Hi Jazzi,
I know you've got other stuff on at the mo but can you (when you get a minute) just update your blog to show what you're up to now and what you plan next, say for the next 7-10 days,
cheers
mrs t xx
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Detailed Proposal
1. Topic Area - Women and Film
2. Proposed title, question, hypothesis - to what extent can Pedro Almodovar be labelled a 'woman's director'?
3. Teacher approval granted, in principal? yes
4. Principle texts (if text based study) My principle texts would be three of his major female-oreientated films; 'women on the verge of a nervous breakdown' 'all about my mother' and 'volver'. I would also obtain my research from several books written about him, and would particularly like to use the text 'Spanish Labyrinth'.
5. The reason I would like to choose topic as my focus is I am very interested in the representation of women in film, and study many aspects of feminism, be it theories on the 'male gaze' or through authors such as Angela Carter and April de Angelis in both of my other subjects. My grounding in the topic therefore is already rather developed, and although there is much more to discover i know already that i have an enthusiasm for this field. I have very little knowledge on Pedro Almodovar, however I have always known him to be a very influential director in the whole world of cinema. His films have very important messages, often concerning his portrayal of women, and therefore concentrating on his films should prove to enable a very detailed and exciting research project.
6. Academic context for this study (similar research, relevant theory, named theorists)
Theorists on the representation of women in film (Laura Mulvey, Deirdre Pribram, Gillian Swanson)
Theorists on Almodovar (Mark Allinson, Marvin D'Lugo)
Relevant theories - the 'female gaze' theory
7. Institutional context for this study (industry focus, other texts for comparison, named practitioners, relevant theory, issues, questions)
8. Identify the audience context for this study (audience profile, access to audience, potential sample)
The audience I will be focussing on in this study is of course women, and how they feel they have been represented in Almodovar's films and to what extent this makes him a 'woman's director'. I would choose a sample of women between the age of 16 and 80, as the films I am studying all have a 15 age certificate. I can use friends and family for the sample, as well as using students and teachers in the school.
9. How will the 4 key concepts be relevant to your study (audience, institution, forms and conventions, representation)?
The basis of my study i s the institution and what kind of effect this has on the audience. It will be crucial to do a great ammount of research into the institutions, specifically Almodovar as a director, his films, his production and distribution companies, and generally the impact the insitution has on the question of feminism. The audience response will ground my hypothesis, as it is their response to Almodovar's films which prove to what extent he is a 'woman's director'. Forms and conventions of Almodovar's films in comparison to the forms and conventions of other films depicting women will be integral to my textual analysis research, and the focus of my question is of course representation of gender, so this key concept will be focussed on strongly
10 Potential research sources (secondary): secondary academic books and websites, secondary industry books and websites, secondary popular criticism. Please identify specific examples you have come across.
"Pedro Almodovar (World Directors Series)" Ernesto R. Acevedo-Munoz http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almodovar-Directors-Ernesto-Acevedo-Munoz/dp/1844571505/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"Pedro Almodovar (Contemporary Film Directors)" Marvin D'Lugo http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almod-Contemporary-Film-Directors/dp/0252073614/ref=pd_bxgy_w_h__img_b?ie=UTF8&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"A Spanish Labyrinth: The Films of Pedro Almodovar " Mark Allinson
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1860645070/ref=sib_rdr_dp
"Pedro Almodovar Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers)" Paula Willoquet-Maricondi
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almodovar-Interviews-Conversations-Filmmakers/dp/1578065690/ref=pd_sim_w_h_?ie=UTF8&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
The gaze theory - http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/gaze/gaze.html
Feminist film theories - http://www.let.uu.nl/womens_studies/anneke/filmtheory.html
Male and Female responses to film -http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2294/is_n1-2_v38/ai_20816291/print
Volver website - http://moviegrande.com/volver/
11. Potential research sources (primary): audience reception research, your own content/textual analysis etc
After looking into research methods the appropriate approaches would be out of the following:
Textual Analysis
Structured interviews or questionnaires to see what makes women tick
unstructured interviews to ascertain women's opinions on their representation in film
Focus groups to see how a range of women respond specificaly to Almodovar's films
12. Modifications agreed with your lead teacher
13. Potential limits/obstacles/problems?
14. Teacher concerns
15. Teacher approval
2. Proposed title, question, hypothesis - to what extent can Pedro Almodovar be labelled a 'woman's director'?
3. Teacher approval granted, in principal? yes
4. Principle texts (if text based study) My principle texts would be three of his major female-oreientated films; 'women on the verge of a nervous breakdown' 'all about my mother' and 'volver'. I would also obtain my research from several books written about him, and would particularly like to use the text 'Spanish Labyrinth'.
5. The reason I would like to choose topic as my focus is I am very interested in the representation of women in film, and study many aspects of feminism, be it theories on the 'male gaze' or through authors such as Angela Carter and April de Angelis in both of my other subjects. My grounding in the topic therefore is already rather developed, and although there is much more to discover i know already that i have an enthusiasm for this field. I have very little knowledge on Pedro Almodovar, however I have always known him to be a very influential director in the whole world of cinema. His films have very important messages, often concerning his portrayal of women, and therefore concentrating on his films should prove to enable a very detailed and exciting research project.
6. Academic context for this study (similar research, relevant theory, named theorists)
Theorists on the representation of women in film (Laura Mulvey, Deirdre Pribram, Gillian Swanson)
Theorists on Almodovar (Mark Allinson, Marvin D'Lugo)
Relevant theories - the 'female gaze' theory
7. Institutional context for this study (industry focus, other texts for comparison, named practitioners, relevant theory, issues, questions)
8. Identify the audience context for this study (audience profile, access to audience, potential sample)
The audience I will be focussing on in this study is of course women, and how they feel they have been represented in Almodovar's films and to what extent this makes him a 'woman's director'. I would choose a sample of women between the age of 16 and 80, as the films I am studying all have a 15 age certificate. I can use friends and family for the sample, as well as using students and teachers in the school.
9. How will the 4 key concepts be relevant to your study (audience, institution, forms and conventions, representation)?
The basis of my study i s the institution and what kind of effect this has on the audience. It will be crucial to do a great ammount of research into the institutions, specifically Almodovar as a director, his films, his production and distribution companies, and generally the impact the insitution has on the question of feminism. The audience response will ground my hypothesis, as it is their response to Almodovar's films which prove to what extent he is a 'woman's director'. Forms and conventions of Almodovar's films in comparison to the forms and conventions of other films depicting women will be integral to my textual analysis research, and the focus of my question is of course representation of gender, so this key concept will be focussed on strongly
10 Potential research sources (secondary): secondary academic books and websites, secondary industry books and websites, secondary popular criticism. Please identify specific examples you have come across.
"Pedro Almodovar (World Directors Series)" Ernesto R. Acevedo-Munoz http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almodovar-Directors-Ernesto-Acevedo-Munoz/dp/1844571505/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"Pedro Almodovar (Contemporary Film Directors)" Marvin D'Lugo http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almod-Contemporary-Film-Directors/dp/0252073614/ref=pd_bxgy_w_h__img_b?ie=UTF8&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"A Spanish Labyrinth: The Films of Pedro Almodovar " Mark Allinson
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1860645070/ref=sib_rdr_dp
"Pedro Almodovar Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers)" Paula Willoquet-Maricondi
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almodovar-Interviews-Conversations-Filmmakers/dp/1578065690/ref=pd_sim_w_h_?ie=UTF8&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
The gaze theory - http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/gaze/gaze.html
Feminist film theories - http://www.let.uu.nl/womens_studies/anneke/filmtheory.html
Male and Female responses to film -http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2294/is_n1-2_v38/ai_20816291/print
Volver website - http://moviegrande.com/volver/
11. Potential research sources (primary): audience reception research, your own content/textual analysis etc
After looking into research methods the appropriate approaches would be out of the following:
Textual Analysis
Structured interviews or questionnaires to see what makes women tick
unstructured interviews to ascertain women's opinions on their representation in film
Focus groups to see how a range of women respond specificaly to Almodovar's films
12. Modifications agreed with your lead teacher
13. Potential limits/obstacles/problems?
14. Teacher concerns
15. Teacher approval
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Almodovar films to focus on
Volver - (Almodovar 2006)
- Most recent film
- Starring Penelope Cruz and Carmen Maura
- A film about 'returning' with a primarily female cast
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (Almodovar, 1990)
- Otherwise known as Atame!
- Starring Victoria Abril and Antonio Banderas
- Ricky is released from a mental hospital, and knows exactly what he wants to do. He hunts down Marina, a porn film star he once had sex with, and tries to convince here to be his wife. She is a bit reluctant, so he ties her up... Will this approach endear him to her ?
- The film created great controversy concerning it's light-hearted depiction of kidnapping and rape. German, Spanish and American Feminist Groups campaigned against it strongly
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Pedro Almodovar, 1988)
- The film that bought Almodovar to popular international attention
- Starring Carmen Maura and Antonio Banderas
- A feminist light comedy that further established Almodóvar as a "women's director"
- The film, staged as a faux adaptation of a theatrical work, details a two-day period in the life of Pepa, a professional movie dubber who has been abruptly abandoned by her married lover and who frantically tries to track him down. In the course of her search she discovers some of his secrets, and realizes her true feelings.
All About My Mother (Almodovar, 1999)
- The film revisits Almodovar's familiar themes of the power of sisterhood and family
- A more serious dramatic film than others
- Stars Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes and Penelope Cruz
- Recieved great critical acclaim
Penelope Cruz and Pedro Almodovar
Volver
http://moviegrande.com/volver/production.htm - for full production notes
http://moviegrande.com/volver/interview1.htm - Almodovar on Volver
http://moviegrande.com/volver/interview2.htm - Penelope Cruz Cannes interview
http://moviegrande.com/volver/production.htm - for full production notes
http://moviegrande.com/volver/interview1.htm - Almodovar on Volver
http://moviegrande.com/volver/interview2.htm - Penelope Cruz Cannes interview
http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1839123,00.html An interview with Penelope Cruz and Almodovar on the making of Volver.
All About My Mother
The film tells the story of a nurse named Manuela (Roth) who works in Madrid and lives with her teenage son Esteban, who never knew his father, and wants to be a writer. When Esteban is hit by a car and dies, Manuela leaves Madrid to visit her son's father, Lola, who is a transvestite and a prostitute in Barcelona, to inform him of the existence of the son he never knew. Cruz plays Sister María Rosa Sanz a young, pregnant nun who has known Manuela's ex-husband.
http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/review/1999/11/19/mother/ - general review
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9A03EFD8153FF937A1575AC0A96F958260 - New York Times review
Monday, February 11, 2008
Big directors in Spanish and Sweedish cinema
Spain
Victoria Abril
Pedro Almodóvar
Vicente Aranda
Luis Buñuel
Juan José Bigas Luna
Julio Medem
Pilar Miró
Victor Erice
Carlos Saura
Sweden
Ingmar Bergman
Lasse Hallström
Lukas Moodysson
Suzanne Osten
Vilgot Sjöman
Jan Troell
Liv Ullmann
Bo Widerberg
http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/tfms/worldcinema/directors.php
Victoria Abril
Pedro Almodóvar
Vicente Aranda
Luis Buñuel
Juan José Bigas Luna
Julio Medem
Pilar Miró
Victor Erice
Carlos Saura
Sweden
Ingmar Bergman
Lasse Hallström
Lukas Moodysson
Suzanne Osten
Vilgot Sjöman
Jan Troell
Liv Ullmann
Bo Widerberg
http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/tfms/worldcinema/directors.php
Initial Propsal 2: Sweedish cinema
1. Which topic area is this proposal for?
World Cinema
2. What is the suggested focus?
The suggested focus is Sweedish cinema
3. Do you have an idea for a question/problematic?
The representation of teenagers in Sweedish film. Although this may at first seem like a very typical cop-out using teenagers as a focus, after seeing clips from sweedish films such as 'the ketchup effect' and knowing that they showed these films as educational tools around schools in Sweeden proves that they have a different outlook concerning teenagers and are possibly culturally more relaxed than in the UK. this could be an interesting study, and could be focussed on the specific representation of this demographic or just the representation of Sweedish culture in their films.
4. Why would you choose this?
In recent years there has been a resurgence of new Sweedish cinema (since 2000). Changes in legislation allowed the industry to recieve more benefits, enabling new directors to exhibit films - see http://www.sfi.se/ (up-to-date info about sweedish film industry), and in 2000 a record number of 35 films were made, 9 by first-time directors. I.e. the sweedish film industry is growing rapidly, and therefore it would be a very current and innovative industry to explore.
5. Do you have any concerns or are there any limitations to this proposal?
So far I haven't managed to find any useful resources both online and in books. When I typed in key words on amazon there was absolutely nothing. This is a relatively new industry and therefore I don't think many film theorists have touched upon it yet.
6. Can you rate it on a sliding scale 1- 5 (5 being great proposal, 0 being lousy proposal)
I think it would be a very interesting study, however the lack of resources would make it tough - 3/5?
Good Sweedish films to analyse for this topic:
http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/27/showmelove.html
Lukas Moodysson, 'Show me love' 2000
http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Critic_Review/Observer_review/0,,1728861,00.html
Teresa Fabik 'The Ketchup Effect' 2004
World Cinema
2. What is the suggested focus?
The suggested focus is Sweedish cinema
3. Do you have an idea for a question/problematic?
The representation of teenagers in Sweedish film. Although this may at first seem like a very typical cop-out using teenagers as a focus, after seeing clips from sweedish films such as 'the ketchup effect' and knowing that they showed these films as educational tools around schools in Sweeden proves that they have a different outlook concerning teenagers and are possibly culturally more relaxed than in the UK. this could be an interesting study, and could be focussed on the specific representation of this demographic or just the representation of Sweedish culture in their films.
4. Why would you choose this?
In recent years there has been a resurgence of new Sweedish cinema (since 2000). Changes in legislation allowed the industry to recieve more benefits, enabling new directors to exhibit films - see http://www.sfi.se/ (up-to-date info about sweedish film industry), and in 2000 a record number of 35 films were made, 9 by first-time directors. I.e. the sweedish film industry is growing rapidly, and therefore it would be a very current and innovative industry to explore.
5. Do you have any concerns or are there any limitations to this proposal?
So far I haven't managed to find any useful resources both online and in books. When I typed in key words on amazon there was absolutely nothing. This is a relatively new industry and therefore I don't think many film theorists have touched upon it yet.
6. Can you rate it on a sliding scale 1- 5 (5 being great proposal, 0 being lousy proposal)
I think it would be a very interesting study, however the lack of resources would make it tough - 3/5?
Good Sweedish films to analyse for this topic:
http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/27/showmelove.html
Lukas Moodysson, 'Show me love' 2000
http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Critic_Review/Observer_review/0,,1728861,00.html
Teresa Fabik 'The Ketchup Effect' 2004
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Initial Propsal 1: Pedro Almodovar
1. Which topic area is this proposal for?
This proposal is for world cinema.
2. What is the suggested focus?
The suggested focus is Pedro Almodóvar and the representation of women in his films.
Pedro Alodovar is a spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. "Almodóvar is the most successful and internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation. His films, marked by complex narratives, employ the codes of melodrama and use elements of pop culture, popular songs, irreverent humor, strong colors and glossy décor. He never judges his character's actions, whatever they do, but he presents them as they are in all their complexity. Desire, passion, family and identity are the director's favorite themes." - wikipedia (see link below)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Almod%C3%B3var
3. Do you have an idea for a question/problematic?
How does Pedro Almodovar represent women in his films?
How do the representation of women in Pedro Almodovar's films change over time?
How does the representation of women differ in Pedro Almodovar's films?
In what way is Pedro Almodovar a 'woman's director'?
4. Why would you choose this?
Films such as 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' (1988) have established him as a 'women's director' and he was quoted saying “women are more spectacular as dramatic subjects, they have a greater range of registers, etc.” This could therefore be a very exciting and thought-provoking focus, applying textual analysis skills and representational theories to three or four of his films.
5. Do you have any concerns or are there any limitations to this proposal?
After researching online I can see that some people have already chosen a similar focus on Almodovar for their A2 critical research exams! I don't really know very much about him already and I haven't seen his films but it is a topic I would like to find out more about.
6. Can you rate it on a sliding scale 1- 5 (5 being great proposal, 0 being lousy proposal)
I think it's a pretty good idea 5/5?
Good resources: books
"Pedro Almodovar (World Directors Series)" Ernesto R. Acevedo-Munoz http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almodovar-Directors-Ernesto-Acevedo-Munoz/dp/1844571505/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"Pedro Almodovar (Contemporary Film Directors)" Marvin D'Lugo http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almod-Contemporary-Film-Directors/dp/0252073614/ref=pd_bxgy_w_h__img_b?ie=UTF8&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"A Spanish Labyrinth: The Films of Pedro Almodovar " Mark Allinson
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1860645070/ref=sib_rdr_dp
"Pedro Almodovar Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers)" Paula Willoquet-Maricondi
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almodovar-Interviews-Conversations-Filmmakers/dp/1578065690/ref=pd_sim_w_h_?ie=UTF8&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"Passionate Detachments An introduction to feminist film theory" Sue Thornham
Other suggested focuses:
This proposal is for world cinema.
2. What is the suggested focus?
The suggested focus is Pedro Almodóvar and the representation of women in his films.
Pedro Alodovar is a spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. "Almodóvar is the most successful and internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation. His films, marked by complex narratives, employ the codes of melodrama and use elements of pop culture, popular songs, irreverent humor, strong colors and glossy décor. He never judges his character's actions, whatever they do, but he presents them as they are in all their complexity. Desire, passion, family and identity are the director's favorite themes." - wikipedia (see link below)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Almod%C3%B3var
3. Do you have an idea for a question/problematic?
How does Pedro Almodovar represent women in his films?
How do the representation of women in Pedro Almodovar's films change over time?
How does the representation of women differ in Pedro Almodovar's films?
In what way is Pedro Almodovar a 'woman's director'?
4. Why would you choose this?
Films such as 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' (1988) have established him as a 'women's director' and he was quoted saying “women are more spectacular as dramatic subjects, they have a greater range of registers, etc.” This could therefore be a very exciting and thought-provoking focus, applying textual analysis skills and representational theories to three or four of his films.
5. Do you have any concerns or are there any limitations to this proposal?
After researching online I can see that some people have already chosen a similar focus on Almodovar for their A2 critical research exams! I don't really know very much about him already and I haven't seen his films but it is a topic I would like to find out more about.
6. Can you rate it on a sliding scale 1- 5 (5 being great proposal, 0 being lousy proposal)
I think it's a pretty good idea 5/5?
Good resources: books
"Pedro Almodovar (World Directors Series)" Ernesto R. Acevedo-Munoz http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almodovar-Directors-Ernesto-Acevedo-Munoz/dp/1844571505/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"Pedro Almodovar (Contemporary Film Directors)" Marvin D'Lugo http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almod-Contemporary-Film-Directors/dp/0252073614/ref=pd_bxgy_w_h__img_b?ie=UTF8&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"A Spanish Labyrinth: The Films of Pedro Almodovar " Mark Allinson
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1860645070/ref=sib_rdr_dp
"Pedro Almodovar Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers)" Paula Willoquet-Maricondi
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pedro-Almodovar-Interviews-Conversations-Filmmakers/dp/1578065690/ref=pd_sim_w_h_?ie=UTF8&qid=1202739182&sr=8-7
"Passionate Detachments An introduction to feminist film theory" Sue Thornham
Other suggested focuses:
- National Identity - Spain's profound cultural transitions
- Sexuality
- Genre
- Social Structures
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)