaptation of Carousel also employs te key components to the making of a great film. The emotional pull of the internal struggles of the main characters becomes overwhelming as the true feelings of the characters cannot be admitted to. The script in Carousel is a great one and has many layers of complex thinking that compliments the excellent acting of Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae. The making of a "Great Film" can be contemplated about, but for me, the examples listed above have become examples of my "Great Movies".

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Cary Grant as John Robie and Grace Kelly as Frances Stevens

King Kong (1933)

photo still from King Kong 

Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer (1927)

West Side Story (1961)

Richard Beymer as Tony and Natalie Wood as Maria

Psycho (1960)

Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates

Hollywood Hotel (movie clip) "Hooray for Hollywood"

East of Eaden (1955)

James Dean as Cal Trask

Psycho Trailer (1960)

Casablanca (1942)

Casablanca movie poster

Ever since I can remember, movies have been a part of my life. They have been a source of joy and inspiration for me. No matter what mood I happen to be in, I can always count on a good movie to provide me a brief escape into the great world of cinema.

Some of my all time favorite movies include Casablanca, Rebel Without a Cause, and the Artist; however, I don’t think that I have a greater appreciation for a film than I do for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. I fell in love with Psycho’s moody camera angles, gripping story plot, and haunting score. Anthony Perkins’ portrayal of Norman Bates, an average boy-next-door motel owner with a dark secret, has become one of my favorite filmic personas of all time. Psycho helped solidify my admiration for Sir Alfred Hitchcock, a true master of suspense.

I am grateful to live in a time where movies are so easy to access. I grew up using VHS tapes and DVDs. Nowadays; movies can be streamed online, rented through one’s TV, even viewed from one’s cell phone. No matter what time of day, no matter what day of the week it is, I can watch a movie with little difficulty. I love movies. Movies are a part of who I am.