The WHF Film Club

[BenLaw]

I think I will try to write some fairly full notes this time so hopefully my contribution makes a bit more sense.

Did you have further thoughts on Bigger than Life, Ben? (I appreciate that I put you on the spot; and that you're busy; and that you may have forgotten the conversation completely!)

Not forgotten strapped just crazy busy with work and not using computer much at home. I'll give you my instant reaction, that there were elements of expressionism in there. There was some interesting stuff going on with light sources, increasingly so in the more florid moments. In particular the scene where he's educating his son has some enormous shadows. There was also some manipulation of camera angle so that, again in florid scenes I think, it was lower and Mason appeared bigger, such as getting out of the car to go into the school before his rant.

 

[strapped for cash]

I'll give you my instant reaction, that there were elements of expressionism in there. There was some interesting stuff going on with light sources, increasingly so in the more florid moments. In particular the scene where he's educating his son has some enormous shadows. There was also some manipulation of camera angle so that, again in florid scenes I think, it was lower and Mason appeared bigger, such as getting out of the car to go into the school before his rant.

Absolutely. And expressionism is of course rooted in a desire to represent character psychology. As the film continues, and Ed becomes increasingly unstable, the style becomes more expressionistic.

Ed's duality, inner conflict, and growing egomania are signified when he stares into a fractured mirror, casts long, ominous shadows (chiaroscuro, or accentuation of light and dark, is pure expressionism), and appears taller than buildings through low angle framing.

At the same time, the filmmakers adhere to so-called "classical Hollywood" stylistic conventions that prioritise intelligibility and continuity. In this sense, Bigger than Life is emblematic of what I regard as this most persuasive narrative of film history, namely that cinema is continually subject to a mixing (or cross-pollination) of techniques.

In acknowledging the above, we complicate perceptions that non-US "art cinema" traditions stand in opposition to commercial Hollywood trash. (Indeed, film club was founded on such a distinction.) And while some "radical" filmmakers have sought to subvert prevailing stylistic and thematic conventions (we briefly discussed "third cinema" or "counter-cinema" objectives and manifestos), we've generally not focused on such films and filmmakers in this thread.

 

[strapped for cash]

There was some interesting stuff going on with light sources, increasingly so in the more florid moments.

To add to the above, we can observe that the advent of colour (especially the rich hues Technicolor and rival systems made possible) enabled filmmakers to rework expressionistic techniques through bold pallettes and accentuations of colour.

"Sirkian meoldramas" (or which Bigger than Life is a close relative) and later Powell and Pressburger films are notable examples.

I also highly recommend Leave Her to Heaven, if you haven't seen it. Film4 periodically screens the film, usually in the afternoon.

 

[strapped for cash]

Excuse the typos (that's of course "palettes" and "melodramas"). Rushed post. Annoying spam filter.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I watched Requiem tonight, and I might even watch another film now. Woooo! My life is just crazy. *smile*

 

[BenLaw]

I watched it Saturday night. It was pleasingly good.

Watched American Hustle on Friday. Highly recommended. Had Die Hard 2 on in the background tonight as had to work, my life is crazier!

Sorry strapped not to have replied to your interesting posts on Bigger Than Life, I have not forgotten.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Well, I decided that one film was enough for one night, we don't all live on the edge like you Ben.*smile*

 

[BenLaw]

I'm teetering on the brink.

 

[BenLaw]

So I assume everyone has watched Requiem and we'll be ready to start discussing it from tomorrow?

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

So I assume everyone has watched Requiem and we'll be ready to start discussing it from tomorrow?

*lol*

 

[richardw42]

I've watched Requiem.

Had a pretty weird, full on couple of weeks but managed to watch it this afternoon.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Well done Richard.

3 have definitely watched it, just David and Mike to confirm.

 

[expat_mike]

Well done Richard.

3 have definitely watched it, just David and Mike to confirm.

Sorry, I have to go and stand in the corner - I will try and watch it tomorrow.

Regarding an earlier film, I have bought the kindle version of the book "As If I am not there", and even after just two chapters it is explaining Samiras mind better than the film did.

 

[BenLaw]

Well done Richard.

3 have definitely watched it, just David and Mike to confirm.

It's David's recommendation isn't it?

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Well done Richard.

3 have definitely watched it, just David and Mike to confirm.

It's David's recommendation isn't it?

I think it was.

I'm guessing he's only looking in very occasionally, and let's be honest, if they don't sort the site soon, they'll be little or no activity on the forums to speak of.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Have you watched Requiem yet David?

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Bumped to try and get David's attention. *smile*

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

And again. *bomb*

 

[Frank Harvey]

I certainly have BBB

 

[BenLaw]

Then can you please kick off the discussion, David?

 

[Frank Harvey]

It's a little late, I'm a bit tired, and Overdose has wound me up by being an ass, but I'll drop a few lines before retiring for the evening.

Whilst watching it - and bear in mind that I hadn't seen this before, despite it being on my 'recommended' list - I was finding some of the scenes just as powerful as some of those you'd find in something like The Exorcist. Very understated compared to many modern movies dealing with the subject matter - in fact, I'd say this film is genuinely "dealing" with the subject matter, in a more realistic sense, whereas most other movies just try and make a spectacle of the whole thing.

The lead girl - I can't check her name because for some reason when I flick between tabs on Safari, they automatically update, losing info - was brilliant. She did a great job, and went a long way to giving the film a more realistic, down to earth feel, in comparison to the likes of The Last Exorcism. I think it was this that made some scenes - in themselves nothing graphic - quite shocking.

I'd like to watch it again really to comment further - I think in future, rather than waiting until the last few days to watch something, I'll watch it as early as possible, and then again near the cut off point as a refresher.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I'm surprised I got that post up - it's been a real pain to post all evening.

 

[richardw42]

David.

That post would have taken 1/2 hour on my iPad

 

[richardw42]

I read the transcript of an interview with the director (in the DVD extras). Pretty incomplete but it was his take on a real story that happened in 1976. On the face of it he just wanted to tell the story whilst not sticking exactly to the real events. It's not exactly a promo for the Catholic Church.

Pit was the lead actresses first film role and I was very impressed.

There was no sensationalism, though I think it was more a statement on how mental illness was so misunderstood, even quite recently.

Phew !!!

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

As always, my memory isn't over clear on the details of the film, even though I only watched it last weekend, so I'm unsure whether the film shows us a descent into mental illness, or something else, though I'm favouring the mental illness explanation.

I genuinely enjoyed the film, as did my wife, and I really admired how the film gripped me, without ever descending into sensationalism. I've seen 'The Last Exorcism Of Emily Rose' and of course, 'The Exorcist', the former I have no recollection of at all, but I do remember not thinking much of it, the latter is of course a classic, but I think I do prefer the realistic approach to the subject matter that 'Requiem' gave us.

I think-if time allows-I will adopt David's method of viewing the films twice in the month, once in the first week, and again in the final week of the month.