University Of Cumberlands Case Study Project Letter

University of Cumberlands Case Study Project Letter (Insert Letters) Case Study Name

Read the questions below carefully. Answer all of the questions below in a short paragraph. Each question is worth 10 points. Make sure to be specific and gives specific references to the films. Type your answers up and submit them on Blackboard.

Paper For Above instruction

1. What causes the broken glass in Persona and what effect does it have on the film itself?

In Ingmar Bergman’s film Persona, the broken glass occurs during a pivotal scene where Alma, the nurse, begins losing her sense of identity as she observes Elisabeth Vogler’s silence and emotional detachment. The glass shattering symbolizes the fragmentation of identity and the breakdown of personal boundaries. This visual motif emphasizes the film’s exploration of psychological disintegration and the merging of dual identities. The broken glass acts as a metaphor for the dissolution of the ego, blurring the distinction between the two women and creating a sense of existential anxiety. The effect on the film is a heightened sense of disorientation and introspection, forcing viewers to confront themes of self-awareness and the fragility of human identity, characteristic of Bergman's complex psychological storytelling (Wood, 1999).

2. Explain what Walter Benjamin means when he writes: “Our taverns and city streets, our offices and furnished rooms, our railroad stations and our factories appeared to have us locked up beyond hope.” Give the context of the quote and explain it.

Walter Benjamin’s quote reflects his critique of modernity's alienating effects, particularly within the context of the rapid industrialization and urbanization of 19th-century Europe. He suggests that these public and private spaces, which should facilitate social interaction and personal freedom, instead have become prisons that entrap individuals in mechanical routines and commodified environments. Benjamin’s insight indicates that modern life, with its impersonality and alienation, disconnects individuals from genuine human experiences, leading to a sense of existential confinement. The context is Benjamin’s broader analysis of urban modernity's psychological impacts, emphasizing that the design of these spaces contributes to a loss of authentic community and individual autonomy (Benjamin, 1936).

3. Explain the concept of scopophilia in Laura Mulvey’s essay and why it is important for her analysis.

Scopophilia, in Laura Mulvey’s essay, refers to the pleasure derived from looking or voyeurism, particularly in the context of cinema. Mulvey emphasizes that traditional Hollywood cinema constructs the audience as male viewers who derive pleasure from watching female characters as objects of visual admiration. This gaze reinforces gender power dynamics, positioning women as passive objects for male visual enjoyment. Understanding scopophilia is crucial for Mulvey’s feminist analysis because it reveals underlying gendered mechanisms in film that perpetuate objectification and reinforce patriarchal structures. The concept helps critique how cinema shapes perceptions of gender and scopophilic pleasure aligns with phallocentric culture, where the male gaze dominates (Mulvey, 1975).

4. Describe briefly at least four of the “values and assumptions to insistently embodied in and reinforced by the Classical Hollywood cinema,” according to Robin Wood.

Robin Wood identifies several core values and assumptions in Classical Hollywood cinema: First, the narrative tends to be transparent, emphasizing a clear cause-and-effect storyline. Second, characters are motivated by psychological realism, displaying consistent desires and goals. Third, the cinema often enforces ideological assumptions such as individualism, capitalism, and the reinforcement of traditional gender roles. Lastly, the narrative often culminates in a resolution that restores social order, typically through justice or moral resolution, reinforcing societal values. These elements serve to maintain viewers’ ideological engagement and uphold cultural status quos (Wood, 1986).

5. Using Peter Wollen’s article “Godard and Counter Cinema: Vent d’Est,” give two films that we have seen in class that have used the ‘counter cinema’ approach with specific references to which conventions (those mentioned in Wollen’s article) the films ‘broke.’

Two films discussed in class exemplify counter cinema approaches. First, Jean-Luc Godard’s Vivre Sa Vie (1962) breaks traditional Hollywood conventions by self-consciously foregrounding cinematic techniques, such as direct address and jump cuts, challenging seamless narratives. This film subverts the continuity editing norm and the classical cause-and-effect structure Wollen describes as typical of Hollywood cinema. Second, David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001) employs disjointed narrative structures, non-linear chronology, and ambiguous storytelling, breaking the convention of clear causality and resolution. Lynch’s use of fragmented scenes and dream logic exemplifies Wollen’s idea of counter cinema, disrupting viewer expectations and encouraging active interpretation (Wollen, 1972).

6. Describe the crisis of masculinity in Vertigo.

The crisis of masculinity in Hitchcock’s Vertigo reflects the protagonist Scottie’s psychological unraveling and inability to resolve his romantic and identity crises. Scottie’s obsession with Madeleine and his subsequent failure to control his emotions expose vulnerabilities traditionally associated with masculinity, such as emotional repression and dependence on control. His emasculation is symbolized by his vertigo, representing a fear of falling and losing stability. The film illustrates how societal expectations of masculinity are challenged by personal fragility, leading to identity crisis and tragic downfall (Corber, 1994).

7. Explain how Werner Herzog uses the camera to give an impression of the reality of the jungle and its effects on the European invaders.

Werner Herzog utilizes handheld, gritty cinematography and natural lighting to immerse viewers in the jungle's untamed environment. His camera work captures the dense foliage, unpredictable weather, and harsh terrain, emphasizing the jungle’s raw power and unpredictability. Herzog often employs close-ups and unsteady shots to depict the chaos and sensory overload experienced by the European invaders, reinforcing their disorientation and helplessness. This approach underscores the contrast between Western technological control and the jungle’s primal chaos, illustrating how the environment exerts a profound psychological and physical effect on the outsiders (Herzog, 1972).

8. How does Alien confirm the idea of “too early!,” a key feature of horror films, as described in Linda Williams’s “Film Bodies: Gender, Genre, and Excess”?

In Alien, the concept of “too early!” refers to the premature revelation of the monster’s threat, which heightens suspense and horror. The film introduces the alien early in the narrative, disrupting traditional horror pacing where suspense builds gradually. This early exposure intensifies feelings of vulnerability and unpredictability, making the audience confront the menace immediately. Furthermore, the film’s emphasis on bodily horror, with graphic scenes of the alien’s digestive processes, exemplifies Linda Williams’s notion of excess—over-the-top gruesomeness that overwhelms viewers’ senses and amplifies horror (Williams, 1991).

9. What does the male gaze have to do with phallocentric culture, according to Laura Mulvey?

According to Mulvey, the male gaze is inherently linked to phallocentric culture because visual culture, including cinema, is structured around the dominance of male desire and perspective. The male gaze objectifies women as passive subjects for male viewing, reinforcing heterosexual norms and patriarchal power dynamics. It sustains a worldview where the male perspective is the default and normative, positioning women as objects to be looked at and enjoyed, thus perpetuating gender inequalities rooted in phallocentrism (Mulvey, 1975).

10. Explain briefly the difference between a film actor and the character he portrays and a stage actor and the character he portrays according to Stanley Cavell.

Cavell argues that film actors often have a more intimate connection with their characters because cinema captures subtle facial expressions and gestures, creating a sense of psychological realism. This allows audiences to see the actor’s personality traits as intertwined with the character. In contrast, stage actors rely on projection and exaggerated movements, creating a clear separation between actor and character. The stage performance aims for visibility and immediacy, often emphasizing the actor's craft over psychological authenticity. Thus, film acting tends to be more psychologically nuanced, while stage acting is more expressive and presentational (Cavell, 1979).

References

• Benjamin, W. (1936). The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Harvard University Press.
• Cavell, S. (1979). The World Viewed: Reflections on the Ontology of Film. Harvard University Press.
• Herzog, W. (1972). Fitzcarraldo. Werner Herzog Films.
• Mulvey, L. (1975). Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. Screen, 16(3), 6-18.
• Williams, L. (1991). Film Bodies: Gender, Genre, and Excess. Film Quarterly, 44(4), 2-13.
• Wood, R. (1986). Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan. Columbia University Press.