Best Monster: Clown in the Dark

Aside from the fact that I have no backbone when it comes to monster movies, I have to say the ones that stand out are the monsters with personality. The best movie monster of all time (in my mind) is The Joker in Christopher Nolan's Batman: The Dark Knight.

The Joker is very relatable, especially to children. All kids love clowns: their huge smiles, the crazy shoes, and that big red nose. But one look at The Joker and they won't be laughing anymore. Why is he so horrifying? For starters, his "huge smile" is actually the skin on his cheeks sliced up the side. When asked, he explains that when people ask him about the scars, he shows them by slicing up their cheeks. If that doesn't scream CRAZY then nothing does. His "games" are not cute little teasers with water sprayers and candy, but rather mass explosions, murders, and burning money.

To me, a great monster is no more than a human being that acts with motives only truly known to them. We never find out truly why The Joker commits the crimes that he does. He claims that it's for the "fun of all the commotion" he creates, but there must be a deeper reason that explains why his sick games are "fun." That's another reason The Joker is so terrifying. What we clearly know as violence and murder genuinely amuse him. How can crimes so hanus be considered funny by anyone?? He doesn't even flinch when he blows up a hospital. The only explanation or justification I can give myself is that this man is truly crazy- mentally ill to say the least. And if that is the case, then he is somewhat more believable. The fact that there could be someone out there that is mentally insane enough to terrorize millions of people "just for fun" gives The Joker the grand prize for being Best Movie Monster of all time.

"Double Indemnity:" Power Can Lead a Man to Kill

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            The one question that has been repeating in my mind throughout this film has to do with the motives of Walter Neff. Why does he decide to help Phyllis Deitrichson kill her husband? What motivates him to commit such a crime, when he seems like a decent, honest man? He does not have a dire need for money, and he is no criminal. He is nothing but a simple insurance agent, so why does he get involved with such a scandal? I think the main reason has to do with power. At times, it seems as if Walter has more authority in the relationship between him and Phyllis, with his smooth remarks and insurance agent status. But at the same time, Phyllis has some sort of “power” over Walter as well. She knows that once she has him in her clutches, he will do anything for her, even commit murder.

This image shows the exact relationship I just mentioned. Walter is in Phyllis’s house, and has made himself at home on her couch with a drink. He acts like he owns the place, and has everything under control. He also decides to start calling her “Baby,” which exemplifies the power he has over her (and almost a disrespectfulness too). But, Phyllis is positioned above Walter in the shot, staring down at him with a sly look on her face. It is almost like she can see right through him. She knows that Walter is attracted to her, and along with the sob story of her horrible marriage, she persuades him into helping her murder her husband and collect extra money on his life insurance. Phyllis is the definition of a “femme fatale:” an attractive woman who leads a man into danger or disaster.

          When Walter first meets Phyllis he is immediately taken by her, and returns to her house the following day. He cannot take his eyes away from the anklet she wears on her foot, or the way she walks up the stairs. But he knows he must be respectful because she is married. This is where we see a different side of his personality come out. It is the side that has one goal and one goal only: to win the affections of Phyllis Deitrichson. So maybe Walter isn’t a criminal. Maybe he isn’t a crazy murderer, but just a simple insurance agent who fell for a dangerous woman. And that is his motive for killing some innocent man.

A Tough Life for Harvey (Journal: Main Ideas)

             From what I have read so far, The Quitter is definitely exploring the topics of free will vs. fate. Just as Oedipus seemed fated to kill his father and marry his mother, Harvey seems fated to live a life of oppression and peer-pressure. Harvey was born into a Jewish family in a rough neighborhood, which almost makes certain that he will have a rough childhood. Because of his parents’ lack of understanding for American culture, he is on his own in the world of making friends. At the same time, he exercises free will by deciding to constantly fight the tough kids in his neighborhood, and similar to Oedipus’s rage, Harvey holds the capacity for great anger. Unfortunately, this does not help him in his quest for companionship, and the combination of fate and free will again drag the main character to his demise.

            When it comes to having a girlfriend, Harvey gloomily states that he “was afraid to ask them out” and “really felt like a creep.” As much as he wanted a nice girlfriend who would be a sympathetic listener, he makes it clear that it was just not an option for him. He did not know how to talk to girls, he did not have a car, and he was not rich, and these factors greatly lowered his self confidence. To him, loneliness was inevitable, and he had no choice but to deal with it and move on. Harvey has obviously been a “quitter” for his entire life, but I would argue that it was not always fate that got the best of him. It was the “easy” choices Harvey made, of his own free will, that lead him into such a state of depression. Although he cannot control where he came from, he can control where he goes in life, and should stop blaming his failures on his family situation.

            I really admire the incorporation of the “modern-day Harvey” into the story. These additions remind the reader that they are being told a story from the point of view of a man who experienced it firsthand. This Harvey has different opinions and outlooks of his life than he had when he was an adolescent. He now says, “You can’t impress everybody…,” which is something he did not realize in high school when he wanted to be the “star” of everything he attempted. This Harvey does seem wiser, because he can look back on his life, but I can still sense the frustration he has about all the misfortunes he encountered when he was younger. Understandably, it is hard to dismiss how we perceived the world while growing up.

            The theme of identity molded into Harvey’s story suggests that Harvey wants to be the best. But, he bases this standard off of his peers. When he tries to be a football star, he determines the best to mean being on the frontline. The coach does not allow this to happen. When he tries to be more outgoing at school, being the best to him means beating up other boys. Therefore, he does not have many friends. While Harvey wants to choose his identity in these situations, in the end, his environment and peers choose for him.

Minority Report Still Frame: Look Ahead, Look Behind

            The subject in this dramatic frame is the relationship between Anderton and the Precog, Agatha. In this particular moment, Anderton seems to have the control and leadership, while Agatha is dependent on him for survival. The roles have been reversed here from the beginning of the film when Anderton was dependent on Agatha for information and clues to murders. What draws our eye most is the fierceness in each of the subjects’ eyes in the top left and right corner squares of the gridded frame; they completely contrast each other, implying that they both have a different objective in this instant.

            Regarding placement, this image wants us to think that Anderton and Agatha are the only two subjects of importance, and that all our attention should be placed directly on their expressions. They are entirely foregrounded with nothing but emptiness in the background. Although the two characters are of the most importance in the shot, the emptiness behind them is still very valuable. It gives us a sense of where they are without actually showing a location. Clearly the two are not outside, but rather in a dark room or building.

            The lighting in this frame is exaggerated near the subjects’ eyes, while most of the rest of their faces are in the shadows. This affects our understanding of their location because we know there must be a light source coming towards each of them, from both ends of the frame. The sun would not light their faces like this, so we know they have to be inside somewhere where light is shining in multiple directions. As the viewer, we know that Anderton and Agatha are trying to escape being detected by the police force, and he light in this shot gives us the impression that these two characters are hiding. Combined with their expressions of fear and intensity, the lack of light near the center of the frame somewhat conceals them from view. Since the light is focused on the left and right sides of the frame, it seems like the edges of their faces just are poking out from their “hiding place” in the shadows.

             This moment captured on film is a close up (CU) shot that isolates only the faces of the subjects. What effect does this have? It emphasizes the importance of the characters’ emotions and relationship to each other. With this type of shot, the director wants us to understand that these two people need each other desperately. Anderton needs Agatha to help him escape and prove his innocence, while Agatha needs him to free her from the imprisonment of being a precog.

            The only costume or prop visible in this shot is the collar of Anderton’s leather jacket. This gives him a somewhat rebellious look, which is exactly what he is; a rebel. He has defied the PreCrime system and is on the run from the police force. But, it does not give him a look of badness or corruption. He is not out to destroy anyone. On the contrary, he simply wants to save himself and free Agatha. As her head rests on his shoulder, the leather jacket tells us that in this moment, he is her protector.

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