Political Filmmaking
Give me an example of how either ideology or hegemony works through one of the example films. Be sure to define what ideology or hegemony means.
The movie adaptation of “1984” by George Orwell presents this idea of ideology as an apparatus used to achieve the goal of ruling through hegemony frighteningly. Instead of simply a conglomerate of thoughts, the picture shows the ruling party’s ideology as a means of dictatorship. People’s lives are ordered according to the Party’s ideology, which is the basis for social norms and ethics. A set of policies such as Newspeak, a language that discourages unorthodox ideas, are put in place by party members who control the flow of information and people’s thinking ability. This is where ideology helps limit what can be said, which supports more party power through linguistic manipulation. Revision of history demonstrates the still more hegemonic character of the Party’s ideology. Its version of history is a tool to shape collective memory for current agendas; hence, it decides how historical events should be conceived (Vallejo & Winton, 2020). Demonstration of ideology in action manifests itself in the falsification of history and silencing of opponents, all aimed at justifying the superiority of the Party by substantiating its rightness towards suppressive actions. The film wonderfully illustrates how the Party invades all dimensions of experience and existence and how, as a result, it imposes a monopolistic ideology on reality.
Additionally, In “1984”, the Party’s perpetual surveillance manifests itself as an intelligent being. Citizens are conscious of this by reminding them that Party orthodoxy demands and punishes obedience. All-encompassing scrutiny prevents disobedience to the norm of Parts, which assures uniformity in ideology. “1984” vividly depicts how ideology can oppress people, subjugate their sense of identity, mold their thoughts, and sustain a nightmarish state of affairs.
Q3. Choose an example film and describe how it makes a political statement or tries to effect political change. Use specific examples and explain exactly how the film might affect that change, drawing on concepts or examples from the course.
Selma” works as more than a history telling because it is a purposeful call that uses the past to illuminate the continuing struggles of oppressed peoples in the present. Rather than showing past occurrences, this film shows what is happening today in terms of systematic oppression and voting suppression by highlighting critical instances such as the Edmund Pettus Bridge event. Representing such injustices is raw and honest, inspiring viewers to compare this with the barriers to equal rights faced even today. More importantly, the film deliberately highlights the fight vote for voting rights, thereby underscoring the power of citizenship and current struggles against unfair voting systems that deny marginalized populations the opportunity to vote. By drawing on the emotional power inherent in such historical events, Ava DuVernay’s directing is such that it makes viewers feel compelled (Kravchenko et al.,2020). “Selma” serves as a mirror that forces people to ponder about their present-day racial discrimination and the denial of voting rights. This gives a voice to audiences that can advocate for their rights by engaging in activism for social and political change. The movie rewrites history as seen today to stimulate spectators with an obligation to preserve and further the advancement that has been achieved in civil rights but not equality. In the end, “Selma” overcomes its role as a historical drama because it serves as a torch to inspire people to fight against social injustices and help create an egalitarian and fair society.
Genre
Q4.Give me an example of how one of the example films plays with genre conventions or the audience’s genre-based expectations to convey meaning or emotion. Take care to explain the conventions of the genre the audience is expecting, how those expectations are manipulated, and the effect of that choice.
The horror genre is cleverly twisted in the film “Get Out,” directed by Jordan Peele, to present a poignant message on modern American racism. However, Get Out disrupts the normative order by anchoring its horror on racism, which proves a malignant force far more dreadful than anything supernatural or monstrous. This starts like a conventional horror story, where an African-American boy named Chris comes to visit his white girl’s family on the farm. Audiences expect traditional horror elements like jump scares and ghost apparitions (Fedorov & Levitskaya, 2022). Despite this, Peele cleverly deconstructs these conventions as allegories about the alarming fact of racial colonization and co-option. “Sunken Place” is a frightening icon that symbolizes the exclusion and gaging of Black mouths. He undermines the expected outcome in horror such that it becomes a practical and provoking experience. Such a genre serves as a tool that explores race relations on a more sophisticated level, exposing the horror inherent in institutionalized racism. The subversion evokes some fears in society. Therefore, the audience is engaged emotionally and intellectually.
Contrary to typical horror stereotypes, the film exploits genre as a potent medium of cultural critique. Mixing horror and incendiary race critiques enables us to escape from common movie genres. Its uniqueness enables it to go beyond traditional horror audiences by resonating as a relevant and critical piece of art. Using the film genre, “Get Out” offers an essential message about society with power.
Documentary
Q6.Which of Bill Nichol’s modes of documentary does animated documentary best fit into? Use an example from one of the example films to support your argument. Be sure to explain the features of the mode or modes of documentary you choose.
Bill Nichols’ “Poetic Mode” emphasizes subjective experiences rather than objective realities. This agreement can be seen in Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir. For the film, he has a technique of mixing animation with a documentary that illustrates his memories of that wartime and associated mental traumas.3 For “Waltz with Bashir,” we are not talking about factual truth but about broken and unnerving experiences that Israeli soldiers had during the 1982 Lebanon war. Through its artistic license, viewers can observe subjective memories, dreams, and emotions that give way to a touching story transcending documentary reality (Jokela et al.,2021). Traits of Nichol’s Poetic Mode in animation docu-films such as “Waltz with Bashir.” Prioritizes a person’s emotional experience over objective truth. True, animation captures a story’s emotional sincerity and psychological complexity, which factual filmmaking cannot. The writer of “Waltz with Basher” uses poetry in documentary animation that gives more attention to the ability of images to affect the viewers and the deeper meaning of things. Surreal animation brings an atmosphere where one is confused but gets it heartfelt. It also reminds me of how he remembered that battle. They have symbolic and dreamlike sequences that are potent in representing memory, trauma, and deep analysis. Through its symbolic portrayal, the film discloses sublime sentiments of the terror resulting from war. The non-linear story tells the impact of war’s brutality on the protagonist in their subjective experiences through the enrichment of evocative images and symbolic imagery to make the audience wonder about the impact of war’s brutality on the protagonist. “Waltz with Bashir” articulates this through its impressive artistry and metaphorical storytelling, prompting spectators to ponder the inscription the conflict has been etching on man’s soul since immemorial.
References
Fedorov, A., & Levitskaya, A. (2022). Theoretical Concepts of Film Studies in Cinema Art Journal in the First Post-Soviet Years: 1992–2000. International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, 7(2), 355-397.
Jokela, T., Huhmarniemi, M., Beer, R., & Soloviova, A. (2021). They are mapping a new genre of Arctic art. Arctic Yearbook, 2021.
Kravchenko, N. К., Goltsova, M. G., & Kryknitska, I. O. (2020). Politics as art: The creation of a successful political brand. Journal of History Culture and Art Research, 9(4), 314-323.
Vallejo, A., & Winton, E. (2020). Introduction—Volume 1: Documentary film festivals: Methods, history, politics. Documentary film festivals vol. 1: Methods, history, politics, 1-17.
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