Kimberly Mufferi         

FORL3160

Class Minutes – July 22, 2004

I.                    Discussion of exams

a.       Grading criteria

b.      Defined avant-garde- a film that is experimental, at the forefront, and does not follow rules.

c.       Final will not be cumulative

II.                 Class discussion of Open Your Eyes, after small group discussion.

a.       Timeline

                                                               i.       Director wants us to be confused.  He usually reveals the past during dreams, however you cannot decipher between reality and fantasy.

                                                             ii.      Spanish theme in literature and art, when reality is just a dream.  Example of this is Don Quixote, and his confusion of dreams and reality. 

                                                            iii.      Influence of Spanish and Latin America on literature and film.

b.      Genres 

                                                               i.      Good film borrows from all genres.

                                                             ii.      Science fiction genre

1.       Face is perfectly restored with futuristic equipment (must have the conventions of the genre) during surgery. 

2.      All viewers (not just Americans) expect over-the-top Hollywood add-ons, there is a broad market.

3.      Life Extension/ cryogenics, is not real yet, but makes us criticize science – that is the real purpose of science fiction film.  Science almost always goes haywire in scifi films; we have to question our scientific ability.  Is that really where we want to go with science? (ethical questions)

                                                            iii.      Romance Genre

1.      Love story: Two people meet, opposites attract.

2.      Love triangle formed with best friend.

3.      One character is super-stud, while other is complete opposite.

4.      Follows all complications necessary for a love story.

                                                           iv.      Thriller/ Mystery Genre

1.      Stalker, is a fatal attraction type character, although more prevalent in Vanilla Sky.

2.      Nuria is always wearing red (‘the woman in the red dress’).

3.      Music and lighting add to these genres.

4.      You want to know the unknown.  Who was murdered?

5.      Psychologist- brings in the idea of insanity.

                                                             v.      Twisting of Genres

1.      Throughout the film there is a constant shift in genres, it keeps changing directions.  You never know where it will go next, adding to the confusion.

III.               Class discussion comparing Open Your Eyes and Vanilla Sky.

a.       Similarities and differences

                                                               i.      Vanilla Sky: less dark, appeals to a wider audience, pop culture.  Open Your Eyes: made for a wide audience within the Spanish culture.

                                                             ii.      Themes are similar in both: beauty, self esteem, self worth, materialism, morality.  Vanilla Sky shows importance of pop culture within our lives: dreams as recycled movies, advertisements, record covers etc.  Movies are very influential in our lives, shows how important they are to us.  David’s life flashbacks are shown as movie clips.

                                                            iii.      Ending: Vanilla Sky- ties it all together, explains everything, spoon fed.  Open Your Eyes- ties the story together a little, but not nearly as much.

                                                           iv.      Cesar compared to David: their professions are very different.  We know much more about David, he is more developed.  This enables the conspiracy theory with the seven dwarfs.  David plays out the American dream.  Cesar is just wealthy; he comes from ‘old’ money and is cultured.

                                                             v.      Why the title change?

1.      Impressionist painting by Monet

2.      Crowe’s attempt to put a reference on the movie, impressionist movie, blurred, based on what we perceive.

3.      Open Your Eyes is more to the point; open your eyes to reality.

IV.              Cast

a.       Vanilla Sky adds the lawyer.

                                                               i.      Helps in the development of the conspiracy theory.

b.      Julie compared to Nuria

                                                               i.      Cameron Diaz plays a psychotic b***h, much more irresistible, deadly smile.

                                                             ii.      Nuria very gypsy-like, sinister voice.

                                                            iii.      Blonde and brunette, cliché of good and bad.  Practical reason: to have a contrast.

                                                           iv.      Both David and Cesar get into the car for one last good time, regardless of woman’s action or speech.

c.       Tom Cruise

                                                               i.      Older, fits his role, bought the rights to the film, so he could star in it.

                                                             ii.      His focus is on demanding movies.

                                                            iii.      Prof. Reimer points out that he finds the witty conversation throughout the film is annoying, but maybe that is the intent, to emphasize the shallowness of the characters.

V.                 Biggest difference between the films:

a.       Vanilla Sky- has much more emphasis on science fiction, more musical and commercial.

b.      Open Your Eyes- less focus on science fiction, more emphasis on confusion of dream and reality; much less intrusive, uses realism, less music.