A comic book. I must admit it wasn’t the first thing that popped into my mind when I thought of textual works which were transformed into film. Although an adoring fan of The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and several other novels of the same sort which have now become available via other mediums, I was, for some reason, apprehensive about viewing the graphic novel Persepolis as a motion picture.
Less than a week after concluding my readings of Persepolis, the first comic book I have actually read cover to cover, I was indifferent about watching it on film. Because this was one of my first experiences with comics, I hadn’t seen any films versions and therefore did not know what to expect. I remember being informed that we would have to read the slides as the voiceovers were in French. I also recall my exact thoughts of, “Lovely, I get to turn around and reread something I just finished!”. However, as I began watching the first day, I was very pleasantly surprised.
Although viewing the film version of Persepolis isn’t the same experience as going to the new release on a Friday evening, grabbing a bag of warm buttery popcorn and kicking back in the large theatre chair, it was just as valuable of an occasion. The film grabbed my attention and kept me engaged through its ending. The scenes were not developed in following the same methods as standard film, but they flowed and the well articulated transition was incredibly important in my opinion. Just as in the graphic novel, subtle transition occurred as multiple events unfolded, all of which shaped Marjane Satrapi, the main character’s, life and supported the purpose of the comic. This effective technique made it feel as if I weren’t working my way through a 153 page graphic novel but instead that I was reliving the experiences with her.
In addition, the character development was another aspect making for a successful completion. In reading standard books, visual images are associated with characters. However, the comic book provides pictures which assists in putting a face with a name so to speak. For me, although provided with a visual image for each character, I still seemed to develop their personalities further and other traits including tone of voice. I was pleased to find that the film did an exceedingly well job of keeping the characters the way they were developed in the novel. For example, Marjane Satrapi was a spunky little girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In reading the comic, the things she does and her reaction to events associates her with the defined rebel personality. For the film, not only was her character consistent with these traits but the voice which read her lines matched. Although in a different language, the tone of the things she said, the speed at which it was said and the pitch often matched my expectations. In addition, even though each line had to be read, hearing the voices was of great value. As I mentioned earlier, I was concerned that I would just be reading the comic for a second time while watching it flash across a screen. However, the voices, though not understandable, moved the film along and made it more realistic as I was able to place myself within the situation more so than if they had not existed.
Lastly, the images and there motions was yet one more feature of the film which made it successful. The director kept the same sketches as seen in the graphic novel but the addition of movement provided for an engaging experience for the audience.
The graphic novel and the film version of Persepolis written by Marjane Satrapi, were both incredibly intriguing mediums of communication which took serious content matter and made it understandable for the larger audiences at hand. Both of these were very closely aligned containing few differences. I personally did not expect to enjoy either and especially not the film version. However, after viewing (and reading) this I will happily admit it is something which can be appreciated by many. I would highly recommend reading the graphic novel as it allows more freedom in one’s own development of the story but, I would not forgo viewing the film if given the opportunity. I believe it is worth it!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Non School Related Blog 2
Oh what a week! Last Sunday, as I recovered from a relaxing two days spent in the nice warm sunny weather, I was bombarded with a large review packet for my Chemistry class. Now this wasn’t just any packet, this was a fairly large set of questions, most of which required deep thought or multiple calculations. And although I have a fond love of Chemistry, it was just not how I wanted to conclude my weekend and begin my week. However, I guess the bright side is it got me back in the mindset to do work.. and quickly.
Tuesday, I have my 8 am lab. Unfortunately, I did not have time to complete my lab report before Monday evening and was really very truly pleased at 2:30 am Tuesday morning when I was still sitting awake generating graphs. And yes, I was even more delighted by the nagging sound of my alarm at 6:30 am after my mere four hours of sleep. Oh, did I mention I had a Calculus exam I had to take that evening?! Wednesday wasn’t a quite day for me either. I had my first Chemistry exam which I was just relieved to get behind me and a quiz for my math class. An exam and quiz within a 48 hour period… a bit ridiculous if you ask me. By Thursday I was simply tried and ready for my week to just be over. Although I had made it past the obstacles of demanding courses, I was exhausted and once again ready for my two favorite days.
The weekend was great although it seemed to fly by. I was able to sleep in. These days anything past 8 am is a treat for me. I also finally made it to the movie my mom had been hounding me to go and see since last week, Taken. It was awesome and I would highly recommend it to anyone =) All in all, I am well rested and ready to gear up for other week filled with the fun of demanding classes at Virginia Tech!
Tuesday, I have my 8 am lab. Unfortunately, I did not have time to complete my lab report before Monday evening and was really very truly pleased at 2:30 am Tuesday morning when I was still sitting awake generating graphs. And yes, I was even more delighted by the nagging sound of my alarm at 6:30 am after my mere four hours of sleep. Oh, did I mention I had a Calculus exam I had to take that evening?! Wednesday wasn’t a quite day for me either. I had my first Chemistry exam which I was just relieved to get behind me and a quiz for my math class. An exam and quiz within a 48 hour period… a bit ridiculous if you ask me. By Thursday I was simply tried and ready for my week to just be over. Although I had made it past the obstacles of demanding courses, I was exhausted and once again ready for my two favorite days.
The weekend was great although it seemed to fly by. I was able to sleep in. These days anything past 8 am is a treat for me. I also finally made it to the movie my mom had been hounding me to go and see since last week, Taken. It was awesome and I would highly recommend it to anyone =) All in all, I am well rested and ready to gear up for other week filled with the fun of demanding classes at Virginia Tech!
Spider Man 2 Reviews- Suggestions for Writing #2
“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.” It is a catch phrase we have all heard and even experienced. Although we may not always see eye to eye with others or even slightly understand their views for that matter, we must learn to except our differences. In reading both of the Spider Man 2 reviews from two well respected movie critics, it becomes very clear that people see and evaluate things through varying circumstances which impact their overall perspective on the given topic.
The first review was written by Todd Gilchrist from FilmStew.com. Although Gilchrist readily admits to his likings of the original Spider Man film adaptation which was released in 2002, he does not share the same fondness for the sequel. Through out his review, he stated how he was bothered by the sequence and pace of the storyline. Gilchrist focused on this as a creditable issue and strongly believed that it caused the movie to lose some of its value. He shared that he just felt some unimportant scenes were too drawn out and caused him to want to stand up and shout “Okay! We get this!”. He also felt that the methods used to relay points to the audience were sometimes ineffective as it was constant and unnecessary reinforcement. Although there were a few aspects which Gilchrist enjoyed from the movie Spider Man 2, he seemed to find the plot and certain scenes a disappointment as he strongly believed there was greater potential to make this film the new “greatest comic book adaptation” .
On the other hand, Roger Ebert, a renowned film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, thoroughly enjoyed his experience of watching Spider Man 2. Ebert focused his review on the fact that unlike many superhero based films, Spider Man 2 allowed for a deeper connection with the human side of the characters. He shared that he really felt the movie associating everyday problems and encounters allowed for a reaching out to the larger audience at hand, something very important to Ebert. He also slightly mentioned the special effects within his review saying they were exceptionally well done and adding that it was life like. Finally, Ebert mentioned the actors playing each of the main characters and the effect he thought their fulfilling the role had on the film overall.
In conclusion, both Todd Gilchrist and Roger Ebert wrote film reviews on the highly popular film adaptation of the comic series Spider Man 2. Although each man had their own opinions and perceptions of the movie, both analyzed similar techniques within the reviews. Each touched on the movement of the film associated with the plot. Both looked at how the director and screenwriters were responsible for the failures and successes of Spider Man 2. Despite differing views of the methods used, both critics used similar basis for critiquing the film. In addition, I found it really interesting that Gilchrist enjoyed Spider Man but did not like Spider Man 2. Ebert, however, found Spider Man 2 to be a successful adaptation which would satisfy any audience while he was disappointed in Spider Man. To me, this points back to their personal preferences. Although an effective review steps back and evaluates the given material based on a certain set of techniques, opinions are a large part and ultimately impacts the overall judgment of the work which is made very clear in these two reviews!
The first review was written by Todd Gilchrist from FilmStew.com. Although Gilchrist readily admits to his likings of the original Spider Man film adaptation which was released in 2002, he does not share the same fondness for the sequel. Through out his review, he stated how he was bothered by the sequence and pace of the storyline. Gilchrist focused on this as a creditable issue and strongly believed that it caused the movie to lose some of its value. He shared that he just felt some unimportant scenes were too drawn out and caused him to want to stand up and shout “Okay! We get this!”. He also felt that the methods used to relay points to the audience were sometimes ineffective as it was constant and unnecessary reinforcement. Although there were a few aspects which Gilchrist enjoyed from the movie Spider Man 2, he seemed to find the plot and certain scenes a disappointment as he strongly believed there was greater potential to make this film the new “greatest comic book adaptation” .
On the other hand, Roger Ebert, a renowned film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, thoroughly enjoyed his experience of watching Spider Man 2. Ebert focused his review on the fact that unlike many superhero based films, Spider Man 2 allowed for a deeper connection with the human side of the characters. He shared that he really felt the movie associating everyday problems and encounters allowed for a reaching out to the larger audience at hand, something very important to Ebert. He also slightly mentioned the special effects within his review saying they were exceptionally well done and adding that it was life like. Finally, Ebert mentioned the actors playing each of the main characters and the effect he thought their fulfilling the role had on the film overall.
In conclusion, both Todd Gilchrist and Roger Ebert wrote film reviews on the highly popular film adaptation of the comic series Spider Man 2. Although each man had their own opinions and perceptions of the movie, both analyzed similar techniques within the reviews. Each touched on the movement of the film associated with the plot. Both looked at how the director and screenwriters were responsible for the failures and successes of Spider Man 2. Despite differing views of the methods used, both critics used similar basis for critiquing the film. In addition, I found it really interesting that Gilchrist enjoyed Spider Man but did not like Spider Man 2. Ebert, however, found Spider Man 2 to be a successful adaptation which would satisfy any audience while he was disappointed in Spider Man. To me, this points back to their personal preferences. Although an effective review steps back and evaluates the given material based on a certain set of techniques, opinions are a large part and ultimately impacts the overall judgment of the work which is made very clear in these two reviews!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Graff Chapter 1 Exercise 1
A. Following recent discoveries, experts are now suggesting that there are dangerous levels of Chemical X in the Ohio groundwater.
B. Many critics believe the novel contains numerous flaws.
C. Many women believe that football is a boring spectator sport.
D. Recent studies suggest that male students tend to dominate class discussions significantly more than females.
E. Multiple movie reviews suggest that the film's underlying purpose is the focus on problems of romantic relationships.
F. It is not uncommon for one to remark that the use of templates in writing will become a stifle to their creativity.
B. Many critics believe the novel contains numerous flaws.
C. Many women believe that football is a boring spectator sport.
D. Recent studies suggest that male students tend to dominate class discussions significantly more than females.
E. Multiple movie reviews suggest that the film's underlying purpose is the focus on problems of romantic relationships.
F. It is not uncommon for one to remark that the use of templates in writing will become a stifle to their creativity.
Non School Related Blog 1
As I sit and finish up some last minute homework I cannot help but to think about how close I am to the weekend.. and finally! Since late last week, I have been under the weather fighting a head and chest cold. My whole weekend was sadly dedicated to sleeping hour after hour and taking what seemed to be like endless medications. Although I am finally beginning to feel a little better, I have more than enough work ahead of me to catch up on things I just could not do this week. But hey, at least I won't have to wake up before 8 am and track across the freezing cold drill field. And speaking of the weather.. I love watching the snow and enjoying it while it is around but I am really looking forward to spring. It is supposed to be really nice out this weekend and that just makes it all the more appealing. I absolutely love life in Blacksburg, but I would enjoy it even more with warm sun shine instead of the sniffles that accompany this icy cold weather.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Eisner and McCloud
After reading all of the PDF’s by Eisner and McCloud, I feel I have been provided with an insight on the world comics and how they are made successful. Although I personally am not particularly prone to read comics, I feel they are just as worthy as a novel or movie. Until reading these documents, I was unaware of all the work required to complete a successful comic strip.
As a child, I would occasionally glance in the Sunday morning paper to read the funny pages but that is the extent of my experiences with comics besides working with them a bit in English 1105. Through this course I learned that they are used visually to convey messages and are often successful as we are more likely to take the time to look at a persuasive visual such as a comic over an essay. However, after reading Eisner and McCloud’s pieces on the production of comics I see just how involved they are. Not only does the arrangement and font used for the text set the tone for the comic strip but the amount of frames also plays a huge determining factor. In addition, as Eisner pointed out, the amount of space between each frame sets the pace for the overall comic. These are things in which I have never considered but now understand important they are in the drawing of these pieces.
I found it very interesting how McCloud pointed out that we as humans are very selfish and associate every image with our own features. I believe this is very true and agree with him that it does play a factor in our giving meanings to images. Although comic strips are not something which I would read for pleasure, I believe much talent is required in completing a successful comic and there is a need for greater appreciation of them.
As a child, I would occasionally glance in the Sunday morning paper to read the funny pages but that is the extent of my experiences with comics besides working with them a bit in English 1105. Through this course I learned that they are used visually to convey messages and are often successful as we are more likely to take the time to look at a persuasive visual such as a comic over an essay. However, after reading Eisner and McCloud’s pieces on the production of comics I see just how involved they are. Not only does the arrangement and font used for the text set the tone for the comic strip but the amount of frames also plays a huge determining factor. In addition, as Eisner pointed out, the amount of space between each frame sets the pace for the overall comic. These are things in which I have never considered but now understand important they are in the drawing of these pieces.
I found it very interesting how McCloud pointed out that we as humans are very selfish and associate every image with our own features. I believe this is very true and agree with him that it does play a factor in our giving meanings to images. Although comic strips are not something which I would read for pleasure, I believe much talent is required in completing a successful comic and there is a need for greater appreciation of them.
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