MOWELFUND

Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc or MOWELFUND is a foundation that was established in 1974.  It aims to develop and preserve the Philippine cinema and help movie workers behind it. Its primary goal is to protect the Philippine cinema and to promote the core values of the organization.

Having visited the MOWELFUND made me realize how important to value the history of our films throughout the years. As a mass communication student, it is also important to know how the Philippine history of cinema evolved throughout the years. I have seen how the organization preserve the important things that was used in different Philippine classic films like the dress used by Nora Aunor in the award winning film “ himala”, up to the costume used in different films and even the trophies of Eddie Garcia, Nora Aunor, Boots Anson Roa and others. Visiting also the museum of the late Fernando Poe Jr makes me remember my grandmother and some of my childhood memories since I grow up watching his movies in the province. I like how they protect and preserve the important things since it was very useful not only to us but also to those future people who wants to visit the institution.

Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang( Weighed but found wanting is a 1974 film by Lino Brocka starring Christopher De Leon, Hilda Koronel, Lolita Rodriquez, and Eddie Garcia.

The film can be considered as an extraordinary film because I like the execution of the story. The first scene has been very striking and shocking since it showed how abortion was done. It can be reflected to the present situation since a lot of women commit the same crime. The film also shows how love can change everything since Kuala (one of the characters was ruined and how he gained her memory at the end. The film shows how money and power control a small town. It is somewhat related to the present time since it was the same as now where power control everything. The government did not take any action to respond the situation of Kuala and Berto that was being maltreated and bullied by the people. It has a great impact in the society since there are a lot of people that has the same condition as to them and experience the same thing. It also shows how hypocrisy dominated the Philippine context that time. I like the how the director showcase the exact situation of the Philippine culture of that time. The film primarily focuses on the true meaning of morality and humanity in the Philippines. In overall perspective, the film opens the mind of the viewers on how morality clauses affect someone lives.

Edge of Hollywood

When the time that mainstream films dominated Hollywood and the decline of it in the 1950’s and 1960’s, young directors who are new in the industry begun to make independent films. These directors make films primarily because they introduce a different kind of film making that does not require too much money and the help of the big studios. With the limited budgets they have, these directors are able to make films mainly to introduce the audience to the different side of storytelling. They dramatize things that depict the reality of the society by means of sexuality and violence. They began to introduce to the audience the unusual approach of dramatization and characterization of its plots by means of its jumbled chronology of events and characters and its twisted endings. This kind of storytelling might even reach to its superiority as its plots have not been the usual storytelling. This movement might be considered as free because directors are able to take risks in experimenting different kind of storytelling to open the minds of its audience the reality of life.

Star System

cary grant

joan crawford

Star system is a method in Hollywood wherein they would select young actors and create personas and even new backgrounds. It was concern on the image of the actors rather than the acting. Women were expected to act and dress properly while men to act gentleman.  Some of them were Cary Grant which was born as Archie Leach and Joan Crawford born as Lucille Fay Leusseur. Morality clauses are very important.

Studio System

Hollywood Studio System is the method of film creation, production and distribution dominated by the big studios in Hollywood from 1920’s to 1960’s. These studios produce movies primarily on their own filmmaking lots and locations. It is where the actors are under long term contract where they should only work for the studio they are signed in.

French New Wave

French New Wave was the name coined by film critics for a group of French filmmakers during the late 1950’s and 1960’. It was greatly influenced by Neorealism (a film movement started in 1943). The movement itself never became a formal movement but the characteristics itself define what the movement is all about.

Filmmakers rejected the idea of classical or the traditional kind of stories. Shooting on location became a norm. Instead of studio lighting, they replaced it available light. The protagonists often lack goal. Because of tight budget, Directors often have the method of experimenting with the film. They introduce fresh approach of creative storytelling. They have established expressing humanly approach stories than those who are in mainstream films. It has more realistic approach.  They often used improvised things for props and even involved and take part itself in the film because they major concern is their budget. 

It has a documentary style because it requires no set up time and it usually have long takes which at the end of the movie, the problems it established are not answered in the end. Finally, the French New Wave is focused on the technique and style itself. The film makers shows his vision and understanding on the world.

True Love...Romeo and Juliet

Considered the most tragic love story written by Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet will forever be one of the greatest tragic love story in the world of literature.

The story of Romeo and Juliet was one of the best stories of young love and how situations and actions change the outcome of the story. Their love story proved how powerful love is. Their love against all odds proved how cruel life is to every individual in the world.

It is about fighting for your love and being able to conquer the obstacles that will come in your way. The story makes us realize how love can change everything and how it makes every individual overcome everything for the sake of love.

This reminds me how intelligent Shakespeare was for he was able to write such story. This was probably the best story in the world of literature.

The actors are also able to play well their characters and they execute the right emotions that are necessary for every scene.

This film makes us realize how love can be for it causes the two character’s lives. It may be a tragic story of young love but the learning it gives was excellent especially in family affairs.

This can be relate to present situations as to many teenagers are being into early commitment where they are being into relationship which they really don’t know how to handle it because they are just doing what they think is right.

In overall perspective, the film gives us better understanding of youth related problems such as communicating with family, love and true meaning of life.

German Impressionism and Surrealism

After the World War 1, the French film industry was ruined. It was then the directors firmly intended to restore it. It was then the French impressionism and surrealism started.

Impressionism was a French Avant-Garde Film movement that was made by the French Film industry and was profitable. Young French directors after World War 1 saw film as art and thought cinema should express feelings. Narration has lots of psychological depth manipulating plot time and subjectivity. Rhythmic editing and subjective shots emphasize the characters inner feeling. Although not commercially successful and ceased by 1929, but was very influential to certain filmmakers, styles and genres.

Surrealism was literary and artistic movement to become seriously associated with cinema. It is a modernist approach to film that originates in Paris in 1920’s. Surrealism was made independently of the French System and did not prove financially successful. The Surrealist filmmakers relied on private patronage. Their works was screened into small cinemas. These films confused and shocked audiences. Filmmakers worked outside the film making system. It seeks to bring the unconscious way to film and is anti narrative. The movement seeks to human awareness like the one that was shown in the film Un Chien Andalou (French film written by Salvador Dali and directed by Luis Buñuel in 1929), where the eye was being slice. On that part, we can see that it was realistic because we have the feeling that it was real and effects are not available on that time. Surrealism shows a repetition of elements. It has a recognizable formula that describes every scene. It is diverse movement that lost unity after 1930 but individual filmmakers continued to work for many years.

"The Fourth Man"

The fourth man movie is a suspense film about a man who is in the name of being the “fourth man” whom was seduced by a woman who was seemingly has dispatched her first three husbands.

This movie makes us understand the underlying principles of being a man and how he involves himself to others and to god. It shows the aspects of believing in god. The film also shows the reality of life through the temptations and affairs happened between the characters and how it evolved into deeper understanding about the nature of life and god. It is somewhat associated with the present time for temptation is all around not only sexually but also spiritual temptation.

The film shows many signs and symbols which can be determined as a clue to what the character is trying to expose. With this arrangement to story, it is understood that the movie wants to show to its audience that those signs and symbols in the movie are can be used in life that can be portray that god gave us many signs in order to protect or warns us in danger. It also means to be sensitive with the matters around us and to be careful with whatever decisions we make.

In general perspective of the film, it shows the value of believing god and how it will change the life of every human who believe in him.

Film School Generation

The film school generation or more commonly known as the “New American Wave” is the generation in Hollywood films wherein new, young filmmakers came to prominence in America which influence the types of films produced. This generation of Hollywood filmmakers were film school-educated, and most importantly, young and able to reach the youth audience.

The documentary film about the film school generation of Hollywood filmmakers shows how they changed the way the Hollywood style of film evolved when this generation was introduced.

This generation of Hollywood film makers has the knowledge that a good film must be carefully planned and the action must be well executed in order to make every film memorable to its audience. It seems that they thoroughly make every sequence of the film efficient enough to captivate the audience attention. Some Hollywood directors make films for the sake of business and not an art. They usually do this in order to attract audience to watch their film.

Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and other filmmaker’s box office success films shows how to make money in a new environment. It is somewhat clear that this generation is money making meaning they learned how much money can be potentially made in films. As shown in the documentary film, Steven Spielberg said- for him film is not an art form rather it is a job because filmmakers like him consider the audience rather than personal matters.

It shows that mainstream films are into money making and the audience is their main consideration in making a film. It is somewhat related in today’s Hollywood mainstream films as they make films for the sake of money because most Hollywood films cost billion dollars.

The documentary films shows and reflect to us that making a film has a lot of things to be put into consideration and audience is really the main factor in making a Hollywood film. 

Trainspotting (1996)

Watching something different from the casual movie has a great impact especially if this appeal to the audience gender and preference.

The film has the story that at first can be just an ordinary film that portrays addiction but when you really understand it, it shows a diverse side of how addiction to drugs affects lives of people who used it.

The director was incredible in showing a different kind of storytelling and how he elaborates the story scene by scene. Trainspotting is a film where it introduced and portrays addicts’ experiences with each other.

Drug addiction is something that is timely to talk about since we all know that drug addiction is one of the most dangerous acts that youth faces today and a lot of people are into this kind of addiction.

This movie somewhat helps us because we can see how badly are the effects of using drugs to our body. It somewhat educate us to be careful and not to use drugs as its effects were shown in the movie.

It somewhat shows the present situation of youth today and how it makes us realize that it is very hard to be in that world. It also shows how it was really hard to remove the habit of using drugs and taking medication is the hardest part of it.

This movie can be helpful especially those who have plans of using drug not to do it because the effects are shown in the movies.

It also shows to be careful on the friends you’re choosing of because they might be a bad influence and can ruin your life.

In overall perspective, this movie shows how these young men were lost in their own generation and how the antagonist changes his life. It can be a good inspiration since a lot of people especially the youth today are being influence in this kind of addiction and can be also a great realization that the world is really a hard game needed to play carefully in order to survive. 

What is Classic Hollywood Style?

Hollywood movies will never be as successful as it is today because of its trademark and the way it is produce. With the help of classic Hollywood style that heavily influenced the way modern Hollywood films today. A definite classic Hollywood style is strongly narrative because it has a comprehensive structured story. Most classic Hollywood films are structured with beginning, middle, and generally it has a distinct resolution at the end. Some classic Hollywood films make its audience as if they part of the story. It introduces a precise story which leads its audience to feel as if it was close to time and space in reality. Hollywood films have this nature of experimenting something new to introduce to its audience Time to time, modern Hollywood films are strongly influence by the old ones. With the same elements of style, films are able to sustain the strong interest of moviegoers. Tragic love stories are one of the best examples of how a classic Hollywood style operates. Audience gets easily attached to these kinds of stories because of the impact it gives to them. As own my own experience when watching movies, I always prefer to watch those who have a different story and have a precise structured stories because it introduce a different kind of story. In this case, classic Hollywood style makes its audience as if they involved or part with the story. With this understanding about the classic Hollywood films, we were able to know how the classic Hollywood films evolved and mold the way and style of modern Hollywood films today.