Detour: The Portrayal of Women

     When I first read the question about the portrayal of women in Detour on blackboard I figured it would be a very simple and straightforward answer. When Sue explains to Al that she is going to travel to L.A. to pursue her dreams, Al was not very supportive and a bit rude. Because of this, I figured throughout the movie women would be treated as the inferior. However, Vera came along and really made this question a lot more interesting. I described Vera in my notes as bossy, inconsiderate, demanding, and a word that starts with B and rhymes with itchy. Vera seemed to really have all of the power over Al throughout the film. The interesting part of this film was Ulmer’s ability to create a likeable character such as Sue and then bring Vera into the film and really create an interesting plot twist. Al could never catch a break.

Freaks

Is Freaks a Horror movie or not?

      While watching this film I could not help but notice the similarities Freaks had with the 1980's film The Elephant Man. In The Elephant Man there is also a disfigured man that is treated horribly and must make a living as a side-show "freak." I used The Elephant Man to help come to a conclusion about whether Freaks is a horror film or not. Personally, I do not think Freaks is a horror movie. The Elephant Man has been described as a drama, and I feel that Freaks should be in the same genre. I believe the only reason Freaks has been categorized as a horror film is because of the way society viewed disfigured people during the 1930's. I would find it very surprising if a screenwriter attempted at making a script similar to Freaks in 2014 and considered it a horror movie. So I ask you, how would society react to Freaks if it was produced in the 21st century?

-Jake

Sherlock Jr. Reaction

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this short film. Having not watched too many black and white films I was not really sure what my reaction was going to be. Personally, the visual gags were really what made this movie both comedic and entertaining to me. Sherlock Jr. was filled with funny gags that would often times be categorized as slapstick. One example that gave me a laugh would be when the protagonist attempted a classic prank by trying to trip the antagonist with a banana peel, and failed miserably I might add. This was especially funny because I have been playing a good amount of Mario Kart during my time in college. Also, the pool scene had me laughing simply because of the facial expressions the two antagonists were making. In my opinion, the gags are what made the film so entertaining. Although I do love watching awesome animated films that we have today, it is always a pleasant experience to watch a silent comedy and see how far filmmaking has really come over the past century. Also, I was impressed with some of the filming techniques that were used throughout this film. The one scene in particular that really caught my eye was when the protagonist jumped through the woman’s stomach in an attempt to lose the antagonists. I really enjoyed this film and I hope to continue to build a silent comedy vocabulary over this semester.

-Jake

Bienvenidos!

     Hey everyone! My name is Jake Ostmann and I am currently a freshman just beginning my Electronic Media career this semester. I love everything music. Playing music has truly been a huge part of my life and I do not know where I would be without it. I would say I have a pretty eclectic taste for music so try me! I also have a strong passion for traveling, and I am very grateful for the amazing experiences I have been able to have along the way. There is something about immersing myself into an unfamiliar culture or environment that gets me going.

     I decided to take this class because I felt that it would be a great way to start exposing myself to film terminology for E-Media. As far as my taste in film goes, it all depends on my mood. However, if I could only watch one genre of film the rest of my life, I would choose comedy. Recently I have been enjoying T.V. series such as Entourage-which I highly recommend- and New Girl. 

- Jake