Blog Post 8

A useful source for my research paper is a book written by Ben Singer titled "Melodrama And Modernity." The book mainly speaks about how Melodramatic movies have improved over time in films. This book defines Melodrama as "a set of subgenres that remain close to the heart and hearth and emphasize a registered of heightened emotionalism and sentimentality."  In the book it also states that a good Hollywood melodrama is one that makes you cry, or the one that arouses strong sentiment, particularly a powerful feeling of pathos." This ties in with what I am talking about which is mise-en-scene. I can tie this source in with what I am speaking of because it explains what makes a Melodramatic movie so compelling it states that a movie has to evoke pathos in the audience. Evoking pathos has to do with nonverbal aspects. An example would be if a character is crying, this is a way to evoke pathos in the audience. This source is reliable and extremely useful.This source has explained my ideology behind Melodrama.

Blog Post 7

My research paper focuses on the nonverbal aspects of melodrama. A source that I also found to be useful is titled Imitations of Life a book edited by Marcia Landy. This book states writings from many different authors. Each chapter is dedicated to the writings of a different author. This book thoroughly explains melodrama by putting in the works of different authorIn Chapter 6 titles Ways of Melodrama by Raymond Durgnat he states "It might be argued that melodrama is simply an arbitrary extension of drama: a fist fight, for instance, is more or less arbitrary extension of hate, disagreement or competition, or adds nothing to the drama except physical intensity. Nonetheless, a melodramatic situation can often provide a searching test of character." Durgnat's explanation of how a fight scene is more than just a disagreement but rather shows the audience who the characters are and what they are standing up for or against. This ties in with mise-en-scene because fight scenes are considered a non-verbal aspect of melodrama. This is a relevant source for me because I can tie in my topic which focuses on the non-verbal aspects of melodrama. I can also use the other authors as a source which is why it is a useful source. This book has only supported my thoughts on my topic. I believe that things such as fight scenes, or scenes when a character is weeping, or scenes when a tragic accident is seen happening is what help shapes melodrama.

Blog Post 6

One of my sources is a book written by Barbara Klinger titled Melodrama & Meaning it speaks of Douglas Sirk's films and also talks about the use mise-en-scene. Klinger tries to analyze Sirk's films such as Magnificent Obsession. This book tries to explain Melodrama and its aspects by using examples of films and components to films such as the actors and actresses. This source is useful because there is a part in the book which is dedicated to mise-en-scene, which is what I am focusing on in my research paper. This information is reliable and does not seem to be biased. The book states that the things such as how a female dresses and class are ways to fulfill the viewers fantasies or desires. This book fits in to my paper because of how it explains how viewers are effected through watching Melodramatic films. This book can helps me explain the significance of mise-en-scene. Through using other Melodramatic films in the book I can tie in the melodramatic films that I have used because they are all related in some way or form.

Fifth Blog Post

A source that ties in with my topic is Melodrama and Modernity a book written by Ben Singer. In the introduction part of the book he speaks about how Hollywood was criticized before the 90's for showing the same kind of Melodramatic film. The films during earlier times spoke about the typical traditional problems a women might face when it comes to issues present in their lives. In chapter 6 of this book which is titled Ten-Twenty-Thirty Melodrama: Boom and Bust it talks about technology has had a effect on melodramatic movies. During the early 1900's is when action filled movies came out and this was all because of technology. This chapter is relevant to me because it speaks of the nonverbal aspects of melodrama. Scenes that are filled with action these scenes are then interpreted by the audience without further interpretation. This book talks about how Melodrama and Modernity are combines and relevant to films. It speaks about the changes that occurred in Melodramatic films overtime and how peoples perception on melodrama has changed as well over the course of time. This source is useful to me because I am focusing on the nonverbal aspects on my essay. This source is objective it gets the point across while stating opposite views of writers such as David Bordwell.

Fourth Blogpost

The topic that I intend to talk about in my essay is about the background, effects and the appearance of characters in Melodramatic films. I am not yet sure whether I will speak about one specific film or various ones. A source that I found which goes well with my topic is Peter Brook's book "The Melodramatic Imagination". It talks about how characters in a melodramatic movie keep things hidden from everybody around them. This ties in with my topic because when a character is keeping something hidden it can be seen by non-verbally using facial expressions, appearance and background. An example would be if in a movie a character is pregnant and is keeping it a secret it can be portrayed by what they are wearing how they are acting like maybe they vomit quite often which clues in the audience that there may be a pregnancy news. These non verbal ways of communicating clues in the audience on the events which are to come. Brook's book talks about Melodrama and exactly how it is seen in movies and what makes a movie melodramatic. This information is a reliable and useful source because it focuses on Melodrama and the aspects of it. This book analyzes Melodrama and so therefore doesn't seem biased. I intend to use this source as a way to explain of nonverbal factors in movies can be used as a form of communication with the audience.

Possible Research Paper Topics

A topic I would like to talk about is the appearance of a character during Melodramatic situations. When a conflict arises how a character looks plays a huge role. In movies where a tragic event has happened we can see the facial expressions on the actor or actress Appearance of the characters set the mood of the situation. It plays a key role in shaping a melodramatic narrative. If there was a situation in a movie where someone died we wouldn't see the characters wearing bright colors such pink, orange or yellow but rather colors that are darker such as black or grey. The audience gets more of a feel for the characters and their situations because of how they are presented on the screen. I feel like I can find sufficient information on my topic. This topic is interesting tome because most people don't notice the effects that appearance can have on the audience of a film or television series. Also, appearance is the first thing you notice subconsciously while looking at a screen. How the character looks and what she or he is wearing is a factor in a melodramatic film. Another possible topic I would like to talk talk about is the background of a film. The settings also play a huge role in setting the stage. In a sad depressing scene the surroundings tend to be dark and in a small constricted area. When looking at such backgrounds a person can feel gloomy. This topic interest me because I want to personally learn about the backgrounds used in melodramatic films while researching the topic.

The Moral Occult

Peter Brooks defines the moral occult as our values and desires that are from within which we keep hidden due to reality. What he means by reality is societal barriers which prevent a person from fulfilling his or her own personal needs and wants that are not fit for society. In All That Heaven Allows Cary is so worried about being accepted by her social group that in the middle of everything she forgets the most important thing, which is the love that both Cary and Ron share for each other. She does what her children expect of her having her desires to be with Ron desperately be masked up inside. Everything becomes dark and dull the scenes in the movie look depressing. This conflict between having to choose between love or the happiness of her children is an example of what Brooks describes as Melodrama. Towards the end of the movie all the emotions that Cary kept hidden are out and her and Ron are seen together and at the end a deer appears near the window and this is symbolic. It represents the beginning of something new.