¶ … Paris is Burning" directed by Jennie Livingston and "Rize" directed by David LaChapelle. Specifically it will compare and contrast the two films. Both of these films revolve around alternative cultures and dance, and they show how dance can help solve problems, bring happiness, and bring people closer together.
Both of the subcultures presented in these documentaries are outside of the mainstream and the "normal" world. "Rize" portrays a dance culture that grew up in the ghettos of Los Angeles, where kids have few choices in life. They can join a gang, or not join a gang, that is about it. Tommy the Clown, a main character in "Rize," offers them an alternative. "Clowning" or "Krumping" are two types of dance that Tommy helped create, and there are large groups of kids that join clowning and krumping groups as an alternative to gangs. In fact, the movement has gained major ground in South Central Los Angeles, and it has kept hundreds or even thousands of kids off the streets and in a safe and nurturing environment. "Paris is Burning" portrays the underground gay, cross-dressing community in New York, and their dance style of "vogueing," which is a type of dance that mimics runway models and their high-fashion clothing.
Both of these films show the importance of dance in these communities. In "Rize," the young people join a clowning or krumping group, meet often to rehearse and exchange ideas, and then engage in "Battle Zones" where they compete against each other to see who is the better dancing group. This creates a huge audience for their work, and highlights their abilities. Battle Zones are shown in the film where judges rate the groups as they compete, and one took place at a large arena in LA with thousands of spectators. The dancers become involved in each other's lives and in helping others, and do not support the alternative hip-hop lifestyle that many other South Central residents adopt. For the dancers, their music...
Film: A Class Divided The documentary film A Class Divided has become a standard for exploring the origin of racial prejudice in a diverse society. Jane Elliott was a third-grade teacher in 1968 at the time of Reverend Martin Luther King's assassination. Elliott devised an exercise to conduct with her students to help them understand how racism and stereotyping emerge and are maintained in groups of people. Using eye color as
Ken Burns' Documentary: The National Parks -- America's Best Idea The reputation Ken Burns has acquired over the years is a glowing, highly lauded reputation, and for good reason. His use of history, video and well-written narrative has won awards and has entertained and informed all those who have come into contact with his documentaries. The documentary to be critiqued and reviewed in this paper is The National Parks -- America's
The way that it uses John Alpert, a therapist who consulted a great deal of important Wall Street figures, with the purpose of showing how these people were basically no different from ordinary criminals (seeing prostitutes and using cocaine) when considering the way they spent money further contributes to increasing the terror of the thought that they were in charge of the world's finances. More precisely, it provided very
(Berardinelli) Overall, the movies received lots of appreciation and did great business on the box office. Film was also shown in Iran where American films are not supposed to be shown. Film also received positive response by the critics. Most of them also felt that the movie depicted one side of point-of-view but in spite of that, it was worth watching. Fahrenheit 9/11 became the highest grossing documentary of all
From this came our insistence on the drama of the doorstep" (cited by Hardy 14-15). Grierson also notes that the early documentary filmmakers were concerned about the way the world was going and wanted to use all the tools at hand to push the public towards greater civic participation. With the success of Drifters, Grierson was able to further his ideas, but rather than directing other films, he devoted his time
Richardis a documentary film made by Al Pacino in 1996 and is based on the historical play Richard III written by William Shakespeare. Richard III remained the King of England for just two years only (1483-1485). In Richard III, Shakespeare has sketched how Machiavellian tendency of Richard III enabled him to gain power despite his brother Clarence being prior to Richard III in line of succession. Since Richard III
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