Intertextuality

Intertextuality is to select the previous text to create new text or humorous. In order to understand it, the audience need to familiar with original text. For example, in the film, The Siam Renaissance (2003) which is based on popular novel, Thawipob. It is the romance and fantasy style directed by Surapong Pinitka. The film based on popular novel Thawipop by Tomayanti . Florence Vanida plays the role of Thai Consulate who is brought back to Siam during King Rama IV. In that period, Siam or Thailand was turbulent as Britain and France tries to colonize Siam so she has to help her country to survive with her ability.

intertextuality which suggests another dimension to the film. In this film, the written text could be change to visual text which the characters will be shown to audiences. Although this film based on novel, the artifact is different from the original text. The original text focuses on a romantic story between Maneejan and young official administration Tep along with solving the colonized problem, but the film focuses on the way to solve the problem rather than a love story. Therefore, this film uses the novel as its reference to reveal the plot structure and characters rather than copy.

Narrative Setting

Settings

Never Been Kissed shows two settings which the audience obtains teenage setting and romantic setting. In the teenage setting, it considers about there are three groups in high school popular culture, they are the pretty girls, prince charming and the brains. Adolescents from the movie are struggling on their life to be famous and popular. By looking at outside of people’s characters, everyone has high self-esteem and confidence. On the other hand, inside of people’s personality, everyone has low self-esteem and dissatisfaction. For example, for pretty girls, they always bring mirrors and want to give perfect poses and wonderful facial expression in every moment; the prince charming performs perfect in every way that male adolescents’ want to be like him, and female adolescents’ want to be with him. There is no doubt that he has confidence in front of people. These are evidences perfectly explains imaginary audience that Elkind (1967) argued was characterized adolescents always think others are watching and evaluating them. As the result, the pretty girls have high self-esteem on their good-looking and outfit. The girls consider they are important toward other people, as well as their attitudes.
In romantic setting, the romantic comedy movie always gives the audience a romantic fantasy, therefore; the myth of romantic comedy ends traditionally with a kiss. By looking at the ending scene, Josie stands on the field, asks for five minutes on the clock, and waits in silence. Then Sam finally shows up to kiss her with crowd cheering. Furthermore, Hollywood’s traditional stories of courtship and marriage have focused on the women’s resistance to romantic attachments, so the kiss often represents a valuable moment of change for her to find all fulfillment in men.

Fantasy Theme

The leading female character, Josie, who has the second chance to experience high school, what she wants to be and how she is going to do for not being regret since she has been through high school once? Josie chooses apparent hypocrisy from Elkind (1967) argument of egocentrism adolescence. Apparent hypocrisy (Elkind, 1967) occurs when teenagers appears to say one thing and do another. For example, Josie wants to cross over from unpopular to coolest because of her undercover reporting project to find out nowadays what high school popular culture is and what youths think about. However, in the reality people, especially teens, what to be apparent hypocrisy because it is easy to be around a target group that they want to be familiar with.
The leading character, Josie, also is satisfied most of people’s fantasy that if there the second chance, I will make it better. According to Bormann (Foss, 2004), fantasy theme is a method used by groups to intensify the group dynamic based on a communication that allows information sharing regarding issues relating to the group. Therefore, when a group comes together, attention must be paid to the group's social climate. As the theory suggests, this leads to a more productive group that not only achieves cohesion socially, but also productivity is heightened. This cohesion is gained by the group willingness to discuss outside issues and situations to give the group a sense of comfort and certainty about the other group members. There are two facts of fantasy theme analysis appeared in Never Been Kissed (1999). First, fantasy theme effects egocentrism adolescence from Hollywood movie. Second, fantasy theme gives another chance to people to have a better result when they meet the same circumstance again.

Hollywood Movies

Hollywood movies is part of American culture, also often represents American fantasy vision which people dream about but hard to make it real, no matter fiction movies, such as Back to The Future (1985), Star Wars (1977) , Harry Potter (2005), or action movie, such as, Independence Day (1996), Terminator (1984). Furthermore, teen’s movies probe into current adolescent society or youth problems, such as, Girl Interrupted (1999), American Pie (1999). There is fantasy everywhere in Hollywood movies. Moreover, Hollywood gives a huge impact of American society. Comedy is the most popular type of movie in Hollywood, especially teen comedies. These movies are very successful because they incorporate adolescent fashion, well-liked actors and actresses, and discuss current campus issues.
Movie is one of the direct impacts to teen’s popular culture because movie cultivates idol adoration. Young people like to chase on the popular culture from imitating Hollywood actors or actresses, the way to speak, the attitude to express emotions. Therefore, more and more Hollywood movie producers, directors often aim on current phenomena on campus and being interested in making film on adolescent topics. Never Been Kissed (1999) also focuses on teen’s popular culture, explores what teens need and give its audiences a fantasy regarding to a 2nd chance to experience high school again. Moreover, Never Been Kissed (1999) is a movie that tells both sides of the story the teens and adults. Their review collides in a way that gives them both important, yet also pokes fun of them both. Although the movie tells a story, also reflects current society, although in a more ironic and dramatic way.

Thai Festival

What a Perfect Day!!!@ Kapiolani Park, Waikiki. Bright and clear sky, sunshine, and good weather. After enjoy!! doing PAPER, finally I got a time break and enjoy my life. Last Saturday, I woke up early and took a walk from my apartment around 10 minutes in order to be the first group at Kapiolani Park. What happen? This place brought back the memory of Thai tradition and festival because it was held a Thai festival called Songkarn Day or Thai New Year which is a nation holiday. It was a good day for Thais and foreigners who live in Ohau, HI gathered and joined this festival. In the festival, there were several booths to sell Thai food, showed Thai dance and tradition, Thai song, and Thai boxing. People sat around in circle and enjoy eating and chatting after they were working hard for whole year.

Unfortunately, we missed the outstanding part which is throwing of water. In Thailand, these day people go out with containers of water or water gun and throwing water to each other or passerby. Furthermore, this festival is a good opportunity for those who far away from their home to go back to visit and pay respect their parents and elders. People believe that if they cleanse Buddha images by gently pouring water over them, this will bring their good luck and wealth to their life in New Year. Songkarn Day is the day for Thais to bring good things such as clean house and do good thing. Why throwing water? It is believed that water is the symbol of cleaning and washing of bad away from people.


Happy Songkarn Day!!!

Mythic Individualism

Return to his desk, busy with his stuffs, rush into accident location, and

finally refuse to assimilate the society.

All of these setting always happen in one genre which is detective genre and the same as cowboys and Western hero. All of these are ideology that offers in films of order genre. Ideology is a pattern beliefs that group interpret some aspects of the world which it reflects the group’ social, economic, political and culture. Ideology as form of knowledge and power are discourse which give the meaning to both material objects and social practices. Through out the film of order genre, the main character is alone, independent and self-reliance. His ability goes beyond others or even his opponent. Rules do not apply for him. In series, CIS, the main character works really hard to help other or solve murder case, but he cannot have love story or something always happen to someone that he loves. In the film, The Bourne Supremacy (2004) which Bourne has to live alone again after his girlfriend, Marie dies from sniper rifle because the enemy wants to kill Bourne.

Another example is the series, 24, the main character Jack Bauer. In season 1 Jack’s life was normal; he had wife and one daughter. His life was happy until his wife was killed and he has become lonely. Again, in this season 4, he involves with Audrey Raines whom he think that he could stop his busy life. He hopes to live with a peaceful life. However, he is wrong because Audrey Raines get risk by kidnapping. He had done every ways to help her. His characteristic is the same as other heroes like cowboys or detectives. He gets what he wants, one thing he couldn’t have is peaceful life. He ends up his relationship and became lonely. The heroes are always lonely. He is a personal a professional motivations. As his love is in danger so he has motivated to work. Furthermore, although he does not work for CTU, he is the only one knows about bureaucratic red tape. He has no authority but he can do what he wants to do. He does not care anyone; independent person. Rules do not apply for him. He has special skills (expert shot), knowledge, and experiences (thoughtful). Finally, he is always right at the end so society value him.

It is believed that all of this situation or plot always happens in detective and Western Hero films and series. Most main characters always end up their relationships and live alone.

Film Genres

Film genres are the material conditions that provide popular stories to satisfy audiences demand and make profit to the studios. Film genres can be examined into many structural components such as plots, characters, settings, thematic, and so on. In order to understand genres, the audiences need to look to the character types and conflicts which they will generate to identify their roles. Schatz stated that each genre show the expression of filmmakers and give the experience for audiences. The film genres can be divided into two groups: order such as gangster, detective, and Western hero and another group is integration which is romantic comedy and musical. The order group has male dominate while integration is female dominate. Both of them have different in conflict such as order group has conflict that arises from indigenous to the environment, reflect the physical and ideological struggle for its control. In short, the conflict is externalized or violent within contested space. The problem will resolve by individual male or collective which manage the process of reduction: elimination or death such as The Matrix and Star War. Another group is integration which conflict arises from the different between values, attitudes, and actions or the main characters’ emotions. This genre will embrace their love to resolve their conflict such as You’ve Got Mail and Never Been Kiss. In the film, Never Been Kiss (1999), the main character Josie Geller works as copy editor who has to go undercover herself at a local high school for her first story. At the school, she falls in love with Sam Coulson, English teacher, but she has to hide her true identity to write her story. Their conflict is occurred because Sam discovers her identity and cannot forgive her. However, finally, they become a couple because Sam decides to see her at baseball match. They embrace their love each other.

Montage

Last week one of my classmates did presentation on Sergei Eisenstein. He was film theorist who concerned about techniques rather than content: montage. The use of montage is best known as film editing. He believed that montage will shape the audience’s emotions, thoughts, and create metaphors as well. Therefore, he developed montage into five categories:

1. Metric montage which focuses on length of shot by combining the shot
2. Rhythmic montage which focuses on visual pattern within the shots. It will be based on matching action and
screen direction. It will be considered as portray conflict such as opposing screen.
3. Tonal Montage which focuses on editing that establishes emotional character of scene.
4. Overtonal Montage is the interplay of metric, rhythmic, and tonal montage. The interplay will combine ideas and emotional in order to bring the desired effect from audiences.

5. Intellectual montage which combine two scenes as a kind of metaphor. There is no meaning in the individual

shots.

When I heard about these montages, I tried to figure out which film that relates with these montages. The scene from Face/Off reminds me the fight scene of So Close (2002) that Ai Lin (Shu Qi) assassinates the chairman of Chinese company. The shot technique is conflict by offering fight/violent scene along with calm music. This scene brings about the emotional to audiences.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Ea0abq04w&feature=PlayList&p=806B3F1CC4AD92F5&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV_vwIMN7Ww&feature=PlayList&p=806B3F1CC4AD92F5&index=2

Another montage is intellectual montage in the film Siam Renaissance (2003) which in the last scene when MeeJan talks to their parents switch with the scene ManeeJan’s parents pour holy water for her along with falling of roses’ petal. With this technique, the film represents each petal of roses that drop slowly as the infinity love of parents to her. Individual scene cannot represent the meaning to audiences.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2_bKmqxqE8&feature=PlayList&p=FE3B85D0E423E19C&index=11

Gaze--- Who gaze?

Today, many films and magazines are related to male gaze who represent women from male point of view. This idea was developed from the article “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” by Laura Mulvey who is feminist film theorist. She stated that the female characters are objects that are controlled by the camera. Through the films a scene of male gaze involves with the camera capture on the curves of a woman’s body.

For example, my last film My Wife is Gangster, when female character, Eun-jin dresses a beautiful dress the camera pans around and focuses on her body slowly. Another example, in the film Miss Congeniality (2000), there are many scenes that the camera focus on female body such as when everyone see agent Hart after she has make up on and dress sexy cloth. The camera focuses on her body through the other characters’ eyes.

However, films are not only one media that focus on female body, the advertising industry especially magazine as well. The picture of attractive women will be shown on the cover on inside pages in order to show products to customers. The advertising aims at the viewers who think that they could be the same as model so they decide to buy products. In addition, the men customer will buy magazine because the attractive women picture as well. Again, I think there is male gaze in cartoon, if we consider male gaze carefully such as the way female characters dress.

Can the subaltern speak?

My Wife is Gangster (2001) is about woman who joins a gang and become a boss named Eun-jin. She acts, talks and dresses like a man. She has a lot of her subordination. One day she discovers her sister, unfortunately she found out that her sister has cancer. Eun-jin asked a doctor to operate her sister, but the doctors refuses because her cancer is at last stage. Before her sister dies, she asked Eun-jin to get marry and has happy family. Therefore, Eun-jin decides to make a promise with her sister and she has to find a groom to make her sister’s wish come true.


Eun-jin is a good example for the easy “Can the Subaltern Speak?” wrote by Spivak. She pointed that the subaltern does not have their own voice to ‘speak’ because their voice are never heard. In this term of subaltern, I talk about feminism. Throughout the films, Eun-jin is denied a voice or the films absent her voice. In this film, Eun-jin character can compared as Hindu widow who burn herself for honor her husband because she does not have her own voice to ‘speak’. First, she has to follow her boss although she has her own man. Second, she has to get married as her sister asks her to do. Eun-jin has to follow what other people say to her in order to follow rules and make her sister is happy. We can say that Eun-jin does not have her own desire same as Hindu widow who jump on fire.

These two ideas point out that feminism still does not have her voice in the global world today even she has power, man, and position

Semiotic (signifier and signified)

According to Saussure, he divided the sign into two components: the signifier and the signified. The signifier is a form which the sign takes or something that can be touched, seen, and so on and the signified is the concept it represents. Saussure suggested that the sign must have both a signifier and a signified. It means the sign is a combination of these two components.

For example, man and woman wear rings mean they are got married which is signifier; however, the rings also suggest their relationship, eternal love, and togetherness which are signified. Furthermore, in advertising industry also uses signs with words and images in order to reveal what they are doing or what the organizations are like. In the film Coming to America, Prince Akeem works at local restaurant called McDowell’s which use alphabet M (attempt to replica McDonald’s) to represent their business. Alphabet M is signifier, and also represented the name of restaurant, family business, and advertisement.

Another example is the perfume advertising that focuses on teenagers (advertisement above). It applied pink to be main character: perfume, clothes, and lip are signifier, but pink also represents beauty, love, sexiness, calm feeling, relaxation, and acceptance. Therefore, Miss Dior Cherie presents its sexiness and beauty by using dark and light pink.

Let’s look at the signs and interpret them, you will find that there are meanings in themselves that you never notice before.

Star Trek

Star Trek “Plato’s Stepchildren” is a third season episode that first broadcast on 1986. This episode was criticized by scores viewers because the first an interracial kiss on television. In addition, UK skipped this episode in 1970s and 1980s because this episode presented more on “sadistic violence”. However, later on this episode could run on television in 1993.

The acceptance of difference

Although many viewers are disappointed with this episode, I think that there is some point that director tried to tell us. This episode suggested the strong sense of equality and society. Wherever you come from, we are equal. For example, Alexander always worries about his size and he is treated as slave by Platonians. However, Kirk and his friends make him forget about this issue because they treat Alexander as their friends. Kirk asked him about his thought, opinion, and well-being.

“Where I come from, size and color make no difference” by Kirk

The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) is a science fiction film which was directed by Scott Derrickson. The main character is Keanu Reeves who plays as Klaatu. This film focuses on the contemporary issue of environment that will destroy the planet. Klaatu, who is representative of alien, comes on planet Earth with his large spaceship in order to judge whether human can change their behaviors and thoughts to save the environment. If not, he has to destroy humanity in order to save the planet.

I like this film because it persuades people to realize the world problem that everyone has to collaborate in order to save our planet. The opening scene of this film reminds me of the film, Independence Day, open the scene with the UFO comes in over the Washington, D.C. However, the aliens are different in form of appearances. In this film, the Day the Earth Stood Still, presents alien look like humanity and also accompanies by giant robot while film Independence Day shows hostile creature of outer space, not even speak English. With the scene that character Regina Jackson, the Unite Stated Secretary of Defence, denies Klaatu to speak with United Nations shows that how America thinks about its position in this planet. In addition, the Day the Earth Stood Still presents the emotional plot between Helen Benson character and her stepson Jacob which their relationship is a factor that drives the story to be achieved. However, this film makes me little disappoint with action scenes because the director offers just a few short shred. For example, football stadium and truck was destroyed from the insect like nanobots. Finally, with the word, “but we can change, just give us a chance”, it force people realize that what they have done in the past and what they should change in order to save this planet.

However, I think that not everyone will realize the problems and their behavior that could damage environment as long as they can live with plentiful environment and nature. Therefore, do not wait until saying this word, we can save our Earth now.