The End of Comm 229

The End of Comm229..

I started this blogging site solely for the purpose of my Communications 229 course. After blogging multiple times on my own site and commenting on tons of others, I really enjoy the process. I will continue to blog after the class is over. Its a great idea for many reasons. Maybe I won't blog as much, but I will continue to put thoughts down on my website.

Globalisation

Part of Chapter 15 in The Media Student's Book that interested me was the closer look at US cultural power on page 490. It explains specifically how "North America is a continent of immigrants", and how "Hollywood cinema is an example of the hybridising as well as the homogenising drives within the growing dominance of US forms." The section soon goes into the textual strategies they use, that are true and I never thought about before. In Europe the movies are titled differently for the audience. They edit the films to appeal to the respected audience but I'm not sure if I agree with this procedure. To me a film is what it is. They shouldn't be fake to become 'popular' in my opinion, rather be direct and bold. I understand British films in Britain from British directors having British actors, accents, and settings. Anything edited to cushion an audience is only a ploy to attain a little extra money but takes away legitimacy. I'd rather use the "cultural vagueness" and be open to a large audience than switch scenes for them.

First Reality Show

In The Media Student's Book, for chapter thirteen it explains documentary and reality tv. One section I found interesting was the beginning of dramatic reality shows. In 1992, MTV's Real World was released, "Based off documentaries such as American Family". (Page 471) The page later explains that the success of the European Big Brother and then Survivor made the format a dominant one on television.

The Omega Man Vs. I Am Legend

After getting out of work tonight I watched The Omega Man from 1971 with Charleton Heston in the lead role. This was clearly an adaptation from the book I Am Legend, which had a newer movie version out with the same title. On IMDB I Am Legend has a better overall rating, and I have to agree with the website. The older version I heard was a lot closer to the book, which was violent and more aggressive than I Am Legend the movie was. Will Smith does an intence, great job acting in the lead role but so doesn't Heston. The overall acting is better in I Am Legend because the vampires don't talk and there's only 3 technical actors. In The Omega Man there is some up and down acting from the bad vampires, who talk throughout the film. I can see why the movie was re-made, as each are completely different from each other.

I was impressed with the older movie's cinematography, yet the newer one had better graphics and was scary/thrilling. Watching The Omega Man now, the scenes can be somewhat comical and not on the same level as Will Smith's version. For their respected times (over 2 decades apart) each was provocative and a decent adaptation of the amazing novel. I wish the movies could be combined. Will Smith's character needed to be more badass and both films should've been longer. The music for the older version sucked but the newer musical score was brilliant. If Will Smith went out at night and hunted the vampires like Heston's character did, I Am Legend would have been fantastic. Instead, he let his dog die and committed suicide by running at a vampire with a grenade conveniently placed in his top drawer. Overall, I Am Legend still wins in my opinion.