Journal: The Secret of Kells

    

The Secret of Kells

I saw the movie The Secret of Kells, directed by Tomm Moore, and I believe that it was an amazing little film and I am rather sad that I haven’t heard of it before now. It was a such a great film to look at for the artistry that was put into it and for its storyline being based off of a real story of a real Book of Kells. 

I believe that the film was made to tell a great story and since it was animated, it was suitable for children, that way a child could relate and learn about an Irish legend. It is important for children to learn new things, so, if movie producers can reach them through cinema why not take that medium and educate them and entertain at the same time? 

This film had a €6,500,000 budget, but only grossed about $739,454.

It bombed the box office. I wish I had known but after some research it didn’t really show very often here in the US. It was mainly shown in Europe. It was a great little film and it was nominated for best animated feature in 2009. Too bad it wasn’t more recognized. I believe that it is very artsy and was a great reflection of how the actual Book of Kells is. It was a homage to the time spent crafting a wonderful book. 

A page from the actual Book of Kells

Something that caught my eye was the way the animation was done. It was almost flat and very much 2D. That is fine, it is just interesting to me because maybe it is also a way to reflect pages of a book again to reflect the inspiration of the film. The most memorable moment for me, was when Aisling heard from Pangur Ban (pet cat) that Brendan was locked in his room or dungeon more like it, she came to help him escape. At this scene I can always picture in my mind Aisling always flitting around and being very ghostlike almost and getting around on all fours. She is portrayed as this like fairy or spirit of the forest and she can somehow turn Pangur into a little ghost-like cat so that Pangur could go where she can not go, Brendan’s room to help him get out. This scene is very different fro any others, very dark and mysterious until we hear Aisling sing a charm for Pangur and we appreciate what she is doing but at the same time we wonder if Pangur will be able to be turned back into his normal body. The song she sings is interesting also. She mixes some English and also some Irish in the song making it more authentic. A wonderful song. 

In the tower with maps or drawings and lots of little designs.

Beautiful tree with design relating to the book.

Brendan and Pangur entering the Forest

Also, the vivid colors are also a sort of a signature for the film in addition to the minute details in the artwork that is used.  There is a lot of green and in dark times during the story, darker more elaborate designs were used. The most beautiful sequences in the film is when Pangur, Brendan, and Aisling were in the forest and climbing the trees and the way that time progression is expressed is very unique in that the screen is split horizontally in three and separate times that Aisling is in the tree. Also looking closely to most the images in the movie, you can tell there are many symbols that look very similar to the actual book, they are hidden all around.
The trees were also a huge part of the art. The scene where the trees symbolized a church-like sanctuary or cathedral because of the way the trees were arched was wonderful and it had great foreshadow that the forest is salvation but very little and something that you would need to know beforehand. 

I really recommend seeing this movie with your own eyes and experience the beautiful artwork that made the animation.

Thank you guys!

Mikaela

REVIEW: The Graduate

Reviewer: Mikaela Porter
The Graduate / 1967 / 8.1
Director/Studio: Mike Nichols
                          Lawrence Turman
                          Embassy Pictures
Box Office: Budget- $3,000,000 (estimated)
                    Gross- $100,000,000 (Worldwide) ( January 1973)
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance
Running Time: 106 minutes

          The first thing you see in the movie The Graduate, is the protagonist, Ben Braddock in an extreme close up view. We also immediately hear the whirring of machinery and white noise. Once there is a voice that is saying "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are about to begin our decent into Los Angeles. The sound you just heard is the landing gear locking into place..." This non-digetic voice is then recognized as being a pilot on a plane as the view is then zoomed out and we see other passengers. I think this is quite entertaining because in the very first scene of this movie, we aren't completely aware that he is on a plane, only until our view is changed when the sound of the machines are juxtaposition with the voice and what he says. The pilot then says it was the landing gear locking into place, confirming that Ben was on the plane. I love how sounds can confirm a location or give the viewer a new perspective.

Opening Scene from The Graduate.  Extreme close-up on Ben.

We see here that Ben is now on an airplane.

          Another great example from The Graduate is the editing done throughout the film. Nichols uses a technique known as associational montage so that the viewers can connect the events of Ben's summer together in such a way that the viewer knows that Ben is lazy during the day and then he is sleeping with his fathers' partners wife at night in a hotel room. There are moments where we see Ben in the hotel room with his white shirt, get up and walk to the door, and we see his parents on the other end.  I feel like this is such a great cinematic approach at expressing progression of time. Other movies that do this well is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when, the trio are traveling to Bolivia, there is a montage of photos showing them travel to different places showing time passing. The City of God, coincidentally also has a sequence similar when there was a procession of an apartment going through ownership of drug dealing and who the dealer was at a specific point in time. As well as the movie New Moon from the Twilight Saga, there was a point where Bella was in a depressed mood after Edward left her and showing months going by, there was a scene where the camera moves around her in a sweeping motion that shows seasons changing through the window. The use of montages are very practical especially if the director doesn't have enough time to show the actual time lapse on screen. Plus it will keep the audience entertained and not have them sit through unneeded material.

Travel montage from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Apartment montage from City of God.

Bella's depression montage from New Moon.

           Another aspect I though was quite interesting from the film, was the music choice. Simon and Garfunkel, a popular folk-rock duo, were the main contracted song writers and performers that wrote the music specific to the movie. Everyone will especially recognize the hit song "Mrs. Robinson" that was premiered in the film. I love the history behind the song as well, here is a quote from wikipedia that intrigued me:

         "Nichols begged him for more but Simon, who was touring constantly, told him he didn't

          have the time. He did play him a few notes of a new song he had been working on; "It's 

          not for the movie... it's a song about times past – about Mrs. Roosevelt and Joe DiMaggio 

          and stuff." Nichols advised Simon, "It's now about Mrs. Robinson, not Mrs. Roosevelt." 

          This movie was really well made. The story line seemed like it was one from a short story but the editing, cinematic techniques, and music and sound were the best part of the movie. I would definitely watch this movie again so that I could examine the jack pot of cinematic elements that go along with the film, however I wouldn't see it again because I thought the character development went on far too long and the acting from Dustin Hoffman was mediocre. ★★ Porter.

References: 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061722/?ref_=ttmi_tt

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmAHbDSf4jQ

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4gEFZ0TJ8o

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Robinson