Transferred illusions : digital technology and the forms of print / Marilyn Deegan and Kathryn Sutherland. 2009

Fleming’s 1939 American film The Wizard of Oz is an early pioneer of the use of innovative techniques in camera work, music, visual and special effects in modern day movie production.  The musical-fantasy classic has also become a firm favorite among the American public and coupled with its influence in the film industry, it should be regarded as the most significant American film of all time.

The musical piece Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz soundtrack has been a family favorite ever since its introduction to the American public in 1939. On Tuesday June 23, 2004, the American Film Institute recognized Judy Garland’s timeless rendition of the tune as the #1 song in American cinema. Approximately 1500 actors, writers, critics, filmmakers and other Hollywood notables took part in the voting process. In winning the prestigious award Over the Rainbow topped other notable film songs such as As Time Goes By (#2) from Curtiz’s 1942 classic movie Casablanca and Singing in the Rain (#3). Over the Rainbow has also won other notable awards such as being voted the #1 song of the century by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America. These and numerous other achievements provide support for the premise that The Wizard of Oz is the most significant production in American film history.

MSNBC. "'Over the Rainbow' named top movie song." MSNBC Website. 1 Dec. 2008 .

Schneider, Irving, M.D. "The Theory and Practice of Movie Psychiatry." The American Journal of Psychiatry 144.8 (1987): 996-1002. This article explores the depiction of psychiatry in the movie and how it has been a source of concern to many in the profession over the years. They feel that a false picture of the work of a psychiatrist has been illustrated to the public. In fact, psychiatry in the movies has developed its own characteristics, which only occasionally intersect with those of the real-life profession. In this paper, Schneider outlines theories of the invented profession of movie psychiatry.

"I'll explain to you about dreams so you don't think it is hooey. The secret of who you are and what has made you run away from yourself-these secrets are buried in your brain, but you don't want to look at them. The human being very often doesn't want to know the truth about himself because he thinks it will make him sick; so he makes himself sicker trying to forget. You follow me?... Here's where dreams come in. They tell you what you are trying to hide, but they tell it to you all mixed up like pieces of a puzzle that don't fit. The problem of the analyst is to examine this puzzle and put the pieces together in the right place and find out what the devil you are trying to say to yourself."

The above quote from the movie by Dr. Alex (addressed to Ballentine), shows how method of criminal detection and psychoanalytic method are related. The truth behind Edwardes murder is buried beneath an accumulation of alibis, false tracks, confusing recollections, and the analyst-detective patiently tries to get to the bottom of the case. Throughout the history of film, the psychoanalyst has been a solver of mysteries, often criminal mysteries, as the murder in Spellbound, but just as often personal ones.

Sour provides an extensive review of the book “Causes Won, Lost, and Forgotten: How Hollywood and Popular Art Shape What We Know about the Civil War” written by Gary W. Gallagher, in which he analyzes four themes: the Lost Cause, the Union Cause, the Emancipation Cause and the Reconciliation Cause.  The Lost Cause refers to “downplays the importance of slavery and stresses Confederate gallantry against great odds.”  The Union Cause refers to “illegality of secession and the bravery of those who fought it” while the Emancipation Cause means the war to end slavery.  Lastly, the Reconciliation Cause praises the unification of the nation after the hostility toward each other.  He argues that although films often depict these concepts, the most effectively portrayed is often the Lost Cause.  Many Hollywood films fail to express the other three concepts, especially the Emancipation Cause, in which Gallagher wishes to achieve appreciation for the Northern soldiers for fighting in the Civil War. 

Sour, TWT. “Cinematic script as history; Book shows how films shape popular understanding of period.” The Washington Times 1 Mar. 2008: D03.

John Patterson’s article “Film & Music: Up Front: On film: It's Black History Month in the US - the perfect time to rerelease films that Hollywood considers too embarrassing to show for today” expresses annoyance of many films disappearing for its explicitly racial content.  He understands that the content may be offensive, such as "Song of the South" and "Gone with the Wind," which are “racially questionable hit” and "Mandingo," a melodrama on the effects of slavery on victims and pratitioners.  Patterson in conclusion expresses that these movies should be back in circulation because viewers now have broader understanding of differences in perspectives based on time periods and changes. 

Patterson, John. “Film & Music: Up Front: On film: It’s Black History Month in the United States - the perfect time to rerelease films that Hollywood considers too embarrassing to show for today.”  The Guardian 29 Feb. 2008: 2.

Helen Taylor's "Scarlett's Women: Gone With the Wind and its Female Fans" shows how Gone with the Wind still has a profounding effect in the media world and how much of an impact the book/film can bring to the audience both emotionally and intellectually.  Taylor writes that the press regularly presents articles on Gone with the Wind; educational materials also feature Gone with the Wind.  This "Gone with the Wind madness" seems endless.  In addition, throughout the book, Taylor includes various anecdotes and "testimonies" from various viewers/readers who have seen/read Gone with the Wind and showed their reactions to the piece.  She argues that the viewers/readers' amusement toward the film/book affected their emotions.  She also includes biographical information of the stars of the movie in the book.

Taylor, Helen. Scarlett's Women: Gone with the Wind and Its Female Fans. Rutgers, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1989. 

Edward Samuels argues that the extension of copyright law is not a result of a scheme by corporations to cheat the public but rather a part of a system that the framers of the Constitution had in mind in order to “promote the progress of science and useful arts” by “securing, for limited times, to authors, and inventors, and the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries”.  Samuels identifies six categories of the public domain, which have all supported the expansion of copyright. Samuels writes that, “In all six areas, the public domain advocates were making arguments against the tide; they lamented the expansion of copyright but could hardly claim that the public domain analysis had in fact already worked its way into dominant copyright theory”. Samuels notes that protectionists of the act try and justify the copyright law based upon natural rights, moral rights and property rights, all of which public domain advocates argue in objection to heavily, however, Samuels argues that the natural rights and property rights are “firmly rooted in copyright history” and that it is recognized as the basis for copyright protection in civil law and outer countries outside of England and the US. Samuels goes on in his article to discuss the Eldred case and argues for the support of the case. He notes that the D.C Circuit Court concluded, “Copyrights are categorically immune from challenges under the First Amendment”. The petitioners of copyright extension argue that the premise of CTEA violated the “limited Times” provision of the Copyright Clause and that Congress can only grant rights in the case that it will promote the creation of new works.  They argue that the extension act of 1998 is unconstitutional, but Samuels then asks if that is unconstitutional, are all other proceeding acts unconstitutional as well and therefore have no stopping point. Therefore, Samuels argues, the Supreme Court should not endorse any approach the petitioners present.

    This article is important to my topic because it discusses the rationale behind opposing or supporting the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, the premise of my paper. Samuels outlines the arguments that advocates of the public domain may make including that of the restriction of creativity and he then argues why the advocates arguments do not hold and why the act should be upheld, an act that protects Mickey Mouse.

Denton, William. "FRBR and the History of Cataloging."

Chapter 4 in Understanding FRBR: What It Is and How It Will Affect Our Retrieval, edited by Taylor, Arlene G.

An explanation of where FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) comes from, given by a look at the work of librarians such as Panizzi, Cutter, Ranganathan, and Lubzetsky, and an examination of four themes in the history of library cataloging: the use of axioms to explain the purpose of catalogs, the importance of user needs, the idea of the "work," and standardization and internationalization.

In the chapter of the book entitled “Corrupt and Crumbling Institutions,” McCaffrey alternates between lauding John Schlesinger’s version of The Day of the Locust for the segments in which it is faithful to Nathaniel West’s novel and highlighting the elements of the film that fall short of the novel.  Although the film is a moderately faithful adaptation, its greatest shortcoming is that it fails to consistently match West’s tone of “level rage and tilted compassion.” McCaffrey observes the power of West’s work in that he offers philosophical passages that humanize his characters even as he attacks their pitfalls, which facilitates reader identification with the characters.  Except for the final scene in the film, McCaffrey praises those that Schlesinger created as they are true to West’s tone. 

            As West’s novel is considered among the best satires of Hollywood, it is successful largely due to conventions unavailable to the medium of film.  To capture passages of philosophy, the oft-criticized use of voiceover narration would be required.  Although the film matches the events of the novel, its failure completely match its tone leave it a less successful satire.  Many of the pitfalls of the film result out of aspects of the Hollywood system the book attacks.   The relevance of this articles lies in that it not only analyzes the adaptability of West’s book to film, but offers insights into issues facing the film adaptor and addresses satire in general context.  

    James Thomas Chiampi takes a detailed look at the novel “The Godfather”, written my Mario Puzo in the article Ressurecting “The Godfather”. He begins with an examination of the criticism of the novel that he has found throughout the years. Some condemn the novel as a mere work of sensationalism that alonbg with a hedonistic atmosphere simply glorifies evil deeds and corruption. Chiampi, however, argues that these critics as well as those that praise it for it’s realism are missing it’s most essential facet, the ability to make the outrageous plausible.

    Chiampi also takes a careful look at the characters and the dynamic between them that Puzo establishes. In this examination he builds an understanding of the characters action within the larger and deeper context of the American dream of justice and the fact that the Corrleone family must by their very own nature exist ouside of that reality. He notes the impossibility of the Corrleone family or anyone associated with them to be able to live within the pretense of that dream for very long. He makes a keen observation by showing that any of the characters that act outside of the realm of the scicilian demeanor or embody characteristics that make them inherently American are either traitors to the Corrleones or die, or both.

    Perhaps the most poignant of analyses to be found in this article is that of the barbarism in the characters. He qualifies this barbaric nature as one of cold calculations and pragmatic choices, but is quick to criticize any argument that depicts Michael Corrleone as anything but an American. Even though Michael fits all of the criteria to be considered an American (Dartmouth, served in the Marines) he ironically must ultimately come to grips with his own identity through the identity of his father. It is then that Michael must take on the sins of his father and although he does not realize it never be able to reach that American dream he thought he had wanted for so long.

 Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” 17 Jan. 2007. Brown Wiki.    
        <https://wiki.brown.edu/confluence/display/MarkTribe/Visual+Pleasure+and+Narrative+Cinema>

        Laura Mulvey uses psychoanalysis to highlight the ways in which film reveals society’s view on sexual differences and desires. The paper explores the structured implementation of phallocentric themes which acknowledge the dominance of the male gender. Such an argument is centered around the image of a castrated woman. Mulvey states that “woman's desire is subjected to her image as bearer of the bleeding wound, she can exist only in relation to castration and cannot transcend it.” Without the male reproductive organ, the woman is at a loss. The sole meaning for a woman is to signify the existence of the better male version. Deriving their meaning solely from males, women passively submit themselves to the wants and obsessions of the imposing male. By analyzing this concept, Mulvey believes that feminists can find the true roots of female oppression. The paper explains that the magic of Hollywood is derived from its manipulation of visual pleasure. The article discusses the integration of erotic themes in film and the meaning of such undertones.
        Mulvey discusses the way that the male looks at the female in Vertigo. Scottie looks at Madeleine in a way that fluctuates between “voyeurism and fetishistic fascination.” Scottie’s desire to remake his lost love and Judy’s willingness to do so, is an example of his dominance over her. Through the use of camera techniques, Hitchcock allows the viewer to take Scottie’s perspective and thus take on his position. The paper relates Scottie’s drive to reconstruct Madeleine to a fetish. As a woman, Judy knows that her role is to submit, and realizes that such a role is necessary to retain his erotic interest in her.
        This paper affirms the feminist belief that Hollywood seeks to affirm male dominance by integrating it into its films. The oppressive manner in which men look at women, the “male gaze,” can be demonstrated through point of view shots. By making Madeleine the object of the camera’s desire (Scottie’s), the audience also experiences the possession. The paper is important as it serves as an example of feminist reaction to Hitchcock’s film.

Manlove, Clifford T. “Visual ‘Drive’ and the Cinematic Narrative.” Cinema Journal 2007, 83-108.
        Project MUSE. University of Pennsylvania Library, Philadelphia. 4 Apr. 2008.
        <http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/cinema_journal/v046/46.3manlove.html>.
 

        In this essay, Clifford T. Manlove comments on Laura Mulvey’s 1975 essay, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” and its application to Hitchcock’s Vertigo. Manlove explores the concept of “gaze theory” to explain opposing perceptions of the events that happen in the film. This idea of gaze refers to how the surrounding world views the presented characters. According to Manlove, Vertigo provides us with an “example of the formative split between the eye and its gaze.” The split is caused by Scottie’s near-death experience at the beginning of the film. Through the use of subjective camera positioning, we too as an audience experience a change in perception as we follow him around. Scottie’s vertigo forms a barrier between him and the people and objects that surround him. Things that may appear ordinary to others take on a special visual meaning to him. Manlove uses the example of the policeman who saves Scottie. Scottie sees a horrifying fall below him, while the policeman is unaffected and reaches out to help him. As an audience we can gaze upon Scottie, but only through camera techniques can we truly see how he sees. Hitchcock invented the “Vertigo shot” as a means of conveying his unique perception. The camera tracks backwards while zooming in, thus highlighting the occurrence of the split. “What to a rational observer looks like an alleyway, Scottie sees as a threatening object, simultaneously approaching yet infinitely receding.” Manlove goes on to relate the gaze to Scottie’s failure to save Madeleine, and its eventual result in Judy’s death. The essay further applies the concept of gaze to Rear Window and Marnie.
        Manlove’s analysis helps us distinguish the fact that what the surrounding characters in the film see may be different from what Scottie sees. As an audience we are provided with insight into Scottie’s troubled mind by understanding the effects of his vertigo and how this might affect his insistence in reconstructing his lost love. Manlove helps us see that the story is driven by and conveyed through Scottie’s unstable state of mind. It is clear that Manlove has an appreciation for the techniques that Hitchcock used to convey his vision.

    Michael R. Frontani clearly tells the story of the making of The Beatles in his book entitled The Beatles: Image and the Media.  Chapter 2, "Intorducing the Image", is about how "Beatlemania" came to be.  Frontani discusses the immediate success of The Beatles in the British music industry, but also the less-known resistance of their American label, Capitol Records, to promote The Beatles' music in the United States prior to the band's American success.  According to Frontani, Capitol Records was hesitant to spend a significant amount of money promoting The Beatles in the U.S. in 1963 because of the previous British pop musicians, such as Cliff Richard, who despite popularity in England, had failed commercial success in the states.  Finally, however, with The Beatles' new single "I Want To Hold Your Hand", Capitol took the risk that made "Beatlemania" an international phenomenon and sent the new single to number one on the Billboard chart on February 1, 1964.  The music industry was never the same.  The Beatles made their United States television debut eight days later on The Ed Sullivan Show, a night that would solidify the fact that The Beatles, with their mop-top hair-cuts and thumping beats, were the new faces of pop culture.

    This chapter is incredibly significant for my thesis because it explains how "Beatlemania" came to be, and more importantly why "Beatlemania" made it to the silver screen.  Frontani makes a point of emphasizing the craze that went along with The Beatles' first trip to America.  "The Beatles returned to New York.  Four thousand fans were at Kennedy Airport to welcome them back, and to see them off as they departed for England."  With several facts like these, Frontani creates a sense of how overwhelming The Beatles' popularity was in America, let alone in England.  He also points out that a number of well-respected sources, such as the New York Times even wrote articles devoted to the discussion of The Beatles' haircuts and "Beatlemania" as a "cultural event."  Clearly the pop culture of 1964 revolved around The Beatles, therefore it comes as no surprise that the film industry would take advantage of this.  The result was A Hard Day's Night, a film that would portray a day in the life of the band and give their fans an up-close view of each of the "Fab Four."  A Hard Day's Night was a way to make money off of the immense popularity of the band, and therefore, a successful coming together of the pop cultures of both film and music.

    The NRO number council performs various duties associated with the Address Supporting Organization Address Council (ASO AC). This change came about after the Regional Internet registries signed an agreement with ICANN in October 2004. The primary function of the Regional Internet Registries is the formalization, through a co-operative effort, the (1) protection of unallocated number resources, (2) the promotion and protection of the bottom-up policy development process and (3) to act as a point of contact for the internet community for input into the RIR system.

    Voting members for the NRO Number Council come from the regional registries. According to the website, “the voting scheme for the NRO NC is similar to the former voting scheme used for the ASO AC, where two members are selected by the regional policy forum of each of the RIRs. The only difference is that for the NRO NC, the Executive Board of each RIR also appoints one person from its respective region.” With regard to processes, the information society has offered a proposal that could dramatically change the management of Internet Number Resources. “The most prominent activity of the four Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) is the provision of global Internet resources and related services (IPv4, IPv6 and AS Number resources) and the management of reverse domain space.”

    “The Address Supporting Organization (ASO) is one of the supporting organizations that the ICANN Bylaws say should be "formed through community consensus". The purpose of the ASO is to review and develop recommendations on Internet Protocol (IP) address policy and to advise the ICANN Board. In July 1999, the three existing Regional Internet Registries (APNIC, ARIN, and RIPE NCC) submitted a proposal to form the ASO on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding. ICANN accepted this proposal on 26 August, 1999."

    The following is an abstract concerning the functions of the ASO, “Each of the Regional Internet Registries appoints three members of the ASO Address Council. Two members are selected by the regional policy forum of each of the RIRs and one member is appointed from the Executive Board of each RIR. The purpose of the AC is to oversee recommendations on IP address policy. This will include the management of policy development activities. The other major aspect of the role of the Address Council is the appointment of Directors to the ICANN Board of Directors.”

    The World Bank provides financial assistance and aid to developing countries. Financing from the World Bank aids developing countries with funds to develop the IT communications infrastructure of these countries.

    According to the World Bank, “The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. We are not a bank in the common sense. We are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 185 member countries—the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Each institution plays a different but supportive role in our mission of global poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards. The IBRD focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries, while IDA focuses on the poorest countries in the world. Together we provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications and many other purposes.”

    There are several institutions that are closely related to the affairs of the World Bank. Among these institutions are the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

Schneider, Steven. "The Exorcist." St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture. 2002. FindArticles. Philadelphia. 5 Apr. 2006. 

The Exorcist is frequently regarded as one of the most influential films history. It significantly impacted American culture and the movie industry by breaking down barriers in many ways. First and foremost it opened the door to cinematic respect of the horror genre. It has received more publicity than any other horror film to come before it and probably after it. The film went so far as to momentarily distract the media from the developing Watergate scandal.

Infamously know for its vulgarities, The Exorcist redefined the boundary of what could be shown on film. It was even banned in Brittan. Today the film is still one of the most graphic displays of obscenity ever made for the mainstream. The Exorcist is responsible for all the films after it that aim to entertain by disgusting the viewers. Additionally, the film presented this entertainment at a new level of special effects quality. For the type of effects attempted, the filmmakers succeeded to a “degree of realism never before achieved.” It is no surprise that the Catholic Church, who supported the idea of the film in preproduction, withdraw its approval after seeing how “real” the filmmakers were willing to go.

Pearlman, Cindy. "A Haunting Experience." Chicago Sun-Times 24 Sept. 2000. FindArticles. Philadelphia. 4 Apr. 2006. 

Today Linda Blair is almost a normal woman, except for the fact that she can’t escape people’s memories as the sick, deranged girl from The Exorcist who made their stomach churn. The film is infamous for audience members vomiting in the theater as she did on the screen in front of them. But before Blair was cast, she was an unknown child actress about to quit. Instead she took the lead roll of possessed child Regan in The Exorcist and it catapulted her to a level of fame she never recovered from.

As a young girl she went to work everyday to be turned into such an ugly monster that she always wanted to go home. Once day she even fractured her back due to the violent shaking she underwent while imitating demonic possession. Eventually filming did end and Blair went home to relax. However, the film took the horror genre and Blair to a new status. She was continually frightened by crazed fans who could not disassociate the young star from her character. Blair remembers running through the streets of Japan while being chased by a mob of fans. She needed body guards to protect her for six months.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: a Play in Four Acts. New York: Viking P, 1964. 1-145. 

"'The Exorcist' Fairly Close to the Mark." National Catholic Reporter 1 Sept. 2000. FindArticles. Penn Library, Philadelphia. 5 Apr. 2006 <http://www.findarticles.com>. 

            This article discusses how some exorcists from the Catholic Church have spoken up about the accuracy of the 1973 film, The Exorcist. Regarding an industry (film) that is continually criticized for inflating its subject matter, these exorcists claim the movie to be fairly similar to what they have personally witnessed. One exorcist actually declared the events in the movie, famously known for their vulgarity, to be tame in comparison to exorcisms he has seen. Additionally, the chief exorcist of Rome regards the film as a reliable representation.

            This accuracy makes sense because the film and the novel it was based on were inspired by an allegedly true story. During the 1940’s a young boy was witnessed doing supernatural things. Subsequently he went through an exorcism that was later portrayed by the young Linda Blair in The Exorcist. Priests who performed this exorcism have attested to the films authenticity citing words unexplainably scratched into the boy’s body. Additionally they recall the Archangel Michael speak through the boys body, freeing him of the possession. The boy apparently made a remarkable recovery at that moment and went on to live a happy normal life.

Price, Stephen. Movies and Meaning an Introduction to Film. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1997. 250-252.  

This article discusses how a brand extends itself and becomes a brand dominant in consumer culture.  It explores the boundaries of the brand and how the boundaries are created.