In the spirit of Halloween, I thought I'd blog about the cult classic and because I love the show, I thought I'd write about the Glee episode's take on the film.
I don't remember the first time I actually saw The Rocky Horror Picture show but I think I was inspired to see it or at least started becoming a fan after I saw MTC put on the musical. There were aspects of the play that I really liked however, the actor they chose to play Frankenfurter was very masculine and large. He was like a big, husky, macho guy. The character is supposed to be a tranny; you'd expect him to be pretty feminine. Also, this guy was bald. He didn't have the same black curls that Tim Curry had in the film. The play was done well and the actor had an amazing voice but not right for the role in my opinion.
We dressed up to see the play like people do when they see the film and that was probably the best part about it. After I saw the play, I bought the movie and have probably watched it a hundred times since. I know all the words to the songs and I even got my sister into it. Rocky Horror is often misunderstood and unless you know the story or someone who loves you get into it, usually people don't like it. It's a very strange story and most people just don't get it. Actually, I don't think anyone really "gets" it and I don't really think that's even the point. The point is, the songs are fun to sing to and it's just so strange that it's not like any other movie that's out there.
My take on the Glee version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Rocky Horror Glee Show as they called it is that my expectations were too high. I love the movie and I love the songs. I had too high expectations for this episode and I was a little disappointed. "Sweet Transvestite" is probably my favorite song in the film and even though I loved what they were trying to do by having Mercedes sing the song, I just wasn't feeling it. Glee made the numbers more "musical" and melodic than they are in the movie and I didn't like it. I guess the film doesn't necessarily showcase amazing talent when it comes to singing and we all know the kids on Glee are wonderful singers so of course they had to show their talent. It would be wrong for the songs on Glee to showcase "bad" singing.
In this case, I think it's important not to mess with the original. However, I love, love, loved that Barry Bostwick and Meatloaf had small cameos. What a wonderful treat for those of us who love the movie!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Social Network & Mark Zuckerberg's Response to his Portrayal
I think the line spoken by one of the lawyers, Marylin Delpy (Rashida Jones) in the film, The Social Network that goes something like this: “You try so hard to be an asshole but you’re not,” sums up the way Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is portrayed in the film. Zuckerberg is our protagonist and in order for a film to work, the audience has to like and/or relate with the protagonist in some way. He does some “asshole-ish” things but he’s likeable. He’s portrayed as a smart kid with a great idea who just wants to be cool and get girls. It’s true, the character does make some mistakes but in my opinion, the film portrays him ultimately as a good person. He makes jokes, he’s smart, he’s relatable and when he makes mistakes, often it’s Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) that’s influenced him. I think Parker is portrayed in a much worse light than Zuckerberg.
Facebook is extremely popular. I’m not sure that the film has made it more popular – I don’t think it has made it less popular either. Regardless of the way the film portrays the people involved in the making of Facebook, people love it and they use it and the film won’t have an impact on that. I would think that most people who are going to see the film already have an account and if they don’t, I don’t think this film would have changed their minds. I don’t think anyone refused to use Facebook because they had negative feelings about Zuckerberg or anyone else involved in its creation. It’s probably because they just don’t like the concept and this film doesn’t change what Facebook actually is. I think Facebook will only be on its way out when something newer and better comes out to replace it, just like what happened to MySpace when Facebook started.
When it comes to the question of Mark Zuckerberg’s PR response, my perception is simple: it doesn’t matter what he says or does (to an extent), Facebook is so powerful that it trumps whatever the negative image people may get from seeing the film. This is especially true because Facebook is FREE. People are not paying any money to use Facebook and therefore, its founder has little impact on their use of the site.
According to The PR Post blog he uses “Blowing-It-Off” and “Little League” PR strategies in response to the film.
Zuckerberg’s “Blowing-It-Off” response I think, is very effective. Mostly because the things he says when he’s “blowing it off” are true. The Social Network is a movie and moviemakers have to make it entertaining or no one will want to watch it. It’s as simple as that. He is quick to say that his life isn’t that dramatic and I think that’s the case with most films that are based on true stories. Films can never be 100% real life; even documentaries are cut and edited so that they’re entertaining.
Here’s an example of Zuckerberg “blowing it off” from CBS News.com:
Reviewing the film thematically, Zuckerberg said it featured a girl who was not part of his real life and dumps him, which he joked happened a lot to him in real life. "They framed it as if I wanted to get girls or into some social institution," Zuckerberg said. "I've been dating the same girl since before Facebook."
He concluded that the film makers "can't wrap their head around the idea that someone might build something because they like building things."
As for the “Little League” response, I think it was unnecessary. As Tiffany Gallicano states in her blog post, it was a little insulting to audiences that Zuckerberg would choose to donate money to a cause on the day the film opened. He could have done that on any other day and it would have seemed more sincere. It paints the picture that he doesn’t really care about the cause; he’s just trying to make himself look like a good guy as the film comes out.
Here’s the video clip of the quotes above:
Facebook is extremely popular. I’m not sure that the film has made it more popular – I don’t think it has made it less popular either. Regardless of the way the film portrays the people involved in the making of Facebook, people love it and they use it and the film won’t have an impact on that. I would think that most people who are going to see the film already have an account and if they don’t, I don’t think this film would have changed their minds. I don’t think anyone refused to use Facebook because they had negative feelings about Zuckerberg or anyone else involved in its creation. It’s probably because they just don’t like the concept and this film doesn’t change what Facebook actually is. I think Facebook will only be on its way out when something newer and better comes out to replace it, just like what happened to MySpace when Facebook started.
When it comes to the question of Mark Zuckerberg’s PR response, my perception is simple: it doesn’t matter what he says or does (to an extent), Facebook is so powerful that it trumps whatever the negative image people may get from seeing the film. This is especially true because Facebook is FREE. People are not paying any money to use Facebook and therefore, its founder has little impact on their use of the site.
According to The PR Post blog he uses “Blowing-It-Off” and “Little League” PR strategies in response to the film.
Zuckerberg’s “Blowing-It-Off” response I think, is very effective. Mostly because the things he says when he’s “blowing it off” are true. The Social Network is a movie and moviemakers have to make it entertaining or no one will want to watch it. It’s as simple as that. He is quick to say that his life isn’t that dramatic and I think that’s the case with most films that are based on true stories. Films can never be 100% real life; even documentaries are cut and edited so that they’re entertaining.
Here’s an example of Zuckerberg “blowing it off” from CBS News.com:
Reviewing the film thematically, Zuckerberg said it featured a girl who was not part of his real life and dumps him, which he joked happened a lot to him in real life. "They framed it as if I wanted to get girls or into some social institution," Zuckerberg said. "I've been dating the same girl since before Facebook."
He concluded that the film makers "can't wrap their head around the idea that someone might build something because they like building things."
As for the “Little League” response, I think it was unnecessary. As Tiffany Gallicano states in her blog post, it was a little insulting to audiences that Zuckerberg would choose to donate money to a cause on the day the film opened. He could have done that on any other day and it would have seemed more sincere. It paints the picture that he doesn’t really care about the cause; he’s just trying to make himself look like a good guy as the film comes out.
Here’s the video clip of the quotes above:
Monday, October 11, 2010
Off topic again: Buyer Beware Organic vs. Non-organic Produce
This project was interesting in many ways. We had an in-depth look at what it means for produce to be organic and how that affects us as consumers. Some people think "organic" is just for hippies and that its impacts don't affect the rest of us conventional folk. What we found was not a lot of evidence on how eating organic can affect our health, but we did find a lot about how it affects our environment.
When farmers grow organically, they are letting the soil replenish its nutrients in a natural and sustainable way. This means that it can be ongoing. Using pesticides and fertilizers is a quick fix. Not to mention, the lack of evidence aside, I don't like the idea of consuming all that crap when I eat an apple.
My family and I get our fruit and vegetables delivered by a company called Fresh Option Organic Delivery or F.O.O.D. and I feel good about supporting organic farmers and about not putting all those chemicals into my body.
We also learned that there are strict regulations on the labelling of organic produce. A company is not allowed to put the organic seal on their product if that product does not meet certain standards. According to John Hollinger, an Organic Agriculture Specialist from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) farmers must be using organic practices for three years before they can be considered organic by the Government of Manitoba.
One thing we noticed in our research was the attitudes of people. We did a taste test at school using organic and non-organic apples and we asked people which they liked better and whether or not they bought organic produce regularly. Only about 50% of people were able to tell which apple was organic and which was not and most people who responded that they bought organic regularly weren't able to say what organic meant or why they thought it was better.
It seems like organic has a certain stigma attached to it and it tends to imply brand superiority. With that said though, it is a helpful, not a harmful brand and regardless of the reasoning, people buying organic produce is a good thing.
When farmers grow organically, they are letting the soil replenish its nutrients in a natural and sustainable way. This means that it can be ongoing. Using pesticides and fertilizers is a quick fix. Not to mention, the lack of evidence aside, I don't like the idea of consuming all that crap when I eat an apple.
My family and I get our fruit and vegetables delivered by a company called Fresh Option Organic Delivery or F.O.O.D. and I feel good about supporting organic farmers and about not putting all those chemicals into my body.
We also learned that there are strict regulations on the labelling of organic produce. A company is not allowed to put the organic seal on their product if that product does not meet certain standards. According to John Hollinger, an Organic Agriculture Specialist from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) farmers must be using organic practices for three years before they can be considered organic by the Government of Manitoba.
One thing we noticed in our research was the attitudes of people. We did a taste test at school using organic and non-organic apples and we asked people which they liked better and whether or not they bought organic produce regularly. Only about 50% of people were able to tell which apple was organic and which was not and most people who responded that they bought organic regularly weren't able to say what organic meant or why they thought it was better.
It seems like organic has a certain stigma attached to it and it tends to imply brand superiority. With that said though, it is a helpful, not a harmful brand and regardless of the reasoning, people buying organic produce is a good thing.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Judy vs. Sam aka Mom vs. Child
I should start off by saying I am a Judy supporter. I suppose I am a pessimist in saying I doubt Judy will actually win this election but I support her and her platform nonetheless.
Today, we observed/participated in a mayoral debate between the two top candidates in the civic election that will be taking place on October 27. It's probably safe to say that Sam won the debate, and as a feminist I can honestly say I think Judy's gender had a lot to do with it. Women often struggle in the workplace to have their voice heard and so often, they are cut off. While I agree sometimes Judy went on for too long without actually saying something valid, I also think Sam has an "old boy's club" attitude that is extremely distasteful to me. He belittled Judy and at times almost laughed in her face.
During the debate, Sam was very charismatic and at times made Judy look really stupid. He got a lot of cheers and fist pumps from the audience but as a voter, it makes me really lose faith in other voters in the city. When Sam says, "Bring the Jets back to Winnipeg," and then all you hear is a sea of cheers, it sort of makes me wonder if the public really can make an educated decision on who they want for mayor. This isn't a high school president election. Just because Sam mentions the Jets, doesn't mean he would be a good mayor for our city.
As a CreComm student, I was also observing Richard Cloutier and I had a new appreciation for what he does as a journalist for CJOB. He was almost "rude" at times because he is such a slave to the clock. He has to go to commercials beacuse if he doesn't, he will basically get fired. With that said though, like Duncan (our Journalism instructor) tweeted about, I think he appeared to be favoring Sam. He would address him as "Mayor Katz" and Judy as just "Judy" and also ask Sam to speak ahead of Judy quite often. He also referred to our campus as being on Princess Avenue instead of Princess Street. He must not be a CreComm grad.
Something neat too is that I was actually interviewed and was on Global News tonight regarding the debate.
Watch the video here
Today, we observed/participated in a mayoral debate between the two top candidates in the civic election that will be taking place on October 27. It's probably safe to say that Sam won the debate, and as a feminist I can honestly say I think Judy's gender had a lot to do with it. Women often struggle in the workplace to have their voice heard and so often, they are cut off. While I agree sometimes Judy went on for too long without actually saying something valid, I also think Sam has an "old boy's club" attitude that is extremely distasteful to me. He belittled Judy and at times almost laughed in her face.
During the debate, Sam was very charismatic and at times made Judy look really stupid. He got a lot of cheers and fist pumps from the audience but as a voter, it makes me really lose faith in other voters in the city. When Sam says, "Bring the Jets back to Winnipeg," and then all you hear is a sea of cheers, it sort of makes me wonder if the public really can make an educated decision on who they want for mayor. This isn't a high school president election. Just because Sam mentions the Jets, doesn't mean he would be a good mayor for our city.
As a CreComm student, I was also observing Richard Cloutier and I had a new appreciation for what he does as a journalist for CJOB. He was almost "rude" at times because he is such a slave to the clock. He has to go to commercials beacuse if he doesn't, he will basically get fired. With that said though, like Duncan (our Journalism instructor) tweeted about, I think he appeared to be favoring Sam. He would address him as "Mayor Katz" and Judy as just "Judy" and also ask Sam to speak ahead of Judy quite often. He also referred to our campus as being on Princess Avenue instead of Princess Street. He must not be a CreComm grad.
Something neat too is that I was actually interviewed and was on Global News tonight regarding the debate.
Watch the video here
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Classic Horror: Rosemary's Baby
Tonight, my first classic: Rosemary's Baby. This movie was released in 1968 so naturally, I had to adjust my thinking because movies were made differently back then. I started it fairly late at night so I was slightly displeased when I found out that it was over two hours long. People had more time back then to watch movies.
Let me start by saying this movie is weird. It's about a young New York couple who want to have a baby. They move into a new apartment and meet some strange and nosy neighbours. Rosemary becomes pregnant after she has a hallucinogenic "dream" involving nudity (was nudity allowed back then?) and satanic rituals. She's pretty much raped by the devil and gives birth to his baby, recieving "help" all along from her neighbours. You know, in a nutshell.
I think the best part of this movie is Rosemary's haircut! A girl with short hair myself, I always appreciate beautiful women with short hair. How awesome is it that she pulled that off in 1968? Thank-you for paving the way for me Mia Farrow.
Oh am I ever glad I'm not a woman in the 60s. Male doctors that don't tell me my own diagnosis, only tell my husband? No thanks. Can you believe that? Just like a vet telling a pet owner the diagnosis of their dog; the woman couldn't possibly understand, nor is she responsible for her own life. It just really irks me how helpless Rosemary is throughout the film. Rosemary's character is VERY childlike and though she's sweet, it's very hard to imagine her as a mother. When she suggests to her doctor that she's afraid of having an ectopic pregnancy, she is thoroughly scolded for having read a book. (The doctor was in kahoots with the devil worshippers so this may be why he didn't want her poking around in any books but still, I'm sure women were treated similarly at the time.) Mia Farrow's reaction to the sight of her baby at the end of the film is so priceless and disturbing. Even though it's sort of comical, her screaming is what got me.
This film was a huge hit in its time and the director, Roman Polanski recieved two Academy Award nominations. It paved the way for movies like The Exorcist and The Omen. I wouldn't really consider the film "scary" for 2010 standards but the concept is certainly disturbing and there's something neat about the fact that it was so original. Almost all the ideas for horror movies nowadays have been done before. There's nothing new and yet in 1968, a frightened, innocent mother giving birth to the devil's baby was new.
Let me start by saying this movie is weird. It's about a young New York couple who want to have a baby. They move into a new apartment and meet some strange and nosy neighbours. Rosemary becomes pregnant after she has a hallucinogenic "dream" involving nudity (was nudity allowed back then?) and satanic rituals. She's pretty much raped by the devil and gives birth to his baby, recieving "help" all along from her neighbours. You know, in a nutshell.
I think the best part of this movie is Rosemary's haircut! A girl with short hair myself, I always appreciate beautiful women with short hair. How awesome is it that she pulled that off in 1968? Thank-you for paving the way for me Mia Farrow.
Oh am I ever glad I'm not a woman in the 60s. Male doctors that don't tell me my own diagnosis, only tell my husband? No thanks. Can you believe that? Just like a vet telling a pet owner the diagnosis of their dog; the woman couldn't possibly understand, nor is she responsible for her own life. It just really irks me how helpless Rosemary is throughout the film. Rosemary's character is VERY childlike and though she's sweet, it's very hard to imagine her as a mother. When she suggests to her doctor that she's afraid of having an ectopic pregnancy, she is thoroughly scolded for having read a book. (The doctor was in kahoots with the devil worshippers so this may be why he didn't want her poking around in any books but still, I'm sure women were treated similarly at the time.) Mia Farrow's reaction to the sight of her baby at the end of the film is so priceless and disturbing. Even though it's sort of comical, her screaming is what got me.
This film was a huge hit in its time and the director, Roman Polanski recieved two Academy Award nominations. It paved the way for movies like The Exorcist and The Omen. I wouldn't really consider the film "scary" for 2010 standards but the concept is certainly disturbing and there's something neat about the fact that it was so original. Almost all the ideas for horror movies nowadays have been done before. There's nothing new and yet in 1968, a frightened, innocent mother giving birth to the devil's baby was new.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Feeling quite Wolfy this morning
Last night I watched The Wolfman. It was a little more scary than Shutter Island so I'm glad I'm kind of easing into this. The movie is a period piece, which I typically enjoy. The costumes and details are really great.
Probably one of my favorite parts of this movie was the lighting. It's set in the 1800s so everything is lit with candles. Everyone looks better by candle light, I think. Also, the moonlight plays a huge part in setting the mood of the film.
The acting was another thing that really made this movie stand out for me. How can you go wrong with Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro? Emily Blunt is also quite spectacular in her role. Her outfits are so cute and part of me wishes it was still 1891 so I could dress like that too. She looks so skinny in those period pieces.
There wasn't a lot of fright involved in this movie but there was a LOT of gore. Those claws the Wolfman has are deadly. And I mean that in the most literal sense of the word.
This movie is a good boyfriend cuddler if you don't wanna be too scared. There are some parts you can snuggle up to him over but there isn't anything that's going to have you losing sleep for weeks. Other than the occasional long conversation between the characters that seem redundant, this movie is quite entertaining.
And a side note, I never found Benicio Del Toro sexy before but he kind of is in this movie. He's got the whole dark, mysterious character down. It's quite appealing if I do say so myself.
Next week I will be watching Rosemary's Baby. (Quite possibly because I just cut my hair short and I think Mia Farrow has the cutest hair in this movie. Very cutting edge for that time period.)
Probably one of my favorite parts of this movie was the lighting. It's set in the 1800s so everything is lit with candles. Everyone looks better by candle light, I think. Also, the moonlight plays a huge part in setting the mood of the film.
The acting was another thing that really made this movie stand out for me. How can you go wrong with Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro? Emily Blunt is also quite spectacular in her role. Her outfits are so cute and part of me wishes it was still 1891 so I could dress like that too. She looks so skinny in those period pieces.
There wasn't a lot of fright involved in this movie but there was a LOT of gore. Those claws the Wolfman has are deadly. And I mean that in the most literal sense of the word.
This movie is a good boyfriend cuddler if you don't wanna be too scared. There are some parts you can snuggle up to him over but there isn't anything that's going to have you losing sleep for weeks. Other than the occasional long conversation between the characters that seem redundant, this movie is quite entertaining.
And a side note, I never found Benicio Del Toro sexy before but he kind of is in this movie. He's got the whole dark, mysterious character down. It's quite appealing if I do say so myself.
Next week I will be watching Rosemary's Baby. (Quite possibly because I just cut my hair short and I think Mia Farrow has the cutest hair in this movie. Very cutting edge for that time period.)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Shutter Island didn't exactly make me shudder.
Shutter Island didn't exactly make me shudder.
It was definitely creepy and there were some disturbing moments but it wasn't so bad and wouldn't fall under the category of horror.
With that said though, it was a very mentally stimulating film. Leonardo DiCaprio did a great job of portraying the emotional role of Teddy Daniels.
The film has a certain eeriness that's brought forth particularly with the director's color use. I noticed there are very few warm colors throughout. A frightening storm is also a nice touch in setting the mood of the film.
Perhaps the best part of the film though is the ending. After so much second guessing and after being a part of the confusion experienced by Teddy, as the audience you get a sort of "ah hah" feeling at the end when everything comes together.
Overall, Shutter Island is a very strange movie but very well executed and very mentally stimulating. I think the best movies are ones where you actually have to use your brain to enjoy.
Anyone have any ideas for next week? Twitter me @Pwanks. I would prefer something that isn't too scary (I'm trying to ease into it). And, if anyone ever has something I can borrow that would be great because I will go broke before 15 weeks is up if I always have to rent them.
It was definitely creepy and there were some disturbing moments but it wasn't so bad and wouldn't fall under the category of horror.
With that said though, it was a very mentally stimulating film. Leonardo DiCaprio did a great job of portraying the emotional role of Teddy Daniels.
The film has a certain eeriness that's brought forth particularly with the director's color use. I noticed there are very few warm colors throughout. A frightening storm is also a nice touch in setting the mood of the film.
Perhaps the best part of the film though is the ending. After so much second guessing and after being a part of the confusion experienced by Teddy, as the audience you get a sort of "ah hah" feeling at the end when everything comes together.
Overall, Shutter Island is a very strange movie but very well executed and very mentally stimulating. I think the best movies are ones where you actually have to use your brain to enjoy.
Anyone have any ideas for next week? Twitter me @Pwanks. I would prefer something that isn't too scary (I'm trying to ease into it). And, if anyone ever has something I can borrow that would be great because I will go broke before 15 weeks is up if I always have to rent them.
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