In this blog post, I’d like to explore the healing and transformative power of chocolate, the characters’ conflicts and growth, the tension between religious austerity and natural human desires, interpretations based on the theories of art by Plato and Aristotle, and the meaning of life conveyed through the film’s fairy-tale-like visual beauty, all through the lens of director Lasse Hallström’s...
How Does Violence Blur the Line Between Good and Evil?
In this blog post, I’ll examine ‘Eastern Promises’ from the perspectives of the gangster genre and the noir anti-hero, exploring how the boundary between good and evil is shaken and eroded as the violent world and the ordinary world collide. The Catharsis Arising from the Reversal of Good and Evil: Gangster Films The origins of the gangster genre, which began in the United...
Why did the tabloids turn Joyce into the target of a witch hunt?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the sensationalism of tabloid journalism, the nature of witch hunts, and Joyce McKee’s obsessive devotion to love through the story of Joyce McKee, who traveled to England in search of her missing fiancé. Joyce McKee: In Search of Her Missing Fiancé The film tells the story of a woman named Joyce McKee who embarks on an adventure to find her fiancé, who has...
Why did ‘Cloud Atlas’ attempt to connect such different lives and time periods?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the unique structure of ‘Cloud Atlas’, which weaves together six episodes across different genres into a single narrative, and explore the film’s meaning—focusing on the message it conveys based on the concept of reincarnation and the story of Son Mi. The Unique Structure and Diverse Genres of ‘Cloud Atlas’ When ‘Cloud...
Why does Clarice try to silence the screams of the sheep through Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill?
In this blog post, we’ll examine the plot of ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, the psychological battle between Clarice and Hannibal Lecter, the process of tracking down Buffalo Bill, and the cinematic techniques used to create fear and tension in key scenes. The Film’s Plot and Clarice’s Nightmare The film opens with the protagonist, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), an FBI trainee...
Why Didn’t Charlie Turn in His Friend? Honor and Inner Growth in ‘Scent of a Woman’
In this blog post, we’ll examine the plot and psychological transformations of the characters in ‘Scent of a Woman’ through the lens of Propp’s 31 functions, analyzing the image of the modern hero through the misfortunes, deficiencies, temptations, hardships, and inner growth experienced by Charlie and Frank. ‘Scent of a Woman’ Viewed Through Propp’s 31 Functions...
Can a robot that never dies truly be considered human-like?
In this blog post, I’d like to examine, through the movie ‘The Bicentennial Man’, what makes humans human and how the meaning of life and death relates to human nature. Before actually watching ‘The Bicentennial Man’, I assumed it was either a typical sci-fi film featuring robots that threaten humanity’s survival, or—conversely—a predictable story where a robot and...
If Jesus wants to destroy humanity, why is he trying to save people?
In this blog post, I’ll examine director Hal Hartley’s ‘The Book of Life’ through the lens of the fantasy genre’s hero’s journey and the theme of “destruction and salvation.” I’ll explore the film’s unique perspective—which both follows and subverts genre conventions—and its questions about good and evil. ‘The Book of Life’ Through the Lens of Fantasy Conventions I...
Can Humans Become Gods? The Western Genre and the Human Condition as Portrayed in ‘El Topo’
In this blog post, we’ll examine the characteristics of the Western genre as depicted in Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ‘El Topo’, the instinctual nature of the film’s characters, the significance of the title “El Topo” (The Mole), and the film’s message about human life. The Western Genre and ‘El Topo’ Historically, the Western genre overlaps with the history of American...
How does ‘The Unforgiven’ subvert the conventions of the Western genre and push it forward?
In this blog post, I’ll explore how ‘The Unforgiven’ subverts the conventions of both traditional Westerns and Spaghetti Westerns, offering a fresh perspective on the genre’s heroes and villains. Macaroni Western? Western? Western films produced in Italy during the 1960s and 1970s to cut costs are collectively referred to as “Macaroni Westerns” or “Spaghetti Westerns.” I’m not...