This tells the viewer that andy is going through a rough patch in his life watching his wife enter the room with her lover and it makes the viewer think he is going to do something awful like take someones life. The techniques used in a film have an impact on the way a viewer interprets the story or characters. The last cinematographic technique i wanted to point out is the use of dramatic zoom. He recently directed an homage to alfred hitchcocks techniques entitled offing david 2008, an australian film starring nathaniel buzolic and asha kuerten. Another technique used to represent the oblivious older generation is when the. This movie is often classified as a classic and is number 17 on afis list of the 100 best movies of all time. While the studio, warner brothers, was still blind to the untapped potential of what would be the new hollywood movement, they gave penn and beatty free reign to fill the films cast with unknown stage actors like gene hackman and estelle parsons and to shoot the film in texas. In the graduate, the director, mike nichols, emphasizes the mysterious tone of the film with his overuse of lighting, camera angles, and shadows. Find out the graduate programs available in film production and editing. Two interesting camera techniques are used in the film. Robinson, you are trying to seduce me, says benjamin braddock dustin hoffman. The film nearly abuses these techniques to create a masterpiece with both a meaningful and enthralling story. Once such masterwork, director mike nichols sophomore film, the graduate.
It is known that the screenplay for the film the graduate is an adaptation of charles webbs novel, but cinematography in this film uses more effective methods to establish the main character benjamin braddock, including music that helps to advance the story, camera work, sound, etc. Media studies utsa dept of modern languages and literatures. Even so, the smash success of the graduate made hoffman a hot commodity, earning two more nominations for midnight cowboy 1969 and lenny 1974 before winning the oscar for kramer vs. Mike nichols won the academy award for best director though there were many major achievements in hollywood cinema that year ii. Film techniques used to emphasize themes in v for vendetta. For you film majors and lovers out there reading this, youll know how great this film actually was. Cucoloris is a lighting technique where an object is placed between the light source and the subject in order to create a patterned shadow. Unlike most of the analysis found herewhich simply lists the unique individual story appreciationsthis indepth study details the actual encoding for each structural item. Shawshank redemption film techniques analysis essay example. In the heat of the night won best picture and one of its stars, sidney l. This week, i will be doing a film analysis on the 1967 film the graduate. The graduate, from 1967, is one of mike nichols greatest films. In a film program, youll learn about the history of cinema, film aesthetics, film philosophy and various techniques used in. The graduate 1967 is one of the key, groundbreaking films of the late 1960s, and helped to set in motion a new era of filmmaking.
Film analysis of the graduate directed by mike nichols essays. A disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter. Im a big fan of the film and loved all the themes of elements and nature. Think that extreme closeup is there just because the actor has pretty eyes. The role earned hoffman an oscar nomination, losing to rod steiger for in the heat of the night 1967, an odd choice considering sidney poitier was the true lead as mr. The final scene of the graduate is one of the most widely parodied shots in. Ten essential film techniques or cinematic techniques all students must know. Rebellious in spirit and creatively adventurous, their unexpected box office success and wider cultural impact made them the progenitors of the new hollywood revolution. While these elements can be challenging, i assure you they are not. New hollywood was a movement in filmmaking from the late 1960s through the 1970s.
The film stars dustin hoffman in a careermaking role as benjamin braddock, a 2021yearold who has just graduated from an unnamed university in the american northeast, and has returned to his home in pasadena, california. In order to successfully contribute to the coming of age genre, the film took a lot of the common situations we work with within the genre and presented them with a unique twist by using the element of symbolism. It seemed like every choice made by the director mike nichols director and the director of cinematography bob surtees was justified. The use of production techniques in a film helps the audience understand the ideas. One film that clearly uses this to its advantage is mike nichols the graduate which is centered on benjamin, a young man who finds himself in a lovebased dilemma with a woman and her daughter. Hes not the future engineer, or the budding artist. Study cards for test 2, occ film 100 online course orange coast college typoserrors may exist. When ben and elaine get on the bus heading away from the church, their facial expressions seem to betray the confidence they had when escaping from the people at elaines wedding.
Respond to the question with close reference to one or more films you have studied. The constant presence of water representing ben being out of his element is more. Jun 03, 2017 the most discussed aspect of the graduate is its ending, which is notable for being ambiguous and slightly ominous. The graduate is a 1967 american romantic comedydrama film directed by mike nichols and written by buck henry and calder willingham, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by charles webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from williams college. For the rest of you who have no idea what the film is, allow me to educate you. Is an editing technique where actions are established as occurring at the same time. The graduate study guide contains a biography of director mike nichols, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and. Used by the film industry as a term for all kinds of films, tends to mean glossy, emotional womens pictures in film studies.
The film tells the story of 21yearold benjamin braddock dustin hoffman, a recent college. The movement started with the graduate and bonnie and clyde, both released in 1967, and continued through the 1970s as auteurs crafted films that would influence the future of moviemaking. The plot, while following the character ben braddock, is a simple coming of age tale, the real. Films like the graduate and others of the hollywood renaissance period. A film textbook i once read used elements from the graduate to illustrate about a dozen different points, although i think this was due more to the authors personal fondness for the film than. In addition, film studies classes mes 31 are offered at various times and may include the study of films from any of the language groups taught in the department. Directors use a whole range of film techniques to help the tell a story and to convey meaning probably more than you realise. Mike nicholss, the graduate, is an academy award nominated film, which is received well even to this day.
Brackman on mike nichols film, starring dustin hoffman. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the storyform for the graduate. As the benchmark for every intergenerational relationship film since and, quite probably, until. Jan 20, 2015 the graduate is a 1967 comedydrama directed by mike nichols, based on the 1963 novel by charles webb. Benjamin braddock dustin hoffman is a young college graduate. But it was two new films in particular, bonnie and clyde and the graduate, that, with hindsight, make 1967 such a significant year in american cinema.
Learn about the classes offered in these programs as well as job titles commonly held by those who earn these degrees. The graduate, directed by mike nichols in 1967 is an influential satirecomedy film about a recent east coast college graduated who finds himself alienated and aimless in the changing, social and sexual general public of the 1960s, and questioning the values of society. The influential film is a biting satirecomedy about a recent nebbish, east coast college graduate who finds himself alienated and adrift in the shifting, social and sexual mores of the 1960s, and questioning the values of society with its keyword plastics. The use of production techniques in a film essay example. The graduate, bonnie and clyde 1967, and easy rider 1969 are credited as the three major films to borrow new wave techniques and kick off. Use the following websites to learn about a variety of different film.
The influential film is a biting satirecomedy about a recent nebbish, east coast college graduate who finds himself alienated and adrift in the shifting, social and sexual mores of the 1960s, and questioning. The graduate i is a film ive watched more than a few of times. Dec 23, 2009 the graduate is a great example of a film where lens and camera choices were used effectively to convey the director’s point of view. Mar 12, 2016 the graduate has a ton of interesting cinematography. When he saw it thirty years later for the 30th anniversary rerelease. The cinematography techniques used to capture mrs robinsons growing sexual desires for benjamin, are examples of a move away from classical hollywood style. D irected by mike nichols, released in 1967, the original story is by charles webb. Nichols and editor sam osteen used their songs, including the sound of. I am an ib graduate who is teaching a comparative film course as a part of an english language program in china right now, and because i never really studied film, i was at a loss about how to discuss elements of film with my students. May 28, 2018 these posts on film are really helpful. If youre interested in graduate programs, you can earn a master of arts m.
Whether seen as a genre or a style, definitely dark, deadly and delicious. How visual imagery is used to enhance the core themes of mike nichols seminal. In the late 1960s and early 70s a new generation of young filmmakers came to prominence in american cinema. Film techniques used to emphasize themes in v for vendetta in the film v for vendetta, the director, james mcteigue uses symbolism, costume and dialogue to emphasise the idea of everybody having a right to individuality, and the right and duty to resist forced conformism. Jan 19, 2010 i have to write an essay that consists of an analysis of the film the graduate. How does cinematography in the film the graduate establish. A series of examples of basic film techniques to be used for educational purposes. He is caught between adolescence and adulthood searching for the meaning of his upper middle class suburban world of his parents. In the scene near the end of the film where benjamin is running, he is shown at some distance running straight at the camera, an effect which makes him look as if he is getting nowhere as hes running. Low key lighting is when the lighting in a scene is dim and it is often used in movies to show people are thinking dark thoughts. Film and television film tv university of california. So i recently watched the graduate and i was mindblown by the clever cinematography and great performances this movie has been popularized for the characterization of the normal college graduate in the 1960s and 70s, but the way they do it through cinematography is brilliant. With dustin hoffman, anne bancroft, katharine ross, william daniels.
Film techniques of alfred hitchcock suspense, camera angles. The graduate is different from other coming of age movies and books, since benjamin is a little older. As the tagline in the movie ad reads, hes a little worried. May 11, 2012 the graduate i is a film ive watched more than a few of times. Nichols, on the contrary, presents the viewer with a male hero benjamin who is small, introvert, awkward, indecisive, and feels lost throughout the film.
Movie categories that the film industry uses to streamline production and market a film to its target audience. This is due to mike nichols careful direction and the screenplays strong structure. Overall the graduate is an amazing movie with excellent writing, great acting this movie jumpstarted dustin hoffmans career, and outstanding cinematography. The uncertainty benjamin braddock feels can be seen right from the start as he stands on the moving sidewalk at the airport. I wanted to look at some of the clever shots we did not get to discuss in class. Schools offering digital cinematography degrees can also be found in these popular choices. An analysis of filming techniques of mike nichols movie the. The title of the film and the novel on which its based describes the main character, benjamin braddock, who is a freshly minted college graduate. Known as the set, but can also refer to everything that is presented before the camera to create intended effects but doesnt include the effects of editing which takes place afterwards. I must demonstrate film terms and techniques and also provide insight into the movie itself. Mar 18, 2012 overall the graduate is an amazing movie with excellent writing, great acting this movie jumpstarted dustin hoffmans career, and outstanding cinematography. We already talked about a good amount of it in class such as with the aquarium or the scuba diving scene or the claustrophobic conversations ben has with family friends at the beginning of the film. These films saw less influence from their production studios and more influence from their.
Film techniques of alfred hitchcock suspense, camera. Nov 20, 2014 the scene that made mike nicholss career. Shawshank redemption film techniques analysis essay. The graduate would still have been a classic film if nichols had found some other artist to become the face of its soundtrack, but the marriage between movie and music in this instance was so. Camera positioning and movement and the overlapping sound, which. The graduate is a 1967 comedydrama directed by mike nichols, based on the 1963 novel by charles webb. Nov 20, 2014 the graduate is one of those movies that never turns out quite as gentle as it is in the memory. It has stood the test of time and become known has a classic. Film analysis of the graduate the 1967 film by mike nicoles the graduate is about benjamin braddock, a recent college graduate, who is at a crossroads in his life.
This is a reflection from my film theory course, in it i analyze the film and aspects of the genre. Of the following film techniques used in citizen kane, name one scene in which they were used. This movie has been popularized for the characterization of the normal college graduate in the 1960s and 70s, but the way they do it through cinematography is brilliant. This is achieved by the film techniques the producer has used.
Their work was thematically complex, formally innovative, morally ambiguous, antiestablishment, and rich in mythic resonance. The graduate has a ton of interesting cinematography. So ben being carried leftward at the start of the film indicates that he is not progressing. This week celluloid cinema is stepping back in time to the year 1967 in order to discuss why the graduate is the perfect coming of age film. The movie that i have chosen to analyze is the graduate, directed by mike nichols and winner of an academy award for best director as well as six other nominations including best adapted screenplay. Emphasis on eliciting best possible performance from actors. When these zooms are used effectively, it is never in a shot with action.
Anyone whos seen the movie the graduate, any writers. The final scene of the graduate is one of the most widely parodied shots in american cinema, and for good. This also means it has been incorporated into the dramatica story expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example. Film analysis of the graduate directed by mike nichols. These courses also expound on and instill in students a greater ability to analyze different aspects of film and the techniques used in film making. In american film history, one such work is the graduate, originally. Clever cinematography and the graduate so i recently watched the graduate and i was mindblown by the clever cinematography and great performances. But even though benjamins a college graduate and therefore supposedly prepared to face the worldhe really isnt prepared to face the world at all. The graduate is a delightful, satirical comedydrama about a young mans seduction by an older woman, and the measure of maturity which he attains from the experience. As evidenced by all of the pop culture references, the graduate remains one of the great examples of a popular film done artfully. An analysis of filming techniques of mike nichols movie. The graduate is a great example of a film where lens and camera choices were used effectively to convey the director’s point of view. Required of all production majors shooting fiction thesis. In addition, film studies classes mes 31 are offered at various times and may include the study of films from any of the language groups taught in.
The graduate 1967 is one of the key, groundbreaking films of the late 1960s, and helped to set in motion a new era of film making. Exercises in analysis of script and character for purpose of directing actors in film and television productions. In atonement, directed by joe wright, it is very true that production techniques play a key role in helping the audience understand. You may have noticed that certain films and shows grab your attention quickly.
Oct 26, 2015 this week celluloid cinema is stepping back in time to the year 1967 in order to discuss why the graduate is the perfect coming of age film. When famed film critic roger ebert saw the graduate in 1967 he hailed it as the funniest movie of the year and gave it four stars. In the scene near the end of the film where benjamin is running, he is shown at some distance running straight at the camera, an effect which makes him look as if he is getting nowhere as hes. As the graduate was entering hollywood cinema at a time where films were projecting high innovation, it could be argued that nichols opts to go for something new in his characters to. Film was groundbreaking and had many outstanding scenes. They spoke for a generation disillusioned by the vietnam war, disenchanted by the ruling elite, and less willing to conform than their parents.
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