Contextual Studies - Surrealism

For today's contextual studies lesson, we looked into the concept of surrealism and the ways in which it is portrayed through films and other art forms.
Numerous films that displayed surrealism included:

• Un Chien Andalou 
• Blue Velvet
• Destino

We also looked at a film that in contrast showed rationalism and was realistic. This film was:

• A Brief Encounter

Finally, we explored the proper ways to write film reviews and how being conservative with our reviews would benefit us academically. To do this we reviewed four American film reviews of Spider-Man 3 and compared their similarities and differences. Their similarities were that they were partially were biased and informal but their differences were that they each focused on limited aspects of the film itself, such as only the actors or the plot. We also discovered that their main purpose was not to promote the film but to simply state their own opinions of it as they hadn't used the Harvard referencing method and they were more critical than conservative.

Our recommended read was "Understand Film Studies (Teach Yourself) by Warren Buckland as it is thought to be one of the best in explaining the basics of reviewing films along with how to be analytical.

Contextual Studies lesson 2

During today's Contextual Studies class, we discussed the concept of Avant Garde and its impact on influencing forms of media, such as Films and Music.

We also learnt that the origin of Avant Garde derived from German Expressionism films due to the usage of disfigured and warped sets and the harsh and stern use of colour severity. Along with this, we watched severeal short clips from films that's challenged the use of Avant Garde, such as "The Bicycle Thief" along with the Judo scene from "The Matrix" that experimented with idea of speed and sound portraying a faster notion that in realityWe later looked at numerous definitions for the words:

• Utopia

• Dystopia

• Avant Garde

An interesting source I found for describing definitions of Utopia and Dystopia came from John Miltons "Paradise Lost":“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..”I think that this is an interesting quote from an authentic source because it initiates the idea of a Utopia and a Dystopia to be enjoyed at ones own will rather than simply relying on elements in the atmosphere.

Our group later each chose films that we felt personally associated with the idea of Utopia and Dystopia:

I chose "The Great Gatsby" - The idea of 1920s New York being a paradise compared with Nick's perception of New York in the end to be "haunted"

Rachel chose "Animal farm" - The idea of uprising against an unfit dystopia placed upon them

Ria chose "Mad Max"- The idea of creating havoc

Laura chose "A Clockwork Orange" - The idea of youth being programmed to detest violence