Final Assignment May 8, 2008

Jacqueline S. Denton

Visual Communications: Jour 300

Final Assignment

A Compare and Contrast of a Depiction of Health in American Media

            Originally when first assigned this assignment, I had no idea as to what two images I was going to compare and contrast. It was as a result of my brief meeting with you, Professor Lenert, that I came to realize my own personal decision of refraining from buying fitness magazines that do not foster a “healthy” image. You see, I knew that I consciously make the decision not to buy a fitness magazine entitled Fitness RX, but also willingly make the choice to subscribe to the fitness magazine entitled Self. What is the difference in the visual images that influences my decision? Why does one image inspire me to take care of myself and another make me ashamed to wear a bikini?

            To begin my personal psychological investigation, I will first start out by comparing and contrasting my personal reaction I undergo when first glancing at the April 2008 Self magazine cover of Christina Applegate and the May 2008 Self magazine cover of Jennifer Garner with that of two unidentified cover models of the Fitness RX magazine. 

            Christina Applegate is standing tall, wearing a purple tank top with a slight hint of her stomach showing, white jeans, and a simple necklace. The outfit she is wearing can be judged as “comfortable, casual.” She is smiling and confidently looking straight ahead at the camera/readers. She is placed amidst a neon green background with her hands relaxed on her hips.

            Jennifer Garner is also wearing a brightly colored tank top with white jeans. She has minimal jewelry on as well and is also looking straight at the camera/readers smiling amidst a bright blue backdrop. One hand is leaning against her face while another is on her bent leg as she is casually sitting with crossed legs.

            Personally, I feel as though the bright backdrops emit an energetic feel. Both models are smiling, which shows me they are happy and possess positive mindsets. The body language in both of the photos suggests to me that they are confident and comfortable with themselves. I also like the fact that Jennifer Garner’s arm is obviously not airbrushed since it is not abnormally thin. The image of that in conjunction with the smile she has on her face shows me she doesn’t care what people think and that she does not measure her happiness by vain standards. All in all, I feel authenticity and respect for oneself is encouraged when I look at these two photos.

            Next, I will analyze my personal reaction with that of the Fitness RX magazine covers.  Both covers are of two different, unidentified blonde models. In the attached photo I entitled “Picture 1,” the blonde is wearing a red and white striped bikini that is not exactly “conservative.” Her hair appears to be damp suggesting she just got out of a pool or ocean. In contrast with that of Self’s body language, the girl’s head is thrown back and her arm is at her side. Also, her body is not directly facing the camera. Instead, it is a shot of her side which emphasizes her breasts and butt. I feel as though the body is more on display in this photo.

            In the attached photo I entitled “Picture 2,” the blonde is also wearing a revealing, black bikini. She is holding a surf board as though she just got out of the ocean.

            In both Self and Fitness RX, the subjects are smiling. I get more of a “flirtatious” vibe from the Fitness RX models. They look more like sex symbols, whereas the smiles on the Self cover seem to emit more of a “friendly” and “inviting” impression. Next, there is a distinct difference in apparel. The Self models are all fully, casually dressed while the Fitness RX models are wearing scanty bikinis coming from an ocean or pool. It seems as though the Self models are dressed to go to a nice BBQ and do daily, “normal” activities while the Fitness RX models are dressed for the beach – not your “everyday activity.” Thus, I am starting to understand why the Self models project a “girl next door” impression and the Fitness RX models project more of a “fantasy girl” vibe.

Next, I will explore the historical context of the discussed images, as it is well-known that thinness is determined by culture. With that being said, America’s “perfect body” differs with that of France because of their contrasting historical backgrounds.

In the year 1959, the Barbie doll, a toy for young girls, came out in America.[1] “Girls are indoctrinated at a very young age that Barbie is how a woman is supposed to look (i.e. no fat anywhere on your body, but huge breasts).  NOTE:  If Barbie were life-size, she would stand 5’9” and weigh 110 lb (only 76% of what is considered a healthy weight for her height)” (UCLA)[2]. Therefore, it seems that young girls are raised and conditioned to believe that thinness is the ideal for a woman’s body.

Also, “Twenty-five years ago, the average female model weighed 8% less than the average American woman.  Currently, the average female model weighs 23% below her average weight” (UCLA[3]). This fact demonstrates a trend of the American culture. To sum up, the representation of the “ideal body” has gotten thinner over the course of the last twenty-five years.

  In the images submitted by Self, the women look less airbrushed. The bags underneath Applegate’s eyes are visible, whereas the Fitness RX models are more unrealistically glowing and there is not a “flaw” to be seen let alone one wrinkle. Why is there a difference in the amount of airbrush being used? It is apparent to me that Fitness RX caters to the old-fashioned, custom mentality of beauty having set measurements and standards. They are supporting the Barbie doll image as their visual image of the “perfect body.”

 Self images look as though they left some “flaws” on purpose. It almost appears as though they are rebelling against the historical “perfect body” image to bring forth a new image of “perfect body.”

This apparent fact, to me, shows me that the magazines possess different “health” interpretations and definitions. Fitness RX seems to submit to the visual image in the past where the “perfect body” is an ideal associated with low body mass index like that of the Barbie doll. Self seems to adhere to a more modern day, revolutionary philosophy and outlook on health that is not so cookie-cutter in its standards. They promote the idea that women should strive to take care of themselves and embrace their uniqueness.

Now I will discuss the technical component of the images. All four images look as though they were produced in a studio. Even the Fitness RX ones that are supposed to look as though they are at the beach still seem as though they were taken with the help of lighting, etc. in a studio.

            In reference to composition and framing, all four of the photos have the girls as their main subject. The Self images, however, seem to have their main subject slightly to the right of the cover whereas the Fitness RX models are framed in the center of the cover.  Maybe this visual technique employed by Fitness RX was purposefully done to emphasize the girls’ bodies as an advertising technique that aims to get readers to want to look like the body. In contrast, maybe the Self images put their subjects to the right to emphasize the magazine’s positive, health-oriented headlines as a technique that aims to get readers to take notice of their healthy outlook and educational value.

 It looks as though the subjects’ body language in Fitness RX serve as graphic vectors that attract even more attention to their bodies. It is apparent that the body is the main showcase of their magazine. For example, “Picture #1” has the woman’s hands on her bare legs. This points the viewer’s attention to that of her scantily dressed butt. The pose of her shrugging her shoulders also serves as a graphic vector that points the viewer’s attention to that of her full bust size. In “Picture #2” of Fitness RX, the blonde has her arm across her midsection holding a surf board. Her arm, therefore, serves as a graphic vector that takes the viewer’s attention to that of her tight and toned midsection. The hand on the board serves as a graphic vector pointing towards her breasts.

The images from Self have their subjects’ also make use of graphic vectors through the subjects’ body language. For example, Applegate’s hands at her hips point the viewers’ attention to her slightly revealing stomach from her tank top. Garner’s hand on her face points the viewers’ attention to her smile.

I think the graphic vectors definitely are the key element in projecting the symbolism associated with a magazine’s mission statements and overall purpose. For example, as I previously mentioned, Applegate’s hands at her hips point the viewers’ attention to her slightly revealing stomach from her tank top. The signifier is the toned stomach that looks as though it is peaking by accident. The signified is that Applegate is confident since she is not embarrassed her stomach is showing. It shows she feels free in her body and is not ashamed of it.  

The signifier of the image of Garner is her relaxed sitting stance. The signified is that Garner is comfortable in her own body. The signifier of “Picture 1” of Fitness RX is the head thrown back, smiling ear to ear while in a half-way kneeling position in a scanty bikini. The signified is that she is extremely confident with her body since she is posing in an unordinary stance. Applegate’s body language suggests embracing her body whereas the blonde in “Picture 1” suggests flaunting it.

 The signifier of “Picture #2” of Fitness RX is that she is holding a surf board while in a scanty bikini. The signified is that she feels free to do activities on the beach without worrying about her body image; therefore, her body is a representation of the “perfect body.” Unlike many women who feel self-conscious about their bodies on the beach, the blonde model appears as though she has absolutely no worries about her body since she is smiling and in a pose that suggests confidence since she is not aiming to cover up her body.

 It is not surprising to me that both covers utilize high-key lighting since we learned in class that high-key lighting suggests an upbeat mood. Both magazines are fitness magazines and are obviously aiming to get their viewers to develop the desire to get fit and ultimately, in turn, develop the desire to purchase their magazine, a tool that will aid them in getting fit.  

Lastly, the typography on the covers of the magazines also is different which could be another technical component that ultimately arouses different feelings within me at first glance of their covers. The April and May 2008 issues of Self both have the title in slanted, capitalized letters that are trademark of the magazine in bright colors (bright orange and bright yellow). Fitness RX, on the other hand, has its two issues in the same font trademark of the magazine, but the colors remain the same. With just this small difference, I think that Self successfully masks and communicates the message that it promotes diversity and change. The bright colors also seem to radiate optimism, a theme I feel strongly intertwined in all its issues. Additionally, Fitness Rx seems to have more of its headlines in capital, bold, large letters. This visual technique makes it appear more like a “prescription,” or “doctor’s order” for a “perfect body.” To me, it looks like yelling, and enforces negative thought processes in my mind about how I should and could be doing more to improve my body. Self, on the other hand, does not have as many capital, bold, large letters and uses a variety of fonts in its headlines. Consequently, I think this is the reason why I feel like fitness is more “fun” than a “chore” when looking at Self in comparison to that of Fitness RX.

Ethical, Cultural, Critical

First, I would like to point out the mission statements of each magazine. Self’s tagline is “You at your best” while Fitness RX’s is “Your ultimate prescription to the perfect body.” Secondly, I would like to call attention to the fact that “In 2003, Teen magazine reported that 35 per cent of girls 6 to 12 years old have been on at least one diet, and that 50 to 70 per cent of normal weight girls believe they are overweight” (Media Awareness)[4]. With that being said, I feel as though the magazines both possess a different set of ethical standards, but they both administer to the same American culture.

 Personally, I feel as though both Self and Fitness RX, two influential publications that affect the manner in which American women measure their own bodies, have a great responsibility to ensure they do not encourage disordered eating, a behavior that is associated with unhappiness with one’s own body that is popular in the American culture.

Therefore, since Fitness RX’s images seem to foster an unrealistic body standard that encourages women to become “perfect,” their ethical standards do not accept much responsibility for the influence they may have on young girls’ body images. This can be seen by the supplemented “dieting” headlines surrounding the bodies on display that emit a feeling towards women as though they have not earned being happy. The women are chiseled and look as though all they do is work out. Self’s images, on the other hand, project more of  an attainable image that is not far from what people really do see and come into contact with in everyday, American life. The women look as though they work out, but the casual clothing makes it appear as though they do not make work out regimens their life. Personally and critically comparing the two magazines, I feel as though Self gives more substance and value to the American woman than does Fitness RX. Self encourages respect for one’s own body through practices such as working out and eating healthy, but at the same time ensures women know that they are more than just their body.

           

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

April 2008 Issue of Self

May 2008 Issue of Self

Fitness RX 2008 Issues

(Please note they do not come out monthly.)

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blbarbiedoll.htm

http://www.snac.ucla.edu/pages/Body_Image/Body_Image.htm

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[1] http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blbarbiedoll.htm

 

[2] http://www.snac.ucla.edu/pages/Body_Image/Body_Image.htm

 

[3]  http://www.snac.ucla.edu/pages/Body_Image/Body_Image.htm

 

[4] http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm

 

 

Dear Professor Lenert,

Please note that my footnotes were all affected by the copy and paste of my paper to the blog. I will provide you with a rough copy this afternoon! Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Denton

That’s Questionable May 2, 2008

Well, being that is Friday and the “That’s Questionable” was due on Thursday, I am going to do this weeks “That’s Questionable” on my confusion of this assignment. In the class blog, it read that our “last blog assignment” was the one comparing CNN and Al Jazeera journalism. So with the words “last blog assignment,” I immediately assumed there was no more blogs– as in no more “That’s Questionables” and peer comments either. Well, I just got done browsing the class website and it seems as though it is a torn understanding. Some people submitted their “That’s Questionable”s while others did not. Maybe they are confused like me? In any event, I am submitting my That’s Questionable just to be on the safe side, even if it is a day late. I think that you, Professor Lenert, should spare some sympathy on those that did not submit one. It really was confusing. It felt so good to hear the word “last” amongst “assignment.” So was one due or not? Should I be submitting comments? Oh, and one more thing, I noticed some of my comments from the other week are not showing up and I am afraid I am going to get a 0 for my participation that week! !! Should I re-submit?

Thanks!

CNN vs. Al Jazeera Journalism April 28, 2008

 

 

Can you guess which image came from which media source?

I decided to analyze visual images of the U.S. Election in both CNN and Al Jazeera.

The CNN article can be found at:http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/23/democrats.race/index.html#cnnSTCText

The Al Jazeera article can be found at:http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/9DABF8A0-8F5A-45E0-BD17-84888599344F.htm

Both of them discuss Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the dynamics of her struggle to stay in the race.

If you guessed that the image on the left is from Al Jazeera and the image on the right is from CNN you would have been correct. This did not surprise me and I am about to explain to you why.

In the image from Al Jazeera, it shows the people holding up signs supporting Hillary Clinton. In the image from CNN, it shows the politician herself, Hillary Clinton. I know this seems like such an incredibly simple analysis, but I personally saw their choice of photographs to be immensely significant in the manner in which the world percieves the United States of America. To me, I see Al Jazeera subconsciously throwing out the image that Americans are almost like “calves” following a shepherd. The fact that the image also shows mutliple people (not just one) also shows America as a united force. In conclusion, it seems as though the image of Americans that is painted is one of unity, enthusiasm, and complete support for the potential President.

The image from CNN, on the other hand, shows Hillary Clinton as a friendly, potential presidential canidate. She is waving as she is stepping onto a plane. I think it is interesting that they chose a photo in which she is engaged in a typical activity that the “common man” does from time to time. It suggests that the presidential canidate is like “us” and not glitzy and intimidating. If I wasn’t an American citizen myself, I could see this visual communication tactic as being somewhat “bad news” if the canidate was someone like Adolf Hitler. It seems as though it could serve as a brainwashing technique. This then made me think, how do I know we, the Americans, are not getting brainwashed? The compare and contrast of both of these photos led me to a variety of thoughful questions about the media in general and their impact on the state of affairs in the world!

In continuation, however, I just wonder how professional that was of CNN to put such an “unprofessional” picture of Hillary Clinton up. Obviously we have seen images like this in the magazines before, but I wonder what kind of images they have of McCain? Is he serious looking, uninviting, impersonable, and unapproachable? I am going to have to look after this….Nonetheless, this really made me realize that media sources are definitely “control centers” just as shown in the film that we watched in class. They have a way of exposing visual images to consumers/voters that can be subconsciously manipulative and affect their decision on whether or not they buy a product or vote for a politician.

In the two visual images I chose to discuss, I see them both painting “the other.” For example, in Al Jazeera, they painted America (the other) as being tight knit and a supportive, following crowd of its president. In CNN’s coverage, it seemed to me as though they painted “the other” (Hillary Clinton) as being personable, friendly, and nothing typical of what would be expected of “the other” qualities. I almost think that they identified what “the other” was and then chose a picture of Clinton that was the opposite. Consequentially, I see that as biased photojournalism and therefore unprofessional. As a result, I think Al Jazeera may have more professional photojournalism skills. At least in the photo they did not favor one party over another.

Well, I am 99.9 percent sure I answered all the questions that were asked of me for this assignment. Ok, now I am 100 percent. I think this assignment really served to broaden my mind to the fact that there still remains biased photojournalism that I need to make myself more aware of as a consumer/registered voter. I think it is all too easy to believe what we see when it is before us. I am all about getting informed and questioning!!!    

 

That’s Questionable 4/24 April 24, 2008

I was unable to make it class last week (the first one I ever missed, I promise! ) and so the assignment about the “evil other” is completely new to me since I was not there to hear the discussion that I am sure took place during class. I am disappointed since it seems as though it would have been an interesting lecture that day! As a result of my absence, however, I have many “that’s questionables.”

In this week’s assignment, you said,”In his video presentation, Keen argued that acts of war and terror are often generated as a response to the perception of an ‘evil other.’” That statement itself is very “questionable” to me. In my religion, Catholicism, we are raised to believe that Satan is the “evil other” by nature and that evil comes from him. In fact, there is a whole story about how he was originally an angel in heaven and was thrown out by God. How is it then that he was a “response to the perception of an ‘evil other’ when he is traditionally the origin of the ‘evil other’? I guess I am just a little confused and would love to hear an explanation of what the author, Keen, would say in reference to this question. (Without having to purchase the book…;) ) PS: You will see me in class today!

The “Evil Other”: The Demon from The Exorcist April 23, 2008

The picture I chose comes from the legendary, horror film, The Exorcist.  In fact, this Academy Award winning film is popularly known and referred to as “The Scariest Film Ever Made.”

This picture shows the classic scene in which the possessed little girl does a 360-degree head twist. In the movie, she then proceeds to spider-walk on the staircase. Needless to say, I think this has to be by far one of the scariest movies I have ever seen!

When assigned this assignment, I thought about the images that I had collected over the years of the devil. This one came up immediately, especially this particular scene from the movie. I feel as though it is engraved in my memory. When I think of satan, I see this image. Consequently, I think the image I chose potrays the “evil other” beautifully. It obviously made quite the impression on me!

In one of the other blogs for this class, I analyzed the movie poster of The Exorcist. To give a quick recap again for those you who didn’t read it, the movie is about a young girl, Regan, that is possessed by demons. A priest is summoned to perform an exorcist on her. Well, I guess the title is somewhat self-explanatory. It is the epitome of good vs. evil.

Personal

My personal reaction was fear and suspense throughout the entire film. I don’t think there is one movie that I actually jump around while watching it like I do in this one. I first saw the original film when I was a young girl and couldn’t sleep for about a week. It was re-released in the theaters with enhanced special effects when I was in high school. Once again, it scared me like crazy! I don’t think you can ever be a “big girl” for this movie!

Personally, I felt sorry for the little girl while being horrifically scared of her all at the same time. I never thought compassion and repulsiveness could be two mutually exclusive feelings! I was definitely siding with the priest, though. I wanted him to help her get rid of the demons. 

Historical

The movie is based on the 1971 novel, The Exorcist, by WIlliam Peter Blatty. I did not know this, but I just discovered some fun movie trivia about the movie that would fall under the “historical” sub-code of this analysis. I guess one of the most famous scenes in the movie and the shot used in the posters (refer to my earlier blog to see it! ) and the cover od the DVD/VHS was inspired by the 1954 painting “Empire of Light” (”L’Empire des lumières”) by René Magritte. This image can be seen at the top of the blog next to the picture of the little girl.

 

Another fun, “historical” movie fact is that when the film was first released in 1973, it caused mass hysteria. There were people screaming, fainting and paramedics being called to theaters. This is what made the film one of the most controversial films ever made.

The plot of the movie takes place during the 1970s.

Technical

The photo is a high-key lighting photo. I am suprised actually that low key lighting was not used. Regardless, I am impressed it still manages to provide an eerie affect. I feel as though the knocked over lamp and the corner of the dangling frame serve to be graphic vectors pointing toward the subject of the photo, the possessed little girl.

I think it is weird or ironic that the possessed little girl is wearing white, a color that symbolizes putiry and “goodness” (righteousness).  In my last analysis of The Sixth Sense the boy was always wearing red. Red is a more common color in horror films. In The Shining red was a huge symbolic color too. Maybe the directors were aiming at showing the conflict between good and evil? How she is a mixture of both?

 The lighting in the picture is very concentrated on the little girl. Like I said earlier, the photo definitely uses high-key lighting and utilizes a vairety of graphic vectors.

I feel as though the signifier in the scene is the color white on a “demon-girl.” The signified is the contradiction of good vs. evil upon the little girl.  The denotation is that a little, innocent girl is possessed by satan. The connotation is the war of good vs. evil or innocence vs. corruption (sin).

Ethical, Cultural, Critical

The ethical side of the movie is that it colorfully depicts what religions such as Catholicism believes in regarding good and evil. Ethically, some religions may see the film as being offensive to their religion since they are utilizing their beliefs as entertainment. While on the other hand, they may also want people to see the dangers of sin.

Morally, the viewer is going to be on the priest’s side.  He is the image of “goodness” combating evil. He is the “savior” of the little girl. He is “good” and the demons possessing the little girl are “evil.” 

The critical view is the unique, contradictory visual cues involved in showing the message of good vs. evil. I think movie critics admired this film for a reason! I would like to read even more up on it!

That’s Questionable. April 17, 2008

I am a little confused at where the Arab Woman Feminity assignment is going. In the assignment it asks us to analyze their interpretation without stereotyping. Is that possible? I have been looking at my peers’ blogs and I find us all seem to be making our best effort, however, they all seem to say the same thing. We all seem to have the same impression about Arab feminity. If all we have is access to the internet and the visual images that we have grown up with about Arab women, then how can we NOT stereotype? I think that to ask a question about a whole race/gender is basically looking for a stereotype answer. If Arab women were asked to talk about American women feminity then I am sure they would generalize as well. The fact is that I think your question about not stereotyping about a whole race/gender is quite ironic and impossible.

Arab Women Assignment April 16, 2008

 

To the left is an Arab woman and to the right is an American woman. I am sure I am not the only one that can see the obvious differences in ‘feminity’ in each of their cultures…

I found the picture of the Arab woman on a website entitled “Arab Woman Today.” www.arabwomantoday.com/english/culture_detail…

If there could be one word to sum up the essence of Arab feminity I think it would be ‘ultra-conservative’. As you can see, they are clothed from head to toe with just their eyes being revealed. While this woman does not represent the style of ALL Arab women, it does successfully portray the kind of clothing that is valued and worn in their culture. For example, not all Arab women do not dress in clothes that completely cover their face and hair. However, the image does suggest extreme modesty which is valued in their culture.

Personal

My personal reaction to this image is one that kind of feels sorry for the woman. Being an American girl that was raised in a society that embraces individuality and creativity, I can not imagine what it must be like to not be able to express myself. While I do not think of myself as a vain or materialistic girl, I do believe in the importance of acknowledging myself in even of the smallest of decisions such as deciding what to wear. To eliminate color and variety from my life would be very sad. So, yes, personally I feel sorry for her. At the same time, though, I wonder if she even knows what she is missing out on.

Historical

I think this photo shows the history of the Arab culture very simply. The picture is understated and simple, however, the message is huge. How come she is wearing black? How come she is so conservative? Why is she wearing a veil? These are all questions that can be answered by looking up the history of the Arab culture. What the woman is wearing and how she acts is all a product of what has happened over the past years in her culture.

Technical

The key light of the photo seems to be coming from the right side of the photo. It is obvious that the photo was taken outside with natural light since the mountains are visible behind the woman. A signifier could be the black that the woman is wearing. I looked up the color ‘black’ and found that it symbolizes ‘death’, ‘earth’, and ’stablility’ according to the website: http://www.crystal-cure.com/color-meanings.html. Also, the website also says that “white reveals” and “black conceals”. I think the signified, therefore, would be that women in the Arab culture are “concealed”. Feminity is masked and not encouraged to be embraced. Another thing that I thought was interesting was that according to the website the color ‘white’ symbolizes ‘cleanliness’ and ‘purity’. This makes me wonder, does the color black in their culture suggest ‘dirtiness’ and ‘impurity’? If so, I would like to continue this thought in the next subheading of “ethical, cultural, and critical”…

Ethical, Cultural, & Critical

As I just mentioned, the color black could suggest that the Arab culture thinks of woman as “dirty” and “impure.” Ethically speaking, is this right? Is this a sign of sexism? Are women brainwashed to believe the treatment they are recieving is acceptable? Also, as I had mentioned earlier in the blog, the wardrobe they wear discourages independence and individuality. Is downsizing an individual right? Keep in mind, this is all coming from an American girl! I am not amongst their culture- I just have the images that I have grown up with. For all I know, they want nothing to do with the American culture especially with that of our interpretation of “femininity.”

Culturally speaking, the image shows much about women’s role in the Arab culture. It shows they are not valued because of their bodies or appearances. Critically speaking, could it then be said that they are more valued than American women are valued in America? Afterall, American women are judged on appearances….

That’s Questionable April 11, 2008

In class we watched clips of The Exorcist. Someone commented on how every scene was completely thought out to mean something. I wonder if that statement is entirely correct. I can recall the one scene that we watched where the butler and small boy are sitting at a table. The little boy was eating ice cream. We paused the scene and deciphered it as a class. “The exit sign is there for a reason,” someone commented. “The knives suggest separation,” said another person. For my “That’s Questionable” this week, I question just how much was meant to mean something. Maybe the knives were just put there because a stage man just put it there without even thinking about what it could suggest. Also, I don’t understand the importance of the symbolism for a common audience member viewing the film. I know when I first saw The Exorcist, I was not thinking about the placement of things in the scene or what they could mean. Naturally my attention goes full front to the obvious like many other viewers. Is it supposed to subconsciously suggest things to the viewer? If that is the case, then that makes sense. I just wonder how successful this technique is. All in all, I question most the purpose of the placement of everything in each scene. I wonder if maybe, just maybe, some things were unplanned and just worked out to be a great sign of symbolism we all made up in our heads.

The Sixth Sense: “…I See Dead People” April 9, 2008

For my scene analysis I chose to review The Sixth Sense. I thought this was a perfect choice for this assignment mainly because I can still remember being fascinated by the symbolism in the movie the first time that I saw it. This was the first movie that I had ever seen that blew my mind and really made me think about all the scenes throughout the movie. The director, M. Night Shyamalan, uses color, line repetition, and visual effects to demonstrate pivotal ideas throughout the film. Needless to say, this movie is one of my favorites. Each time I watch it I feel as though I pick up something new. The symbolism seen throughout the film is well thought out and makes viewing it each time more enjoyable and interesting than the last!

Link:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167404/

Here is the clip I chose. It is 3 minutes and 7 seconds long. Watch it!~

“http://www.youtube.com/v/dJIDW9iP0aQ&hl=en”></param><param name=”wmode” value=”transparent”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/dJIDW9iP0aQ&hl=en“

The cast in the film includes Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, and Toni Collette.  The scene I picked is when the young social outcast boy, Cole, attended a peer’s birthday party. While at the party, Cole sees a red balloon and deserts the party to follow it in the house. He follows it up a winding staircase and is led to a small room where there are voices.

If you are not into watching the included clip, this image that I am providing will help jog your memories for those of you that have seen the film!

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/7579/sixthsense04hr7.jpg

 Personal

I really liked this scene because it really had me engaged in the film! I remember being so scared for the little boy. It was a very intense scene and was very memorable for me!

First of all, the scene shows a small, innocent character that I had come to love sitting outside the party as a social outcast. A red balloon catches his eye and ascends up a spiral staircase. He starts to go after it and  deserts the cheery, loud noise of the crowd coming from the birthday party. The distinct contrast in noise served to increase the “scary” effect. It made it clear that the young boy was on his own. My mind kept telling the boy not to follow the balloon!

As Cole,a character wearing a red sweater, is going up the staircase, his shadow on the wall is made visible. As he is pursuing the red balloon, he starts to hear a pleading, angry, masculine voice. He stops and seems scared and hesitant. He starts to creep up the staircase slowly.

The film then jumps to two small boys at the bottom of the staircase talking about Cole very meanly. They are devising a mean trick to play on him.

The film then jumps to Cole again breathing hard looking intently at an area of which the voice is coming from. Two shadows encroach behind him which belong to the two peers. Cole turns around and tells one of them happy birthday. The boys tell Cole they want to play a pretend play called “Locked in the Dungeon.” The boys grab hold of Cole and throw him in the small closet are with the voice. Cole begins screaming and his mom rushes to his side only to find him out of breath and beaten.

The first time I saw this, I was shocked at the heartless behavior of the mean little boys. I was also impressed by the warm love of the mother ane her heartfelt concern for her little boy. 

Technical

Here are a few technical things I noticed about this scene. For one, the voice that Cole was hearing was clearly a voice-over.

There is a high-angle shot of Cole when he is looking at the door with voices coming from it.

There is a decelerated motion shot of when Cole’s mom takes Cole’s seemingly lifeless body from the small room.

There is a two-shot in the scene in which the two boys are talking to Cole.

Low key lighting is used in the shot.  I don’t think the director could have established such an eerie mood if it were not for this lighting.

 The spiral staircase serve as graphic vectors that lead our eye up toward the small room and/or balloon. 

 The signifier is the color red.  The signified is the presence of ghosts. 

Historical

 The movie takes place during the 90s. However, there are many other historical references in the movie. For example, Cole’s teacher is history teacher. Looking over links online, I found some things interesting. For example, look at this scene:

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/9963/sixth2dt6.jpg

Needless to say, history is a very important component to this film. I especially remember the scene at the end of the movie in which Cole sees dead people hanging in the schoolhouse. Earlier in the movie, Cole told argued with his teacher that the school used to be a place where hangings took place. Being a typical ghost movie, this film is full of symbolism relating back to history.

Ethical, Cultural, Critical

One ethical issue addressed in the film is how people treated Cole, a “freak.” His peers were incredibly heartless toward him and even his mother had her doubts about her son. The film shows the aftermath of meanness on children for being different. As you can recall, in the beginning of the movie there was one of Bruce Willis’ character’s old clients all grown up disstressed and ready to commit suicide. I think the film did a great job of showing the importance of The Golden Rule. It shows how everyone should treat one another the way he/she would want to be treated.

 The culture shown in this film is that of the American culture. Psychiatry, birthday parties, and school plays are all popular in the United States.

In addition: 

Here are some other intersting symbolism in the film I thought I would include for your entertainment:

-The names of the character’s are not at all by coincidence. Crowe = crow, traditionally a familiar of the dead; Sear = seer, as in someone with supernatural vision.

-The plot takes place during the fall which is the time of the dead.

-Notice the doorknobs and how he never really touches them!

Great movie—-I suggest you watch it!!!!!!

That’s Questionable. March 14, 2008

I know we discussed this topic in class, but the more and more I think about it, I still disagree. Let me start from the beginning, Lester said that every visual image has a historical background “story” to it. In Dylan’s blog, he pointed out that there would be no such thing as originality if that were the case. We talked about his blog in class and Professor Lenert analyzed a photo of a rose saying that the photo as simple as it was could be analyzed historically as well.

When I left class yesterday, though, I still had a very difficult time grasping this idea. Last semester in my philoshophy class, we learned about how one of the philosopher’s theories was that every moment is original and that no moment is alike any other. While some photos may relate to the past, I refuse to believe that everything is just a re-creation of the past. Don’t pictures lose their uniqueness if we look at them in this light? Is it EVER possible that someone can make something original then?

Lastly, I do believe in overanalyzation. Someone pointed out Ernest Hemingway’s book The Old Man and the Sea and how Hemingway just intended for it to be about an old man and the sea. When we think too much about things, I think we lose sight of its simple message which could be much, much more powerful than that of what we have convinced ourselves of it being. Sometimes a flower is just a flower and a little girl sleeping is just a little girl sleeping. As much as I see the rationalization of Lenert’s purpose of creating six steps in analyzing a photo, I do think that they can potentially hurt the photographer’s intent of the photo. Some things are so simple and can not be explained. Personally, I think the mystery that is captured in a photo is what makes it so beautiful and so meaningful. The fact that sometimes you can not make sense of something that you are seeing is the essence/purpose of the photo. I think the best photographers are those that do not make you think, but instead make you feel. When we make things complicated and refuse to accept the fact that we can not know everything, we lose sight of the beauty in not knowing – something the photographer may have been trying to get at. Sometimes, I think, all you need is step one to “get” it. Bringing in all these other steps proves to me that people like to make things complicated. In doing so, I think they do themselves a disservice because they may just clear “hidden” message.

Essential six steps? Totally questionable.