Twenty Thousand leagues under the Sea

Join Disney under the sea in a film that has none of the classic Disney stereotypes such as singing lobsters, talking clown fish, and mermaids. This film instead has real life character feelings and conflicts, with an adorable fun-loving seal that melts the hearts of all. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea brings the classic novel to life.

20,000 Leagues movie cover 

In the late 1860s the seas have became an unsafe place, with several ships being lost. Sailors have returned to tell horrifying stories a savage narwhal that keeps sinking ships. A group of professor, assistants, and a professional whaler, all join in an expedition in attempts to unravel the mystery.

James Mason; Captain Nemo

James Mason plays the misunderstood Captain Nemo who only seeks revenge. Kirk Douglas portrays Ned Land a simple man and harpooner. Paul Lukas plays professor Pierre Arronax the marine biologist.

Final Blog

Throughout this film class eagerly at times viewing several movies in the back far right of a class several facts about movies have became known to me. Most movies have a main story, but along with that a deeper side story, which is mostly a theory and not proven. As several know, another important and obvious fact is that movies can have great writing, but horrible actors, and make a disaster of a film, or they can have great actors, but horrible writing, and have the same effect. When watching movies I have also learned that production values are an asset, no matter who is acting or directing.



With all movies there is of course a main story, but with several that I have viewed in this class there is another story to the main one. This sort of second story, is never evident, and sometimes just a theory and a mere thought and myth in the movie. One example is the classic western, The Searchers. Several have said that the main character, Ethan Edwards, is the father of the missing daughter Debbie, and not that of his brothers.






Several movies that we have viewed in this class have had horrible actors but fantastic writing, well at least in my opinion. One actor that stands out to me in this category is Karen Allen in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film was of course fantastic, but Karen did a horrible job of portraying Jone's love interest. Karen was great in the film Scrooged, but other than that she only disappoints. Another actor who displayed this action was Cary Grant in North by Northwest. The writing for the film was not superb, but it wasn't bad either, and with a good actor this can be hidden, but with Grant it was only highlighted.



Production values have been proved to be an asset, and a sometimes even the savior to a horrible film. The money invested into a film has always been a large factor in a success of a film, but with times changing and new technology being made the old film advances and classic great scenes have been reduced to a chuckle now, even though it use to make headlines in papers. Lord of the Rings would be nothing without the glittering special effects and CGI. E.T. would of not had the buzz and success it did without the whooping 10 million used to generate a smile on eager faces.




Film studies has forever effected how I view any movie. Instead of sitting and waiting for the end, I now analyze every detail, and attempt to find the morals of the film. When I see a special effect rather than my jaw dropping open in amazement, I wonder how much that cost. The way I watch movies has been changed, but for the better.

West-Side Story

West side story takes Romeo and Juliet to a musical point of view. With several song selections that have had audience members singing and dancing along with for almost sixty years. The film teaches that though people may be different fighting can get you nowhere, and that love never dies.

West Side Story film cover 

Two rival gangs of New York the white jets led by Riff, and the Puerto Rican Sharks, led by Bernardo. One of the former jet members, Tony, met Bernardo's sister, Marie at her very first dance. Though the two mooks have only recently met they instantly feel in love, a passionate love they no one can stop. They both begin meeting each other in secret, with plans to run away, a rumble between the sharks and jets broke up for control of the streets. Maria sends Tony to stop it, and then tragedy strikes the streets of New York as several gang members die.

Marie and Tony 

This film is considered a classic now and even in its time. It has won a number of prestigious awards such as Golden Globes and Academy awards. West Side Story is a classic that once watched forever ponders in your mind. The forbidden love classic has helped to teach millions the morals and how love can conquer all.

Citizen Kane

A rich man whom the world knew by Kane, dies and utters the word “Rosebud” as his final remark. The town spends several precious hours investigating in attempts to decipher, what this last word could have meant. Reporters prod through his life speaking to past loves, and people who were closet to him.

Citizen Kane Movie cover 

Kane was known by many things throughout his city. He was called a collector, humanitarian at sorts, newspaper tycoon, but most importantly he was called millionaire. Though, he lived a rich life, he was not rich in the beginning, living with his mother she cautiously signed him over to a wealthy men. When the film visits this flashback it shows a young Kane happily prancing through the snow, and holding a sled, but then he hears the news and is immediately broken. Reporters had no power to investigate this memory, thus no power to know that rosebud was Kane’s childhood sled, which was incinerated inside his mansion.

Kane's childhood sled

The renowned Kane is played by Orson Welles. Jedediah Leland Kane's friend and colleague is portrayed by Joseph Cotten. Susan Alexander who was his mistress help the reporters to shed light onto the case and is played by Dorothy Comingore.

North by Northwest

When an executive producer is mistaken for a government agent he must flee from airplanes, irritable men, and an imposturous woman. The man pleads with several people of the incidents, but no one seems to buy his story, until he meets a team of American agents/spies. This case of mistaken identity dramatically alters his day, and future, possibly for the best.

North by Northwest movie cover

Roger O. Thornhill, the man who has been mistaken, was forced to drink a bottle of bourbon. He was then shoved into a vehicle on a downward hill slope, he victoriously survives the dangerous ride through nothing but luck. He was charged with drunk driving and had now damaged his records, and his relationship with his Mother. To make matters worse while in attempts of clearing his name, he witness a man get a knife to the back, and he being at the wrong place at the wrong time was charged with murder and wanted. To escape this he flees on a train where he meets Eve, who is secretly an agent, and not who she says. Thornhill still in attempts of cleaning this giant mess of a mistake, he follows clues to a rural highway. There at the highway one of the most famous scenes occurs, an armed crop-ducting plane swoops over his head and viciously begins attacking him. Thornhill somehow survives, once again, and finds new love and the proper identity.

Famous plane scene 

 

Thornhill is played by Cary Grant. His love interest with a back story is portrayed by Eva Marie Saint. Philip Vandamm a foreign spies and pretend art collector is portrayed by  James Mason.

Yellow Submarine and Let it Be

Two films, by the most influential and renowned rock stars, Yellow Submarine a hallucinogenic LSD trip, and Let it Be a documentary. Yellow Submarine takes you on a journey to a place where music has been banned and the towns people are still and blue. Let it Be takes you through an everyday rehearsal with the superstars.

Yellow Submarine movie cover 

In Let it Be even the most inattentive viewers can notice the tension between all the artists. Which is said to be the most likely reason for the split, creative differences. This brief documentarian film takes you through the creative process, by filming an everyday secession of the four practicing, then ending with the legendary rooftop concert. The ending truly is a gem to see as you listen to them play at their best, and view the smiling faces of the neighboring people, who have just realized The Beatles are playing outside, for their amusement.

Roof top concert at the tail end of Let it Be

Yellow Submarine is an animated, and very different styled type of film. Many possible drug references are said, some obvious and others only sly remarks. Having difficulty following can be common, because the film takes you one way, then goes a different direction, and continues to do so confusing several, but maybe not members of the mushroom kingdom.

Ben Hurr

Acclaimed as several things in its time a cinematic masterpiece, one of the greatest movies in history, and winner of three Golden Globe awards including best picture. I anticipated in viewing this movie mainly because of the hype brought with its film history, but I couldn't help but fall asleep. This so called masterpiece manged to put me into a deep sleep with every attempt, that I spent viewing it.Although, I had no interest in the story, and was solemnly entertained I very much admired the fact that it took place in the time of Christ and is refereed to as The Christ Story.

Scene from the chariot race, shown here is Ben Hurr in his chariot 

The plot has simple elements, nothing is complex about the story. Prince Judah Benn Hurr hears that his lifelong childhood friend, Messala, has been named commander of the Roman Garrison. He was thrilled in hearing this news, but after meeting Messala he realized he had changed. Messala  wanted Hurr to help him force the Jews into to converting to Roman Catholicism.  Hurr of course refused this and because of this refusal he was forced into the galley to become a slave. Judah escaped with pure luck and skill and finds his mother and sister, and plans revenge on his past friend.

Movie cover for Ben Hur

The divine Charlton Heston plays the main character, the heroic Ben Hur. Haya Harareet was a woman that was in a forced marriage to be freed from slavery. Stephen Boyd portrays the evil and conniving Messala.