Hullfire #2.5: E-readers: The Debate

Originally published: December 2011

Hullfire URL: print only

This is an article debating the pros and cons on e-books and e-readers that I co-wrote with another great Hullfire writer, Lorna Goode, commissioned by the Arts editor. It was published a while ago, and there are two reasons that I am only just publishing it here now:

1) I come across as a bitter, nostalgic Luddite. Although I am ever so slightly more against e-books than I am for them, it would have been nice to be able to write both sides of the argument rather than just one, the negative side. Or at least the article could have been written in a way in which we both engaged with each other a bit more and came to a conclusion, but as I don't have a time machine (and quite right, too! So dangerous ...) this is how it happened. That being said, I still wholeheartedly agree with everything I say here, although I am aware of many of the benefits of e-books. 

2) I don't have the positive side of the argument, so it is rather unbalanced. It was never published online, but I do have it in print somewhere. I may try to track it down and transcribe it at a later date.

In spite of these reasons, I've decided that I may as well have all of my Hullfire writing on the blog to achieve a sense of completeness (as ironic as that sounds, given reason #2). So, belatedly, here is my last remaining article for your perusal.

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Cost

Although some e-books are cheaper than physical ones (especially when it comes to hardbacks), many – bafflingly – are more expensive.  Add that to the cost of the e-reader itself and suddenly libraries, eBay and second-hand book stores are looking very attractive.

Piracy

Despite it being highly illegal, the piracy of films, music and other digital media has practically become commonplace, and now thanks to e-readers books are also becoming a target of theft.  But unlike films and music, anyone can walk into a library and pick up a book for absolutely free.  To illegally download one would just feel morally corrupt, like stealing from a charity shop.

Reading is a sensory experience

When you read a book, it isn’t just about the words on the page.  It is also about the gorgeous cover art, the smell of the pages, the satisfaction of cracking the spine on a new purchase.  Books are tangible, providing a physical experience, all of which is lost through the process of digitisation.

Loss of the personal touch

There is a certain pleasure and nostalgia in loving a particular book so much that it shows, from dog-eared pages to your name scribbled inside the front cover.  It might even be that a book was passed down to you by mum or dad, who loved it when they were a child, or leant to you by a friend insisting that ‘you just have to read this.’  When you’re finished, you affectionately place it back on the shelf where it becomes not just a form of entertainment, but an ornament and a treasure.  E-books are certainly convenient, but they will never really capture the full reading experience.

Hullfire #5: Top 5 Films for Graduates

This article was originally intended to be published in the May edition of Hullfire. For reasons I won't go into, the paper was never printed, and according to the Hullfire Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/TheHullfire) they are going to try to publish the edition online, but a print version is very unlikely. Well, it's been a month and there is still no sign of my article being published on the website, and I would like it to see the light of day fairly soon, especially seeing as it is topical to this time of year, i.e. graduation, so I am cutting out the middle man and doing it myself. So there!

This is also the part where I shamelessly plug myself. You may notice on the above mentioned Facebook page that it lists the winners of this year's HUU Media Awards, and yours truly won Best Arts Writer! I was also nominated for Dedicated Contributor. Unfortunately I didn't make it to the event, but I would have loved to go; as it was 3 days before I had 2 major coursework deadlines it really didn't seem wise. My award, a picture of which I could post if there was a demand for it (which I doubt, because I am fairly confident I have no readers!), is brilliantly homemade. Not quite an Oscar, but it'll do.

Anyway, here is the article. Enjoy!

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As the end of the academic year looms ever closer, many of you will be heading into a new and terrifying stage of your lives: graduation. If we are to believe the media, being a graduate is a fate worse than death, although it is more akin to being in a state of perpetual limbo. No longer a student, and not yet a proper grown-up with a proper grown-up job, with no idea what to do next, an existential crisis may be on the cards. Here are 5 films to show that you are not alone, and hopefully comfort and/or guide any student with, or soon to have, the graduate blues (as well as just being a list of very good films). Please be aware that this article contains mild spoilers for some of the films mentioned.

Into the Wild (2007)

Sean Penn’s Into the Wild is, for the most part, a graduate’s dream. Why be conventional and get a job after university, when you could do as the protagonist does and take off into the wilderness? Based on a true story, Christopher McCandless has the world as his oyster, but donates his savings to charity, destroys his I.D. and takes off to Alaska without telling anyone. Free among the elements and not tied down to anything, his journey is at first bliss, but soon turns sour as he realises the unforgiving harshness of nature. As much a cautionary tale as it is inspiring, the message to take away from this worst-case scenario is that it’s fine to turn to nature to find yourself, as long as you remember to leave a note.

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Though actually about a couple’s divorce and the battle for custody of their son, one of this Best Picture-winning film’s most memorable scenes is a source of inspiration for job-hunting graduates.  In a pivotal scene, Dustin Hoffman’s character has hit rock bottom: he has lost his high profile advertising job, and in order to retain custody of his son he must find a new one by the following day. In bold desperation, he interrupts an office Christmas party to pitch himself to a company, insisting, ‘This is a one day only offer ... If you really want me, you make a decision right now.’ And lo and behold, it works. It’s a risky move that without Hoffman’s earnestness and good-natured charm could well get you thrown out of an interview before you can say ‘C.V.’, but the pay-off, and Hoffman’s jubilation that leads to kissing a complete stranger, is so worthwhile that maybe, just maybe, it’s worth a shot.

Lost in Translation (2003)

This film is existential and meditative to the point that some may (inaccurately) label it as boring. Indeed, the premise is deceptively simple: Scarlett Johansson’s young graduate and newlywed meets Bill Murray’s well-worn actor in Toyko, but past this point the film is very hard to describe. All that can be said is that the brief overlapping of these two people’s lives profoundly affects them, resulting in a beautiful relationship and dealing with themes including marriage, aging, disillusionment, and loneliness.  With its bittersweet ending, Lost in Translation may not be particularly comforting, but it is exquisitely made, often very funny, and presents a highly poignant view of life that will resonate with anyone unsure of their place in the world.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

It may be from the point-of-view of a group of sentient toys, and the plot is driven by Andy starting university rather than graduating from it, but that does not stop Toy Story 3 from being any less powerful. If you grew up loving the first two Toy Story films, there is no doubt that watching the third anywhere between starting and leaving university is a particularly personal, nostalgic, and emotional experience. We do not only align ourselves with Andy, who leaves his childhood behind when he says goodbye to Woody, Buzz and pals, but also the toys themselves, who must deal with having to move on from the comfort and security of their former life. With its hopeful ending it reminds us that these things are not the end, but actually the beginning of a new life, as positive a message there can be for any new graduate.

The Graduate (1967)

No list of films about graduation would be complete without this enduring classic; it may seem a clichéd choice, but it is a cliché for a reason as the film is just as resonant today as it was in 1967. The opening credits alone perfectly capture the uncertainty and pressure that new graduates face: Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin Braddock, having just arrived back from college at his home town’s airport, stands stock still and lets himself be carried slowly along by the conveyor, unable to deal with the overwhelmingly lost feeling while others swiftly overtake him. His wide-eyed expression is one of utter terror, as if being unwillingly sent into battle, and entirely relatable as he stares ahead into the unknown abyss that is his future. Punctuated by the melancholy tones of Simon and Garfunkel’s soundtrack, there is not a more effective cinematic encapsulation of the post-graduation depression. Given the common link of Dustin Hoffman, however, it helps to think of this as a prequel to Kramer vs. Kramer, and that everything will turn out fine in the end.

Hullfire #4: 'Community': An Appreciation

Originally published: February 2012

Hullfire URL: print only

Now that the exam period is over and the last pieces of coursework are handed in, it is perhaps time to have a short period of rest and relaxation to ease us into the second semester.  Over the past few weeks it is likely that many of you have experienced the night-before panic when you realise that you haven’t learned anything and think, ‘Why on earth did I bother coming to university, anyway?’  Therefore, now that all the hard work is over why not reward yourself by trying out Community, an underrated yet brilliant American sitcom?

The basic premise of Community is that a group of misfits at various stages in life try to get through Greendale Community College, quite possibly the worst college ever.  The protagonist, Jeff, is an arrogant lawyer who faked his degree and has very little motivation other than to try to sleep with the first attractive woman he sees on his first day.  In his efforts to do so he inadvertently forms a study group of diverse characters who will become as close to him as family.  Admittedly, when put like this it does sound incredibly mediocre and not unlike any other generic sitcom, but give it the first few episodes to find its feet and Community starts to reveal its true and utterly unique identity. 

While Jeff is the lead, the most important character is a teenager with Asperger’s syndrome named Abed.  He processes the world around him through his pop culture knowledge and even seems aware that he is living in a television show.   As a result, every episode of Community breaks down the typical tropes of the sitcom genre and completely reinvents the form every week, all the while packing in more meta-humour and pop culture jokes than Family Guy, The Simpsons and South Park put together.  Because of Abed we are also given some of the show’s best episodes, including one which explores parallel universes and a Christmas episode which is in stop-motion animation and takes place entirely inside his own head.  While these are highlights, Community is just as imaginative and clever when it is completely grounded in reality, and has just as much heart as it does smug ingenuity.

Other characters include an unstable Spanish teacher who happens to be Asian, played with brilliant insanity by The Hangover’s Ken Jeong, a racist, sexist and generally awful pensioner in the form of the legendary Chevy Chase, and a monkey named after another character’s breasts, not to mention tens of amazing minor characters who could all have their own sitcoms.  There are also appearances by a number of special guest stars including Jack Black, John Goodman and Owen Wilson.

The closest comparison to Community is the short-lived British sitcom Spaced, so needless to say those who will enjoy it the most are film geeks and pop culture nerds.  It may therefore be an acquired taste, especially as it can be very surreal and self-aware.  This has turned out to be all too true, as despite hoards of loyal fans the show has been struggling in America since it began in 2009, and it is uncertain whether it will have a future.  It has had even less luck here in the UK, where the first series played on Viva with no sign of whether it will return.  Nevertheless, as one of the smartest and funniest shows currently around it is desperately worth your support and attention.  If it sounds like your cup of tea do whatever you can to get hold of the DVD, and maybe, just maybe, we can save Community.

Update: Since I first wrote this it has been confirmed that Community will air in the UK on Sony Entertainment Television starting April 10th at 10:30pm, and prospects for a fourth season are looking better than before. Fingers crossed!

Update #2: A fourth season was confirmed, to my jubilation. Until the news came out that Dan Harmon, the creator and life and soul of Community, had been fired. This is awful, horrible news which may inspire a blog post in the near future.

Discuss: will you still watch Community without Harmon? Do you think it still has the potential to be great without him? Or would you rather Community stopped on a high note rather than continued, possibly as a soulless and generic version of it's former glory? Or am I just a bitter cynic who needs to get out more and stop fretting about television? You decide.

Hullfire #3: Silence is Golden

Originally Published: February 2012

Hullfire URL: print only

It’s official: Oscar season has arrived. 

Critics’ awards and speculation about which film will be crowned king have been occurring for weeks, but the first of the major awards ceremonies, the Golden Globes, kicked off the run up to the big night on January 15^th, with the BAFTA nominations announced two days later.

The Golden Globes and BAFTAs are usually a good indicator of which films will have success at the Oscars, and this year is not likely to disappoint.  The film with the biggest chances so far is an unlikely candidate, The Artist, with 3 Golden Globe wins and 12 BAFTA nominations (the Oscar nominations themselves have not been announced at time of writing).  In a year where most of the highest grossing films have had 3D, special effects and no lack of loud noises, The Artist is very old-fashioned: a black-and-white silent film set in the early 1930s, when sound films, or ‘talkies’, were just beginning to become the norm.  The plot follows a charismatic actor of silent films struggling to cope with the change, while an up-and-coming young actress takes his place as the biggest star in Hollywood.

The Artist is truly a charming and wonderful film, made up of equal parts heart-warming romance and love letter to film history.  I challenge anyone to leave the cinema without a huge smile on their face.  It is no wonder then that everyone in the film industry is tripping over themselves to throw awards at its feet.   However, despite all of the film’s merits, some critics have expressed worry for the future of cinema if The Artist is named Best Picture at the Oscar ceremony on February 26^th.

The film business, like most industries, thrives on innovation.  Without the introduction of sound, colour and digital effects, films could not be the spectacle that they are today, and we would not have landmark films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Avatar which advance the medium.  The Artist may be a spectacle for modern audiences, as many people will have never seen a silent film, but this does not change that in its affection and nostalgia for the past it is effectively anti-innovation.  An interesting comparison to The Artist is another likely Oscar contender, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, which was released in 3D (and many would argue that it is the best use of 3D to date).  Hugo is as much a love letter to early cinema as The Artist, but with its masterful use of 3D it simultaneously celebrates cinema’s roots and advances contemporary filmmaking techniques for the better.

On the other hand, when one is faced with some of the less subtle films that come out of these innovations, the special effects heavy, loud and crashing, poke-your-eye-out 3D releases, it is very tempting to revert back to a simpler way of filmmaking.  It could even be seen that The Artist is actually extremely innovative – who could have guessed that a traditional silent film could be released in the 21^st century and have such success?  It is possibly the bravest move in Hollywood for years, and will hopefully inspire filmmakers to experiment with different forms of storytelling.

Unfortunately, The Artist will likely be an anomaly, and before long we will once again be surrounded by the likes of the new superhero flick or generic romantic-comedy.  But if The Artist does win Best Picture of 2011 and happens to start a resurgence in silent filmmaking, it will be one century backwards, two steps forward – and maybe that’s a good thing.

Hullfire #2: Sex in Art

Originally published: 15th December 2011

Hullfire URL: http://www.thehullfire.com/en/index.php/arts/546-when-the-curtains-twitch

When it comes to thinking of sexual images in art, there are certain iconic scenes which may come to mind.  Whether they are romantic (Kate Winslet’s palm pressed against the fogged-up window of a car in Titanic), comedic (a certain scene involving baked-goods in American Pie) or just downright disturbing (The Exorcist – but perhaps the less said about that the better).  Or, if you are more classically minded, then perhaps you will think of the sexual scenes on Greek ceramics, or the paintings of nudes in the work of Titian and Renoir.

Whatever the medium, be it film, television, paintings or literature, sex has been a subject of fascination in the creative world for as long as human beings have been able to write and draw.  The question is, with sex permeating our entertainment wherever possible, whether it ever transcends its sole purpose of enjoyment or appreciation to actually become believable.  We may sometimes forget, while possibly watching the entirely over-the-top sex scenes in the latest episode of True Blood, that sex is more than just erotic and pleasurable.  It can be an act of tenderness, awkwardness, biology, controversy, and even violence.  Whether art can realistically capture all of these (though not necessarily all at once) is certainly an intriguing thought.

While the filmic examples given above are clearly exaggerated in order to serve a specific purpose in their respective narratives, film (or the moving image in general) is arguably the most suited method to capture sex the most realistically.  Unlike literature and traditional art film targets more than just one of the senses, sight and sound, and most importantly it allows for the images to move in real time.  It is therefore no wonder pornography has thrived the most in this multi-sensory medium.

Pornography is an interesting case.  It is the only ‘genre’ of filmmaking where the sex is actually real, and yet it is the most unrealistic of all.  There is a big difference between something looking real and being realistic.  Obviously pornography cannot even begin to capture all of the emotions of sex, but then again that is not its intention, and it cannot be faulted for that.  It is also not intended for mass audiences in the way that cinematic releases are, like for example, 1973’s Don’t Look Now and the 1981 remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice.  The opposite to pornography, both films have sex scenes which are notorious for being so realistic that for decades viewers have speculated that the actors are actually engaging in intercourse, although this has been denied many times.   The intense realism achieved by the actors effectively conveys the passion between the characters and serves a particular purpose to the narrative of each film rather than just being gratuitous; a perfect blend of realism both in action and emotion.

In these two films, however, the emotions displayed are positive: passion, intimacy, connectivity between two people.  This is perhaps a contributing factor to their success, and although they were controversial at the time they were met with relatively little resistance from censors.  This makes us wonder what happens when a film depicts sex just as realistically, but instead of capturing the enjoyable aspects of sex it makes the audience feel uncomfortable and even forces them to face a sad reality.

One such film is last year’s Blue Valentine, in which a couple whose marriage is failing struggle to reignite their love for each other.  One scene involving cunnilingus created outcry when it caused the film to be given an NC-17 rating in the US (similar to the 18 certificate, but known as a kiss of death as it is associated with pornography and thus restricts the amount of advertising and distribution a film can get, reducing its potential box office) .  The scene in question is no more graphic than Don’t Look Now or even the average romance, leaving critics puzzled as to why it was treated so unfairly.  The censors were accused of misogyny and sexism, but it has also been suggested that they were uncomfortable with seeing sex depicted in such a bleak, disheartening and uncompromising way, as the couple’s attempts to love each other are clearly futile.  (Thankfully, after an appeal the film’s rating was eventually reduced, but interestingly it was released as a 15 in the UK without issue.)

So clearly film, and all art, is capable of depicting sex in a way which is both realistic and believable.  The problem lies in censorship boards’ skewed views of what  is and isn’t suitable for mature adults to view, but also whether audiences actually want to see it depicted this way, with both the highs – pleasure, love, erotica – and the lows – disappointment, embarrassment, failure.

Hullfire #1: Glimmers of Cinema's Potential

Originally published: 30th October 2011


Hullfire URL: http://www.thehullfire.com/en/index.php/arts/469-glimmers-of-cinemas-potential

Cannes, Sundance, Venice, New York, Hull ... What do all of these places have in common?  They are all, of course, the homes to some of the most respected film festivals in the world.  Okay, maybe Hull is a slight anomaly in this group, but it is the home of an exciting and inspiring film festival nonetheless – Glimmer 2011: The 9^th Hull International Short Film Festival.

Glimmer, despite the name, may not feature the glamour and sparkle associated with most other film festivals, but what it does do is bring to our humble city, and even our own campus, enough creativity to make up for the lack of movie stars and red carpets.  The festival, which this year ran over a weekend in early October, showcases short films by budding directors from all over the world.  Events included a 48-hour film challenge, competitions, and screenings of BAFTA nominated short films, but the highlight was a truly unique and slightly bonkers experience which kicked off the festival and took place in the university’s own Middleton Hall.

Two short films, I Married a Foley Footstep! and Hands of Hair formed a double bill by Mancunian artists Ben Gwilliam and Matt Wand.  The concept is simple but effective: a combination of newly shot and found footage are edited together and set to a soundtrack of Foley sound effects performed live by Gwilliam and Wand.  Foley is the art used in the film industry of recreating every day sounds in order to make the world of the film as realistic as possible, and requires a certain amount of ingenuity on the part of the artist. (One of the most well known examples of Foley is that the sound effect for the doors opening and closing in the original Star Trek TV series was achieved by sliding a piece of paper in and out of an envelope.) 

Gwilliam and Wand are not professional Foley artists by any means, but it is fascinating to see how they use the kinds of ordinary objects you could find under your kitchen sink to create a film soundtrack, including shaking rubber gloves to simulate the flapping of a bird’s wings, and crunching cat litter to mimic footsteps in gravel.  All of this is performed live in front of the audience as the film rolls, and is almost more intriguing than watching the films themselves.  In fact, the footage shown is not what’s important here (although it does make a brilliant point that by taking existing footage, shifting it around a bit and adding a different soundtrack can put a new twist on an old story, even changing its message entirely); the real impact that the films have is that they make one wonder where this experimental technique could fit into mainstream cinema.

At the moment the ‘big thing’ in cinema is 3D, a novelty that the studios have brought back from the dead in an attempt to tackle piracy.  By now we will all have donned the glasses at least once to see what the fuss is about, and in some cases it truly is a wonder, but the fact is that 3D has many flaws - headaches, a darker image and increased prices to name but a few.  Eventually Hollywood is going to have to find another way to wrangle us away from our computer screens.  In the last edition of Hullfire Olivia Sturrock tackled the debate of theatre vs. cinema, and what Gwilliam and Wand have done with their experiment is raise the question, ‘Why not merge them together?’  After all, their live sound performance to a pre-recorded film harkens back to the days of silent cinema when films would often be shown with a live orchestra performing the music.  It brings a certain kinetic and theatrical energy to a form of entertainment which has arguably fallen into routine.

You might ask, what’s the point in having the sound effects or music performed live at all?  In a Q&A session after the screening, Gwilliam and Wand explained that they purposefully made some of the effects out of sync, otherwise you may as well just play a pre-recording of the sounds like an ordinary film.  Admittedly, it was a little distracting to see an image of someone walking on the screen and hearing their footsteps a fraction of a second out of time, as was seeing a man waving marigolds about in your peripheral vision when you are trying to pay attention to the film. 

The precise method used here is not necessarily suited to mainstream cinema, and the idea of live sound effects and music may not be the answer to tackling piracy at all.  But what we can learn from this, and other experiments from Glimmer, is that there are alternative ways to make cinema interactive, immersive, and worth leaving the house for.  What Hollywood chooses as its next craze, we will just have to wait and see.

Update (& apology)

I know, I know. I said that I would post a new blog just a few days after the first one. The truth is, I started it, but being easily distracted and having a lot of other work to do for university, it got left behind. I actually got offered a 2 week work experience placement in the children's department of a very well-known publishing house, which is beyond exciting, so that coupled with the university commitments has left little time to do much else, which is not helped by having to miss some uni for the placement! I'm half way through the placement now, and I'm having a really great time and it's fantastic experience to go on my CV! I really was not expecting to be offered anything at all as there is such fierce competition for placements, so I'm so pleased I'm able to do this.

The blog on children's horror films will come as promised, but I may have to wait for things to settle down a bit. Then again, I have many deadlines coming up in the next few weeks and I'm sure I will be glad to have the distraction. In the meantime, I have decided to post all of the articles I've written for my uni's student newspaper, the Hullfire, here on the blog. Some of them are available to read on www.thehullfire.com, but not all of them are there and I would like to have a record online of them all. I am actually working on one now for the last issue of the year, which will also be my last ever article for the paper and I will post it here after I have sent it to the editor.

I hope you enjoy the articles, and I will try not to be away for so long again!

First blog: hello and welcome!

Well hello, my lovely reader. I assume if you are reading this then you've stumbled here by some sort of mistake. Please stick around! I promise that this will get better in time! Unless that is, you are here a few posts down the line and I have somehow become immensely popular, in which case, fantastic! I really hope that happens. More realistically, I believe that I have no readers and will probably always have none, or very few, and I feel rather like a person shouting down a long, dark, and empty tunnel, with only feeble echoes as responses. I refuse for this to be the situation, however, and I will endeavour to make this blog at least mildly interesting and try to attract a few lone wanderers.

I have started this blog after the advice of a friend of my dad. Apparently every graduate and their mother has one, and I don't want to scupper my chances of ever finding an interesting job just because I keep all my thoughts inside my head rather than out. So, I'm using this as an outlet to EXPRESS MYSELF (I like capital letters - this is something you are going to have to bear with if you are to be my loyal reader) and talk about things I'm interested in - namely, films, TV, books, that sort of thing. I love entertainment and to be entertained, hence why I have spent the last 3-and-a-bit years at university studying English and Film (undergrad) and Popular Culture (postgrad), have IMDb as my homepage and check slashfilm.com several times a day. So here I might post reviews of films or books, discuss issues or rant about things to do with the entertainment industry, or talk about things coming up that I'm excited about. Basically, this will be all the things I long to talk about in real life, but no one else around me cares about.

I feel like I should explain/apologise for the name of this blog briefly. If you have ever created a blog before you might know the feeling of having to think of a name for it. It is not an easy task. It needs to be something that people will want to click on, that says something about you and the blog, be original, and not sound stupid. I'm not sure if I have succeeded in all of these criteria, and as such I'm starting to wonder if the name of this blog is any good after all, but it is at least marginally better than some of the other ideas I had. I wanted to call it 'Cat thinks ...', but this was taken. As was 'Catherine thinks', 'Cat's thought cloud' and many other variations on that theme. It is probably for the best that I couldn't choose any of those. So, trying to be witty I came up with CineFeline - a riff on cinephile, a person who loves film, and including a reference to my nickname, Cat. I thought it was rather ingenious at the time, now I'm not so sure if it just sounds really cheesy. But hey, at least it's original.

I will aim to make a new pot in the next few days. Most likely it will be on the theme of children's horror films and books, as this is what my MA dissertation, which I'm working on now, is about. Until then, goodbye, and please come back!