Lon Chaney Sr: pioneering practical effects

 

                      

While recognized for the characters he played, not everyone may realize that the face behind the makeup and effects was the same man putting it on. Lon Chaney Sr. is one of the early pioneers in practical effects makeup. With little guidelines on how to create effects at the time, Chaney experimented; creating harnesses and straps to create the illusion of amputated limbs. He used wires to pull his eyelids open and his nose up in order to create more skull- like features in films such as London After Midnight and The Phantom of the Opera. In The Road to Mandalay (1928), to create the appearance of being blind in one eye, Chaney used thin layer of egg whites like a contact lens. Lon Chaney took risks, combining theatrical makeup with practical effects in order to pave the way in effects as we know them.

                                 

The Godfather Part II: Lap dissolve

Transitions aren't just a means to transition between shots; it can be used to transition between settings and time. A prime example of this is in Francis Ford Copolla's The Godfather Part II. The film uses a lap dissolve (one scene dissolves out while the next comes into the view) to move from the era of Michael Corleone's reign back into the past to his father's time. The lap dissolve works to transition scenes, bridge time frames, and most importantly, works to draw parallel between Michael and Vito Corleone's lives.

Whale Rider: A culture and its times

The film Whale Rider, by Niki Caro, takes a close look at New Zealand's Maori culture; examining the legend of Paikea, the Whale Rider. In this film, there needs to be an understanding of the importance of the natural environment to the Maori. A pivotal point is when the grandfather finds the beached whales on shore. The community's response to this shocking situation becomes more clear when understanding that they find their strength in having a bond between nature and themselves.

Another topic of significance when considering the Maori culture is the roles given genders in the film. It is made clear that men are seen in leadership roles while women are meant to take a back seat; this of course clashes with the main character's desire to perform the same tasks that the men are given. Like many stories of creation, in the Maori mythology and legends, man was created first, then woman as a reward. This is the beginning of defining the gender roles in Maori culture. Women aid the men, but are not on equal footing.

The main character is a young girl that is named after Paikea, the great leader (male, of course) that arrived to the land via a whale. With the name comes great personal responsibility; Pai feeling a strong connection to the sea and whales, having a natural instinct to assist. This however clashes with the Maori's value on male patriarchy, leaving her to make her way down her own path with little assistance.

Understanding the culture's history and beliefs provides insight into Maori life as depicted in Caro's Whale Rider. The otherwise mysterious values of the culture come into focus when considering the culture's history and mythology.

The Road Home: Color and Symbolism

The Road Home director, Zhang Yimou, used traditional color meanings along with other forms of symbolism to create depth and beauty in what could have otherwise been a simple, quiet story. Yimou effectively portrayed the main character's emotions through the use of color, and the symbolism of the environment, her actions and the objects surrounding her. Because of the wealth of material this would be to cover, I will be focusing in on color and the environment.

In the film, the main character, Di, has a case of love at first sight when she first sees the towns new teacher, Luo Changyu. During this first moment, Di is wearing red, a color of luck and happiness. This is a direct connection to the character's euphoric joy at this moment. This first connection takes place during summer; representative of the character's liveliness and energy that brings new joy into her life. After this moment, Di runs home and changes into a pink top, representative of the fact that she is in love and proudly displaying it.

As the film continues, the seasons change- slowly progressing into fall. The colors of the environment slowly become more orange and yellow, representative of spontaneity- fitting as Di and Changyu slowly begin to take to chances of expressing their interest in each other. When Changyu is being taken to the city due to unclear circumstances (cultural revolution is inferred), he gives Di a red barrette to go with the red top he first saw her in. This reflects back to their luck and happiness in finding each other.

As time continues to pass without the return of Changyu, the seasons change to winter, becoming bleak and white. With this color choice and the symbolism of the loss of happiness as Di's love is missing with the uncertainty of return. White is representative of death in Chinese color; in this instance reflecting the death of Di's happiness in Changyu's absence rather than the death of a person.

All the while, there are traces of the color red as Di fights to hold on to her luck and love. The Road Home shows the visual manifestations of the main character's emotions, creating a vivid depiction of love, life, and the beauty in memories.