weeks one and two - film reviews

Star Wars, 1977, 121 minutes, USA, Director George Lucas

Upon analyzing the 1977 film, Star Wars, it is without a doubt that the 17 Stages of Joseph Cambell’s Monomyth were incredibly influential in the development and organization of the film, but looking beyond the cycle, there are several outside considerations present that propel the story forward. One of the major influences of the film is the adaptation to what is considered “the force”. The force is a term that is used rather vaguely throughout the saga, but it’s the fine line that differentiates our sense of morals and intent for our actions. We see the development of this ideology in the film when Obi-Wan Kenobi encourages Luke to believe in the force, and in turn, believe in himself – for the force is a communal effort that maintains the wellness of the universe and is not for one’s personal benefit. We also see the force is introduced by means of physics with the terminology that was used to reinforce the displacement of equilibrium, particularly when Obi-wan Kenobi senses the destruction of Alderaan, which in turn gives the concept a more concrete presence within the storyline. With knowledge of our own world being integrated with a new environment, the films classification as science fiction isn’t as farfetched as one would anticipate which creates a more relatable character base and storyline for viewers to connect with. In addition to the concrete science that is presented within the film, it should be noted that by having such a large pool of influences, from the samurai culture to classic western, the saga has the ability to reach out and relate to a greater and more diverse pool of viewers.

Metropolis, 1927, 117 minutes, German, Director Fritz Lang

When considering the 1927 film, Metropolis, one must consider the time period in which the film correlates back to. When considering the 1920s, there’s a division present – primarily in the western world – between the upcoming of industrialization in contrast to the aftermath of World War I that resulted in a care-free lifestyle. When considering these attributes to the overall theme of the film, it can almost be interpreted that the director intended for the audience (the upper class) to leave the film with a sense of empathy for the working class. With the rise in technology between automobiles, machinery, and so forth, those who are not engaged with such environments tend to shy away from the conditions in the same way the bystander effect operates. With that sense of empathy, one may begin to realize how without these labor intensive areas of production, a society cannot continue to persevere through modern times, especially when the technology has already been developed and exposed to a society. In a sense, a dependency and obsession for such innovation can almost lead to an obsession where the resulting product is considered more valuable than the health of being. The success of this theme is primarily a result of the characters that were portrayed. It’s apparent that Freder and Maria are the very characters that keep the societies in equilibrium and maintain hope in humanity, but you see the opposite side of the spectrum through the “villains” that are more or less present in our everyday lives; these are the individuals who try to create a façade between the world that should be interpreted and reality, such as Rotwang the inventor who corrupts the intentions of Joh Frederson.

Frankenstein, 70 minutes, USA, Director James Whale

When reviewing the 1931 rendition of Frankenstein, the first element that should be considered is the theme of the work. Throughout the film, there is a development amongst the characters and their sense of morality. From the beginning of the film, we observe Fritz steal a brain form a prestigious group of scientists and although the intent was geared towards science, we’re taught in western culture from an early age that stealing is not appropriated. Another consideration is within the science-fiction genre that he film falls under. There’s a certain realistic element to the idea of transplanting a human organ from one being to the next, especially when considered from the perspective of our society at the time that the film was developed. The first successful organ transplant within a human being did not arise until the 1950s, so the idea of challenging life and death had been an objective on the forefront for scientists in reality as well – in a sense, the video can be perceived as an interpretation of what could happen in our modern (at the time) lives. Returning to the story and character development from the reverse spectrum of morals, we see a transition in Dr. Frankenstein throughout the film where he himself attempts to nurture his monster, as well as protect him from outsiders as long as he possibly can.