Kari’s Hum 210 Blog

Reflection on Reading and Viewing

 
In all honesty, this module was difficult for me.  I found the text interesting and did enjoy reading but the films were hard to watch.  I am not a fan of kung-foo or fantasy-like movies.  I am probably one of the only people on earth who do not like Lord of the Rings.  Both films shared the concept of good vs. evil and the pathway to each side, as well as special effects and fantasy.  Along with sharing similar concepts, both films shared many details described in the reading.  I was able to connect the detailed figure placement especially with Crouching Tiger through the fight scenes and I saw the importance of figure movement.  Each film had to focus on how the characters moved, especially since the storylines to the movies were fictional.  The audience had to be bought, meaning they are unable to see the characters in daily life so the way in which they moved on the screen had to feel real.  Even though I do not enjoy this type of movie there were many aspects to each film I found intriguing, such as the scenery, costumes, make-up and set design. 

 
My favorite thing about Lord of the Rings is the scenery.  I love how lush and green the sets are, the costumes are amazing, very well put together.  Even though the characters in Lord of the Rings are fiction, the costumes were designed in a way to make the characters appear to be real.  For example Liv Tyler’s character, her costume displayed every bit of grace, elegance and mysticism as her film role.  I think shooting the film in New Zealand was a great idea, I cannot think of another more perfect location.  The greenery was amazing in the forest scenes.  I found it obvious that the director had put much time and thought into the production of this film.  Every detail was well planned and each shot well executed.  Overall, Lord of the Rings was a visually stimulating and equally fascinating movie. 

 
Moving on to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, again I enjoyed the film for what it was, becoming most intrigued with the special effects and the scenery.  I tried to put aside my realism and fall into the special effects of people flying through the air and floating on clouds.  I felt the casting was done well, all the characters fit the role they were chosen to play.  The costumes were correct to the era and so were the props, make-up and hairstyles.  I cannot say that I would have rented and watched this film on my own, but I do respect the creator’s vision.  I think that films such as Lord of the Rings and Crouching Tiger are creative, embellished story lines that are a good addition to the film market for those looking to escape reality for a short time.