Georgy Girl (1966) Opening Scene Analysis

The opening scene shows a confident young women in old fashioned clothes walking down the streets of London. The street and busy moving cars could act as a metaphor for how swinging London is just passing her by, but she doesn't seem to mind too much that she's not living the sixties dream. The, like other iconic sixties film, the protagonist is then seen swinging her handbag to indicate her own confidence and rebellion - this could also been seen as ironic as the old-fashion yet confident protagonist is taking part in a typical scene of the sixties. 

As the female protagonist, Georgy, approaches the shops window to look at the latest fashion. Through the cinematography looking through the window at georgy and the figure expression, it's clear that she is interested to try new and modern hairstyles. However, as she briefly goes off scene, it's clear that she's apprehensive about the idea of change. As she walks into the shop, she's quickly ushered by a worker of the hairdressers. When he looks at her and touches her hair it's clear that he's very judgmental about the way she looks. The camera then shows close up shots of each hair style. As it's quickly changes from one style to the other, it shows how unsure Georgy is about having her hair styled differently, however she gives into the peer pressure and changes her hairstyle.

After coming out of the hairdressers, Georgy looks at herself in the mirror and is quite shocked she she find the style doesn't suite her. Georgy's costume is typically old-fashioned and with the modern hairstyle, she feels as if she's living a lie. Georgy then runs to try and fix her hair when she eventually gets to a public toilet. Without hesitation she wets her hair so she can quickly restore he comfortable style.

This has been my view for the last few weeks...

 

And i must say, editing this short film has been one of the best, but also most difficult things i've ever done. Can't wait to see what it's like when the soundtrack is finished... It will be... interesting!

Georgy Girl (1966) - Film Response

I really did enjoy this film and i can't fully explain why. Maybe just a simple case of i found it really interesting and above everything, extremely surreal. The over-all story line was just ever so slightly, to be blunt about it, mad! And I'm not even 100% sure that i understood what happened. I feel a big contributing factor to the craziness of the film was the soundtrack, with cheesy, American sitcom-like sounds and typical jokey 'walking music' when Joss would walk through the house, It gave the impression that the film was some terrible comedy gone wrong. And yet, as much as i hated the soundtrack, i actually loved how it did accompany the film. I think it connoted Georgie's carefree attitude, but also had serious undertones and the music showed that.

The film took a great approach to the swinging sixties and showing life in reverse, showing a at heart old-fashioned woman trying to adapt to the forever changing sixties. Each film i've seen from the sixties has shown the harsh and realistic qualities of society; in fact the only film I've even known to glorify it was the comedy spoof Austin Powers (1997).

 7.5/10 - I did really enjoy the film, although it's craziness was difficult to get my head around, it took a really interesting approach to society in the sixties which i loved.

Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom - Film Response

I can quite easily sit hear and explain it in every detail for the introduction, babble on about some nonsense to kick start this blog post, however, I'm going to keep this short and sweet... Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom was one of the most incredible films that I've ever seen and i cannot begin to explain how much i loved it.

Cinematography was simply stunning. Some of the camera shots that cut from the vast south African landscape to extremely intermate and close up shots of Mandela, played by Idris Elba, was just fantastic. A particular favourite (among several shots) was the opening scene of Mandela 'becoming a man' within his African tribe and the recurring theme that poses and plays within the entire story - it was just pure genius. Another favourite scene was when Mandela visits his home once again when him and Whinnie get married, the close up shots that the camera uses and the genuine intermacy of their connection was just perfect. 

Acting - sublime. Idris Elba and Naomie Harris were just wonderful and the relationship the both of them had was beautiful, and this is something i found extremely interesting within the film; the way they tell the relationship of Mandela and Winnie. The only information I've ever learnt about their relationship was my mother telling me how much of a terrible person Winnie Mandela was, and hearing how many south Africans hated her, however, in this film it clearly shows how much, on a completely unconditional scale, how much Mandela loved her. It showed how despite Mandela's imprisonment, she was just as much a victim, if not more so, then Mandela. I loved how the film didn't sugar-coat Mandela, it showed his affair in a previous marriage and i didn't show him to be perfect. It showed how prison did change him, and it showed how he openly disagreed with most of the society, black and white. It showed his own mental change and, quite emotionally, it showed the breakdown of Winnie and Mandela's relationship, and it was filmed so well that it was unbelievably heartbreaking for the audience to watch.
 
And if the overall look and visual style, acting and approach to the narrative wasn't amazing enough already, the best thing about the entire was quite simply the story it told. I grew up in the generation where Mandela was 'just some south African guy'. I'm too young to have experience the changes he made, and I'd only ever hear his name on occasion if my parents would randomly mention him. Before entering the cinema, my knowledge on Mandela was extremely limited. So when i did finally learn of his story, learn about all the challenges he faced, but still remained strong - it was just incredible... He was just incredible. And this is why Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom is so fantastic and done successfully what every good film should do. It made me, the audience, experience a time, a place and a person that i had no knowledge of, and it made me feel the emotions as if i was there in person. It taught me how to think and dragged me through his struggle, yet allowed me to venture out of the other side. It gave me knowledge and an entire new approach to how i think, to how society thinks. This film opened up an entirely new realm of possibilities, methods of communication... and, as frightfully cheesy as this will sound, this film honestly took me on a long walk to freedom. It had an extraordinary and profound affect on me, and all of it was simply from learning the story, the struggles and the life of Nelson Mandela.

10/10 - Simply incredible in every single way and one of the best films i have ever seen. 

Up the Junction (1968) Film Response

This film took an interesting approach to the representation to woman, and with the use of a female main protagonist, it was definitely more positive compared to other swinging sixties films, such as Alfie.

It showed very clearly that all actions have consequences, and sometimes on very serious and dramatic proportion. The film contains a very harrowing abortion scene, something that although is not graphic or explicit, had the ability to shock me. The film also ends with neutral end of Peter going to prison over stealing a car, again showing that all actions have consequences, a bitter reality to the Chelsea-born protagonist, Poly.

This film highlights generational divides between the young and their sixties rebellion compared to the classic 50s idealism's and way of thinking from the elders. It shows a clear class divide and how in many ways, someone of a working class background can be just as quick to judge someone of a upper-class background such as Poly. I felt the use of cinemtography showing the demonlising of older buildings and building new blocks of flats was clever to represent the idea of 'out with the old, in with the new'. However, as the film tells the story of, sometimes 'new' isn't always the correct way forward.

I thought the film cleverly portrayed woman, generational and social divide and was a break through by using a female protagonist.

I would happily watch this film again, greatly enjoyed.