Acting and Acting Styles: Hook (Steven Spielberg)

Hook

Released in 1991

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Written By:J.M Barrie

Stars: Dustin Hoffman (as Hook), Robin Williams (as Peter Pan), Julia Roberts (as Tinker Bell), Bob Hoskins (as Smee)

Dustin Hoffman (Hook)

In the film Hook, Dusting Hoffman plays the character of Capitan Hook. In this film Hook is the proud captain of a ship and the arch nemesis of Peter Pan (Williams). After Peter Pan decides to grow up Hook searches for him. Hook and his band of misfit pirate scum kidnap Pans children to lure Pan to return to Neverland to finish the battle once and for all. This role called for Hoffman to act in the style of “stylized”, he acted un normal and very extream pirate way of life and communication. He did this so the audience could connect him to being an actual character from a children’s novel yet bring a bit of scary darkness to this revision to the classic story. In the scene of “Hooks Boo Box”(see below), Hoffman over acts and brings all of the attention to himself as the main pirate among many. This allows us to see the fiction and fantasy of his character. His character is very stylized towards being an evil Pirate , wich is much different from the more serious realistic characters played in the pst but he conquered it marvelously and I hope to see similar roles.

Robin Williams (Peter Pan)

Robin Williams plays as the grown up version of Peter Pan in the film Hook.  When he leaves Neverland as a young boy he forgets all about the pirates and lost boys and Tinkerbell. He turns into the average everyday grumpy work addict that has little time for his children and no time for imagination. This film requires he utilize two types of acting style to show the two lives of Pan. When he is Peter Pan  , lawyer husband and father he acts using realism, he is average and everyday, there is nothing magical or fun about his character. An example of this is when the lost boys find him for the first time he asks “where are all the adults, who is in charge here?” He is clearly still acting like a grown up would.However the longer he stays in Neverland the more his character turn into more of a stylized character, when he crows and attempts to fly he is being animated and clearly acting an impossibly imaginary character would. This character is right up Robin Williams ally. He can be deep and serious and then in an instant flip into somthing completely different and begin a food fight with a mess of children,. His love of laughter comedy and children made him the ultimate Peter Pan .

Julia Roberts (Tinkerbell)

Julia Roberts is an amazing Tinkerbell, I am unsure if she used Method Acting in this role but she also used realism which is “acting that doesn’t draw attention to itself but instead gives the impression of genuine human action and reaction.”(Goodykoontz,2014). As fictional as her character was (being a fairy), her dialog and feeling she made you feel were always of a realistic person with real feelings. There was even a scene between her and Williams where she grants her own wish and becomes a real woman. Throughout this film she stays consistent and calm and strangely beliveable being she is a fairy that sprinkles fairy dust to make people fly.This character is an unlikley choice for Roberts being that she plays a fictional character. She is known for her roles is romance comedy such as Run Away bride and Pretty woman. Also for her to be in a children aimed focal group is also unusual.

references:

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. 

Youtube.com,”The Boo Box,2007. retrieved from “http://youtu.be/TCx-M8dcDhk

Blog 3- “What Kind of Beer”

Movie: Almost Famous

Director: Cameron Crowe

Year:2000

http://cli.ps/bxNF

Almost Famous is a comedy/drama film, the characters portray the time love and era of rock and roll. A teenage journalist ,William Miller (by Patrick Fudgit) gets involved with the band Stillwater in the 1970’s. He is hired on by Rolling Stone to get an insight on the band. While attempting to write his piece he himself gets wrapped up in the lifestyle and falls for the beautiful Penny Lane ( Kate Hudson), whom as fallen to far into the make-believe world of the rich and famous. Together the two live the ups and downs of the bands short-lived success and then demise and separation of the band.

Dialog -Dialog is simple, (most would think) it consists of characters talking back and forth. In the clip below William and Penny and having a conversation. The conversation connects with the three basic reasons to initiate the communication. In this example they are discussing Penny following the band further and William explaining to her not to because she had been traded for a case of beer and petty cash (furthering the plot). Second, this dialog taught us more about the two characters such as Penny believing that she is in love with a band member and that he loves her in return regardless of his significant other. William explains that he believes himself to be more realistic then everyone and warns that he should be feared. The scene ends sadly with Penny wiping a tear from her eye and asking what kind of beer when William rips the band-aid off of the secrete of him witnessing the band sell Penny.( establish quick important information).

Sound Effects-Foley Artists were probably used to make the sound of crunching leaves and sticks under the actors feet while outside. Even though it is quiet and seems unimportant it makes your mind believe the scene is more believable and imaginable to the audience.

walking on sticks

Music-There is music in the background as Penny turns her head to cry, however, for the life of me I cannot find what the song is because it cuts out.But the entire movies sound track is pure gold. Every song selected matches the time and even perfectly. Music is a huge part of this film and without the background music there to make your appreciate it, not all viewers would understand the movie.

References:

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

IMDB, (2000) Almost Famous Motion Picture , IMDB.com. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181875/

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E.T The Extra Terestial

(How lighting effects the film)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Written by: Melissa Mathison
Stars :Henry Thomas (as Elliot), Robert MacNaughton (as Michael),Drew Barrymore as Gertie, Dee Wallace as Mary

The film E.T. The Extra Terrestrial is an American Classic that has been nominated and won multiple awards, and is viewed still as one of the best “Sci-FY” films of all time. With and amazing director (Spielberg), and all star cast to include Drew Barrymore, this film was destined to do well. Although E.T The Extra terrestrial was known for the advanced special effects (for the time), there is another part of this film that was also exceptional and widely acknowledged for its achievements that part is know as “cinematography”.  “The cinematographer is responsible for ensuring there is enough light and typically designs the lighting“look” of a movie”(Goodykoontz & Jacobs,2014)

Because this film is from the genre category of Sy-Fi the main lighting that was used was “Low-Key”.According to Goodykoontz & Jacobs,2014) “Low key light is marked by extreme use of deep shadows, with very high contrast between the brightest parts of the scene and the darkest parts,which are obscured in shadows. Often there may be only a single source of light,coming from the back or the side of the main characters. Low-key lighting is often used for intense dramatic scenes, horror films, mystery thrillers, and the like.” Low Key lighting used shadows to create an eerie suspenseful feel. These shadows are used throughout the entire film. One example is when E.T. raises his finger to point into space at says the infamous quote “E.T. phone home”, the shadow from his finger falls upon Elliot’s (Thomas) face.

The film also used lighting techniques called blacklight, this is when the light is behind the actor while shining at the head or shoulders. This effect caused the character to pop out like in the scene of the bicycles flying in-front of the moon.

Underlighting  is also known as “Halloween” lighting. It is was creates the hair on the back of your neck to stand up. Often it is used for “ spooky, unnatural situations, creates an unsettling mood for viewers because we’re not used to seeing light come from below the subject

Without these effects this movie would not have set the bar for all science fiction, fantasy, adventure… the list goes on of all of the sub genres that this films hits. It is one of my favorites of all time.

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Title: The Lion King

Writer: Irene Mecchi,Jonathan Roberts,Linda Woolverton

Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

Year: 1994

Actors: Jonathan Taylor Thomas (voice of young Simba), Matthew Broderick (voice of adult Simba), James Earl Jones (voice of Mufasa), Jeremy Irons (voice of Scar) Moria Kelly (voice of Adult Nala) Nathen Lane (Puma) ect.

Story: The Lion King, was made in 1994, the story is of a lion cub named Simba (Thomas),His father Mufasa (Jones) is the King and when he steps down Simba will be King.His Uncle Scar (Irona) is jealous of his young nephew and want to take control for himself. Scar sets up a stampede to assassinate King Mufasa. After his father passes away Simba feels as though the tragedy was his fault, so he flees the pride Land and makes acquaintance with a pig and a mearcat. The couple convince Simba to forget the past. He grows into a lion as his home land dies forcing his childhood friend Nala to come and find him.  The four of them return to the pride land and defeated Scar in a battle and are victorious.

Plot: The film starts at pride rock with the birth of the young Lion King Simba. His father walks him through the pride land and explains all the land that will be ruled by the young king when King Mufasa passes. After Mufasas passing Simba runs away fearing he is at fault for his fathers demise. Simba finds himself in a jungle paradise with two friends until he is older. He then returns to Pride Rock to take back the thrown and bring peace back to the pride land.

Chronology:  The film is done chronologically, it shows Simba growing from a cub to an adult lion. If the story was not done in such a matter then we wouldn’t feel that connection with the character.  The timeline shows how he experiences youth and adolescence and how that shapes him to be a King.

[4. If the film had followed a different presentation style, how would the general effect on the audience have been different?]

If the Film was done  non linearly we would be confused with the timeline and why Simba’s outlook changes so dramatically throughout he film.