Casablanca was filmed in a studio in California. But it does copy actual streets and buildings of Casablanca.
Rick’s Café Americain is still open today. Black and white photography has more depth than most color photography, especially eighty years ago. At the time Casablanca was filmed, color film had been around for three year.
Zinger: quick, snappy, funny, ironic response or answer. When two people can do it back and forth, we call repartee. I was saying last time this is Shakespearean, because the second time you watch it, you can get a different meaning, etc. Nothing is set or black and white. There are lots of gray areas.
Also like Shakespeare, many lines became famous and are part of English now to explain feelings. People who have not even seen Casablanca use them and know what they mean (these expressions).
Zingers: life sucks and is meaningless “They got lucky. Yesterday, they were just two German clerks. Today, they are the honored dead.”
“I stick my neck out for nobody.” I don’t help people if it could get me in trouble.
“Your business is politics, mine is running a saloon.” Politics are a waste of time and only stupid people think they are meaningful.
“A lot of water under the bridge.” I have experienced much since I last saw you.
“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” Why can’t she leave me alone and just get out of my life forever? He is bitter.
Flashback: a memory scene from before
“Here’s looking at you, kid.” I like you a lot romantically.
Profile shot: camera shot from the side
Filter on the lens to make the shot fuzzy, but it has the effect of making woman look more beautiful on film.
When she pulls out a gun, what does Rick’s facial expression mean?
1. He wants her to shoot because he is miserable?
2. He wants her to shoot because she will have to go to jail and that is revenge?
3. He wants her to shoot because he is cynical and thinks everything in the world is bullsh&*. That is the misanthropic idea that one hates humankind (because we think people are stupid).
4. Other?
Zinger. This line has become part of the English language.
Idiom: “We’ll always have Paris.” It means our relationship is over. We cannot fix our problems. We are breaking up. But let’s not be angry at each other or bitter. Let’s have our good memories.
“Round up the usual suspects.” Round up means arrest.
Idiom: There is no justice. Everything is corrupt.
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Cynical message that nothing is true and the world or life is just bullsh*&.”
Homework:
1. Is Rick truly cynical?
2. One reason Rick may have given them the letters of transit.
3. Another reason Rick may have given them …
4. Another reason…
Playing hooky
The genre now is horror. First generation idea. This is also important in Taiwanese film. Genre is going to be horror.
Dubbing versus subtitles in watching foreign film?
The Sixth Sense is a horror movie that came out in 1999.
The end of the last millennia. The movie is filmed in Philadelphia. The director is first generation. His parents are from India. The director also wrote the script. His father wanted to go to Philadelphia because his dad loved history. Philadelphia is a historic, old city. You will see this theme in the movie.
The five senses: touch (feel), hear, taste, smell, see. The sixth sense is a feeling that we don’t understand where it comes from, but it helps us.
The idea of the basement is important to the story. Why is the wife always so cold? Is it related to the season (autumn) or is there another reason.
The protagonist is a child psychiatrist.
My wife said the guy in the bathroom is the father of the little boy that the psychiatrist tends to.
Psychologist: no medicine
Psychiatrist: can prescribe medicine
It seems like the doctor is always wearing a blue shirt.
The boy comes from a single parent family. We do not see his father. Not introduced or even discussed
- The color blue has positive and negative connotations in color psychology. Some writers may use blue to represent serenity and tranquility, instilling a scene with a calming effect. Blue can also signify sadness, melancholy, or isolation.
The scratches on the back and wrist. What does it mean?
***************************
The genre is horror. The movie is set in Philadelphia.
Some people call me “freak.” Is that the little boy’s father?
Hint one: name. Hint two: he lives in a single mother family and never
discusses the father. Freaken is the surname? If the father committed suicide, the mother would probably not want to talk about that. Twist of fate is a surprise ending, so there is an example of foreshadowing.
“I am not helping him,” but the psychiatrist misses a key/important point when he says that. The twist of fate (surprise ending) is the boy is helping him. People think we see or hear ghosts better when we are tired or sleepy.
1. Things get colder when ghosts are around.
2. The basement represents going down like into hell.
***********************************
Lots of people say Moby Dick is the greatest 19th century American novel.
The book was written in 1851 by Herman Melville. Some trivia: his ancestor is a famous singer today: Moby. The plot of Moby Dick: there is a ship captain called Ahab. He hires lots of sailors to go whale fishing. Once they are the boat, Ahab tells the sailors that they are hunting one sperm whale called Moby Dick. Ahab hates the whale because it destroyed and ate all of his previous crew (sailors). This is a metaphor for two reasons: 1. Chasing something we cannot get in life and becoming obsessed with the idea 2. Revenge will destroy you.
A spoof in literature is when you copy a famous story as a joke. They are spoofing Moby Dick. They are also spoofing Jacques Cousteau, the first famous scuba diver and fish scientist.
The red tuque.
Controversial.
***************************
The genre is horror. The movie is set in Philadelphia.
Some people call me “freak.” Is that the little boy’s father?
Hint one: name. Hint two: he lives in a single mother family and never
discusses the father. Freaken is the surname? If the father committed suicide, the mother would probably not want to talk about that. Twist of fate is a surprise ending, so there is an example of foreshadowing.
“I am not helping him,” but the psychiatrist misses a key/important point when he says that. The twist of fate (surprise ending) is the boy is helping him. People think we see or hear ghosts better when we are tired or sleepy.
1. Things get colder when ghosts are around.
2. The basement represents going down like into hell.
***********************************
Lots of people say Moby Dick is the greatest 19th century American novel.
The book was written in 1851 by Herman Melville. Some trivia: his ancestor is a famous singer today: Moby. The plot of Moby Dick: there is a ship captain called Ahab. He hires lots of sailors to go whale fishing. Once they are the boat, Ahab tells the sailors that they are hunting one sperm whale called Moby Dick. Ahab hates the whale because it destroyed and ate all of his previous crew (sailors). This is a metaphor for two reasons: 1. Chasing something we cannot get in life and becoming obsessed with the idea 2. Revenge will destroy you.
A spoof in literature is when you copy a famous story as a joke. They are spoofing Moby Dick. They are also spoofing Jacques Cousteau, the first famous scuba diver and fish scientist.
The red tuque.
Controversial.
