What co-productions mean for creativity in film

The increasing economic cooperation between the Chinese and U.S is no tightly held secret, but its impact on the film industry is just now becoming apparent. China is notoriously strict about which Western films it shows, reportedly refusing to screen The Departed for implying that Beijing has military connections. That tide is turning. Large movie … Continue reading “What co-productions mean for creativity in film”

The increasing economic cooperation between the Chinese and U.S is no tightly held secret, but its impact on the film industry is just now becoming apparent. China is notoriously strict about which Western films it shows, reportedly refusing to screen The Departed for implying that Beijing has military connections.

That tide is turning. Large movie studios are beginning to enter lucrative “co-productions” with partners in China, utilizing the resources of both countries to create international hits. This, of course, has business implications, such as Dreamworks opening a new studio in China.

But more relevantly, this is affecting the creative process too. Major co-produced blockbusters yet to be released this year, including Looper and Cloud Atlas, prominently feature Chinese characters and settings. Even Stan Lee, the creator of Spider-Man and other big superheroes, has entered a co-production to create a Chinese superhero movie with global appeal. Creative freedom has always been bounded by business constraints, but this is a surprising new form of synergy.

Who knows if this will become a lasting trend like product placement, but for the near future, it’s good to take heed of the business decisions behind new creative directions in film.

Two film festivals with very different audiences

Today marks the start of the Venice Film Festival, the oldest international film festival. Though smaller than notable rivals such as Cannes and Sundance, the Venice Film Festival is getting attention this year by premiering new movies from award magnets Paul Thomas Anderson and Terrence Malick. Some might call it the start of the Oscar … Continue reading “Two film festivals with very different audiences”

Today marks the start of the Venice Film Festival, the oldest international film festival. Though smaller than notable rivals such as Cannes and Sundance, the Venice Film Festival is getting attention this year by premiering new movies from award magnets Paul Thomas Anderson and Terrence Malick. Some might call it the start of the Oscar season; in any event, it’s sure to debut some thought-provoking films.

Which brings us to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Tomorrow, the Walker debuts the world’s first Internet Cat Video Film Festival, which, it should be clarified, is a real thing that is actually happening. The hour-long festival will be preceded by something identified only as the “Death Metal Drawing Club.”

In a way, these festivals embody the immense scope of film. One celebrates the auteurs of a traditional art form, while the other pushes the definition of film as a social experiment. Arguably, they’re two great tastes that taste well together.

Happy fall semester! Watch our best college movies

And with that, the 2012 fall semester at American University has begun. The first day of classes is winding to a close, but for incoming freshmen, the college experience has just begun. Whether you’re taking Leadership Gateway or preparing for your capstone, now is a great time to watch some of the greatest college movies … Continue reading “Happy fall semester! Watch our best college movies”

And with that, the 2012 fall semester at American University has begun. The first day of classes is winding to a close, but for incoming freshmen, the college experience has just begun.

Whether you’re taking Leadership Gateway or preparing for your capstone, now is a great time to watch some of the greatest college movies in our collection. Just… don’t use them as instructional guides. Especially not The Social Network and Animal House.

School Daze – HU DVD 357
Horse Feathers – HU DVD 1128
Good Will Hunting – HU DVD 1724
The War at Home – DVD 3102
The Great Debaters – HU DVD 4232
National Lampoon’s Animal House – HU DVD 4913
Berkeley in the Sixties – DVD 5238
The Social Network – HU DVD 7969
Old School – HU DVD 8779

Time Out New York crowns the greatest New York films

Here’s your controversial (if slightly old) link of the day: Time Out New York has compiled a list of the top 100 movies set in New York City. They put together a fairly complete list – but of course, you can dispute the ones at the top. Judging by the comments section, there are some … Continue reading “Time Out New York crowns the greatest New York films”

Here’s your controversial (if slightly old) link of the day: Time Out New York has compiled a list of the top 100 movies set in New York City. They put together a fairly complete list – but of course, you can dispute the ones at the top. Judging by the comments section, there are some notable omissions. And The Godfather at #41?

Read on for a spoilerful list of their Top 10 with their call numbers in our collection…
10. On the Town – HU DVD 276
9. Escape from New York – HU DVD 10192
8. Shadows – HU DVD 1390
7. King Kong – HU DVD 1601
6. Do the Right Thing – HU DVD 38
5. Manhattan – HU DVD 128
4. Rosemary’s Baby – HU DVD 5783
3. Dog Day Afternoon – HU DVD 2109
2. Sweet Smell of Success – HU DVD 1296

1. Taxi Driver – HU DVD 904

Before Photoshop CS6… there were giant chickens

For as long as we’ve trusted the authenticity of photography, it seems like, naturally, we’ve wanted to mess around with photos too. Now it seems like this urge his been around for generations – in this case, a whole century before we started Photoshopping mustaches onto people’s faces. Wired recently uncovered a collection of unusual … Continue reading “Before Photoshop CS6… there were giant chickens”

For as long as we’ve trusted the authenticity of photography, it seems like, naturally, we’ve wanted to mess around with photos too. Now it seems like this urge his been around for generations – in this case, a whole century before we started Photoshopping mustaches onto people’s faces. Wired recently uncovered a collection of unusual postcards from the turn of the 20th century showing evidence of some of the first photo manipulation… though it appears that back in the 1900s, it was primarily used to make pictures of giant chickens and potatoes.

In any event, these pictures from the Tall Tale Postcards group and the Wisconsin Historical Society are a neat look back at our obsession with photographic fakery. If you want to take a leap into photo editing with modern technology (and presumably beyond pictures of livestock), the computers at the New Media Center are now equipped with Photoshop CS6.

The Hunger Games screening TONIGHT!

We’ve gotten a number of patrons interested in watching The Hunger Games since it was released on DVD this Saturday. We hear you: it’s understandably one of the biggest movies of the year. We’re in the process of acquiring it, but our copy is still en route. Hang on! If you don’t want to wait, … Continue reading “The Hunger Games screening TONIGHT!”

We’ve gotten a number of patrons interested in watching The Hunger Games since it was released on DVD this Saturday. We hear you: it’s understandably one of the biggest movies of the year. We’re in the process of acquiring it, but our copy is still en route. Hang on!

If you don’t want to wait, the AU United Methodist-Protestant Community will be screening The Hunger Games on campus tonight at 9 PM in the Mary Graydon Center, Room 200. Now’s your chance to catch it before it enters our collection!

Director Tony Scott dies

Film director Tony Scott committed suicide yesterday at age 68. While he was never an arthouse institution and didn’t have critical weight, Scott’s movies were immensely popular and changed the direction of big-action blockbusters. Perhaps most notably, Scott was sort of a Hollywood kingmaker, directing films that were massively successful game-changers for Jerry Bruckheimer and … Continue reading “Director Tony Scott dies”

Film director Tony Scott committed suicide yesterday at age 68. While he was never an arthouse institution and didn’t have critical weight, Scott’s movies were immensely popular and changed the direction of big-action blockbusters. Perhaps most notably, Scott was sort of a Hollywood kingmaker, directing films that were massively successful game-changers for Jerry Bruckheimer and Tom Cruise.

Take off your faded pink caps and ride into the danger zone one last time with a few of Tony Scott’s films:

Top Gun – HU DVD 2959
True Romance – HU DVD 3820
Life in a Day – HU DVD 9229

Retronaut unearths Frankenstein on his off-day

You can easily pull back the curtain of movie magic on almost any recent, major motion picture. It could be as innocuous as a clip of Bane and Batman off the clock, but even obtuse films like Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life come with special features explaining their production. For most older movies, the … Continue reading “Retronaut unearths Frankenstein on his off-day”

You can easily pull back the curtain of movie magic on almost any recent, major motion picture. It could be as innocuous as a clip of Bane and Batman off the clock, but even obtuse films like Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life come with special features explaining their production. For most older movies, the special features usually include commentary from critics and possibly a documentary about its historical context.

That’s what makes these behind-the-scenes pictures of Frankenstein from history blog Retronaut so entertaining: you wouldn’t have expected these pictures to survive! The image of Boris Karloff decked up in monster make-up is one of the most indelible images of horror, but now you too can experience the joy of breaking down that icon by seeing Frankenstein’s monster on his smoke break.

If you want to see the real thing, check out the original 1931 Frankenstein from Media Services (HU DVD 860).

Whoa! Man with too much spare time makes a real-life Wall-E

This is too great not to share: hobbyist and madman Mike Senna has spent the past three years constructing a life-sized, remote-controlled Wall-E robot from scratch. Now it’s making its rounds through Disney locations, charity events, and hobbyist fairs across the country. You can follow Senna’s adventures on his blog, where he posts pictures of … Continue reading “Whoa! Man with too much spare time makes a real-life Wall-E”

This is too great not to share: hobbyist and madman Mike Senna has spent the past three years constructing a life-sized, remote-controlled Wall-E robot from scratch. Now it’s making its rounds through Disney locations, charity events, and hobbyist fairs across the country. You can follow Senna’s adventures on his blog, where he posts pictures of Wall-E meeting with dignitaries like Iron Man and a Dalek from Doctor Who.

So maybe it’s excessively nerdy, but it’s excessively nerdy in an adorable, heart-warming way.

If you’re getting the kick rewatch Wall-E now, the film is available in our collections (HU DVD 4950).

New Films on Demand titles – August 2012

Films on Demand, a streaming video platform used by Media Services, recently added 225 new titles to its collection, including a large number of TED Talks. Since it would be silly to list every single one, here’s a few highlights from their most recent batch… Humanities & Social Sciences Collection In Search of Genghis Khan … Continue reading “New Films on Demand titles – August 2012”

Films on Demand, a streaming video platform used by Media Services, recently added 225 new titles to its collection, including a large number of TED Talks. Since it would be silly to list every single one, here’s a few highlights from their most recent batch…

Humanities & Social Sciences Collection

In Search of Genghis Khan (1993, 54 min.)
This program looks at the legend and the traces of Genghis Khan as well as the people and culture of his descendants, whose lives are barely changed since the Mongol horde burst out of Central Asia in the 13th century to ride as far as the gates of Vienna and permanently change the face of most of Asia and Europe.

Electronics: Polaroid’s Passport Photo Business in a Box (2002, 15 min.)
The task: design and build an all-in-one camera with an integrated printer that produces instant digital pictures. This program follows a team of industrial and electronics designers at Polaroid’s U.K. headquarters as they take on this challenge. The whole process unfolds neatly as the idea jumps from paper to 3-D model to computer-assisted design program to prototype. Eventually, the designers debug the prototype and a professional photographer puts the production model through its paces.

Proud Towers (1986, 58 min.)
There was a time when the skyline was dominated by the church spire; in the 20th century, the skyscraper—a cathedral of commerce—has been the city’s signature. Its forerunner was the commercial loft building, often an ersatz palazzo made of iron cast to look like stone; Louis Sullivan changed the horizontal focus by adding height.

TEDTalks: Jonathan Zittrain—The Web as Random Acts of Kindness (2009, 20 min.)
Feeling like the world is becoming less friendly? Social theorist and Internet law expert Jonathan Zittrain begs to differ. The Internet, he suggests, is made up of millions of acts of kindness, curiosity, and trust. In this TEDTalk the Harvard law professor elaborates on three examples of cyber-trust: the Internet itself, founded by three high school friends on the principle of cooperative networking; Wikipedia; and services such as the Craigslist rideshare board and CouchSurfing that allow people to share travel or living quarters with total strangers.

Great Speeches, Volume 19: John McCain, Barack Obama, Margaret Thatcher, Robert Byrd, Carol Moseley, and Lyndon B. Johnson (2005, 112 min.)
This volume features six vital speeches: John McCain’s USC commencement address; Barack Obama’s 2004 DNC keynote address; Margaret Thatcher’s eulogy for Ronald Reagan; Robert Byrd’s “On the Brink of War” speech; Carol Moseley Braun’s health care address; and Lyndon B. Johnson’s “I Will Not Run” speech.

Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities (1958, 117 min.)
The mood, the conflicts of character, and the contrasting sites of Paris and London are movingly realized in this screen presentation of the widely-read story. Dirk Bogarde, Dorothy Tutin, and Donald Pleasence star.

How the States Got Their Shapes (2010. 90 min.)
Is it just a fluke of history that Illinois, not Wisconsin, contains the city of Chicago? Whatever happened to the state of Jefferson? And why is Texas too big to mess with? This program uncovers the political, cultural, and geographical forces that shaped the map of the United States. From the original thirteen colonies to the jigsaw puzzle of today’s 50 states… from the nooks and crannies of the east to the rigid boxes of the west… from the Atlantic to the Pacific, viewers learn how America was carved out of the landscape and how the forces that sculpted our country still influence it today.

Business & Economics Collection

Forging the Future: China’s Industrial Heritage (2000, 58 min.)
China’s first industrial revolution occurred more than two millennia before Europe’s. Today, there is a new wave of industrialization in China as the awakened dragon prepares to test its wings. This program draws on historical evidence and expert commentary to vividly illustrate China’s early mastery of crucial industrial processes and to explain how they contributed to the wealth and progress of Chinese civilization. Pivotal events that hampered China’s advancement in recent centuries and the country’s move to regain its momentum as a world-class producer and an Information Age innovator are also examined.

TEDTalks: John Gerzema—The Post-crisis Consumer (2009, 17 min.)
John Gerzema believes there’s an upside to the 2008 financial crisis: more ethical business practices, an eco-friendly interest in durable instead of disposable goods, and a rise in what he calls “cooperative consumerism.” In this TEDTalk, the Young & Rubicam marketing whiz gives fascinating examples of these cultural shifts and shows how businesses are evolving to connect with the trend toward more thoughtful spending. Gerzema is co-author of The Brand Bubble, a book that advocates change as the best strategy for brand management in the post-meltdown market.

Science & Mathematics Collection

How to Build… A Super Car (2011, 60 min.)
What does it take to build a vehicle that wins the Grand Prix? Can Formula One technology, which allows cars to hit 160 kph in under four seconds and reach speeds as high as 350 kph, be applied to everyday automobiles? This program goes behind the scenes at one of the world’s most secretive companies, McLaren Racing Limited, which produces some of the fastest wheeled vehicles driven today. The film depicts engineering occurring on a microscopic level—a necessity when drivers experience g-forces greater than space shuttle crews did and the car’s gearbox can climb to 150 degrees Celsius. Viewers also learn how F1 expertise helped create a road car, the MP4-12C. Hand-built from carbon fiber, this $270,000 super car symbolizes automotive cutting edge—the factory designed to build it cost over $60 million alone! Produced by the Open University. Part of the series How to Build…(Series 2)

TEDTalks: Rob Hopkins—Transition to a World without Oil (2009, 17 min.)
Rob Hopkins wants to remind us that the oil our world depends on is steadily running out. In this TEDTalk, he proposes a unique solution to the problem that he calls “the Transition response,” in which we prepare ourselves for life without oil and sacrifice luxury to build systems and communities that are completely independent of fossil fuels. Resilience leader Rob Hopkins is the founder of the Transition movement, a radically hopeful and community-driven approach to creating societies independent of fossil fuel.

Health & Medicine Collection

TEDTalks: Kary Mullis—Next-Gen Cure for Killer Infections (2009, 5 min.)
Drug-resistant bacteria kills, even in top hospitals. But now tough infections like staph and anthrax may be in for a surprise. Biochemist Kary Mullis, who watched a friend die when powerful antibiotics failed, explains the mechanics of a radical new cure that shows extraordinary promise in this TEDTalk. Mullis won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for developing a way to copy a strand of DNA with a technique that jumpstarted the 1990s’ biotechnology revolution.

TEDTalks: Hans Rosling—Let My Dataset Change Your Mindset (2009, 20 min.)
In this TEDTalk, global health expert Hans Rosling employs his famous data-bubble software to debunk myths and look closer at the demographics we’ve been using to differentiate between “the western world” and “the developing world.” Presenting up-to-date information on vital global issues using the colorful visualization software he developed, Rosling helps students and heads of state alike to quickly grasp the implications of data such as family size, access to healthcare, and income distribution, and to spot trends on a regional rather political basis.