Analysis of “Chocolat”, “Million Dollar Baby” and “The Aviator” Films
Chocolat Film Analysis Outside Reading Response
The film of interest is Chocolat by Lasse Hallstrom, released in 2000. In an article by Mitchel Elvis, published in the New York Times on December 15, 2000, the author provides an honest but shallow commentary about the movie. It was a time of technological development, and the show was slowly gaining online presence after Google’s invention in 1995. Thus, Mitchell’s commentary was mainly informed by a personal experience or viewing of the video rather than online analyses (Mitchell, 2000). Hence, the commentary honestly links the program to its theme of virtues. At one point, Mitchel expresses skepticism in the movie by stating that the director had a supernatural faith in his capability to develop the movie. She even proposes an ideal title for the flick “Invasion of Mole People,” expressing discontent in its overall production. Mitchell’s commentary disregards the efforts taken in shooting the cinema at a time of significant technological advancements.
Anatomy of a Scene
Florian Zeller’s elaboration of movie-making offers the audience a deeper understanding of a twist of emotions in developing the central theme or story in a film. In the clip, a scene from a program shows Antony Hopkins having a twisting conversation with his daughter. At one point, a viewer understands the reality from Hopkins’ perspective and later learns that everything is not okay when he cannot remember his visitor (The New York Times, 2021). Zeller helps in elaborating the primary intent of the unpredictable events to engage audiences, hence drawing their attention to wanting to know more about a theme by not being “comfortable.”
Plot Synopsis
The film starts with the lead character, Vianne, settling in a small town in France with her daughter, Anouk, where she is treated with hostility from the residents. Mayor Reynaud, a conservative Catholic, considers Vianne’s existence unsettling to the values of the community, mainly when she opens a chocolate shop during Lent (“Chocolat 2000″). However, Vianne easily wins over the town citizens as they continue to visit and buy chocolate from her store – much to Reynaud’s chagrin, as he views this as an aggressive temptation to the residents during a holy season.
Vianne soon befriends Armande, an aged diabetic woman who expresses her sadness at being isolated from Luc, her grandson, as her daughter, Caroline, believes she is a negative force influence in her life (“Chocolat 2000″). Vianne arranges for Luc to reunite with Armande in private, and the two develop a blossoming friendship. Furthermore, another young lady, Josephine, seeks help from Vianne after her spouse, Serge, severely abuses her. She starts helping Vianne at the store and develops a strong bond with her. Over time, she develops a sense of identity and faith in herself and declines when Serge approaches to take her back.
At that time, a Romani group joins the community, and Vianne meets Roux there, whom she develops feelings for. Caroline also observes Luc and Armande’s bond and understands that Luc needs the presence of his grandmother to be happy. During Armande’s birthday, Serge arrives at the gathering, enraged by Josephine’s refusal, and lights a fire at the party, killing Armande. Vianne is lonely and frustrated with the changes, and she wishes to relocate. However, the town citizens express their respect and affection for her, and she agrees to stay. Serge finally admits to Reynaud that he sparked the flame, and Reynaud exiles him from the town. Angry, Reynaud heads to the store to destroy Vianne’s chocolates before Easter but only ends up sampling the chocolate and capitulating to its allure (“Chocolat 2000″).
Vianne locates him, and they all resolve their differences and become friends. Caroline and Reynaud continue dating in the following year. When Roux arrives, he reunites with Vianne as Josephine starts and runs her café. The narrator is also later revealed to be Vianne’s grown daughter Anouk.
Interesting Camera Technique
The most notable techniques are evident from 33.30 when Viane tells her daughter the secret of her chocolate recipe. In this scene, Vianne’s voice-over is heard as the camera focuses on the narrated stories. At one point, the camera focuses on a cup of chocolate prepared by Vianne’s father. The chocolate is shared among some men sited at a fireside in the evening. The camera moves across the set, revealing a past moment where Anuok’s grandfather prepares the chocolate (“Chocolat 2000″). The camera focuses on the chocolate ingredients and later quickly flashes to the men at the fireside and later on a couple making love.
Both close-up and long shots are used to emphasize the message of the narration; for example, at the fireside, the camera zooms in on a lady’s face from the other side of the flame to illuminate her face. A close shot is also used on the couple making love, but pillars emphasized by quick camera movements blur it. Overall, although the film was developed when camera quality was substandard, the close and long shots and camera movements emphasize meaning and develop the theme.
Post-Production Technique
Lighting and music are the most apparent post-production techniques employed in the movie. In particular, Rachel Portman’s brilliant melodies are used to elevate scenes. Low lighting is also used to illustrate the time of day, such as night time in the elaborated scene above when Vianne narrates the history of chocolate to her daughter Anouk and when Sege lights a fire at the shore Armande’s birthday. However, the sound quality is poor and unbalanced, reflecting the period that the program was produced, 2000, when film production techniques had not advanced to include proper sound mechanisms.
Film Evaluation
Chocolat is an intriguing mix of faith and romance, shifting from love stories to deeper evaluations of morals and religion. The film is based in a small French town, highlighting the interaction of characters and camera techniques. The movie is shot in 2000, which explains the low quality of post-production techniques such as sound and lighting; however, camera focus and movements facilitate the elaboration of the message.
Million Dollar Baby Movie Analysis Outside Reading Response
In a 2005 commentary about the film Million Dollar Baby, the author criticizes analyses about the movie’s focus as euthanasia, but it ignores class, gender, and hard work (The New York Times, 2005 a). In particular, the author argues that the movie has more positive lessons than a focus on Maggie’s fate. I agree with the author that the program’s primary intent is to encourage persistence and hard work; however, the video’s ending would also leave the audience confused about its main lesson.
Anatomy of a Scene
The scene illustrates an elaboration of filmmaking from a director’s perspective through Antony Hopkin’s role in The Father. In particular, Florian Zeller explains the twist of events that create a desire among audiences to watch the movie to know the ending (The New York Times, 2021). The description creates insight into movie creation and particularly the development of events from both the viewers’ perspective and the director’s desire to watch a movie.
Plot Synopsis
Million Dollar Baby is about the most iconic boxing legends, featuring the tenacious, down-and-out amateur boxer who goes all the way to be a global champion, motivated by personal desire and the aid of a crusty coach. The film’s oddity, and it is not a very inventive one, is that the fighter is a female. In her early thirties, Maggie Fitgerald, a young waitress, arrives at a retired cut man, Frank Dunn’s gym.
Frank is a part-time manager and instructor and practically declines to train Maggie because she is a woman. However, Maggie refuses to leave until he offers to coach her (IMDB, n.d). He finally agrees, swayed by her evident sass and the subtle nudging from his affable, blind-in-one-eye doorman, “Scrap.” Maggie mastered footwork and fist work in a year, perfected her physique to a lethal muscularity, and began winning pro fights, primarily by knockout. About two years later, she is competing for the WBA welterweight global championship with high hopes. Maggie managed to win the champions transforming her family’s status regardless of the backlash she receives.
Camera Technique and Post Production Techniques
The opening scene is a mid-shot of Billie tossing the illicit punch, accompanied by battle on motion as Maggie’s head and body turn from the impact of the blow. This, along with sinister non-diegetic notes, informs the listener that this was not a legitimate punch and foretells the possibility that this punch would be devastating. The shot-reverse-shot technique is then used to depict Maggie dropping in slow motion.
Later, Frankie is also shown with a shocked expression on his forehead, supplying further proof that Billie throws an unlawful, harmful blow. The aim-reverse-shot technique is used again, this time from Frankie, the trainer, in a long shot, showing the ring and chair, covering her paralysis, and returning to Maggie collapsing towards the seat. Another shot-reverse shot is utilized to present a mid-shot of Frankie catching the stool in an attempt to lift it, then returning to Maggie, who is sliding too fast for him, and a close-up shot of her neck-to-stool impact. A clear cut is also used from the neck impact to reveal an extreme close-up of Maggie’s arm collapsing timidly to the concrete, indicating that she is paralyzed. A cross-cutting strategy is used to reveal a close-up of Eddie, who is trembling in horror while he sees the battle on TV.
A mid-shot is utilized to depict Billie watching Maggie and wondering what happened to her. This is followed by a direct cut to the coach in mid-shot, gazing in shock, indicating a desperate situation. Throughout, all of the fictional noises, such as Frankie grasping the chair stand, the neck impact, and people gasping, are amplified and noisy, emphasizing the events occurring in slow motion visually.
Personal Analysis
Million Dollar Baby illustrates the connection of very distinct people unimaginably. The theme illustrates how people can go beyond their limits to fulfill their needs, just like Maggie and Frankie. In the beginning, Maggie is illustrated as a poor waitress who depends on food remains to survive. Equally, Frankie is so drawn to training a champion that he becomes frustrated when his trainees leave for more popular managers. The two characters combine their inadequacies and achieve their dreams through commitment and consistency.
The Aviator Movie Analysis Outside Reading Response
In a 2005 article in the New York Times, the author argues that the Aviator theme is based on an original script. The comment is based on a personal revelation from the film creator that the story is based on a personal and real-life experience. I support the statement because the theme, based on obsessive-compulsive disorder, is actual, and the movie could have been adjusted to fit a real-life experience of its creators (The New York Times, 2005 b). Hughes elaborates the effects of the disorder in almost all major scenes, including reshooting the movie and developing planes that he feels are perfect. In post-production techniques, the video elaborates the development of colored pictures televisions reflecting the period developed in 2004. Thus, various shots and camera techniques elaborate improvements in the film industry during the period.
Anatomy of a Scene
The scene illustrates developing film plots based on twisted events, as in the case of Antony Hopkin. The director illustrates how he twisted the events to make the audience ‘uncomfortable’ to know more. In particular, Antony Hopkins, an older man with dementia, is shown having a twisting engagement with his daughter. He dreams about opening a door at the back of his house leading to a hospital corridor, but when he wakes up and opens the doors, he does not encounter anything abnormal as he is in his house. The revelation leads a viewer to learn that he is fine but later learns that he forgot his appointment with a guest. Overall, the scene aims to illustrate how movie directors maneuver through stories to create exciting scenes that make their audiences eager to learn more about a program.
Outside Viewing
The Aviator is about Howard Hughes’ childhood and adult life events as influenced by his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The film follows Hughes’ journey from his early adolescence to adulthood. Howard’s mother is bathing him in the first episode. This scene foreshadows Hughes’ Compulsive Disorder, which deteriorates later in his lifetime. His mother warns him that the planet is a dangerous environment for him as it has germs.
The following scene focuses on the production of the “Hell’s Angels” movie where Hughes works for four years (“The Aviator,” 2018). The first recording of this movie is released in 24 months, but Hughes chooses to reshoot it with music. At the moment, sound was a novel phenomenon in film. In this section of the story, Howard emerges as reckless but with an obsessive need to fulfill his ambitions and values. He hires employees at his desire and makes huge business choices without any consideration.
Hughes’ fascination with the creation of “Hell’s Angels” foreshadows his fascination with airlines. This begins with a motivation to build better airplanes for the film but soon transforms into a passion for rendering aviation history. In one sequence, an engineer developing a new position model sits contemplatively as Hughes examines the plane’s airframe for rivet sleekness. Hughes had specified that all fasteners be predrilled to remove all friction while the plane was in flight.
The movie’s conclusion deals with the growing influence of Hughes’ Disorder, as well as his attempts to create the Hercules rocket (“The Aviator,” 2018). He began the Hercules venture as a government contractor but completed it as a private project after losing the contract. Hughes is seen operating the wooden Hercules plane at the end of the video, but he is still showing symptoms of depression.
Camera and Editing Techniques
The film features an innovative combination of period lighting technologies, lengthy effects scenes, and a modern reproduction of two obsolete movie color mechanisms: two-color and three-strip technology. The proprietary methods combined filtration and coloring to produce colored images from a grid of 2 or 3 stripes of black-and-white negative. The camera incorporates both long and short shots to emphasize occurrences, especially in Hughes’ life and the impact of his condition in his decisions.
Reflection
The film is an illustration of both desire and mental illness, as elaborated by Hughes. Howard, like any intelligent salesman, strives to understand what people desire. Every quality product is popular because it fulfills the needs of the customer. After the recording of Hell’s Angels, Howard takes the risky and costly choice to incorporate music into the movie in response to the viewer’s favorable feedback to The Jazz Singer (“The Aviator,” 2018). To make this choice possible, he focuses on himself and mortgages his company’s assets. Hell’s Angels receive a positive response at its release, but Howard is not contented, allowing revisions to the program’s final edit later that evening.
Howard Hughes’ desire to achieve something better, more substantial, or quicker than ever before pervades the entire film. He aspires to produce the best movies and fly the quickest airplanes. He compromises his sanity to accomplish these objectives. He does not entirely lose his mind, but he does become emotionally disturbed. He ends up living lonely because of a mixture of losing himself in work and struggling with his deteriorating OCD and debilitating discomfort from plane crash wounds. Many of his close relations were eventually driven away by his uncontrollable desire. Nonetheless, it is Howard Hughes’ determination that has made him influence the world approximately 40 years after his death.
References
“Chocolat 200 Full Movie Johnny Depp Movie” YouTube. Web.
“Million Dollar Baby 2004” (n.d). IMDB. Web.
Mitchel. E. (2000). Film review; Candy power comes to town. The New York Times. Web.
“The Aviator-Sir Leonardo.” YouTube, 2018, by Navdeep Singh. Web.
The New York Times. (2005 a). Million dollar baby: Father still knows best. Web.
The New York Times. (2005 b). The Aviator, an original script. Web.
The New York Times. (2021). How Antony Hopkins inhabits ‘the father,’ Anatomy of a scene. YouTube. Web.