Film/Text/Culture Autoblog -Summer 07

“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

I really really enjoyed watching “The Thin Blue Line”. Any doubts I had about Errol Morris after watching “Gates of Heaven” are now gone. I was fascinated from start to finish.
Our society is very determined that justice should always be served. The root of our desire is to ensure that bad acts are followed by bad consequences. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. However, Morris has eloquently shown us how good intentions are severely distorted by the flaws of human nature. We are peppered from every direction (movies, TV, books) and told that there is good vs. evil and good must win at any cost. Again, I believe this is a basic human instinct and it is a good one. The problem occurs when people allow themselves to be overcome with selfish desires. In this case, the investigators were selfish in […]

Original post by kcannon

The Thin Blue Line is a colloquial term for police and police forces.  The term derives from ‘The Thin Red Line’ and suggests that a thin line of police officers is all that prevents civilized society from descending into disorder.  It is sometimes used as a negative term against police who cover up criminal activity of fellow police officers.
The Thin Blue Line (1988) is a documentary film about the murder of a Texas police officer who had stopped a car for a routine traffic citation.  The police are presented with two males, one a local boy with a criminal record (David Harris, a boy who returned to his hometown bragging that he had murdered a policeman) and the other a 28-year-old guy with no criminal record (Randall Adams). The documentary represents testimony suggesting that the police altered, fabricated, and covered up evidence to convict the guy they wanted to be […]

Original post by Amanda

Gates of Heaven is a documentary film by Errol Morris about the pet cemetery business. It was made when Morris was unknown and did much to launch his career.
Gates of Heaven consisted of many interviews with different people involved with these pet cemeteries.  Many of these people continuely talked more about their lives and why their lives had meaning, trying to justify their life to anyone who is watching this documentary.
Is it really human nature to try to defend your outlook on life?  What is important in life seems to be a matter of opinion, and if one is content mowing the lawn of his father’s pet cemetery than who can tell him that he’s worthless?!  Yet at the same time, the same young man trying to say he is an expert on love seems a little absurd, considering his experience with love was from a long-term relationship in college. […]

Original post by Amanda

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I’m still thinking about “Gates of Heaven” and still trying to figure it out. That movie really was something else. There is something about this movie that troubles me. I think a small part of me feels pity for the Harbert family. I’m curious if they had any idea what they were getting into when they agreed to make this film. I doubt that they did. I suppose what’s bothersome to me is, are they really any creepier or crazier than anybody else? Sure, they own a pet cemetery (which is not the norm) but don’t we all do things other people would find bizarre to some extent? I don’t know, maybe, maybe not.
I suppose to some extent I’ve put myself in the Harbert’s shoes (the shoes where they were put into a documentary […]

Original post by kcannon