HW: How do the characters in 'Life is Beautiful' represent an engaging and unique presentation of the Holocaust experience?
In the movie Life is beautiful the social and cultural implications are explored by use of a story shown by a variaty of Characters affected. Throughout the movie the audience is being shown the perspective of a certian Character Joshua and how he was affected.
The movies perspective on the Holocaust is one of the main factors why 'Life is Beautiful' is a very unique film about the Holocaust. Joshua Guiedo's young son's pespective is explored throughout the movie and we see how events impacted him. Throughout the movie it is Obvious to the viewer that the innosense which represnts Joshua is one of the techniques that are used to spark immediate compassion for this story. In one Scene of the movie Joshua is asking his Dad Guiedo why they have to board a train to go to a camp and all throughout the Movie Guiedo has to make up stories to convince his Son that the are going on a holiday to play against other people in a competition when they are actually going to a Nazi concertration camp becuase they are Jews.
'Life is Beautiful' also uniquely contain the use of black humor used by Guiedo all throughout the movie. This technique of black humor makes 'Life is beautiful' a very unique film because of this. A traditional Holocaust movie normally covers the tragic side of the holocaust but 'Life is Beautiful' engages the viewer even more becuase of Gueido using this humor trying to convince his son they are on a holiday this contributes evn more the the compassion we feel for Guiedo, Dora and Joshua. In one scene of the movie when a Nazi soilder enters to the rooms of the Jews to explain the rules of the camp and asks for an intrepreter, Guiedo puts his hand up even though he cant speak German and makes up what the soilder is saying by explaining all the rules of the game which are just for Joshua. While he is explaining he also makes fun of the nazi Soilder while the soilder doesn't even realise. This example highlights the significence of Guiedo's story.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Heroes and Villians Life is Beautiful
- Describe what is happening in this scene.
- Who are the heroes and villains in this scene? Why are they heroes and villains?
- For the hero/es and villain/s, describe techniques used in this shot which highlight their opposing role and how they connect with the audience.
1) Guiedo volunteered to translate the rules of the camp from German to Italian even though he doesn't know how to speak German. He makes up what the Nazi is saying to further persuade his Son Joshua that the whole camp is a game to win a Tank.
2) In this Scene Guiedo is the Hero trying to help his son Get through this horrible experience and the villain is the Nazi solider who is talking to the people.
3) styles of communication, (Guiedo has very polite and friendly communication where as the German just shouts at the group of them) examples the orderly Germans contrasted with the unorderly Jews and the use of shots long shots for the Germans and the close up for the Jews in order to connect with them.
Casual dress Guiedo and the perfect dominance physical order
The line of the door highlights the idea of no connection between the Nazi and Guiedo
Juxtaposition of he Germans and the Jews (The Nazi's and the Jews) The condition of what it was like to be a Jew and what it was like to be a Nazi
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Life is Beautiful
How are victims, villains and heroes of tragedy and trauma valued and given a voice?
We need to apply this key question to Life is Beautiful:
1) A tragedy is an event that causes a person great suffering, a conflict with an overpowering source
2) Life is Beautiful is a tragedy becuase Guiedo and his Son are forced to a concentration camp becuase they are Jewish and the Nazi's are forcing them to work while the unable are burnt and gassed. Through the movie many people are killed by the Nazi's and at the end we have an idea that Guiedo is killed without his son knowing.
3) During the movie there are also sings of comedy how Guiedo acts to win over his wife Dora and during their time at the concentration camp when Guiedo is trying to convince his Son that they are on a holiday and they are playing a game and the first prize is a Tank. Situational humor/ slapstick/ black humor
4) A villain is the person or people who are doing the wrong or evil thing, the Hero's are the people who stand up and fight against the villains and the victims are the people who the villain try to harm and make suffer while the Hero is trying to save them.
In real life people like Mark Donaldson who in the Afghanistan war's show bravery to save other people rather than himself, the villains would be the Afghanistan Taliban who are committing crimes by being involved with arms and destructive weapons and the victims would be the Afghanistan people who are completely innocent but becuase of the small minority who are armed and dangerous they are pulled into the battle. And in Fiction Superman is a great example of this when Superman is the hero saving people from danger from Lex Luther being the villain trying to take over the world and trying to destroy many people and city's.
5) In the story Guiedo is the Hero and all the women children and people are victims becuase we follow closely on how Guiedo saves his son from being killed and in the end he sacrifices himself so his son is able to live.
6) Guiedo, Joshua, Dora, All three characters contribute to the plot and history by showing the life of a normal Italian Family and how life was great and suddenly war breaks out and when Dora puts herself on the train when Guiedo and Joshua are being taken away to a concentration camp for being Jewish. This part in the movie connects the plot to history to show a struggle of a family trying to survive and stay together.
* Joshua creates an emotional response from the viewer becuase he is so young and innocent and we feel for Guiedo as he has to make up a huge story to convince his son that they are on holiday.
* Dora creates an emotional response when she goes to the concentration camp even though she isn't Jewish this makes the viewer realize how hard and tragic this would have been and makes us understand why she wanted to go even to a terrible place just to be with her family
* Guiedo by his character makes us feel compassion for him as he has such a hard time in the camp trying to survive and take care of his son I feel that Guiedo is the hero and his Wife Dora and his Son Joshua are the victims becuase they aren't able to do anything and only Guiedo is able to fight to keep his family togeather so they are able to go back to the life they had in Italy.
We need to apply this key question to Life is Beautiful:
- What is a tragedy?
- How is Life is Beautiful a tragedy?
- Could it also be a comedy?
- What is a villain? What is a hero? What is a victim? Give examples of each both from real life and from fiction.
- Who are the villains, victims and heroes?
- What value do each of these characters play in the movie? What role do they play in the plot? What role do they play in connecting the movie to history? What role do they play in evoking a reaction from the audience? (List the important characters in the movie and label them as either villains or heroes. Then, in dot points, list the important role they play in regards to plot, history, and to the audience.)
1) A tragedy is an event that causes a person great suffering, a conflict with an overpowering source
2) Life is Beautiful is a tragedy becuase Guiedo and his Son are forced to a concentration camp becuase they are Jewish and the Nazi's are forcing them to work while the unable are burnt and gassed. Through the movie many people are killed by the Nazi's and at the end we have an idea that Guiedo is killed without his son knowing.
3) During the movie there are also sings of comedy how Guiedo acts to win over his wife Dora and during their time at the concentration camp when Guiedo is trying to convince his Son that they are on a holiday and they are playing a game and the first prize is a Tank. Situational humor/ slapstick/ black humor
4) A villain is the person or people who are doing the wrong or evil thing, the Hero's are the people who stand up and fight against the villains and the victims are the people who the villain try to harm and make suffer while the Hero is trying to save them.
In real life people like Mark Donaldson who in the Afghanistan war's show bravery to save other people rather than himself, the villains would be the Afghanistan Taliban who are committing crimes by being involved with arms and destructive weapons and the victims would be the Afghanistan people who are completely innocent but becuase of the small minority who are armed and dangerous they are pulled into the battle. And in Fiction Superman is a great example of this when Superman is the hero saving people from danger from Lex Luther being the villain trying to take over the world and trying to destroy many people and city's.
5) In the story Guiedo is the Hero and all the women children and people are victims becuase we follow closely on how Guiedo saves his son from being killed and in the end he sacrifices himself so his son is able to live.
6) Guiedo, Joshua, Dora, All three characters contribute to the plot and history by showing the life of a normal Italian Family and how life was great and suddenly war breaks out and when Dora puts herself on the train when Guiedo and Joshua are being taken away to a concentration camp for being Jewish. This part in the movie connects the plot to history to show a struggle of a family trying to survive and stay together.
* Joshua creates an emotional response from the viewer becuase he is so young and innocent and we feel for Guiedo as he has to make up a huge story to convince his son that they are on holiday.
* Dora creates an emotional response when she goes to the concentration camp even though she isn't Jewish this makes the viewer realize how hard and tragic this would have been and makes us understand why she wanted to go even to a terrible place just to be with her family
* Guiedo by his character makes us feel compassion for him as he has such a hard time in the camp trying to survive and take care of his son I feel that Guiedo is the hero and his Wife Dora and his Son Joshua are the victims becuase they aren't able to do anything and only Guiedo is able to fight to keep his family togeather so they are able to go back to the life they had in Italy.
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