Screen Arts - S2 Week 2

17/07/2019

We had a debate with PJ and Rach on whether the Netflix original film, Shaft (2019) is a good movie. Rach is only familiar with the 1970's blaxploitation Shaft film, whereas PJ is all for the new Netflix film, and I'm familiar with the 2000 film and the Netflix original film (which both serve as sequels to the 1970's films).

PJ like the compositions and the catchy dialogue and humor in Shaft (2019), whereas I found it generic and cliched, and offers nothing new. I found the main protagonist to be aggravating and annoying. It has also has a flawed screenplay like it does in another action-comedy, Central Intelligence. Shaft (2019) is one of those movies where the trailer is better than the actual film like it is with Suicide Squad.

I enjoyed Shaft (2000) much more because it has a stronger screenplay, and Samuel L. Jackson's character is more dominant and awesome in this film. However, Christian Bale's role was like it was copied and pasted from his role in American Psycho. Shaft (2000) is a film that influenced me to try and make an action-comedy for my digital filmmaking project.

From the watching the 2000 film, Samuel L. Jackson was born to play John Shaft.

Freeman, J., Lewis, R. H., & Parks, G. (1971). Shaft [Motion picture]. United States: MGM.

Rudin, S., & Singleton, J. (2000). Shaft [Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures.

Davis, J., & Story, T. (2019). Shaft [Motion picture]. United States: Netflix.

Candolex. (2006, October 3). Crusader rabbit crusade 1 episode 01 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3hHQvkUhJo

We watched an old Saturday morning cartoon called Crusader Rabbit, which has clearly has its political context age as bad as its audio quality. I did notice the stills.

Aspects of Saturday morning cartoons that potentially were made to keep costs down

Jay Ward Productions

Animated Cartoons for Children. (2008, December 16). Rocky and bullwinkle opening theme [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65t-OzhlmvE

In Rocky & Bullwinkle, there are lot of overall colour, vibrant graphics, which makes it hard to see how they kept down costs. However, there are backgrounds are re-used and uses of pans (camera movement)

Mocca4stefy. (2017, July 31). Mr. peabody and sherman episode # 1 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3v8K-1J8H0

Peabody & Sherman has pans like Rocky & Bullwinkle, but they go left or right directions in this show. They also don't have a detailed background at the start, among other parts of the video, as well as simplistic designs applied in the show, which was potentially done to keep down costs.

Emmitt Owens. (2013, August 4). Fractured fairy tales -- red riding hood [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RksxFR-uMaI

Fractured Fairy Tales had flat designs and sometimes flat colours for the design of the characters, environments, and background

DT7. (2012, May 24). Dudley do-right intro [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npfi0UZL2ow

Dudley Do-Right have simplistic designs and colours, but have no dialogue. These are potentially aspects that were made to keep costs down

TV4U. (2018, November 1). Acrobat ranch [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6whhcc

Acrobat Ranch had a staged setting (soundstage) with a background that is clearly a watercolour / ink matte painting.

CartoonsIntros. (2017, September 16). Mighty mouse playhouse (1955) - intro (opening) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDIXvzlZzBA

Mighty Mouse was in black and white, which also made sense since most households with a TV would have a black and white TV at the time.

Hanna Barbera

Jonni Valentayn. (2016, May 26). Jerry mouse and gene kelly dance - anchors aweigh (1945) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2msq6H2HI-Y

Fk4y. (2009, December 21). Family guy - stewie is dancing with gene kelly [hq] [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1vfxbVuo3k

Jerry the Mouse from Tom and Jerry being in Anchors Aweight with Gene Kelly had interesting use of the VFX composting for its time and I think they used this film in Family Guy, but replaced Jerry with Stewie Griffin. However, the colour balance on Jerry does change every now and then.

RuffAndReddyShow. (2010, December 25). Ruff and reddy show 1x001 planet pirates [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQKU9ChKUFU

In the Planet Pirates episode of Ruff and Reddy, it uses simplistic colours and designs like many other Saturday morning cartoons of its time . However, some of the designs seems to have a pinch of postmodernism and the backgrounds are static

Having any movement in the background had been believed to drive up the costs of the production of animated shows at the time, so that's why there many still backgrounds in the old Saturday morning cartoons.

8thManDVD.com™ Cartoon Channel. (2015, April 18). The huckleberry hound show: tv bumpers & bridges (1958) (remastered) (hd 1080p) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjGD1nFdhgU

Huckleberry Hound had too much exposure to start with and uses simplistic designs, but some of the cartoon is in black and white. The audio quality hasn't aged well.

Hanna Barbera 1960s

Levisk1212. (2008, August 14). The jetsons intro [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyinD6ZDqeg

DrDude9. (2017, May 20). The flintstones intro 1 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM7JWc_n3F4

Where's Your Living Room?. (n.d.). The american dream (revised and expanded). Retrieved from http://wheresyourlivingroom.com/issue-4/jenelles-essay

The Jetsons and The Flintstones have more tonal values and vibrant to the colours than most Saturday morning cartoons before them. However, The Flintstones is basically The American Dream set in the Stone Age.

Barbera, J., Hanna, W., & Lovy, A. (1969-1970). Scooby doo, where are you! [Television series]. United States: CBS.

Barbera, J., & Hanna, W. (1961-1962). Top cat [Television series]. United States: American Broadcasting Company.

Myrick, R. (1992-1993). The addams family [Television series]. United States: American Broadcasting Company.

Barbera, J., & Hanna, W. (1961-1988). The yogi bear show [Television series]. United States: Hanna-Barbera Productions.

Barbera, J., Hanna, W., Jurwich, D., Sabella, P., & Wright, K. (1990-1994). Tom & jerry kids show [Television series]. United States: Hanna-Barbera Productions.

I remember watching Scooby Doo, Top Cat, Yogi Bear, The Addams Family, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Tom and Jerry, and Tom and Jerry Kids on Cartoon Network when I was seven and eight. (2003-2004)

Off-Ramp to Nowhere. (2010, June 23). Josie and the pussycats (1970) theme song [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEdWvYA0icg

The colour schemes in Josie and the Pussycats are much more vibrant and diverse than the other Saturday morning cartoons before it. They experimented with colour to suit colour television becoming more accessible to most Americans, and also made it suitable in context to the youth of the time (cultural diversity, music band).

Hanna Barbera 1970s

THX 1968. (2010, April 27). Super friends intro 1973 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANCjrzSJOsU

Superfriends uses a lot of colours, taking advantage of colour television

CartoonsIntros. (2011, October 6). Harlem globetrotters (1970) - intro (opening) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRdvXBFaBMQ

Harlem Globetrotters use still stock images for some of their backgrounds. It shows that using colour was becoming a trend for Saturday morning cartoons

Cartoonslntros. (2011, October 6). The pebbles and bamm-bamm show (1971) - intro (opening) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlxVFaEGyTo

The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show definitely did have some complex backgrounds, but you could only see them in brief moments. It looks like some of the complex backgrounds are actually reused and reversed.

Anzilotti, C., & Takamoto, I. (1993). Hollyrock-a-bye baby [Television film]. United States: American Broadcasting Company.

I believe I did watch an episode of the cartoon when I was a kid watching Cartoon Network on Sky TV. The story of that episode involved as I recall, Pebbles being pregnant.

I later found that it was in fact a TV movie and not part of the cartoon.

MikeRugers. (2010, November 30). Smurfs 1981 - opening score! [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJv5C-maMa0

The Smurfs takes complex animated backgrounds and environments to a completely different level than what was done before. It combines simplistic character designs with complex backgrounds

Idea: It would fun for a filmmaker being interviewed by its own animated creation. If I knew how to animate properly, it would be good for my VFX composition project. It would influenced by the moral message at the end of cartoons by breaking the fourth wall.

Cartoon Network acquiring all the Hanna-Barbera and MGM cartoons would explain why it was so prominent on Cartoon Network in the early 2000's, on New Zealand television.

TheShortMan. (2013, October 21). Documentary - the magic of filmation [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IauV2h2d84U

I tried to make notes about the Filmation documentary, but my mind was fried by then. My mind felt like this...

Ruled.me. (n.d.). Keto breakfast: bacon & eggs. Retrieved from https://www.ruled.me/keto-bacon-and-eggs

Adult Swim UK. (2017, September 2). The best of he-man | robot chicken | adult swim
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq-wgTWDp7Y

Robot Chicken is the reason why I'm familiar with He-Man.

CBS. (2011, July 21). Star trek: the animated series - intruder
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjGD1nFdhgU

Coon, G. L., Freiberger, F., Haskin, B., Lucas, J. M., Justman, R. H., & Roddenberry, G. (1966-1969). Star trek [Television series]. United States: National Broadcasting Company.

The average animation style of Saturday morning cartoons make Stark Trek: The Animated Series look like a fan film and is a departure from the live action aesthetic in Star Trek: The Original Series.

Cliffhangers are a common aspect in Saturday morning cartoons.

Yaxley, T. (1999-2009). Buzz and poppy [Television series]. New Zealand: Huhu Productions.

Today's class made me remember Buzz and Poppy, a New Zealand Saturday morning cartoon, as well as many more...

Buzz and Poppy's 3D animation has aged well considering it's been nearly 20 years since the show started and 10 years since the show ended. I quite like the cute nods to different department of productions in the end credits of each episode. I remember watching this show on TV2 and Maori Television.

It's interesting how they break the fourth wall in a post-credits scene to advertise the show's website, which is similar to what Whitebait TV did around that time with their morning kids show, Bumble. The Buzz and Poppy website is still active on the internet.

Morss, R. (2001-2002). Tiny planets [Television series]. United Kingdom: Seasame Workshop.

Tiny Planets.
This is a show that makes me think of cold school mornings from when I was 7.

Ward, T. (2002-2005). Busy buses [Television series]. United Kingdom: Tiny Living.

Busy Buses

Dilger, M. (2001-2002). House of mouse [Television series]. United States: Disney Television Animation

House of Mouse
When I was a kid, I loved how this show was full of Disney movie characters and still maintaining their art style.

Zaslove, A. (1994-1995). Aladdin [Television series]. United States: Disney Television Animation

Aladdin

Cockle, J., & Reekie, B. (1990-2006). Pingu [Television series]. Switzerland / United Kingdom: HIT Entertainment.

Pingu

Criag, D., & Littler, P. (2001-2003). Untalkative bunny [Television series]. Canada: Teletoon.

Untalkative Bunny

Cockle, J. (1998-2011). Bob the builder [Television series]. United Kingdom: HIT Entertainment

Bob the Builder
This is Bob the Builder...

...not this nightmare!

Clarke, G. (1997-2001). The angry beavers [Television series]. United States: Nickelodeon Productions

The Angry Beavers

Clarke, G., & Nesler, B. (1996-2004). Hey arnold! [Television series]. United States: Nicktoons Productions.

Hey Arnold

Cockle, J. (2003-2005). Rubbadubbers [Television series]. United Kingdom: HIT Entertainment.

Rubbadubbers

Clarke, G., & Gunther, S. (1994-1997). Aaahh!!! real monsters [Television series]. United States: Nickelodeon Animation Studios.

Aaah! Real Monsters

Leichliter, L. (2002-2009). Chalkzone [Television series]. United States: Nickelodeon Network.

Chalkzone

Brandy & mr. whiskers (2004-2006). [Television series]. United States: Disney Television Animation

Brandy & Mr Whiskers

I didn't know that Saturday morning cartoons have been obsolete since 2014 and that it's an end of an era.

19/07/2019

Ellison, M., Ferrell, W., Gardner, D., George, J., Kleiner, J., Messick, K. J., Pitt, B., & McKay, A. (2018). Vice [Motion picture]. United States: Annapurna Pictures.

Themes / Ideologies

Status quo vs change
Liberal vs conservative
Idealism vs Machiavellian politics
Power
Greed
Cynicism
Corruption

VHS filter and film grain in the production logos give an archival look and probably sets the era and tone of the film.

The disclaimer makes me to do one for a documentary stating the accuracy of the research behind the film.

The spotlight lighting and handheld camera movement gave the impression of a home movie camera.

If a character arc was a coin, then in the start of the film we see two sides of the same coin in Dick Cheney. One being a gambling, alcoholic degenerate, the other being a decisive, softly-spoken, almost tyrannical politician (or perhaps on a Machiavellian level).

It uses freeze frames like they are authentically photographed, which is supported by the film's continued use of film grain. The lighting is complimented by the film grain.

Socialist sentiment

The irony about Cheney is that he goes from being full of vice to being an actual 'vice' president.

It's clear that Lynne doesn't want Cheney to be a raging alcoholic like her father.

The movie title graphic suits the era of the film footage in the opening credits sequence. The film hole on the side, muted and tungsten colours are good touches to it. The font would also be suitable for a film in the western genre.

I like this part where Cheney is proud of himself with his new office and meeting Nixon, and his young family is proud of him. To be fair, I would contact my family right away as well, reaching a big achievement like that.

Barely halfway through the film, the graphics give the impression of an epilogue and that the film is ending. It's satirical, especially how the film would end if the film was made well into 1990's or if Cheney never returned to politics. If it actually ended there, it wouldn't qualify as a feature-length film. It also plays out like propaganda for Cheney.

The narrative style in this film isn't only similar to The Big Short, but also reminds me of Scorsese films like Goodfellas, Casino, or The Wolf of Wall Street.

I like how the film blurs out faces and does censor bleeps in this scenes. The censor bleeps was used to detain classified information from the audience and does so intentionally.

It gives the impression of Cheney as an opportunist, when it comes to 9/11 and Iraq. It gives him opportunity to steal oil from Iraq and engage the unitary executive (absolute power) by doing so.

The 'high school' deleted scene was done like a stand-alone short film, which is unique from deleted scenes from other movies and the other deleted scenes from this film.