Realism is good quality

Pacific Rim is one of the best Robot vs Monster movies I have seen. The monsters were brutal aliens from another dimension sent to take over the earth. They came in all sizes and forms and they were not to trifle with. The humans, on the other hand, had to adapt and created Huge metal robot machines operated by two pilots called jaegers. Consider a jaeger similar to an auto-bot(transformers) that is controlled by humans rather then AI. As visual and action packed as it was, the acting of some of the main characters added a realistic quality to the movie.

Action is good, but acting glues it all together. The more realistic the acting is, the more realistic the movie becomes. In this movie a few actors did a good job with their assigned characters. Some of these character can be related to real life high school bullies, athletic rookie hotshots and leaders who appear to be in control while hiding dark secrets. When film makers take the time to create quality acting, they do the same with action.

Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam) the main character, a jaeger polite, is who you would call an athletic rookie hotshot that is bold, over confident and reckless. He has a lot of potential but regularly challenges authority. He believes that his way is the best way. He takes unnecessary risks that causes more harm than good. When you have so much to offer, it becomes a challenge to learn how to expand yourself without over shadowing others.

Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) is the man in charge of the resistance. He is firm, encourages order and teamwork, and devotes himself to the survival of the human race. He has the well being of mankind in his heart but also keeps his own troubles out of the light. He begins to understand that rules will be broken.

Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) is a young female talented fighter that has trouble letting go of pain from her past. She is quiet but very smart. She also appears emotionally shelled when she realizes that she has feelings for Becket but not sure how to handle it. She is a prime example of someone with a hidden power that can only be unlocked if they learn how to let go of what binds them to limits.

All three of these characters represent people who exist in reality. There are some that had bad things happen to them that forces them to find hidden strengths that they did not know they had. Perhaps a way to heal wounds is to make yourself stronger. There are some that can't help but to do things their way until they learn that sometimes, you just have to do what you are told. Even those who appear to have it together really are trying to make a mends for what they have done in the past. To redeem themselves is to be a good example for others to follow.

This type of acting is what film professionals would call “Realism”. It gives a realistic impression to the characters. The viewers don't have a problem relating to the behavior of the characters because it is something that is seen in real life. “Realism, as opposed to stylized action, can also be though of as naturalistic. This is action that doesn't draw attention to itself but instead gives the impression of genuine human action and reaction” (Goodykoontz and Jacobs 2013, section 3.7, heading: Realism, para: 1). If you can imitate real human reaction, viewers are more willing to pay closer attention to the plot.

There is another technique that is used to helps bring out realistic human behavior in fantasy characters. It is a method called “Method Acting” and is used by actors to make their impression of realistic human behavior by remembering a real emotional drama in the actor's life to help paint emotional distress. “the Method requires that actors draw on their own memories and experiences to reach the heart of a character, so that they more genuinely feel the emotions they're portraying instead of just pretending to” (Goody koontz and Jacobs 2013, section 3.7, heading: Method Acting, para: 1).

A nice display of this is from Marshall Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba). In an elevator scene, Stacker begins to bleed from his nostrils. As he realizes this, he swallows a doctor prescribed pill to help with his unknown symptoms. If you watch closely you will see the unsatisfactory in his body expression as he consumes the pill. His looks like someone whose has it all but is actually suffering from a hidden illness. The public sees one thing but there is a secret that they are unaware about.

Charlie Hunnam (Raleigh Becket) stars in a t.v. Series “Sons of Anarchy”. He runs a gang that services manpower that enforces people to pay debt that they owe to business people who use their services. In this t.v. Series, he acts as a reckless manager that does things his way. He use to work under another manager that offered the same service in which he constantly challenged his authority. From his attitude, he wanted to run the business himself and did his best to make all the employees accept his decisions over the boss.

In the movie Pacific Rim, Hunnam's attitude was similar. Again, he challengs authority, made up his own mind, and was constantly making enemies. You can tell the mentality of an actor based on the types of roles they play and how well they play them. Hunnam must like playing the rebel when it comes to acting. It seems he likes challenging authorities.

Scene of Raleigh expessing his dislike for Stackers decision of not letting Mako be his CO-pilot.

Scenes of Charlie Hunnam as Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy

Acting is an art. Master it correctly, and you can bring to the scene that which can only be imagined.

Citations:
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From watching to seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. This text is a Constellation™ course digital materials (CDM) title.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNQl2Ii0H-I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0ICAkiEydc

 

Opening rhythm to an adventure

Whenever I am watching a new film, I pay close attention to the opening soundtrack. It gets my adrenaline going. The opening soundtrack can give you an indication of what kind of movie you will be watching. Either you are going to be at the end of your seat, or laid back for an intellectual challenge.

Adventures of all types have sound, and some can only be heard by the adventuring individual. It is the tune within the personal soul that triggers energy to travel into the unknown. It is that beat that you hear, over and over in your heart, like a skipping record. Energy or courage must always be replenished. When you play your internal tune, you stand with firm posture and take on the challenges ahead.


Everyone has their own internal tune. Some are borroughed from their favorite movies. That being said, whenever I am venturing into new worlds, I play these tracks as opening stage setters of my upcoming adventure. Let the sounds penetrate your bones, help the blood flow better, and just something cool to jam to.

If you can hear it, you can feel it

Well “The Searchers” starring John Wayne, may be an old 1950's action/drama movie. It still comprises the essential elements that make movies well known even after their time. This western Gem, includes soothing music, action sound(gun fighting) and civilized dialog. The background music was relaxing, something that you could listen to while riding a horse in open terrain. The sound of gun-fire makes you pay close attention to every action scene. More interesting is the dialog used between the actors. The language was very civil and family like. Of course, in today's movie films, the elements of dialog, sound and music, have changed significantly. It is always educational to take a look behind the history curtain to acknowledge the path taken by modern day films.

A good indication of a blockbuster movie is one in which the “soundtrack” of the movie is purchased. I remember buying the soundtrack from “From Dusk till Dawn”. It had some marvelous music tracks. This type of “music” really enhanced the movie. As in the movie “The searchers”, the music used was more instrumental, played by violins, banjos and orchestras. It had a unique travel feel to it. When you hear music of such format, you immediately picture an individual riding along on a horse or wagon. It feels very peaceful, almost makes you want to have a picnic with the family.

When it came to the action scenes, that travel-like music turned into heavy orchestra. When a dramatic scene happens, you sometimes here that “tau-duh!!!” sound. Then a “winding down” tune when one of the actors gets shot and dies. Though in modern movies, you rarely hear that “tau duh!!!” sound. In this move it was very dramatic. Once you hear that “tau-duh!!!”, the response is, “oh no, they got him”. I can recall some other famous western movies that used hard orchestra for dramatic scenes. It confirms something bad went down. “Any good filmmaker knows how important music is to the success of a film” (Goodykoontz & Jacobs 2011, Heading:Sound effects, section: music). With the right touch of music, at the right time, can make all the difference.

I am more of an action fanatic. When I think western genres, I think of revolving pistols firing. BANG!!!, BANG!!! Cowboys riding by on horses with their pistols spitting out thin smoke to indicate the exiting of bullets was exciting. Come to think of it, some of that gun firing did sound like small fire crackers. That is my best guest. I also noticed that the sound of gun-fire used in similar western films were almost identical. Perhaps an accepted standard. “In addition to sound recordings made for individual movies, there are certain stock sound effects that editors use over and over. These may be nature sounds, mechanical noises, and door creaks” (Goodykoontz & Jacobs 2011, Heading:Sound effects, section: popular sound effects). Anytime I hear that particular gun-popping sound, I am thinking old 1950s or 1960s western classic.

Aside from the music and sound effects, the dialog used with the actors was civil. In fact, there are some western movies that have little action and emphasis more dialog. The tone and level of the actors' language were of polite and civil manner. There was this “respect your elders” tune to the conversations. When an elder is greeted, they are referred to politely by their first name following a Mr., Uncle, or Aunt. In today's language, addressing someone by their Sir name is recommended. “Instead of using a formal, theatrical style, many films more closely reflected everyday speech of their times” (Goodykoontz & Jacobs 2011, Heading: Dialog). This movie was made in 1956, but the time setting was set in 1868. Perhaps, this was how society conversed with each other at that time.

Not sure if a movie could make it without the use of sound, music and dialog. The audience not only want to see the action but hear and feel it as well. These three elements help the audience connect and enjoy the movie more deeply. Silent movies are a thing of the past. Today's movies are made with surround sound, HD quality images and edge of your seat action effects. As best as they can, movies let us live the fantasy life.

Citation of reading material used

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: from watching to seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. This text is a Constellation™ course digital materials (CDM) title.

Youtube links to 1950's Western Films that similar sounds

Music from some of the most famous western films

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EujDcc2xEUI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iteRKvRKFA&list=PLABFB5F94C45213B9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-cHcdMPWgM&list=PLABFB5F94C45213B9

Sounds of gun-fire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtI1KECVOUw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0BrdMi-oyc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8gPh3vjs6U

Dialogs from western films of the 1950s and 60s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8gPh3vjs6U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uuAjwvtxEM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKpPQ6SqHvQ

The Searchers starring John Wayne (1956)

The Searchers starring John Wayne

Bridgeport Public Library, 925 Bridgeport, CT, retrieved from second floor, movies section, in the "S" category

Date movie was made: 1956

Major Actors:

Jeffery Hunter

Vera Miles

Ward Bond

Natalie Wood

Story Writer

Alan LeMay

Director:

John Ford

Story/Summary

The Searchers is about an Ex-Confederate soldier who has a skill in hunting sets out a rescue mission to rescue his niece from a band of Indians who murder his family and try to turn the soldier's niece into one of their own. Story of a film is a short summary of it it about or what to expect (Goodykoont, Jacobs, 2011)

Plot

This story is about an ex-confederate soldier who goes on a hunt to rescue his niece from a tribe of Indian Comanches who massacred his family out of revenge. This movie was set in a time frame of 1868 in Texas, three years after the end of the civil war and when revolts from the natives erupted occasionally. The ex-confederate, named Ethan, returns to his brothers house out in the open terrain of Texas. Ethan's brother, with his wife, two daughters and son are very happy to see him. After some catching up, laughs and settling in, Ethan began to return to humanity which was a slow process after years of intensive fighting.

Yet family enjoyment was cut short when a Texas Ranger arrivals looking for a few able men to respond to reports of an Indian revolt in the area threatening some of the local families. Little does Ethan and the Rangers know that the worse was yet to reveal itself. The Rangers were tricked to set out on a hunting mission, witch the Indians designed to lure them out away from the ones they were supposed to be protecting. As Ethan and the Rangers release the trap, it was too late. Ethan's family was murdered and his youngest niece was taken captive. A man who looses his family has nothing left but revenge.

Ethan then sets out to find his niece and kill the one responsible for the death of his family. It was a long 5 years of struggle, pain, and fighting as the search for his niece continued to almost no positive outcome. Ethan kept on the pursuit, never giving up. He was determined to find his niece no matter the cost.

The sight of his niece both excited him and angered him as he realizes that his niece was living as one of the Comanches. According to Ethan, any whites living as an Indian is forever and Indian. Ethan had to struggle with himself not to kill the only kin he had left. Even a man of vengeance can humble himself. Ethan kills the Comanches and returns his niece back home. Ethan understood how love is a strong healing force for all kinds of scares. Plot are the stings of events that create the story (Goodykoont, Jacobs, 2011)

The plot is set in Chronological order. The story is about am ex-soldier who comes home to live a peaceful but is force to kill for the death of his family by Indians. The movie begins with the arrival of an ex-confederate soldier to a home of his brother and family. They having a good time because one of their kins returns home after year of service. Then, the ex-soldier's family get massacred by Indians after setting out to respond to reports about an Indian raid.

Before I watched the movie, I read the summary of the story on the back of the movie cover. The plot of the movie begins the way the story tells it.

This was a heart felt and tragic story. The ex-soldier's family were very nice people. Took care of their own. This was the ideal family everybody wants. A group filled with love and laugh. Kids playing innocent pranks on each other and neighbors treating themselves as they were all one big happy family. Also understand that family is the most import part of a persons security and health as they grow. They are the ones who you deeply love and will go to war if any of them were harmed. Once you loose family, you loose a huge part of yourself.

This form of story telling was more gloomy. The audience was first shown the lives American families living in the Texas frontiers. They seemed to be peaceful people. Then, their lives were taken in one of the most ugly fashions. My heart was still in pain watching the remainder of the movie.

If the story begin with the soldier already on a vengeance hunt, and no indication of what the his family was like, the audience would be more in-tuned to the action than the chronological effect.

References

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl1865.html link the shows that dates of the American Civil war

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011).Film: From watching to seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.This text is a Constellation™ course digital materials (CDM) title.