The psychological resonance of certain colours is as much a tool to create mood or feel as any camera techniques. In Steven Spielburg's movies, he uses blue light for the colour scheme of a film alot. For example, in A.I. Artificial Intelligence; the director uses blue light to symbolize the robots' emotionless and coldness. Also the science and technology and future significance makes the viewer feel the coolness. This make the audiences feel robots dont have human emotions and love.
Saving Private Ryan
This scene was shot on a beach, from the movie Saving Private Ryan. It describes how the USA troops were landing on the beach to try and ambush the german troops. The colour blue is used here as a main colour not only because of the ocean and sky, but also because it is often used to descirbe calmness. Although the soldiers are actually feeling very frightened, they must calm their emotions down in order to accomplish the dangerous mission at hand. The blue makes the audience feel the cold-heartedness of the war. This is done by not only the soldiers' actions but also the blue background.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Music
Jaws
John Williams contributed to the fim score. The main "shark" theme, a simple alternating pattern of two notes, E and F, became a classic piece of suspense music, to symbolize the approaching danger. Williams described the theme as having the "effect of grinding away at you, just as a shark would do, instinctual, relentless, unstoppable."
Once Spielberg said that without Williams' score the film would have been only half as successful, and Williams acknowledges that the score jumpstarted his career. He had went on collaborate with Spielberg on almost all of his other films.
The score contains echoes of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, particularly the opening of "The Adoration of the Earth" and "Auguries of Spring". The music enhances the presence of an unseen terror, in this case the shark.
There are various interpretations on the meaning and effectiveness of the theme. Some have thought the two-note expression is intended to mimic the shark's heartbeat, beginning slow and controlled as the killer hunts and rising to a frenzied, shrieking climax as it approaches its prey. Others have stated that the music at first sounds like the creaking and groaning of a boat, and therefore is inaudible when it begins so that it never seems to start, but simply rises out of the sounds of the film. Futhermore, the audience is conditioned to associate the shark with its theme, since the score is never used as a red herring. It only plays when the real shark appears. This is later exploited when the shark suddenly appears with no musical introduction. Regardless of the meaning behind it, the theme is widely acknowledged as one of the most recognized scores of all time.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
The original score was composed by John Williams and featured singers Lara Fabian on two songs and Josh Groban on the other.
Steven Spielberg used lots of different types of background music to fit in with the penultimate scene. In this film, one of the most popular songs is "For Always". The ending part is when David's dream finally comes true. He finally meets Monica and they have a perfect day spending their precious time together. The lyrics represent David's feelings perfectly and how he will love Monica "for always". The music is soft and touching, they relate to David's emotions and his feelings. Because Spielberg has left out the lyrics deliberately, it allows the audience to focus all their attention on the characters.
(01:48)
Saving Private Ryan
One of the sountracks from Saving Private Ryan is the music "Tu Es Partout" by Edith Piaf. This music is used in the background when the main characters and Private Ryan were at the important bridge over the Merderet River in the fictional town of Ramelle. After they have finished setting up a creative defense plan with what little manpower and resources they have left. They were resting after completing the plan, so somebody turned on the radio in order to relax before the battle. This song was the one that was playing when the radio turned on. "Tu Es Partout" is a soft and relaxing song, it is very suitable to the theme; this symbolized the characters were having possibly their last relaxing moments before the serious fight with the germans. Also the song is perfectly matched to the background, the war was around 1944, and the song is old and restores the ancient ways. This gives the audiences some imaginations, and tells the audience about the film's background.
John Williams contributed to the fim score. The main "shark" theme, a simple alternating pattern of two notes, E and F, became a classic piece of suspense music, to symbolize the approaching danger. Williams described the theme as having the "effect of grinding away at you, just as a shark would do, instinctual, relentless, unstoppable."
Once Spielberg said that without Williams' score the film would have been only half as successful, and Williams acknowledges that the score jumpstarted his career. He had went on collaborate with Spielberg on almost all of his other films.
The score contains echoes of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, particularly the opening of "The Adoration of the Earth" and "Auguries of Spring". The music enhances the presence of an unseen terror, in this case the shark.
There are various interpretations on the meaning and effectiveness of the theme. Some have thought the two-note expression is intended to mimic the shark's heartbeat, beginning slow and controlled as the killer hunts and rising to a frenzied, shrieking climax as it approaches its prey. Others have stated that the music at first sounds like the creaking and groaning of a boat, and therefore is inaudible when it begins so that it never seems to start, but simply rises out of the sounds of the film. Futhermore, the audience is conditioned to associate the shark with its theme, since the score is never used as a red herring. It only plays when the real shark appears. This is later exploited when the shark suddenly appears with no musical introduction. Regardless of the meaning behind it, the theme is widely acknowledged as one of the most recognized scores of all time.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
The original score was composed by John Williams and featured singers Lara Fabian on two songs and Josh Groban on the other.
Steven Spielberg used lots of different types of background music to fit in with the penultimate scene. In this film, one of the most popular songs is "For Always". The ending part is when David's dream finally comes true. He finally meets Monica and they have a perfect day spending their precious time together. The lyrics represent David's feelings perfectly and how he will love Monica "for always". The music is soft and touching, they relate to David's emotions and his feelings. Because Spielberg has left out the lyrics deliberately, it allows the audience to focus all their attention on the characters.
(01:48)
Saving Private Ryan
One of the sountracks from Saving Private Ryan is the music "Tu Es Partout" by Edith Piaf. This music is used in the background when the main characters and Private Ryan were at the important bridge over the Merderet River in the fictional town of Ramelle. After they have finished setting up a creative defense plan with what little manpower and resources they have left. They were resting after completing the plan, so somebody turned on the radio in order to relax before the battle. This song was the one that was playing when the radio turned on. "Tu Es Partout" is a soft and relaxing song, it is very suitable to the theme; this symbolized the characters were having possibly their last relaxing moments before the serious fight with the germans. Also the song is perfectly matched to the background, the war was around 1944, and the song is old and restores the ancient ways. This gives the audiences some imaginations, and tells the audience about the film's background.
Camera movement
Saving Private Ryan
The use of slow motion is both a stylistic device and can also control the tempo of the movie. In this scene which shows the final battle when the audience has been shot, the director uses slow motion to show the audiences how the main character feels and what he sees in his eyes. Miller has lost his mind, he can not hear anything, and think anything. He looks through all the other characters, so that the audience can know what the situation is like in that scene. Without background sound and the slow movement, the scene became more serious and oppressive. This makes the audience feels the same way as how the character feels.
(1:28-2:47)
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan is an epic 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. The film's prenise is very loosely based on the real-life case of the Niland brothers. It is notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depict the Omaha beachhead assault of June 6, 1944. This film grossed US$481.8 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing domestic film of the year.
The story begins in the morning of June 6, 1944, the beginning of the Normandy invasion, with American soldiers preparing for the perils of landing on Omaha Beach and struggling against dug-in German infantry, machine gun nests, and artillery fire, wich cut down many of the men. Captain John H. Miller leading to a breakout from the beach. Meanwhile, in the United States, General George Marshall discovers that three of four brothers in the Ryan family have all died within days of each other and that their mother will receive all three notices on the same day. He learns that the fourth son, Private James Francis Ryan is missing in the action somewhere in Normandy. Marshall orders that Ryan be found and sent home immediately.
Back in France, Miller assembles six Rangers from his company, plus one man who speaks fluent French and German, to accomplish this task. With no information about Ryan's whereabouts, Miller and his men move out to Neuville. Once they reach the rally point, Miller locates a friend of Ryan's, who reveals that Ryan is defending a strategically-important bridge over the Merderet River in the fictional town of Ramelle.
The squad finally arrives on the outskirts of Ramelle where they meet Private Ryan, and he is told of his brothers' deaths, and their mission to bring him home, and that two lives had been lost in the quest to find him. He is clearly distressed at the loss of his brothers, but does not feel it is fair to go home, saying, "these are my brothers". Miller decides to stay and help them in their task and the units regroup in Ramelle.
While attempting to blow the bridge, Miller is shot by a gun. Ryan, Reiben, and Upham arethe only main characters to survive the battle, and Ryan is with Miller as he dies and hears his last words, "James... earn this. Earn it."
Jaws
Jaws is a 1975 American horror film based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name.
In the beautiful quaint beach resort of Amity Island, something hideous, something so deliciously evil has vanquished the tranquility and shattered the peace. First, it violently took the life of a young girl, leaving her mangled remains rotting on the beach, her echoed screams cursing the night skies. Next, it moved its attention to the children, ripping and tearing as blood turned the calm waters red. Then, just when they thought it was safe to go back in the water, it struck again, mercilessly rampaging in the estuary and attacking the piers where the fisherman unknowingly sat waiting for a catch. Now, something must be done, before it returns to feed. With the Amity tourist board and town Mayor Larry Vaugn determined to keep the beaches open for the Summer Season, its up to Police Chief Brody, marine biologist Matt Hooper and colorful fisherman Quint to hunt down the 200 Pound White Death and put an end to the bloodshed. They are going to need a bigger boat...
Highest-grossing films
♠ Top 10 highest domestic-grossing films in which Spielberg has written, directed, or acted, according to Box Office Mojo.
♠ Spielberg's films have grossed domestically a total of more than $3.5 billion, with an average of $156 million per film.
1. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (435 million)
2. Jurassic Park (357 million)
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (317 million)
4. Jaws (260 million)
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (242 million)
6. War of the Worlds (234 million)
7. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (229 million)
8. Saving Private Ryan (216 million)
9. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (197 million)
10. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (179 million)
♠ Spielberg's films have grossed domestically a total of more than $3.5 billion, with an average of $156 million per film.
1. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (435 million)
2. Jurassic Park (357 million)
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (317 million)
4. Jaws (260 million)
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (242 million)
6. War of the Worlds (234 million)
7. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (229 million)
8. Saving Private Ryan (216 million)
9. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (197 million)
10. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (179 million)
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