Long-Form: Mythology in the Thor Movies

Origins

Norse mythology is very old. It has roots that stretch for several millennia and has undergone changes.

Above is a map of Scandanivia, where Norse mythology and the Thor come from. Scandinivia consists of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The myths stem from a common origin, often recorded on rune stones or, as was commonly done, passed down orally.

Because of the verbal communication of the myths, it is expected that many of the stories have undergone modification. Modification of stories, especially in conjunction with cultural change, is something that always seems to happen with time. It’s improbable to track down the original source of Norse myth because the primary source was orally spoken. Most likely these myths attempted to explain natural phenomena, ills, and weather patterns.

Further, some of the original material of Norse myth was carved into wood and stone. Both of these materials are highly susceptible to erosion and decay if kept in poor conditions. Hence, most of the source material was simply chipped away by time.

My personal copy.

 

The Norse mythology that was recorded was recorded on manuscripts. The authors were Christian missionaries, who were present in Scandinavia as far back as the 10th century. Thus, books like the Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson are written from a Christian perspective. This is probably why the Vikings have such an infamous reputation because they were described by English clergymen, who certainly were at bad terms with the Vikings due to events like the Sacking of Lindisfarne in 793 c.e.

Hence, the Viking Age is defined by those who wrote history, which was the English clergyman and Christian missionaries. The pagan religion remained strong and trickled down all the way to modern times, recycled into popular culture.

The Context and Setting

The universe in Norse mythology is the giant tree Yggdrasil. This tree took sometime to draw! BE HAPPY INTERNET! 

The universe is organized by the giant tree Yggdrasil, which contains the worlds where the various creatures of the Norse world live. In the middle of the tree, there is Midgard or Middle Earth (sound familiar, eh~?) where humans reside.  On the top section of the tree, there is Asgard, where the Aesir (the gods) reside. Asgard is similar to Mount Olympia where powerful gods like Zeus live in Greek Mythology.

What’s interesting about the Aesir is that they are mortal, like human beings, and can die. In fact, it is foretold that a sort of end-of-days will take place called Ragnarok. Thor, for instance, will die during his battle with the Jormungandr serpent who will also be killed. Numerous other gods will die. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. A new order of gods will rise from the old.

The main foes of the Aesir are the Giants. The Giants are a metaphor for the natural world and the chaos that could happen. Giants were the cause of avalanches, earthquakes, and the like.

The Movies

The movies that are going to be discussed are Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and the most recent, Thor: Ragnarok (2017). All of which presents the modern version of the Thor mythos.

 

From Left to Right: Thor: Ragnarok, Thor, Thor: The Dark World

 

The Thor movies are based on the comic books under Marvel. Those comics, in turn, are based on the Norse mythology. I’m only going to discuss what the movies (on the Thor, not the Avengers) have in common with Norse Mythology, and also some differences. Specifically, I’m going to focus on some characters!

The (main) Characters

The mosaic above consists of images from the most recent movie, Thor: Ragnorok.

Thor is the God of Lightning. He is similar to other sky-god deities in Indo-European myths. For instance, the Greek god Zeus has also had the power to control lightning. For one, the hammer is a symbol for the lightning bolt. Further, both Zeus and Thor are connected with the sky. You’ll also notice that goddesses tend to be connected with the earth (that’s a topic for another post). Also, side note, the hammer, and the thunderbolt are also phallic symbols.

The above mosaic shows from left to right: Thor, Indra, and Zeus. All of which are Sky Gods.

Some similarities between them are that they both are very foolhardy. They both jump in and make decisions too quickly, which can lead to some negative consequences. For instance, in the movie Thor (2011), Thor makes a decision to take on the frost-giants head-on, which both Odin and Loki advise against. Yet, he jumps into the decision and suffers the consequence of having his hammer thrust from him. He has the venture down to the realm of Midgard (via the Bifrost bridge), and prove worthy enough to wield the hammer once more.

What’s admirable about Thor, and perhaps is the reason that makes him so likable, is his protectiveness of mankind. He is a friend with humans and yearns to protect them. Although foolish, he has a heart of gold and a positive demeanor. This is unlike the other gods, Loki for instance, who seem to disregard mortals and their lives.

In the Prose Edda, Loki is described as “…pleasing, even beautiful to look at, but his nature is evil and he is undependable.” This is also true in the movies. Loki is always scheming, coming up with new plans to satisfy his own selfish needs.

Loki isn’t good and wholsome like his brother Thor is. Infact, he is very much the opposite. Consumed with his main goal of gaining power, he does what he can to fufill his fiendish plans at the expense of others.

In the myth, but not the movie, Loki has four children, all of which carry negative implications. His first child is the Midgard Serpent. This is a snake that grew so large, that it bites its own tale. In the end of days, known as Ragnarok, Thor is meant to engage in an epic battle with the serpent. His second child is Hel, the goddess of death. His third child is Fenrir, the wolf. And, his fifth child is Narfi.

The Midgard serpent is casted out into the sea, where he grows so large he bites his own tail. Thor is meant to battle the Midgard serpent, where they both die, during Ragnarok.

Loki’s Children (1906) by Lorenz Frolich

Loki doesn’t have children in the movies. He has a very complicated relationship with both his father and his brother. What’s neat is that during the course of the three films, he shows growth of character. However, Loki is a trickster god and by default will always be planning something.

Odin is the All-Father. He is wise, and the loss of a eye is a symbol of this wisdom. In the movies, he is played by Anthony Hopkins who played the role of Hannable in Silence of the Lambs.Enter a caption

Odin is the All-Father. He is the adoptive father to Loki, and the biological father to Thor. He is both the god of wisdom, and the god of war. In a way, he is a combination of both Loki and Thor. 

In the myths, Odin is always in search of wisdom, wandering from one place to another. The loss of his eye represents the gaining of that wisdom. In Thor: Ragnarok, Thor loses his eye in the final battle of the movie. The loss of his eye signifies a change into a wiser person. 

Conclusion

Marvel’s Thor borrows elements of the old Norse myth and adds a modern twist. Thus, Thor isn’t a direct retelling of Norse mythology. The world Marvel’s Thor has manifested to become their own unique mythology.

Sources

“Thor–A Very Human God.” Performance by Thomas Shippey, Welcome to Colorado State University Libraries | Kanopy, Kanopy, 2014.

Lindow, John. “Handbook of Norse Mythology.” Handbook of Norse Mythology. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2001. ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. Web. 7 Dec 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chronicles of Riddick

I’ll be honest, from a critical perspective this probably isn’t the best movie. But I like it. Probably the main reason I do is that of the main character, Riddick. The Chronicles of Riddick is the second movie in a series, after Pitch Black. Riddick (2013), is the movie that comes after the Chronicles of Riddick.

The Story

The movie begins with Riddick running from a crew of bounty hunters. Riddick is always running from something or someone, and he’s gotten pretty good at it. He is able to outsmart the bounty hunters and hijacks the plane heading for the planet Helion Prime.

The main antagonists are the Necromongers (necro meaning death). These people are converts with the main goal of gaining followers and finding the underverse. The underverse is another realm where the converts are reborn in.

The Necromongers move through the universe, planet to planet, collecting converts and destroying societies in the process. Riddick gets caught up in this without meaning to. You see, Riddick always gets stuck in sticky situations. His entire family was murdered, along with the majority of his race in a mass genocide orchestrated by the Necromongers. Being in and out if the jail system, chased by bounty hunters, and attacked by monsters the majority of his life has made him excellent survivalist.

Riddick is a pure survivalist, he’s learned to only care about his well-being. This is why he’s reluctant to form relationships with others. Everyone around him dies. When he arrives on Helion Prime, he meets an old acquaintance who placed the bounty on his head. There is a brief moment of peace before chaos ensues. In these moments, we learn that Riddick has a fondness for children. This was also shown for his protective nature over Jack in the previous movie Pitch Black. 

Soon, the Necromongers overwhelm Helion Prime’s defenses. The religious zealots take citizens hostage to join their religion. Using fear, the Necromongers are able to do so with little effort. Riddick is among the captured and decides to challenge one of the “best” fighters. Riddick defeats the man swiftly and is then led to a room of truth where seers read his mind. They scan his memories and discover that he is a Furyan male, the greatest foe to the Necromongers.

When the Necromongers discover what Riddick is, they attack, but he escapes. In a rapid turn of events, however, he is captured by the same bounty hunter who was pursuing him on the x-planet but with a different crew. They decide to take him to a prison that’s located on the planet Crematoria. One half of the plant is extremely hot, so hot that it incinerates human flesh within seconds.

Upon arriving, Riddick discovers that an old friend is an inmate. This is Jack B. Badd who befriended Riddick in Pitch Black. Instead of following Riddick’s orders to stay put, she decided to look for him and got lost on the way.

One of Riddick’s notable traits is his animalistic personality. He has a fondness for animals because he has more in common with them then he has with other humans. This is because animals are more often controlled by their base instincts and struggle to survive. Riddick knows this struggle all-too-well. He is constantly being hunted.

Another rare trait that sets Riddick apart are his eyes. He is able to see perfectly in the dark, similar to how a cat does. During “feeding-time” (this is where giant stone-like felines are release to hunt the inmates), Riddick is able to soothe one of the big cats through eye-contact.

Riddick, along with several other inmates, escapes the prison and sprint across the cooled surface of Cremetoria. The day is approaching, which means that the temperature will rise to an ungodly level. The prisoners are both running from the heat, and also from the guards who are pursuing them underground.

Alright, to sum up, the rest of the story, Riddick, and the prisoners have a run in with the Necromongers. Jack is captured and later converted. Riddick is left to die, but is saved, and goes undercover. He eventually kills The Lord Marshal and takes his place (much to his disdain). Jack dies (everyone Riddick cares about dies).

There is much more to the movie then what has been mentioned in this post. I urge you to watch the film!

 

Top 10 Movies to Watch (IMO)

1. Moonstruck (1987):

Moonstruck is a romantic-comedy (one of the few I actually like) that was released in theaters on December 18, 1987. The movie stars the singer/actress Cher, who plays the fearless Loretta, who is down on her luck when it comes to romance. The plot revolves around her relationship with Ronny, who is also down on his luck when it comes to love.

Below is the trailer for the movie:

The movie is heartwarming, hilarious, and intelligent. A perfect movie for a rainy day, or during a full moon!

2. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006):

I’m a major fan of Guillermo Del Toro, and this was the movie that introduced me to his work. Aside from having one of the most terrifying monsters in movie history (IMO), the movie also includes a good deal of social commentary. The entire movie is in Spanish with English subtitles, so if you don’t like foreign movies, then this probably isn’t the film for you.

Below is the trailer for Pan’s Labyrinth:

3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994):

If you want to watch a piece of art, not just moving pictures with lots of bells whistles, then I suggest watching the Shawshank Redemption (1994). Based on the book by Stephen King, the Shawshank is arguably one of the best movies of all time. Warning: this movie is heavy-duty. It showcases abuse, murder, and suicide. So, if you’re in the mood to watch something lighthearted, then I suggest you save this movie for another day.

Here’s the trailer:

4. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015):

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) is crazy good. The colors are rich, the action high-powered, and the characters unique. The future of this movie is chaotic. Humanity is fragmented into motor-powered tribes; water is scarce, and sandstorms are massive. The setting of the movie is intense, dangerous, yet beautiful. Furiosa, who I would argue is the main character of the film, is a resilient woman who rescues a harem of women from a despotic tyrant. If you like chases, action, post-apocalyptic environments, and strong protagonists, I recommend you watch this film!

Here’s the trailer:

5. Jane Eyre (2011):

Romance isn’t all bad, especially if it involves a good amount of passion, mystery, struggle, tragedy, and character development. Jane Eyre (2011), which is based on the book by Charlotte Bronte of the same name, has all of those things. Jane Eyre takes place during the Victorian Era. So, if you’re in the mood to watch a movie with an imposing castle, a mysterious love interest, a brave protagonist, and bitter-sweet romance, then this is the movie for you!

Below is the trailer:

6. Gone with the Wind (1939):

Gone with the Wind is a classic movie. Although it was released in 1939, the movie still seems modern in many ways. The characters, especially Scarlett O’Hara, are complex and highly-developed. It’s a very entertaining movie and seems suitable for the holidays. Gone with the Wind is tragic, sad, and bitter-sweet in all the right ways. BUT, this movie came out in 1939 and displayed many of the racist sentiments that existed (and still do). Hence, the movie is a romanticized version of history, so take it lightly.

Here’s the trailer:

7. Cronos (1993):

Cronos (1993) is a very interesting movie. Like Pan’s Labyrinth, it was directed by Guillermo Del Toro. The movie is about vampires, but the storyline is unique. The egg-shaped device renders the user to be immortal. The movie focuses on the regenerative quality insects and combines this theme with vampires.

Here’s the trailer:

8. Apocalypto (2006):

Apocalypto (2006) is an action film that features the chasing of a young hero trying to get back to his wife who is in dire straits. The movie takes place during the Aztec Empire, right before its fall. The aesthetics of the movie are quite good. If you happen to like history, action, and chases, then you should watch this movie.

Here’s the trailer:

9. Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003):

Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) is based off a book with the same name. I blogged about the movie here. The movie centers around a young Dutch-Protestant woman who becomes a maid for a Catholic family. The head of this family happens to be the famous painter Johannes Vermeer. The movie and the book are based on the painting Girl with a Pearl Earring (c.1665), also known as the Mona Lisa of the North.

Here’s the trailer:

10. An American in Paris (1951):

An American in Paris (1951) stars one of my favorite actors, Gene Kelly. I mentioned the movie in this blog post. It’s a romantic musical about a starving artist who falls in love with a French girl. It centers around a sweet romance between two lovers who have obstacles between them. There’s some sweet tap-dancing in this film.

Here’s the trailer:

GONE WITH THE WIND

In the previous post, I’d written about Vivien Leigh, her life, and her works. One of the most famous movies, if perhaps, not the MOST famous movie she has starred in is Gone with the Wind. In the following post, I’m going to analyze parts of Gone with the Wind, such as the setting and characters, and put the movie into context.

Also, I’m not going to give too much away, so if you want to know more, go see the movie!

Above is the movie poster for Gone with the Wind. The fire in the background represents the passion shared between the two main characters.

Trailer & Clips

The trailer above should provide somewhat of a summary! 

Setting & Context

Gone with the Wind takes place before, during, and after the Civil War. The story is told from the point of view of a young woman named Scarlett O’Hara. Scarlett was born privileged during the Antebellum South. The Antebellum South translates into the Pre-war South, how life was before the Civil War. Scarlett O’Hara’s character faces the challenge of dealing with the change of an old way of life into a new one.

In the movie, the Old South is depicted in a very positive way. The slaves on the plantations are shown to be happy, the plantation owners are shown to be kind, and the Yankees are shown to be cruel and savage. Real life, especially in regards to the life of the slave, was nothing like the sketched-life in Gone with the Wind.

In the movie, the idea of the Old South is met with nostalgia. Life during this time is portrayed as noble, fancy, abundant, and lavish. This may have been partly true, but real life was harsh and cruel. In order to understand the setting in Gone with the Wind, it’s important to know some key points in regards to the Antebellum South.

The Antebellum South

Above is a picture of a richer plantation house.

The economy is the Old South was primarily based on agriculture. An abundant amount of crops were grown in the South, but the main crop was cotton. Cotton was exported to New England (the north), England, and other parts of the country. In order to harvest this cotton, and feed the demand for the material, labor was required. This labor was slave labor. The South used slave labor because it was cheap, and the slaves were considered to be expendable. As you can imagine, this power dynamic of master and slave led numerous abuses and human rights violations.

The overplanting of crops began to deplete the land. What determined wealth, which determined class, was a number of slaves a master owned. Slaves were objectified and became legal property in the South. Many times they were ripped from their families and sold at auction. They were forced to work long hours, in the sticky humid air, and succumbed to sickness. Gone with the Wind doesn’t show this face of the Old South. Neither does the movie mention how the women were all too often attacked and raped by slave owners.

Gone with the Wind does show a division of status among the slaves. In the movie, there are those who work in the fields and those that work in the home. Those who worked in the home were called “domestics” and did various housekeeping duties. They were under the constant watch of their masters and had hardly any privacy. The domestic slaves usually bonded with the children, and this is shown in the movie with Scarlett’s  close relationship with her ‘mammy’.

The takeaway is that Gone with the Wind is fiction, especially in regards to the depiction of the Old South. Even though there were ‘kind’ masters, there was still an uneven power dynamic which led to many waves of abuse on human beings. The depiction of the Old South in Gone with the Wind is fictional and portrays a mythical image of the Old South that never existed in reality.

The Characters

There are the main characters and there are the supporting characters. The protagonist of the story is the high-spirited Scarlett O’Hara. The whole plot of the story revolves around her love for Ashley Wilkes, and her relationship with Rhett Butler.

Minor characters include Melanie Wilkes, mammy, and the sisters and the protagonist’s former cousins. However, the main story is formed around the dynamic between the three characters in the diagram.

 Scarlett O’Hara is a vivacious individual. She grew up privileged and was spoiled by her parents. She had a close relationship with her father, whom she was the most similar character-wise.

Above is a screen of Scarlett O’Hara looking up at Rhett Butler.

Before meeting Rhett Butler, she was already in love with the noble Ashley Wilkes, who was going to be married to his cousin Melanie Wilkes. She was very young when the movie began, and thus very naive. During the film, her mind is entirely occupied with Ashley despite the many suitors who are vying for her attention.

Her fixation on Ashley Wilkes is a naive crush. She doesn’t actually love Ashley but the fictionalized image of him that she concocted in her mind. This spells disaster for her relationship with Rhett Butler.

Rhett Butler is an interesting character. At the beginning of the movie, he is framed as a flirtatious playboy who only cares for profit. Although this isn’t entirely false, he ends up revealing a kinder and nobler side of his personality as the film progresses.

He has a lot in common with Scarlett, and he knows this. This is one of the reasons why he is intrigued with her because the both of them are similar. He is “no gentleman”, and is unlike the rest of his southern peers. Like Scarlett, he has a magnetic personality, and the opposite sex is drawn to him. However, unlike Scarlett, he is worldly and far wiser.  The war has a profound effect on him. He becomes caring, and empathetic, especially with the birth of his child Bonnie Blue Butler.

His relationship with Scarlett is a passionate one. Although he has many affairs and is able to charm many women, he stays loyal to Scarlett until tragedy tears the two apart.

Ashley Wilkes is Scarlett’s primary love interest. This is established in the first scene of the movie where she is getting ready for the barbeque. Her mind is constantly occupied with this character, even when he is married to his cousin Melanie Wilkes (cousins married, ew). Ashley is a noble, and quiet man. He is framed to be honorable, and kind. He is very much the opposite of Rhett Butler, who is rebellious and vivacious. Ashely’s character is very different from Scarlett’s. Ashely is the ideal Southern gentleman, and Rhett Butler is not. 

Ashley certainly thinks that Scarlett is attractive, and is tempted by her several times. However, he doesn’t actually love her like he loves Melanie. Scarlett carries the false belief that deep down, Ashley is in love with her. She realizes the truth about his feelings when it’s too late.

Melanie Wilkes, or Melanie Hamilton, is Scarlett’s main rival for Ashley Wilke’s affections. She is Ashley’s cousin (NASTY!) and decides to marry him when he asks for her hand. Melanie and Ashely have very similar personalities, much like Scarlett and Rhett are two of a kind. Melanie contrasts with Scarlett O’Hara’s personality in many respects. Melanie is unselfish and forgiving. Scarlett is very selfish due to her privileged upbringing.

Ashely remains loyal to Melanie throughout the entirety of the movie, and this fuels Scarlett’s jealousy towards the girl. Melanie gets the man that Scarlett has lusted yearned for. Melanie remains oblivious to Scarlett’s affections for a long time and assumes that Scarlett’s concern over Ashley’s wellbeing is harmless.

Melanie considers Scarlett to be a friend and remains her friend until the end of the movie.

>The minor characters are not going to be talked about in this blog post.

 

Final Thoughts

Gone with the Wind is a difficult movie to examine because it has so many layers. There is a lot more write about, and I might do so in later posts!

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Sources for Info in Regards to the Antebellum South:

“Conditions of Antebellum Slavery .” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2956.html.

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Vivien Leigh 🎥

I watched Gone with the Wind this past weekend for the nth time, and I’ve decided to write a brief tribute to the actress Vivien Leigh.

A Brief Biography of Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh as a young woman. 

One thing is for sure, Vivien Leigh lived an interesting life. Although she grew up with plenty of wealth, loving parents, and access to stellar education, her life was riddled with problems. Some of the facts I discovered about the actress, especially in regards to her mental health, were quite surprising.

Vivien Leigh was born with another name (like many stars are) as Vivian Mary Hartley. She grew up privileged in Darjeeling India during the British occupation. So certainly, her life wasn’t hard, to begin with, she had many resources at her disposal.

Her parents were loving and quite blessed to have such a beautiful young girl for a daughter. Vivien received plenty attention from her mother, which is very important for a young child. However, she was soon sent to a Convent School of the Sacred Heart, which enforced a strict and orderly education. Even so, Vivien still thrived and became close with the nuns who coddled her and adored her. This was no less due to her beauty. In fact, she was known to be the most attractive girl in school according to her peers.

Vivian was an intelligent girl who had many interests. She tried many things, and always was eager to learn and improve herself. Furthermore, what set her apart was her intensity. She was incredibly ambitious for a woman so young, and when she set her mind on something, she usually got it. What inspired her to want to become an actress was watching Eleonora Duse (1858-1924) and Elisabeth Bergner (1897-1986) perform on stage. From then on, her main goal in life was to become a renowned actress.

“I am going to be a great actress.” -Vivien Leigh

Vivien was well learned and cultured. She traveled and attended convent schools in Italy, France, and Germany. Soon afterward, she began pursuing her dream by attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She fell in love with a lawyer, Leigh Holman, who was 32. She was 19 years old at the time. Soon, she gave birth to her one and only child, Suzanne Farrington.

Her relationship with her daughter wasn’t the best, although she certainly loved her daughter as most parents would. Soon after she was married, she met Laurence Olivier, who was also an aspiring actor at the same time. They began dating. Laurence Olivier was also married, whose wife was expecting a child. Thus, they began a scandalous affair. However, in those days it wasn’t unusual for a married man to have a mistress. In this case, Vivien also had a man on the side.

Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh divorced their former spouses and were married in 1940. They divorced in 1960 due to marital issues. 

Vivien soon changed her name from Vivian Mary Hartley to the name everyone knows her by, Vivien Leigh.

Hence, Vivien Leigh was beginning to form an image of herself, one that would soon lift her to stardom.

Gone with the Wind (1939)

One can’t mention Vivien Leigh without mentioning Gone with the Wind. It was the highest grossing film of its time, and it was filmed in color, which was a novelty back then. After the film was released to the public, Vivien became a sensation.

Gone with the Wind was based on the romance epic of the same name. The novel was insanely popular during its time and still is. The protagonist of the novel and the movie was Scarlett O’Hara who was ambitious and fiery to a fault (a lot like the actress who played her).

Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara 

Vivien Leigh was determined to score the part but had a problem. The main problem was that she wasn’t American. The plot takes place in the Old South during the Civil War. The director intended to get an American actress to play the role of the spirited southern belle. Having a British actress play the role would be controversial, especially since many people felt an emotional connection with the book.

“Most of us have compromised with life. Those who fight for what they want will always thrill us.”-Vivien Leigh

Many actresses auditioned for the role. Many big names such as Bette Davis auditioned and were expected to get the part. The auditions were long and brutal. Retakes happened over and over, and many actresses were cut. Vivien was really the last option, and she fit the role perfectly. Her appearance and her personality fit the character to a T.

Gone with the Wind premiered on December 15, 1939. Vivien Leigh won an Academy Award for Best Actress at the young age of twenty-six.

Here’s a trailer for Gone with the Wind (if you haven’t already seen it):

Based off the book of the same name, Gone with the Wind is a romantic epic of the old south, and how that way of life was “gone with the wind” after the Civil War. 

However, all this hard-work was beginning to take a toll on both her bodily and mental health. Despite her strength of character and spirit, her health wasn’t the best.

 “I’m a Scorpio, and Scorpios eat themselves out and burn themselves up like me.” -Vivien Leigh

 She was known to have bipolar disorder; she smoked (this was the norm); she had issues with nerves; insomnia (which can contribute to depression), and a respiratory ailment which eventually led to tuberculosis. Yet, she still worked extremely hard, picking up role after role after role.

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

“Stelllllaaaaaaaaaaa!” – Stanely Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire

The first time I saw A Streetcar Named Desire was middle-school. I liked the movie and was rather shocked by Marlon Brando’s appearance.

Marlon Brando in A StreetCar Named Desire (1951) and The Godfather (1972)

Vivien won another Oscar for Best Actress for her role in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). She played the troubled Blanche DuBois, who uses her gentle nature and genteel manners to hide her troubled psyche from others. Vivien Leigh, just like with Scarlett O’Hara, also had a lot in common with the protagonist in this movie. The character was mentally troubled, just like she was, and the character also hid behind a facade, a lot like Vivien did.

Here’s a trailer for A Streetcar Named Desire: 

End of Life & Death

Following a Streetcar Named Desire, Vivien Leigh starred in several successful theater productions, which contributed to her renown as a talented actress. However, she ended up having a miscarriage in 1953 and divorced Laurence Olivier in 1960 due to marital issues. Even so, she still picked up roles in various productions.  In 1963, she earned a Tony for her role in the musical Tovarich and won a third Oscar for Ship of Fools in 1965.

While preparing for another role, she was hospitalized and died due to tuberculosis on June 8, 1967 at the age of 53.

Photograph of an older Vivien taken by Roloff Beny, 1958 

Vivien Leigh b. November 5, 1913

 

Sources:

“Vivien Leigh 2000 Biography.” YouTube, YouTube, 27 June 2017, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeaPhgKxVqQ.

“Vivien Leigh.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017.

 

 

Girl with a Pearl Earring

Girl with a Pearl Earring is three things. First, there is a painting, then a book, then finally, a movie.

I remember seeing the movie in eleventh grade. I was seventeen at the time, and the second semester was coming to an end. I was taking European History, and in the class, we learned about the Italian & Northern Renaissance, the Catholic Reformation, and all kinds of topics. My teacher really liked this movie in particular and lent me the film. I took the movie home, watched it, and loved it.

The summer of 2016, I decided to read the book and compare it with the movie. I enjoyed the book immensely. There are a lot of fine details that weren’t present in the film. But, like all films, small details could only be picked up from multiple viewings.

The painting, which inspired the book and the movie, is by Johannes Vermeer. Johannes Vermeer was very successful at manipulating light, objects, and perspective. His paintings are reflections of himself, his desires, his wants, his subconscious. His technique was painting shapes and figures with the shades first. He did this before adding the color on.

The Movie 

The movie, which is a work of historical fiction, stars Scarlett Johansson and takes place in 1664-1676. Northern Europe was highly religious during this time. The films main protagonist, Griet, was raised a protestant. The family she serves is Catholic. She is forced to get a job once her father loses his eyesight. She meets Vermeer when she begins working as a maid for his family. Eventually, she becomes his temporary assistant before her relationship with the family turns sour. 

Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003), directed by Peter Webber

The Book 

The movie is based off the book. So, the plot is basically the same. However, there is far more character development and fine details the book has that the movie does not.

Above is a photograph of my personal copy of the book. The author is Tracy Chevalier, published 1999. 

The Painting 

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer is the source of inspiration that spurred the creation of the book and the movie.

Girl with a Pearl Earring, c. 1665 by Johannes Vermeer

Nobody knows who the girl in the painting is. She looks back at the viewer with a look of innocence. The dark background is like a shadow, and it looks as if she is slowly descending into the background while being consumed. The look on her face, the dark background, her posture (which is a combination of coming & going) render the painting to be mystifying. Who is the girl? This is the question that the book and the movie are based on.

If you want to see more works by Johannes Vermeer, here’s a link to the MET  website.

—-> https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/verm/hd_verm.htm

Sources: Imdb.com & Wikipedia 

                                                                                                                                  

 

 

 

Crimson Peak & Jane Eyre

The following post isn’t intended to be a review of the two movies. 

Jane Eyre (2011) & Crimson Peak (2015)

Crimson Peak and Jane Eyre share many similarities. In the following post, I’m going to explain what makes the two so much alike. But first, it’s important to know what they’re about.

Jane Eyre (2011)

Jane Eyre (2011) is a movie based off the book of the same name. Charlotte Bronte wrote the novel 1847 during the Victorian Era in England. Many of her novels include governesses, tortured pasts. In fact, the Victorian Era in England seemed to be a time where people had a fascination with the occult and the tortured aspects of life.

The movie begins with a flashback, where the protagonist, Jane, remembers her childhood. She is dripping wet, and in shock after being stranded in the cold. After being found in a weakened state by a young bishop, she begins to have flashbacks of past events that led up to the current moment.

The film alternates between the present and the past, and finally, everything comes together in the end. Here’s the trailer for the 2011 version of the story.

As you can see from the trailer, Jane grows up being abused by her family, and throughout her education. She serves as a governess for a wealthy man in a dark and imposing castle, where there is romance, ANGST, and mystery.

Crimson Peak (2014)

As you can see from the posters above, the two movies star the same actress Mia Wasikowska. Crimson Peak was directed by Guillermo Del Toro, who has a very ornate and unique style. He directed Hellboy I&II, Cronos, Pan’s Labyrinth, among others. Here’s the trailer:

A romantic plot, a spooky mansion, a handsome lad, & a tortured past!

Similarities

The two movies share myriad of similarities. Below are a few that are the most apparent.

▨Spooky Mansions▨

 

Both Jane Eyre and Crimson Peak share this element. The mansions are where the most horrible events take place. It’s also important to note a similarity, yet a small difference. The mansion in Crimson Peak is decaying, while the mansion in Jane Eyre is old but well maintained. In the end, the mansion in Jane Eyre ends up being destroyed.

▨A mysterious love interest▨

 

Both of the movies have a mysterious love interest with a dark past. This is what leads the protagonist, who is innocent, to become enraptured by the leading man. Both of the men are sly. They have something to hide. Mr. Rochester’s intentions are not sinister like Thomas. Thomas’s primary objective for marrying Edith is to, with her eventual murder, obtain her money.

▨A naive and intelligent protagonist▨

 

Both of the main characters are highly intelligent yet naive. Despite their intelligence, they have very little experience of the world and of men. This leads them to be easily deceived. They are also prideful characters, and in being prideful, gain a false sense of security, when in reality, they’re in danger.

▨The Other Woman▨

Oh, my. The other woman. In both films, this particular character has a troubled past and a troubled mind. They’re both crazy, and they’re both romantically involved. They do not like the protagonist. Jealousy comes into play. However, they also differ in some respects.

Differences

Despite the similarities, there are differences. However, it would be safe to assume that Guillermo Del Toro was inspired by Jane Eyre.

▨Death and Murder▨

In Jane Eyre, there are no murders or violent deaths that take place. There is a stabbing, but no one is intentionally killed. Jane’s childhood friend, Helen, dies of sickness but isn’t murdered. With exception of her mother, most of the deaths that take place in Crimson Peak are highly violent. Edith’s father is killed when his skull is smashed, and Thomas’s previous wives are all murdered with the goal of obtaining their funds. Furthermore, Edith is slowly poisoned. All in all, Crimson Peak is far more violent than Jane Eyre.

▨Childhood Abuse▨

Edith lived a highly privileged childhood, was loved by her father and treated well. Jane Eyre, on the other hand, grew up privileged but was physically and verbally abused by her aunt and cousins. This leads to her eventual exodus from her childhood home, and into an institution where she gets abused yet again. Naturally, this leads her to become a stoic and serious woman.

 The Other Woman

Thomas’s other woman is actually his sister (nasty!). This isn’t the case for Mr.Rochester. His last wife wasn’t his sister, however, he was forced into marriage too young (or sooner than he would’ve liked). Eventually, his wife ended up going insane. Instead of sending her to an asylum, he decides to lock her up in the attic (still pretty cruel, IMO). Here’s the difference, Mr. Rochester has more control over the other woman, while Thomas is a puppet to his sister.

So those are some similarities between Jane Eyre and Crimson Peak! Hopefully, your interest is peaked! XD

Note: Jane Eyre (2011) was directed by Cary Fukunaga & Crimson Peak (2015) was directed by Guillermo Del Toro.

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