Weekly Analysis Week 5 - Assignment 5-1

Movies are a great outlet for everyone creative and non-creative people alike. Directors work hard each year to break the mold and the audience still demands more and more movies. Movies have so many formulas that people don’t usually notice them. Like love stories usually start with two people meeting and falling in love, usually a tragedy strikes and brings them closer together, something happens and they are apart for a while and then the movies ends with them back together happily ever after. A lot of older films and newer films all have a similar format. Not much has changed as far as movie formats go except the drama in the movies is usually much bigger now than before. Action/Adventure and Sci-fi movies like Superman and Spiderman have similar formulas. The original Superman movie with Christopher Reeves came out in 1976, while Spiderman came out in 2002 but has a similar format.
The format for these movies are very similar between Spiderman and Superman, because powers emerge, tragedy strikes, hero uses powers for good, villain emerges, love interest endangered, hero becomes angry, hero defeats villain. I believe I love both these movies so much because I too would love to have super powers and save the world. Spiderman summed it up best with the phrase “With great powers comes great responsibility.” This is a motto all superheroes must live with. It was the values taught in upbringing and the tragedy of a mentor that sparks both Spiderman and Superman to be good. With their powers they could have chosen to become evil but because they were taught values and know right from wrong they choose to be good and save the world.
Next time you watch a movie see if you can find the formula they use. I bet you’ll find more movies are similar in formula than you thought. Just as discovered between Superman and Spiderman.

References:
Arad, A., Bryce, I, Ziskin, L. (Producers), & Raimi, S. (Director). (2002). Spiderman [Motion Picture]. United States: Sony Pictures

Salkind, A. (Producer), & Hamlin, G. (Director). (1978). Superman [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Brothers.

Assignment 5-2

Movie Formula's can sometimes be pretty similar. Take for example Spiderman (2002) and Superman (1976) there are over 25 years difference between the movies, yet their forumulas are pretty similar. They are both action/adventure and sci-fi movies. The format for these movies are very similar between Spiderman and Superman, because powers emerge, tragedy strikes, hero uses powers for good, villain emerges, love interest endangered, hero becomes angry, hero defeats villain. I believe I love both these movies so much because I too would love to have super powers and save the world. Spiderman summed it up best with the phrase “With great powers comes great responsibility.” This is a motto all superheroes must live with. It was the values taught in upbringing and the tragedy of a mentor that sparks both Spiderman and Superman to be good. With their powers they could have chosen to become evil but because they were taught values and know right from wrong they choose to be good and save the world.

References:

Arad, A., Bryce, I, Ziskin, L. (Producers), & Raimi, S. (Director). (2002). Spiderman [Motion Picture]. United States: Sony Pictures

Salkind, A. (Producer), & Hamlin, G. (Director). (1978). Superman [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Brothers.

Assignment 4-1

For Centuries there have been many heroes and celebrities. The Greeks had their Gods whose history still lingers, today we have comic book heroes similar to the Gods of the Greeks like Superman and Wonder Woman. The great thing of comic book heroes even though they are fictional they seem to give us hope. Superman is timeless since he first appeared in the DC comic in 1938. At the time he stood for Freedom, Justice and the American Way and no matter what costume changes he undertakes over the year his message is still the same.

The question is really why do all civilizations and societies create such big icons like Zeus and Superman? I think it's because there is always pain and troubles in the world and like God we look for someone to help us in our time and need. We love the struggle of Good vs. Evil. God and the Devil, Superman and Lex Luther, Batman and the Joker. Heroes do come in many forms and aren't just people with Superpowers. After 9/11 fireman, policeman and the military reached the highest amount of respect in their careers. Now people always viewed them as good to begin with but when they responded to the major attack and risked their lives to save as many as possible they became our Superman of today in the flesh.

The bad thing about being put on a pedestal is that people will view you with such greatness anything less than great your title of hero can be quickly stripped away. Cops are viewed as heroes and good until their is a scandal and no amount of saving they did will matter if a corrupt cop steals money or hurts a person they instantly go from being a Hero to being a Zero. This brings us to celebrities, there have been celebrities for a long time William Shakespeare, Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe. But like heroes they are viewed as being so much better than the average person but they too are held in such a level anything less than great can strip them of their celebrity status quicker than they ever achieved it. This was true for Brittany Spears when she was 17 she became an instant pop star overnight. Parents viewed her as a hero and a celebrity. She was going to abstain from sex till married, didn't drink or party, had worked hard for success. She was viewed as a great role model for a few years until it all fell apart. Probably due to the pressure of being in the constant spotlight. Brittany ended up losing her virginity to Justin Timberlake and they weren't married, she was seen partying with a crotch shot in the papers, shaved her head, beat a car with an umbrella. We are just as obsessed with fame and the good celebrities as we are with the scandals and drama. It's all like a bad train wreck, no matter how bad it gets you just cannot turn your head away.

So the question is why are we so obsessed with heroes and celebrities? The answer is that we are just a blimp in history and on the world. From space you can't even see a living person some people feel that way every day, invisible. So the thought of being loved by millions appeals to so many. We all want to be viewed as the best or amazing and don't want to settle for normal. I believe as long as people feel normal and invisible there will always be celebrities and heroes that we view above the rest. Of course this will always set so many of them up for failure. Reality TV has shown this more than normal stars, these people get instant fame for doing reality TV show, then are forgotten almost overnight. It's a chance for the normal people to be famous just like the Greeks had ambrosia which would turn them into a god. Our ambrosia is Reality TV.

Assignment 3-1 Weekly Analysis

The TV show Soprano's was such a huge hit and lasted several seasons. I didn't personally watch the entire series but I've seen enough episodes to know that it is based on the stereotypical Italian family. Everyone has stereotypes we see a guy with dark hair slicked back with gold chain on and usually assume he's an Italian. Some of the stereotypes are taught at an early age. Stereotypes for the most part can be pretty prejudice. Like assuming an Italian person eats lots of Pizza just because of their nationality. Or that Irish people all have terrible tempers.

We have another stereotype for Italians that are covered in the show...the stereotype that all Italians add "a" after verbs like "I do not-a want-a talk to you". The show had a italian accent with a hint of Brooklyn another stereotype that all Brooklyn people speak this way.

Assignment 2-2: Icon Analysis

I’m writing about CW’s TV show Smallville, Kathy Griffin and Crocs. What do they have in common? Nothing except two I like and one I despise more than anything else on this earth. With that said Smallville is one of my favorite shows and has been on air 8 seasons. Smallville is a show really about Clark Kent and how he dealt with superman’s powers in high school on up to adult hood. Kathy Griffin the self-proclaimed D-lister is a comedian who has been around the block a while. Crocs are the rubber clogs (similar to what snow white wore) that come in an array of colors and are worn by a ton of people from babies to adults.

I chose the TV show Smallville because I’ve always been interested in Superman and his life, and today it’s nice to have a hero to look up too. I chose Kathy Griffin because she is a funny comedian who likes to push everyone’s button (A little like myself). I chose crocs because they bug me a heck of a lot, even though people love to wear them.

Smallville, to me, is my outlet in today’s world of violence and disappointment (not to name any names, President Bush). I enjoy watching an hour series on the life of the icon Superman as a younger male, faced with finding himself and dealing with his growing powers. Seeing the transformation over the years into the man of steel helps me personally relate to Superman on a human level of fitting in and deciding what’s good and what’s wrong. Kathy Griffin is a very funny woman who has no problem saying what’s on her mind. She’s not as much a D-lister now as she possibly was thanks to her Emmy and TV show, but she still makes me laugh and makes people a little uncomfortable because she says what everyone is thinking but is always afraid to say. For that she is an icon to me because she frankly doesn’t give a crap. Now my biggest dislike in today’s modern world is a really silly item called crocs. They come in many colors they are big rubber oversized clogs. For some reason I see people wearing them and walking down the street and I cringe. They look ridiculous on people’s feet and look more like a clown shoe than anything I’d want to wear. My sister tried to buy a pair for my 2 year old niece and I swore I’d disown her if she did it! I wouldn’t have really, but the thought of that cute 2 year old walking in those shows made me sit down and shake my head for a very long time.

Weekly Written Analysis #2 - Brittany Spears

As tragic as it may seem, I have decided to post my blog about Brittany Spears. She started out on Mickey Mouse club with little acclaim. Then at 17 she was the first blonde pop star on the scene, shortly followed by Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore and Jessica Simpson. Britt was fortunate to be first because she was new and an amazing performing. Now her voice wasn't as strong as the others but she was probably the best dancer and performer of the four.

For a time she was America's sweetheart. She dated her childhood sweetheart Justin Timberlake and we all thought it couldn't get much sweeter then this. Then, they broke up but remained friends while Brittany was still on top. Of course the news papers couldn't get enough of her, people were dressing like her and barely a magazine didn't show her on the cover watched by a microscope.

To me, her downfall began when she started dating Kevin Federline. There was a short lived reality series on UPN about their romance. America saw their sweetheart in a totally different light. Gone was the polite and loveable Brittany Spears and welcomed the older trash talking, drinking and a newly sexual Brittany. Of course her antics on the show unfortunately were the beginning of a very tragic and very sought after public life that we all couldn't get enough of.

Obviously we had the kids she left with Kevin, the failed marriage (big shock there), the head shaving, the mental breakdown, and fight with an umbrella. It actually got to the point where it was so tragic America got sick of hearing about her.

The real question, is if she never married or met Federline, would this have happened? Would she still be America's sweetheart? Also, was it because she was stuck in public eye and watched more than anyone else in the world at the time of her reign as pop princess? I'm sure when she finally comes around and is back to normal there will still be love for her. America loves a scandal, but we love Bad girls turned good. (i.e. Angelina Jole and Drew Barrymore) Time and time again we have shown hatred and disgust for bad behavior by our stars and reward for their return and rehabilitation. Maybe if we weren't all such obsessed with the stars there would be less downfall among them.

What does popular culture mean to me?

Hey Gang,

Welcome to my first blog. Mostly designed for the Franklin University HUMN341 Popular Culture Class. This weeks discussion is, as you guessed it, Popular Culture and what it means to me.

So, I know your all shivering with anticipation, what exactly does popular culture mean to me? Well, personally, I think that popular culture is just all the things that are "in" right now. All the collections of current music, artists, movies, fashion trends and much much more.

It's important to understand popular culture from a business standpoint because well all businesses need customers to survive, and customers are all affected by popular culture. Majority of customers want the "what's hot" of tomorrow. We are a society that is constantly changing and reinventing.

For me there are way too many pop culture artifacts to narrow it down to the one that sums up pop culture of today, but personally one type of artifact I enjoy is DVD's. Particularly the new BluRay DVD's. I have been fortunate to have obtained already 40+ Blu Ray DVD's and with my big flat panel TV I have the "what's hot" of tomorrow...today!

I, like many people, enjoy getting lost in all types of movies from Horror to Action! And now with BluRay I am enjoying movies clearer now with rich sound and loads of colors as if I'm seeing movies for a first time! It's hard to believe that 100 years ago or less people only had radio or at best a little black and white tv. Today's movies are fast past with loads of action and as much color as in real life.

I think its a little obvious why I chose the new blu-ray dvd's as my artifact, I love movies and love technology so what better way to represent that than with the latest technology to view superior movies!

Now that I've said pleny about blu-ray dvd's I will end today's blog with well an excellent blu-ray dvd movie suggestion! If you want to view a movie that is great for the family, has lots of action, excellent computer animation that seems life like and has superior color in blu-ray format than you have to watch The Golden Compass.

Thanks for reading!

Jay