Patrick Ballard
1/29/2009
This was a rather perplexing film in many aspects. Its style was not one I am accustomed to. Thankfully there were bits and pieces of the film that were familiar enough to give me a frame of reference, such as Antonius Block playing chess with Death. This early scene immediately reminded me of when Bill and Ted play a number of games with Death in the movie Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. While the delivery is a bit more crass in the modern day film, the basic premise remains very similar in that a bunch of people are bumbling about with no idea of what's going on while trying to understand the reality of death or a the very least figure out how to deal with it. We see our merry band of heroes meandering about the countryside making small talk with the locals, possibly for lack of a clearer goal. Block gets a few chances to speak with Death but those are usually overshadowed by the ever present chess game and Death's smugness over the fact that he'll eventually win but never have to reveal a thing. There were plenty of hints and symbols dropped along the way as to what the film was supposed to mean, but I get the feeling that to really appreciate it and pick up on all its subtleties would require a second and third viewing. The only thing that stuck in my mind for the duration of the film was an early scene in which the actor was juggling two balls, except he wasn't juggling so much as throwing one in the air and then pass the other ball to the throwing hand by putting his hands together. For some reason or other this screamed “important symbolism” at me. I read the scene as a commentary on how people are all actors in the sense that we only pretend to know anything, especially anything we claim to. If a juggler cannot juggle then the rest of society can't be very far behind. Then again I might be reading too much into this and it's actually just a case of poor casting or not having the budget for someone who could properly juggle.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Seventh Seal
Nick Lynch
1/29/09
I enjoyed watching the Seventh Seal very much and personally thought that it was a very anti-religious movie but at the same time saw a lot of evidence that could point to the contrary. The idea that Death is something completely separated from God also intrigued me and his inspired a good deal of thought. I honestly am not sure what to make of the film and would have to watch it again to form a more concrete opinion.
Why is the film in Swedish?
1/29/09
I enjoyed watching the Seventh Seal very much and personally thought that it was a very anti-religious movie but at the same time saw a lot of evidence that could point to the contrary. The idea that Death is something completely separated from God also intrigued me and his inspired a good deal of thought. I honestly am not sure what to make of the film and would have to watch it again to form a more concrete opinion.
Why is the film in Swedish?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wilbert Hill Groundhog Day
Groundhog day was one of the most repetitive movies I have ever seen in my life. Through this movie you can learn a lot about people and about life in general. As people we all tread through life in an continuos repetition of work and diligence. This is known as Chronos time. Within this movie we examine that Phil is living a profane life from day to day. He thinks that his way is the right way and that nobody elses way is respectable unto his. Phil is a man of selfish gain and vanity. Phil is living a profane life that is full of death and corruption at the end. February 2 is the stopping point in his life of all the mischief and corruption. The curse is upon Phil, not to destroy him but to make him better. This is the sacred time that takes place in Phil's life, also known as the opportune time. Sometimes in life we go through so much hell, and then we ask God why, But God is with you during this sacred time of trails and tribulations even when it seems as though he is not there.Through these trialing times he is creating a new you, and a great person from out of you. Change is always hard, especially change for the better. Phil changed for the better. Phil moved from being a profane person to becoming a blessed person of the sacred one, who is God. God wants all his children to move from being profane into that holy sacred place in life. It took ten years for Phil to realize that the life he was living was vanity, and the life of the spirit and serving others is a life fulfilled forever.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Groundhog Day
Nick Lynch
Groundhog Day Response
1/21/09
While the idea of the egotistical jerk being reformed through some sort of divine intervention, or committing himself to existing within sacred time rather than profane time is certainly uplifting, the way in which it is accomplished in the film is overtly optimistic in regards to simple human nature. Phil's identity as a person is the end result of his entire life up to the point in which the film takes place. The years of pessimism and self-worship have clearly cemented themselves within Phil's character. The idea that his sudden change of heart was inspired by his "love" for Rita not only defies Phil's very identity, but also goes against the relative realism that the film has built for its setting and action. Phil, while vain, is not stupid and immediately ascertains that his experience with his "hiccup" in time is certainly not a natural occurence. Reliving the same day over and over again while trapped in a fairly rustic and unexciting town, eventually amounts to Phil's idea of hell which drives him to kill himself on a number of occaisions to escape the monotony. It is Phil's realization that it is his "sinful" actions that have condemned him to reliving the same day an infinite amount of times that ultimately drive him to "reform" himself into a model citizen, christian, person, etc rather than any genuine sentiment of goodwill.
Groundhog Day Response
1/21/09
While the idea of the egotistical jerk being reformed through some sort of divine intervention, or committing himself to existing within sacred time rather than profane time is certainly uplifting, the way in which it is accomplished in the film is overtly optimistic in regards to simple human nature. Phil's identity as a person is the end result of his entire life up to the point in which the film takes place. The years of pessimism and self-worship have clearly cemented themselves within Phil's character. The idea that his sudden change of heart was inspired by his "love" for Rita not only defies Phil's very identity, but also goes against the relative realism that the film has built for its setting and action. Phil, while vain, is not stupid and immediately ascertains that his experience with his "hiccup" in time is certainly not a natural occurence. Reliving the same day over and over again while trapped in a fairly rustic and unexciting town, eventually amounts to Phil's idea of hell which drives him to kill himself on a number of occaisions to escape the monotony. It is Phil's realization that it is his "sinful" actions that have condemned him to reliving the same day an infinite amount of times that ultimately drive him to "reform" himself into a model citizen, christian, person, etc rather than any genuine sentiment of goodwill.
Luke McDade "Groundhog Day" Student Blog
I guess this is the first of many blogs for this class.
1-21-09
I was reading Eliade's "The Sacred and the Profane", an assigned text for one of my former classes, and began to read the entries on sacred vs. profane time. I bagan to think about the film "Groundhog Day" and realized that Phil's relation to time was always profane before his epiphany. He says "Like I want to spend an extra second in that town," relating his experience solely on his job. Even when he begins to repeat time, he focuses on the material and phisical aspects of eternity. Not until he decides to learn piano, an action used simply to enrich life, does he begin to live in sacred time. He realizes that his eternity would be better spent making the one day he has perfect for others, rather than perfect for himself.
I can't help but wonder. . .what would the film have been like if, instead of time returning to progression at the height of sacred time, time returned when Phil was the most selfish, at the height of profane time?
1-21-09
I was reading Eliade's "The Sacred and the Profane", an assigned text for one of my former classes, and began to read the entries on sacred vs. profane time. I bagan to think about the film "Groundhog Day" and realized that Phil's relation to time was always profane before his epiphany. He says "Like I want to spend an extra second in that town," relating his experience solely on his job. Even when he begins to repeat time, he focuses on the material and phisical aspects of eternity. Not until he decides to learn piano, an action used simply to enrich life, does he begin to live in sacred time. He realizes that his eternity would be better spent making the one day he has perfect for others, rather than perfect for himself.
I can't help but wonder. . .what would the film have been like if, instead of time returning to progression at the height of sacred time, time returned when Phil was the most selfish, at the height of profane time?
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