Kracauer, Siegfried. From Caligari to Hitler, a psychological history of the German Film. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1947.

“Nazi Views And Measures”

    All films in Nazi Germany were propaganda films.  Newsreels and features were the two forms of propaganda.  Newsreels were a means of propaganda not information.  The purpose of newsreels was to give the German people skewed world views.  The production of newsreels greatly increased at the onset of WWII. While newsreels portrayed falsified messages, the scenes shown were never faked—they were always actual footage taken on site.  This element made these propaganda newsreels more believable.  The Nazis prided themselves on the fact that the cameramen for newsreels were like “regular soldiers, doing a soldier’s full duty, always in the first lines…” (Kracauer 276).  The deaths of these cameramen and reporters at the front lines were emphasized to the public to reiterate the fact that the reporters were, indeed, amongst the soldiers on the war front. These newsreels were considerably long, so that the propaganda techniques could be repeated for increased effectiveness.  While newsreels were long, unlike feature films, newsreels were produced rapidly so that the information was timely and viewed as actual news. 
    While in my thesis I use the broad term film, I only consider the term to describe feature films.  This chapter highlights the importance of the newsreel.  The newsreel is a form of film propaganda that I really should not have ignored.  Because of the newsreel’s entirely different nature, its inclusion would have given my thesis more depth.  The newsreel did not have the same production costs or length of time needed for production because all the footage is filmed live at the scene.  Considering these facts, newsreels as film propaganda were much more cost effective than feature films.  While newsreels directly told Germans what to believe, newsreels still were subtle forms of propaganda because they were being portrayed in documentary style as fact.  In my thesis I argued that film was overvalued by the Nazis at times because of its great cost when resources were needed badly for the war effort.  Newsreels, though, would have served as a good compromise. Still, though, when the situation with the war became very dire, resources should never have been diverted from the war effort.

Stewart, Garrett.  "Modern Hard Times: Chaplin and the Cinema of Self Reflection." Critical Inquiry 3 (1976): 295-314.

This article compares the film Modern Times to the Dickens' novel Hard Times both acting a social satires on the pressures and challenges people faced in specific conditions and times.  The article mentions Chaplin's own personal life growing up in Britain may be one reason why these two authors are similar in subject nature of their works.  They both were against the factory system.  Chaplin learned of a true story of a workers going crazy after years working as part of an assembly line.  Chaplin's character during the factory sequence has becomed so accustomed to the 'bolt-tightening' behaviors, he literally cannot stop, even when he is forced away from the assembly line for disrupting the flow.  Comical? Yes.  However, it shows how dangerous this type of work can be on the psyche.

This article is important to my thesis because it specifically demonstrates how Chaplin critiques industrialization in his film scenes. "Charlie as robotized victim of the machine extends this into a frontal assault on industrialization" (Stewart 297-298).  Chaplin attacks industrialization by showing that workers become robot-like in their work.  This robotization extends from the workplace into the rest of their lives (and what little they have of it) creating a homogenized society.  The articles also discusses why Chaplin may have this critique of industrialization and the homogenized society.  The article also mentions that Chaplin's personal reasons may be an implication as to why he createad the film.  A story that he heard or workers in Detriot becoming 'nervous wrecks' after years at the mercy of large machines in factories.  These workers had been functioning individuals with unique personalities.  But after years at the mercy of the assembly line system, they became roboticized to perform, eventually forcing them to break down.

In this article, Gates compares the three film versions of Hammett’s novel, The Maltese Falcon. The main focus is more on the first two film adaptations (Dangerous Female and Satan Met a Lady) than Huston’s. At first, the article discusses how faithful each film was to the original novel in its writing. The article then moves on to focus more on the portrayal of the hero and how it changed over the course of the three films, shifting from the soft-boiled detective of the Depression to the hard-boiled one of pre-WW2. It also, at more length, discusses how the first film depicted the hero as much more of a sex symbol than the later films, especially the original adaptation. Next, the article discusses the films four villains, and how they’re perceived “sexual perversion” in all versions of the film, but especially in the last two. Also included is that the perception and representation of each character changed after the first adaptation. The final two portions of the article lament the absence of the depressing circularity of Hammett’s novel.

The main idea that we can take from this article is the shift of the hero figure in this period leading up to the Second World War and the dawning of film noirs in Hollywood. Being able to analyze three movies with similar, if not exactly the same, storylines allows us to see how things changed in that 10 year period between 1931 and 1941. Gates tells us that while the original depiction of Sam Spade was as a sexy, ladies’ man, the depiction of the Spade in the 1941 version was the one that would become the most popular by far. Many film noirs were detective stories, featuring a so called hard-boiled hero who was a tough guy, a definition of masculinity, who no longer had the optimism of the Depression-era detectives, instead having a bleak, realist worldview.

Gates, Philippa. "The Three Sam Spades: The Shifting Model of American Masculinity in the Three Films of The Maltese Falcon." Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media 49.1 (2008): 7-26. Project Muse. 24 Nov 2008 http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/framework_the_journal_of_cinema_and_media/v049/49.1.gates.html#back

The article details the life of Humphrey Bogart, the actor who portrayed the hero Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon. He was born into an upper middle class family and spent time in the Navy before acting. He moved from the stage into minor Hollywood villain roles, a tough guy. His big breaks came in 1941 with Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon for Warner Brothers. Two years later, he met Lauren Bacall, who would become his third and most stable wife. Despite their strong personalities, the two meshed well and became a good couple. Bogart tried to contain his volatile personality in his later films, with some success, starring in such movies as the drama In a Lonely Place and the comedy Sabrina. He died of emphysema in 1957.

The important thing to grasp from this is to notice the rise of Humphrey Bogart as a Hollywood star at the same time as the rise of the film noir genre. While it would be a little extreme to suggest that Humphrey Bogart singlehandedly was responsible for popularizing the tough, hard boiled hero, it would be hard not to say he had some part in it. Firstly, the wild success of Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, and to a lesser degree High Sierra, propelled Bogart into stardom and the public’s eye. The fact that he did this without compromising the tough guy image he’d fostered no doubt influenced the public’s craving for similar type characters. Also, one should note that while Casablanca may the more revered, The Maltese Falcon may be the more influential, for the type of character Bogart played in The Maltese Falcon was the one who changed an entire genre and style. Bogart didn’t invent the tough guy hero. He simply made it mainstream, and, in essence, made, what would become the film noirs, economically feasible.

Christina Lane " Humphrey Bogart". St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. . FindArticles.com. 01 Dec. 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_bio/ai_2419200117

This article by Rashna Wadia provides an antistructuralist criticism and analysis of The Maltese Falcon. She proceeds to use each letter of the alphabet to stand for a word or phrase and use it to provide analysis of the film. In her analysis, she not only discusses the aspects of the film itself, but the themes of its objects, nuances of its production, and even some topics that border upon minutia. As with any antistructuralist essay, the paper has no real ending.

The article itself does not discuss the film in the context of being a film noir, but in and of itself. One of the items that it discusses falls under the heading of “D: ‘Dependable’”. This is the role of the secretary with the heart of gold in a private eye movie. We see this in Kiss Me Deadly, a later noir film, and in others of the genre. While this was a fairly established concept, having it in this film helped to crystallize the idea. In addition, we also get the concept of sexual restraint in direct contradiction to the amount of sexual tension within the movie. While this is a result of the new restrictions of the day on films, it results in a hero who has a romantic relationship, but also the moral values not to indulge in any kind of elicit sexual activity with that person. This would be another common theme in the flawed heroes of the later film noirs, an underlying moral code that provides them with a sense of sexual restraint during the movie.

Wadia, Rashna. "So Many Fragments, So Many Beginnings,So Many Pleasures: The Neglected Detail(s) in Film Theory." Criticism 45.2 (2003`): 173-95. Project Muse. 24 Nov 2008.

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/criticism/v045/45.2wadia.html

Michael Davidson’s article discusses how various disabilities are used to create a stereotype of the people who have them in film, what he calls the “phantom limb phenomenon”. In film noir, this is especially prevalent, extending beyond physical disabilities to include both mental disabilities, even homosexuality in some cases. The author then considers the feminist point of view, in the form of Laura Mulvey’s analysis of Rear Window and Vertigo, where men with disabilities have obsessive compulsions involving women, a sort of way to enhance their masculinity. The author believes both Mulvey and her critics to accept castration as too easy an explanation for the compulsions. He goes on to write extensively about Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity, both in reference to the relationship between Neff, the male lead and committer of insurance fraud, and Keyes, a man against insurance fraud, and in the parallels between Neff and Mr. Dietrichson. The author then discusses similar themes of disability in Welles’s Lady from Shanghai. He concludes with some final thoughts on the relationship between sexuality and physical disability.

The main idea that we get from this article relates to the theme of subconscious sexual themes in the film noirs. While definitely more obvious and prevalent in later movies like Double Indemnity, as Davidson mentioned, we can find these themes in The Maltese Falcon, as well. The most obvious one would be the effeminate and most likely homosexual character of Joel Cairo, played by Peter Lorre. In all ways, the character is the least imposing of any of the five main characters. He has not the wily charms of Brigid, the power of Gutman, or the violence of Wilmer. Even the gun he pulls on Spade in his office is almost laughably tiny. The man seems fragile, as if he would break at any moment, his effeminacy a most definite weakness. Also, returning to the guns, the phallic symbolism of the weapon throughout the film is obvious. As mentioned before, Cairo’s is tiny, reflecting his lack of masculinity. Also, the ease with which Spade disarms Wilmer emasculates the man, taking his gun away from him. The fact that Spade is the only one who is able to hold onto his establishes him as the dominant male.

Davidson, Michael. "Phantom Limbs: Film Noir and the Disabled Body." GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies 9.1-2 (2003): 57-77. Project Muse. 24 Nov 2008.

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_lesbian_and_gay_studies/v009/9.1davidson.html

James Naremore’s article attempts to trace out the history of the idea of American film noir. He determines its origins not to be in a genre or a visual style, but in Paris, France, where a series of five films, including Double Indemnity and The Maltese Falcon, were shown together in 1946. Because the French coined the term, they also determined what constituted a film noir. In addition, there ability to have an outside opinion on Hollywood films aided them in defining it. He focuses on the French newspapers, as they were more willing to coin the new term than the American, sharing the theme of brutal violence and darkened view on society. Moving forward, the new French writers threw their own existential ideas on top of the film noirs as they began to die out. In the end, the film noirs lead to a new movement in French cinema, at the same time ending the first age.

Within this article, we get a much more factually based analysis of the origins of Film Noir, going back to the foundations of the word in France. There is a mention of the origins of the style of the five films screened in Paris in 1946 being traced back to the French urban crime melodramas. Though it is obviously not French, The Maltese Falcon was an urban crime melodrama, and, of the screened films that inspired the term, was the earliest, chronologically. The theme of brutal violence also occurs often in The Maltese Falcon, from the shooting of Archer, a scene that is in no ways elegant, and the constant hand to hand combat between Spade and others, where he simply overpowers others, is rife with this. We would see this echoed in later noirs like Night of the Hunter, with its strong focus on the power of a man over a woman and her children, his strength simply increasing his menace.

Naremore, James. "American Film Noir: The History of an Idea." Film Quarterly 49.2 (1995-96): 12-28. JSOTR. 29 Nov 2008. http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/1213310.pdf

This article discusses film noir and its origins. It begins by establishing the mood of disillusionment evoked by the film noir movies and the origins of this in both the literature and prose of the time, but the times themselves. It is also established that film noir is a very loose term in that it has not yet been determined to define a genre, a time period, or a visual style, though the all share common elements. The article then discusses two books which criticize film noir: Paula Rabinowitz’s Black and White and Noir: America Pulp Modernism and Nicole Rafter’s Shots in the Mirror: Crime Films and Society. The books both take similar but varying looks at film noir, and the article criticizes them as not having a broad enough view of film noir to complete a strong analysis. The article concludes with speculation of film noir’s origins in the American Gothic tradition, and how that somewhat anarchist worldview can be seen to be represented in film noir.

What we get here is an analysis of the concept of film noir in general. Scruggs covers a lot of material in his article of film noir. What we are able to draw from this are two things: film noirs have both a definitive style and often fitting nicely into the formula of a crime film. We can infer that this template of the crime film became popular at least partially because of the success The Maltese Falcon had with this style. Also, the idea of the flawed hero is central to many noir films, a concept we can fully identify in our hero of The Maltese Falcon, Mr. Sam Spade. While he’s not evil like Gutman or Joel Cairo, there are certain unsavory aspects about Sam Spade, such as the affair he is having with Archer’s wife. As Scruggs suggests, to overlooks the darkness in film noir characters is to miss a great deal of their meaning.

Scruggs, Charles. ""The Power of Blackness": Film Noir and Its Critics." American Literary History 16.4 (2004): 675-87. Project Muse. 24 Nov 2008.

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/american_literary_history/v016/16.4scruggs.html

Chapter seven of this book analyzes the phallic imagery and masculine symbolism in four different movies of the film noir genre. The analysis of the first movie, The Maltese Falcon, is short and focuses on the definite masculinity of Sam Spade, setting it as a control to compare the other three to. He then takes time to mention the threat of women to masculinity. The second film, The Dark Corner, features a protagonist, in Bradford Galt, who is much less self-assured than Sam Spade, to the point where he is submissive to others and dependant on his female secretary. The next film, Out of the Past, shows a man, Jeff Markham/Bailey, who seems to personify the idea of the hard boiled protagonist, but unlike Spade, he falls to the charms of a woman when she’s around. Finally, we reach the film The Killers, where Swede, the tough boxer, is so completely under the spell of a woman that he kills himself eventually.

As expected, we find out more about the tough protagonists of the majority of noir films. In this instance, we see how the later films play off of the established model of Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon to create more complex characters. This is not to say that the tough Sam Spade of The Maltese Falcon is not a fully realized character, for he most definitely is, just different from the other protagonists. Sam Spade is a man in full possession of his faculties, with a seeming disconnect from humanity in general, almost contempt for it. This is the largest change, as the others seem to follow the formula of the hero of Double Indemnity, where a tough man can fight the world, but not the charms of a beautiful woman. So while the characters of Markham and Swede share Spade’s masculinity in respect to be physically imposing, they fall short of his mental toughness.

In chapter 2 of his book, Crowther further details the history of film noir in the works of, what he calls, “Tough Guy Writers”, many of whom wrote crime stories for pulp magazines after having careers in newspaper. Many of these stories would eventually become film noirs. The first author discussed is Cornell George Hopley-Woolrich, who explored the human psyche with his disturbed male characters. W. R. Burnett was another, though his stories tended more towards the realm of gangster stories than the crime film noirs, and movies based on them reflected that. Horace McCoy also provided criminal stories, some becoming even darker than the majority of pulp crime novels. James M. Cain’s sharp and short writing style, especially the quick dialogue, suited itself well to film noir. The works of Dashiell Hammett were more complex in their prose than the other of the tough guy writers, even to the point of philosophizing. The final of the major writers, Raymond Chandler, defined his stories by a distinct knowledge and use of location to set his novels.

We see in this chapter of the book how the film noirs grew out of the popular genre of cult novels, whose action and snappy dialogue lent themselves to being adapted to film. Of these adaptations, Huston’s version of The Maltese Falcon was not the first, not even of the novel itself. However, the mood and dialogue of the film and its use of a hard boiled protagonist were very uncommon, especially in mainstream cinema. The film most definitely has the corruption of the human psyche that the author states is a characteristic of Woolrich’s novels that lent itself to the film noir genre. One thing the author is quick to point out about The Maltese Falcon is that while the protagonist loves the leading lady, the femme fatale, he allows her to be taken away. The ending in itself is typical of the downer endings of film noirs, but the fact that the protagonist does not fight for his love is atypical of the later film noirs, like Kiss Me Deadly and Double Indemnity, where the protagonist follows the femme fatale to his near death.

Chapter 8 of the book details the production of The Maltese Falcon. John Huston, a first time director, convinced producer Henry Blanke to film the novel a third time, with a closer focus on the novel. The script passed the censors with a few minor alterations to reduce sexual content and Bogart, the second choice, was cast as the lead after a series of role swaps and power plays on the part of Bogart and other actors. Mary Astor, also the second choice, received the female lead, while Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet were also cast, first choices both of them. In a change from the subdued 1931 version and the light hearted 1936 version, the Huston film took a much more serious and realistic view of the characters. Contrary to most Warner films, The Maltese Falcon was shot at a much slower pace, and the result was approved by the producers. Relatively few reshoots were needed and the film debuted far above expectations. Bogart’s star took off from here, and while Warner wanted to film another, similar film with the same leads, the project fell through.

This short description of the production of The Maltese Falcon gives us a little insight into what could’ve been and how close certain key elements nearly did not fall into place. Of them, the two biggest would be the near casting of George Raft in the lead role of Sam Spade. Almost without a doubt, this would have changed the entire portrayal of the Sam Spade character, as Bogart’s interpretation of the character was unique in the other three versions of the story, including the original novel. Also, the changes forced upon the script by the Production Code Association resulted in the sexual tension between the characters being mostly off-screen and subdued. This idea of just below the surface sexual tension would become a major theme in almost all of the film noirs, and even though it’s not as big of a theme in The Maltese Falcon, there are major unexplored sexual plotlines.

Roger Ebert's review of Disney's Bambi in the Chicago Sun Times admits that it is one of the greatest "heartbreaking" movies of all time, but that it contains many messages that wash over viewers who do not take the time to ponder the film.  Ebert questions whether Bambi is appropriate for young children to watch since it contains some very serious matter, such as "sexism, nihilism, and despair" (Ebert 1).  Children learn such things as the absentness of fathers, the domestic role of mothers who carry the sole responsibility in raising their offspring, and that "courtship is a matter of 'first love'" where the way to win the affection of the opposite gender is through physical aggression (Ebert 1).

Ebert's thoughts and analysis of Disney's Bambi reveal some alternative explanations of covert messages witnessed throughout this film.  His work is relevant to this thesis because it expresses other possible interpretations of the movie.  Once again, the Disney Company has been accused of instilling their works with hidden messages and meanings, some of which were explored in other articles.  These messages have the ability to influence viewers, especially younger children in their formative years of development.  Here, there is a change from the usual fear that Bambi instills in children in regards to the death of Bambi's mother and rather shifts the fear to the children's parents, who may be shocked to learn of the messages the film is advancing.

Ebert, Roger. "Despite its Cuteness, `Bambi' is Serious Stuff." Chicago Sun Times. 1988.

David Wilkes's newspaper article entitled "After 66 Years, Bambi is Still Making Us Cry" informs readers that a recent poll reveals that the Disney animated film Bambi is considered the greatest "tear-jerker of all time," beating out other films such as Titanic and Ghost.  The impact of the film on viewers has caused great emotional reactions, such as Sir Paul McCartney's that led him to become interested in animal rights.  The article continues with studies that suggest that watching television shows or movies that showcase manipulation and aggression have a similar effect as from watching graphic violence, namely, viewers may be more aggressive and unkind.

Wilkes's article provides evidence of the reality that watching films can evoke emotional reactions from audience members.  Although Bambi is an animated film, it has been named one of the saddest movies of all time.  This is due to the combination of anthropomorphized characters and the film's focus on dealing with very real emotions and events that viewers relate to with great ease.  The greatest example of this in Bambi occurs when Bambi's mother is killed by hunters.  Although the actual action of the killing is never shown on screen, audiences have reacted consistently upon viewing this scene, that is, with great sadness.  Afterwards, Bambi is shown searching the snow covered ground for his mother.  His father then appears and states that "Your mother can't be with you anymore." People most likely relate to this particular scene because it showcases one of the greatest fears humans possess, the fear of losing a parent.  

Wilkes, David. "After 66 Years, Bambi is Still Making Us Cry." Daily Mail (London) 1st Edition (13 Oct 2008) 22.

  Kolberg. Dir. Veit Harlan. Perf. Horst Caspar, Gustav Diessl, Heinrich George, Kurt Meisel, Kristina Soderbaum . DVD. UFA, 1945. 

    Kolberg is a historical epic of the Nazi film era.  It is about the patriotism of the people of Kolberg during the Napoleonic wars and the importance of the average citizen.  The film highlights the patriotism of Nettleback.  He steps on the toes of his superiors to make sure that victory was had in Kolberg at all costs because that is what the people of Kolberg desire, for they are a proud and loyal people.  The officer in charge of Kolberg’s defense is doing a poor job and conflicts with Nettelback, imprisoning Nettelback, who was merely trying to correct the deficits in Kolberg?s defenses.  Nettelback sends his trusted Maria to the king to ask for a different officer for Kolberg.  Maria meets with the queen and is struck speechless by the Queen’s beauty and majesty.  She is successful in getting Nettelback’s request granted.  The way Nettelback and the newly appointed officer work together shows how the citizens and the government can truly combine efforts for the greater good.  Romance also finds its way in the film with Maria and Lieutenant Schill.  The reoccurring theme throughout the film is that a citizen must be willing to sacrifice all for his country.  Honor and loyalty to one’s country trump all else. This theme is illustrated in Maria and Lieutenant Schill's conversation about their willingness to sacrifice all for Kolberg and how only then would it be enough.
    Joseph Goebbels, minister of propaganda, felt that Kolberg would inspire the citizens to support World War II by drawing on astounding examples of patriotism by average citizens and its great significance to Germany.  Because of the importance Goebbels placed in the impact of the film, he was willing to divert many of Germany’s much needed war resources to the making of this movie, which was the one of costliest of this era.  Two hundred thousand troops were used in the making of the film, troops that were taken away from battle.  The cost of the film was very extravagant, and Germany really did not have the surplus of resources to accommodate such a project.  Film production began in 1943 and was not completed until 1945, so the film’s impact as a source of propaganda was very minimal, considering Germany was on the brink of defeat and most of the theaters were closed from the mass destruction from the Allies’ bombings.  “The film remained virtually unseen as the city fell to Soviet troops” (Thompson and Bordwell 274).  Overall, Kolberg was a great folly of Goebbels and a waste of money and resources that Germany could not afford. (Thompson and Bordwell 274)
Thompson, Kristin, and David Bordwell. Film History An Introduction. 2nd. New York: McGraw Hill, 2003.

Mark Henderson's article "Disney Cartoons 'Contain Hidden Messages on the Environment" talks of how Disney films, like Bambi, The Jungle Book, and Pocahontas, have continually played an important role in "educating the public about the environment" (Henderson 28).  Although Disney movies are generally viewed as "little more than escapism," many have featured messaged on "conservation and the relationship between people and the natural world" (Henderson 28).  Bambi significantly influenced many to become environmentalists and initiated a movement for environmental activism.

Henderson's article is significant because it demonstrates yet another effect the Disney film Bambi had on its audiences.  The idyllic portrayal of nature and animals influenced many people to become more aware of the threats humans pose to their natural environment.  According to the article, many conservationists and green activists cite Bambi as their initial impetus for becoming involved in environmental work.

Henderson, Mark. "Disney Cartoons 'Contain Hidden Messages on the Environment." The Times (London) Home News Section (25 Mar 2008) 28.

Ralph H. Lutts' article "The Trouble With Bambi: Walt Disney's Bambi and the American Vision of Nature" focuses on the scope of Disney's influence within the American culture.  His central argument throughout the text is that the character of Bambi "has played and continues to play" an important role "in shaping American attitudes about" and their "understanding of deer and woodland life" (Lutts 160).  Although Lutts mentions a few important effects of Bambi, including its impact on viewers, especially young children, regarding the loss of a parent, he mainly addresses the film's strong anti-hunting message. This message is conveyed to viewers on a purely emotional level.  Disney animators created a visual environment with loveable, sympathetic characters whose emotions are directly transferred to those of the audience members.  This, in turn, has resulted in the popularization of the name "Bambi" as being synonymous with the term "deer" and being sentimental (Lutts 168).  In addition to the support Bambi raised for opposition to hunting, the film caused a national debate over the timeless practice and raised many questions about the use of and necessity of it.

Lutt's article is important because it provides an example of how Disney movies influence the American public.  Not only did Bambi arouse anti-hunting advocacy, it also stirred a debate on a national level regarding hunting in general.  It demonstrates that Bambi was not simply a cartoon movie, but faced real-life problems, for instance, the harm of hunting and man's sometimes ignorant manners in dealing with nature.  This is seen when Bambi's mother is killed by hunters and later when the forest is set ablaze as a result of the careless hunters.  These scenes from the film evoke emotional reactions in the viewers and show them that they are responsible for nature and that care needs to be enforced in protecting it from destruction.

Lutts, Ralph H. "The Trouble With Bambi: Walt Disney's Bambi and the American Vision of Nature." Forest and Conservative History Vol. 36, No.4 (Oct 1992) 160-171.

Shelly R. Scott's article entitled "Conserving, Consuming, and Improving on Nature at Disney's Animal Kingdom" centers on Disney's use of the "fictional and artificial" in order to represent the real and how this "complicates the experience" of visitors (Scott 111).  He claims the Disney's Animal Kingdom represents the "Disneyfication" of nature, which shows that nature is something to be "contained, packaged, and used instead of respected and protected" (Scott 114).  In conjunction with the use of fake animals and costumed people, even the living animals in the park are trained to perform functions that revoke their realness and anthropomorphize them.

Additionally, Scott argues that the park teaches visitors "little about animals and how to protect them" and rather reinforces a "Judeo-Christian interpretation of humans' relationship with animals" (Scott 111).  This relationship is simply that animals function to serve humans.  This is witnessed in Old Testament writings where God gave the first humans dominion over the animal kingdom.  The Judeo-Christian imagery is noticeable throughout the park, especially in relation to the park's great Tree of Life.  Not only is the Tree of Life an allusion to the tree of life in the Garden of Eden, but it also reflects the idea of "human mastery...over nature" (Scott 114).  Other Judeo-Christian messages are evident within the DIsney Company too, namely, the idea that "one of the least animals have become the mightiest" (see Luke 9:48), with a mouse established as the ruler of the Disney empire.

Scott's article is extremely relevant because it addresses two key components of the Bambi thesis.  Firstly, Scott addresses the "Disneyfication" of nature and the anthropomorphism of Disney animals.  In regards to Bambi, both are evident within the film.  Bambi uses "allegorical anthropomorphism," where "animal characters stand in for people" in order to tell a story or teach a lesson.  This is used to relate humans with animals, a practice that can alter children's perception of nature and how they should react to it.  In this way, the film, just as the park, fails to teach children about animals and nature, an ideal Disney states as one of its objectives.  Secondly, the description of the Judeo-Christian elements expressed in the article is shown as an integral part of Disney's Animal Kingdom, and more broadly, the company itself.  This, once again, demonstrates how Disney incorporates messages into its work that can influence members of its fan base.  Although Bambi is not explicitly an advocate for Judeo-Christian ideals, there are a couple of elements that can be interpreted as such.  For example, the idea of being in love, having lifetime partners, and creating a family together, as seen with Bambi and his parents and then later with Bambi and Faline, can be viewed as a uniquely human experience and the fulfillment of the sanctity of marriage through the Church.

Scott, Shelly R. "Conserving, Consuming, and Improving on Nature at Disney's Animal Kingdom." Theatre Topics 17.2 (2007) 111-127.

 Dorothy Goldbart Clark's book review of Robin Allan's book entitled Walt Disney and Europe: European Influences on the Animated Feature Films of Walt Disney summarizes Allan's notion that Disney films had roots in "European cultural and artistic forces" (Clark 427).  From the onset of Allan's book he states that "Disney is an international institution" who borrowed from "European...literature, graphic and illustrative art, music and design, as well as upon European and indigenous cinema" in order to produce a new art form (Allan Preface, xv).  In short, Disney repurposed European sources with the goal of creating something new with his animated movies.  Allan reveals that the source of notable European influences stems from both Walt Disney's numerous trips to Europe and the company's employment of European artists.  Beginning as far back as the 1920's, elements from "vaudeville, the circus, European melodrama, as well as the graphic style of European newspaper cartoons and the European anthropomorphic tradition in illustrated art," was evident in Disney animated features (Clark 427, 428).

 Disney films have been known to contain influences and messages that result in effecting and eliciting responses from audience members.  These influences are not only found in the visual style of animation, but also are evident within ideals incorporated throughout the works, whether puposefully placed there or not.  Clark's review of Allan's work brings truth to this claim.  Although it focuses more specifically on the Disney Company's European influences, the article brings light to the overall notion of incorporating outside influences to their animated, feature-length films.

Allan, Robin. Walt Disney and Europe: European Influences on the Animated Feature Films of Walt Disney. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana UP, 1999.

Clark, Dorothy Goldbart. "Walt Disney and Europe: European Influences on the Animated Feature Films of Walt Disney." The Lion and the Unicorn 25:3 (2001) 427-432.

Richie, Donald. "Shooting." Ozu. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1974. 105-158.

In this section, Richie takes apart the elements of Ozu's films through the techniques of shooting the films. He discusses composition, camera angles, symbolism, and visual aspects in general of Ozu's films.

Richie's analysis of the tracking shots Ozu uses in Tokyo Chorus reveals the parallels Ozu was attempting to make between "the lives of schoolboys, office works, and the unemployed." He also discusses Ozu's low camera position, which he states may have originated from the scene in Tokyo Chorus in which the scene was framed for the children and the audience initially only sees the parents from the waist down. Richie says this explanation may be a valid one, "for it fully accords with Ozu's unique conception of the role of composition in cinema." He contrasts the pictorial composition of Mizoguchi, which involves "the Japanese kind of nature portrait," with the pictorial compositions of Ozu--which were affected by "the great influence of American cinema on Ozu." Richie describes the Ozu set as "almost like a school [where] the director taught the actors how to do everything." This is reminiscent of Lubitsch's methods, in which he would act out the scenes for the actors to see. He quotes Chishu Ryu referring to Ozu, "Sometimes he acted out the role himself." The two directors, Ozu and Lubitsch, shared a common directing method--they were both extremely fastidious about the scene being acted out exactly as they envisioned it in their mind.

Paul, William. "The Purest Style." Ernst Lubitsch's American Comedy. New York: Columbia University Press, 1983. 19-33.

In this section, Paul describes Lubitsch's style by focusing mainly upon his film Trouble in Paradise, in which "style is felt as an essential part of the dramatic experience, as compelling in tis surprises as the very storyline itself."

Paul's analysis of Lubitsch's film style points out many similarities to Ozu's film style, though he does not mention Ozu in his text. He mentions that Lubitsch's films operated mostly "in the elliptical presentation of time and space," a strategy Ozu favored. Ozu was known for omitting any plot details that were not absolutely necessary and for allowing his audience to piece together what happened through the internal logic in the film. According to Paul, Lubitsch does the same in his films. Lubitsch also prefers "showing rather than telling" like Ozu, who relies more on visual storytelling than verbal. Paul also places Lubitsch's individualist, anarchist films in context of the social reality of America in the 1930s and states that his fragmenting style helps reinforce the individualist message. Ozu's film, Tokyo Chorus, trades off being both a light comedy and a social commentary. The two moods--one of lighthearted family sentiment and the other of more serious financial struggle felt by much of the lower middle class--are woven together seamlessly, often occurring simultaneously in the same scene. Ozu may or may not have been influenced by Lubitsch's tendency toward depicting a social drama without making it too heavy, but he certainly borrowed or shared Lubitsch's ideas of omitting details in his storytelling.

Bordwell, David. "Visual Style in Japanese Cinema, 1925-1945." Film History 7.1 (1995): 5-31.

Bordwell explores the visual styles of Japanese cinema during 1925-1945 by looking at the chombara style, piecemeal découpage, and the pictorialist approach. He also analyzes the Japanese cinema in respect to the Westernization that was going on in Japan at the time and compares the styles and techniques used by Japanese filmmakers to those used in Hollywood at the time.

In his article, Bordwell explains that Japanese was very similar to Western cinema in that "American staging and shooting techniques [were] basic to Japanese filmmaking." But rather than copy the Hollywood style completely, Japanese filmmakers adopted a style that "[resembled] the 'primitive' cinema of the West: straight-on long shots." Ozu's fixed camera position may have its roots in "primitive" Hollywood, but it seems that so did the other influential Japanese directors. Bordwell's article also reveals that Ozu's style of filming a montage of unidentified body parts rather than the entire person is not his original invention. Bordwell calls this style "piecemeal découpage" and he explains that it was modeled--by Shochiku's studio in Kamata--on Charlie Chaplin's Woman of Paris (1923) and Ernst Lubitsch's The Marriage Circle (1924). Again, though perhaps indirectly, we see the influence that Lubitsch had on Ozu's style. The way Bordwell characterizes Japanese film style at the time as "at once an assimilation of 'classical techniques seen in the West an an experimental impulse mediated by a self-conscious sense of 'Japaneseness' makes Ozu's films seem less pioneering and more adherent to the trends followed by his peer directors. However, Bordwell points out that "Ozu set himself rigorous constraints, virtually a set of private rules for staging and cutting [which] he then stretched, bent, or recast...creating in the process a rich, gamelike approach to film style." So, though many of Ozu's techniques--such as the static straight-on camera angle, the slower tempo, and the careful attention paid to the composition of a scene--shared by other Japanese directors rather than being unique to him, Ozu took these techniques to the next level, effectively creating his own signature style.

  Kevin Shortsleeve's article centers on the idea that audience members and critics alike possess some degree of fear in relation towards the Disney Company.  The fears associated with Disney stem from two specific sources, namely, the films Disney created and the management style of the company.  The criticisms associated with Disney films include the following: the Disneyfication of fairy tales, or relying on an overly simplistic, sentimental approach to telling stories, simplification of morals, use of stereotyping, in conjunction with the advancement of democratic, and at times anti-democratic, ideals.  In regards to the Disney Company, fear has been driven by the treatment of employees, the totalitarian running of the company and themeparks, and the use of and idealization of the 1930's.  Shortsleeve summarizes the article best with the statement that the "Orwellian-style [of] management" in conjunction with the "selling [of] Utopian dreams of agrarian, monarchical kingdoms" has "impressed, entertained, and subliminally frightened audiences for nearly 70 years" (Shortsleeve 5).

  Shortsleeve's article is important because it reveals that there has been, and continues to be, a stigma associated with the Disney Company.  Specifically, that Disney movies elicit fears from audience members and have the ability to influence them.  Disney films are not able to be taken at face value and usually contain deeper messages and meanings.  Walt Disney and his animators were greatly influenced by contemporary events and ideals, which were infused into their cartoons and films.  Whether incorporated into their works overtly or subliminally, many Disney movies are able to be critically analyzed for their use of advancing influences and beliefs.  The feature-length, animated film Bambi contains elements that showcase this.

Shortsleeve, Kevin. "The Wonderful World of the Depression: Disney, Despotism, and the 1930s. Or, Why Disney Scares Us." The Lion and the Unicorn 28.1 (2004): 1-30.

Wrigley, Nick. "Yasujiro Ozu." Senses of Cinema (2003). 29 Nov. 2008 <http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/ozu.html>.

This article was written one hundred years after the birthdate of Yasujiro Ozu. It gives a brief biographical background on the director, synopses and analyses of several of Ozu's films, and discusses Ozu's legacy. The bulk of the article is about Ozu's films.

The article presents some of Ozu's influences, including American films and in particular "those of Ernst Lubitsch" though "in other conversations, Ozu seems unwilling to admit influence." Wrigley includes a quote from Ozu that says "I formulated my own directing style in my own head, proceeding without any unnecessary imitation of others...for me there was no such thing as a teacher. I have relied entirely on my own strength." Though Ozu's statement may be true about his later films, I believe that his earlier films, prior to establishing his signature style in Tokyo Story (1953), demonstrate the influence Hollywood had on his films.

Bordwell, David. "Time in the Classical Film." The Classical Hollywood Cinema: Film Style & Mode of Production to 1960. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985. 42-49.

In this book section, Bordwell describes how time is represented in classical Hollywood cinema. He discusses temporal order, flashbacks, deadlines, transitions, diegetic music (in sound film), and crosscutting.

We know that later in his career, Ozu eliminated fades and dissolves, opting instead to use only the simple straight cut between scenes. However, Tokyo Chorus includes fades to transition between scenes. For example, there is a fade-out after the family plays the game resembling patty-cake, transitioning into the scene in front of the employment office, with a tracking shot of a row of unemployed men sitting on the curb. In classical Hollywood, "from 1918 to 1921, fade-ins and -outs...were the most common optical transtions between scenes" and "in the sound era, fades and dissolves were the most common signs of temporal ellipsis." Though Ozu later abandoned the use of such transitions, he was experimenting with aspects of the classical Hollywood style in his early films. The concept of the "deadline" is also explained and described as "one of the most characteristic marks of Hollywood dramaturgy." However, as Bordwell states, "Ozu structures his films by repeated routins and cycles of family behavior," rejecting the Hollywood scheme of deadlines.

Thompson, Kristin. "Lubitsch, Acting and the Silent Romantic Comedy." Film History 13.4 (2001): 390-408.

Thompson starts off the article by writing about Ernst Lubitsch's pantomimic acting style, which was largely influenced by German theatre, which "remained part of Lubitsch's style until near the end of his German period." Then, she documents his changing style as he moves to Hollywood films.

Lubitsch's Hollywood style is what we see influenced Ozu's earlier films. Lubitsch "sought to tell his stories through visual means whenever possible...[and often] expressed his desire to minimise the use of intertitles." Similarly, in Tokyo Chorus, intertitles only occur when absolutely necessary. In many instances, the gesture or facial expressions of the actors are enough to indicate the complex emotions and family dynamics. Also, Thompson points out that, as a director, Lubitsch knew exactly how he wanted his scenes to be and often "acted out each scene in detail and expected [his actors] to copy him closely." This is another parallel between the two directors, as Ozu was systematic in the way he set up his scenes--often he would have his actors rehearse a scene repeatedly until it was exactly as he envisioned it. Thompson quotes Patsy Ruth Miller, "The whole film was visualised in his head, so he wasn't very flexible. He didn't want you going off the beaten track with a gesture if it wasn't what he had in mind." The characterization of Lubitsch could easily be about Ozu as well.

Richie, Donald. "Yasujiro Ozu: The Syntax of His Films." Film Quarterly 17.2 (1963-4): 11-16.

Richie analyzes in detail Ozu's syntax in his films through grammar, structure, editing, tempo, and scene. He compares Ozu to Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, and Ingmar Bergman, contemporary film directors whose style is far from being the classical Hollywood style.

It is clear after reading this article that Ozu's later films completely break away from any Hollywood stereotypes. Richie states that Ozu avoids narratives and plots "because [the plot] is manipulated." This is true also of Tokyo Chorus, which chronicles a family's struggle in the years toward the end of the Depression, but never uses a plot. There are no compelling elements as you would see in a Hollywood film; the satisfaction from watching the film comes from witnessing the family emotions which are often understated and present only in the slight facial expressions exchanged between the parents. However, the distinct Ozu style that Richie refers to in this article is not entirely applicable to Tokyo Chorus, which is an earlier film in which Ozu was undoubtedly still trying out different techniques. He had already begun to keep most of his shots at the camera position "of a person seated upon tatami, his eyes about three feet from floor level" in Tokyo Chorus, but unlike in his later films, Ozu does utilize pans and fades, which he later considers "merely attributes of the camera." As Richie states, Ozu's cinematic syntax was discovered "through trial and error" and it is evident that Tokyo Chorus was one of Ozu's trials in which he was still experimenting with techniques and styles similar to those seen in Hollywood that he would later reject as he came into his own individual style.

The article is about federal relief from 1933-1935 in the midst of the Great Depression. It focuses specifically on the distribution of welfare in the South. It is common knowledge that programs such as the New Deal were used to help factory workers and other laborers, but very few people ever mention the American tenant farmer when discussing the issue of emergency relief funds during the era. The article argues that the Communist and Socialist parties demanded relief for the tenant farmer and were in fact able to convince the government to distribute funds to Southern farmers, both white and black. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration was formed during the New Deal as an agency that would properly distribute government funds throughout the country as a way to relieve people from the crippling affects of the Great Depression. The funds were distributed according to many different figures and details such as location, population, power within the region, and need. This meant that farmers in a less populated area that had political power within the region would have been able to negotiate more aid for themselves and those that supported them. It also means that aid was much easier to acquire as a farmer then as a factory worker because of the difference in population.

            This is extremely relevant to the thesis because it shows that life in 1930's America was not necessarily impossible depending on where you were living and what you were doing. Chaplin was very much against the factory system and shows this by criticizing it in Modern Times (1936). He was also in support of the more natural agricultural system. This is shown in the film, because even though Chaplin's character tries to make it in the city, he ultimately cannot. In the end of the film Chaplin and his heroine leave the city and make their way towards the rural farming area. They do not leave in sadness though. They are shown in true triumph walking away from the city without looking back, holding their heads up high. This was done as a way to show that the rural life was better and more possible to survive in at the time. The article agrees with this claim because the aid was more obtainable for rural farmers then factory workers and other city laborers.

The article discusses the development of Catholic orphanages in the United States from 1851 to 1996. The Catholic orphanage system was one of the most used child-care systems in America. The orphanage system started by the Catholics was used to take in children and make sure that they were given a proper education of the Catholic religion's belief system. In later years many people believe believed that the orphanage system should be replaced by the foster home system because Catholic orphanages were believed to teach children too much about religion and not enough about life. In the 1930s the Great Depression caused the need for orphanages to multiply rapidly. "In December, 1933, 102,000 dependent and neglected children in the United States were in foster homes, and more than 140,000, a record number, were in orphanages." Such a vast number of orphans caused the government, both local and federal, to increase their ways of assistance. In factory cities such as Cleveland, orphanages were full by the late 1920's because of the increased number of lost jobs. Many children were put in orphanages by parents as a way to get them food. The Depression crippled the family system and caused many families to be broken up and siblings to be separated.

            The article is relevant to the thesis because it portrays a specific part of American life in the 1930's for the lower classes. Modern Times (1936) deals with issue by introducing the heroine co-star to Chaplin's character. She is first shown with her two younger sisters collecting scraps of wood for fuel when suddenly her father is killed in a riot. This causes her and her two much younger sisters to become orphans. The government comes and quickly takes the heroine's sisters away never to be seen again. This problem was very traumatizing and common during the Great Depression. Chaplin, coming from a poor British life, most likely wanted to address this issue in his film as a criticism for the government allowing factory owners to take so much profit while children are losing their families and homes. The lower class life was very traumatizing from all angles during the film's time period and Chaplin tied most of the problems together within the one film.

The article discusses how scholars approached the American response to Communism. It is about the development of Communism in America and why it started. The article shows who the main supporters of America changing to a Socialist system were and why they would want to do so. It explains how such a system ever made to the United States and what actions were taken by its supporters. The article also discusses the anti-Communist sentiment in America. It discusses the various fears people had and the things that were done in response to the system. The article traces the development of Communism in the United States starting at the 1930's and working its way forward through time. The true fears of Communism were created by government propaganda such as films and news casts. Many people feared Communists more as spies then as revolutionaries. The government made a point of telling people that Communists were giving the USSR information about the United States and that it could be very dangerous if such information was discovered by the Soviets. Though it is true that some of the fears instilled in the people were practical, most of the anti-Communist movement was a witch hunt in a time of fear because of developments of the USSR and their supporters.

            The film is relevant to the thesis because it discusses another very important part of 1930's America that affected the lower classes and is portrayed in Modern Times (1936). The anti-Communist movement was a very big issue when the film was released. Many of the laboring classes were calling for Communism in hopes of getting jobs and a balancing of monetary power in the United States. Chaplin satirizes this situation by having his character standing in the path of a Communist march while holding a red flag. This ultimately leads the police to think he is the leader of the demonstration and they arrest him promptly. This was done to show that the legal system in America was completely against Communism and wealth distribution and would not allow the people to exercise their right to freedom of speech. The film shows many scenes that can be argued to support Communism instead of the elitist American Capitalism brought on by factories and industrialization.

The article is about the change from the old manufacturing system to the factory system. It discusses the change from manual assembly and product movement to the conveyor belt system. This was done to speed up production and cut labor costs. Some factories found that replacing their factories was the best way to make the change, while some found it easier to renovate their existing ones. While the old system focused on each factory doing a specific task, the new factory's goal was to produce finished products from raw materials. The greatest example of industrialization of the factory system is Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford built many different factories from 1900 to 1925 in his attempts to create the most efficient and inexpensive automobile possible. The system of industrialization was subject to rapid change. Ford's three-story mill building on Piquette Avenue was built in 1904. It was seen as a modern factory with some of the best and most efficient technology. By 1909, the factory was obsolete and had to be replaced by Ford's Highland Park plant. This factory was obsolete by 1915. This struggle to always have the fastest and most efficient technology was very difficult for both the factory owner and the laborer.

            This article is relevant because it addresses the overarching problem that Modern Times (1936) is trying to portray and criticize. The industrialized factory was always trying to speed things up and make things more tedious. Such a life style was very hard for workers to cope with. The factory owner is shown speeding up production to levels that were impossible to keep up with. The amount of stress was unbearable. The factory systems quest for efficiency even tried to cut away people's breaks. The film shows a scene where a new invention is tested that makes it possible for a man to work and eat lunch at the same time. This invention ultimately fails because Chaplin believed that such a thing should never be done no matter how efficient a factory gets. The film does a great job of showing the articles points about technological development and quests for efficiency.

The article discusses how Modern Times (1936) was able to make a criticism of industrialization without offending the populous. The film was a great success that was loved by the audience of the time. The film dealt with the same issues as Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927). Metropolis was not successful though. It scared audiences and portrayed a future that no one wanted to accept as a possible reality. Another overlying issue critisiced in both films is rationalization. Rationalization is defined in four parts. These are the logical, the historical, the technological, and the psychological. Rationalization is ultimately the process of advancing technology and economics to a point where all things are mass produced based on a system run on fossil fuels, focusing on efficiency and profit above all else. Such a system was supported by factory owners such as Henry Ford. He believed that through rationalization of the factory system the world would become a better place full of department stores and convenience. Chaplin did not see it in this way. Modern Times portrays the evils of industrialization and rationalization from the point of view of the working classes. The film is very critical of the factory system and the repercussions it has on its employees as well as the department store because of its classist system that excludes the proletariat.

            The article is relevant to the thesis because it addresses the idea that Modern Times does in fact portray the factory system of the United States from the point of view of the lower class. The film is stated to be critical of both industrialsization and rationalization, but the article does not focus specifically on the United States. While Metropolis addresses the possible future of the world, Chaplintries only to criticize the contemporary state of things. The article agrees with the thesis that Chaplin was against the system but proceeds to go past such issues and address possible developments not discussed within Chaplin's film. One cannot be sure if Chaplin actually thought about the future of industrialization or if he believed the system would ultimately collapse and never be an issue.

The article is about how Modern Times (1936) is a film that celebrates the proletariat and criticizes the modern factory era and the Capitalist owners who drive it. The article states that the film addresses two important parts of the Capitalist system and portrays them both in a negative light. The first system is of course the factory and technological modernism in general. The factory is a mass of tedious gears and axles that sucks the working classes in, which is actually done in the film when Chaplin is pulled into the conveyor belt. The factory then spits out the poor laborers who serve it and leave them to find their own means of survival. The second system criticized by the film is the department store. This representation of mass consumption, waste, and classicism also takes advantage of the poor, but ultimately disposes of them in a similar way to that of the factory. The film was praised by Stalin and the Communist party as a way of criticizing all the evils of a Capitalist system, focusing of course on the United States. The film also honors the working classes by focusing on them and ultimately ending with the two starring roles leaving the Capitalist city and going out to the farming country in triumph against the system as a whole.

            The article agrees with the thesis because it argues that the film is a portrayal of the technocratic, capitalist system that criticizes it for its mistreatment of the working classes. The article agrees with the idea that the film is in support of the lower class and was Chaplin's way of critiquing a system where upper class business owners force hard labor on the proletariat and then ultimately abandons them in them time of need. The film being placed in the United States is clearly making an argument against all of Capitalist industrialization because the United States is the figure head of the system. Many points are argued in the film that support Communism and the working class, nut ultimately show that the system cannot be beaten from within and that the only way to succeed is to altogether leave it and try something else. This point is made apparent at the very end of the film when Chaplin and the heroine leave the city not in sadness but in triumph against the system.

The article is about Chaplin's use of metaphor and irony as a way to portray American culture and criticize it at the same time. When looking at Modern Times (1936) as well as many of Chaplin's other films, the main character is seen in the standard Chaplin black suit and hat carrying the gentlemanly cane. This is ironic because in most of Chaplin's films, he does not play such a character. In Modern Times, he is a low class factory worker who ultimately loses his job. The rest of the film is about him trying to find work and survive. At certain times he and his co-star heroine are starving and seen living in an old shack that they do not even own. Even so he is still wearing upper class clothing. Many other ironies are used throughout his films as a way to make criticisms of both the social system as a whole and the behavior of the upper classes. Chaplin, always acting gentlemanly towards women in his films, wears these clothes as a way to show the lower classes as good natured people who can be just as proper as the wealthy even if they do not have money and power. The article traces many of the mannerisms used by Chaplin in his films to criticize the views of certain life styles in comparison to others as well as to criticize certain systems that force stereotypes upon the different classes.

            The article agrees with the thesis, but focuses less on Modern Times specifically and more on Chaplin's works as a whole. It also focuses more on personal actions and criticisms than on the specific aspects of American culture. It makes a very good point by addressing the fact that Chaplin is many times shown using metaphors to portray one lifestyle and juxtapose it with its opposite to make an overlying point. An example of this in Modern Times is when Chaplin's character is drinking tea with an upper class woman in prison. This is ironic because it shows Chaplin acting like a true member of the upper classes, performing all the mannerisms and actions that a gentleman would. This seen just happens to take place in a jail with Chaplin sitting in a prison uniform as a criminal accused of leading a Communist protest. Ironies such as these are used in many of Chaplin's works as a way to criticize the social system of the United States and Capitalism in general.

The article is about the relevance of Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times (1936) to today's society. The article does not focus on the film from an cultural standpoint, but actually views at it in economical terms. The main point of the article is to discuss that Hugo Chavez, socialist leader of Venezuela views Modern Times as a criticism of Capitalism as a whole and blieves that the point of the film is to argue for a socialist form of government that supports the working class. Chavez believes that the film is extremely relevant in modern society. "Charlie Chaplin's classic black-and-white movie Modern Times highlighted the exploitation and horrendous conditions faced by US factory workers during the Depression." The Venezuelan government has been showing the film to workers across the country as a way to expose what Chavez believes are the "evils of capitalism, and cement support for his socialist administration." Venezuelan officials said that the film has been showed about 1000 times to workers since January. Venezuelan business owners are very angry about this policy. "In a formal com- plaint to the government, the four main employer associations claimed that showing a film which depicted an employer as an exploiter of workers was designed "to generate hate and resentment in the labour sector [and] satanise the employer"."

            The article is relevant to the thesis because it agrees with the principal that Modern Times was a semi-realistic portrayal of the labor system of the times and also the fact the film is a criticism of such a system. Chavez viewes the film as a representation of life for the lower classes and how they are taken advantage of by the economic system and the employer/business owner. Chaplin's film was made for this very purpose and would most likely agree with Chavez completely. One could assume that such uses of Chaplin's films would make him happy because he truly believed that the lower classes were being mistreated by technology and business so much that he was willing to risk his own life in the United States so that he could make such critical films.

Penn on-line library listing of Modern Times (1936) by Charlie Chaplin.

The article discusses Charles Chaplin's film Modern Times (1936) and how it is related to Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times (1854). It says that both the film and the book are social satires of the new social system brought on by industrialization through technological advancement. It is important to realize that much of Chaplin's own life before moving to the United States resembles that of a Dickens's novel. Being a poor vaudevillian actor from Britain, the subject matter was very well understood by Chaplin and was very easy for him to make a film out of. The film is clearly against the factory system and agrees with the novel by showing a poor man having to work in such a system and ultimately being beaten by it. Both works are also are similar in the fact that their creators were British and yet decided to place their stories in the United States.

            The article is relevant to the thesis because it discusses how the film Modern Times is used to portray the factory system. The work agrees with the thesis because it states that the film criticizes the system and works to show industrialized advances due to technology as a bad thing for the common worker. The film focuses on a lower class factory laborer and shows how the system is a burden on the common man and how such a system ultimately leads to many problems for him. Chaplin being critical of many social systems, especially because he had to grow up poor in such systems always portrays characters from the point of view of the down trodden. Chaplin makes his argument against the factory system by comparing it to a natural system. Within the film Chaplin's character is shown going through more than one labor system as a way to show which ones he agreed with. His movement is very unnatural and sporadic while in the factory, but is very smooth when working as a security guard. Chaplin believed that technological advancement was evil and made sure to make this known in Modern Times as well as in other works. It is important to realize that in the 1930's the Great Depression was extremely difficult for the laboring class. This truth is portrayed in the film by showing Chaplin's character suffer through many jobs and situations and ultimately getting nowhere.

The article is about the study of Chaplin through his films excluding works where he does not appear such as A Woman of Paris. The article hopes to analyze the relationship between the screen personality and the contemporary culture that it appears in. The author's thesis is "the films of Charlie Chaplin are a function of the American culture at the time of their production." The article's ultimate goal is to show the development of film analysis through with Chaplin as his test character. By looking at each of Chaplin's films and then comparing them to the time period they were made in, one can see that Chaplin is clearly portraying the American culture of the time of production. The author breaks up American culture through Chaplin films into 10 different eras of history. This history starts at the pre-WWI era and ends with post-WWII imperialism. Each of these eras is presented with a film from the Chaplin collection and a description that is relevant to both the American culture of the time as well as the setting and story of the corresponding film. The author also creates a second hypothesis that states that "Chaplin's films depict the American culture as sex-centered, job centered, and/or sex-and-job-centered."

            The article is relevant to the thesis because it is basically the same thesis without focusing on a specific time period. When one focuses on the 1930's, the corresponding era of Modern Times (1936), one can see that the author of the article and the thesis of the project are almost identical. The article refers to the 1930's as "the age of technocracy." His description of the age and film are as follows: "Industrialization had pervaded man's experience. Machines were in the saddle. Men were preparing for war. The uprooted feeling of these days, the riots, the high turnover in jobs, and the monotony of minor jobs on massive assembly lines is the theme of Modern Times." The article does go a little farther in time then the project thesis does by including war thoughts within the description, but other than that it is in total agreement with the overlying idea.