"Now I will show for you..."
Today was my last special effects class before the final exam. But because last weeks class was cancelled so that we could go to the Ray Harryhausen honorary event, todays class was extended in length: FIVE HOURS. It was exhausting, but probably the best class we've had. Heitor Filho Capuzzo, or special visiting professor from Brazil covered the digital revolution in cinema today, showing us some amazing clips.
http://eba.ufmg.br/midiaarte/
Everything from Tron, Terminator 2, Forrest Gump, to more recent stuff like Final Fantasy and the sex scene in Fight Club. He then showed us some really whacked out mind-blowing clips from artistic experimental films. Notables included Japanese anime-tor Mamoru Oshii's Polish action film "Avalon":
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0267287/
Also, Godrey Reggio:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0716585/
Probably one of the most whacked visual artists of all time, he spent something like 14 years in complete isolation; my professor will be working with him this summer.
But the most amazing clip of all was of a movie that has not yet been released in America but has been scheduled for release -and canceled- seven times. It was nominated for an Academy Award 2 years ago, but since has been in a grueling international release battle, and finally is making its way to American movie houses this July (but not in its original version). The movie is called "HERO" and the one scene I saw the most amazingly beautiful and artistic scene I have ever seen.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/
http://www.kaipahl.de/wortauf/movie_hero.html
The top picture in the latter link is from the scene I speak of. Let me lay it out for you: the scene is an emotionally driven battle between two goddess-like warriors, both draped in red flowing robes contrasting against the yellow of an autumn forest's falling leaves. You can hear every single leave as it hits the ground. Like in Crouching Tiger, the women control their environment when they fight, and the leaves whirl around them in a fluid stir. Damn amazing. I gotta find somebody who has a copy from China or something; I just can't wait until July...
http://eba.ufmg.br/midiaarte/
Everything from Tron, Terminator 2, Forrest Gump, to more recent stuff like Final Fantasy and the sex scene in Fight Club. He then showed us some really whacked out mind-blowing clips from artistic experimental films. Notables included Japanese anime-tor Mamoru Oshii's Polish action film "Avalon":
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0267287/
Also, Godrey Reggio:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0716585/
Probably one of the most whacked visual artists of all time, he spent something like 14 years in complete isolation; my professor will be working with him this summer.
But the most amazing clip of all was of a movie that has not yet been released in America but has been scheduled for release -and canceled- seven times. It was nominated for an Academy Award 2 years ago, but since has been in a grueling international release battle, and finally is making its way to American movie houses this July (but not in its original version). The movie is called "HERO" and the one scene I saw the most amazingly beautiful and artistic scene I have ever seen.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/
http://www.kaipahl.de/wortauf/movie_hero.html
The top picture in the latter link is from the scene I speak of. Let me lay it out for you: the scene is an emotionally driven battle between two goddess-like warriors, both draped in red flowing robes contrasting against the yellow of an autumn forest's falling leaves. You can hear every single leave as it hits the ground. Like in Crouching Tiger, the women control their environment when they fight, and the leaves whirl around them in a fluid stir. Damn amazing. I gotta find somebody who has a copy from China or something; I just can't wait until July...