The Reader:

The Reader is a fantastic film. It is so captivating and moving as it views The Holocaust from the opposite perspective, through the eyes of an individual who fell into the clutches of the Fasist Movement.

I read the book shortly after, written by Bernard Schlink, and I would have to say it is one of the most poigniant stories as it draws you initally into this bizarre love affair between a young boy (Michael Berg) and an older, working class woman (Hanna Schmitz).

Right from the beginning she seems like a rather complicated, private character, capable of much more than what is on the surface. But the companionship and the trust she has in Michael, does depict her to be a kind-hearted character, and their bond through reading creates a truthful sense of closeness as they embark upon classics like 'The Odessy' and 'The Lady with the Little Dog.' When Hanna mysteriously vanishes, Michael is left heart broken and confused, blaming her disappearance on himself.

Eight Years Later, Michael finds himself sitting in a 'Nazi War Criminal Trial' as a Law Student, watching as Hanna sits in the defendants chair, accounting her revealing past.

It is such a memorable moment in the film, as it almost deludes the viewer into empathising with her actions, as one has seen her life from such contrasting sides.

Directed by Stephen Daldry, it is in my opinion an affecting and powerful film. The cast is fantastic, the majority being German with the exceptions of Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet. David Kross, playing the character Michael does a spectacular job, and it is incredible how he spoke such little english before being cast for the role. He brings such a vulnerability and honestly to the character which Ralph Fiennes sustains later on, playing Michael as an adult.

The music score by Nico Muhly, a very young, new composer is spectacular... here is a link..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIY3qlefaJQ&feature=related

Here is one of my favourite sections, Kate Winslet fully deserved her award and the credit she got for her role as Hanna... put please watch the entire film first so it is not spoilt...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdtpHJ7sqYY&feature=related

Duel:

This is one of Steven Spielberg's first films as a director. Just watching this film, and knowing how young and inexperienced he must have been to create a masterpiece just depicts how talented he is, laying the path towards other blockbusters such as Jaws and E.T. (I will do a section on these later.)
This film honestly portrays David Mann's (Dennis Weaver) complete and utter panic, as he is being chased to his death by a malevolent driver in a huge lorry through the rocky, two lane interstate. Spielberg's camera angles and movement are terrific such as the low angle shots of the dominating lorry and then the high angle shots of David's small, vulnerable car.

Yes, it may sound like quite a simple and obvious film to some, yet I assure you it is not. So many films have been influenced by this creation, a good example would be Jeepers Creepers.

It is clever how you never see the face of the driver of the truck, giving him a supernatural quality. I bet that if we saw his face, it would completely ruin the element of suspense and tension built up in this film. Such as in The Strangers, which don't get me wrong is fantastic, but when they reveal their faces at the end, it weakens the element of terror for the viewer.

Another aspect I love is the use of narrative. It delves the viewer into his panic stricken mind, such as the scene in the cafe when he is trying to deduce who the lorry driver may be.

Here is a really good section in building up tension through the use of sharp editing cuts and climaxing music.

>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jx-h45TTko&feature=related

I love the anti-climax when you can hear the vague sound of the lorry approaching when it is in fact a train. It sounds simple yet is very effective for a first time viewer.

So I would highly recommend this film to anyone, especially is you are a fan of Spielberg, as its a classic :)

Misery:

If you haven't already seen this film, you must. Stephen King is constantly classed as being a rather commercial novelist. A blockbuster author. This frustrates me when you just look at the successes he has created.

• Carrie
• Salem's Lott
• The Shining
• Misery
• It
• Christine
• Pet Cemetery
• The Green Mile

Misery is such a successful film as it delves into the unbalanced mind of Annie Wilkes, the psychopathic old maid. She is caught up in the world of Paul Sheldon's novels 'Misery', captivated by the character, deluded into thinking Paul is her one true love, as if they are telepathically connected.

The storyline is unpredictable, as Annie's character can change from all 'tickerty boo' to sadistic and sinister. It is such a simplistic film, with only a handful of characters and a naturalistic setting, yet this in itself unsettles the viewer, as it makes it realistic as there are people in the world who do believe they are someones 'Number One Fan.'

I love the claustrophobia of the film, the squareness of the house that Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is trapped in by this obsessive and skitzophrenic woman. Kathy Bates plays the part of Annie Wilkes incredibly, having you glued to your seat the whole way through. I love how Kathy Bates makes her character unpredictable, through her facial expressions, mannerisms, sometimes almost sweet, which unnerves me. I love the build up in tension throughout, and the smallest details which one notices, such as the hair pin for his escape and the china penguin which Annie notices is out of place, mirroring her OCD.

What is so clever about the film is the organic way in which all events or routines fuse together. All the facets link together, such as how Paul has a cigar and a champagne after finishing a novel, and how he uses the statue pig of misery in the end to kill Annie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-3MCYcc4Vg

Composers:

Here is a list of composers who inspire my interests in film. I intend to do posts on individuals. They are all on imdb if any are of interest but they have all created incredible work, therefore, they deserve some credit.

I also intend to do posts on editors, screenwriters, producers later on when I have time.
Here they are:

• Thomas Newman (American Beauty) (Road To Perdition)
• Hans Zimmer (Pirates Of The Caribbean) (Da Vinci Code)
• Nico Muhly (The Reader)
• Aaron Zigman (The Notebook) (My Sisters Keeper)
• John Williams (Jaws) (E.T) (The Deer Hunter)
• John Powell (P.S. I Love You)
• John Barry (Bond Films)
• Patrick Doyle (Bridget Jones) (H.P & The Goblet Of Fire)
• Alan Silvestri (Forest Gump) (The Polar Express)
• Rachel Portman (Cold Mountain) (The Duchess)
• Alexandre Desplat (Curious Case Of Benjamin Button)
• Dario Marianelli (Atonement) (Pride & Prejudice)
• Brian Eno (The Lovely Bones)
• Harry Gregson Williams (Domino) (Phone Booth) (Shrek)
• Ennio Morricone (The Mission, Chi Mai)
• Michael Nyman (The Piano)
• A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)
• Danny Elfman (Edward Scissorhands)
• Deborah Lurie (Dear John)
• Nicolas Hooper (Harry Potter, more recent ones)
• Harold Kloser (2012)
• James Newton Howard (I Am Legend) (The Village)
• James Horner (Titanic) (Avatar)

Obviously they have done many more scores than these, but these are the ones I relate them too off the top of my head.

Thomas Newman

Thought I may as well do a post on him now as it relates perfectly to Sam Mendes Films and Todd Fields' Little Children.

There is no doubt in saying he is a tremendous composer. I think it is a shame that I don't know anyone else who shares the same passions I have for film music.

Music in general can make the film what it is as it obviously can change the audience perceptions and emotions. I found out about Thomas Newman a while back and have build up quite a collection of his work, along with other composers who I will do individual posts on at some point!

Thomas Newman is so inspring, as not only has he created such memorable pieces of music, but each is personal to the film, each is unique, and each captures the true essense of those moments.

For people who don't know, he composed:

• Revolutionary Road
• Finding Nemo
• Little Children
• American Beauty
• Road To Perdition
• Cinderella Man
• Pay It Forward
• The Shawshank Redemption
• Brothers
• The Good German
• Jarhead
• A Series Of Unfortunate Events
• WALL.E
• In The Bedroom
• The Green Mile

And many more, but there all I can remember.

Here's the imdb link: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002353/

When one starts looking into composers and their relationships with films, it becomes clear that many composers naturally work hand in hand with directors or producers etc. This is also common in other roles for film production.

Thomas Newman has worked on many of Sam Mendes films, also with Steven Spielberg, Todd Fields and Andrew Stanton for Disney.

I think he's a huge influence as he is able to work hand in hand with the mood of the films such as some I will hyperlink below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEUXKiOm0Ps Shawshank Redemption.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dnx6TaE5G4 Cinderella Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEhbj0rUf6s The Green Mile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFs7Rv7J3To Brothers

Joe Wright - Atonement:

I probably talk about how much I love Atonement way too much. Its a shame when you read such an incredible novel and the film is not adapted to live up to the book's standards. But I would say that Joe Wright and Christopher Hampton did a phenominal job in loyally sticking to the plotline of the novel by Ian McEwan, making it moving, symbolic, captivating and inspiring. One of the film reviews was 'as close to perfect as a film could get' and I would have to agree with this.

I would have loved to work, adapting a screenplay such as Atonement as it moves through such a vast time period. The start is all about the interior elements, as it delves into the minds of the characters, such as Briony and their motives. Then I love the scenes at the hospital, capturing the true essense of life in London and the urgency of such a crucial job post evacuations.

Atonement starts in the 1930's and the travels through WW2, capturing life at war and home, through all the way to present day. It is like three or four books in one and I think Joe Wright honestly captures this element, sustaining it throughout the film.

The film, completely controlled through the narrative of Briony Tallis, depicts a tragic love affair, shattered by a young girls false accusation at the age of 13.

The start of the film completely captures Briony's controlling nature which dominates every camera movement and angle, the style of music and even the smaller details such as when all Briony's toys lined up facing towards her desk where she writes 'The Trials Of Arabella.'

I love the use of typewriting the credits with the music also. Composed by Dario Marianelli, it truly captures every essense of the film, through all sections. My favourite piece of music would have to be 'Denouncement' at the end, and then perhaps 'Elegy To Dunkirk', but I will do a post on these later on.

Opening of Atonement: >>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqjEXD0T5Lo

(Look out for how the camera is completely controlled by the main character Briony, and the use of music which captures the impatient, dominating atmosphere. Further the location and costume.)

EVACUATION OF DUNKIRK:

The section in Dunkirk is oe of my all time favourite moments in film. They have chosen to use a continuous shot of Dunkirk which truly captures Robbie's arrival to what could be safety, where he is to be evacuated, yet unfortunetly never happens. This shot seems almost impossible as it requires such trust in the cast to stay in character, smoothness in camera work and also time, to keep re-shooting til it is perfect. However, it creates such a powerful effect as one is able to see the entire landscape of war on the fronts, and every emotion seems to pour out of the soldiers, as the viewer sees every aspect of life i Dunkirk in June 1940.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qULIEzsaiQ&feature=related

>>> around 4 minutes, but watch it all!

Making of...

Here is the making of Atonement, it is so interesting as it discusses the adaption of the novel, that scene of Dunkirk and it's difficulties, choice of costume, which I will be doing a blog section on later on and much more.

PART ONE AND TWO:

>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9mazJSCXXg

>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxwMCCZfqe8

Sam Mendes:

Sam Mendes is a huge inspiration as I think his work is so symbolic and unique. His films are so powerful yet so subtle in their attempts to capture naturalistic life and the stereotypes we have of people.

Revolutionary Road is a fantastic film, the location and cinematography is beautiful, He captures domestic, suburban life perfectly, giving the audience an insight a world of routine and 'idyllic perfection' which April wants desperately to break free from.
Such a poignant section would be when Frank goes off to work, and the captured shot all the business men walking down the platform, all as one, all living the same existence. The music, by Thomas Newman is so significant and beautifully composed, which intertwines with the scenes.

I couldn't find the section but parts are in the trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpra9OEw6nQ

Here is 'End Title' from Revolutionary Road... I would say this is one of my all time favourite music scores, as it captures the beauty of the film. After watching the film, you could analyse the music alone as it coincides beautifully with the couples restrained livestyles, and how they both want to escape from domestic life, to Paris, like when they said when they first met.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoWifeC0UOU

American Beauty is an incredible film, you seem to go through every emotion when watching. It can go from being witty to all of a sudden frightening or tense, purely through the use of narrative or the unpredictable nature of a character. To me, its the sort of fim which one instantly is drawn to, as the opening is so bizzarre and suggestive. The use of Leister's narrative with the music 'Dead Already' (Thomas Newman) builds up such a captivating atmoshere, the music and tone of voice completely contradicting him talk of his death. It is the perfect film when analysing representation, as again it throws you into the world of surburban living and how such a structured lifestyle can truly overpower some individuals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSSCo3ncYag

I've had Road to Perdition since christmas as my brother kept insisting I would love it and should watch it if I liked Sam Mendes as much as I do. I watched it when I was ill recently. It is also brilliant and Sam Mendes honesty captures the danger of each character, effected by gang culture. The section when the young boy Michael is watching through the slight gap in the wood, whilst his father meets the other gangsta's is so well shot through the small opening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kJDj1rqfog&feature=related >>>> Skip to 3 minutes.

I would say the music in this film makes it the success it is, as it is so simplistic yet moving, and seems to mirror character emotions at points in the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKPe7jC1aTY >>>> This is the opening section of the film, the music 'Rock Island' played is beautiful as it coincides with Michaels suggestive narrative. I love the shot of Michael cycling through the crowds of workers in the opposite direction as it suggests he differs from them, which is later discovered when he is forced to go on the run with his father.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6IeFLgHj3Q >>>> This music is 'Road to Chicago', when they are on the run to Chicago, sort of around the middle of the film.

I will do a section on Thomas Newman at some point also.