An Uncomfortable Bed
By Guy de Maupassant
This is a story about a man who visits chateau in Picardy with his friends for hunting season. He is convinced that his friends are going to play a practical joke on him so does everything in his power once he enters his room to figure out what they are planning and try to avoid it. By doing these things he in fact creates a problem for himself by leaving obstacles on the floor for the valet to trip on when delivering his breakfast to him which results with him waking up to the valet on top of him along with his morning breakfast.
- This story to me indicates the moral to not be paranoid.
Death By Scrabble
By Charlie Fish
This story is about a man and his wife playing scrabble on a hot day. The man hates his wife and throughout the whole game is thinking of ways to get rid of her. Everything his wife does irritates him even the smallest thing. As the game continues he starts to notice the words that are being places on the board are being applied to real life. He wants to test his theory so he places the word quake which then leads to the room starting to shake. His wife then places death on the board which ends in the man choking on one of his scrabble letters he had been chewing on in his mouth which leads to his death. His wife sits and does nothing.
- This story to me sends a message to not wish things bad on other people otherwise karma may return it back to you.
Zippo
By James Ross
This is a story about a man called John who is explaining to his friend a recurring dream he is having whilst sitting in a car. He tells his friend how in this dream he is in a pub on a friday night, goes to buy some drinks and meets a girl. Then out of nowhere a boy walks in and throws petrol over John and pulls out a Zippo lighter. As the dreams continue they get worse, starting form the first couple times he had it when it was un expected and the Zippo did not work. But now the last one he had the zippo did and just before his death in his dream he wakes up. John seems to be worried and afraid that the next time this dream happens something even worse will occur or that it relates to real life.
- This story to me is very relatable because since i was young i have had recurring dreams the i fear to.
Short Films:
Shame
By Tom Geens
Genre: This particular short has not got a basic genre. It can be viewed in different ways such as a horror, or a dark comedy.
Setting: Suburban House
Story: A woman who has unusually large hands and who is treated like an animal by her Grandmother/Mother.
Beggining- Girl is hiding behind a chair and wont reveal herself
Middle- She begings to speak about her hands and her relationship she has formed with them
End- She moves her hands from her face when her Grandmother/Mother returns who locks her in a cage and bangs on it whilst she screams.
Dialogue: Voice Over
I viewed this personally as a horror. I thought the situation was very disturbing. The way this is filmed, the tension is built up between this woman and the audience because the audience want her to reveal her face behind her hands.
It is interesting to listen to the relationship that is formed between the woman and her hands and how she uses them to get through her day to day life.
The Black Hole
By Phil & Olly
Genre: Comedy
Setting: An office at night time
Story: sleep-deprived office worker who ends up discovering a black hole which allows his body to go through anything.
Begging- Tired man in office copying paper
Middle - finding the black hole and using it to steal from a vending machine
End- Gets greedy, tries to use it to steal money from the safe and jumps through and gets stuck inside.
Dialogue: None
If i where to describe the outline of this story i would use the word greed.
The comedy genre is not revealed till the end when the paper falls and he is trapped in the safe.
Post-It Love
By Elizabeth Gower & Lucy Gossage
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Setting: An Office
Story: Girl and guy who fancy each other and communicate using post-it notes
Beginning- Man and woman working in an office both copying papers
Middle- They notice each other and begin to send each other messages through post-it notes
End- Both girl and guy go to make a large message, guy gets there first and girl catches him half way through.
Dialogue: None
This short has a good contrast between a dull office and the bright post-it notes and music they use in the background.
When i watched this my personal feel towards this short is that it felt very advert like for me and i think could be a very successful add on television for post-it notes.
3 Directors:
Mark Waters
(Mean Girls, Freaky Friday, Just Like Heaven & The Spiderwick Chronicles)
My favourite film out of these is Mean Girls. I like this film because its a classic chick flick but i know boys that love this film too. It is very funny, and teenage life is over exaggerated in a comical way. There is a clear story line which keeps you going and in general is very intriguing.
Tim Story
(Barber Shop, Taxi, Fantastic 4 and 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer)
My favourite film out of these is The Barber Shop. It is a classic black comedy which is hilarious from beginning to end. Its also come from a basic idea of being placed in a barber shop yet so much goes on. It also stars some of my favourite actors such as Ice Cube & Michael Ealy.
Roger Kumble
(Cruel Intentions, Just Friends, The Sweetest Thing & College Road Trip)
My Favourite film out of these is Cruel Intentions. A twisted comedy/ drama/ romantic film that is always making you guess weather the characters are playing games. I love the fact they use romance in a different way and don't make it so superficial. It stars a great main actress Sarah Michelle Gellar from the TV series "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" which i also enjoyed watching when it was aired on TV.
FILM STYLES
Defenitions & Examples Of:
Auteur: Auteur is a filmmaker who has their own personal ideas and visions towards creating a film and that has full control over all their work.
Cinema Verite: A movie that shows ordinary people in their surroundings without being controlled by a director, similar to a documentary type film. For example a modern day form of cinema verite is a show like "Runs's House" which we would now just call reality TV. Click Here for a clip from Run's House
Avant-Garde Film: A range of filmmaking styles that are different from main stream commercial films and documentaries.
Film Noir: Film Noir comes from the french which means black film. Its usually used to describe stylish hollywood crime dramas that show eccentric attitudes and sexual motivations. This was mainly used in the early 1940's to late 1950's. Heres a video showing prime exaples that film Noir uses. Click Here
French New Wave: The French new wave was influenced in the 1950's and 1960's by Italian Neorealism and classical Hollywood cinema. it allowed them to do different experements wid editing, visual style and narritive. Heres a trailer from a famous french new wave film called "The 400 Blows" released in 1959. Click Here
