Why Is the Term “World Cinema” Problematic?

Why Is the Term â€Å"World Cinema† Problematic? Generally the term â€Å"World cinema† is used for films produced in different countries of world, especially non-English speaking countries, i.e. why some people tries to explain it as a foreign language cinema. But world cinema is a much broader concept which includes the commercial and the artistic films produced by the third world countries. Actually, it has many different meanings than foreign language cinema. World cinema refers to all filmmaking countries. There is a lot of misunderstandings and complications regarding this term. To have the proper understanding of world cinema first we should have to go through with the world cinema history. Cinema was started from the year 1880s by US, but the duration between the years 1880 and 1904 is actually known as the American silent era. In these early years of cinema there a lot of inventions and innovations took place. Filmmaking was the commercial medium in US. There the first camera was invented by Dickson in the year 1890 and then first film was made. With the time many new inventions were been made. Some small studios were also made where audience could watch the film for some money. At that time cinema was limited to US audience only. At the same time, France was also efforting for cinema. In France, the Lumiere brothers invented the combination of camera, and projector named Cinematograph. And they were the first person there who produced movies and projected it publically in Paris in the year 1895.They continued it with filming many more events in France and send them to London and New York. In the year 1896, the first exhibition of Cinematograph took place in Latin America and after that it travelled many cities of the world like Bombay, Shenghai, Dakar, Manilla, etc.There, some more production companies and distribution companies distributed many films to US which improvised the image of cinema in Europe and US. But at the time of first world war, most of the European film industries were affected badly and most of them got shut. Due to which French Cinema lost its market. After the end of World War, French companies again tried to stand their industry. French film industry linked to to some art movements like Impressionism, DADA, and surrealism. Impressionism began in 1860 in France, and many of impressionists believed that art should not be competed with realism and it should pick the artist`s impression to the external world. There should be impressionists films which should relate to the viewer`s heart and value. They should express emotional and mental states of film characters by manipulating the use of camera. According to them, there should be subjective camera work, use of optical devices and rhythmic reading. Before the First World War, German cinema was relatively insignificant industry. There was very little emphasis on film making until the govt. Recognised potential political value of cinema. Ultimately, due to the war the German cinema grew up. Where as, it declined in the rest part of Europe. The major cause of growth of German cinema was growth of isolationism. The German industrialists and politicians encouraged the German cinema a lot as they were politically influenced. Almost it became the legacy of German golden age. It gave a good impact on Hollywood by reinforcement of character and narrative visually conveyed. Before the revolution in 1917, Russian cinema was struggling to survive.There was a few number of films produced at that time but after the end of revolution, it passed through much more bad condition as there were conflicts between the red people and white people.That time the Russian cinema was almost finished due to the attacks by the foreign powers.there were some practice made by the government to save it.At that time Constructivism,the art movement, circus and montage were the influence there.According to these purpose of the art was to serve the society.Russian filmmakers changed there vision for film and approached films as scientists.Then popular art was taken as much effective that the traditional arts and there were visual effects been much emphasised than the story. British cinema was similar to the cinema of US with almost same technical, narrative and popularity.But with an increase in the number of sstudios in US it was down than Hollywood.British cinema was dominated by Hollywood because of the same language.In the year 1927 The British government passed Quota Act which was designed to limitise the import of Hollywood film in Britain and to stimulate the British films.But it was not running good in it early and mid cinematic history.But after the huge success of a British movie â€Å"The private life of Henry viirsquo in US, British cinema again started running well.Then in the year 1938 a new quota act was introduced and many British filmmakers came back on work with new style and The respect for realism, social issueslike domestic problems and Fascism in Europe. There was a significant contribution on doucumenatries afterwards.At the time of World War 11, a team of filmmakers working under government prepared for the war and began with th e production of propaganda films. After the war Italys most significant era of film making occurred in 1942-51 with a movement known as â€Å"Italian Neorealismrsquo. At this time the themes of the Italian films were focussed on the social and political issues and realism bordering on documentaries.Italian film industry was influenced by the other national cinemas like US, France and Great Britain.But before the Neorealism Italian films were made with high production values and special effects.These films were used to be imported by US.And it was popular in all over the Europe.But in 1920 the Fascist government came in rule and made the propaganda films and required theatre to show them. The government tried to control the film industry by it own but was unable to control effectively. The Fascist government provided two institutions named â€Å"Cinecitta and â€Å"Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. Cincitta was a huge production center with 12 sound stages which got some damaged at the time of the war.And the second one was a state-sponsored filmmaking school.In the era of Neorealism 1st real Neorealist film was made named â€Å"open city in the year 1945. Italian cinema was not popular even in Italy and US audience never accepted it.US took its advantage by making co-productions in Italy.French Poetic Realism affected the Neorealism and Hollywood was enjoying the advantages of Neorealism. After the war Europe became the true competitive of Hollywood for which the two world wars became the reasons.After world war ll Western Europe promoted the â€Å"auteurism means meant to be the personal expressions of individual artists. In the late 1940 and 50s a new term came in existence Tradition of Quality.There were studio systems. theatrical and literary and high production values.One more theory was there the â€Å"AUTEUR THEORY.According to this theoryfilms should be a medium of self expression.The Auteur critics rejected the the French tradition of Quality by saying that French cinema is much literary than cinematic.These critics preferred directors of French Poetic Realism and Italian Neorealism.Then the French New Wave took place there from year 1959-68. The directors of the new waves were critics first who were not influenced by the stage and literature but by the films and borrowed money for the low-budget films.The films produced in this period were not narratively influenced, their cinematic style and editing styles were not good.but when the French new Wave declined in the year 1968, many directors were absorbed into the French studio system and made the popular films which were low-budget popular and praised internationally.It was a major step in the European art cinema.These influenced the other movments and national cinemas like US,British,etc.The Auteur Theory became universal world wide directors approached this theory.

Effects of The Pleistocene Epoch on Colorado Essay -- Glaciers Nature

Effects of The Pleistocene Epoch on Colorado INTRODUCTION Glaciers are an integral part of the world’s climate. In fact, as Richard Armstrong of the University of Colorado says, â€Å"Glaciers are key indicators in monitoring and detecting climate change† (Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, 2003, p. 1). Not only are they an important part of monitoring current climate, they can hold many keys to the past. Glaciers are in fact, â€Å"a source of paleoclimate data†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Meier and Dyurgerov, 1980, p. 37). This paleoclimate data can give geologists information on the conditions that were present at the time of the glaciers birth, as well as the approximate age. This has an important role in the geologic time scale of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. These Glaciers played a role in the carving of the present day Rocky Mountains in Colorado, which will be the primary focus of this paper. In addition, glacial formations will be discussed to give the reader background information and the future of the Glaciers in Colorado will close this paper. GLACIER FORMATION AND TYPES A good description of a glacier is given by Jim Wickwire in his book â€Å"Addicted to Danger.† In it he says, â€Å"A glacier is not a fixed, solid thing. It flows like a river, with currents, some parts smooth, others rough† (Wickwire, 1998, p. 1). This happens to go along with Webster’s definition, in that a glacier must be moving, either because of gravity or because it’s spreading out underneath itself due to additional accumulations. (Meeriam-Webster, 2000, p. 493). Glaciers can be classified into many categories. First they are divided into either Alpine or Continental. Alpine glaciers are those that are found in mountainous regions and Continental, such as Greenland,... ...K.W. Porter: Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, Denver, CO, p. 165-173. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (10th Ed): 2000, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, Springfield, Massachusetts, p 493. Plummer, C.C., McGeary, D., and Carlson, D.H., 2003, Physical geology (10th Ed.): McGraw-Hill, Boston, 580 p. Ã…Å"ibrava, V., Bowmen, D.Q., and Richmond, G.M, 1986, Quaternary glaciations in the northern hemisphere; report of the International Geological Correlation Programme, Project 24 (International Union of Geological Sciences and UNESCO): Pergamon Press, Oxford, New York, 514 p. University of Colorado, Boulder, August 11, 2003, NASA funds Colorado University at Boulder study of changes in Earth’s glacier systems in Ascribe Science News Service: pNa, p 1. Wickwire, J., and Bullitt, D., 1998, Addicted to danger: Pocket Books, New York, 332 p.

Declining Fish Stock: over-Fishing the World’s Oceans

The world’s oceanic large fish populations are disappearing at an alarming rate and extinction is a growing concern. An estimated 90% are already gone and the situation will continue to get worse if drastic measures are not taken (University of Phoenix, 2007). Even though the fishing industry will suffer, conservation methods should be developed and enforced soon because large fish populations are endangered and their habitats are being destroyed. Various netting techniques not only deplete fish populations, but also destroy habitats for many of the ocean’s species including plants and animals.Growing world populations and commercial fishing have placed an overwhelming demand on the oceans. Drastic steps should be taken soon to allow fish populations to regenerate and to sustain the numbers necessary to maintain the oceans’ natural balance, and to feed the world’s growing human population. Steps should include conservation methods enforced by the United St ates (U. S. ) government, development of massive fish farms, and cooperation from other countries world-wide. Implementation of such measures will require active efforts from several organizations.According to Jeremy Jackson of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the damage to the ocean is almost complete but can be reversed (Wiley, 2000-2009). In an effort to bring this issue to the forefront and gain support, a plan must be devised and presented to key groups. In developing the plan, certain action items must be developed and completed prior to presentation to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The NOAA and EPA are strong influences on governmental policy and the public.Action Item One Within nine months, research regarding the effects of over-fishing large fish populations in the world’s oceans will be conducted. Endangered species and habitats will be identified. Research facts and concerns regardin g the current impact on the environment and effects of the continuation of practices will be documented. Commercial fishing techniques and their impact on fish populations and habitats will be outlined, along with other statists related to marketplace demands and commercial fishing industry economics.Research will also include conservation and sustainment statistics and other information to support new and innovative ideas regarding fish farming. Environmental issues related to fish farming will also be identified and addressed. Locations for fish farms and the resources needed will be detailed along with funding issues. Fishing industries and human populations that will be most impacted by the plan will also be identified. Action Item Two Within three months following the completion of the research portion of the plan, a presentation will be developed.The presentation will include the purpose of the presentation and the urgent need for action will be explained. The purpose of the p resentation is to urge the NOAA and EPA to develop and implement the Healthy Oceans Act to improve and sustain the oceans. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, â€Å"A Healthy Oceans Act would provide a national vision for protecting, maintaining and restoring oceans while encouraging the development and implementation of local ocean plans†, (para. 10, n. d. ).Continuation of current practices and the lack of conservation efforts will result in devastating consequences. Industry changes will be addressed along with a plan for displaced workers. As part of the plan for fish farming, fisherman can be educated and relocated to areas where fish farms are developed and maintained. Fish farms will aid in marine repopulation efforts, provide jobs for displaced fishermen, and provide an alternative food source. Arnold (2009) states, â€Å"Some scientists say the answer is a massive growth of fish farming — a so-called â€Å"blue revolution† to help feed the planet† (para 2).Action Item Three In tandem with action item two, this action item will also be conducted due to the length of time it will take to pull together the target audience for viewing of the presentation and will be ongoing up to the scheduled date. The target audience includes key individuals from the NOAA, EPA, and various other environmental organizations in the U. S. These organizations are influential in Oceanic environmental issues, have much influence in local and global policies, and have far-reaching educational programs already in place. Action Item FourIn month nine or when the date is set with NOAA and the EPA, informational packets and invitations will be created and distributed to key environmentalists to persuade them to attend. Names of key environmentalists will be identified and invitations sent through month 12. The addition of key individuals will serve two purposes. The first purpose is that they will bring to the meeting their experiences w ith local issues, financial concerns, and objections. The second reason is that they will be able to contribute their own ideas of how the implement the plan and what will work best in their areas.Action Item Five Prior to the meeting date, attendance and the location of the meeting will be confirmed. Reminders will be sent to all attendees along with pertinent information. Equipment will be assessed and the presentation completed. Objections to the plan will be anticipated and addressed in a question and answer session. Perception of the Plan and Effects The plan will include specific recommendations for placing at least 40% of the oceans off limits for the next 15 years (Natural Resources Defense Council, n. d. ). After 15 years the off limits zones will decrease to 30% and be maintained indefinitely.Environmentalists will see the necessity of the plan based upon the decreasing fish populations and degradation of habitats for other marine plants and animals. They will also be conc erned about pollution generated by fish farms. Innovative ideas regarding the reduction of pollution will be presented. Commercial fishermen will be hurt the most and objections from industry fishermen will be strong. Fishermen have spent their lives fishing and with that in mind, opportunities for training, funding, and employment will be made available.Other Problems Caused by Commercial Fishing Commercial fisherman cause other problems to the marine populations by the way they catch fish. They catch many other animals unintentionally in their nets called â€Å"bycatch† (University of Phoenix, 2007). Additionally, they destroy many habitats by net-dragging and contribute to water pollution during their processes. Laws should be developed and enforced regarding bycatch and what should be done with the unintentional catch before they are destroyed in the process. Community EffectsThe creation of underwater parks or fish farms will create more jobs in coastal communities and f or displaced fishermen. Lifestyles changes will affect fishermen the most and perhaps they will realize a financial loss on expensive equipment. Additionally, many of the areas where their fishing has been successful will be made off limits which will also cause financial losses.?University of Phoenix. (2007). Declining Fish Stock VLR. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week Six, SCI/275 – Water Resource Plan.John Wiley ; Sons, Inc. (2000-2009). Visualizing Environmental Science, Chapter 11. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week Six, SCI/275 – Water Resource Plan. Arnold, Chris. (2009). Feeding the World with Deep-Sea Fish Farms. NPR. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=5291579Natural Resources Defense Council. (n. d. ). Reviving Our Oceans. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from http://www. nrdc. org/water/oceans/policy. asp

A Guide to Terminal Punctuation

A Guide to Terminal Punctuation A Guide to Terminal Punctuation A Guide to Terminal Punctuation By Mark Nichol This post outlines the functions of punctuation marks employed at the end of a sentence: the period, the exclamation point, the question mark, and ellipses. Period Periods are employed as terminal punctuation for statements other than questions or exclamations. In American English, periods precede a close quotation mark at the end of a sentence (with some technical exceptions in such fields as botany, linguistics, and philosophy). Periods also follow numbers and letters that precede each item in a vertical list. When an abbreviation ending in a period closes a sentence (such as in â€Å"Such abbreviations are common in content pertaining to mathematics, science, etc.†), it does double duty as terminal punctuation; do not add a period. An exclamation point or question mark can follow such use of a period, but revision to avoid consecutive punctuation is advised. See this post for information about the use of periods in abbreviation. Exclamation Point In formal writing, use of the exclamation point is rare, but it performs a useful function in expressing exclamation of surprise (â€Å"That’s absurd!†) or communicating an imperative (â€Å"Halt!†). It may also be employed to indicate enthusiasm (â€Å"Hi!†). An exclamation point should replace, not accompany, a comma (â€Å"No!† she replied†), though an exception is made when the exclamation is part of the title of a composition or of a component of one (â€Å"Her latest painting, titled simply Yes!, is on display†; â€Å"The final chapter, ‘Where Do I Go from Here?,’ is essential reading†). When both an exclamation point and a question mark are appropriate, choose one or the other, though in informal writing, an interrobang, a hybrid of both symbols, can be employed. Frequent use of the exclamation point, or use of two or more in succession, is distracting and should be employed only, for example, to signal in fiction writing the exuberance of a character. An exclamation point in parentheses indicates an editorial interpolation expressing alarm or surprise, as in â€Å"A speaker who seriously proposed summary execution (!) was heckled.† Writers should take care to place an exclamation point before or after a close quotation mark depending on its function. Compare, for example, â€Å"John screamed, ‘Get out!’† and â€Å"You can believe I was shocked when Mary quietly responded, ‘I know the truth, because I was there’!† In the first sentence, the exclamation point, positioned inside the quotation marks containing John’s outburst, emphasizes the screamed command; in the second sentence, the exclamation point, located outside the quotation marks framing Mary’s reported comment but within those bracketing the reporter’s statement, signals the surprise the reporter felt about Mary’s unexpected but quietly uttered admission. Exclamation points that are integral to a proper name (for example, in the company name Yahoo! or in the title of the television program Jeopardy!) are usually retained, though they may, especially in the former example, invite confusion. (Ambiguity is unlikely in the case of an exclamation point that is part of a word or phrase formatted in italics or boldface.) Question Mark A question mark is employed in place of a period to indicate an interrogative word, phrase, or full sentence- usually the latter, although it may follow a single word or a phrase functioning as a sentence, or one or more interrogative elements can be embedded in a sentence, as in â€Å"Was he feeling envy? resentment? humiliation?† (Alternatively, the last two words might be treated as one-word sentences: â€Å"Was he feeling envy? Resentment? Humiliation?†) Question marks should not punctuate indirect questions (â€Å"The question is whether the initiative should be funded by taxpayers†), sentences ending with interrogative words (â€Å"Naturally, you might ask why†), or formal requests (â€Å"Would you please respond at your earliest inconvenience†). A question mark may also replace or accompany an unknown quantity, as in â€Å"John Smith (1452?–1506) . . .† or â€Å"John Smith (?–1506) . . . .† See also the discussion of exclamation points above; all the guidance after the first paragraph in that section applies to question marks as well. Ellipses When ellipses end an unfinished sentence, the implication is that the reader is familiar with the full sentence (â€Å"When in Rome . . .†), which is delivered in an offhand manner, or that the speaker is faltering (â€Å"I was just trying to . . .†). (To represent interrupted speech, use a dash rather than ellipses; see this post about the use of dashes as internal punctuation.) When representing omission of one or more words at the beginning of a sentence that follows a full sentence, use a period and ellipses as shown here: â€Å"Finish each day and be done with it. . . . Tomorrow is a new day.† When indicating elision of one or more words at the end with a complete sentence, which is followed by another sentence, place the period for the first sentence after the ellipses as shown here: â€Å"I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience . . . . And I am horribly limited.† (The period is the fourth dot.) Do not place ellipses at the end of a quotation to indicate that more text follows the quotation in the source material. The use of ellipses as internal punctuation is discussed in this post. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to AvoidHow to Punctuate Descriptions of ColorsDrama vs. Melodrama

Research Project on Arabic as a Second Language Essay Example

Research Project on Arabic as a Second Language Essay Example Research Project on Arabic as a Second Language Essay Research Project on Arabic as a Second Language Essay Dear Student, I invite you to participate in an important research project that focuses on the on the role of Intercultural Communicative Competence for learners of Arabic as second language. To participate in this survey you must fulfill these criterias: You must be studying at the DLFILC You must be enrolled in the Arabic language program English must be your first language We will need a maximum of 20 minutes to complete the questionnaire and you will be asked to complete a similar questionnaire at the end of the semester. In addition, you are also invited to participate in interviews. We guarantee that your responses will remain confidential. You will not be compensated in monetary terms, but we assure participants that they will be treated respectfully. Your participation is voluntarily and if you do not feel comfortable answering any question in the survey, you may skip it. Your responses, effort, and time are appreciated. For further information contact Name: John Joseph Kawamleh Email id: [emailprotected] By agreeing you agree to abide by all of the above clauses. Do you agree to these terms? Yes No Research Project Questionnaire 1: Age Group 16-18 19-21 22-25 Over 25 2: Gender Male Female 3: Do you consider yourself to be of Arab heritage? Yes No Section 1 The following questions are about your exposure to Arab culture BEFORE enrolling in Arabic at the DLIFLC. 4: What fictional personas or characters from the Arab world were you exposed to? Please list AT LEAST 2 and describe each character in one word (example: villian, hero, etc) Character # 1 Describe: Character # 2 Describe: 5: What kind of underlying messages and ideas did these characters or personas convey about the Arab world? Always Positive Sometimes Positive, Sometimes Negative Always Negative 6: How often do you interact with people of Arab origin? Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never 7: If you previously interacted with people of Arab origin, what kind of relationships did you have with them? You may choose more than one. Friend Coworker Neighbor Family Member Other 8: Have you ever visited or lived in an Arab country? Yes No 9: If you answered YES to the previous question, please indicate for how long in total 2 weeks 2-4 weeks 1- 2 Months 2 -6 Months 6 Months 10: How aware were you about the Arab world? Extremely Moderately Somewhat Slightly Not at all 11: What are some Arabic words you were familiar with before taking Arabic at the DLIFLC? Please list 3 words and specify how you learned about them. Word # 1 I learned this word through: Word # 2 I learned this word through: Word # 3 I learned this word through: 12: What were some cultural ideas and practices unique to the Arab world that you were aware of before enrollment in Arabic at the DLIFLC Please describe two practices or ideas and specify how you learned about them. Description of Practice Idea # 1 I learned about it through: Description of Practice Idea # 2 I learned about it through: 13: What was your main source of exposure to the Arab world? *Please rank each item by writing a number from 1 through 5 in the boxes below. You may only use each number once. 1 = least exposure 5 = most exposure. Family and Friends News channel University/School Newspaper (Print and Electronic) Film and TV Shows 14: How would you describe your overall perception of Arab culture? Positive Negative Neutral Arabic as a Second Language Section 2 Mark the appropriate choice Inaccurate I dont knowAccurate 15: The Arab world has the highest concentration of Muslims in the world. This statement is: 16: A wide array of religious groups and denominations exists in the Arab world. This statement is: 17: Iran is an Arab country. This statement is: 18: Historically, Arab-Islamic civilization has had little to no influence on other civilizations. This statement is: 19: Every native speaker of Arabic grows up speaking Modern Standard Arabic at home. This statement is: 20: All women in the Arab World wear the hijab or headscarf. This statement is: 21: Arab women do not work outside of the home and, therefore, are homemakers. This statement is: 22: All Arab countries have similar economies due to the distribution of natural resources, such as petroleum and natural gas reserves. This statement is: Section 3 Mark your opinion based on the statements below Strongly Disagree Disagree I dont Know Agree Strongly Agree 23: In Arab culture, it is unacceptable for two people to have an intimate physical relationship outside of marriage. 24: Arab societies are more individualistic than American society (i.e. the individual is valued more than the collective). 25: Hospitality is an important value in Arab culture. 26: The use of the word of Allah in some phrases in the Arabic language has a strong Islamic connotation. Section 4 Please rate the degree of similarity for the following given statements 1: not similar at all, 5: almost identical 27: In your opinion, how similar is family life in America and the Arab world? 1 2 3 4 5 28: In your opinion, how similar is behavior in public places in American culture and Arab culture? 1 2 3 4 5 30: In your opinion, how similar are male-female relationships in American culture and Arab culture? 1 2 3 4 5 31: In your opinion, how similar is similar is the status of women in American society and Arab societies? 1 2 3 4 5 32: What are you expecting to learn about Arab culture in your Arabic class this year? Please briefly describe at least 2 things that you hope to learn more about and the reasons behind them

Personal Response, explanatory and critical reactions on the book by Essay

Personal Response, explanatory and critical reactions on the book by Sebastien Japrisot 'A Very Long Engagement' - Essay Example Throughout Mathilde’s search, the reader is provided with reminders about the theme of enduring love. A Very Long Engagement starts with a chapter entitled â€Å"Saturday evening.† In this chapter, the readers are introduced to the setting, which is a French trench during World War I. The author is introduced to five men that have committed self mutilation in order to be sent home, but these men have been convicted of this as a crime. Four of the five men admit what they have done, but Eskimo insists that his injury was accidental. Each of the men’s personalities and backgrounds are provided in order to present the reader with the necessary character information. The reader is also introduced to Mathilde, the finacee of the most youthful of the men, Manech. The reader is presented to her with the sense that she will become a very important character in the book; in fact, her relationship is where the title of the book derives. The next chapter in the book entitled â€Å"Bingo Crepuscule Analysis† moves the story forward about two and a half years. The focus of the story shifts to Mathilde. Manech is now dead and Mathilde is still trying to learn about what really happened to him prior to his passing. She therefore travels to a veteran’s hospital in order to find a man who had spoken to Manech the day before he died. Mathilde’s search introduces one of the prominent themes of the novel; that of enduring love and hope. This man is Daniel Esperanza, who is dying. He informs Mathilde that Manech did not perish in combat as the death announcement had stated. What in fact did happen was that Manech planned to have his hand intentionally shot because he was so depressed by the war, and this did occur. He was then convicted of self-mutilation and sentenced to death along with the other men. These men, though, were not shot by the firing squad; instead, the men they fought with were told to th row them over the top of

Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Film - Essay Example The essay will summarize the parallels drawn in the film and the metaphoric representation of all the political processes and in conclusion, the paper will discuss how the movie succeeded in emulating and approximating the real-world sentiments. One of the greatest themes discussed in the movie was the theme of democracy. This is not only because Rome was the first empire to implement the basic principles of democracy, but at the time the film was made, the United States was already tackling a string political scandals that the then-President Clinton got involved in and George Bush was about to assume the office soon. The former concept is shown in a very intense scene after Maximus wins a battle in an epic showdown, using his military expertise which grabs Commodus’ attention. The crowd loves Maximus to the point that when he publicly threatens Commodus, he is able to go unharmed and is allowed to live because the public favors him greatly. The aforementioned was not only intense because of the great acting by both Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, but because of the symbolic value of this entire scene. The gladiatorial games were vastly meant for public entertainment and therefore they had ultimate say in helping the winner achieve glory and position in the society, even though the individual in the arena is more or less of a slave. When Commodus is confronted by Maximus, he is forced to give him the thumbs up as the crowd fervently hailed Maximus and roared his name. The helplessness of their so-called Emperor to public demand was ostensible and such is the case in a democratic system of government, whereas the government caters to serve the public and keep them happy to ensure they do not rebel against them. This is the reason, why Commodus had to put forth a charming and amiable front despite his conniving