2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

Cast: Keir Dullea [David Bowman], Gary Lockwood [Frank Poole], Douglas Rain [HAL 9000]

HAL 9000, Dr Dave Bowman’s ship’s computer system, begins displaying increasingly strange behaviour when sent with other astronauts on a mysterious mission. This leads up to a tense clash between man and machine that results in a mind-bending trek through space and time.

Based on: “2001: A Space Odyssey”, written by Arthur C. Clarke

My rating: 8.5/10

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Narrative aspects

Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ tells the story through four divided sections of different time frames, all with a significant purpose of deepening the meaning of the plot’s purpose:

1. The Dawn of Man – with primates living and thriving early in time
2. Unnamed section 2 – revolving around Dr Frank Poole investigating the moon excavation
3. Jupiter Mission (18 months later) – Dave Bowman and his team on the mission to Jupiter
4. Jupiter (and beyond the infinite) – The foreign entity takes Bowman into custody

These four divisions act as a passage of time, marked by a sleek black three-dimensional object called a Monolith, that sort of advances the characters on-screen as well as the story to the next stage of advancement, according to alien beings. The significance of starting with the apes interacting and learning could signify some sort of foreshadowing at first, to a maybe darker future humankind are headed for after the apes learn to use bones as weapons. Though however it only foreshadows to the fact that humans first used bones as a tool but now, literally jump-cutting to a million years into the future, they use technology and systems that could never be conjured up before in the mind. Besides the film being faintly about physical evolution, it is about the mental evolution where we have become beings of high intelligence of knowledge and emotion.

Kubrick touches upon topics that are apt for reality as well as current time, even though the film is fifty years old. Other than evolution, the concept of AI (artificial intelligence) is till date one that has been on the minds of many. This film captures the capabilities of such a technological advancement brilliantly, with having virtually no errors and sort of being an omniscient creation. It is interesting to note that in the film HAL 9000, which is the computer installed into the system of Dave Bowman’s spacecraft, is in fact much more emotionally aware and responsive than the humans on board, with showing signs of guilt, remorse and anger. It is as if there’s an underlying message of technology being so advanced that they are more human than the actual humans themselves. Looking at the way in which AI is being developed and researched on, that idea may not be far from reality.

In a film criticism video created by Crash Course, the educational YouTube channel, on ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, they noted a key detail in the film that again addresses the point of evolution and advancement. Every section has some sort of symbol for ‘birth’ whether through dialogue or a physically obvious sign, or even through some abstract concept. In the first section, ‘The Dawn of Man’ in itself is another way of expressing ‘the birth of mankind’. Section two involves Dr Poole wishing his daughter, who is back on Earth, a happy birthday on a video call, while section three has Bowman’s birthday with his parents sending him a recorded message. The last section has an overall battle between ageing, life and death through the film ends with a large fetus-like creature growing closer towards Earth, which is, of course, a symbol for birth once again.

Below the overall themes in the film, Kubrick uses smaller details towards manipulating audio, visual and demonstration of scenes to capture a certain plot point, mood or message. The film includes many prolonged moments of silence where there is either no sound at all or the atmospheric white noise and breathing. These moments heighten the tension and anticipation in the viewer because they expect something to appear or happen which would excite them at any following moment, thus waiting and watching the scenes intently. Music plays an important role in this effect too as Kubrick has arranged a score that is captivating, rich and perfect for the theme and style of the film. The music acts as a trigger and if there is any to be heard, an audience knows that the scene is important. Moreover, the realism of space is shown through music and even the lack of it where when showing scenes out in space, there is a complete mute and at times music stops abruptly. The serenity of space and slowness of its pace is captured through audio alone and visuals keep the audience interested, enthralled and curious.

Infer & Deduce: To figure out the meaning of the film’s title, its literal definition can be examined. With 2001 being the year in which the film is set (being a distant future for when it was made), Odyssey means “a long wandering or voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune” or “an intellectual or spiritual wandering or quest”. Both these definitions apply to the film as it is a long journey the characters and the audience go through, from as early as the dawn of man till the close-to-peak of technology thousands of years into the future. Moreover, the second definition clearly applies to the evolutionary concept the film sheds light on as well as how there is a celestial touch brought on to Dave Bowman at the end of the film.

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Technical Aspects

Kubrick’s film may comprise of a simple storyline, with a few characters and lightly developed characters but to counter, his film is extremely intricate in its visual appeal and techniques. The limitations of technology in the 1960s did not stop Kubrick from achieving his visions for the look of the film, going to lengths of having multiple sets built or mechanisms created just to get a specific shot. One example of this is during ‘The Dawn of Man’ scene that took place in a desert environment. The immediate set was built to the best accuracy of real-life conditions although the far background stretch was actually a projection of desert stock shots that the crew team had gathered to avoid the harsh conditions the cast and crew would have to work in.

Other aspects of set design include the consistency of keeping the space atmosphere and the centrifugal motion of the ship in mind, with backdrops outside the windows rotating depending on what kind of ship it is and where. To add on, the entire mise-en-scène is apt for the locations as well as in the realistic terms, which could have deceived the audience of the 1960s that the actors actually did go to space.

Another point about the film conveying meaning through mediums other than the characters is through the music score, which is a compilation of different temporary tracks along with compositions by Alex North. There are two sequences, the beginning and after the intermission, which are rather confusing moments in the film where there is no visual input and just music playing in the background for two to three minutes. Music from Strauss, “Sprach Zarathustra”, was the theme for the film and is now used in many productions to depict a sense of triumph. The music in the film speaks much more than the characters do, for sure.

In the post-production aspect of the film, brilliant visual effects are used, for instance, the colour filters during the scene of Dave Bowman travelling through time and space in the fourth section of the film, which gives the sequence a very eerie and frightening look that portrays Bowman’s own horror of the unknown. When thinking of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ one does not forget about the most iconic jump-cut in the history of film, where an ape throws a bone into the air which twirls around and as it is falling the scene cuts to a ship flying in space, that closely resembles the shape of the bone. It implies on the time skip from being the most basic of beings till creating these magnificent machines we call spaceships, while also signifying on the reason for showing the scene with the apes as being important since Kubrick could have just started with the film set in space.

Similarly, HAL 9000 has many interactions with the crew aboard the spacecraft and it is interesting to observe the way in which Kubrick depicted the point of view of this supercomputer, with having a fish-eye sort of filter or lens that gives it a spherical and convex appearance. This gives the audience a direct dive into seeing the world from HAL’s view and could also be used to show how he thinks, while based on the way he sees. Moreover, when Bowman and his partner are discussing HAL in a space pod with him unable to hear, while HAL is lip reading there is a rounded mask that fills the screen with softened edges, again emphasising on the narrow and directed viewing field of this AI program.

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Favourite Scene

This is a masterpiece of a scene, like the entirety of the film, but what strikes out for me is the lack of a physical character HAL 9000 is although is the most developed and self-aware than any of the others. Dave Bowman, in search for his partner that seems to have lost communication with the ship after heading outside to make a repair, is in the middle of a heated argument with the computer on-board who has supposedly gone rogue. Amidst the frustration and disbelief felt by Bowman, HAL objects his every attempt to convince him of opening the doors, giving him an idea to eventually use the emergency hatch.

This scene puts HAL and Dave into the spotlight, verbally battling it out against each other. The brilliant thing about this scene is the broader presentation of mankind and how at times, even though we are superior and intellectual beings, we lose power against something we have created: technology and machines. This shift in power further develops when Bowman enters back into the ship and starts removing HAL’s memory cards, where outside Bowman could only ask and talk HAL out of not following orders while now HAL can do nothing but talk.

HAL is a well-portrayed character who feels in details that other characters don’t like the emotions felt towards the mission and its weight and in fact any emotion in general, which is something quite alien to a machine. HAL has no physical body, no ability to use facial expressions and has a close to monotone voice in any given situation, yet he is one of the most fascinating characters. Kubrick has presented HAL in an intimidating way, with an extreme close-up of his red ‘eye’ watching eternally at the humans aboard the ship. The lack of expression gives him a personality, and that is the least we can expect from a computer system. Without a doubt, Kubrick created a character with mystery and suspicion, though perhaps the schema of someone watching, especially from modern days, would influence the perception of HAL, with the paranoia of technology and camera place everywhere with who knows watching an individual at any given moment.

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What would I do differently?

Stanley Kubrick, being a brilliant auteur, intended on every single ambiguous moment in the film industry’s most iconic science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The lack of dialogue and the presence in scenes where most appropriate do not overpower the film and yet do not take away from the plot. Viewers focus on the visuals in front of them and feel involved by interpreting the cues without characters directly indicating a certain viewpoint or plot direction. His method of presentation of such a timeless idea is phenomenal for the time in which it was made. Personally, I would really not change anything about it since as it is, it is a creation of a man with an idea in his mind done one particular way. With that being said, however, if I were making my own version of the novel, with Kubrick completely out of the picture, I would have added more dialogue to the film with a greater emphasis on how human beings are impacted by evolution and the harm that could be caused by technology, along with the effects of wider existence in the universe.

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Further Research Areas:

What’s the Difference Between Stanley Kubrick’s & Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (A Side-by-Side Comparison)

The differences between the ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ movie and book you may not have noticed

2001: A Space Odyssey (soundtrack)

How the iconic music of 2001: A Space Odyssey came to be

The original score for 2001: A Space Odyssey

Stanley Kubrick’s Iconic ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ Sci-Fi Film Explained (Infographic)

THE AMAZINGLY ACCURATE FUTURISM OF 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

A scientific fact-check of 2001: A Space Odyssey

How Kubrick made 2001: A Space Odyssey – Part 1: The Dawn of Man (YouTube)

Stanley Kubrick | 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968) | Making of a Myth (YouTube)

“2001: A Space Odyssey”: What It Means, and How It Was Made

Behind the Scenes of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Strangest Blockbuster in Hollywood History

2001: A Space Odyssey – Ending Explained (YouTube)

Monolith – Wikipedia

Interstellar (2014)

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Matthew McConaughey [Cooper], Anne Hathaway [Brand], Michael Caine [Professor Brand]

A global crop shortage in Earth’s future along with a second Dust Bowl are causing the planet to become unsafe for living. A NASA physicist, Professor Brand (Michael Caine), is working on plans to transport Earth’s population to a new home through a wormhole in space, sending NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and a team of researchers through the wormhole to find out which of the three planet choices could be a contender for mankind’s new home.

My rating: 10/10

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Narrative aspects

The film combines a brilliant combination of scientific and mathematical fact, as well as the bond between people and humanity, and how survival is an innate characteristic in all of us. While there are a few moments that would make an audience laugh or chuckle and others that would probably result in a few tears shed, this film is no joke towards what the Earth could be heading for with its current state of pollution. Lighter moments keep the movie entertaining and recapture the audience’s attention.

It has a talented cast including Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain (Older Murph), Matt Damon (Dr Mann), Michael Caine, amongst many others. The film contains characters that are like any normal human being, wanting the best for their family and trying to do their best on their job. It shows a typical family relationship, in the beginning especially, with a sibling rivalry and a father who loves his children more than anything.

The film starts with a clipping of an old lady talking in what seems to be an interview. These kinds of clippings are spread over the beginning few scenes, making it seem as though the plot combines a majority of linear narrative with a few elements of non-linear. This helps to clarify certain points and set-up the story for viewers to understand more, that something happens to the human race and that all that is shown in the film is leading up to those old people being interviewed. However, when further watching the film, their words become more clear and understandable, allowing the audience to figure out what is truly happening. Like with any Christopher Nolan film, clues to its deeper meaning are sprinkled all over through dialogue, gestures and settings, maybe even flashbacks or flashforwards. This makes sure that the audience pays close detail to every point in the film, keeping them on their feet to spot out anything new or intriguing. Being an Auteur, a sensational director and screenwriter, Nolan uses the advantages of a well, thought-out script storytelling medium to communicate the way his mind works with the audience. He has a signature technique of having a sense of ambiguity up till the very end, and sometimes like in his film Inception, leave the audience with questions never to be answered. Interpretation is always open.

During the course of Interstellar as a visual journey, problems are in an abundance. As said and talked about in the film, the storyline follows Murphy’s Law, “The facetious proposition that if something can go wrong, it will”. After a single problem seems to be solved, the crew comprising of Cooper and Dr Brand, Doyle and Romilly, they are faced with another and in some cases a much more drastic one. It challenges the character’s capability to remain calm and maintain their logical reasoning ability to come up with a solution. The fate of the characters is on a constant shift, which in result keeps an audience captivated while wanting the best for the characters on screen. The characters are always challenged and watching them succeed or fail is phenomenal. Nolan’s characters are always well developed and have an immense depth which always enthrals an audience.

Infer & Deduce: The title of the film becomes clear when the meaning is searched online. “Occurring or situated between the stars”, which is what Interstellar introduces to the audience in the science fiction film. While some argued that it should have been called ‘Gravity’, appropriately since the film’s scientific element revolves around it but I feel ‘Interstellar’ better captures the film in one word.

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Technical Aspects

Interstellar has a skeleton of a brilliant and multi-layered storyline, with characters bringing more depth and technical effects enhancing the appearance or emotional communication from characters and situations. Transitions are kept to the usual jump-cuts though in some instances while the scenes are quiet, and calm, fade-ins and fade-outs are used as a method to demonstrate forwards in time and further the plot in a less draggy sense. Being a film that is quiet and more dialogue-based than action-based, the aesthetics of the scenes are brilliant, with fascinating off-centre angles and close-ups, like placing the camera on a side wall of the spaceship.

The CGI in this film is captivating and highly realistic, with accurate depictions of space and other elemental entities we have an awareness of. The film’s pre-production staged consulted with mathematicians and physicists to calculate measurements, of Gargantua the black hole, and principles for the film so that the science is of the highest accuracy. The film has not one moment where the visual effects look far from actuality. It is quite intriguing to think about what is animation and what is not, because everything is so well rendered. Along with the computer-generated imagery, Nolan shot the film on two different cameras which give the altered final look of the film of some scenes having the full screen 16:9 aspect ratio and some scenes being widescreen (with those classic movie black bars on the top and bottom). Nolan used IMAX cameras on many occasions as hand-held, something many could not imagine doing at all, which resulted in the full-screen shot scenes. The difference is subtle though noticeable for viewers who are attentive as well as those who have watched the movie a couple of times. This technique can be seen in other Nolan films as well, like Dunkirk.

The films original soundtrack, composed by Hans Zimmer, effectively captures every single moment’s mood by pure and rich Orchestra instrumental pieces. The film sort of depends on the music to convey a certain emotion since there isn’t much action happening on the screen. Where other films get the sound-in-space concept a bit wrong, ‘Interstellar’ cleverly trims music to an abrupt stop when necessary. One example is when Dr Mann fails at docking his spacecraft into the space station, causing it to explode. The music rises to its peak then, at the moment of the blast, everything falls silent. The lack of audio is impacting, sometimes creating a much larger effect than rather having a booming explosion. Silence is sometimes the loudest of sounds.

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Favourite Scene

This is probably by far my favourite scene as it starts with introducing the audience to the unknown nature of a black hole and what it could actually be like, in the mind of the film’s creators of course. To add on, it finally solves the many questions the audience has over the course of the film which has drowned them into confusion and curiosity.

Cooper, sacrificing his life to save Dr Brand since the weight of the spacecraft would be too high for them to escape to safety with him on board, ends up being pulled y the forceful gravitational pull of Gargantua and has comes to terms with his demise, only to be surprised by falling into a fifth dimension where time is a physical moment. finding that he is stuck in an infinite loop of every moment in Murph’s, his daughter, bedroom, he finds ways to communicate with her by morse and binary code, only to realise that he was her ‘ghost’ all along.

The signature plot twist is what would stupify the audience in any Nolan film and ‘Interstellar’ is no disappointment. All the puzzle pieces spread across the two and a half hour film come together and form a mind-blowing picture, an unforgettable film plot that makes one question if the concepts are in fact plausible. ‘Interstellar’ is a brilliant combination of science, society, humanity and survival, and that is what makes it stand out from the rest. The way science is presented in this film, along with the dream-like nature of this fantastic plot twist involving Cooper in actuality sending himself to make sure civilization is saved is beyond comprehensible. The paradox in this film is something one ponders on. On top of the narrative aspects of this scene, the special effects are as great as any of the others in this film. The scenes are so well edited and synchronised with the ones shown previously right at the beginning before the entire mission started. This film is an amazing example of how films can actually make the creator’s dreams and imagination a reality.

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What would I do differently?

To be honest with my view, and the view of many film enthusiasts, Christopher Nolan is a legendary director and screenwriter whose films were always worthy of time spend watching, while they tickle the part of the mind that wants to see a challenge and he thrilled. His skilful cinematography coupled with his art of captivating storytelling are both a match that makes the audience want Nolan’s world’s shown in his films to be some part of reality or experience the phenomena within them.

I would not even imagine changing anything in the film and much less reach up to the high standard Nolan sets for his films. Though if I had to influence some aspect of the film I would reduce the runtime down a little. At some parts, for an audience who like to see conflict or have the action set out in front for them, they would feel a little bored. Since it’s a film that requires strong listening skills to understand all the dialogues and the importance of each of them, a shorter film length would be, in my mind, a little more appropriate. But of course, Nolan’s films are not for everyone and he does not target them for the wider, majority of an audience so the runtime is perfectly adequate.

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Further Research Areas:

Is Interstellar based on a book or on other material?

Physicist who inspired Interstellar spills the backstory—and the scene that makes him cringe

Why Interstellar’s Ending Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means

Murphy’s Law – How Stuff Works

The World Is Headed for a Food Security Crisis. Here’s How We Can Avert It

Food shortages could be most critical world issue by mid-century

Why does the aspect ratio of Interstellar keep changing?

Christopher Nolan Wants You to See ‘Interstellar’ in 70mm. Here’s Why You Should

The Science of ‘Interstellar’ Explained (Infographic)

Interstellar’s Black Hole Once Seen As Pure Speculation

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night – by Dylan Thomas

Time Travel: Theories, Paradoxes & Possibilities

Why astronauts age slower than the rest of us here on Earth

Transcending Time | Interstellar’s Hidden Meaning Behind Love and Time (YouTube)

The science of Interstellar: fact or fiction? – Telegraph

Whiplash (2014)

Directed by: Damien Chazelle

Cast: J.K. Simmons [Terence Fletcher], Miles Teller [Andrew], Melissa Benoist [Nicole]

Having an instructor, Terence, with terrifying teaching methods, Andrew Neiman has ambitions to rise up in his elite music conservatory, Shaffer’s Jazz Orchestra, and his ambitions quickly turn into obsession as his cruel teacher pushes him to the brink of his ability and sanity.

Based loosely on: Experiences of the film’s director Damien Chazelle

My rating: 9/10

 

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Narrative aspects

This film is made up of a touching story involving a dedicated and obsessive artist who wants o be the best at their art, playing music. It is filled with the sense of motivation rather than lowering one’s self-esteem, and thus excelling and pushing the boundaries of someone’s potential. The film starts with the main character’s, Andrew Neiman, background and enlightening the audience with who he is and what he does while showing what his true passions are. This is important to understand the future choices he makes throughout the film, and which lead him to his desired success at the end. Andrew steps up on the ladder of perseverance no matter what the hardship. It is a bildungsroman at its core, while the characters around him give him a nudge negatively or positively so that he ensures that his dream becomes a reality. With a linear narrative, it starts from step one and moves to step two next and on, from being part of a mediocre band at Shaffer’s, then advancing to the performing band and heart of Terence Fletcher, all while working on his social interactions and meeting a girl. In the end, the film has a well-rounded plot from the rising action to the slightly ambiguous resolution.

This film also sheds light on the trials faced by an aspiring musician, or any artist in general, clearly depicting the message that “the real world isn’t for the ones with the faint of hearts”. Cases of emotional and psychological trauma have been found after being such music or extracurricular groups, where the environment is competitive and mistakes are something that is forbidden. Through Andrew, any musician even if not exposed to being part of such a highly-ranked music group lie Shaffer’s Jazz Orchestra, would feel disturbed and greatly affected by all that he goes through the entire film. In one scene, Andrew cannot seem to get the tempo right for the song on the sheet music and he starts to take the strategy of his teacher. The audience sees him swearing at himself with pure anger and self-loathe, while his palms and fingers start to blister and bleed. It is an uncomfortable image and one that could make someone look away from feeling despair as Andrew starts to hate himself for the moment just so he can play the part like he knows he can. It is a powerful scene that shows the extent to which a human being can perform if pushed to the limit.

Infer & Deduce: According to my personal interpretation, the reason behind the title of this film, ‘Whiplash’ could be one from the name of the injury caused to the neck by the sudden force of hitting an object (like sitting in a car and hitting a pole or another car at a high speed). This could mirror the effect of Andrew playing the drums as he’s seen devoting his entire energy capacity to it and almost earning the permanent injury of some sort of muscle cramp to his arms or his neck for that matter. Looking at the definition of Whiplash, it could also mean “an abrupt snapping motion or change of direction resembling the lash of a whip” or “to beat, hit, throw, etc., with or as if with a whiplash”, which both apply to the intensified display of behaviour by Andrew the protagonist.

Moreover another explanation that is quite plausible is that the two main songs for this film are called ‘Caravan’ and ‘Whiplash’, with the latter being the one that actually led to Andrew breaking up and being put to the ground by Fletcher, who humiliated him in front of everyone at practice for the first time for not being able to play with tempo (which I analyse further below). This broke him down and actually changed his mindset about the whole jazz school and their teachings. Andrew grows more determined to get the music right and it is after being scolded in class for not being able to play the song ‘Whiplash’ on his instrument, the drums.

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Technical Aspects

There are no visual effects in this film nor any choreography that could be said for movies like ‘Baby Driver’ or ‘Inception’, or ‘La La Land’ by Chazelle as well. However, the emphasis is put on the transition, and the jump-cuts to be precise. A film about music and musical performances, all ensembles have cleverly timed cuts to the beat as well as interesting placement of the camera. These are mostly made of extreme close-ups of the instruments the musician is playing which can be prominently heard in the song at that particular moment, with their hands appearing the still shots as well.

A scene after Fletcher scolds Andrew about not being on time with the tempo (analysis below), Andrew finds a wave of motivation and starts practising intensively. This scene has very swift jump-cuts between different parts of the drum kit, which are all close-up shots, and in sync with the drum beat. It heightens the fast pace of the music and effective;y portrays the heated moment Andrew is going through while playing, how he uses his entire energy capacity to play out on the drum kit. To keep the attention off of the actor for a few moments, the close-up shots emphasise on the instruments and the capability they are made for.

This distraction from the actor forms a brilliant miniature montage of shots while it is intelligently done to avoid the main question on everyone’s mind: “Is Miles Teller really playing the drums?”. Reading an article about the topic, it stated that Teller is a talented drummer and was part of a band though he played rock music in his past, which is extremely far from the jazz played in the film. He spent a couple of months learning and training in the jazz field of music to have the realistic effect of playing, however, the music pieces and other demands by Fletcher are quite complex. Thus, Chazelle used the art of clever editing and shot positions to at times fill in a double to play the drum pieces, which is why the emphases on the instruments fit in well. He took playing music pieces to the next level when making ‘La La Land’, where Ryan Gosling, playing Sebastian the protagonist, actually learnt all the piano songs from knowing nothing at all, and which resulted in having long one-take shots that clearly show that there is no double present.

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Favourite Scene

Being the first time he plays in Terence Fletcher’s band, Andrew Neiman entered the room with a positive vibe though it starts to turn into humiliation once he cannot get the tempo right of the song ‘Whiplash’. He witnesses the true side of Fletcher, being terrifying a having now care for not embarrassing the musicians he conducts. Before Andrew knows it, all his motivation and self-esteem shatters into nothing.

This scene is one of my favourites since it really shows the brilliant acting done by J. K. Simmons, Fletcher, as well as Miles Teller, Neiman. Keeping the performances by these astounding actors aside, the scene conveys a powerful force of emotion from the teacher to the student to the other students in the room and then to the audience, in a sort of four-dimensional cycle. Everyone is frustrated and confused during this scene on screen, with Fletcher getting angry about Andrew’s incapability of playing the song on the right tempo, then Andrew feeling frustrated that whatever he is doing is wrong. In result, the other musicians are frustrated as well since this new-comer is supposed to be good, as they have heard, though does not prove that point at all. The audience then feels the frustration of the characters in the scene and further experience confusion, and dread to how this scene would play out and escalate.

To add on, Fletcher tries so hard to act nice for the many times at the start that Andrew messes up until the audience is immensely surprised with him hurling the chair at the drummer, who is close to not dodging it. It is at this moment that the viewer knows that what Fletcher says and does is real and that no one wants to be on his bad side. It is an attitude like this that would make one start to question his ethics and feel reluctant towards wanting him to interact with anyone in general. Amongst the storm of cursing and shouting, the camera also glances to the other musicians in the room for a moment. They constantly stare at a single spot, fearing for their lives as it seems. It becomes apparent that Fletcher has treated others in the band with the same attitude before.

With this scene, the reality of working in a highly competitive and professional setting grows clear. Personally being a musician, I felt appalled through the entirety of the film while watching it. I would never have the courage to be part of something so prestigious or qualified. Observing Andrew’s determination was inspiring for me, he acted as a minor role model for me, but the thought of having a tutor like Fletcher always brings a return back to my mind, shadowing over my confidence.

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What would I do differently?

The film was touching and a seemingly close example to what an audience would expect would happen in such a competitive industry, and how people would be treated. However, it is quite of a traumatising representation for both the characters to go through and the audience to watch so having a slightly less intensified effect of the torture and psychological problems one is surprisingly susceptible to with such a venture. It instils fear into the viewer, which could in turn maybe push them away from pursuing their passion for music or any of the arts, while for others it may motivate them more. Though the film may be a magnified negative portrayal of reality, it is extremely effective and leaves a memory as well as an emotional effect to think about on the audience, which the director intended on.

Moreover, I would work on changing the image of the teacher that some criticised at the end, with his attitude being that he feels accomplished because without having pushed Andrew to where he did, the drummer wouldn’t have reached the great performance at the end of the film. In a loose sense, it makes it seem as the film is justifying the torture and hard-pushing to be done on students to open up and reach their limits, which is quite horrid actually. Surely, the director did not intend on it to be received by some like this as it was all about Andrew’s own motivation and willpower that led to his success, and that Damien Chazelle, the director, loosely based the film plot on his own experiences as a young drummer.

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Further Research Areas:

‘Whiplash’ and Damien Chazelle

8 Hardships Only Independent Musicians Understand

6 Qualities That All Successful Musicians Have

Drummer Peter Erskine on Jazz Flick ‘Whiplash’

Getting Jazz Right in the Movies

What Whiplash Gets Wrong About Genius, Work, and the Charlie Parker Myth

‘Whiplash’ actor Miles Teller really playing the drums?

Witnessing an Abusive Relationship – Whiplash

Is “Whiplash” about an abusive relationship?

Music and trauma: the relationship between music, personality, and coping style

Music teacher sentenced to 11 years in prison as abuse film Whiplash prepares for Oscars

The Uncomfortable Message in Whiplash’s Dazzling Finale

Baby Driver (2017)

Directed by: Edgar Wright

Cast: Ansel Elgort [Baby], Lily James [Deborah], Kevin Spacey [Doc]

Music-lover and getaway driver, Baby, is the driver of choice for heist mastermind Doc. Baby ensures that Doc’s assignments of violent, bank robberies with cronies he chooses to get in and out before it’s too late, with the perfect soundtrack picked by him for every job. Wanting to finish the job off finally with one last task so that he can escape with Deborah, a diner waitress, Baby faces obstacles along the way.

My rating: 8/10

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Narrative aspects

The aspect of this film that keeps an audience member on the edge of their seat to find out what comes next is to know about the whole story regarding Baby, how Doc met up with him and why is he so musically inclined. The film cleverly fills in these details one bit at a time to keep the audience captivated enough to remain on their seats to watch it, like showing flashbacks of getting his first iPod as a gift for his birthday or showing the car ride that led to the accident that changed his life as a child. The first time that is shown, the shot cuts right before any damage is done, but the next time it is brought back it plays out until the car crashes into the lorry right in front of it. The film reinforces his trauma as a child, which then sort of points to being the reason of how he is as a grown individual. When Doc instructs that he “need[s] to sunset that ride” (32 minutes into the film), he watches the car being crushed at the junk-site with fear at remembering the accident. He sees the sadness of his childhood in everything, in almost every song he hears because his mom loved music and sang. Baby goes on to play ‘Easy’ by Lionel Richie on his music player, which is a good calming song for the background though later, viewers would realise its significance and link to the accident later on.

This film is written around the songs, unlike many others who insert songs into the story later on. Edgar Wright, director and writer of the film, stated in an interview that the inspiration for ‘Baby Driver’ came from listening to a song and imagined it being perfect for a car chase. Then Wright went on to mention that he thought of an idea that a car-getaway driver who needs the perfect song for his driving trips. This creates an interesting set up for each scene since the songs are so apt for every moment.

See ‘Baby Driver – SFX (Digital Trends)’ in the further references section below for more

Infer & Deduce: At first the title of the film may seem obscure, though after watching it does it grow clearer about its meaning and origin. One way the title ‘Baby Driver’ could be looked at is that his code name in the film is “Baby” (real name being “Miles”, appropriately picked out), while his job involves being a driver for a rotating group of robbers. Another way could be considering that he is a young guy and perhaps the youngest of the group everytime Doc, the leader, picks out a new team. At one moment in the film, Doc refers to Miles as “The baby of the bunch”, reinstating that this explanation could be plausible. However, as evidently clear from the last song of the film, the title could have come from ‘Baby driver’ by Simon and Garfunkel. Ignoring the first two lines of the song, some parallels could be drawn to the protagonist of the film:

My daddy was the family bassman
My mamma was an engineer
And I was born one dark gray morn
With music coming in my ears
In my ears

They call me Baby Driver
And once upon a pair of wheels
I hit the road and I’m gone
What’s my number
I wonder how your engines feel
Ba ba ba ba
Scoot down the road
What’s my number
I wonder how your engines feel

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Technical Aspects

The variety of camera shots, movements and editing are diverse. As with any film, the use of close-ups signify the deeper emotions while panning the camera shows the entire setting and characters conversing, for example. Some of the transition editing techniques in this film are brilliantly done, blending two scenes together seamlessly, like a car passing by the screen which acts as a medium from one scene to another (acting like a wipe transition). Mostly consisting of cut-to transitions, there is a balance between these and the more longer scenes. While quick jump cuts are used for the car-chase scenes, the lengthier usually one-take shots are used for the normal and sort of ‘household’ scenes at his home or the diner. This could emphasise on Baby’s emotions felt through every scene, while being rushed with adrenaline pumping through his veins during the heist jobs (resulting in the concise shots) and a more calmed and relaxed feel other times.

Another phenomenal technical aspect in this film is how the songs are synced to perfection in every moment. They apply beautifully to the mood created in each scene and to add on, the editing of each song fits with the beat as well as the nature of the song, whether fast or slow. For example, the opening scene where Baby and the gang he’s working with are sitting in the car waiting for the right moment to start their attack on the bank, the editing cuts at the right moment in-sync with the song, a tune that is upbeat and energetic, ‘BellBottoms’ by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. To counter, the last scene has his mother’s cover of ‘Easy’ by Lionel Richie playing as they drive along the country with lines of trees on either side of the road. The shots are lengthened and serene, which fits the mood of the song. Additionally, the film intelligently uses the entire song for its scenes and in some cases extends the scene or shortens it in post-production to better fit the song.

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Favourite Scene

The scene involving the iconic car chase and Baby lip-singing to the perfect song for the mood is probably the key choice for many people, though personally, the scene after the car chase where Baby goes out to get coffee for his colleagues is a favourite.

It may seem normal and casual for a picked-out scene, but the use of a one-take shot as well as the choreography to sync the lyrics of the song Baby listening to with keywords showing up on buildings walls, the road and lamp posts is phenomenal. Using the funky and ‘groovy’ song by ‘Harlem Shuffle’ by Bob & Earl, the camera and audience follow Baby across the streets of a section of Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. Though completing a close-to-daily errand, the audience clearly realises that every moment in Baby’s life deserves a song to go along with. From the beginning of the movie through this scene, he is portrayed as a character with good musical taste and a sense of timing as if every moment in his life is rehearsed. Like me, many other watchers of this film would after a few moments into the scene realise that there are words placed around as light ‘Easter Eggs’ that literally depict the lyrics of the song. Moreover, the scene starts with what looks like an abandoned building used for planning heist and ends a the exact same spot, taking the audience on a tour of the street block.

Another very interesting point of this scene is when Baby enters the coffee shop, he removes one of his earphones from his ear to hear the barista clearly. It is a subtle difference but when examined closely, the music’s volume fades a little, enough for the audience to understand the exchange of dialogue. Then once Baby puts on the earphone again, the volume is restored to its initial level. This minor detail makes it clear that the music in this scene is not just background ambience to add a lively effect to the moment but actually viewing the setting and the situation from Baby’s point of view. The audience experience what he can and cannot hear, making it a personal encounter and deepen the understanding of his character, from the very beginning of the film. It is a moment where there is a thin line between diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound. The source is clearly shown on screen as being the headphones through the music sounds like any non-diegetic sound, like a narrative voice-over.

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What would I do differently?

This film captures action and crime in a very different way than others of the similar kind. Through the use of classical, old music, many in the audience may feel connected with Baby and enjoy the ‘blast to the past’. If I had to pick out on the smallest of details, I may have focused more on Baby’s disability to hear properly and put in some first-person point of view shots when he’s listening to Doc and the other members plan out their strategies. A scene example would be that the camera placed as if from his point of view, as non-diegetic music plays in the background coupled with muffled voices, where all the characters turn to look his way and he removes his earphones from being conscious. As his earphone move away, the sound fades with it.

This could highlight his disability and how he does not let it stop him from doing his job, and uses it to his own advantage. Moreover, the audience may feel more inclined towards understanding Baby and the choices he makes, along with the flashbacks shown of the accident involving him and his parents.

The director and writers of this film are brilliant and have played out the scenes in the most logical and concise way, with giving the audience just the right amount of what they need. As a whole, I would really not want to change anything.

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Further Research Areas:

Baby Driver – Hearing Loss

Here’s a Better Way for ‘Baby Driver’ To Drown Out His Tinnitus

Baby Driver ending explained

Baby Driver song playlist

Baby Driver – SFX (Digital Trends)

Baby Driver Movie Origins

Behind The Music with Edgar Wright

The Clever Reason Baby Has To Rewind A Song During A Heist In Baby Driver

8 of the Most Successful Bank Robberies in History

Baby Driver film review – The Telegraph

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Brad Pitt [Lt. Aldo Raine], Christoph Waltz [Hans Landa], Diane Kruger [Bridget von Hammersmark]

Lt. Aldo Raine collects a group of Jewish soldiers to commit violent acts of punishment against the Nazis, during the first year of Germany’s occupation in France. The team of soldiers join with German actress and secret agent Bridget von Hammersmark to bring down the leaders of the Third Reich, who then allies with theatre owner Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) who seeks to avenge the Nazi’s execution of her family.

My rating: 8/10

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Narrative aspects

This film has taken its inspiration from historical events, precisely World War 2, though is completely fictional. It is presented with a division between scenes called ‘Chapters’ which gives it a different feel, as though looking through a book of events. This technique enables the audience to anticipate what would happen in the scenes that follow a chapter title as well as if it is a visual representation of a novel:

• Chapter 1 – Once upon a time… in Nazi-occupied France
• Chapter 2 – Inglourious Basterds
• Chapter 3 – A German Night in Paris
• Chapter 4 – Operation Kino
• Chapter 5 – Revenge of the Giant Face

Character portrayal and development are strong points in the film, as it follows the storylines of different groups of characters: Aldo Raine and his soldier team, Shoshannah  Dreyfus and Frederick Zoller (Daniel Brühl), and Lt. Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender) and Bridget von Hammersmark, who then all meet at the climax scene location of the theatre and are met with the main antagonist from time to time. This technique keeps the film engaging for the audience as well as creates the set up for the ‘grand finale’ and the opposition of the Nazi-supporting members.

While all the characters created by Tarantino are multi-layered and complex, one character strikes out as different. SS Colonel Hans Landa, played by Christoph Waltz, nicknamed ‘The Jew Hunter’ for obvious reasons due to his interest in killing the Jews hiding in Occupied France, is depicted as quiet and not brutal in his actions yet is very clever and chooses his words of speech very carefully. He himself would not commit any acts of killing and the only commands, but despite that, the audience immediately develops a distaste for Waltz’s well-played character. This could be because of his rather scheming demeanour or how Tarantino chose to show ‘The Jew Hunter’ doing an act he is known for in the first scene of the film.

Infer & Deduce: Immediately looking at the title of the film, one would notice the words being misspelt. There are many theories as to why this is so, with one being to avoid censorship by misspelling the second word, and another being to give tribute to the 1978 war film by Enzo G. Castellari but still have a difference in name for when people search for it online.

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Technical Aspects

Tarantino effectively uses certain camera shots, movements and sequences to portray emotions and intent of the characters, and the furthering of the plot. One great example is the opening scene, Chapter 1, where the entire span of twenty minutes consists of cuts between shots but all seem to be as if filmed in one whole take. The editing of this sequence is seamless, and with such a lengthened span of conversation, an audience member would strongly anticipate a twist to occur at any moment. At one point in the sequence, the camera starts to move around rather than remain in the same spot, heightening the tension created and also revealing the secret that the family of Perrier LaPadite, a French farmer, is hiding the Dreyfus family from the Nazis, who are seen hiding under the floorboards in the basement when the camera pans down. When the scene reaches its own climax, the camera starts to zoom in to the two characters present, Hans and Perrier, to clearly show the expressions on their faces to the probably dreading audience.

The above only serves as one example of the film where every shot is intended to serve a deeper meaning, much like the entrance scene of Lt. Aldo Raine, Chapter 2, where the first shot is a wide-angle from a heightened point. As shot analysis deduces meanings of such a choice, a high-angled shot usually signifies the insignificance of the characters shown or making them look slightly powerless, which could well be applied to this scene since the soldiers here are quite disposable. Moreover, the camera shifts to be placed behind the soldiers assembled in a horizontal line and a dolly shot follows Aldo walking back and forth. This could be deduced as showing the scene from the point of viewing of the soldiers yet not being a first-person point of view shot. It portrays the firm ‘pep-talk’ by Aldo in an effective way, making the audience feel as if they are being recruited for working on his team. Also, from the moment an audience sees Aldo, they know that he is a character of great will and superiority.

Furthermore, smaller aspects of the film play their important roles as well, with embedded subtitles creating ease for a viewer not able to speak in German, French and in one scene, Italian. With this technique, Tarantino gives the film a more realistic and ‘homely’ feel, taking the audience back to a time and place where not everyone would know how to speak English. The music choice is iconic in Tarantino films, being classical or old-school, or having intense instrumental compositions that heighten when the scene does.

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Favourite Scene

Though a worthy contender for this category is the first scene of the film (Chapter 1), my favourite takes place during Chapter 4, where Lt. Archie Hicox and Bridget von Hammersmark are met with SS officer Major Dieter Hellstrom who notices that Hicox’s accent is “odd”. When Hicox uses the wrong hand gesture to indicate the number three (without the use of his thumb), the Major realises he is an undercover German soldier. And so, like any Tarantino film, violence and a worthy showdown ensues.

This scene captivated my attention as it depicts the observational skills of the men present, that such a small mistake like omitting the use of Hicox’s thumb gave his identity up. Moreover, the scene uses long still shots that create a stronger anticipation in the audience after the notice that the Major has realised something. The Major smoothly transitions into accusing Hicox as not being a German, rather than shooting him at point blank, which represents the character as clever, like the majority of others in this film. Moreover, Hicox plays the conversation very intelligently while reasoning with the Major and having the upper-hand of another man on his side, who points a gun at the Major as well.

Being quite a violent scene, in the end, initially, it is one that is rather quiet and still, which settles the alarm felt by an audience. Though then having the charm of a Tarantino film, jumping to a sudden outburst of gunshots, bloodshed and noise, watching the film makes one unable to predict what to expect and when.

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What would I do differently?

Quentin Tarantino is famously known for making films that are violent and brutal, with a hint of unpredictability. If I were to attempt at making my own take on the Inglourious Basterds I would, in my taste, reduce the violence or minimise the display of bloodshed and gore to reach a wider audience of film-watchers that would avoid having the trauma of witnessing such gruesome acts and scenes. having said that, Tarantino definitely places his auteur mark on this film by giving the audience what he is known for. It is a kind of professional and creative stamp that can allow one to realise who this film is made by.

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Further Research Areas:

IB – History vs. Fiction

“My Father Was A Real Inglourious Basterd”

Inglourious Basterds and Historical Accountability

Effects of viewing justified and unjustified real film violence on aggressive behavior [Article]

FILM VIOLENCE AND SUBSEQUENT AGGRESSIVE TENDENCIES [Article]

Audience effects when viewing aggressive movies [Articles]

Violence, Media Effects, and Criminology

German military administration in occupied France during World War II

Life in occupied France during the second world war

Real Life ‘Hans Landa, The Jew Hunter’

The Inglorious Bastards, 1978

IB – Telegraph Review

IB – Roger Bert Review

Creating a Terrifying Villain: Inglourious Basterds

Primal Fear (1996)

Directed by: Gregory Hoblit

Cast: Richard Gere [Martin Vail], Edward Norton [Aaron Stampler/Roy], Laura Linney [Laura Vinneable]

Martin Vail, a defence attorney, is used to taking up jobs for money and stature though stumbles upon a case involving a young altar boy, Aaron, accused of butchering the archbishop of Chicago. Initially wanting to only save the boy’s life from a life sentence, he delves and uncovers the dark secrets of the Church and their doings.

Based on: “Primal Fear”, written by William Diehl

My rating: 8/10

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Narrative aspects

The film tells the story through the medium of a court case bringing a lot of legality to the film. It enthuses an audience with the element of suspense and curiosity, making them want to know what happens next, but moreover, the use of lawyers and the court location which the whole story revolves around, allows this film to stand out from the rest. As the pattern of usual crime films go, the involvement of a crime-fighting division like the FBI or CIA is common (like the Jason Bourne &James Bond series’ and The Silence of the Lambs), thus having the nature of what lawyers do to prepare for a case and how they succeed/fail is an effective attention-grabber.

Moreover, the linear story narrative enables the film to avoid being overly complex, which does not distract a viewer from the plot itself, a crucial point of consideration in a crime thriller. The character development is brilliant in this film as it includes no flashbacks to their pasts yet it includes implicit details that form a backstory for them, through dialogue choice, body language and even the choice of where and when do they use swearing (which this movie contains a decent amount of). To add on, the film is in his when it comes to depicting the reality of plot points, even though it is fictional, based on a novel. These include the use of the law, as stated above, the element of a psychological disorder (DID – Dissociative Identity Disorder) and cases of Church misconduct.

Infer & Deduce: The title of the film and novel suggest a heightened sense of fear for the unknown, where Martin Vail has no clue about whether his beliefs of Aaron being innocent is the whole truth, or towards the last few minutes of the film where the reality of Aaron’s character is revealed. Every character depicts some sort of fear, whether it being the loss of their job, going to jail or confronting their ‘inner demons’.

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Technical Aspects

The film uses a wide range of shots and camera movements to emphasise certain emotions or indicate a particular plot point or setting, like close-ups to focus clearly on the emotions of a character and aerial shots over specific locations to perhaps signify how minor characters are in a larger world.

Editing techniques avoid distracting the audience from the main story, only consisting of cuts and fades. The use of special effect makeup is well done since it does not look as fake as it could for films made during the 90s when compared to how advanced technology and makeup skill has become now.

An interesting aspect this film used was incorporating scenes and short shots of the camera footage Aaron’s psychologist had filmed of her sessions with him. This provided a clear view and insight towards how the psychologist felt as well as makes the audience feel as though they are really part of the whole story. Furthermore, the clips were given the in-camera effects in editing which also divided it from the regular film shots.

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Favourite Scene

The last seven minutes of the film is a complete turning point for the plot since a plot twist had already been established with Aaron uncovering his multiple personality side. Aaron Stampler, played by Edward Norton, is in his jail cell when Martin pays him a visit to give him the good news about his release. Upon leaving Aaron requests if Martin could apologise on his behalf about injuring Laura’s, the prosecutor, neck. This exchange follows Aaron’s claim of not being able to remember anything from the court that day and set forth the reveal of his true identity.

This scene is the most capturing for me, right after Aaron bursts into Roy who is his alter at the court, since when an audience would expect a calming resolution after the climax, the plot literally “slaps” them with another twist that was never foreseen. It is a brilliant way of keeping the film in an audience member’s mind long after the credits start rolling.

Moreover, the choice of shots in this scene (close-ups and cut-ins of the characters hands) increase the tension of the scene as do the pauses between character dialogue. When Aaron starts clapping after a lengthened moment of silence, the audience immediately knows that they and the characters in the film should not have ‘judged a book by its cover’.

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What would I do differently?

Personally, though the movie was brilliantly put I would have shortened the run-time length of it because it did drag on a little at certain points. Moreover, I would have liked to see a little more of the characters backgrounds sort of play into how they react and work with the court case, perhaps shedding light to the trauma Aaron experienced as a child and why he stammers as a grown individual, which is what I would bring forward to the production of the film and storyline.

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Further Research Areas:

Swearing and links to personality

Language on-screen

Emotional Justification of shots

DID – WebMD

DID – Psychology Today

DID – Psych Central

DID and Primal Fear – Psychology Today

Faking DID – Healthy Place

Church Misconduct – US

Catholic Church abuse cases

Legal issues in Classic Movies

Illegal court rulings in movie history

Roger Bert – Film Review (Primal Fear)

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• Movie-Mix: Films I watched and analysed in my free time, for the fun of it
• FLM 1100 – Screen Storytelling & FLM 1200 – Screen Aesthetics: Films part of my Film degree module
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