Who's / Whose on First?

On the Road, by Jack Kerouac

 

The importance of the road trip in Western Literature and film.

Why?

It goes back to The Bible, when Paul, an important writer of it, found enlightenment (deep understanding of life) on the road to Damascus.

It is also an easy way to write a long story.

Picaresque: when the heroes (protagonists) usually without a lot of money are forced to take road trip.

Autism: they like rituals (which do everything the same from day to day)

Kmart (Walmart): it is where poor Americans go to buy clothes

Dementia

Stereotype

Midwest: people there are poor and uneducated (flyover states)

Static character (actor in a movie): someone who does not change; they are the same at the end of the movie

Dynamic character: does change

Tom Cruise is a dynamic character. Is Rain Man a dynamic character?

This scene is weird and uncomfortable. You will see the reason for this scene later.

Homework: Answer the following questions. Write a couple of sentences for each. Remember to explain what you write.

1. Is Charlie (Tom Cruise) a dynamic character?

2. Is Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) a dynamic character?

3. Why is the theme "on the road" important in Rain Man? 

 

 

Ezekiel 25:17

 

Iconic Shot

If it is not broken, don’t fix it.

Homework: Pulp Fiction is not in chronological order. I think there are seven scenes (there might be more). Write a sentence to describe each scene. Put the scenes back in chronological order.

1.              When Butch the boxer gets the watch – he is a boy still.

Do NOT email it to me. Put it on a hard copy.

He looks like Ringo, the drummer from The Beatles. He is mocking him.

 

The genre is drama. It is also from literature picaresque. This is when the protagonist (main actor or character) escapes by going on a road trip. Usually, they did not plan to take the trip. Usually, they don’t have much money. They have lots of adventures and learn something. Long trip is called a journey.

Rain Man

Dustin Hoffman has autism. This is when you can do math and remember almost everything, but are not good at dealing with society or relationships. They don’t have sympathy.

Rain Man has a meaning in the movie that is explained. But Rain Man is also a shaman (religious man from Indian culture).

Tom Cruise, the younger man, is very selfish and unkind. His older brother is autistic.

Does his older brother help to heal him and make him a good person.

Ambiguous: more than one meaning

Static character: a person who does NOT change in the story and has the same personality at the end

Dynamic character: a person who does change

Tom Cruise’s character is dynamic. How and why?

Pay homage to: copy a famous scene from a famous movie to show respect (and joke around)

Iconic picture: a picture everyone recognizes (important in meaning)

What does it mean?

It’s the start of the journey.

Literally (truly) : picaresque; they will go to Los Angeles

Metaphor: the two characters’ personalities going to change (journey)

America is also a very religious country, more than most Western countries. The idea of road trip originally comes from The Bible. Paul found enlightenment (meaning) on the road to Damascus in The Bible.

The doctor said he has his rituals (something he always must do or have). Tapioca pudding.

Hillbilly Boy

Chronological (linear) order: first, second, third, fourth

Why is Pulp Fiction not in chronological order?

Life is not organized. Unexpected things happen to us. It is full of chaos.

 

Why is the watch important to Butch (the fighter) then?

1.              Family heirloom: something important that you get from your ancestors

2.              A watch represents organization. It always goes in chronological order. It gives the boxer stability in a crazy world.

What was in the briefcase? A lot of people think it was the gangster’s soul.

Tracking shot

Now he is happy because he has the watch. That is chronological order. Listen to the song. “Counting Flowers on the Wall.”

Now he turns the idea of pride on the gangster.

Vietnam War: America v. Vietnam (1965 to 1975)

Gimp: means weak person; it is quite rude; we used to call disabled people gimps

Hillbilly: white trash; poor, uneducated white people in America

Cameo: famous person in movie for a very short time

Pulp Fiction

 

Film and Culture class:

Attendance 10%: for every hour of class you miss, I will deduct 1% from your grade.

Homework: 20%

Three homework for 5% each. I will give one 5% for free.

Midterm 30%: I will tell you the words to study.

Every movie we study will be a different genre: science fiction, comedy, horror, documentary, drama, etc…

Our first movie will be comedy. We could say it is a dark comedy. Dark means evil.

Pulp Fiction: which was set in Los Angeles in the early 1990s. The opening scene is in a diner. The director/writer wrote the movie’s script in this diner. Tarantino. He has a cameo role. The diner closed during COVID. The movie is not in chronological order (linear order): First, second, third, 4^th. First, then, after, finally.

Why is the movie NOT in chronological order? I think the answer is important to the meaning the director wants to convey (tell us). There is not right answer or wrong answer in understanding meaning. You must explain your interpretation. Also, the director will give us some hints.

So no break. I want to leave at 4.50.

Opening credits: tell the names of the actor in the movies

Pulp Fiction

Fiction is a story that is not true

Pulp: is the flesh in an orange that we throw away

Usually when we watch TV, we don’t really want to think. We are tired after work or school and just want to rest our brains.

 

What is the number on the briefcase?

The number is important in The Bible. What does 666 represent? It is the number of the Devil or Satan.