Magnolia was an engaging movie through and through. Particular elements of the film keep the reader yearning for more and the reader’s never want to just stop watching the movie. But of course, the raining frogs as to be one of the most intriguing scenes I have ever seen. Originally I imagined that there was some sort of plane malfunction high and above, and then the storm comes and we obviously know that it is not the case. The first frog to drop however, sent me out of my chair. The crash on the windshield came at a quiet moment, changing the sound of the film almost immediately. Something such as frogs should not make a scene so intense so immediately, but it did just that. After our further discussions we learned that the frogs are directly linked to religion and the Exodus. Exodus 8:2 particularly, and through more research and discussion we learned that PT Anderson kept subtle 8 and 2 references throughout  the movie.

For no particular reason, I also found a very thorough list of the references, though  coupe could possibly be missing.

• The first weather forecast is 82% chance of rain.
• The gambler in the prologue needs a 2 in blackjack, but instead gets an 8.
• The coil of rope on the roof when Sydney commits suicide.
• One of the posters held up in the ‘What Do Kids Know’ audience.
• The movie poster at the bus stop on Magnolia Blvd.
• The placard on the third hanged convict.
• Jim Kurring’s box number at the date hot line.
• Sydney Barringer’s mother and father’s apartment number is 682.
• The forensic science convention starts at 8:20.
• Delmer Darion flips over a stack of cards to reveal the 8 through 2 of diamonds.
• Right after Jim Kurring sees Donnie Smith climbing up the building, you can see a flash of a sign on the side of the road that says “Exodus 8:2” (it’s visible again when the frogs fall and hit Kurring’s car)
• The number on the fire fighter’s plane.
• In Marcy’s mug shots, her criminal record number is 82082082082.
• In the Smiling Peanut bar, there is a chalkboard visible with two teams, the frogs and the clouds, and the score is 8 to 2.
• Spray painted on the cement as graffiti next to Dixon.
• The kids were two days away from entering their eighth week as champions.
• The first two numbers of the Seduce and Destroy Hotline (1-877-TAME-HER) are 82.
• At the police station in the beginning of the movie, the clock says 8:02.
• When Jim Kurring notices Quiz Kid Donnie Smith climbing on the Solomon & Solomon building he drives past a luminous sign saying “Exodus 8:2”

Apocalypse Now garners numerous thoughts and images that provoke different themes and ideas of the United States. We come across fear, horror, and insanity in order for Francis Ford Coppola to properly convey what he wishes to. Different times throughout the movie we also encounter ideas such as hope and good conquering evil. One particular idea that comes across in the movie is that of insanity and madness, directly as a result of war. Each character in the movie is affected by this madness in some fashion. We have Willard, who goes mad in the sense of the story of Kurtz controlling his mind, and forcing him to think extraneously about what could happen to him. Then we have Lance, who is so out of it on psychedelics and other drugs that his young mind simply went lucid during the fighting. Then there is also Kilgore, who does not play as prominent of a role as others, but goes mad in the sense that the war has become a game to him, something that he is unsure what he is going to without. His madness can be directly contributed to his time spent during what can be presumed numerous wars. Of course, the one particular scene that shows this is that of the Army invading the beach, where Kilgore gives a legendary monologue. The beach scene with Kilgore extravagantly implements mise-en-scene, editing, camera, and sound to portray the theme of madness as a result of war.

 

Be harsh and let me know!

Here is the clip I was talking about in the upcoming movie, as compared to the bystanders witnessing the bridge scene in The General.

The General is such a fascinating movie to me. Having never seen a silent film in its entirety, it was eye opening to experience one that is so action packed and filled with everything except words. Being an English major, I have a believe that words the single most powerful thing in the world so for a whole movie to have no speaking and still be able to effectively produce a movie is astonishing. Of course, the quotes would often pop up when they were necessary, but other than that the understanding of the movie has to derive from sound, props, and emotions. The most obvious use of media utilized for the movie is music. There is music being played from the onset of the film. The music is chose to keep pace with the action as well as simultaneously being used to set the mood, an element that is also used in modern films, with more emphasis on the mood portion. Throughout the movie, there is a large amount of props used as well. The most glaring props being the variety of trains, but all of the obstacles and objects that were being used to throw trains off course were vital to telling the story. The emotions of the characters can be seen in their faces as well as their body language and actions. The glares and smiles that come across each character’s face tell a story in itself. Overall, the movie exceeded my expectations. In the 21st century, an action movie is filled with technology and all sorts of effects that are only viable in today’s world. The use of other film elements to properly make an action movie in 1927 is something that blows my mind. Wouldn’t it be pretty cool to have a silent film with Leo or Denzel as the star?

Chapter 1: The first chapter if a book is a very efficient way for an author to grab the reader’s’ attention. The first chapter of The Storytelling Animal did just that. Originally, I had not planned to make this chapter one to talk about, but it was incredible. The one main conclusion to take is simple: everything is or has a story. Whether it be a daydream, reality TV, sports, or a well-written novel, everything has a plot in a sense. Relating to novels, the part I found most interesting is how written words essentially give readers no more than an outline. The text paints pictures for readers, but it is left to the reader’s imagination to fill in all the blanks of the scene. The Moby Dick scene being described, for example, is extremely vivid and shows what is going on, but there are so many extra details such as clothing and facial features that the reader must create. Having some knowledge of the WWE, the Vince McMahon portion of the chapter was also intriguing. Obviously pro wrestling is “fake”, but everything else that tells a story filled with drama is “fake” in the same sense. McMahon, as a business mogul, understands what it takes to release a good product for fans. Likewise, he understands the process of the human mind and consequently uses pro wrestling as a storytelling outlet. Packed with everything that a best-selling novel has; drama, good, bad, evil, victory, defeat. All of those elements are present in the WWE. This chapter served as a good precursor to the rest of the book. It helps readers prepare for what is to come by illustrating just how vital storytelling is.

Chapter 8: This chapter takes a dive into the world of real-life memories and how they can often be construed in a variety of ways. I particularly enjoyed this chapter because of the real-world elements it presents. Although our minds are filled with everlasting memories, it is not uncommon for our minds to piece together fictional elements that help support our stories or memories. The first tale that Gotschall presents is perhaps the most interesting. David Carr, a well-respected writer for the NY Times, lived a dangerous and often questionable life in his early years of his career. Alcohol and cocaine had his life on a bad path which resulted in a more than eventful day with his friend Donald. As the story goes along and we reach the end with the part about the gun, we learn it was David who had the gun, not Donald. The whole story David was convinced that Donald was threatening him with a gun, but in reality it was David threatening the life of Donald. While unrelatable, it fascinated me that such a vivid and eventful story could have such an important detail misconstrued. Gotschall continues the chapter by pointing out examples of memoirs that are almost entirely fiction, written by authors using an alias that are just trying to tell a story, a story that they did not experience first-hand. The portion regarding 9/11 also caught my attention. “Flashbulb memories” are relevant to everyone who has experienced trauma. Every person who experienced the world when 9/11 happened could probably recall their location and other simple details, but often times those memories are distorted by lies and perception that often enhance the story being told. This chapter made such a fantastic connection to real life experiences for readers. We all continue on with our life and memories, but those memories can easily be altered in order to best fit what we want the story to be.