Patterson Final Blog

5 Things about Film

1. Mise-en-Scene can be looked at to reveal deeper meaning in each scene

2. Every single detail in a well-made film adds to the feeling, mood and meaning of the frame

3. Film is a form of expression and art and it can be used to make political messages

4. Use of mise-en-scene elements in a film can completely sway an audience a certain way, and can effectively change people’s perspectives

5. Although documentaries contain factual evidence, they are not bias-free

5 Things about Politics in America

1. A lot of historical events, such as the McCarthy hearings and the Holocaust are just as relevant now as they were at the time they occurred. History continues to repeat itself with the same issues in different forms.

2. Almost every political issue can be simplified into the idea of “the other”, the person or group that is subversive and does not conform to everyone else.

3. Marijuana should be legalized.

4. The values that America supposedly upholds, freedom, individuality, and family are basically the opposite of what actually occurs in the country, consumerism, racism, infidelity, sex, drugs, rock and roll, etc.

5. The United States has a very shady position regarding torture and rendition, and the government itself seems to be awfully secretive and powerful for a “democracy.” In addition, Americans do not really have freedom of speech or the press.

Film seems to be one of the few ways people can truly speak their opinions and address certain political messages. The government is controlling altogether too many of our rights, and I’ve come to realize this through the films and discussions from this class. The government infringes upon our rights in the constitution, and then argues against ideas that are “unconstitutional.” If nothing else, I now have the perception that the government is completely hypocritical. America is made up of ideals, but the actual actions that occur do not match those ideals. It’s as if American people are experiencing cognitive dissonance and the worst part is, everyone realizes it but keeps going anyways. People are against racism, but continue to discriminate. People fight for equality, and yet there are so many gender, and sex inequalities even in this country. People want to protect themselves and provide security in their families, but their actions only cause more deaths. The fact that people see these inconsistencies occurring, yet fail to take a stand against it is the exact same situation as John Halder failing to resist the Nazis. It is so easy to insult and criticize others, but Americans really should reflect on themselves. This is where the importance of film and other expression come in. Through film especially, different scenarios and outcomes can be portrayed to audiences in hopes of making a change. The power of a film and the ideas behind it can point out issues and offer solutions. Not only that, films can surpass the restraints the government still seems to hold on our freedom to speech and freedom of the press. I believe now that films can change ideas and cause a big enough stir to affect enough people to the point of taking action. Film is a powerful tool, and it can definitely be used to aid seemingly sinking America.