WEEK FOUR:
Terms
Computer graphics: The use of a computer to generate images rather than attempting to produce them in actuality.
Grants: Monies awarded generally from the government and corporations to a variety of people who submit applications which are passed on by a panel of experts in deciding who gets the grants.
Disaster Channels: the Learning Channel, the History Channel and the Discovery Channel which have been prone to showing a lerge number of programs concerning disasters (mega tsunamis, Giant earthquakes and "Tornadoes: Fury of the Plains"
Ciphers, Codes, Hermeneutics, and symbolism: Symbols, discussed last week are forms which arbitrarily represent other forms (e.g. the word "dog" stands for the animal).. Ciphers, are letter substitutions.Codes are technically a way of hiding a message through word substitution, although the term is frequently used as the equivalent of a symbol ("satorial code" = how clothing takes on meaning). Hermeneutics is the study of "hidden meaning" in texts often scripture but not exclusively so.
homage: an "honoring" of another by "citing" from their film. Sometimes, methinks, it is more an act of desperation stemming from a lack of creativity.
BEFORE THE FILM
Every year in the spring, tornado alley, as the Great Plains are known, becomes the spawning grounds for tornadoes and cold air from the NW collides with warmer moist air from the gulf. This breeds a large number of tornadoes, the most rapidly moving winds on earth.
The Learning Channel, the History Channel and The Discovery Channel (collectively known as the "disaster channels" have for some time been spewing out popular programs about weather phenomenon, which Spielberg has decided to capitalize on with Twister (see also his Deep Impact)
Symbols, Codes, Ciphers, and Hermeneutics:
Codes indicate things. Consider sartorial codes = a code in which certain clothing or aspects of clothing represent something else. Uniforms are classic examples of clothing representing something. Color can be an attribute of clothing which can also carry meaning. The most obvious one is a black/white symbolism which permeates much of Western culture in which black stands for evil and white for good as in black magic and white magic. Similarly, in the "old days" the good guys wore white and the bad guys wore black. This is a kind of color symbolism which may be coded into the films.
It is possible to use general symbolism that exists in the culture which is likely to be recognized, or to create symbols, but presenting the symbols in a regular way with the associated meaning until the audience understands the symbol. In the west, wedding dresses are usually white to represent purity. In other cultures (e.g. Chinese) wedding dresses are red. This is an example of a cultural symbol, much the way the black and white hats of the cowboys are.
For an author to create a symbol is somewhat more difficult.
There is an attempt to be scientifically accurate, in terms of information about tornadoes. What do you learn about tornadoes from the film?
Is this something that is thrown in to make the film "academic" and give it some redeeming social value? Or does it have another function?
How are the classes of people dealt with in the film? As is often the case are all characters in a single class depicted similarly?
Is there an attempt to deal with "blame" or "guilt"? The use of computer graphics has grown enormously over the years and a quick comparison between the most famous of all movie tornadoes (Wizard of Oz) gives some idea of how far things have come.
What can we say about the computer graphics and sound effect?
What kinds of symbols appear in the film?
What about the music in the film?
In several films, we have noted a "count down" in the film toward the disaster. Is there a "countdown in the film"
AFTER THE FILM
Certainly one of the more obvious problems with the film is the "message" which is so blatent since it basically has the characters mouth the author's words. As a result it is easy to see why this inane script attracted Spielberg.
What can we say about our cast of characters and they are characters! The misfits with Jo who are extrememly dated in both clothing, cars, language ("rue the day - extreme ruage") etc.
Perachy academics: "Now you've lost me" (explains Fujita scale). Pompous dialog "Finger of God" about F5.
scientists: two kinds "good" and "bad". How are they marked or coded? Satorial and color for example?
Qualities of the "good" scientists:
rather dopey
do not take "bad" corporate money (e.g. Amblin and Industrialized Light and Sound?) (not clear where the "lost" grant came from)
drive old "hippie" vehicles
are "real" people who want to party and eat
are inventive and have "instinct"
Qualities of "bad scientists":
neat well dressed
take "bad" corporate money
drive black vans
like to appear on tv as media events
have no instincts and follow "good" scientist around in hopes of capitolizing on their ideas.
Qualities of "neutral scientists" (e.g. therapists):
neat well dressed
not interested in "important things"
not functional in real world
sympathetic understanding
military: none
police: none
media: talk only to "bad" scientists
politicians: none
corporate America: bad by implication, only give money to bad scientists
general population: victims of nature and corporate America which only funds bad scientists who don't really want to help people (why DO they fund them?),
Countdown
The countdown is used generally to build tension. It is often numbers (countdown on clocks to some impact or similar things - consider countdown in When Worlds Collide, The Day the Earth Caught Fire in which actual numbers are used as contrast with the opening the seals in Seventh Sign or in Last Wave where the signs indicate the approach of doomsday. In this film we have (a) a Fujita scale which lets us "build" tension by waiting for the "infamous" F5 and also the appeaance of rain, hail an debris as the tornado approaches.
Music: Film opens with "Copeland like" music. (Billy the Kid, Rodeo, Appalachian Spring) Has "western" feel.
Homage
Links to Wizard of Oz and its tornado.