Final Exam :)

3. How does news media use heroism as a narrative to justify violent ideologies? What is the reality of soldiers experience in war?

(1) About using heroism as a narrative to justify viloent ideologies by News media

   I think heroism is kind of humanitarianism. Beyond race, ethnic group and nation, humanitaria-nism leads human peace and welfare. And it is quite similar to the ideology that America has insisted. They pretend like a" World police" and their heroism says, "All the things we do is right. And we are the one that be able to make world peace."  It seems really ideal and peaceful, but if you look closely inside, you could find there's a big problem. Central thought of the United states, that is measuring every happening in the world by their sight. And News media used it for justification.

   In this clip, Isabel (Sam's daughter) 's dialogue shows us America's dichotomy between friends and enemy. She thinks the men with the beard (Arabs) are evil, and dad who shoot them is hero. And she represents many Americans who have been effected by news media. 

   You can find glorified heroism in Federal government, not only in news media. The biggest example is Iraq war. After 911, The US has declared war on terrorism. And they said, there's a weapon of mass destruction (W.M.D) which is going to threat the world in Iraq. So they insisted that they have to get rid of it as a world police and they waged the war. Ostensibly, it seemed Good punished Evil. However, it was far from the truth.



  The population of America is only 5 % of the national population. However, consumption of imported petroleum is 25% of the world's. Iraq has a large amount of oil reserves, second only to Saudi Arabia in terms of its oil reserves. America had troubles dealing with Iraq because of Saddam Hussein's political isolation. So Saddam was pain in the neck to them. President George Bush who was a governor from Texas has contacted with Taxas oil company. Each election, Bush's family has recieved a lot of political funds from them, and if elected, they are going to manage advantageous policy towards oil companies. So this Iraq war was really naccesary for them. Also, expended war industry could be a reason of inciting the war-lower consumption, higher production. In other words, Iraq war was an advantageous war for America. It fulfilled Americans' desire for revenge on someone after 911,  and also it was a good chance to get oil without criticism. Becayse they had an excuse, "We did just for world peace!". This war was 200% advantageous war for the States.

   And Also, their interference in domestic affairs after invasion into Iraq looks like they are working for iraqi's human rights and democracy, but it wasn't. It was just a plan to steal strategical, economical, political rights from iraqi. Of course, News media concealed and justified it.

While I searched information, I tried to think again about effect of news media. It looks objective, but there's discourse obviously. They lead audiences to intentional way by hiding & distorting facts, and also they justify themselves to get benefits!  I regretted myself without critical eye because I've accepted all information through the media.  

(2)  Reality of soldiers experience in war

   The movie, <Brothers> is a story about one man called Sam who was kind, considerate, and respected before the war. However, the helicopter which he boarded was bombed by terrorists during the war, and he and his company were kidnapped. In starvation and fear of death, Sam was told that "If you want to survive, just kill your company!". He suffered from inner comfliction and finally decides to kill his company. With blaming himself, he returned to his country. But he is racked with guilt and be tormented by a guilty conscience. And story is going to be tragically.   

   It is not just a fiction. Actually, After war, many people suffer from trauma -depression, insomnia, flashback, and so on. Besides, they feel gulty about the fact that they are still alive, different from their dead friends. Also, they are haunted by nightmares about repeated memories of the war only. They think there's no future, their lives are full with accidents about war. They can't get out of their terrible memories.

   People who have trauma usually suffer from relationship between other people. So they feel left out and difference. These things are psychological, but most of them come from surrounding environment. People who face the trauma are usually  pass unnoticed, and everyone doesn't want to hang out with them. Because they look weird.

 

 According to one research in 1978, Vietnam veterans were taught that sensibility and sympathy are unnecessary before they went to war. And experience by using violence in the war is going to make "Emotional Paralysis". It is not disappeared even if they return to their country and start new life. As time goes by, it is going to be worse than before. However, melting frozen emotions means recalling severe injure again. So soldiers don't want to break up their inner peace. So they keep themselves more strict. This clip is a good example to show that phenomenon. Distant family-not familiar anymore, doubt about cheating, talking about military make his emotional paralysis melt down. And he lost control finally.

  Actually, When I was young, there's one man who lived in the same neighborhood. He survived Vietnam war came back safely. However, I used to be afraid of him because I felt he is psycho. He always hold the bottle and talked to himself all the time. My father said his wife and their children escaped from him- cause he has been suffering from war trauma so she couldn't handle it anymore- and there's no connection with neighbors of course. All of his money was used for his entertaining and buying alcohol. Childrens' parents didn't like him and warned their children to avoid him. Time passed, I grew up and read some books about trauma in high school. And I finally understood why he acted like that. He was fighting with his memories.

 War is contradictory. Because victim can be an attacker and attacker can be a victim. There's a destruction without winner. After 20c, It was just two weeks when there's no war in the world . So war is prerequisite essential in the history of man because of egoism. But I had a conviction while I wrote this. War, hurting each other, HAS TO BE STOPPED!! 

Come Fly With Me & Big, Bigger, Biggest

Semiotic

  First, <Come Fly With Me> has many humorous characters, fun and light music, woman narrater with kind voice, and it is in omnibus-formet. So it can appeal to every viewer (all ages) easily. Also this drama shows characters' individual stories repeatedly, so it makes people feel a sense of closeness and develops a bond of sympathy. But <Big, Bigger, Biggest> is completely different from <Come Fly With Me>. It uses strong back ground music from beginning to end so it rases tentions, man narrator with serious voice, and all the people who appear this clip are man such as an architect. So these things mean this documentary is made for man.

Narrative

   Come fly with me (C.F.W.T) is a mockumentary film (fiction) about people who work at the airport. Pilot, Owner of airline, Chief Immigration Officer, Manager of the airport's coffee shop, Executive passenger, Crews, Check-in staff, Airport's in-house paparazzi ... These people make each episode. And their individual interview comes out regulary. It makes people understand the situation much easier. Also, C.F.W.T focuses on characters' individual stories. Big, Bigger, Biggest (B.B.B) is  a documentary film (non-fiction). It provides airport's information to the audience . Some people who are working for the airport come out and tell us about history of airport, incidents, structure, floating population and so on. It is quiet objective and there's no personal epidsode. But these two have something in common. Both of them have a same topic, airport! All events are happened at the airport. And the narrator, a third party, explains every situation.

Ideology

 

   

   I think the ideology of these flms is capitalism. Capitalism is an economic and political system in which property, business, and industry are owned by private individuals and not by the state. (reference : http://durl.me/9r6vb) According to the book named  <A Week At The Airport> by Alain de Botton, author said airport is the best place to show global capitalism. Approach-Departures-Airside-Arrivals, these 4 steps in the airport are miniature of the world, and these are mixed with emotion and capital. People from all over the world are in the airport and exchange ticket to money. So <Come fly with me> and <Big, Bigger, Biggest> which have stories about the airport show us capitalism.

Genre

    <Big, Bigger, Biggest> is a documentary flim which shows real events or provides information about a particular subject. It contains information and it is objective. Narrative's subjective views don't exist. However, <Come Fly With me> is a mocumentary film and it is a fake documentary, which means fictitous clip. And it can be classified as a comedy because every scene is absolutely hilarious! Also, this film humorously depicts the taboo subject such as a homosexual.

Globalization

   Airport, background of <Come fly with me> and <Big, Bigger, Biggest>, is a symbol of globalization. People who have different hair, skin, races are gathering in the airport. In this short clip, a woman from Liberia comes out and scuffles with chief immigaration officer. He thinks her passport is fake because nation named Liberia, the country where she comes from, doesn't exist. But  actually, there's Liberia on the map. Anyway, Airport is the place that all kinds of people gather even Liberian!  So I think globalization of this clip is Airport.

Firefly

Genre

    First, it can be classified as a Western movie. Hero in Western movie is brave and be righteous. For example, Malcolm, the main character in this clip, returns emergency remedy to people even if he was asked to steal it with a lot of money. Because he knows many people need medicine so stealing emergency remedy for one person is incorrect.  He fights people from employer to keep it and gives them his money back. And he says "We are not thieves". Also in the western movie, they use guns to fight and train come out. So these can be reasons of Western. Second is Science Fiction. S/F movie usually describe developed future by science. Characters live in spaceship without spacesuit and they move from planet to another planet. (Zero gravity is not a big deal to them) And Firefly is a Action drama. There are many action scenes and dichotomy between good and evil. And this drama uses shaky camera to create natural scene, not artificial.



Discourse of Globalization

   

   This edited clip shows Chinese become a global language in the future, not English. Malcolm (main character) uses Chinese when he pays for drink or swears word, even insignificant thing. It means using Chinese is natural. In other words, it has economical and cultural force. Well, It is not just a groundless story. China rapidly rose as a global economic power, and product what we use is almost made in China. China's phenomenal growth and one-point-three-billion population, all economist say, China can be expected to play a much larger role in the global economy in the future.



Representation

   Firefly has unique characters. Brave captain, side kick woman who got married., hot-blooded pilot, Priest, Prostitution mechanic, doctor and his sister with severe panic disorder. It is pretty different from original S/F drama. Especially, Prostitution is respected. It is completely not acceptable in this society. But prostitution in this movie, She has high status called "Companion" and also has power to get them out of trouble much easier. And when she appears, every one looks at her with admiration. It is kind of push the boundary what is acceptable in the States.



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Arrested Development (2003)

Genre

   First of all, genre of this clip is Drama. Drama focuses on story. It is emotional, realistic and unfolds like a family love, daily life, love story etc. Episodes of "Arrested Development" contain these, so it can be a drama. Second is Family. Because many family member appears in this clip. Michael, His parents, Sisters, brothers and son. And also their story makes each episode. So I can say it is family drama. And, Many scenes make us funny so it can be classified as a comedy. For example, Linsay (Michael's sister) joined anti-circumcision movement (H.O.O.P) and circumcision movement (J.D.A-Jewish defense league) both. And michael's mother tells to Michael that she loves all her children equally, but earlier that day she said "I don't cafe for Gob (The youngest brother)". Also Tobias, Lindsay's husband, believes the boat party to be pirate-themed so he searches through his wife's luggage for an outfit. Then, he mistakes a group of garishly dressed men for pirates and he boards a boat with homosexuals. So he is going to join them to protest the loyal yacht club. And Lindsay says to her mom  "Oh my god! I have exact same blouse!" I think it is the funniest scene in this episode. And I edited myself some scenes which I enjoyed.

Semiotics

    There are many Semiotics in this movie. They live in a big house and it explains they are rich. All of ornaments in their house are expensive and they decorate their house with luxuries. And they open a retirement party on the boat. It shows how luxury they are. Fox-fur muffler from his mom is same meaning. Also, Bluth family has 2 houses which are fancy and fake. Actually, the fake house where michale lives in is made for family business (housing tract).  It means rich people usually built or make something for their benefit. And everything such as food, TV which is in this house is not real. It is a sarcastic about upper class that they are not honesty.

Narratives

    First, this drama is about one guy who try to support their family. Actually, Michael has worked for his father's company for 10 years. He doesn't care live in attic with his son because he thinks his father will make him partner. It is kind of proof for his dedication. But at his father's retire party, Michale's father nominates his mother for successor. (Of course he's disappointed) However, His father is arrested for false accounting and police put a halt on the company's expense account. So they lose their money and finally, Michael decides to work for his extravagant family. Also, this drama has a narrator who explains every situation like <Desperate housewives>. Narrator is a third party and makes an objective observation. And  audience can easy to understand the story through the narrator.

   (This is a mixed clip of Arrested Development and Desperate Housewives that narrator participated. It keeps the ball rolling.)

   Of course, there are many Codes. Representative code is Engima code. Engima code of this movie is luxury extravagant family. Family members in this drama are vanity except Michael. They use company's expense freely like Aztec Tomb from G.O.B, Luxurious room charge from Lindsay. That's a reason his father is arrested to the police. And it changes everything! Michael gets a job after his father's imprisonment but he refuses it and decides to stay for his family. Eventually, he becomes a family breadwinner.

Discourses & Representations

    In <Arrested Development>, group of gay protesters come out and demonstrate during Bluth's boat party. "We want to get married on the ocean!" They yell to Bluth's family. They against heterosexual and want to be treated like them. Most culture don't except homosexual and this scene is about resistance of discriminatory treatment. (So some homosexuals hide their sexuality for normal life like Tobias.)

    And as you see in this pictures, they wear colorful clothes. It represents homosexuals love to wear colorful and exaggerated costume. So these things can be a discourse and representation.

   Another representation of this movie is their characters. This family is different from any other family. They are selfish,  persnickety and greedy. And this clip shows their selfishness.

     Michael conveys police's message that his father has to be in prison until police search everything. But Bluth's don't focus on and don't care of that. However they are impelled by strong emotion when they hear about confiscation of money, company's expense account. So Michael is sick and tired of them and said "Interesting, I would have expected that after the keeping dad in jail".  As you see, definitely Bluth's is disfunctional family.  However they live together eventually, don't choose to be separated. There are not only selfishness, stealing, lying but also family love and carrying. In other words, best and worst thing exist. So I think this can be one part of representation.

About Ideology

1. Definition

 -> In the dictionary, Ideology is a set of ideas that an economic or political system like Maxist. And It is a set of beliefs, especially one held by a particular group, that influences the way people behave. I think ideology is generally used for social integration, developing history, and making people invovle in politics .Many ideologies are in our life, and representive ideology is social democracy.



2. How does it affect media? &  3. Two examples

 ->  Actually, ideology affects media so much. Media can change the fact for its ideology and makes people think in the same way. For example, communism in North korea tells people that it is necessary and gap of poverty by democracy makes people into turmoil.  Well, if you were a North korean, you would just get biased news. Of course, you couldn't watch any other news of overseas countries. Every program shows how GREAT Kim jung il is and obey him is natural. So these things infuse communist ideas to people! They justify their fault like nuclear bomb or threatening the World, and said "everything happens for setting up paradise under Kim jung il. It was unescapable."

    This is a North korea news which indicates their stance about attack South korea ship, a.k.a "Yeonpyongdo attack". The news reader said "South Korea attacked our army first, So we just reacted. We are innocent." But actually, there's so many evidences of preemptive attack from N.Korea. But they never admit their fault and put the blame on S.Korea. So N.Koreans who watch this news, their dislikes for S.Korea is going to be gradually growing worse. The media hides the fact by using characteristic of communism, exclusive world.

  And they draw hostile poster toward America. Because they are communists and America is based on democracy. N.korea has extreme communism.


 

  Another example is Nazism. The book, <Ism ; philosophy and politics> by Min yong Park explains Nazism is a good example of how ideology affected media and made people stir up. After W.W. I, Germans suffered humiliations because they complete defeated. So Hitler with Nazis (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei. In English: National Socialist German Workers' Party) used all kinds of media such as radio, poster, newspaper and so on.

  This is a Hitler's speech. Actually, many people who attended his speech or read a article about it were really impressed and wanted to join Nazi. So Nazi had many supporters and can got more bigger.

  And  Nazi made posters and article about fascism. Of course it affected many Germans so they participated W.W.2.  They insisted German is vastly superior, therefore no one won't against them (Ethnocentrism). Also they spreaded anti-Semitism (Antisemitismus). Because Nazism represents antidemocracy, illiberalism, anti-capitalist ideas. So these thing made people to admitted Jewish abuse. Eventually, these things brought about holocaust.

Mid-term project :)

3. Watch this short film (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR1W03wYQco ) How many narratives are presented within the film? How does the narrative about America undermine positive representations of globalization as a force for freedom and democracy?

   To be honest, I've never raised question about American imperialism. Why do I have to study English? Why dollars can be used in every country? Why the United States can intervene every goverment in the world? Those things have been tacitly admitted for a long time, and the U. S has taken the main role in the various aspects such as politics, economy, and culture as a global leader. In other words, They have a great influence with the world as a 21c empire.

   But this 8-minute video shows shocking truth about America, the land of freedom and opportunity. They don't act like righteous world police as I known. They fabricate the fact, force the press, and distort the history for their interest. To be honest, I didn't know the history about America at all. But 9 narratives of this clip provides an  information and makes me critical of the states. That is, Wounded Knee masacre, War with Mexico, Cuban Revolution, War in Iraq and Afganistan, The Philippines war, Dropping bomb on Japan, Vietnam war, Korean war and The world war. These historical events represent the truth of American imperialism. Also these books, <A Young People's History of the United States> and <Declarations of Independence> by Howard Zinn, <Dollar Crisis> by Richard Duncan were really helped to understand American history more. By the way, this video was based on the story of Howard Zinn(1922~2010) who worked for American society as a professor and activist after served in the army as a pilot during WWII.

   In <A Young People's History of the United States>, Howard said "The beginning of American imperialism is interference in the domestic affairs of another country by President Franklin D. Roosevelt since late 19th century." But I disagree with it. I think the beginning of American imperialism is deportation of American Indian. It had been started since the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, and it is the history of conquest and murder. The conquerors plundered the land, killed natives, hustled into barren land (trail of tears). The typical example is Wounded Knee massacre, a. k. a 'Ethnic cleansing'. But American history book is rationalizing this violent behaviour such as a superhero fantasies up to this day.

 

   American yelled "Go west!" to find more bigger land, finally they clashed with Mexico so they started the war to steal Mexican territory. They said, territorial expansion and developing national power is benefit for human, and that is america's destiny a. k. a "Manifest destiny". They insisted the States was chosen by God, so they justified expansionism of America and plunderage.

   

    Cuban Revolution is a good example to show American ambition. Cuba which was a colony of Spain tried to reform social problem. So many Cuban soldiers for national independence were up in arms against Spain. America was embarrassed because they invested a lot of money for Cuban agriculture, therefore they decided to fight with spain. But they needed a excuse to start a war. So the States excited public opinion about supporting the war by using the press.

     And this is the most famous article to lead the war. It is about body search between one American woman and Spanish crews. Actually, the crew made a search for secret document, but the U. S. exaggerated the fact like she went through a shameful incident. So it made people angry and agree with the war. Decisively, destruction of the Maine by Spain America finally dislodged them, and won the war. (The incident was revealed to have been American fabrication.) But cuba didn't have any right for surrender after the war, and they were going to be protectorate of America. How can we explain this situation instead of exhaustive plan of America? Ostensible reason is war for Cuba to protect them, but infact they participated the war because of their benefit.

    The philippines war, too. They made an agreement with Spain about management on The Philippines. America thought managing the Philippines is going to be a foothold to China. President McKinley alleged Filipino army launched a pre-emptive strike, so America-Philippines war was held. But actually it was quite the reverse. America attacked them first!  And This war was a dirty racism to conquer colored races, and it was pretty different from their slogan-globalization with every races-. And they described that making Filipino civilized and Christianized is the best way to protect their culture, but I couldn't help laughing when I read that part. What is the difference between making Filipino civilized in the early 20th Century and making Iraqi democratized now?

   Since the Iraq war, U. S army has tried to replace "Dangerous and Absurd" Islam to "Safe and Democratic" Christian. And they were represented themselves as a savor. but I think it is so strange. Is it really necessary to change their religion and culture because they think it's DANGEROUS? It has been developed more than 2000 years with its culture and there's no answer  "Right Religion and Right Culture." But the States makes answer and says "if you are diffent from us, it is dangerous and we gonna fight you to protect the world!"

    According to Prof. Ben's lecture, terrorist who has religeous teandancy in 1960s was zero, and in 1980s was only 2 of 64. But the United States Government and media describes Islam threatens America, and the World. They show horrible Muslim like suicide bomber, But, to me, U. S is much more scary. They pretend to "Excellent Empire" with democracy and freedom, but actually they fabricating facts if necessary and distort the history.

    They bombed Afghanistan and Iraq after 911 terror. But they pushed ahead and killed unarmed civilians, not military objectives. And the war left them with indelible scars. They killed over 1000 innocent people, but news NEVER show how they destroyed them. Just represent how scary muslim is so they can elicited public outrage.

   

   And they are afraid of another country which has same power. So many countries were used in Cold war. The dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was to threaten The Soviet Union. And In vietnam war, American ship was hit and sunk by themselves to stop the communism. And also, In 1950 Korean war, President Truman send U. S army without declaration.

   America insists war is instinct of human. But Howard Zinn from <Declarations of Independence> said " if they going to support their opinion, the war would have broken out always and not just a few nations, all of the world would have participated it. So it doesn't make any sense. " I 100% agree with his opinion. I think that words are just be used as a justification of war and they don't admit their fault behind the excuse "human instinct". Well, while solve this project, I searched a lot and read some books so I understood the history of America well. Also I saw some countries groaned in pain under the American Imperialism. To me, America was just "Advanced country" and "Top of the world". But now, I know the truth to how did they get the crown. So I'm going to be more critical when I watch the fact and I watched some clips about young soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq against U.S army. So I realized the fact that violence creates violence and I prayed for world peace.

4th assignment! :)

I read this article http://thegrandnarrative.com/2010/02/25/wondergirls-lolita-sexy/ and I 100% agree. As time goes by, more and more young girl groups are going to be used as a man's products. In the Korean music society,  one of the fastest growing concepts is LOLITA. Many young girls debut and they wear adult's dress so it arouses men sexual  desire. Actually, this concept has been found in Japanese idol easily for a long time. They sing a love song even if they don't know what love is, wear clothing that is too revealing. So earn money from men like their uncle. I think this is kind of sexual objectification.

The problem is, this phenomenon is happening in Korea NOW! This group is the youngest girl group in K-pop industry, called GP BASIC. The average age of these girls is 15, and wear short pants and over the knees length stocking. Also, girl next to this paragraph is just 11 years old. She is a rapper and she raps this lyrics. "everybody listen back up don't touch my toy (game over now) come on". How surprise it is!!!

This girl group is called T-ara, and they wear lingerie, net stockings even if most of members are teenagers. The song like "You make me excited, you make me blushed like first time." Of course, it is a double entendre and members sing a song really submissively. Also, they  look not only young, but hot in shape . So people who watch this stage, they usually feel little strange and eroticization, so they remember them easily, finally they going to  perchase their CDs, or DVDs. So Lolita movement is usually used to promote new singers.

And This clip is a music video of Girls Generation which is the most popular girl group in Korea. The title is "Genie". Well, this video was embroiled in controversy when it was released for many reasons. First, all girls in the music video wear hot pants with marine look and show off the beauty of leg lines. As shown by their group name "Girs Generation", they were just girls at that time. Above all, the lyrics in the song is stimulating. "Tell me your fantasy, I'll attend to your wishes. Tell me everything you want, I'll give it to you.". Well, on the surface it is just a girl's love song, but the clothes look too gay for them of their age and the atmosphere-boundary between girl and woman- make audience strange imagine.

This scene is a capture of another music video named "OH!" of same artist. As you see, they show their body. Do you think this is necessary to express their music? I don't think so.  It is quiet intentional . Cheerleading uniform, pony tail,  hugging rugby hat... These show that one innocent girl who loves rugby player with hot body, and make men excited. So they spend more and more money for young girls naturally.  That's what their entertainment want.

3rd Assignment! :)

Chose a film that you've seen. Look up different reviews, ratings, and genre classifications from at least 3 different websites. Examine the following factors:

- I choose the movie called "The Sound of Music". Actually, this movie is based on the musical which has same name. It was also popular and is still considered one of the greatest screen musicals ever made.

1. Compare and contrast how the classifications affect how we approach that film:

First of all, I searched this movie on 3 main websites in Korea. If you click the image, you can see it bigger. This movie got high score every websites, and many good reviews on there. "The Sound of music" consists of story that can gain everyone's sympathy. There is a beautiful music, family's love, and exciting story. So it has been loved by so many people all over the world for such a long time. I already watched it a long time ago but if I weren't,  I surely would watch. Because I really love family and musical movie, like Mary Poppins. (And the actor who played Mary and Maria is same! It could be one of the reasons I would watch.) Also, when I read many reviews about it, almost everyone recommended this movie, and rate is pretty good. So people who didn't watch this movie wonder what movie is and many people of them who checked high score, reviews going to watch it.  

But, many people won't watch it although this movie is famous all over the world, because of genre. Pretty many people don't like family movie because of its characteristic. Director of family movie have to make it for everyone. So, it has a limitation of expression like nudity and violence. And many family movie is about the good triumphing over the evil, it can be cliched and boring. So, people who don't like family movie for these reasons, won't watch it. Of course, people who thinks music in the movie is unnecessary and disturb the story, they won't either.

2. What role does gender play?

I read many reviews about "The Sound of music", and almost everyone gave a five-star rating. But some reviewer wrote "This movie is boring." or "It is just for children!" or "If I have a time to watch movie, I would choose action movie, not Sound of music!". So I entered their blog and I found the people who don't like this movie are all MEN! Well, it can be hasty generation, but I think it makes sense to me. According to research, Men are left-brained, and Women are right-brained. The left side of our brain helps us to think through problems step by step,  whereas the right side helps us remember things we see, hear, and feel. So women are much sensitive and easily sympathize with other's feeling. I mean, Men are much critical than women and much hard to be impressed. So this movie can touch women's hearts easily. 

3. Are there any other ways that film can be classified?

Every site explains the genre of this movie as a "Family" and "Musical". But I think this movie can be classified into "Romance", "Thriller" and "Performing arts". First, this movie contains not just a family story. Of course, family love is really important to tell a story of Sound of music. But cleary, this movie revolves around three people in a love triangle, too. Captain von Trap and Baroness are couple, and Captain's mind has changed since he met Maria, who is a private teacher.

Finally he breaks off an engagement and proposes to Maria. And I really love the scene when they look at each other and sing a song, "Something good". How romantic it is!

Also, Cult and Liesl's love story makes me feel  like this movie can be classed as a romance movie, too.

And I can say the genre of this movie is "Thriller". It has not only bright side like love or music but also shows dark history of Austria. By the Second World war, Captain Von trap is summoned because Germany merges with Austria. So Von trap family decides to escape to the neutral state. Therefore they sing a song in the hall under the name of chorus contest to hide their extrication and try to escape during adjudicating. The Nazis realize their fleeing so chase after them and attempt to find.

This scene is the most scariest in this movie. The Nazis shine a flashlight on gravestone where Maria and childeren hide behind. It is so thrilling.! When I was a child, I prayed soldiers not to find her. I've seen it at least 100 tims but this scene is still scary. So I think this movie can be classified as a "Thriller".

It is a Performing art, too. "The Sound of music" unfolds by music and dancing. Many people sing a song, and it makes us easy to understand the story and not to feel bored.

I think this scene, Maria and children sing a song called "The lonely Goatherd" is the most artistic performing in this movie. Play in the musical movie is really funny and fresh.

Anyway, for these reasons I think the genre of this movie is not only "Family" and "Musical", but also "Romance", "Thriller" and "Performing art".

2nd Assignment!

Choose a TV show or movie and apply the five tools of Barthe. Write a short paragraph for each code.

I choose the movie called "Dancer in the dark" which got prizes from Canne's film festival. Before I answer to this question, I want to introduce short story about this movie. Selma who imigrated from the Czech republic is a needy worker at the vessel factory located in one of the countrysides of U.S. She really loves musical and it gives her the energy of life. And Selma has a illness makes her going to be blind. Besides, her son, Gene inherited a disease from his mother. If he don't be operated on for it, he's gonna be blind, too. So Selma has saved money for his son's surgery. But Bill, the police offcer who has a extravagant wife, has designs on Selma's money, finally he steals it. So Selma aim at Bill with gun, and her life is going to be tragically.



1. Engima Code of this movie is money. Selma has saved money for his son's surgery, and Bill-Selma's friend who works at police station- really needs money to satisfy his wife, Linda. He was already bankrupt, but he doesn't have courage to say about it to his wife. So he asks Selma to keep a secret he's in debt, and begs her to lend but she refuses it. Bill makes bad use of her eyesight, finds where she keeps her money, and finally steals it.  She requests him to money back, but he says "If you want this money, just shoot me."  So she has to shoot him to get her money for Gene's surgery.

2. Action Code of this movie is Selma's characteristic. She is good-natured person so she keeps a secret (never say to anyone that Bill is bankrupt) to the end even if she is sentenced to death . However Selma's friend,  Kathy finally finds out she is innocent and that money is hers. So she asks for an attorney using Selma's money. But Selma refuses it strongly and be executed a death sentence finally. She loves his son so much,  then she wants to use money for her son's surgery instead of her life.

3. There's many Character codes. As I answered question 2, she never tell people the money belongs to her because of promise. Actually she doesn't have to keep promise because Bill's gone, but she finally doesnt' tell the truth. So she has sweet temper like an idiot. And we can know her diligence. She is prompt in paying her rent and saves money regulary. Also, this movie shows mother's affection according to Selma's sacrifice from beginning to the end. She finally quits appointing the lawyer, so Jeff who loves selma asks her why don't you use that money for herself,  and she replies, "I've seen it all.". It means, She is willing to be blind, further more she doesn't care even if she's gonna get death panalty.  Just Gene isn't going to be blind, she can give up everything . And this clip is the song named "I've seen it all" which represents her feeling.

4. Many Symbolic codes are included in this movie. Her coke-bottle glasses represent her eye sight is worse, this director sets up Bill's job as a pollice officer so Selma can use the pollice gun to kill him. And her hobby is musical, this movie centers on musical. In Selma's imagination, in other words her imagination works, everything is changed. People are dancing and singing happily.

5. She is a worker of vessel factory and it means the time background of this movie is past. Beacause nowadays just few americans work at vessel factory. Almost every factory employs Chinese, Vietnamese, or low-cost countries for low wage. And Selma's nationality is one of the cultural code, too. She is Czech and In 1960s, many people emigrated into the States for american dream. Also , finally she was died by dance on air. Many democratic abolished capital punishment, but the United States and some countries retained it.

Assignment! :)

   Compare ads for the same product from 3 or more different countries. Why are the different? What kinds of connotations do the ads generate?

-> I searched a lot of advertisements for this assignment, and I finally decided to compare the posters of "The Da vinci Code" from many countries.

Before I explain these special posters by cultural difference, "The Da Vinci code" is a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown. And it became so popular, so this novel was adapted for the screen.

Whatever, This is a poster from the states. It highlighted Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou who are main characters and also emphasises confidence through the copy "SEEK THE TRUTH"

This is a poster from France. France is thehost country of  Cannes International Film Festival, so they bring a thing into relief the fact that this movie is opening movie of C.I.F.F. And this poster specifies main character's name and Jean Reno who is french.  

Japan releases new poster, too! They used to recreat poster for japanese so this poster is little difficult from other countires. Add picture that  urgent main characters to French, so they make it more lively.

China uses title in Chinese even though this movie is from U.S.  And this poster shows characteristic of chinese who likes grand structure. Through compare big museum with person, it is gonna be more effective to make people feel like fear, too.