Screening THE ITALIAN : Focus on one detail or aspect of the film that captured your attention. Example: quality of acting, representation of Italy at the beginning of the film, the "FRAME" (the movie begins with a well off gentleman opening a book), modernity of editing, police conduct, the ethnic origin of the political boss......
1) Leave a comment and reply to the comment immediately above yours.
2) After your classmates have left at least 15 comments, choose one or more that you found interesting and give them kudos (for their smart ideas, or their good writing, or interesting comments etc.)
3) COUNT how many replies you received and send me an email message (Subject: replies to my comment). Whoever gets the most replies will get special credit.
The music is the aspect I found interesting. Obviously with no speaking, the music is vital to the film. The music is carefully selected to place the mood on each scene. Specifically when the hoodlums are planning their attack on Beppo the music takes a turn that suggests peril is head. For the next several minutes following that scene, the music is very loud and almost aggressive to suggest that things are not going well for Beppo. there were times that I was able to look away form the screen but hear the music and knew that something exciting or dangerous was occurring.
ReplyDeleteThe music actually felt a little off for me at first but thinking back the music did fit the lighter mood of the beginning of the movie and did deepen as the mood grew dark and sad. The musical queues(?) certainly did help with understanding what was going on.
DeleteI thought the cuts in the film were very good. They had a nice flow to them. Pretty good editing for a film from 1915. Without good editing a film can be a disaster. And since it wasn't a talkie, it needed to keep you interested or else you would be lost.Still showed Italy as a land with a gap between the rich and the poor, something that was discussed in "Son of Italy".
ReplyDeleteI also found that it was good editing for such an old film. I liked that it had titles in between a few scenes informing us on important things that were happening.
DeleteI love how you made the connection to "Son of Italy" because you see that they both had a similar flow. A man wanted a better life and came to America.
DeleteCompletely agree with this and didn't even take the editing into account. Crazy how Italy was already being portrayed as having an economic gap when it was only 1915.
DeleteI loved the way the pace of the background music went along with each scene. For example, in the beginning of the film, when Annette and Beppo were both holding hands running in the field, the music was calm and mellow; that made me feel at ease. However, Every time the music got faster, I was in greater suspense and I got more anxious about what is going to happen. I also loved the quality of acting during this film. Since it's a silent film with only some background music, the acting had to be more expressive, and it was. When Beppo was angry at the two men that robbed him, you really felt that he was going to go "mad." In addition, when Annette had found out that Tony needed pasteurized milk, you saw and felt her sadness and fear that something will happen to her baby boy if she didn't get that milk for him.
ReplyDeleteThe background music was also what caught my attention the most. I felt the same way you did when the music changed according to the scene. I felt that the music was able to express the emotions of the characters very well and also made you feel the excitement or the sadness of that scene.
DeleteI cannot recall ever seeing a silent film before in whole. Because of this, it was what captured my attention the most. I found it to be very interesting and loved how the music went along with the film. It was like the music was doing the speaking for the characters. It expressed how they felt and how serious, sad, or intense a scene was. What I also liked about this film, was actually seeing an Italian American struggle as an immigrant in America. The cartoons that we discussed last week did a very good job to show us what it was like to be an Italian American, but I personally enjoyed seeing it in a film more.
ReplyDeleteI also felt the music flowed perfectly with the film. when the music changed from light and fun to mysterious you automatically knew that something intense would happen. i enjoyed the film more also
DeleteThat's such a good point! That didn't even come to mind while I was watching it. I've always seen silent films in little pieces, and it was interesting to watch it in one big piece.
DeleteI've never watched a silent film before either. You have a good point about the music because it really did help get the emotions across since the actors could not speak.
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ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite aspects about this film was the humor/overacting. Silent films are notorious for their over acting and over dramatization and I love it. I loved all the bold movements and the energy that each character had, especially Beppo. The tone of the movie was refreshing, it wasn’t just all serious. I thought all of the chase/running scenes were fantastic because of how light-hearted it all was.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree! Stylized acting was a huge part of film in the 20th century and now, it's very rarely used in television or film unless for satire or parodies.
DeleteThe one aspect that captured my attention the most was the use of body language by the actors. It shows how much acting has evolved over the years and how much we now rely on verbal dialogue in television and film. It's refreshing to watch an hour long film, with absolutely no words, and still be able to witness the actors getting across meaning, objectives and motive through just physical gestures and facial expression.
ReplyDeleteI love silent films, I believe that it helps you grasp more. We are not looking into what they characters are saying but the nonverbal communication.
DeleteI love silent films! I think that the filming was pretty good for the time period it was recorded in. My favorite aspect was the music, the music gives you a rush of emotion. Making you feel as if you are actually experiencing what the characters are feeling
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever watched a silent film that was that long before. Although it was black and white and has no speaking ,watching it and seeing the actors/actresses express their emotions in the way they did was something I really was able to see. The part in the gondola was really i part i thought was cute because i felt their love and shyness. Admiration for the sites of Italy. The use of body language and facial expressions really were very good.
ReplyDeleteI agree the body language and facial expressions were used well in order to get their emotions and words across. I've never watched a silent film before this class, but this one really was super long. I was not expecting it to be that long. Especially with the other two only being 10 mins long each.
DeleteThe only silent films I've ever watched were for this class because I don't really them. What I noticed most about this movie was the overacting and dramatization that the actors had to use in order to get their point across. This is important to be good at since there is no speaking the overacting gets what they want to say out with out actually saying it.
ReplyDeleteThis was my first silent film and I'm happy to say that I survived through it, actually enjoying it. I must give props to the music in this film, which is what ties all of this together. The way the music soothes you in times of happiness, adds suspense in times of turbulence and even helps the viewer indulge in certain emotions is simply brilliant. The music and the terrific acting, which has to make up for the dialogue, made this film a terrific one to watch.
ReplyDeleteThis was also my first silent film and I agree I was not as bad as I thought the music made it worth watching
Deletethe music caught my attention the most since there was no talking and its in black and white. The music reminds me of when I took italian class my professor would always put on movies like this but with the actors speaking in Italian. The music make me feel like I'm walking down the streets of italy
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ReplyDeleteThe aspects I found most interesting was the way the music flowed with the film and the way actors used body language to expressed themselves. The film had great depth, it showed the division between the and the poor. I enjoyed the directors use of gestures, mimes and title cards as a form a mute narration.
ReplyDeleteI have watched movies with sound off and oddly it is way different than watching a silent movie. I think was stood out was that the actors were dramatic like wanting to keep the audience aware and engaged in the movie. Dramatic in mannerisms or gestures or like Beppo falling off the boat daydreaming to insinuate he was deep in thought, it was pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteThe aspect that left the biggest impression on me was the acting and the theatricality of the actors. Because of their movements I was able to interpret what was happening, sometimes before the inter-titles would appear. I was pulled in by the wonderful acting of Beppo, you smiled and laughed with him, you felt his pain and sadness even though it was a long black and white, sort of blurry, silent film.
ReplyDeleteThis was my first time watching a silent film and i disliked it. The actors show more emotion and are more dramatic and heavily use body language
ReplyDeleteSince it was a silent film, the music has to have a big presence and I think this movie nailed it. It expressed the feeling very well.
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