April 20, 2005

1. Charles presented on the Return of Martin Guerre v. Somersby

The original was set among feudal peasants with no opportunity for upward mobility. The remake, Somersby, was set among landed gentry in a capitalist society.

RMG was so successful with foreign sales the French govt. used it of propaganda and marketing purposes to promote the French film industry.

Somersby portrayed the racial strife in the civil war society. Racial epithets are yelled at the recently freed Negroes. James Earl Jones played the black presiding judge in the trial, which would have been extremely pioneering at the end of the Civil War.

Both films presented social norms of the time in which women were greatly constrained.

In RMG the interest of the community overshadows the interests of the individual. In Somersby the ideology is somewhat reversed.

Both films present the lead characters quest to prove their identity.

French director Daniel Vigne used color that was drained or drab adding to the feeling of poverty.

2. Justin presented on Spoorloos (1988, France) v. The Vanishing (1993, Hollywood).

Geo. Sluizer directed both films.

The original was a suspenseful drama. The remake elevated the suspense to the level of a Thriller.

The thesis is to analyze the director’s intentions and methods in each version.

The killer in the original kidnaps girl as an experiment and has a struggle of conscience. In the remake the killer is a psychotic that kills repeatedly and without remorse.

The ending is illustrative of the director’s intentions. Spoorloos has a surprising turn that is a commentary on the concept of heroes. The Vanishing tries to surprise you as a thriller and does not deal with the philosophical questions about the nature of Heroes.

3. Elaine presented on Nosferatu v. Shadow of the Vampire

She had a handout. The director of the 2^nd film, E. Elisa Merhige, structured the film as a documentary attempting to convince the viewer that vampires exist and portrayed scenes enacting the filming of the original. Her thesis is to show how Merhige does this.

4. Bridgette presented on Hamlet (1990) and Hamlet (1996).

Zefferelli, 1990 director has made several Shakespeare films. Epic outdoor scenery, quick character takes, subtle musical score

Branagh, 1996, most shot indoors, musical score pronounced and sets mood, long character shots.

Good graphic illustrating the relationship triangles intersecting.

Madness is used by each director to explain Hamlet’s behavior.

Shakespeare likes to use plays within plays. Hamlet includes such a scene.