McElvaine Inglourious Basterds

A major theme in the movie, Inglorious Basterds, is the portrayal of Nazis as obnoxious,

over the top, characters. All of the Nazis that we focus on in the movie are seen as obnoxious or

ridiculous in some way. For example, Hans Landa, Frederick Zoller, Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi

officer in the bar, and Adolf Hitler all play not only villainous but also somewhat obnoxious,

goofy, and comical roles. This approach serves to eliminate the traditional perception of Nazis as

fearsome, inhuman, intimidating, powerful people. The film allows the audience to view the Nazis

as people. Rather than fearing the villains in the movie one can't help but raise their eyebrow when

one of them speaks. They all take themselves very seriously but the protagonists in the movie

find them quite idiotic.

The film achieves the portrayal of these villains as obnoxious by frequently showing a villain

in the frame with another character. We frequently get a profile shot or a shot in which the villain

and the character they are sharing the scene with are featured equally. They do this because the

other character's reaction to the villain is equally as important as what the villain himself is saying.

Tarantino makes sure that we not only see the villain but that we see the other characters's reactions

to the villain so that we feel justified in out reaction.

What is the major theme of I.G? Choose a scene that illustrates the major theme, and do a mise en scene analysis to support your interpretation of the major theme.

Lanaux Inglourious Basterds

My favorite character in Inglourious Basterds is Shosanna Dreyfus. She is a Jewish woman who lost her family when they were killed by Nazis. She ran away to Paris, inherited a movie theater, and changed her name to Emmanuelle Mimieux. German soldier Zoller is attracted to her and wants his film to premier at her theater. She sees this as the perfect revenge and plans to burn down the theater when it is occupied by Nazis.

Shosanna is my favorite character because despite the tragedy in her life she rises up and becomes a strong woman. She fights for what she believes and is brave enough to commit such an act of revenge. She goes from being a terrified victim to a heroine for the Jews.

A favorite scene of mine is when Shosanna is at the theater getting ready for the premiere. She is first seen glancing out the window and a Nazi flag is right outside. The flag is all lit up showing it's dominance and she is halfway in the light and dark. When she's putting on her makeup, she smears red blush on her cheeks that resembles war paint, meaning she is ready to fight and will not give up. The Nazi flag is in the background during this scene, showing that while she is nothing like a Nazi, she is fighting like one. Her dress is a striking red color which stands out from the crowd yet blends with the flags in the cinema lobby. The shot of her looking over the balcony to the crowd makes her look powerful and the people small. She is considered "lesser" to the Nazi Germans" but she has made herself more powerful and bigger than them. I love the song "Cat People" by David Bowie that plays in the background. It's perfect for the scene.

Shosanna is my favorite because she is the strongest woman in the movie and rises up to be the hero out of all the characters.

Woodall Inglourious Basterds

My favorite character in Inglourious Basterds is Colonel Hans Landa. Played by Christoph Waltz (who won an Oscar for this portrayal), Landa is the perfect image of a Nazi officer; he is cunningly manipulative, determined, amoral, and he hates Jews for no apparent reason. Landa is not a typical villain, however. He deceives people by tricking them with smiles and friendly behavior so that they let their guard down and give him what he wants. Initially, Landa seems to be very genuine, happy person, but Tarantino masterfully uses the camera to show that Landa is, in fact, someone no other character wants to be acquainted with.

The opening scene in which Landa comes to Pierre LaPadite’s home shows the villain in all his evil. First, Landa is the dominant contrast in every shot he is in; not once is he a filler in the background. He is either positioned in the center of the frame or in the foreground. At the rare times he is not in either of these positions he is talking, which draws the audience’s attention just as much as if he were in the middle of the frame. Not only is he the dominant contrast, showing his power in the situation, but he is also almost always apart from all the other characters; the closest he gets to any character is at a public proxemic and only when he shakes LaPadite’s does he break this barrier. This distance from all the characters in this scene shows how everyone is perverse to him and does not want to be too close. Landa’s costume design also shows his evil villainess character. The very first time he appears on screen he is wearing a long, black over coat, which invokes the image of the Grim Reaper’s black robe and hood. Immediately the audience is made aware that Landa is the villain of the film.

Landa is not my favorite character because I agree with his views or appreciate what he is trying to accomplish. I enjoy watching him because he really invokes fear and indignation from me with his manipulative power and his truly amoral nature. He can read and control people so easily that it is almost frightening, and I commend Waltz in his ability to portray such an evil character so successfully.

Leary- Inglourious Basterds (favorite character)

Throughout the movie, Inglourious Basterds, I favored the character, Shosanna Dreyfus. Shosanna was introduced at the very beginning of the movie when Col. Hans Landa and his men shot her family. She luckily escaped and made it to France where she inherited a theatre, Le Gamaar, from her Aunt. She then met a German soldier who seemed to fall for her the minute he laid eyes on her. He convinced Goebbels to move the movie premiere to Shosanna’s theatre so that he could get closer to her. Shosanna thought it would be the perfect time to get revenge on the Nazi’s for killing her family and burn down the theatre.

The reason I favored Shosanna out of all the other characters is because she stood up for what she believed in, and was very strong even after what had happened to her at such a young age. She knew that what the Nazi’s were doing was wrong and that since no one was standing up for the Jews, she would have to. She was brave enough to risk loosing her life and her whole theatre just so she could make a point that if the Nazi’s go around acting like killing Jews is okay, then she can burn down the theatre, killing them all. She knew that killing these specific Nazi’s would end it all.

One particular scene that really describes Shoshanna’s bravery was when her face was projected on the big screen, telling the Nazi’s that they are all going to die. This scene starts with Shosanna saying that she has a message for Germany. She is the dominant in the scene since it is a close up on just her face, she is towering over every one making it so that she seems more powerful, her face is the center of the screen, and she is in black and white while the rest of the picture is in color which makes her really stand out among the crowd. This scene has very low-key lighting on everyone in the room but her. The lighting in the movie playing on the screen makes her face look very dark gray that really seems to stand out which may mean that she has this dark side of her. Throughout this scene, people in the audience start to stand up and shout at the screen, but her voice over powers everyone else’s and the people also look very inferior compared to her. After this, the screen starts to go up in flames. Shoshanna starts to do an “evil laugh” while the fire starts to burn her face. This seems to send kind of an evil message like she is the devil with the effect that the fire is giving off. Then, the first thing you see burn is the bright red Nazi signs that are hung above the audience throughout the movie theatre. I think that the mise en scene analysis for the Nazi signs could be that since they are hung high and are brightly colored, the Nazi’s are the ones in power. This gets turned around when the signs are the first to burn, which gives the message that the Nazi’s aren’t in power anymore. This part really seems to sum up the entire scene. Shosanna is showing that she is the most powerful character in this scene and that the Nazi’s are no longer in power.

Rayburn: Inglourious Basterds - Favorite Character

Colonel Hans Landa is my favorite character in I.B. because he always demands your attention, and because he is one of the most complex characters in the film. There are many similarities between the scenes he is in. For one, the musical underscore is always minimal if present at all. While this element is present throughout the film, it is particularly effective with his character because it creates suspense. In the first scene of the movie, the absence of a soundtrack creates the mood of imminent doom: somehow, you just know something bad is going to happen.

Secondly, he is always the dominant element of the shot. For example, when he shows up during Shoshanna's forced lunch with Goebbels and Zoller, he is the only one standing up on his arrival, forebodingly dominating over Shoshanna in both the sense of their uncomfortable history and his intimidating physical presence. Immediately after he arrives, the rest of the lunchers leave, raising the tension level between, essentially, the victim and his prey.

The shot density is also very sparse when Landa is involved. Even in the premier setting, Tarantino's angles make Col. Landa the focus, with few distractions. When he is speaking with Aldo and his companions, Landa is always in the shot, and when he is responding to something Bridgette von Hammersmark or one of the others has said, there is no over-the-shoulder angle, he is always the center.

Col. Hans Landa is arguably the most intriguing character in the movie, and Tarantino makes sure you think so by making him the focal point of every scene he is in. He is always in his Nazi uniform, always the dominant feature, and always accompanied by little or no music. The audience can't help but always be wondering what he's going to do next, what he knows, and what he doesn't know. I love this movie, and I particularly love this character!

Cawley Inglourious Basterds

Although the Basterds as a whole are my favorite characters from Tarantino’s masterpiece, “Inglourious Basterds”, Sgt. Donny Donowitz, popularly known as “The Bear Jew”, is my favorite of them all. He is essentially a Jewish soldier fighting against Nazi Germany. The most interesting part about his character is his sheer brutality in the midst of his doing good. Most everybody considers the Nazi party to be the ultimate evil, however, in the analysis of Donny Donowitz, he can be described as being just as brutal and unforgiving; A “Nazi” of his own kind. This can partly be observed in the scene in which he emerges from the tunnel to pummel the Nazi officer. Once he is called to execute the man, there is a huge suspenseful pause as he slowly walks into the scene, hitting the side of the tunnel with his baseball bat. The sound he makes on the wall is haunting while the tunnel is black and nothing can be seen inside. The camera juxtaposes the fear of the three Nazi’s faces with a zoom into the tunnels black pit. The slow zoom of the tunnel’s opening coupled with the echoing slams of the bat against the side creates a hellish doom of sorts. As he becomes visible at the exit of the tunnel, the music playing reaches its climax. Moments latter he is bashing in the head of the Nazi officer. The way the shot of him exiting the tunnel is set is even more frightening than the violence itself. One of the final scenes can be broken down a similar way. As the theatre hosting the premiere of “Nation’s Pride” goes up in flames, Donowitz, along with a partner, are camped in Hitler’s booth, having an aerial view of the screaming viewers (from their “bird’s nest”). This is ironic, for “Nation’s Pride” is about Frederick Zoller’s success in killing many men from a bird’s nest of his own (in his case, a tall tower). The only light in the section comes from the bright red flames bursting from the movie screen. In a particular slow motion shot of Donowitz shooting the helpless viewers, the eyes on his red face show no mercy, only brutality. This is the same for when he shoots the fallen corpse of Hitler. All in all, I believe “The Bear Jew” to be the most fascinating character of all. His humorous personality and his merciless attitude make him one of the most multi-dimensional characters in the film.

McCay Inglourious Basterds Blog

You will have a choice of three blogs. Choose one, post a picture, write a blog. Don't forget to put your last name in the title and your full name in the label below. REMEMBER, YOU MUST DO A MISE EN SCENE ANALYSIS for whatever blog you choose.

1.Compare Inglourious Basterds and Saving Private Ryan for patriotic effects.

2. Choose your favorite character from I.G., and do a mise en scene analysis to illustrate your choice.

3. What is the major theme of I.G? Choose a scene that illustrates the major theme, and do a mise en scene analysis to support your interpretation of the major theme.

Gonzalez

Music is by far the best art ever made by humans. Combining sounds to make people feel a certain way. Some songs that might be really loud might inspire someone to try harder and to not give up in what they are doing. Other songs might be really soft and help someone relax while they are having a hard day at work. We hear music in movies so we can get a feel for what is going on in the movie. We dont know it, but we hear music every where that we go. Now things in music have gone wrong and inspire people to do bad things.

In the early 20's there was artist that would make love songs such as Ella fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and others. They would make love songs that would not only talk about real life stories and situations, but would make one fall in love with their music. Hearing this music would take you to a world with just you and that person that you cant get out of your head. For people that cant find love and have given up on the search for that special someone, music like this would give them hope again. This slow jazz is what I consider to be music for everyone.

Now we have artist such as Rick Ross, Bird Man, 50 Cent, Loyed Banks, Young buck that have ruined music. Yes, music is a combination of sounds among other things that makes people feel a certain way, but this music does something else for others. A lot of the teenagers, especially the teenagers, will look up to someone that has power, has fame, looks cool, fresh, has everything a teen wants. Rap artist fall into that category and the things they talk about are getting money, killing, hustling, smoking some MJ. Teens look up to this and want to be like that. Music can change people and thanks to this music, crime rate has gone up, people smoking MJ like never before, different styles of fashion, and even killings of gangs have gone up. I know things like this have existed before rap, but even then there was music that would talk about this. lets say music would not even have things such as killing, smoking MJ and stuff, would people be different today? If music would only talk about good things, would people do that? would the crime rate go down? I bet it would, but there is no changing it now. I LOVE LIL WAYNE!!! Still though, I believe that music changes people and the way rap changes some people is not good.

Palmer Jeremiad-Discrimination

Americans seem to have a serious issue with discrimination on all basis including race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. While we have passed the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Feminists days, we still establish "unspoken" barriers between groups of people. When asked if someone discriminates against anyone, this person would probably say no. Discrimination and stereotypes are determined by society and the people in our immediate environment. These groups influence us from birth.

Americans claim to be a tolerant group of people. We supposedly accept everyone the way they are, however, a constant need exists to label someone so they fit into a particular category. For example, many ignorant people stereotype young black males as speaking incorrect grammar, active in some form of illegal activity, and lacking a formal high school or college education. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans believe that HIV and AIDS is somewhat isolated to the gay population. Society needs to stop focusing on outer looks and generalized stereotypes. A major focus on the actual person needs to take place. The old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover", would best summarize the appropriate way people should approach others. People need to make a conscientious effort to forget what they have learned about a particular group of people. This way of thinking needs to be instilled in our youth through their parents, schools, and other environmental factors.

We are never truly united when we focus on what category a person belongs in.

McLemore-No PC

Today’s American citizens have a constant fear of being judged. This is visible when you look at what many people are afraid to say. This fear has developed into political correctness, or PC. Political correctness is censorship that Americans accept because they are so afraid of the possibility of offending anyone. Even though political correctness was made to try to eliminate offensiveness, it has become so non offensive that it is actually offensive. We have become so non racist that we are racist. Many people would say that this is redundant, that being socially aware can only bring about peace. It is true that social awareness is better than racism, but it has been pushed too far. The perfect example is when a black man is running for any political position. First and foremost, he is never referred to as a black man, but rather an African American, and he is always called well spoken and educated. At first glance these all seem like compliments, but when you break them down they are somewhat racist. The term African American is simply unnecessary. Blacks have been in America almost as long as whites; and white candidates are never referred to as Caucasian. Saying that he is well spoken and educated makes it sound as if it is an uncommon for a black candidate to be these things. When people try to be political correct, they end up excluding people and inadvertently pointing out flaws. This is a two way street though, because many people are offended by every statement that is made about them. Americans have to become less sensitive so that people can realize truths about other people, rather than to try to create a forced sense of equality and peace.

Turner Jeremiad

The thing that I believe needs lamenting, is the fact that Americans are not accepting of religions different from their own. A jeremiad I would write for today’s Americans would warn against unequal constitutional rights. Our first right guaranteed in the first article of the Bill of Rights, is the right to freedom of religion. The basic idea of freedom of religion is that no one is allowed to force religion on anyone else or prohibit anyone from practicing a religion.

Recently, there have been many Americans protesting the Islamic community center being built near Ground Zero. Because this issue of freedom of religion is so prevalent in the media right now and I think it’s important to bring Americans back to the basic principles of the nation. The fact that some Americans don’t think the center should be built is ridiculous. Associating anyone who is Muslim as a terrorist is ignorant and not allowing them to build it would be completely ignoring the Constitution. It is our civil right to practice, accept or reject any religion or religious idea. Americans need to be proud of this and feel unity as a nation even with all the numerous religious ideas. Americans need to put aside religious differences and work together for mutual prosperity.

Vucic Censorship Jeremiad

Censorship is a very large part of our western civilization. From banning books to political correctness, censorship can either be beneficial or detrimental to society. My jeremiad to america is watch out for the detrimental effects. It is easy to let emotions get in the way of this issues. You hear people raise the question of “what about the children?”. This is misleading because it is not the governments job to take an emotional standpoint. Now i'm not saying we should not censor anything and have total transparency, but things have been getting rather ridiculous especially along the lines of the political correctness issue; midgets being “vertically challenged” and blackboards being renamed chalkboards in order to not offend black people. One must learn to take censorship with a grain of salt. Ideas are important things and if someone can censor them then they can very well stop the spread of ideas all together. The government may say that they are saving us from ourselves but is that the role they were originally meant for? If someone can tell you what to watch or read then essentially that someone is telling you what to say and think.

Peterson "Obesity" Jeremiad

A jeremiad is basically a warning that is passed usually through writing. Today in a America there could be many jeremiads written on many different topics. I think one of the main topics people need to be warned about is obesity in America. Today, America is one of if not the most obese country in the world and people need to be concerned about that and begin to take action. There are many reasons why obesity is so prevalent today. Everyone knows that there have always been fast food restaurants and this is probably the main cause of obesity. There are so many different types of fast food chains that make great tasty comfort food that people love to eat especially when they are in a hurry, but most people do not realize the effect the food can take on you after a while. It is so greasy and fattening and filled with calories. The majority of them are heart attacks in a meal. The next reason for obesity is the lack of outdoor play. Not too long ago, during the summer when you walked outside or through a neighborhood you could spot kids in almost every front yard, either playing sports or making up games and finding ways to have fun. Today when you go outside you hardly see anyone. That is due to new technology and laziness. Today many kids say it is too hot to go outside so they either sit inside and watch television, play on the computer, or play video games. People are beginning to realize this and their are now even organizations and such that promote playing outside. They even have commercials and ads on it. So it is good to see people are beginning to take precautions. So if one is to read what i just wrote, i hope they would use the information i have given them and take actions upon them. Stop eating fast food and junk food instead, make a salad or something. And parents, restrict the amount of television time and video game time your kids have. If everyone begins to take action the obesity in America will lower.

Simon's Fat America

Over the past few decades, America has received a reputation as being a fat and lazy country. Until recently, our country has done nothing to disprove this stereotype. Today more than 40% of the United States is over weight, and more than 15% of them and morbidly obese. Many Americans have chosen to ignore the health risks of being over weight, some (like the picture to the left) have chosen to glorify their obesity. Being over weight can cause numerous health risks including; risk of heart attacks, diabetes, and even organ failure. I am calling America to take pride in itself once more. Lose the weight to help restore the reputation of America. If you will not drop some pounds for your own health, then drop the pounds for your nation. Get skinny for the RED, WHITE, and BLUE! Lose the fat for the USA, the home of the few, the proud, and hopefully one day thin!

Motsinger Censorship Jeremiad

The "Federal Communications Commission," or FCC for short, claims to censor television for public safety, but there is a difference between keeping us, as Americans, safe and limiting our freedom to watch what we choose, and also limiting freedom of speech.

Ever since the Super Bowl halftime of February 2004, in which Justin Timberlake took off one of Janet Jackson's breast plates, exposing her naked right breast, the FCC has increased its censorship enormously. The media blew the incident way out of proportion (what a shocker). Don't get me wrong, Jackson's breast definitely should have been censored, mainly because the Super Bowl is commonly watched by families, including adolescents. That being said, the FCC has NO right, I repeat, NO right to censor programs that are clearly labeled "MA" for mature (18 years of age or older) audiences. If an adolescent watches an inappropriate program with adult content it is obviously the parent's fault for failing to intervene.

So here's what you might call my jeremiad: we, as Americans, must challenge the FCC, challenge them for attempting to take away one of our god given rights; FREEDOM of speech. It is much more than simple censorship-- the FCC wishes to control what we watch as a nation, thereby controlling how we think. The FCC getting away with censoring as they have done is like the Nazi party getting away with burning valuable history and nonfiction books. As a 19 year-old, I am fully capable of changing the channel or turning off the television if I am insulted or disturbed by material or concepts of a program. This can be said for anyone else old enough to watch adult programming. America's government is dependent upon the people, not the other way around, therefore we cannot stand to allow the FCC to brainwash us into believing what the government wants us to believe.

Innella Jeremiad

If there was one thing that I believe needs lamenting, it would be the fact that, most of America cannot be taken away from technology. When walking down the street, I constantly see people on their phone, people with a bluetooth in their ear, and sometimes even texting while walking. I have even seen someone walk into a sign because they were too busy texting rather than paying attention to where they are walking.

It is not only cell phones that are the problem, computers are distancing many from real socialization. It seems as if everyone is always connected to Facebook or Twitter. It is as if society has forgotten how to actually socialize. All conversations seem to take place on Facebook. I have gone out with friends and have heard them say "did you see what that person wrote on that girl's wall last night?". It is as if our lives now mostly exist online. When two people start dating, it is not "official" unless it is confirmed on Facebook. That is how ridiculous society is getting. I understand this mostly pertains to the youth of the country but I often see it with adults as well. This constant reliance on social networking is affecting our socialization skills.

Before I came to school this fall, I had talked to several people through Facebook. I had even started to develop friendships with some of these people. However, as soon as I got to school, it was awkward. We would see each other in the hall, know that we were friends online, but never speak. I have spoken to a couple of my friends about this and they have gone through the same scenario. The problem is that we really too much on these websites but then we cannot continue the socialization in the real world.

The country is becoming too attached to technology and at the same time straying from our social values. We need to detach ourselves from the internet and communicate with each other in the ways that we did before there were cell phones and internet.

Gay Nation Armentor

For a country that claims to be the shining light of civil rights, The United States has had, and still harbors a dubious record of evaluating humanity on an unequal scale. From our long struggle with slavery, to making restrictive laws on Asians, horrible treatment of Native Americans, and women's and black rights only becoming tangible in the 20th century, one wonders where's the basis behind this American moral exceptionalism. I have heard prideful Americans argue that these injustices are a thing of the past, that in 2010, the United States government envokes the strongest sense of civil liberties for all its denizens. I am here to say that this is far from reality; that still, in this day and age, the United States still isolates some of its population.

I'm talking about gay people. While advancing generations of Americans have no doubt developed an unprecedented acceptance of gay culture, the United States government is still far off the mark on where it should be on gay rights. For example, if me, a male, was madly in love with someone who just so happens to be named Larry, 98% of the states in this country won't allow me to share my love with him, just because we're a gay couple. You will see gay couples not getting appropriate health benefeits. Of the highest atrocities that the gay community has to deal with (this one thankfully isnt federally supported) is the aggressiveness of certain hate groups. I can't imagine what it must feel like to be a gay couple hassled by some ignorant bafoons from the Westboro Baptist church; blind hatred based purely on someone's life descision.

So my Jeremiad is a call to arms. A supporting arm in the fight to grant our gay brothers and sisters the social liberties that everyone is supposed to have in our nation. If we ebb any further into the future with this social burden still on our shoulders, Americans can forget about any notion of liberty and justice for all.