2001 A Space Odyssey - directed by Stanley Kubrick - 1968

Today in literature class we watched a serious of old films. The last and final film we watched was A Space Odyssey. I didn't particularly like this film, it was too weird I didn't quite understand it.
In my view it was about rivalry. It could be compared to evolution and survival of the fittest. The monkey who learned how to use the bone as a weapon taught this to his tribe (tribe one). They overpowered the competing monkey from the other tribe (tribe two).
This could be compared to evolution because of how tribe one evolves to a higher level of thinking. They even begin to stand more like humans. Tribe one could also be compared to survival of the fittest because they are the ones adapting to the new ways of their life.

Don't Look Now - directed by Nicolas Roeg - 1973

Today in literature class we watched a serious of old films. This film in particular contains symbolisim; the bleeding red picture, the ball, the bike, the glass tipping over. Everything points to something bad occurring.
The bleeding red picture reminds the man of his daughter immediately. He senses something abnormal about it and has a feeling of panic over the safety of his daughter. The ball falling into the water. It's abstract, not where it should be, not right. The bike falling over; it's a sign of pain and unsafety. It also distracts the little boy from watching over his sister. The glass falling over is the same as the bike; unsafety and abstract.
The fathers pain is surreal and full of grief. He can barely comprehend what has just happened as he holds his daughters lifeless body.
It seems as soon as the mother threw away the Bleeding picture the girl truly vanished from the world. The blood covers her.
The theme here is loss, pain and suffering. The more we try to hold onto it, the more we lose ourselves.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg - directed by Michel Legrand - 1964

Today in literature class we watched a serious of old films. The fourth film was that had only singing. Tis was my favorite because I found it entertaining.
The setting is in Cherbourg. In the beginning it is revealed that there has been conscription. The Two lovers have been separated by this. He will return in two years if he survives the war and she has promised to wait for him.
The main theme is obviously love and the impact war has on our families and loved ones. The singing was really good and the songs were catchy.

Fanny And Alexander - directed by Ingmar Bergman -1982

Today in literature class we watched a serious of old films. The third film we watched was a clip (part one and part two) of the film Fanny and Alexander.

Part One:
The beginning of the clip starts off with Oscar and Helena having a deep conversation. Helena is having a hallucination, Oscar is actually dead. It then flicks over to a young boy (Alexander) and girl (fanny) being confronted by the bishop. The maid Justina has dobbed on Alexandra for claiming that the bishop has killed his wife and children by starving them for days then drowning them.
The Bishop comes off as a man of discipline. He wants the truth from Alexandra and is convinced he isn't getting it. At first he uses love to get the truth, "i love you". The boy is still in denial. The bishop turns from a warm and trustful man to a deceitful and impatient one. He uses fear to extract the truth from the boy; threatening him with a cane, castor oil and Isolation. The boy confesses that he spread those rumors but is still punished with the cane despite his confession and is also sent into the attic.
Alexandra comes across as a small adult and a bit of a smart arse. He isn't afraid of speaking his mind.

Part Two
Alexandra is beaten by the cane. His "stubborn" nature is revealed when he refuses to ask for forgiveness. The bishop beats him once and that is all that is needed for Alexandra to give in and beg forgiveness. Fanny is defiant towards the bishop; her turning away from his hand shows she does not acknowledge him as a father figure.
Emilie confesses her troubles and worries about her children, Alexandra and Fanny, to Helena. In this conversation it is revealed that the Bishop is Emilie's husband, stepfather to the children. The stepfathers unforgiving and cruel nature unravels in this conversation; him punishing Alexandra and Fanny by sending them to the attic and just anticipating to "crush them".
Emilie is a lost character. She confesses she only agreed to marry him because of the "truth" and "happiness" he promised to bring her. She is very gullible and feels as if she is "dying" and can't "breathe". Though she has tried for divorce she is unable to escape him. Now she is pregnant and feels trapped with the man she so "violently" hates.
Alexandra had problems of his own. He is feels as if he is going to go "mad from fear". The ghosts of his stepfathers children mock him and promise to drive him "insane". The mother comes to his aid.

The Seventh Seal - directed by Ingmar Bergman - 1957

Today in literature class we watched a serious of old films. The second old film we watch was called The Seventh Seal.
From the beginning you could tell it was religious because of it's first words relating to the bible.

The clip we watched reveals a man stranded on the island. We see that he is religious as he kneels down and clasps his hands together in prayer to God. Death has now approached him. He ask death to play chess with him; if the man wins he lives, but if death wins he dies. The black and white chessboards symbolize life and death; life being the man and death being, well, death. The man reveals that he is not "afraid of death" but his "flesh" is. The film is quite poetic, the words are crafted almost like poetry; flowing, descriptive and symbolic. There is also a comedy side to it; death being interested and skillful at chess.

Bande A Parte - directed by Jean Luc Godard - 1964

Today in literature class we watched a serious of old films. One of them was a French film called Bande A Parte.
The clip we watched in this film was about a repetitive dance between three people; a woman and two other men.
The clip is unusual,there isn't a very significant point that the clip is trying to make. It catches your attention because of it's unique structure; the narrator speaking the people's thought's . There wasn't a lot of films back then that contained scenes with people dancing, especially in a restaurant, for no apparent reason for over six minutes.

They're not your husband

Plot:
Earl Ober, a man between jobs as a salesman, becomes obsessed with his wife losing weight. After an encounter with two men that joked about her body shape, Earl encourages his wife Doreen to go on a diet.

Characters
Earl Ober: at the beginning of the short story Earl is unsatisfied. He's vulnerable to what people think. He's obsessive with his wife looks, he even gets verbally violent when she gives into the first diet by eating bacon and eggs "slob," Earl said. "Go ahead, eat! Go on!".

Doreen Ober: she is quite a pushover. When Earl persuades her to lose a few pounds she agrees and doesn't even regard the offense of his words "You could lose a few pounds" - Earl, "Maybe you're right" - Doreen. She doesn't stand up for herself, Doreen continues the diet even though she's looking "too pale, "not herself" and "loosing too much weight". In the end of the short story she is almost ashamed and embarrassed to admit Earl as her husband. After a long silence "He's a salesman. He's my husband" Doreen said at last.

Style
The description in this short story is very sparse. There is hardly any. The only main description is of Doreen's body shape.
There is quite a lot of dialogue. The writing is mainly describing what's currently happening, not the scenery.