Video Narrative: Assignment #1

Images from the web, films or video that represent the following feelings, concepts or place:

Home

La Riviere du hibou (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge), 1962 (Ambrose Bierce story/ Robert Enrico film); Watership Down, 1978 (Richard Adams book, Martin Rosen film); Les Triplettes de Bellville (The Triplets of Bellville) 2003 (Sylvain Chomet directs).

In the first one, a Confederate soldier, tumbling to  his death by hanging, seeks desperately, in his mind, to reach home.

In the second a tribe of wild creatures seeks to keep home safe from environmental, expansionist destruction.

In the third, three aging crone sisters make ‘home’ whatever space they share together on a quest to rescue a kidnapped bike rider at the Tour de France, through improvisational musical expression reminiscent of 1920’s dance halls. ( Film composer Benoît Charest indicated that his music ideas stemmed from his desire to see if he could make a song with a refrigerator, a vacuum, a piece of paper and a bicycle wheel.)

Intimacy

Off the Map, 2002 (adapted from the Joan Ackerman stage play, directed by Campbell Scott); Como agua para chocolat (Like Water for Chocolate) 1992 (Laura Esquivel novel, directed by Alfonso Arau); The English Patient, 1996 (Michael Ondaatje novel, Anthony Minghella directs)

In the first one, intimacy among isolated humans arises from relationship to the land that surrounds and engulfs them.

In the second, intimacy emerges from erotic, magical relationship in the preparation of food. In the third,  cross-cultural intimacy grows as a counter-balancing, life-affirming response to war-caused suffering and death.

Freedom

Le Roi de Coeur (King of Hearts), 1966 (Phillipe de Broca directs); Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969 (directed by George Roy Hill); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , 2000 (Ang Lee directs)

In the first, a Scottish soldier finds freedom from the madness of “the real world” through immersing himself in the world of the insane.

In the second, three anarchistic, idealistic people, “outlaws”, define their own reality, freeing themselves from societal constraints and contracts.

In the third, freedom of the heart and soul finds exuberant expression through magical, physical feats in an exotic love story.“Even if I was banished to the darkest place, my love would never let me be a lonely spirit.”

Individuality

Dreams, 1990 (created, written and directed by Akira Kurosawa); Cyrano de Bergerac, 1990 (adapted from the Edmond Rostand play, directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau): Tank Girl, 1995 (Rachel Talalay directs)

In the first, great creative film-maker Akira Kurosawa explores ideas of the self as individual, in relationship to others and immersed in art, through remarkable vignettes.

In the second, one of the most tragic, romantic, individualistic characters  in Western drama asserts, celebrates & suffers from his uniqueness.

In the third, based on a comic book by Martin and Hewlett, a young woman defines her powerful individuality through decisive leadership and sexual prowess.” Joan Jett and Paul Westerberg of The Replacements perform a punk duet version of  Cole Porter’s 1928 hit “Let’s Do it (Let’s Fall in Love)”: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIdx0MI7h_g

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