Actors and Acting Styles: There are many elements that contribute to the creation of a great film. All great films normally have in a great director, a great script, and most importantly great actors. Today we will examine the work of three brilliant actors so that we can determine their acting style. James Caan is one of the co-stars of Francis Ford Coppla’s 1972 hit film “The Godfather”. In the movie Caan played the oldest son (Sonny) of the Corleone crime family boo, Don Vito Corleone. His hot temper and emotion filled decision making would be his undoing fairly early in the film, however, not before the movie goers got the chance to see what kind of man that Sonny was. The character Sonny was a man’s man, he was violent, reckless, and very hot tempered. However I was also very protecting as scene in this clip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OEhiTHJ0EA) (Pinto, 2012) where he is consoling his sister after she was beaten by her husband, in the next scene you see him beating the man, telling him that he would kill him if he ever hit his sister again. James Caan in my opinion is a personality type actor. Mr. Caan always seems to portray the same type of characters. The roles he picks are usually a tough guy, no nonsense type of characters. In the TV show “Los Vegas” Caan played a security director of a casino. Every week he was dealing with some crazy guest, or having to beat down some cheating gambler. Al Pachino is another exceptional actor who would seem to be a personality type of actor. His role as Michael in the godfather film showed a calm, cool, and collected man who was smart and very violent. This can be said of most of his other roles that he has played. In Scarface he played a smart Cocaine dealer that kills any and every one that gets in his way. Mr. Pachino has even played the role as the devil in the film called the “Devil’s Advocate”. I this film the same calm control and violence was seen in the film. Robert Duvall can be labeled as personality actor as well; however our Couse book has him listed as a character actor. The book defines character actors as “actors that able tofit invisibly into a wide variety of disparate characters, adapting to the needs of each script and director they work with”. (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011) Pinto, R. (2012) The Godfather – Pelea Sonny Coreone y Carlo Rizzi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OEhiTHJ0EA Goodykoontz, B. Jacobs, C.P. (2011) Film; From Watching to Seeing. Bridgepoint Education Inc. San Deigo, CA
Sound/ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Sound/ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Michelle Quinn ENG225: Introduction of Film Matthew Warren May 24, 2014
There are many elements that contribute to the making of a great film. Today however, we explore how sound influences a movie. There are three basic categories of a film; sound, music, dialogue, and sound effects. In the film “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” the sound of the movie that is first introduced to you is its theme song. The song which was written and composed by John Williams is played consistently for the first eleven minutes. Music is essential to the development of a film. It is because of the music that you know that the killer is around the corner when you can’t see them. Music sets the tone of the film. Some people believe that Mr. Williams was not creative enough with his score. James Southall wrote in a 2003 article that “Harry Potter has some particularly enjoyable moments. The two themes, “Hedwig’s Theme” (whose title is mysterious to say the least, since it doesn’t seem to be associated with Hedwig in any way) and “Harry’s Wondrous World” are certainly standouts – but as is sometimes the case, they are repeated ad nausea, arguably to the point where their impact is slightly minimized.” (Southall, 2003) Personally I think that the score was right on target. Harry Potter is a fantasy film; a simple score was all it needed. Mr. Williams, in my opinion created music that was fun, whimsical, and sometimes telling. Dialogue is pretty self- explanatory, it is the words or lines that are used in the film. In the beginning of film making the actors did not use dialogue. It is known as the silent film era. Our course book tell us that “three basic reasons to use dialogue: to further the development of the plot, to enhance characterizations, to establish very quickly important information the audience needs to know to understand the action (e.g., names, locations, dates, motivations, backstory). (Goodykoontz, Jacobs, 2011, pg.173) This is also true of “Harry Potter”, however not only did the viewer’s get treated to the Queen’s English, a made up language was used to convey magical spells. The use of sound effects in a film helps to hold the audience’s attention. Bombs blowing up, or cannons being fired provides the viewers with a sense of angsts, or nervousness. It tells the movie goers that something bad is going to/or has happen. In Harry Potter, the use of sound effects begins at the beginning of the film. In this clip Dumbledore turns off the street lights with his illuminator, listen to the different sound effects that were used just in this opening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpYHbdh9yTM (HPScenes, 2011) Southall, J. (2003) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Movie Wave.com http://www.movie-wave.net/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone/
Goodykoontz, B., Jacobs, C.P. (2011) Film: From Watching to Seeing. Bridgepoint Education Inc. San Diego, CA
HPScenes (2011) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone opening scene. Youtube.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpYHbdh9yTM
Godfather
Title: The Godfather Date: 1972 Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers: Mario Puzo (screenplay), Francis Ford Coppola(screenplay),
Stars: Marlon Brando( as Don Vito Corleone), Al Pacino(as Michael Corleone) , James Caan(as Sonny Corleone) Story: This movie is about Don Vito Corleone a father and leader of an organized crime family, and how he deals with the pressures of aging, violence, and the family business. Plot: The movie begins with a middle-aged man telling the story of the brutal rape and beating of his daughter to Don Vito Corleone. The two men talk for a moment and shortly after their business is concluded Mr. Corleone goes out to celebrate his daughter wedding. It is at this time that you are introduced to the Corleone family. The main characters of this classic movie are Don Vito Corleone (the father), and two of his sons Michael and Sonny. Sonny is the oldest son and future leader of the family business. He is hot tempered, and his father is constantly trying to get him to think with his head and not his emotions. Michael, the youngest son, is on the other hand intelligent, calm, and a war hero. Not long after the wedding, Don Vito was shot multiple times after a failed business meeting with an up and coming drug dealer named Sollozzo. Mr. Sollozzo and the leaders of the Tattaglia family decided that it would be in their best interest to kill the Don with the hopes that Sonny would make the deal that his father passed up. Needless to say the assignation attempt only brought about Sonny fury, and he retaliated by killing the son and future heir of the rival family. After finding out about the shooting of his father, Michael returns home. One night when he went to visit his father in the hospital, he noticed his father’s guards were gone, and he was soon confronted by a senior police officer who orders him to leave. Michael refused and was then assaulted by the cop. After the failed attempt to kill the Don, Sollozzo and the officer that assaulted Michael, requested a meeting to end the blood feud. At that meeting, Michael killed both men and then he was rushed out of the country. The Don eventually returned home and found that his family was in disarray. Soon after the Dons return home, his oldest son Sonny was murder. The Don then called a meeting that would assure that Michael would return home safely. After Michael returned home the Don began molding him to take over the family. Shortly after his return the Don died and Michael began a murdering spree that killed everyone that wronged his family. This included his brother-in-law, who helped to organize the death of his brother Sonny. The movie ended with him being accepted as the new Don. This movie was shot in chronological order.
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