Silent Films; waste of time or work of art?

Films of the Silent Film era. For the most part, they are simple, basic, and don' t have much to them. If you look at some of the films like, for example, "The Kiss", there is literally nothing to them. At the time though, in a world where movies were new, it would have been amazing, fascinating, and probably was worth the money paid to see it. But unfortunately, because of the new technologies and advances in theater you see now a days, with the amazing graphics, intense plot, and even 3D technology? It is nothing. All artistic simplicity, all appreciation for the simplest things, has been forgotten. Everything has to be intense, flashy, attention-grabbing. The criteria for a "good movie" is so high up, we have forgotten to even appreciate the idea of it all. For my opinion on the movies in this time period... considering the time they were in, I can come to appreciate them. Their simplicity, and the idea of the fascination of the people when they went to see it for the first time, makes me have some sort of appreciation towards them. These were the movies that brought us to where we are today. They may be lacking fancy effects, colour, sound? But they are the milestones that brought us to where we are today.

Granted, would a silent film like we watched in class be seen today, with our raised bar of what we have been told is "quality" and "a good flim", no one would come to appreciate it. No one would spent the time or the money. Sure there is nothing to them but the basic excitement of seeing a film for the first time (for when they were first released), but you have to appreciate the leaps and bounds that had been made to come from those films to the ones we see today. Not only that, but in films we see today, it leaves nothing to the imagination. It tells you when the characters meet, what they do, how they act, how they end up. It doesn't leave us wondering what will happen, what did happen, and what could happen. Like in "The Kiss", the couple could have millions of stories behind them. They could be on their 30th anniversary, they could be putting on a happy mask to hide their true feelings, they could be anything! There is just so many options and ideas that we could infer from it. Movies in the modern day, they share all details and leave nothing for the imagination. Like a lot of things you see now a days, it is just given to you. Here's this movie, this is what happens, and that's all there is to it. Everything is premade, prepackaged, pre-thought out, just like these movies. There is nothing unique or exciting to them. It's all the same, and what you see is all you get. When you look at the old movies, with their simplicity, it leaves you wondering, thinking. It gives you time to think about what you've seen and infer whatever you want from it. In that sense, and historically, they are incredible. But when you contrast them against modern day films in the view of almost anyone on earth? They are nothing, unless we can come to appreciate the artistic simplicity of them.

For example, The Kiss. Contrast it against modern day romances, with tension, plot, different scene, and timelines reaching throughtout years at a time? There is nothing to it. Some might even find it unattractive to watch because the featured people are older, and not youthful like you find now a days. But, from my perspective, I can appreciate the simplicity of it, and it comes off almost artistic to me.

Another example, the Train Robbery. If you contrast it against the Action/Adventure films that come out in our modern day, it is dull and eventless. Were we in the time period? They would've been exciting, thrilling, scary even! They weren't used to seeing such action in their every day lives.

And lastly, the trip to the moon. Of course it's unrealistic, and doesn't make much sense. But it is exciting, full of adventure of the unknown. We now know what is on the moon and almost all the details to it, but they didn't back then, so imagine the excitement to see the concept of what could be there, for the first time.

These silent films, they do have interest historically, for they are milestones to where we are today, but, with the right eye watching them, they can be works of art in their simplicity, and their ideas that leave much to the imagination.

"Tell me what you know about dreamin', dreamin'. You don't really know about nothing, nothing."

I chose this video of the song Pursuit of Happiness by Kid Cudi (The Megaforce Remix) not only because it has to be one of my favourite songs, but also because the video, though lacking much sense, seems like an interesting enough one to dissect and talk about in my Blog Assignment.

In this video, the reality that is shown in the video can no more easily be described as a that of a stoner. Kid Cudi is famous for smoking marijuana and expressing his love for it, so it is to no surprise that yet another one of his videos are of him, surrounded by smoke, and most obviously high. The reality portrayed in the video is neither realistic or practical, and seems to be working every stereotype of someone who would likely smoke weed; lazy, hallucinogenic, and generally out of it. The portrayal of Kid Cudi, constantly going to stand up but ending up back on the couch, shows laziness, or perhaps even the inability to stand up straight. The strange women and people seen at the party, as well as Kid Cudi shown pretending to climb out a window more then once, are his hallucinations, and his inability to think or see clearly. The smoke shown floating around no doubt is a representation of marijuana smoke, helping even more with the stoner stereotype, making it seem like all Cudi does is smoke up and laze around, hallucinating about strange women. This same idea is shown in a good number of his videos, for example, his song "Day and Night" (Crookers Remix) shows him smoking up and hallucinating at work as well.

The Creeds and Values in this video are somewhat difficult to understand if you think about it. On one hand, it could easily be promoting the use of Marijuana. On the other, the portrayal of Kid Cudi the "stoner" is not exactly an ideal one. He is shown as slow moving, lazy, out of sorts, not exactly happy, for if you notice he doesn't smile. The song itself backs this up, with it's slow beat, and title; "Pursuit of Happiness". He is looking for it, but has not yet found it. From the looks of it it's not an ideal life style, so though it could be promoting the use of Marijuana, it could also be setting up an image of someone who does, not exactly in a flattering way, to try and deter people from doing as Cudi does.

This video may appeal to teenagers because of it's drug references. It could appeal to the ones that use drugs in the way that they can relate to it, and it could also appeal to others who don't, who are curious about it, and find interest in something they are not used to nor see on a usual basis. Kid Cudi leads his life in a way that not many do, and when they do, they don't express it as openly as he does. This comes as an interest to people, as it does to me, because it's so different from the ways we are used to.

Though there is not much to it, I do believe it is a well done video, with good visual effects and an interesting mood that has been set. It is unique, very different from the ones you now a days. I can come to appreciate the originality of this video, and do enjoy watching it. So in all, I believe this was a well done video, even if it's intentions are not exactly clear.

I'm On the Pursuit of Happiness

"And I'll scream,

so loud that everyone in this place,

will hear every word I say.

'Cause this is my time, this is my time to shine,

let nothing stand in our way."

-A Day to Remember

Media is very important in my life. Though I like certain types of media more so that I like it overall. I am very passionate about music and well thought through films, so they are very important to me. Music, Films and Television are most important to me in media. I grew up in a musical family, and have been surrounded by it all my life, so it has come to be an important aspect in my life. My family also frequently sits down together to watch a movie, and we analyze the movies to determine if it could be considered a "good movie" or not. For example, In Bruge, Synecdoche New York, and Little Miss Sunshine are all movies that we watched together and enjoyed. Television as well, because I know for sure that there are a few shows that I could not live without, such as That 70's show, Arrested Development, Big Bang theory and The Office.

Our modern popular culture is, in my opinion, a bit too superficial. It is based around looks and flash, rather then function and originality. I do appreciate some of the new technologies to help us communicate in different ways, but at the same time I know it's a bit unnecessary. I don't like how pop culture is so superficial, and sometimes even solely based around money and profit. I use media for entertainment and you might even say a hobby, because I grew up playing music and making mini-movies, etc., so it's a big part of my life.

One form of media I have a strong, passionate connection to is music. I have grown up around music and have been living with it all my life, to the point that it has become my life in a sense. My favourite artists, the ones that are most inspirational to me, would have to be A Day to Remember, Jack Johnson and other bands such as Modest Mouse, Bright Eyes, and Eminem, to name a few. I like a large variety of styles in music, and could easily say I love every type of music. Music has gotten me through a lot of rough patches, and has always been there to offer me the support that no one else could, so it is definitely a huge part of my life.