Blog Post #3:Things that go bump in the night

So being that it was Halloween, I figured I needed to watch at least one sort of scary movie. Gathering my roommates together, we all sat down, cued up Netflix and quickly scrambled to the Horror section. It's rather amusing how amazingly convenient this whole convergence thing is. We didn't even have to run out to the video store only to be disappointed by the slim pickings. We simply cued it up on the Xbox and started searching

www.coated.com

Netflix...bringin' down every video store in your town before you even know it.

Anywho, since it was the internet amped freak-fest of 2009 we settled in on Paranormal Activity. The film follows a young couple who has just recently moved into a new house and is experiencing some intense disturbances. The main female lead suspects it is a ghost or demon of some kind so in order to solve this problem they set up and begin recording their lives to see if anything strange is truly going on. And yes indeed...things are going bump in the night.

http://www.horrorphile.net

Production Technique is a huge part of this film. We view the events from the point of view of the home video camera. It's very handheld, shaky and appears extremely amateur. This is done on purpose and gives the film a very realistic edge that makes it all the more tense.

With most horror films, Paranormal Activity does a good job of appealing to the reptilian brain. The tension builds over the course of the film making the audience more and more nervous as time goes along. Things creak and jump out at you, eliciting a visceral "FLIGHT FLIGHT!" type of response.

See? It gets pretty freaky at times. Paranormal Activity is an interesting example of filmmaking because it utilizes the digital medium to its advantage. Instead of being dragged down by the video format, it embraces it to help tell its story.

Also, the ad campaign is something worth noting. Being a rather independent film, the production team behind the film used social media as a way to get the word out. The online campaign reached millions across America, and in effect created a cult following for the film even before it was released. Audiences were asked to 'demand' the film be shown in theaters near them, and it worked. This shows a true mastery of the cultural shift on behalf of the films' producers.

The Sexiest Midterm You Could Ever Find

1.After studying 20th century media for eight weeks I have learned about the developing forms of media, how they are being used in society, and the benefits or disadvantages of their influence. In my reading I've gained knowledge on the history and development of media, and in class I've become skilled with utilizing and recognizing the different tools used to manipulate the audience.

2.The most important thing I have learned as a critical thinker is how to identify and therefore fight back against the tools used by media to manipulate an audience. By understanding strategy I can see past it.

3.If I had to do one thing over the first half of the semester it would have to be concerning the weekly blogs. I was a bit lazy on a few of them, and totally just should have done all of them

4.One thing I would like Rob Williams to do differently this first half of the semester is to explain this whole blogging thing a bit more. I'm rather new to the blog scene and I would like to become more familiar with how it works before just diving right into it.

5.The power tools are an efficient and useful way to break down a medium, analyzing it for what it is and how it works. The course blogs gives me a good chance to stay on top of my reading and actually have a task to go with it. The personal blog I was a bit apprehensive about at first but I found it to be an amazingly fun assignment. The quizzes are amazingly helpful because they really drive the info into my brain. I feel as though the films and books offer interesting texts to study. Being media themselves, they allow me to learn and be immersed in what I'm studying.

Wasn't that pretty sexy?

Blog Post#2An evening on Planet Terror

Late into the evening my roommates and I decided to watch Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror. Released as the first half of Grindhouse the film is an ode to 70's exploitation features, which is a genre I have to say I'm a fan of. While they may not be the best movies out there, I believe they have an unbelievable amount of spirit. Also they tend to be on the side of completely crazy. Because of this, such films have garnered quite a cult following.

I don't believe I can describe how balls to the wall awesome this movie is. If you're looking for a good time, this is where it's at. It's a literal roller-coaster ride of gore, babes, and is just in general awesome.

Needless to say this film is a workout for the Reptilian brain. Providing an overload of violence, it unashamedly takes you on an old-school romp of mindlessness. It's the perfect film to watch with a bunch of friends when you want to turn your thinking brains off and enjoy some craziness.

Being a throwback to older horror films, Planet Terror is heavy on production technique. The lighting is extremely dramatic; creating a spooky feel for the mood. Most noticeably, the film is edited to look old and worn out. Shots are grainy, and simulated sound pops make you feel like your actually watching some old beat up drive-in movie. Even the advertising campaign went along with the throwback vibe.

Filled with ridiculous, hyperbolic exaggeration, the over-the top vibe is really brought through. The schlocky nature of the film keeps it fun to watch, simply because it's so damn crazy.