Film Theory: Alan Smithee Film

Is the pseudonym used by directors who refuse to put their name on a film and want to disassociate themselves, usually when they believe their control or vision has been co-opted by the studio (i.e., the film could have been recut, mutilated and altered against their wishes); aka Alan Smithee Jr., Allan Smithee, or Allen Smithe.
Example: Examples: Death of a Gunfighter (1969), Let's Get Harry (1986), The Shrimp on the Barbie (1990), and the last film with the ironic alias: An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn (1997).(This movie was really directed by Arthur Hiller.

Film Review: Red

A great action movie directed by Robert Schwentke and with an A list of actors, such as Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malcovich, Morgan Freeman, Mary Louise Parker and Karl Urban, this film is a bomb in special effects and fighting scenes, especially the stunts done by the "veteran" stars which is the main point of the film. RED stands for Retired Extremely Dangerous and boy they are. I mena, who would have thought of seeing dame Helen Mirren with a gun, especially a K8? I didnt, but still, she portrayed the part wonderfully. Morgan Freeman was the peaceful man that if needed, could be a letal weapon and John Malcovich was the crazy, yet amazing shooter. Together, with fellow new member and love interest of Bruce Willis, they unite to stop a spree of killings that relate to a case in Guatemala, which because of political reasons, people in high positions in the government want to uncover it. Filled with action and comedy, love and drama, this film will give you a good laugh and a great idea of weapons and explosions.

Film Theory: Why the Oscar is named Oscar

According to one biography of Bette Davis, it says that she named the Oscar after her first husband, band leader Harmon Oscar Nelson. But, one of the earliest mentions in print of the term Oscar dates back to a Times Nagazine article about the 1934 Academy Awards and Bette received the award in 1936.
Walt Disney is also quoted as thanking the Academy for his Oscar as early as 1932. Another claimed origin is that the Academy's Executive Secretary, Margaret Herrick, first saw the award in 1931 and made reference to the statuette's reminding her of her "Uncle Oscar" (a nickname for her cousin Oscar Pierce).

Movie Reivew: The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings was directed by Peter Jackson and it had actors Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Ian Mckellen, Christopher Lee, Liv Tyler and Hugo Weaving. Based on the novel of the same name, the LOFT was a major hit around the world. With an amazing theme and setting, the LOFT delivered something to audiences that they had never seenbefore. Great sound and special effects were implemented in fighting scenes and the scenenography, which was shot in New Zeland, but, in the film it is barely recognizable, the director creates a tale which while being magically it also refers to a reality that we mostly saw during the dark ages around Europe. With great themes and the addition and creativity in costumes, you get yourself transported to a different time and place. A must watch for the whole family, you wont get dissapointed.

Film Theory: Over the Shoulder Shot

Used in many film sequences and a most shot for many directors, the over the shoulder shot gives a new perspective in the way an actor is seen. While we see the back from one actor, we can see the face and middle body of the other one, so we actually know that they are having a conversation. Although we can only see the full expressions of one, we can see part of the face and body of the one actor that is in front of the camera. A creative and yet effective shot.

Movie Review: The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is an american classic, directed by Victor Flemming and based on the Classic novel of the same name by author L. Frank Baum. With Judy Garland in the main role of Dorothy and Billie Burke as Glinda the Good Witch, audiences around the world were and are enchanted with this never old story about a little girl from Kansas that because of a strange tornado she ends up in the magical Land of Oz, where she encounters three friends that will help her to return home safely, because an evil green witch is looking for her because of the silvery red shoes she has on her feet.

The important stuffs about the film are that first, the use of color sequences, I mean the ones that are on Oz, because the parts of Kansas are filmed in Sepia tone. Second, the usage of explosions and special effects to add to the magic of the film. Third. the installment of montages which completed the scenes in the land of Oz and Fourth, the creativity in all kinds of shots and as less mistakes as possible seen.

Film Theory: Montages

Since filming started to become more difficult and complex, filmmakers have the need to create and extend their boundaries in every aspect, this happening in montages. Films like The Birds, Star Wars and everyday films have montages of locations or tools that are very expensive to built or take a long time and money to produce. This happens because of CGI, which allow directors to correct and modify the settings where they shoot their scenes.

Movie Review: The Birds

Alfred Hitchcock did it again. The movie The Birds was a phenomenon when it was released in the year 1963, because of the revolutionary special effects that it had, this effect being the addition of the famous killing birds(that we can see in the shot)
Another great thing about the fillm was the use of animatronics, something not very seen in Hitchcock films.
The sound effects were greatly used and Hitchcock did a great job with using as less instrumental music as possible, instead putting the sound of the birds, which were loud in comparisson to the rest of the sounds(this scaring people)
If you are a suspense fan, and you love Hitchcock films, then I definitley reccomend this film. Maybe nowadays the effects of the birds(the montage) can be clearly see, but we must remember that during that year none of this was seen, so in a way, Hitchcock with this film created a new tendency in special effects.