Film exam 2 short answer questions
Remember that elements in a film generally have multiple functions. Describe two functions of EITHER the sled or the snow globe paperweight in Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941).
Beginning of the film they show Charles Kane riding the sled as a child. He is having a blast doing it and loves it. Later in the film they show the possesions of Charles being burnt and everyone constantly is wondering what Rosebud is. As the film is ending they throw the miniature sled in the fire and as it burns the audience sees the name Rosebud on the sled.
Describe two ways in which costume (and/or make-up) function in Our Hospitality (John G. Blystone and Buster Keaton, 1923).
Dresses up as a woman in a drag to try to escape the house without anyone realizing. Another example is the horse in the drag.
What are the range and depth of narration in The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)? Give two examples from the film of how this range and depth contribute to the narrative.
In the Conversation the audience does not know why the films are actually so dangerous while other people in the movie that are investigating into the the people know that they are bad people. We at first think that the man and woman in the beginning of the film are being targeted and are innocent and we hear the the phrase "He would kill us if he had the chance". Later once those two people end up killing others Harry Caul thinks of the phrase, but this time he remembers the emphasis they put on "us" showing that they were planning on doing this. Another example is the recording of the woman saying "look at the man lying there" as he listens to the tape again he lays down and looks sad and that same line is replayed while he is lying down
Remember that elements in a film generally have multiple functions. Describe two functions of the rope in Rope (Alfred Hitchcock, 1948).
In the movie Rope, there are examples of functions of the actual rope in the movie. First we see the man waving the rope around walking to the kitchen, as he enters the maid opens the swinging door showing him drop it into one of the kitchen drawers. Later as the father of the man that was killed is about to leave the house he has a stack of books. He walks out with them being tied together with the rope.
Discuss the use of similarity and repetition, and difference and variation, in The Music Box (James Parrott, 1932). Give two examples from the film to support your argument.
Similarity and repetition is pattern of repeated elements in a film. In the music box we see a lot of this. As the two men pull up and see the large flight of steps, there is constant struggles for them getting it up the steps and a repeated event of the piano flying down the whole stair case. Also in the film there is examples of difference and variation. For example, in the beginning of the film the two men are unloading the piano. As they are doing it the horse moves causing the piano to fall on top of him. When they are unloading it the second time and we see the man get on his knees we expect it to happen again, instead he gives the horse a look and a signal causing it to not fall on him.
Explain the distinction between "plot" and "story" in narrative films. Use specific examples from any film we have seen in class.
The story is the set of all the events in a narrative, both those explicitly presented & those the viewer infers, while the plot is everything visibly & audibly present in the film.
Describe the difference between external diegetic sound and internal diegetic sound, and give an example of each from The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
internal has a subjective sound that comes only from the mind of the character. External has a physical source from the scene Internal examples when Harry is at confession he starts out giving out ordinary sins but then starts confessing that he believes his job may hurt some people., however, he is not he continues saying ordinary sins but that is showing what he is actually thinking. Another example is Harry's dream. External examples is when Amy and the wife of the director both sing "Red Red Robin". Another example is the recording of the woman saying "look at the man lying there" as he listens to the tape again he lays down and looks sad and that same line is replayed while he is lying down.
