Mar
26
Summary 404
Posted by: Brian | March 26, 2009 | Comments Off on Summary 404
I wasn’t sure what to expect coming into Span 404. I have always had an interest in watching movies and figured it would be kind of interesting to be able to learn how to analyze film. At first I found it a little intimidating to express my own thoughts about a film because I wasn’t really sure where to begin. But as the term progressed I felt more comfortable about it. I had a better sense of direction in terms of what to look for and how to convey these interpretations via the ‘blog’ or in class. The first half began with analyzing films created in Mexican cinema and it was interesting to see the progression of the film history and the fact that it had so much history. It was great to see that the quality of filmmaking rivaled with that of Hollywood. My favorite movie that we watched in the first half would have to be Los Olvidados. It was my first time watching it and don’t think it will be my last. These movies allowed the filmmakers to share their visions of Mexico through film and allowed viewers, such as myself, to understand a little better the struggles and achievements Mexico has done over the years. The second half of the course allowed me to view the perspective of a filmmaker from outside of Mexico. The ‘s’ word was introduced at one point as it became more prevalent of the attempts some filmmakers made to try and construct a Mexico using ‘stereotypes’ in some cases. It is important for these movies to be accurate because these films get across to foreign cinemas that reach a much larger audience. Many people don’t get a chance to visit Mexico so the only perspective they have of it is through the movies. Overall, I found Span 404 to be very enjoyable and fun. It’s not everyday where you can go to class and watch a movie. But the nice thing about it was being able to discuss it later and to get the different perspectives and opinions that other people had about the films. Thanks Jon for making it a fun class and I wish everyone all the best!
