Vissual issues project

(I had to use my blog for a class presentation, and since I've been too busy to update, I'm just gonna leave it here. Try to figure out what the hell is going on?)



Trainspotting (1996)







Braveheart (1995)




Trainspotting = Rejecting Scottish independence. More centered around one character (Renton)
Braveheart = Promoting Scottish independence. More centered around a nation.


Characteristics of British film's today:
Counterculture
-Quirky
-Dark humor
-Lower middle class focus
-Crime/drug usage
-Sex appeal
-Ex. Trainspotting, Guy Ritche films, Shallow Grave, Full Monty, The Crying Game, Calendar Girls, This Is England, Aardman Animations, Sexy Beast

Glorified nostalgia
-Upper class focus
-Costumed period pieces
-Usually a romanticized take on British royalty or important British figures or events (Shakespeare in Love, The Queen, The English Patient)
-Remakes of British classics (Austen/Shakespeare/Bronte)
-Ex. Shakespeare In Love, Ms. Henderson Presents, The Queen, The English Patient, Atonement, The Remains of the Day, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Kenneth Braughn's Shakespeare films

What's missing?: Action films (Except James Bond, which has been heavily Americanized), Political thrillers, musicals, Horror (except Danny Boyle who's more sophisticated anyway), Teen comedies, family-oriented films, animation (except Aardman), Sci-Fi,


This is: HUGH GRANT



This is HUGH GRANT THE ACTOR




Roles:
Males are often eccentric, bumbling, wise.
-The suave, British romantic (ex. Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan/James Bond)
-The evil genius (Alan Rickman in Die Hard, Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lamb, John Lithgow in Cliffhanger, Christopher Lee in LOTR and Star Wars)
-The arrogant "expert" (Michael Caine in Batman, Giles from Buffy, Steve Coogan in Tropic Thunder)

Females usually drop the accent. (Ex. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kate Winslet, Helena Bonham Carter)




AMERICANIZATION OF BRITISH CINEMA:
-Lots of American money in British films (James Bond films, Shakespeare in Love, Full Monty)
-Lots of English actors crossing over to blockbuster American films (Jason Statham
-British have always loved Hollywood films since 1920s. American films always topped British box offices. In the early 90s, multiplexes became more prominent. These giant theatres offered more choices, which meant more American choices. Tarantino films influenced the culture of Britain in the mid-1990s.
-British film renaissance began in mid-1980s, started picking up steam in America in mid-90s. Compete with American films by focusing on niche genres (counterculture, glorified nostalgia).
British films have won several Best Picture Academy Awards in the past. Danny Boyle's Trainspotting probably the high point.
-Uneven distribution film. Loads of American films go to England each year. Only a small percentage of English films make it to America.
-It's getting harder to tell which films are British and which are American. Many blockbusters that appear British are often funded by American producers (Pirates of the Caribbean, James Bond). American casts are often non-American actors (Batman).

And sometimes it's even hard to tell which actors are British anymore:



English actors and their stereotyped roles



Losing identity: BRITISH OR NOT?



Gwyneth Paltrow


Renee Zellweger


Meryl Streep


Kate Beckinsale


Christian Bale


Daniel Day-Lewis


Johnny Depp

QUESTIONS:
1a. Is there such a thing as British cinema anymore?
1b. Does the United Kingdom have a national identity through its film?
3. Do you recognize the UK's presence in film?
4. Do you think the aspects of national identity are intended for foreign audiences to notice or just for the British?

Day 33: BBC

(News without bias...or pretty people)

Twelve hours ago, I had been in Amsterdam having the time of my life.* Now, after a cross-continental bus ride, I was in class. Well, not yet. I was on the tube running 30 minutes late and on about 2 hours of sleep. And I wasn't exactly heading toward class. I was heading toward the spectacular BBC studios.

My Monday morning class, Visual Issues in the Media class, was receiving a tour of the British Broadcasting Corporation television studio- the largest news organization in the world (CNN is second, MTV News with Sway is third, I believe*).



BBC Television Centre

On that fateful day, I would never make it to that tour. I arrived too late. Luckily my professor happened to have an extra ticket for a later tour group...and thus began an awkward hour and a half jaunt through the BBC. Surprisingly, the tour was all kinds of awesome.

From watching BBC news broadcasts over here, I've noticed the BBC actually is a damn professional organization. There reporters are legit journalists, not just talking heads. It's not just beautiful faces sitting in front of a camera here, so it's cool to see the effort these Brits put into their work. (Because I sure as hell wouldn't go into broadcast journalism in America...no offense Syracuse.)

A quick run-through of the tour, which I highly recommend if you're a fan of stuff:

BBC TOURS
Price: £9.50 for adults
Hours: Mon. - Sun., not sure on the times
Location: Take the underground to White City.
Stupid fact: In 1939, the tv stopped in Britain due to the outbreak of World War II. A Mickey Mouse cartoon was the last program before the plug was pulled. It wouldn't be until 1946 that the BBC started back up again...with that same Mickey Mouse cartoon. Cute!

Three facts:
1. See where all those talented BBC journalists work. It's a massive newsroom. A bit overwhelming. But this place has money. Any huge breaking news anywhere in the world, and reporters are afforded a plane to wherever they need to be. Plus see the massive studios where the BBC shows are taped.

2. Learn random crap about celebs.

• While visiting the BBC, Will Smith demonstrated he doesn't understand how automatic doors work.
• Only three people have driven a car in the BBC courtyard. 1. The Queen when it first opened. 2. That dude from Top Gear*. 3. And Jennifer Lopez!?! She actually wasn't supposed to drive there, but apparently since she's a huge diva SOB and wouldn't walk ten feet...she was allowed to drive her car right up to the BBC's studio doors. She hasn't been invited back to the BBC since.

3. Get interactive: Demonstrations include be a weather man! Or be a news anchor! Or be humiliated on the Weakest Link. Good bye!

--
Foot notes
*Yes, just like that song.

*And everyone knows Kurt Loder is last.

*Actually screw the tour. That Top Gear video shows you all you need to know about the BBC studios. Plus, dammmmmn...did you see how tiny that car was? It was like a Ford Fiesta.

Day 10: 2-4-6-0-1

(Who am I? And what classes am I taking in London?)

Unfortunately, the whole reason I’m in London is to learn. This is opposed to eating, which is what I’d much rather do for four months in London. However, as demonstrated by this classic Monty Python skit eating for four consecutive months has its risks. So I guess I’ll learn (and possibly eat, time permitting).

I made sure to sign up for some fairly awesome “only in London” classes. Check’em out:



These above images all represent the four classes I'm taking this semester.

Can you guess what courses I'm taking?

No? You're not even going to take a guess?

Why not?

Fine. Be an ass. It's all listed below anyway.

America: A Foreign Perspective:
This class is a little embarrassing since I think my British teacher knows more about United States than I do.* The class will mainly focus on how Britain looks at America. And the “special relationship” (Yeah, I never heard of it neither) between the two countries). It’s not all politics though. There’s cultural stuff too. Like why are certain bands that are huge in England like Oasis unable to make it in the U.S.* (I thought it was just cause Noel Gallagher sucked)* And vice versa. (I thought it was just cause Dave Matthews sucked.)

Oooh. Sorry about the venomous statements toward popular musical acts. It won’t happen again.

Contemporary British Theatre:
This happens to be the course where I get to see Les Miserable—the greatest musical ever!—on stage in London. The class consists of watching 12 plays, one a week, over the course of a semester. We have to write a couple reviews. But we also get to attend Les Miz, in the city where it all started. Oh and we get to see Avenue Q, too. Puppet nudity, anyone?

International Law:
Maybe some of you guys don’t get turned on learning about the UN, participating in a moot court and understanding the Law of Outer Space*, but I do. Every now and then I have to take a cold shower just thinking about it.

Visual Issues in the Media:
A class on how the British media use images to brainwash us. Pretty fun. Especially when the class includes a field trip to the BBC Studios, a discussion on what was the deal with Princess Di, and a viewing of Four Weddings and a Funeral. Helloooo Hugh Grant.

---
Foot Notes
*But can he name all 150 original pokemon? I thought not.

*Cool story I learned from Prof. Boys. There's a theory that the reason The Beatles came so popular in America was because they timed it perfectly. If they crossed the pond any earlier, it would've been too soon after JFK's death. Any later and another band might've replaced them as the United States was looking for a pick-me-up after Kennedy's assassination. But The Beatles cashed in. Take that, The Dave Clark Five.

*Yeah, I went there. However, I didn't go here. Ouch...not cool.

*This is NOT the Law of Outer Space. But, it should be.

WELCOME TO EARF!