PODCAST: STAR WARS (1977) by Dandre John, Dalton Pierce, and Cody Thompson

ESSAY: STAR WARS (1977) by Hayden Riggs

The Science Fiction genre in film has been around practically as long as film itself. A Trip to the Moon, directed by George Meiles and released in 1902 is widely considered to be the first science fiction film. Inspired by the work of Jules Verne, it features a group of astronomers that construct a spacecraft and launch themselves via cannon to the moon. Shortly after their arrival, a reptilian race of moon men appear and conflict ensues. Fast forward over one hundred years later, and the genre has evolved into a sprawling collection of concepts and thematic elements. Science fiction cinema is most notably recognized for its use of advanced technology and out of this world ideas. If you see a cyborg, or a laser pistol, or a menacing alien monster in a movie trailer, your brain will automatically tell you that it is a sci fi movie. That’s because over the years, as the genre has been shaped and molded by film after film, we as an audience have come to subconsciously understand and acce...

ESSAY: SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) and MANK (2020) by Janina Brewer, Maria-Chavez Zapien, Tyler Kirkpatrick, Christopher Ramirez, & Ava Meade-Scarpitta

As Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) of Sunset Blvd. visits her old set one of the workers cries out, “You’re Norma Desmond. You used to be in silent pictures. You used to be big.” The metaphorical dying star replies, “I am big. It’s the pictures that got small.” With this swiping response the audience of the film is shown the weight of the industry upon the workers within such. Sunset Blvd. provides a glimpse of this calloused cinematic world through the lens of the dead silent pictures of old. In similar way, the modern Mank does something akin to such as a film on film by showing the ruthless inner world that somehow, despite all odds, produces the masterpiece script for Citizen Kane by Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman). Both films contemplate the wondrous magic that is produced by a cruel and unforgiving industry that is motivated and moved by the dollar. Seeing Mank in light of Sunset Blvd. provides a running commentary on the nature of the American film industry through t...

ESSAY: FORREST GUMP (1994) by Cecille Arencibia, Faith Nordstrom, Krista Pilling, & Sydney Messinger

INTRODUCTION: Forrest Gump (1994) , directed by Robert Zemeckis, is a critically acclaimed film for good reason. It was a box office success, grossing over $329,694,499 worldwide. Forrest begins his story on a bench, waiting for the bus to arrive. He tells strangers his miraculous and inspirational story of his life. Although, the best of it was only yet to come. Tom Hanks snatched the Academy Award for best actor, as he juggles drama, comedy, and historical “interpretation.” The complexity of characterization and plot is what makes this film so special, that even in 2021, we continue to analyze it. COSTUMES AND MISE-EN-SCENE The mise-en-scene within Forrest Gump (with a specific focus on the physical appearances and wardrobe of characters) is rather interesting and truly helps enhance the telling of the story. Forrest Gump and individuals within his life go through various changes over time. Thus, as a part of mise-en-scene, the costumes (hair, makeup, wardrobe, etc.) of different cha...

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