ELS Autoblog

Reality is defined as the state or quality of being real; a real thing or fact. The term reality, in its widest sense, includes everything that is, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible. Reality in this sense may include both being and nothingness, whereas existence is often restricted to being.
Perceived reality, on the other hand, is the “reality” that we perceive directly around us with our senses. Perceived reality is not the same for everyone, it is based on the explicit information received and processed by the person. As explicit information is received, it is processed in order to integrate it with the information that your other senses are gathering.
Unfortunately, mental illnesses can give a person an altered sense of reality, their perceived reality is not an actual reality. People that suffer from anorexia typically do not see themselves as harming their body, […]

Original post by Amanda

After our FTC yesterday I am especially grateful for the blog. I feel perhaps I may now be able to better articulate my thoughts. I make no guarantees.
I feel I must have sounded somewhat like “Debbie Downer” yesterday saying things like “you can’t trust anything”. Let me say, I don’t think that is the case. However, there are so many different opinions in the world, I don’t know that anything replicated ever can be 100% the exact way in which things occurred. I guess I’m saying that I don’t buy Kraucaur’s argument. I was glad when we started talking about CGI and how so many things can be manipulated through film now. I suppose I feel that I need to think for myself and not blindly believe just anything somebody happens to tell me. With that being said, there are many […]

Original post by kcannon

So…FTC day was, once again, extremely exciting. I guess it’s been awhile since I’ve had a class where the response to debate wasn’t…total apathy. I was kind of surprised to find myself actually getting involved in the issues at hand, and even getting a little angry and freaked out at some of the opinions put forth by the authors. It was also hard to find a camp that I agreed with.
I mean, I think film definitely has responsibilities. For me, those responsibilities are primarily narrative: film for me is a storytelling medium, with the director responsible for telling the story in the most evocative and smooth way possible (for this reason I can’t agree with the realists simply on the basis that Paris factory workers, and even films like The Bicylce Thief don’t exactly have the best storyline going for them. They are boring). Now, also simply in my […]

Original post by anniek

This will be brief; Dr. K is supposed to be here in five minutes and I just finished Petrarch’s letter as well as his version of Boccaccio’s Griselda story.
So far, I’m not a big fan of Petrarch’s. In the letter, he seemed to slap Boccaccio with some indirect-but-backhanded comments, ie: suggesting that Petrarch has much more serious work to attend to than to be writing in the vernacular as Boccaccio has. And he eventually goes on to completely (I believe) misinterpret Boccaccio’s story.
In reading the notes at the end of our edition, you find that many Biblical allusions are made within the story. At one point, Griselda is likened to the Virgin Mary, and at another Job. Of course! That’s exactly what this was– a sort of retelling of Job. A woman is, after all, supposed to love and support her husband as part of her service to God.
The kicker […]

Original post by jordan

 
Boccaccio tells that story of Griselda, a story that we learn from Petrarch’s letter to him, is one that is well known in Italy at the time. I think this story is just wrong.  Any man who would let a woman think that he had killed her children and then was going to put her aside for another wife is just plain wrong.  And the idea that Griselda just goes along with it is terrible.  Griselda needs to grow a backbone and tell her husband to shove it where the sun don’t shine.  I know it makes a good story but the reality is that no one is that gracious and humble and obedient.

Original post by kathryn

Hey, you guys. I am on my way, but I won’t be in until 11:15 or so. Look up on the Decameron Web Petrarch’s letter to Boccaccio about the Decameron, with his translation of the Griselda story. Look at the changes Petrarch makes, his explanation of the changes, and decide whether or not the ‘improve’ the story or not. What does Petrarch think the story is about? What might Boccaccio think his story is about?
 See you when I can.
Dr. K.

Original post by islammedlit

“Psychiatrists like to meet me,“ says the subject of the acclaimed 1988 movie documentary “The Thin Blue Line.“ “Everyone comments on my sense of peace, my gentleness. I do have a sense of peace. I came 72 hours from being executed. At that point, you better make peace with yourself.“
“The man you see before you is here by the grace of God. The fact that it took 12 and a half years and a movie to prove my innocence should scare the hell out of everyone in this room, and if it doesn’t, then that scares the hell out of me.”
The above quotes are from Randall Adams. In today’s class discussion we talked about reality needing to be redeemed, and mediums having obligations. If Errol Morris had followed Kraucer’s guidelines then he wouldn’t have been able to make a very convincing documentary. Yet, through his portrayal […]

Original post by ellie

Today’s FTC Discussion brought about many interesting questions. Kraucer’s opinions on what films should be was especially perplexing to me. His approach was that film makers should strive to create a film that is as close to “real life” as possible. Film is a type of art in my opinion, and I think that any artist’s goal should be to try to evoke some kind of thought, and emotion in the person/people viewing their work. Films would be very boring if all we saw were clips of real life events with absolutely no intervention on the part of the film maker. I agree with Arnheim’s view contesting the idea that a film is only complete when it has sound and color. Defining art, and especially “good art” as Dr. Campbel put it is sometimes very difficult; and many times we may need help in […]

Original post by ellie

Merian C. Cooper directed, produced, and wrote many famous movies during his day. He was born in 1893 and died in 1973, a good long life I’d say. I gathered little bits and pieces from my father on him, but as he was his great uncle (and therefore, my great great uncle)—he didn’t know him too well. In part because he was famous, and also because he lived in California. He was however, born in Jacksonville FLA– where my grandparents lived!
He’s most famous for writing and directing King Kong in 1933, and producing around 60 other films. Good grief. Anyway, he was the executive producer for Little Women, as you all know. Weird, huh.

Original post by elizabethomas

I loved this documentary. Loved it. I loved how Errol Morris used a recreation of the scene of the crime and changed details as each person told their version of the story. It was great. It is chilling that Harris was allowed to kill again, and it took that murder to get him in jail and out of the public. The victim’s family must be outraged by it.
This film was nominated for an Academy Award, but was rejected because it had scripted parts, which I feel is unfair. The documentary was great, and the scripted parts only added to the story.
I really really really look forward to the next documentary.

Original post by khusband