Mise-en-Scene!? What's that! Well, besides that atrocious food I ate for lunch, it's French for "placing into a scene". It is the term for what the director does before the camera; how the scene is presented to the audience. For example, if the scene is presented in a dark manner, and has a giant downward arrow in it, the director may be trying to convey the foreboding downward path a character may take soon.
Fritz Lang's masterpiece film M (1931) is an M-azing watch, with each scene thoughtfully planned and placed by the director. Two such examples are the scene captures to the left and right of this entry. A horrible child murderer is wandering through the streets of Germany, already killing 8 children. The cops, unable to cause any real threat to this murderer, feebly attempt to create a plan to capture this crook. However, in the second scene, the everyday criminals are planning to capture the murderer too (and do a much better job than the cops).
In the Cop scene, one can see the circles created by the compass. It creates the illusion that the town is a bullseye; a technique that should hopefully catch the murderer. However, this is an illusion of safety itself, for there is a very small chance that the cops will catch the murderer. As in the game of darts, all your money is on the fact that a bullseye will be hit. If not, then the dart will land on the outskirts. In the scene, the town is placed in the bullseye, however it is all based on luck that the cops will get this bullseye. More likely, they will hit the outskirts. This is shown many times in the film, mostly through the means the Cops are attempting to catch the murderer. The Cops are truly running in circles.
In the Criminal scene, a black hand covers a map of the town, similar to the map of the previous scene. (Interestingly enough, Hitler and the Nazis were 
big fans of Lang, and based their uniforms of the Gestapo on the clothes that the character Schränker, whose hand is shown here, wears in this film.) Unlike that of the previous scene, there is no false security based on dumb luck (mostly the dumb). Instead, a well developed plan is formed, as can be seen in this scene. With no words to accompany this picture, one can see that a hand is grasping the town, trying to strangle the murderer out of hiding. Unlike the "the murderer somewhere here" attitude of the cops, Schränker knows the murderer is in the town, and causes a giant undercover search to start. In addition to the grasping of Schränker, this scene feels much darker than the previous one, showing a darker intention of what should happen to this child murderer.
M is an amazing film. If you get a chance to see it, grasp it as fast as Schränker. Lang's expression through Mise-en-Scene is not the only thing to watch out for though, M's amazing ability to give fear and suspense (with little to no sound) is a characteristic that causes it to be loved by many a film critic even to this day.
This Japanese film, a masterpiece from master filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki, is probably one of the most amazing films to ever enchant audiences around the world. The title's English translation is Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds, of which Disney recently made an English dub of. A surprising move for Disney, seeing as this film is banned in many countries in Europe for it's controversial views of the environment, and of human nature. Of the many things that Hayao Miyazaki attracts audiences with in his films, the most enticing one is his wonderful ability to create breathtaking art, seeing that all his films are Japanese animation (Animé). Although his art has astronomically improved, this film was considered to be a visual masterpiece back then, and (compared to some other animated films) still is today.
Kaze no Tani no Naushika takes place in the future, 1000 years after human civilization has collapsed. Humans, no longer the dominant species, cower in fear from the Sea of Decay, a toxic jungle that covers the entire planet. Anyone who stays in this deadly 'sea' for more then five minutes will be killed by it's toxic spores. If this was not enough, insects and bugs have evolved to be giant monsters, who live in the Sea of Decay, protecting it from human kind's deadly grasp of destruction. The most fearsome of these insects is the Ohmu, whose English translation means 'king of the insects'. Over ten times the size of an airplane, the Ohmu changes the color of their eyes depending on their emotion. When enraged, their eyes turn red, and blue represents calmness; a color pattern that Hayao Miyazaki continues to use throughout the entire film.
Although the origin of the Sea of Decay is never really explained, Miyazaki-sama gives hints to how it occurred. Nausicaä dedicates her free time to finding a cure for her father's illness, caused by the poisonous spores of the Sea of Decay. Instead of finding a cure though, she discovers that the plants are only toxic because the soil they grow from is toxic. Many, many, many years ago, a horrible war called the Seven Days of Fire terrorized the land. Humans, stubborn and blind of their consequences, created deadly weapons, called Giant Warriors, that engulfed the entire land in flame, burning all in their path. When the seven days had ended, the warriors turned to stone, so that their power could never be used against their master. However, the flames caused the entire planet to become polluted commencing the birth of the Sea of Decay.
1000 years after human civilization collapsed (present time), a young girl named Nausicaä lives with her father, King Jihl, in the peaceful Valley of the Winds. The villagers have little to fear, for the winds from the Acid Lake (made from real acid) blow through the valley and blow all oncoming poisonous spores outwards. Living like this for decades, the peaceful valley lives their merry lives, while the warring nations of Tolmekia and Pejite fight countless wars, causing more destruction and violence. One day, a Tolmekian airship flies through the valley, carrying spores and, to everyone's surprise, a dormant Giant Warrior. The army comes soon after, causing much death and destruction in the valley. Even worse, Pejite comes to claim the warrior for themselves, harnessing the rage of millions of Ohmus to destroy everything. It is an amazing story, filled with many layers, exciting battles, interesting characters, and very deep meanings.
One of the main themes throughout the entire film deals with that of rage and calmness. As stated earlier, whenever the Ohmu is enraged, the color is red, and is blue when calm. In the beginning, Ohmus were rumored to be the cause of the Sea of Decay; the Ohmu would trample continuously in rage, until it would die. Soon after, the first of poisonous spores took root in the carcasses of the deceased Ohmus, still reminiscent of rage. So, technically, the Sea of Decay is caused by rage. In addition to the rage, there is also calmness. Nausicaä is one of the few who see through all the rage, and is constantly calming down both Humans and Ohmus, blind with furry. It is this calmness that Nausicaä eventually uses to calm the giant herd of Ohmu. It kills her, but she is successful. The Ohmu, out of kindness of heart, cause Nausicaä to be reborn. When she comes back to life towards the end of the film, Nausicaä fulfills the prophecy, that one clad in blue (the color that represents calmness) will calm the gap between that of man and insect, causing peace to engulf the world, instead of the flame of rage. Although we do not see this peace, it is very obvious from the end of the film that this will come to pass sometime in the future.
One of the amazing things about this film, and all of Miyazaki's other films, is that there is no villain in the film. Instead, there are people with different opinions. The Tolmekians believe that the only way to save the planet is to burn all of the Sea of Decay. However, Nausicaä discovers that the Sea of Decay is purifying the water and soil, and the poisonous spores only protect itself from rage and destruction. However, the difference of opinion is so great, that it causes the Tolmekians to appear evil. If there truly are any evil characters in this film, it is that of man-kind. It is man-kind that destroys the earth in fire, through it's creation of the Giant Warrior. It is man-kind that causes the Sea of Decay, and it is man-kind that causes the necessity of Ohmus to protect the Sea of Decay.
Amazingly enough, this film almost wasn't. The executives at Studio Ghibli believed that animé should only be visual adaptations of manga (Japanese comics). In retaliation, Hayao Miyazaki created a Kaze no Tani no Naushika series that lasted for an amazing seven volumes, and eventually ended in 1993. Although only the events from the first two volumes are shown in the film, the executives were convinced enough to make it a film.
The success of Kaze no Tani no Naushika has caused for it to be dubbed not once, but twice into English. Beware! The first dub renamed it under the title Warriors of the Wind, and cut the majority of the film out. This causes the viewer to become annoyed, and left out of many of the themes that Hayao Miyazaki intended to show. The cause of this over-cut film is simple. Miyazaki was never asked permission if his film could be dubbed into English. Disney, thankfully, re-dubbed it recently into a drastically improved version of Miyazaki's masterpiece. Although the fact that Warriors of the Wind is amusing, (June Foray, the voice of Rocky the Squirrel, is cast as Nausicaä) I highly suggest to avoid it, and watch the Disney dub instead (or, even better, watch it in Japanese!).
Unfortunately, there are cultural barriers that prevent any foreigner to understand the film entirely. Luckily, this film has few barriers. One is the fact that Nausicaä is pronounced Naushika in Japanese (Thus, the title). The reason is that some of the sounds necessary to pronounce Nausicaä are missing from the Japanese language, and the name Naushika, the closest one can get, is used instead.Kaze no Tani no Naushika is a film that inspires all. With it's amazing artwork, characters, and themes, it is surprising to find someone who could dislike a masterpiece such as this. Indeed, even Andy and Larry Wachowski, directors of The Matrix Trilogy, were inspired by this film. Both The Matrix (1999) and Kaze no Tani no Naushika use color themes of red and blue. In addition, the machines in The Matrix look amazingly similar to the Ohmus. Kaze no Tani no Naushika is a film that can be loved by young and old alike. It's wonderful story, excellent art, and the English dub of Patrick Stewart as Lord Yupa will enchant anyone who views it. It is a fantastic world that Hayao Miyazaki created, and, like all his films, should be enjoyed by all.
After a seven year hiatus, the legendary Terry Gilliam returns to direct the long awaited film, The Brothers Grimm. This film, unlike that of Gilliam's other previous ones, does not include a surplus of humor such as Brazil (1985) or Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) as I expected, but is filled with magic, adventure, sorrow, and love; all the necessities of a fairy tale, which it is. The Grimm brothers are the real-life authors of famous tales such as "Snow White", "Little Red Ridding Hood", and "Hansel and Grethel", and this film comically, and fictionally, describes the inspiration for which these stories are based on.
Once upon a time (to be more specific, 19th century) in a land far away, (French occupied Germany) there lived two brothers who wandered the land in quest of towns that housed terrible witches and demons, fed by superstitious fears. Their names are Wilhelm (Matt Damon) and Jacob (Heath Ledger) Grimm. Upon finding a town, the two brothers would exorcise the demon, kill the witch, or banish the plague, causing the villagers to rejoice, and the brothers to claim their hefty price tag for their services. However, the fairy tale does not end here, for one main reason: they were fake.
After each elaborate hoax, the brothers and their 'stage crew' would look in search of another village that had a similar supernatural folktale, gorging on their little to no gold. One day, however, they are arrested and brought to French authorities, who revel that they have discovered the Grimm's secret, but are willing to grant amnesty. A small town has become a great pain to the French; 10 girls have mysteriously disappeared into the forest, and haven't been seen since. The brothers are sent to investigate the cause of this disappearance, and eliminate the magic, while under the watch of French soldiers. However this town is discovered to be really haunted, truthfully enchanted, and mysteriously creepy. There's more to the story of course, such as a wicked queen, a magic mirror, and savage trees that eat men alive, but you need to see the film yourself to really enjoy it. The Brothers Grimm is a fairy tale of its own, with twists, turns, and lack of Disney songs. Any Gilliam fan will, of course, love the film and live happily ever after.
The Brothers Grimm is a witch's cauldron filled to the brim with allusions to various stories that the brothers wrote. Hansel and Grethel make an appearance, along with a witch obsessed with being fairest of the land, and a little girl with a red riding hood. This is one of the things that kept the film humorous, as there are so many of them. (Another allusion, surprisingly, is to the German film M (1931) , for in both, a little girl named Elsie is lured away by a mysterious man.) In addition to this, Gilliam creates a feel to the film which seems as if it was taken right out of a storybook. Of course, just as the brothers Grimm had it, all fairy tales are not always for children. Some scenes in the film were quite . . . disturbing. In a scene that conveys the wickedness of the French, a cat is grinded to bits, its guts are flung across the room, and it, eventually, is eaten. At this point in the film, the majority of my theatre left, claiming that the film was "cruelty to animals". However, Gilliam has shown cat abuse in many of his films before, so this minor scene should not have been a surprise.
Another disturbing scene in the film (which I found to be incredibly awesome) is when a girl is lured to the witch's tower because of a horse. Hearing the horse in pain, the young girl soothes the horse, petting it, only to be eaten (yes, eaten) alive. It is quite an interesting scene, which stood out in my mind when I left the theatre. The main reason, most likely, would have to do with the fact that the horse looked as if it actually did swallow a girl whole. Once again, as I said, this film may be a fairy tale, but is not meant for children of young ages.
This film had many high points too. The excellent soundtrack created a dark feeling to the film, one which is necessary to show the trials the brothers faced on their adventure. There were also many visually entertaining scenes, such as the eclipse scene, and much symbolism that created a wonderful atmosphere to enjoy and learn from. Things such as reality and fantasy are explored, along with the relationships between father and daughter, and brother and brother.
The Brothers Grimm is an enjoyable film that many a Gilliam fan will enjoy. Although his style is considered to be an 'acquired taste', I recommend this film for its magical feeling, its wonderful morals, its few funny lines ("You were nearly eaten by a tree!"), and its visually entertaining scenes which will hold you for the entire film, and longer.*As a small little note, the man in the film is not a werewolf. In old folklore, it was believed that if one was to don the pelt of a creature, that person would be turned into that creature. If you look at Angelika's father, he is wearing a wolf pelt, as is Angelika later in the film.*
A hero? Well, it can be defined in many ways, from someone running around in his or her underwear, to the person who makes you smile when you need it most. Recently, AFI continued their "100 years . . ." Series and published 50 All-Time Heroes (in addition to the villains, but they never really counted). Number five on the list is Will Kane, the protagonist from this week's film, High Noon.
This classic black and white western tells the story of our number five hero, and the trials he faces in his home town of Hadleyville. Marshal Kane (Gary Cooper) has just retired for the sake of his new Quaker wife, Amy (Grace Kelly). In agreement of marriage, Kane must give up violence, thus, his job. On the way out of town, Kane learns that his old time rival, Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald), has returned to give revenge for the town that sentenced him, and the Marshal that caught him.
AFI did well to award Will Kane as a hero. One quality of a hero is to have the ability to stand up and take action for your beliefs, especially when no one shares the same view. Will Kane definitely qualifies as a hero, as he is able to stand up to Frank Miller alone. Kane has the determination to save the town, as he has done before, when "no decent woman could walk down the street alone." That determination is what keeps him fighting, mostly when he stops and ponders if he should run away. Another quality Kane has that can define him as a hero is his ability to never run away, as the tagline for this film states. However, this can be debated if it is strength or weakness, for Amy leaves Kane for this same reason. It is in this moment, when Will must decide on the future of his town, or the future of his marriage, when his true hero emerges. Heroes must sometimes "give up the thing we want the most" in order to save innocent lives, as said by May Parker in Spider-Man. In-fact, many modern day heroes show similar qualities to this "old school" hero. Spider-Man, as stated above, gives up his most inner desires in order to save the city from destruction. Even heroes from children stories such as Hershel in "Hershel and the Hannukkah Goblins" (Corny idea, but a wonderful story) share similar ideals with Kane, as Hershel refuses to leave when he is left alone to defeat all 8 Hanukkah Goblins (One for each night).
The only other hero in the film worth mentioning is not a hero at all, but a heroine (no, not the drug). When Will gets injured, and it seems like he will loose the fight, Amy runs to the rescue to save him. The real reason she is a heroine, is because she sacrifices her belief to save her true love. Remember: Amy is a Quaker, and as such she must not participate in any violence at all. Seeing as both the hero and heroine of the film appear when there is danger, it could be assumed that heroes appear when they are needed. With the ever reliant Marshal Kane on the job, no additional heroes were ever needed. When Kane was in need of help, the heroine rises to the job to save him. This proves that there is a hero in all of us, lying dormant until it is lured out by the intrusion of danger into the safety of others.
In the Cop scene, one can see the circles created by the compass. It creates the illusion that the town is a bullseye; a technique that should hopefully catch the murderer. However, this is an illusion of safety itself, for there is a very small chance that the cops will catch the murderer. As in the game of darts, all your money is on the fact that a bullseye will be hit. If not, then the dart will land on the outskirts. In the scene, the town is placed in the bullseye, however it is all based on luck that the cops will get this bullseye. More likely, they will hit the outskirts. This is shown many times in the film, mostly through the means the Cops are attempting to catch the murderer. The Cops are truly running in circles.
big fans of Lang, and based their uniforms of the Gestapo on the clothes that the character Schränker, whose hand is shown here, wears in this film.) Unlike that of the previous scene, there is no false security based on dumb luck (mostly the dumb). Instead, a well developed plan is formed, as can be seen in this scene. With no words to accompany this picture, one can see that a hand is grasping the town, trying to strangle the murderer out of hiding. Unlike the "the murderer somewhere here" attitude of the cops, Schränker knows the murderer is in the town, and causes a giant undercover search to start. In addition to the grasping of Schränker, this scene feels much darker than the previous one, showing a darker intention of what should happen to this child murderer.
