BU Film School

Closing down here

2007-03-07T19:57:00.000-05:00

Not that very many people will notice, but for the few folks who stumble upon this site through a Google search or other means: this will be my last post here. Not because I won't be writing about movies anymore, but because I'll have a new venue for doing so: Movie Help Web, where I'm taking over as site publisher. I'll need a little time to figure out where I should start writing first, but hope to be working on news, reviews and profiles before not too long.

Recent viewing

2007-02-24T15:24:00.000-05:00

"Catch Me If You Can": pretty good adaptation of the book, even if it used quite a bit of artistic license. I seem to remember the real Frank Abagnale saying the movie changed some facts to make his family life more dramatic than it really was (for instance, making him the only child of his parents' marriage). The movie, thanks in large part to its talented cast, did a fabulous job illustrating how smart and charismatic Frank was.

"Big Trouble in Little China": entertaining, but utterly preposterous and sometimes confusing. At one point I said to the wife, "I had an easier time understanding 'The Matrix'." Eventually we gave up trying to follow the plot and just sat back to enjoy all the goings-on. Kurt Russell probably did so too -- he looked like he had a lot of fun.

Film-related goals for 2007

2006-12-21T20:41:00.000-05:00

In no particular order ...

-- Watch more of my DVDs and videos. The titles are starting to pile up, and I'm falling behind.
-- Actually write a couple more reviews, even if they're just little ones for All Consuming.
-- If I can manage it, write longer reviews for Movie Help Web, though my TV site really needs a lot of work.
-- Start playing around with editing software again. Just because I'm not in film school anymore doesn't mean I can't work on things, especially since editing is what I want to do most.
-- Write blog posts semi-regularly about all of the above.

FT 553 Lecture: Thursday, July 29

2006-10-23T21:45:00.000-04:00

Viewpoints
180-degree turn away from own viewpoint. Take protagonist's POV, play premise out to end, farther and farther away from own view. The crazier, the zanier, the easier to follow. How to stay on course? (Danger of losing everyone) Never lose sight of language of world. Otherwise lose reality of comedy

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FT 553 Lecture: Thursday, July 15

2006-10-10T20:11:00.000-04:00

Notes in black comedy
No room for ambiguity in black comedy.

Stock characters, forms. Comedy cathartic -- writing of social wrongs. Exist to show how absurd we can be.

Music in black comedy
Music used for very distinctive thematic reasons. Kubrick very aware of properties. Uses it as commentary on scene. Dr. Strangelove -- sentimentality underscores death and destruction. Lolita -- music plays against scene, hideously funny. Lolita runs up stairs, takes HH in arms. Every music cue pointed, parodies particular kind of film. Completely tongue-in-cheek. Integral part of dramatic, thematic settings.

Ruling Class -- music. Tucker learns of bequest, does a jig. Jack -- "Varsity Drag" (from "Good News"), "Dem Bones", "Marguerita's Waltz" (operatic, false), folk-rock number, "Onward Christian Soldiers". Full Metal Jacket -- cadences. "Bob Roberts" - parodies folk music, MTV.

The trickster in black comedy
Trickster an essential figure in black comedy. Role is to move everything around surprisingly, stand worldview on its head. Chaos figure there to stir things up, disequilibrate things.

Eshu - Chaos figure that existed before gods. Make people need gods so they'll worship. Gods promised Chaos part of sacrifices and power (keeps safe for them). Halako figure dressed half as woman, dressed as man -- disrupt ceremony, stability of tribe. Clowns for Hopi.

Thersites - Troilus and Cressida. Shows up everyone.
Folly - Praise of Folly. Points out that without her presence, no great society.
"Reason" - A Modest Proposal. Uses reason to defend cannibalism.
Jack - The Ruling Class. Agrees Lords to their deaths.
Jack D. Ripper, Dr. Strangelove - Dr. Strangelove.
"Conscience" - The Discreet Bourgeoisie. Guilt keeps them from sleep, food, sex.

Satire built into trickster figure. After Greek trilogy, fourth play with same characters. Satyr play pokes fun at themes, to equilibrate, keep people from getting too serious, understand our fragility.

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FT 553 Lecture: Tuesday, July 13

2006-09-26T21:39:00.000-04:00

Language in black comedy
Language is style of protagonist. Peculiar to its setting. Language a church, creates schism between those who know language and those who don't. Military, political language in Dr. Strangelove, machimso, technobabble. Isolates objects of satire and parody from rest of society.

Clue to black comedy is specificity of language. In Discreet, language of style, gentility. Innuendo, constantly double-edged. Hypocrisy, separation of humanity into castes. Surrounded by language no one else can enter. Dualism can deteriorate into neurotic state, then to pathology.

Behavior predictable, ritualized. Nothing can interfere with ritual. Language reduces section of society to automatons. Ritual and ritualized language essential part of black comedy.

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FT 553 Lecture: Thursday, July 8

2006-09-20T20:37:00.000-04:00

Notes on black comedy
Style of most black comedy films idiosyncratic. Pull you into thematic condition, not characters. Everything depends on development of argument.

Clichés - fuzzy thinking. Vidal uses them in ironic fashion. Agrees Dexter (sp?) into the toilet. Take work, most absurd argument, play it straight, leads to death.

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FT 553 Lecture: Tuesday, July 6

2006-09-17T19:42:00.000-04:00

Definition/nature of black comedy
Author -- anger. Takes values of society, pushes to extremes. Keep audience away from emotional identification with characters. Black comedy - social essay. No good feeling or heartbreak, but social understanding that world is not worth anything, leading to horrible conflict.

Does not begin with hatred of humanity. Black comedy implies human intelligence should find solution to issues.

Author's voice protagonist of black comedy. Trustworthy characters all nuts. Author creates dialogue with audience. Film must have POV, a worldview.

Black comedy incredibly smart, incredibly angry, incredibly funny and incredibly nasty. Style is as important as content.

Reagan's quote at U.N. -- alien invasion would be uniting factor.

Comedy depends on foiled expectations. Black comedy depends on characters' humiliation (just desserts). Characters see world in purely dualistic terms - no shading, us vs. them. Paranoics' universe. Kept funny by author's parody, use of satire.

Characterization depends on other-directed worldview. Either all me or all other.

Conflict built into black comedy. Author's point of view is not equal to comedy's point of view (what most peo0ple think). Author a rebel. Author will reduce characters and society to ashes. Doesn't necessarily point to better way of life.

Techniques of black comedy
satire = poking fun at content (Troilus and Cressida satirizes Trojan War)
parody = poking fun at style (Troilus and Cressida's language parodies bombastic rhetoric)
irony = seeming to agree with someone, when you think the absolute opposite (survival mechanism). Dissembling, pretense of ignorance. Expressing one thing and meaning other (Antony's speech in "Julius Caesar").
sarcasm = bitter or wounding expression - taunt. Just above physical blow. Wounding.
mockery = derision or ridicule. Subject to laughter.

"Bob Roberts" satirizes American politics, parodies left-wing folk music.

Most important thing - author's seen in way he's actually not.

What to pay attention to
Pay attention to trickster character. In Swift, it's the American. In Troilus and Cressida, Thersites. In Dr. Strangelove, title character.

Pay attention to worldviews. Note how author imposes himself on form of work. How does s/he use irony, satire, parody, mockery and to what effect?

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FT 553 Screening: Lolita

2006-09-13T19:55:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Humbert goes to Quilty's house. Quilty tries to joke with him (ping-pong, reading letter with Southern accent), cajole him. Humbert shoots, pursues and shoots more, killing Quilty.

Humbert in America for summer. Will stay in Ramsdale, then go to Beardsley College as lecturer. Decides to stay at Charlotte's house because of Lolita's presence. Hands in movie theater. Dance at school -- introduces Quilty, swinger neighbors. Charlotte's move on Humbert interrupted by Lolita coming home early. Lolita sent to summer camp. Charlotte leaves confession for Humbert, who laughs hysterically.

Humbert and Charlotte married. Tension, avoidance on his part. Charlotte decides to send Lolita straight from camp to boarding school. She finds his diary, runs out of house, killed by car. Humbert fetches Lolita from camp, stay overnight at hotel. Quilty there too, he interrogates. Humbert owns up about Charlotte's death.

Humbert and Lolita at Beardsley Cottage. Tension due to Humbert's strictness/jealousy and Lolita's waywardness. Quilty poses as school psychologist to convince Humbert to let Lolita be in school play. Humbert learns she's been lying about going to piano lessons, they fight, then make up and hit the road.

Humbert and Lolita followed by black car. He sees her talking to someone at gas station, suspicious. She falls ill, he's ill too. He takes her to hospital. Quilty calls Humbert's hotel room. Later that night Humbert goes to pick up Lolita, but she's already been discharged and picked up by her uncle.

Letter from Lolita -- she's married and pregnant, please send money. Humbert comes to house, interrogates Lolita about husband, mysterious interloper. Husband doesn't know anything. Interloper was Quilty. Humbert -- come away with me. Lolita refuses, Humbert breaks down and cries, then gives her money. He leaves to find Quilty.

FT 553 notes (from 07/15/04)
Lover and nymphet. Quilty a trickster. Film series of triangles -- HH/Lolita/Charlotte, HH/Lolita/Quilty, Charlotte/Lolita/Quilty. Novel has strange dialetic between Europe/Humbert (fashionable, reasonable, decadent) and U.S./Lolita (dumb, gum-chewing, teenage youth). Every scene a suburban ritual. People either liars or helpless. The more ritualized, the more stylized, the more effective a film is.

Music keeps us from identifying with situation and characters.

In "Lolita," every line pointed, a seduction. Ongoing mating dance. Lolita powerful figure (power of sex).

All lines double-entendres. "Reproductions in bedroom," "Romance languages," rubbing husband's ashes, cherry pie, Beardsley College, Ramsdale, "I like to take it up this end," "You like to watch, don't you?" "get more peace," "studio affair," "one of the speakers I had," chess -- take queen. Strategy a verbal one, also has slapstick, physical gesture.

Romantic drama clichés. Music underscores, parodies, comments. Trickster Clare Quilty. Not "normal" like Humbert and Lolita. Savage wit.

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FT 553 Screening: Full Metal Jacket

2006-09-09T22:45:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Marine recruits in boot camp hell. Drills, humiliation, strict regulations. Ends with drill instructor shot by Leonard (Private Pyle), who then shoots himself. Identities stripped away -- nicknames (Snowball, Joker, Cowboy, Pyle) instead of proper names. Joker made group leader, has to take command, allows and participates in brutal punishment of Pyle. Abuse. Joker says Marines don't want robots, they want killers (may not square with Kubrick's idea).

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FT 553 Screening: The Ruling Class

2006-08-29T20:49:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Peter Medak
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Earl of Gurney dies in less-than-sober circumstances (wearing frilly thing and hanging from rafters in accident). Estate (except for 30,000 pounds, which goes to servant Daniel Tucker) devolves upon son, Jack Gurney, who believes he is Jesus Christ, the God of Love. Not coincidentally, Jack has been in a mental institution for some time, and has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

Charles, the uncle, schemes to get control of the estate. Gets his mistress Grace to pose as Marguerite, whom Peter believes is his own true love. They marry and Grace becomes pregnant. Once son is born, Charles plans to commit Jack. Meanwhile, Dr. Herder has an affair with Claire, the aunt -- on his side, to ensure he'll receive a research grant; on hers, to ensure that the doctor doesn't interfere with the wedding. Dr. Herder tries a series of experiments to cure Jack, culminating in a confrontation with the self-billed God of Revenge. Jack under siege (can't be in two places at once, hit by lighting), supposedly comes to his senses. Baby born at same time.

Jack now pictures himself as Jack the Ripper, God of Revenge. Proceeds to destroy everyone involved. Stabs Claire, says he heard Tucker singing. Duels with doctor, drives him crazy. Drives bishop crazy. Claims title of estate, drives uncle crazy. Makes speeches about punishment before fox hunt and at House of Lords (visions of skeletons). Stabs Grace. Only one left unscathed is dimwit cousin Dinsdale.

FT 553 notes (from 07/13/04)
Based on 1960's play by Peter Barnes. Analysis of British aristocracy, House of Lords, love, Conservative party, British history. Pay attention to irony.

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FT 553 Screening: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

2006-08-29T19:45:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Luis Buñuel
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Characters sophisticated, polite outwardly, rotten to the core. Smuggle cocaine in diplomatic bag. Ambadassor has affair with Alice Senechal (colleague's wife). Call in chauffeur to drink martini (cutting remarks afterwards).

Sister who drinks too much. Dreams about murder (father of soldier, colonel who insults ambassador), and own death (soldier). Dream about not knowing lines. Dream about someone else's dream. No knowledge of other countries. Remarks about elderly cellist. Bishop shooed out when wearing gardener's garb. Maid chastised mistakenly, no apology.

Characters constantly frustrated. Restaurant closed, second one's owner had passed away. Host and hostess must run into garden to have sex. Ambassador and lover interrupted by arrival of husband. Nothing to drink at cafe. Soldiers come to house, called away just as dinner starts.

Priest called to bedside of man who, as it turns out, had killed his parents. Gives absolution, then shoots him. Men arrested for drug smuggling, women taken in too, but a word from a higher-up get them released. Ambassador dreams of dinner party crashed by Marseilles gang, who machine-gun the lot.

FT 553 notes (from 07/08/04)
Buñuel surrealist. After WWII, monarchies gone. Communism (and sharing wealth) a possbility. Freud posited different faces -- ego, superego, id. Marxism -- assume psyche ruled by certain economic conditions. Surrealists were Marxists. Theory of relativity -- space curves, time curves, not clockwork. Pursuing the hidden. Shower, think of lecture. Let unconscious, worldview, capacity to bend time create picture. Marxism, Freud, Einstein intellectual basis of surrealism in France.

Once meaning removed from surrealism, Dada.

Made after Buñuel retired. Dante -- 10th circle of hell, self-serving middle class. Eating, screwing, dram of getting caught -- guilt. Don't let them finish food or union, give nightmares. No barrier between reality and dream.

Eternally going nowhere (six walking on road).

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FT 553 Screening: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

2006-08-02T20:27:00.000-04:00

Film info
Based on "Red Alert", book by Peter George, as a what-if melodrama. Kubrick, producer Harris giggling at rehearsal. Started over as black comedy.
IMDB link

Synopsis
General Jack D. Ripper, obsessed with Communist plots and conserving precious bodily fluids, launches attack against Soviet Union. President tries to work with Dmitri, Buck Turgidson urges war. Doomsday Machine. Lionel Mandrake gets code, all but one plane receive. Plane gets through, drops bomb. Mine-shaft gap.

My notes
- Names: Jack D. Ripper, Buck Turgidson - both tough-talking paranoics. President Muffley.
-- Sex. Ten women for every man. Refueling planes, prophylactic in military kit.
-- Absurd argument between President and Soviet premier. Constant one-upmanship.

FT 553 notes (from 07/08/04)
-- Parodies March of Time, military speak, industrial speak. "Peace Is Our Profession". Parodies war films -- zooms in on instruments in plane. Auto-destruct mechanism blows itself up. Takes perceptions of earlier war.
-- Paranoia -- precious bodily fluids.
-- Absurdity of following orders (Bat Guano), Coke machine, mine-shaft gap.
-- Music used ironically. "When Johnny comes a-marching home," "Try a Little Tenderness (planes refueling), "We'll Meet Again".

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FT 553 Reading: Hospital

2006-07-24T15:25:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Callous characters. Lots of jargon (medical, business, bureaucratic). Narrator in preface -- Guernsey admitted, misdiagnosed and mistreated by Schaefer, who takes advantage of now-empty bed.

Next morning, Schaefer found dead. Herbert Bock called at hotel with news of death. Bock, room in bad shape.

Protesters outside hospital. Language of protestors ("expansionist policies," "imperialist hospital"). Sundstrom when told of Schaefer's death, "Really? I'm sorry to hear that. I understand you've moved out to a hotel." Bock doesn't want days off or therapy, just wants to work.

Bock gets story on Schaefer mishap. "My God, the incompetence here is absolutely radiant!" Bock goes to office, tries to deal with admin stuff, not up to it, goes to see psychiatrist. They talk about depression, son Maoist, drug-dealing daughter, suicidal speculations, impotence. Bock leaves abruptly.

Dr. Ives, one of demonstrators, goes to nephrology lab, sand-bagged from behind.

Bock on way to solarium for case presentations, passes "exotic group" -- Barbara and Indian with minister.

Waiting room, Mrs. Cushing seeking insurance info. Goes to ER (passing several patients), redirected by angry nurse to Holding Room. Asks Mitgang for info, told to leave him alone. Asks other patient. It's Ives, and he's dead. Had been lying there for hours.

Admin staff conference. More bureaucracy. News -- Ives dead. Milton Mead goes to see brother William, who's anxious and upset about not having private room. Milton assures him it's no big deal.

Bock lecturing and diagramming. Lots of medical terms. Heads to check out patient, quizzes doctors en route and at bedside.

Brubaker tells Bock that Barbara wants to take comatose father home. They have a mission among Apache Indians, daughter licensed nurse, can give injections. Brubaker -- shouldn't discharge. Story on Drummond -- Ives did biopsy, nicked a vessel. Welbeck called in, half-stoned, didn't clear for allergies. Nurse goofed on last treatment. Bock: "How am I to sustain my feelings of meaningfulness in the face of this?" Wants to defrock Ives, Welbeck, says to let Drummond go.

Beck seeks Ives, told he's dead. Goes down to pathology, gets story. Hitchcock: "People do die of these things."

Night. Beck in office, drinking. Has made decision. Nurse goes in to give William Mead shot, finds Indian and Barbar performing ritual.

Bock goes to pharmacy, filches potassium and syringe. Overhears nurses talking about ritual. Goes in and sees. "You don't seriously believe all that mumbo-jumbo will cure him?" "On the other hand, it won't kill him, Doctor." Bock says go ahead, use my office to call ambulance service.

Barbara comes into office, calls. Bock watches legs. Barbara talks about background (hers and father's). Father was in doctor, started speaking in tongues, found it was obscure Native American dialect, started mission in Mexico. Barbara followed him, left, cracked up, went back to mountains. Tries to seduce Bock, who says he's been impotent for years. What's wrong with it? "We cure nothing! We heal nothing!" Barbara mistakes suicidal feelings for morbid menopause, he tells her to beat it. She leaves.

Bock prepares to shoot up. Barbara interrupts. He rips off dress, makes love to her.

Nurse Theresa Campanella finishes night shift, exits to lobby. Asks person in doctor's coat for a light. As she smokes her cigarette, is sand-bagged.

Daybreak. Barbara wakes. Bock enters with coffee, nurse's uniform. Wants to keep Drummond, stay for a few days. Barbara -- we're leaving, come with us. "You'd be necessary again." Bock -- you're crazy. Barbara exits -- must settel bill, pack up father, gives Bock time to make decision. Bock -- admits he loves her.

Construction on 1st Ave. People repossess condemned buildings, refuse to obey police order to evacuate. Sundstrom angry about squatters. Welbeck comes, asks for restored privileges, Sundstrom demurs. Welbeck follows him out. Sundstrom remembers Welbeck a medical conglomerate, should be investigated by SEC.

Sundstrom meeting with activists in hospital library. Din. Lot of rhetoric: "imperialistic extensions", etc.

William Mead brought to Holding Room. Stretcher wheeled past, it's Nurse Campanella, mis-ID'd as Mangafranni.

Welbeck talks to surgeons about legality of doctors incorporating in New York. Business jargon, hiding money, draining own hospitals.

Campanella in OR. No pulse, OR jumps into action. Anesthesiologist recognizes not elderly patient, tries to stop Mallory, who keeps massaging chest (cracking ribs in process).

Mangafranni back in room - who's in OR? Campanella opened up.

Meeting going badly, Sundstrom screaming along with everyone else.

Barbara packing. Bock enters room -- you're not going. Hangs father's suit back in closet, notices Schaefer's uniform. Each tries to persuade other. She goes to pay bill, Bock follows, is told about Campanella. Someone asks him about senior staff named Schaefer -- don't have anyone by that name who's senior staff.

Bock back in 806. William Mead sedated. Bock looks out window, thinking. Drummond gets up, tries to strangle Bock with stethoscope. Barbara enters, interrupts. Bock -- he's killed two doctors and a nurse. Drummond -- they were "ritual victims of their own institutions, murdered by irony".

Flashback. Guernsey's story -- "Our Savior". Appears to Drummond -- avenge Guernsey's death and his own coma. Put insulin in IV jar by sleeping Schaefer. Sand-bagged Ives, gave him shot of digoxine (cardiac arrhythmia), brought to ER. Ives had signs and history taken, then was forgotten. Drummond talks to amnesiac, gets idea to switch Mangafranni with Campanella.

Bock -- let's get him out of here. Drummond -- Welbeck left to kill, goes stiff. William Mead overheard. Drummond tells him he's hallucinating again.

Bock goes for shot to give Durmmond, accosted by Welbeck, tells him off. Welbeck retorts, asking him how much he makes a year.

Bock returns to 806, William Mead telling Milton about Drummond, who's disappeared. Milton has call -- fire in condemned building, squatters resisted arrest, riot.

Bock to Barbara -- Drummond's disappeared, after Welbeck, who's on phone right over there. Welbeck -- partner trying to wipe him out. Goes to 806, Bock and Barbara follow. Welbeck takes call, in hole for over $500,000, SEC has suspended trading in his stock, goes into cardiac arrest. Bock and Barbara try to revive him. Cardio team arrives, think it's Drummond. As they work, Bock and Barbara pack up his stuff, go out. Drummond outside in middle of riot, preaching.

Activists break through security, confront Sundstrom, want to take over hospital. He says go ahead.

Throng dissolves, clears lobby, police restoring order. Barbara arrives with ambulance, has Drummond put in, holds doors for Bock. He says he can't leave: "Somebody's got to be responsible." Ambulance pulls away. Bock and Sundstrom go back in.

Class notes (from 7/20/04)
Chayefsky went into hospital with heart condition. Ghastly experience. Quickest way to get sick was to go into hospital. Greed and death. Trickster Drummond. Way out of story crisis was inspired by result of Chayefsky's experience in Mexico, where a bruja (witch) gave him mushrooms. Doctor cures hospital through death.

Scott a mean drunk. Played role straight. When Chayefsky explained his thoughts, Scott threw shoe at him and said let me do the acting, you #$!

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FT 553 Reading: In Praise of Folly

2006-07-01T22:13:00.000-04:00

Essay info
Written by: Erasmus
Essay text

Synopsis/my notes
Parodies classical declamation.

Structure as described in intro:
-- Folly's origins
-- offers release from tedious stupidities
-- boasts of role in politics and arts
-- discourses on all stages of life (child, adolescent, etc.)
-- praises ignorance and lunacy
-- lists followers, ending with theologians and monks
-- princes and courtiers
-- religious ideal

Lots of classical allusions and quotes (at least one per page, if not more). Pokes fun at learned, including himself. Conventional scholarly disclaimers. Uses formal rhetoric.

Pg. 9: greeting and narration. Folly only one "whose divine powers can gladden the hearts of gods and men." Will sing her own praises, since no one else will for her. Says her speech is ex tempore (not true!). Peole ungrateful to Folly. Doesn't pretend to be someone she's not. Doesn't use fancy words.

Pg. 15-18: Folly's birth and education. Born of Plutus and Freshness. Attendants self-love, flattery, forgetfulness, idleness, pleasure, madness, sensuality, revelry, and second sleep.

Pg. 18: Starts acknowledgements and attributes.

Pg. 20: Folly the "seed and source of existence" (most foolish body part).

Pg. 21-26: advantages. Pleasure. Children, adolescents and old all foolish and happy. Lack of wisdom keeps old young and cheerful.

Pg. 26-29: gods graced by Folly's divine powers. Bacchus, Venus and Cupid happy compared to dour Vulcan and Jupiter.

Pg. 29-75: nothing happy and gay without Folly. Passions more important than reason. Woman created to sweeten man's harsh nature (women naturally foolish). Beauty, spend time primping to please men. No party fun without Folly. Friendship kept together by Folly (winking at faults, etc.). Marriage propped up by flattery, joking, illusions. Can't love anyone else without self-love. War foolish -- takes lots of daring, little brain. Philosophers useless, unlucky and incompetent. Foolish stories do more to sway people than philosopher's speech.

"Vain hope of fame" prompts courage, industry and valiant deeds. Also works of art. Also responsible for prudence, which comes only with experience. Wear illusions with a good grace.

Emotions belong to Folly, spur people on to good deeds. Wise men bores, miserable, weary of life. Human to live with illusion. Learning useless in regards to happiness, ordinary folk don't need it.

Medicine, law aspects of flattery. Happiest are those who follow natural instinct. Idiots happy -- no fear of death, no conscience, can't sin, favorites of kings, speak frankly and tell the truth. Wise men grumpy, spend all their lives in toil and care instead of pleasure.

Not all insanity bad. Insanity that comes from Folly is good -- frees people from anxiety, restores soul to delight. Madmen, hunters (who are wild beasts themselves), builders, inventors, gamblers, lovers of tales, superstitious, those who rely on bought indulgences and prayers, those who believe in local saint cults, those overly concerned with funeral arrangements, those with pride in their ancestry, self-lovers, artists, patriots (city/country), fawners.

Some people say it's sad to be deceived. No, sadder not to be deceived. Happiness depends on opinions, not facts. Folly doesn't need sacrifices, temples or statues -- no need to envy other gods, because she has the whole world.

Pg. 75-114: Folly's followers (some "outstanding examples"). Life a farce.

Schoolmasters. Lots of trials, but thanks to Folly think they're first, have belief in own learning.

Poets special friends with self-love and flattery. Rhetoricians write about jokes and comedy.

Writers owe a lot to Folly. The ones who write for a learned audience deserve pity, for continuous self-torture. Happier ones know to write about trivia and trifles. Plagiarizers even better -- self-satisfied. Also those who praise each other's works.

Lawyers self-satisfied. Sophists and dialecticians talkative and quarrelsome. Philosophers constantly conjecturing, out of touch with reality. Say they know everything but really know nothing.

Theologians. Self-love, barricated behind arguments, interpret things to suit themselves. More interested in subtleties than relevant questions. Not like apostles, who just had faith and did good works. Also theologians don't read, don't speak clearly, strive after titles. Monks self-satisfied, uneducated, bray in church, do everything according to stupid rules, cling to order classifications and ceremonies. Christ -- faith and charity.

Theologians foolish when giving sermons. Idiotic, senseless arguments. Murmur, shout, forced jokes.

Kings and courtiers. If wise, would find it hard to cope with all cares, pressures to be perfect and to look after welfare. Thanks to Folly, no worries -- just want soft life. Courtiers stupid, vain. Pontiffs, cardinals and bishops also look after themselves. They mete out punishments, seek pleasure, promote religious wars, seek gain and evade responsibility. Wisdom no help in dealing with princes. Money the important factor for success.

Pg. 114: Folly cites authorities who ahve testified to her. Well-known sayings, evidence from Scripture. Paul: "I speak as a fool." Christ intended to disarm apostles -- send them out not with physical weapons, but with piety. Paul: "God has chosen the foolish things of the world." Knowledge could be poisonous to happiness. Plea for learned/spiritual ignorance (unlettered piety).

Christian religion has kinship with Folly. Pious fervor a form of madness. Wholly devoted to God, no thought for body and wealth, separation from grosser senses and affections. Taste of joy which is small when compared to eternal bliss, but big in comparison with earthly pleasures.

FT 553 notes (from 07/13/04)
"Praise of Folly" a compendium of black comedy.

For 1000 years, theology only basis for philosophy. Arguments so arcane that far from reality. Erasmus - Good's thought is life. Link between man and God far outweighs scholastic arguments about doctrine (useless, having nothing to do with spirit). Agreed with Aquinas, who said man's moral nature reflects God's nature. Grace inevitable. Same response as humanists.

Luther (reformation) -- man damned from very beginning, God ineffable, no cause for grace, given to few for unknowable reasons.

Erasmus monk of Rotterdamn, friend of More and neo-Platonists. Believed in man's perfectibility, self-determination. Link between divine nature and man (not accepted by church). Man has capacity to evolve towards spirit.

Church believed way to salvation was acceptance of extrinsic forms of belief. Erasmus -- man's perfection is intrinsic to moral achievement, is a choice. Take responsibility for one's actions.

Scholastics -- faith more importance than morality. Grace depends on faith, so pagans cannot be saved. Luther -- faith and trust in God is enough.

Humanists -- moral achievement is same as salvation, so if a pagan does good deeds, s/he can still be saved. Erasmus -- moral content of life determines salvation.

Erasmus against Luther, pro-faith in man. Fought scholastics with satire.

Cosimo de Medici collected texts, translated -- gave rise of renaissance of philosophy. Pico della Mirandola - christianized the Kabala.

Erasmus poor monk, didn't have wealth or social standing. Did have strong sense of satire. Wrote satire about his world in form of encomium (praise poem). Form of play, Q&A written about a Muse. Praises insanity, who speaks of all her works. Without her, world can't exist. Talks at end about spiritual insanity.

Youth and riches (parents of Folly) = nutsiness. Midwives drunkenness, wastefulness and stupidity. 9 attendants (parodies Muses). Reason brings on cares. Parodies scholasticism. Reductio argument.

1st proposition - duty of gods to help mortals.
2nd proposition - folly essential.
3rd proposition - folly at work in all professions.
4th proposition - ?
5th proposition - folly necessary for man's happiness.
6th proposition - section on preaching.
7th proposition - kings and courtiers corrupt.
8th proposition - ecclestiastical scholarship, money everything to church. Go to war, create ritual, collect titles.
9th proposition - historical evidence for Folly's reign. Reduces Paul's argument to absurdity.

Erasmus' worldview - wise man in minority. Trickster is Folly. Externals (rituals, etc.) exist for self-love, self-aggrandizement. Leads to worship of Folly, who drops her mask to say that only real folly is folly of Christ (insanity to sacrifice yourself for humanity). Unreasonable, but not meant to be reasonable -- leap of faith.

Every kind of device used -- irony, satire, sarcasm, parody.

Read for comic devices. How does he use, how does he create situations?

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FT 553 Reading: A Modest Proposal

2006-06-28T20:17:00.000-04:00

Essay info
Written by: Jonathan Swift
Essay text

Synopsis/my notes
Satire of proposals to alleviate "Irish problem." Parodies tracts - provides numbers and expert opinions. Uses irony and sarcasm, reductio ab absurdum. Carries "logic" to conclusion.

Problem: Irish poor. Too many mouths to feed, don't earn own keep. Swift assured by American that a year-old baby is delicious when cooked, proposes selling children for food. Backs up proposals with numbers. Can also skin for gloves and boots. Another friend proposes refinement -- teens sold for venison. American says taste disagreeable. Swift lists advantages. Lots of sarcasm. "Whereby we can incur no danger in disobliging ENGLAND." Landlords take everything else, why not this too?

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FT 553 Reading: Troilus and Cressida

2006-06-27T21:58:00.000-04:00

Play info
Written by: William Shakespeare
Play text

Synopsis
Prologue: soldier armed for battle. Sexual metaphors ("Sixty and nine," "high blood chafed").

Act 1, Scene 1: in Troy. Troilus implores Pandaraus, who counsels patience. Troilus lovesick, doesn't want to fight. Pandarus says he won't meddle, leaves. Aeneas comes. Troilus follows him off. Parody of love prose (descriptions of beloved).

Act 1, Scene 2: in Troy. Cressida and Pandraus. Battle of wits. Cressida playing hard to get. Pandarus promotes Troilus. Lots of sarcasm. Watch for Troyans returning from field, Pandarus describes each. Troilus marches even though he hadn't fought that day.

Act 1, Scene 3: Greek council of war. They discuss problem of Achilles, who stays in his tent with Patroclus making fun and acting proud. Ajax imitates him. Destroys noble conceptions. Aeneas comes from Troy, bearing Hector's challenge. Ulysses' idea: Hector intends to fight Achilles, must not allow (bad representative of Greeks). Promote Ajax as champion instead.

Act 2, Scene 1: Greek camp. Ajax tries to beat Thersites into revealing news. Thersites berates him. Lots of sarcasm. Achilles, Patroclus come. Thersites insults them. News: Hector's opponent will be chosen by lottery.

Act 2, Scene 2: Troy, Priam's palace. Discussion: give Helen back? Hector -- let her go, not worth the lives that have been lost. Troilus -- keep her, honor more important than "reason". Hector -- don't overvalue it. Troilus -- everyone approved the mission, can't throw away prize. Cassandra enters -- let her go, woe! Troilus -- don't listen, she's mad. Hector -- keep her, our reputation and dignity depend on it.

Act 2, Scene 3: Greek camp, near Achilles' tent. Thersites rails against ignorance, lack of wit, foolish war. Verbal joust with Patroclus, Achilles. Agamemnon comes, summons Achilles, who refuses to come out of his tent (citing illness, hoping that issue not serious). Achilles won't fight tomorrow. Others praise Ajax, inflating his pride.

Act 3, Scene 1: Troy, Priam's palace. Pandarus talks to Paris, asks him for alibi on behalf of Troilus. Helen flirts with Pandarus. Lots of bawdy talk.

Act 3, Scene 2: Troy. Pandarus brings Troilus to Cressida. Verbal jousting, wooing. Troilus vows to be true. Cressida says if she proves false, let them use her name to represent falseness. Pandarus pledges same with his name (all brokers be Pandars).

Act 3, Scene 3: Greek camp. Calchas, Cressida's father, asks for exchange to get his daughter. The rest agree. Commanders snub Achilles. Ulysses explains -- worth depends on others' view. History's deeds less important than present ones (don't rest on laurels). Achilles -- let's invite Hector after fight.

Act 4, Scene 1: Within Troy. Diomedes meets Troyans, with the mission of taking Cressida. Aeneas and Diomedes spar verbally -- insults dressed up as chivalry. Diomedes says Paris and Menelaus deserve Helen equally -- one a lecher, the other a cuckold.

Act 4, Scene 2: Troy. Calchas' house. Troilus and Cressida the morning after. Flirty, reluctant to leave each other's presence. Pandarus comes, Cressida mocks him. Aeneas comes to fetch Cressida, who begs Pandarus to let her stay.

Act 4, Scene 3: Troy, near Calchas' house. Paris, Troilus going to deliver Cressida.

Act 4, Scene 4: Troy. Calchas' house. Cressida, Troilus sad, exchange love tokens. Troilus tells her to be true, not out of fear but as a reminder to him (protests too much). Troilus praises Cressida, asks Diomedes to take care of her for his sake. Diomedes scorns his oath, says will take care of Cressida for her sake. Tension.

Act 4, Scene 5: Greek camp. Ajax armed for battle. Cressida brought, has to kiss generals, defends herself with sarcasm. Ulysses sarcastic too, rebuffs her proferred kiss. After she leaves, he calls her temptress. Trojans come. Hector and Ajax fight. During pause, Hector comments that they're cousins, urges cease of fight, Ajax accepts. Hector invited to visit tents. Achilles and Hector spar verbally. Tonight friends, tomorrow will fight. Troilus asks Ulysses where Cressida is.

Act 5, Scene 1: Greek camp. Achilles and Thersites exchange insults. Achilles has letter from Hecuba, with a love token from one of her and Priam's daughters -- won't fight. Hector comes to tent. Diomedes leaves, supposedly on business. Ulysses and Troilus follow. Thersites follows them.

Act 5, Scene 2: Greek camp. Diomedes and Cressida spar, flirt. She gives him Troilus' sleeve (love token). Troilus enraged, Ulysses holds him back. Thersites comments. Troilus tries to convince himself that Cressida wasn't herself, vows to kill Diomedes.

Act 5, Scene 3: Troy, Priam's palace. Andromache and Cassandra try to convince Hector not to fight. Hector says no, he promised to meet challenge. Pandarus brings Troilus a letter from Cressida. Troilus reads it and rips it up (words, just words).

Act 5, Scene 4: Battlefield. Thersites comments on battle. Troilus and Diomedes fight. Hector challenges Thersites, who says he's a rogue. Hector lets him live.

Act 5, Scene 5: Battlefield. Diomedes steals Troilus' horse. Agamemnon has news -- not going well for Greeks. Patroclus hurt. Achilles gets mad and arms himself, weeping. Ajax goes after Troilus. Achilles seeks Hector.

Act 5, Scene 6: Battlefield. Ajax and Diomedes argue about who gets to fight Troilus, who fights both of them. Achilles and Hector fight, Achilles gets tired and withdraws.

Act 5, Scene 7: Battlefield. Achilles plots with his Myrmidons to ambush Hector. Paris and Menelaus fight. Bastard wants to fight Thersites, who drives him away with insults.

Act 5, Scene 8: Battlefield. Hector has killed someone, takes off armor. Achilles confronts him, and orders Myrmidons to fight Hector, who is killed.

Act 5, Scene 9: Battlefield. News -- Hector slain by Achilles. Greeks march, Agamemnon summons Achilles, war ended.

Act 5, Scene 10: Battlefield. Troilus has news of Hector -- slain, dragged by horse. Troilus wants to continue fighting. Pandarus comes, Troilus scorns him. Pandarus rails at audience.

My notes
Achilles and Patroclus -- won't fight, mock others. Achilles over-proud. Nestor -- older, sly. Hector -- noble. Troilus -- innocent, but gives up Cressida. Ajax -- dumb as ox.

"... fair without, and foul within." Cressida, false chivalry. War a game most of the play. Petty rivalries, blind love rule. Thersites trickster, fool who speaks truth.

FT 553 notes (from 07/06/04)
-- Satirizes Trojan War, parodies bombastic language. Warlike in the same way Duck Soup is.
-- Except for Hector, no character sees beyond own groin.
-- Thersites trickster character.

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Black Comedy in Film and Literature (FT 553)

2006-06-27T21:52:00.000-04:00

Session: Summer II, 2004
Instructor: Stephen Geller
Location: General Studies Building, 750 Commonwealth Ave., Room 208
Class times: Tuesdays/Thursdays, noon to 3:30 p.m.

TA's e-mail: prisco@bu.edu.

Class notes

Tuesday, July 6
Thursday, July 8
Tuesday, July 13
Thursday, July 15
Tuesday, July 20
Thursday, July 22 (midterm)
Tuesday, July 27
Thursday, July 29
Tuesday, August 3
Thursday, August 5
Tuesday, August 10
Thursday, August 12

Exam dates
Midterm: Thursday, July 22
Final: Thursday, August 12

Readings
First week: Troilus and Cressida, A Modest Proposal
Second week: In Praise of Folly
Third week: Network, Hospital
Fourth week: "Candide"
Fifth week: "Slaughterhouse-Five"
Sixth week: "Duluth"

Films
First week: Dr. Strangelove, Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Second week: The Ruling Class, Full Metal Jacket
Third week: Network, Lolita
Fourth week: "Wag the Dog", "Bob Roberts"
Fifth week: "Slaughterhouse-Five", "Son of Sam"
Sixth week: "Phantom of Liberty"

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FT 526 Lecture: Tuesday, June 29

2006-05-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

Comments on "Fair Use"
Beginning rushed -- establish silently.

Work on Dave's urgency at beginning (on/off syndrome), Janet's at end.

Get shot of ticket pieces falling.

On close-up, move camera to get strong eyeline (profile bad).

Overlapping action was good.

Cut to Mark more during Dave's "can't concentrate" bit.

Get Janet coming in through door, otherwise she pops up out of nowhere.

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FT 526 Lecture: Tuesday, June 22

2006-05-23T22:16:00.000-04:00

Definitions
Locked out: final version of picture track.

ADR: automated dialogue replacement (looping).

"A" (key/most difficult shots) and "B" (2nd angle, e.g. wider view of crowd) camera operators. If big show, "C" operator too.

Prep
Pull out unusual elements of script:

1. actor training (physical, mental)
2. animal training
3. special equipment
4. tests: camera (film), special makeup (aging, etc.), creatures

Test material
Handouts, Chapter 4 (Screen Direction) from Bare Bones, Chapter 4 (Actor's Tools) from Directing.

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FT 526 Lecture: Thursday, June 3

2006-05-15T21:33:00.000-04:00

Why multiple angles?
-- convey different information to viewers, depending on what angle is (picnic, napkin, gun)
-- maintain viewers' interest (weak reason according to Schneider)
-- any good scene changes as it goes along.

What's important for viewer to see?

Why coverage?
Let actors go all the way through (easier than doing bits and pieces). Cover both sides. Avoids pre-editing, gives you options.

Overlap your coverage -- clean entrances, clean exits.

Subtext
Meaning beneath words. Example: excuse me, I was waiting for that parking spot -- variety of possible meanings.

AD duties
Call actors with address, times, props/costumes, coats, lunch.

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FT 526 Lecture: Tuesday, June 1

2006-04-20T20:54:00.000-04:00

Script comments
Describe who characters are -- personality.

Good build.

Clarify objective for Mark (if actor needs it). For example, needs to maintain B+ average to keep scholarship. Facts.

Ticket -- either completely destroyed (can still be used if in half) and Janet kept ignorant, or Janet catches them with ticket.

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FT 526 Lecture: Thursday, May 27

2006-04-18T13:52:00.000-04:00

Audition notes
VHS tapes of auditions. Have backup actors as well.

Rob's shoot
Leslie - DP. Elaine - SS. Me - AD.

Comments on my idea
Mark doesn't realize right away -- it's no trouble. Dave gathering stuff.

Owner offering reward.

Hand-held for scuffle.

Script/rehearsal tips
Rehearsal -- explain setting. Read scene. Establish -- what are you doing? Come up with action for both people.

Explain staging. Stand wherever master angle is. Mark furniture, actor positions. Raking shot - angled two-shot. Whip-pan.

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FT 526 Lecture: Thursday, May 20

2006-04-14T20:47:00.000-04:00

Film roles
AD = stage mgr. Also scheduling.

Script supervisor - continuity, shot list.

Figure out with AD, SS most practical shooting order.

Shooting tips
Do one sequence with actors first, then break it up. Do not shoot the way you'll edit. Each new setup = 20 min. in normal world.

Script questions: what's the story we're telling? How do I make this story?

Scene -- unity of time. New scene if time changes, if place changes. If can shoot something continuously in one shot, it can be one scene.

Diagram coverage (camera on ground plan). Not shooting order.

Reverse angle -- balanced shot.

Walk the actor into the shot. Overlap action.

When describing shot, always say what you see first (for example, pan with Jim, following ...).

Homework with actors
-- Every significant character must have overall goal/need/objective.
-- Every significant character must have objective within scene -- playable action.

Example: guy who's out of work for six months gets call for interview. Overall goal is security. Immediate goal is to get on plane.

Same action, different tactics. Persuade, intimidate, beg.

Homework: two pitches
For Tuesday, come up with 2 ideas for scripts. Do pitch -- oral way of telling story to get people interested. Beginning, middle, end. Key events, etc. ("Once upon a time, there was a mother and son who were very poor. One day, they had so little food, the son took the family cow and started on his way to the market ...")

Angry is result, not action.

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Directing the Theatrical and Television Film (FT 551)

2006-04-14T20:44:00.000-04:00

Session: Summer I, 2004
Instructor: Paul Schneider
Location: College of Com., 640 Comm. Ave, Rm. 100 / 3rd Flr. Studio
Class times: Tuesdays/Thursdays, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Class notes

Thursday, May 20
Tuesday, May 25 (auditions)
Thursday, May 27
Tuesday, June 1
Thursday, June 3
Tuesday, June 8 (Rob's shoot)
Thursday, June 10 (My rehearsal)
Tuesday, June 15 (Out of town)
Thursday, June 17 (My shoot)
Tuesday, June 22
Thursday, June 24 (Leslie's shoot)
Tuesday, June 29

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