Aims and Context

Aims and Contexts

 - A commentary on celebrity culture and worship of stars. As well as exploring the worlds fascination with fame and the new idea of the 'American Dream'. 

- Viewing - Shown in indie cinemas / small amount of multiplex cinema's 

- Inspirations - The Bling Ring (Sofia Coppola - 2013)
                      - La Dolce Vita (Federico Fellini - 1960)
                      - To Die For (Gus Van Sant - 1995)
                      - Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe - 2000)
                      - I'm Not Crazy (William Rebein - 2015)
                      - Antiviral (Brandon Cronenberg - 2012) 
                      - Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg - 2012)
                      - Badlands (Terrence Malick - 1973)
                      - Factory Girl (George Hickenlooper - 2006)
                      - Anna Nicole (Mary Harron - 2013)

- Target Audience - Predominantly females aged 16-24, however there would be interest from male audiences    

                                  of the same age. People who are interested in celebrity and popular culture would also be  

                                  a key target audience. Indie cinema fans would also take interest due to the genre and 

                                  context. 

Title Ideas -

• The 27 Club
• Valley Girls
• 15 Minutes
• The Inner Circle
• 9021OMG
• Price of Fame
• The A List
• 5150
• Obsessed
• Hollywood Hills
• Walk of Fame

Plot Ideas - 

•  A group of celebrity worshipping teens who crave to be famous at any means and obsess over celebrity culture. Closely following the lives of 'fallen from grace' celebrities such as; Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Bynes. As well as trying to replicate their lives e.g. excessive partying, rehab,  consuming drugs and alcohol as well as getting DUI's and mugshots. There can be a character who is obsessed with achieving a certain image through plastic surgery. The film would be a statement of superficiality and the issue of desiring to achieve fame. They see the 27 club as a goal to reach in the future as this was a heavily publicised 'group' in which stars 'joined' when they passed away at 27 - Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain being examples. Wanting to show the fascination with fame as well as the new ideology of what is the American Dream. As well as showing the comparison between religious and celebrity worship and how the difference become the same.
• Tell a story of a stalker or paparazzo who is obsessed with a certain star
• Retell a Hollywood scandal such as a crime e.g. Bling Ring gang, OJ Trials, conspiracy case
• A story of a star that becomes obsessed with perfection and her portrayal in the media, leads her to utilise drugs and excessive plastic surgery to achieve perfection. 

Screenplay Influences - I shall be taking influence from American indie screenplays The Bling Ring and Whiplash.  Like The Bling Ring, I shall have a strong focus on soundtrack in order to create irony and to anchor the messages within the scene. 

Presentation Script

Presentation Script - How does Sofia Coppola create themes of alienation and misunderstanding through the use of the soundtrack as well as focussing on a post modernistic style? 

SPEAKER: My intentions for my presentation script are to showcase Sofia Coppola's distinctive auteuristic 
style, as well as how they are present within my studied films - Marie Antoinette, The Bling Ring & The Virgin Suicides. I also aim to discuss the use of soundtrack within her movies, how she uses them as a device to portray emotions and connote sympathy towards protagonists. I will also be expressing how themes within her movies to alter the tone. Finally I aim to discuss the postmodern influences present within her projects - focussing on cinematography, miss-en-scene and soundtrack to form a solid response. 

PROJECTOR: Clip from Marie Antoinette (7:59 - 11:25)(Item 1) 

SPEAKER: The feelings of misunderstanding and alienation are present within my focus film as the main protagonist of Marie Antoinette is taken from her relaxed life as an Austrian Princess, and is then thrust into the fast paced, aristocratic lifestyles of the French royal family - being met with hostility and xenophobia due to her Austrian heritage. In this clip the use of a melancholic score emphasises the desire to break out of the current situation, but also how the protagonist is isolated within the new setting - Reflective with the previous sequence where she is stripped of anything Austrian (her clothes, dog & friends) and is then placed into an alien French environment. As her projects have been universally criticised Coppola focuses on sound over dialogue "And because the film’s characters say so little, Coppola once again lets her soundtrack serve as a reminder of Marie Antoinette’s youthful recklessness and spirit, something that can be hard to remember in the midst of a more traditionally staged period piece."(item 4)

PROJECTOR: Clip from The Bling Ring (1:16:00-1:16:20) (Item 2) / Clip from The Virgin Suicides (1:05:45-1:06:00) (Item 3) / Clip from Marie Antoinette (1:01:20-1:01:32) (item 1)

SPEAKER: During this scene, Antoinette is seen to be looking out of the window of her carriage, to represent a struggle of to escape. This window gaze being a signature shot utilised by Coppola throughout her filmography; "Glass windows separate the internal from the external, while allowing those on both sides to see each other, speaking directly to Coppola’s themes of alienation and observation... They also reflect back on the person who’s doing the observing, creating a ghost image where the internal and external sublimate into a semi-opaque daydream of wishful reality." (Item 12). This use of the window shot can also act as a physical example of the character reflecting upon themselves and their actions, as the characters reflection is present in the glass. The use of the window shot in The Virgin Suicides emphasised the issues of entrapment and the feeling of being oppressed. 


PROJECTOR: Clip of Marie Antoinette (Item 1) (50:47-51:10)

SPEAKER: Isolation is also a key issue regarding the plot of Marie Antoinette. In reality, although the Queen was a heavily focussed on figure who was constantly surrounded by people, she felt alone and trapped in the confines of her role that was forced upon her. "Centering on the loneliness of being female and surrounded by a world that knows how to use you but not how to value and understand you." (Item 17). During the sequence, Marie Antoinette is shot in low key lighting which contrasts with the other aristocracy members who are shot in high key and are enjoying themselves. By shooting Antoinette in low key lighting it signifies the deeper issue of not feeling as if she belonged in her current world. The lugubrious score anchors the sombre emotions felt from the protagonist who's facial expressions mirror the detachment from the world she inhabits. This is also present in The Bling Ring, as although the characters were represented as vacuous and superficial, there is a sense of humanity and misunderstanding in the central character of Marc. Coppola openly discusses how she sympathised with Prugo's character as opposed to the other Bling Ring members, "Usually there’s a girl or a character that I connect with and see part of myself in, and in this one I didn’t. I met [Bling Ring member Nick Prugo], and I thought he was really the most sympathetic one,you could understand how he could have gotten caught up in this group and why he wanted to be a part of it because you want the excitement of feeling like you’re part of something."(Item 5) Showcasing the issues of misunderstanding and the need to be accepted, but also how Marc was an outcast of society longing to break into the 'inner circle'. Coppola has several signature styles that create her auteur, she often tackles themes of young adults not belonging and the difficulty of being an outcast in society, these themes demonstrated throughout her filmography. 

SPEAKER: Sofia Coppola's use of postmodernism in her projects enables her to establish this style as her auteur. Soundtrack acts as devices to convey emotions within the scene but also as a way to show irony or act as a voice for the characters. Postmodernism has been criticised for being style over substance, this present within Marie Antoinette's lack of historical accuracy; 'Postmodern cultural texts do not just quote other cultures, other historical moments, they actually incorporate them to the point where any sense of critical distance threatens to collapse' (item 20) suggesting that postmodernism is merely a style as opposed to creating any meaning. The following scene showcases the postmodern style that is present in Marie Antoinette due to the contemporary soundtrack within a historical drama. 

PROJECTOR: Clip from Marie Antoinette (53:29 - 55:15) (item 1) Clip from The Bling Ring (48:00 - 49:45) (item 2)

SPEAKER: I have chosen to show a scene from The Bling Ring alongside the scene from Marie Antoinette to show the Coppola's auteur and show how her style has carried through her movies. The use of photo montages alongside clips from the present emphasise the materialism and lavish lifestyle in which the characters lead. The use of a modernised 'I Want Candy' complements the visuals of the photo montage, which is laced with materialistic values by showing; shoes, jewellery and cake. In addition to this, the close up shot of Antoinette's Converse also emphasise the postmodern theme of Antoinette not belonging in that era. 'While much of the soundtrack has the classic, romantic feel that one might expect from a period piece, this conventional music is also interlaced with a liberal dose of modern pop and punk music, again suggesting, in a very postmodern way, the interchangeability of Marie’s historical setting and our own.' (item 18) This reinforcing the use of contemporary soundtrack to emphasise the misunderstanding of adolescence and to adhere to Coppola's postmodernist approach. Coppola consistency of the postmodern style was also showcased within The Bling Ring, whereby the soundtrack is used to create irony and further emphasise the superficiality of the members. Coppola stated 'I wanted the soundtrack to be in that world. I wanted it to just be obnoxious and hyper, like you’re along for the ride with these characters.' (item 6) The irony within the movie is encompassed in the following scene in which the characters sing the lyrics 'live fast, die young/ bad girls do it well' before being in a car accident. 

PROJECTOR: Clip from The Bling Ring (29:45-30:20) (Item 2)

SPEAKER: The postmodern aesthetic is further carried through from Marie Antoinette to The Bling Ring as both films are rich with materialistic values. The main contrast to The Virgin Suicides as the characters strive to live a 'normal' life free from the oppressive powers of their strict religious parents. Emphasising her dominant ideology of 'outsiders looking (and wanting) in and insiders looking (and wanting) out, imagining alternative lives.'(item 13) as well as Coppola describing her projects as 'not about being, but becoming.' (item 13). The Virgin Suicides deals with the melancholic subject of suicide, however the Lux sisters do not see suicide as a action that has severe consequences - they see it as the only way. 'Coppola’s atmosphere seems to mirror the inner workings of her characters.' (item 16) reinforcing how death seems to be the only viable option to live a greater life. This similar to The Bling Ring due to the gang believing that committing crimes against celebrities is the only way to achieve self fulfilment and achieve the lifestyle they wish to have. Sonically the film utilises a soundtrack crafted by the band Air. Band member Jean-Benoit Dunckel described his reaction to the film by stating -'I felt trapped. I think the real spirit of the soundtrack is this fascination with death and the fascination with having your spirit floating when you die and how you may suddenly feel free and liberated from earth, from all you are' (item 16). Showing a consistency of style from Coppola's auteur with using soundtrack as a tool to represent her ideas. The following scenes actively display the use of soundtrack and how it it used as a voice for the characters - physically shown by the characters playing songs down the phone to one another. Followed by the scene in which Mrs. Lisbon burns Lux' records, being symbolic of how the sisters have had their voice taken away from them - giving the girls no option other than to end their own lives. 

PROJECTOR: Clip from The Virgin Suicides (1:04:04- 1:05:40) / Clip from The Virgin Suicides (1:14:47- 1:16:23) (Item 3)

SPEAKER: In Conclusion, Sofia Coppola's distinctive auteur style is shown throughout her projects as well as choosing to create projects in which have similar themes - isolation, misunderstanding and alienation. From the Lisbon sisters to Marie Antoinette, despite dealing with characters in which come from different social backgrounds, all the characters long to break out of their current situation and live in an alternate setting to be accepted. The sonic element of Coppola's movie is the foundation, for providing a voice for characters as well as manipulating the audience into sympathising with the central characters. The soundtrack also plays huge importance due to Coppola's movies not being heavy with dialogue. Sofia Coppola has crafted postmodern creations in which remain true to her auteur style through music video esque aesthetic and contemporary music to reinforce the characters being one with popular culture - in the case of Marie Antoinette, the ability to show how Antoinette is a child of the present and not of the past. 

 

City Of God Question

What is the importance of mise-en-scene and/or sound in creating meaning and generating response in the films you have studied. 

 City of God makes symbolic reference towards the foundations that the city is built upon through using shots of bricks. By situating characters upon bricks it suggests that they are sitting upon the building blocks of the city and perhaps that they see themselves as above the city. During the scene in which the Tender Trio are discussing ways in order to make money, Lil Dice is seen to be sat upon bricks - these have huge importance due to the shots of Lil Ze' in front of a brick wall during the 1970's story arc. The position of characters also creates meaning through suggesting that Lil Dice has more power than the Tender Trio as he is sat above them on the highest point of the bricks. By positioning Lil Dice above the Tender Trio it has the connotations if a power struggle in the sense that he will become a higher power despite the disbelief by the gang - as heard through the dialogue and countless taunts at Lil Dice for trying to asset power. 

 As Rio De Janeiro is overlooked by the statue of Christ the redeemer, the religious symbolism is seen frequently throughout the text - whether this by body language of the characters, religious memorabilia or the statue itself. The religious references are made throughout the text in order to emphasise the importance religion has upon these people and how characters often seek redemption in order to escape the lifestyle they currently lead. Clipper was the only member of the Tender Trio to seek religion as a way out of the lifestyle and was redeemed by his previous criminal actions. During the scene where Knockout Neds girlfriend is raped, she is seen to be walking upon a plank of wood - the plank of wood signifying that she is walking the line. Lil Ze is seen to be blocking her from walking by standing in the stance of Christ the redeemer. She backs away and pushes past him which has connotations of needing to seek redemption in order to move on with your life. Contextually the favelas are known to be dangerous places with a high death toll therefore religion is used as a way to channel their energy and seek guidance - 100 residents die for every 100,000.

La Haine Question

The soundtrack used in 'La Haine' emphasises the themes of crime and injustice within France. During the scene whereby the camera shoots the DJ in the projects, this scene also shows the influence that Western culture has had on Europe. This evident with the DJ mixing NWA's 'Fuck The Police' and 'Non, je ne regette bien' as it directly shows the mix between both cultures. It also emphasises the overall ideologies that the people of the projects have towards France - fuck the police being a direct aim towards the corrupt police. The soundtrack acting as anchorage to a narrative theme of boredom that the civilians are experiencing but also is a metaphor for mixing cultures. 

 Televisions are used throughout La Haine as it shows the media and their side of every story - the injustice of how the media groups the people of the projects as opposed to identifying them individually. During the scene where the three main protagonists are in the shopping mall, the camera shoots constantly between the protagonists and the television. This showing the grip the media has on people. The close up of the television also showing important information regarding a death of someone from the projects which inspired Vinz to want to kill a policeman. This use of mine-en-scene also allows to act as an expression of themes throughout the film. 

Research Project

Subject/Topic of Study - Sofia Coppola 

Focus of Study - How Sofia Coppola creates sympathy, empathy and shows a detachment from reality towards      

                            protagonists. (Post Modernism Theory)

Resources - Marie Antoinette (2006) - (Hybridity)

                     The Bling Ring (2013) - (Parody/Satire)

                     The Virgin Suicides (1999) - (Hybridity) 

Books/Resources - 

Title/Question: How does Sofia Coppola create themes of alienation and misunderstanding through the use of the soundtrack as well as focussing on a post modernistic style?

Item 1 - Marie Antoinette (2006)

 I chose this film as my focus film as it explores Coppolas style of portraying themes like alienation and being misunderstood. This film details and chronicles the life of the iconic French Queen Marie Antoinette who's life was filled with chaos and controversy during her reign as a naive teenage Queen. Coppola's artistic style puts Antoinette in rich pastel scenery whilst using wide shots/establishing shots to show her alienation and loneliness - The often melancholic score used in order to reinforce the alienation combined with non-diegetic voice over styled dialogue to again reinforces her loneliness in the aristocracy. This film being the first historical fiction drama that Coppola directed and created that began her signature style in the genre but also continued her style in other genres. 

Item 2 - The Bling Ring (2013) 
 This film explores the cult of celebrity and how as a society we have become with celebrity and popular culture. The film explores the true story of The Bling Ring gang who were a group of teenagers who tracked down celebrities/their homes and then robbed them. Although the protagonists are modelled to be self important vapid teenagers, Coppola creates empathy towards them by putting blame towards society and highlights the desire to achieve fame - the modern day American Dream. The group can be seen as misunderstood due to their desire to achieve fame which is a direct repercussion of living in a tabloid saturated society. The directing style pays homage to sites like Facebook as there are elements of the film shot from webcams to show the transition in technology and the formidable grip that social networking has on teenagers. This is the second biographical drama film directed by Coppola and is inspired by the Vanity Fair article 'The Suspects Wore Louboutins' by Nancy Jo Sales. 

Item 3 - The Virgin Suicides (1999)
 I chose this as my third film as it again explored the themes of alienation and misunderstanding - but also delved into issues such as oppression and suicide. All of the sisters experience the effects of being an outcast as they are all outcasts in school due to spending their time together, but also are seen to be outcasts in society due to their strict ruling from their parents. The melancholic soundtrack contributes towards creating empathy towards the characters. The soundtrack also has huge plot importance as the mother demands that Lux burns her collection of vinyls (the music featured throughout) which acted as her only form of escapism and enjoyment other than exploring her sexuality. The soundtrack acts as an emotional manipulator in order to emphasise the taboo  issue of suicide and the pain that it inflicts. This is again a film in the drama genre that also explores the detachment from reality issue. 

Website

Item 4 - https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/1079-in-sofia-coppolas-films-music-says-what-characters/

 This article discusses the use of the soundtrack and score in Coppola films and how it the foundation for any Sofia Coppola film. The article also discusses the different styles of music that are used in Coppola films and how the soundtrack often gives the audience and insight to what the character is feeling or what they are trying to say - interestingly it says that the soundtrack in The Virgin Suicides acts as the characters voice and when it is destroyed it is symbolic of the girls losing their voice. Similarly it also emphasises the naivety and innocence of Marie Antoinette due to the use of 90's popular music in scenes in order to show her age. This relating to the post modern theory due to the contemporary soundtracks and how the lyrics often affect the tone of the movie through conveying certain emotions/themes. 

Item 5 -http://www.rookiemag.com/2013/06/sofia-coppola-interview/
 This interview discusses Coppola's choice to sympathise with protagonists - she discusses the difficulty with trying to sympathise with characters from The Bling Ring group as she believed they did not deserve any form of sympathy. However she did convey sympathy towards Nick Prugo's character as she believed he was absorbed into the group. This interview also discusses the post modern style of cinematography that Coppola has used throughout her filmography. It also discusses issues such as misunderstanding and oppression within The Virgin Suicides. This being helpful for my argument due to the discussion of sympathising with certain characters as well as how the tone of the film is dictated by the soundtrack and overriding themes. 

Item 6 - http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/9153-sofia-coppola-and-brian-reitzell/

 This article discusses the relationship that Coppola's soundtrack has to telling the story, it also discusses the importance of the soundtrack within any Sofia Coppola film - also suggesting how it has become a convention of any Coppola film. Also discussing song choices made by Coppola and her soundtrack engineer (Brian Reitzell) and how they chose songs to reflect certain characters and convey their moods. This will be used to aid my argument by discussing in depth the choices of soundtrack. As well as how the sonic element of the movie acts as an manipulation device for the audience to empathise with certain characters as opposed to others. 

Item 7 - http://www.wmagazine.com/people/celebrities/2013/06/sofia-coppola-director-the-bling-ring-with-emma-watson/
 This interview discuses themes between The Virgin Suicides and The Bling Ring and how this translated across onto the screen. It also discusses the issues related to the themes mentioned (e.g. oppression etc.) and how they are themes commonly associated with Coppola's work. The interview mentions the postmodern style of The Bling Ring and how it parodies the characters - touching upon the soundtrack by discussing irony. 

Item 8 - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jul/04/sofia-coppola-the-bling-ring-interview
 This interview with Sofia Coppola is incredibly helpful as it discusses the themes of The Bling Ring and how it relates to alienation and misunderstanding. The article also discusses misconceptions of the characters from The Bling Ring and how they can be seen as vapid/superficial - however there is a sense of sympathy you feel for them as stated by Coppola. The issues with popular and celebrity culture is also discussed and how teenagers have become absorbed within this society. This relating to post modernism through the use of creating satire out of true events, as well as the creation of the highlighted films through the use of celebrity culture and the worlds obsession with fame. 

Item 9 - http://www.macleans.ca/authors/brian-d-johnson/the-female-gaze-francis-ha-and-the-bling-ring/
 This article discusses the common themes through Coppola movies as well as commenting on the directors style of work - creating style over substance. It also mentions how there is an evident struggle is creating sympathy for the characters in The Bling Ring - this differing from her previous work. It also discusses the issues regarding the characters and Coppola's efforts to make the audience have a lack of empathy for the characters and instead emphasise the celebrity driven, vapid and self obsessed world in which the teens live in. It also mentions how Coppola's disapproval is evident in the film due to the heightened focus on superficiality however with elements of sympathy towards the character of Marc Hall. This article is useful as it directly discusses Coppola's style deconstructs the subjects for who they are and why they are that way, through this she creates empathy for perhaps the people who deserve empathy the least. I will use this when discussing the auteur theory in regards to Coppola and how she always creates empathy for protagonists through soundtrack and cinematography. 


Item 10 - http://www.empireonline.com/features/sofia-coppola-on-sofia-coppola/p5
 This article involves a one on one interview with Coppola in which she discusses her work over her career as well as discussing the graphic elements that go into the title screens - although this is perhaps irrelevant she discusses how The Bling Rings title screen is to emphasise the obnoxious lifestyles of the characters. She also mentions how the soundtrack in Marie Antoinette is contemporary which allows a more modern portrayal of the Queen but does not deposition viewers. It also mentions how although there was as struggle in sympathising with characters from The Bling Ring, she did create vast sympathy for the character of Nick Prugo (commonly commented on). She also discusses how The Virgin Suicides is aesthetic/soundtrack focussed but distances itself from 'teen movies' due to the focus on cinematography. 

Item 11 - http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9901EEDE1E31F932A15757C0A9669C8B63
 This discusses how The Virgin Suicides is a postmodern text by the use of cinematography to create a 70's style aesthetic however featuring a soundtrack by rock group Air which at the time was contemporary music therefore placing it in a more present time. It also discusses the use of the soundtrack and how it emphasises the key themes of alienation. It also mentions how Coppola's use of images and song have an aura of authenticity. As well as mentioning the bands used and how their music once was used as songs that spoke directly to the heart - emphasising the use of music for the characters voices. This article will be extremely useful for my argument due to the discussion of authenticity. 

Item 12 - https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/1076-the-virgin-suicides-is-a-window-into-sofia-coppola/
 This article explores into detail the themes presented in Coppola movies and how there are deeper meanings to all of her films. It discusses the use of windows in her films and suggests how they show a struggle between the interior and exterior worlds. It also discusses the strong emphasis on items as opposed to dialogue and instead how the mise-en-scene speaks to the audience. This article is effective as it discusses the themes of oppression, misunderstanding and isolation in Marie Antoinette as well as The Virgin Suicides & The Bling Ring. This will help me due to discussion of themes but also how cinematic styles are utilised in order to show certain connotations but also speak for the characters. This focussing on the post modernistic style that Coppola utilises through showing a division between interior & exterior and the metaphoric representation of windows. 

Item 13 - http://www.dga.org/Craft/DGAQ/All-Articles/1302-Spring-2013/Sofia-Coppola.aspx
 This interview was extremely helpful as it discusses all aspects of Coppola's work - including themes and the use of soundtrack. It also discusses how the soundtrack anchors the themes of any Coppola movie but also suggests how her work is centralised around the soundtrack. She also mentions the difference in soundtrack from The Virgin Suicides to The Bling Ring and how this allowed her to emphasise the vast difference in characters - despite the themes still being extremely similar. 


Item 14 - http://www.elle.com/culture/music/news/a18668/sofia-coppola-film-soundtracks/
 This article from fashion giant Elle discusses the use of soundtrack across Coppola's career and how the music is more ignorant than dialogue in a Coppola movie. It also mentions different songs used in her movies and the emotions the have conveyed during the scene - discussing how the soundtrack often is an acting voice of the characters. This point extremely useful for my argument due to the discussion of soundtrack and how it acts as an emotional manipulator. Again she mentions how she used the soundtrack in The Bling Ring to heighten the superficiality and often parody the teens - e.g. the 'Bad Girls' car scene. 

Item 15 - http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/25159/1/what-you-didn-t-know-about-the-virgin-suicides-soundtrack
 This article is an interview with the band Air and how their music affected the the tone of the movie. It also discusses how the creation of the soundtrack emphasised the dark theme of death. It also mentions how they altered the sound of their music to suit a darker tone for the movie whilst also acting as a voice for the teenagers. It again mentions the issues of oppression and feeling trapped which are key themes to The Virgin Suicides. This article is useful due to it being an actual first hand interview with the creators of the songs for the soundtrack, it discusses their direction of the music and how Coppola used their music to create an overriding dark tone for the movie. 


Item 16 - http://www.avclub.com/article/lets-examine-visual-aesthetic-sofia-coppolas-work-217164
 This article discusses the in-depth relationship the soundtrack has with the creation and overall delivery of the themes in Coppola movies. From discussing the ongoing battle between worlds and sub-cultures - evident in The Bling Ring. It again comments on the overall aesthetic of her movies and how she often created 'dreamscape' scenes which are the platform for the dark themes. The article also suggests how the soundtrack often suggests how the characters are trying to find themselves within the world they live in and the constant battle with misunderstanding. 

Item 17 - http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/marie-antoinette-2006
 This review argues in favour for Marie Antoinette, suggesting that the artistic and stylistic approach carefully emphasised the romanticism of the movie as well as the issues of loneliness. It directly discusses how the soundtrack has often been criticised due to contemporary pop overlay. However it does defend the use of contemporary soundtrack by suggesting that the main character of Antoinette is perhaps a teenager out of her time. It projects an understanding of initial criticisms however mainly focussing on the positive aspects of the movie, as well as the way the soundtrack and cinematography portrayed Marie Antoinette. This review possess a great argument for my presentation due to the understanding of teenage angst in a Coppola movie but also how the soundtrack acts positively for the movie as opposed to against in - in terms of being an original post modern fairytale as opposed to a recycled period piece. This complimenting the post modernism theory as a subject.


Books 

Item 18 -  Postmodern Hollywood: What's New in Film and Why it Makes Us Feel So Strange - M. Keith Booker (Page 57)
 This book directly discusses the use of music, mise-en-scene and characters within Marie Antoinette and how it is a post-modern fairytale focussing on the life of the French Queen. It also suggests that the film is merely a metaphor for celebrity culture intertwined in a historical drama. This book is also helpful as it discusses how the contemporary music effectively blurs the lines between the historical accuracy and creates an absence of romance, instead creating isolation. This source is extremely beneficial wand useful for discussing post modernism as a subject as it explores all realms of post modernism. 

Item 19 - Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction - Christopher Butler (Page 15)
 This book discusses the post modernism theory as a whole and suggests that it perhaps is only used as a style as opposed to creating any meaning. The criticism regarding creating a superficial and obnoxious appearance will work well with my argument as The Bling Ring central themes include creating a superficial environment for its audience through soundtrack and cinematography. The book also suggests that post modernism is simply a style for movies - Coppola not fitting into a single genre as she mainly creates postmodernist movies focussing on soundtrack as opposed to dialogue and character development. 

Item 20 -  Cultural Theory And Popular Culture - John Storey (Page 158)
 This book discusses how post modernism can be viewed as the death of originality and individualism. Again suggesting that postmodernism is simply a style/label as opposed to a art form. It also mentions how post modernism can be considered to be the death of culture. As well as suggesting that it is a pastiche as opposed to a parody as historical and cultural pieces are diluted to simply a showcase of style as opposed to accuracy. This relatable to Marie Antoinette as it could be argued that Coppola suffered historical accuracy for style and art direction in order to comply to her post-modern auteur style.  

Video 

Item 21 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7hJGil4jmo

 A promotional interview with actress Kirsten Dunst (Marie Antoinette) and director Sofia Coppola discussing how Dunst prepared for the role as well as how she related to Antoinette. It also discusses the New Romantics style of soundtrack and how the soundtrack evoked feeling and emphasises the select themes. But also mentioning how it was a post modern style due to the contemporary soundtrack distancing itself from a traditional period piece. 

Audio

Item 22 - The Directors Series: Sofia Coppola - DVD Empire.com's Team Video Podcast (30th January)
 This podcast discusses the atmosphere and themes in Coppola movies specifically focussing on the soundtrack and the cinematography. As well as how Coppola showcases dark themes such as suicide and how the soundtrack connotes these themes effectively in all of her films. As the main focus of a Coppola movie is the soundtrack and score - however it does discuss how she also films 'quiet' scenes and how that creates power for the themes through the absence of sound. It again discusses the contemporary soundtrack in Marie Antoinette, how it emphasises the scene as well as suiting the subject matter e.g. using the song 'I Want Candy' during the shopping scene. Again mentioning the use of silence and how it shifts the overall tone of the movie. 

The Virgin Suicide (1:20 - 7:29)
Marie Antoinette (15:23 - 24:24)

Images

Item 23 - http://cdn2.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/675x380/2013/05/sofia_coppola_.jpg
 An image of the focus auteur Sofia Coppola to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script.

Item 24 - http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/marieantoinette2006feature/assets/images/onesheet.jpg
 An image of the Marie Antoinette movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script. 

Item 25 - http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02559/bling-ring-poster_2559383c.jpg
An image of The Bling Ring movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script. 

Item 26 - http://www.impawards.com/2000/virgin_suicides_ver2.html
An image of The Virgin Suicides movie poster to provide visual stimuli for my presentation script. 

Rejected

Item - Somewhere (2010)
 I rejected this movie as there was a predominant focus upon the male gaze theory as opposed to post modernism, this movie focussed upon the boredom of an actor in the numbing Hollywood lifestyle - pop culture being a dominant theme in Coppola movies. It also showcases the issue of existential crisis that the main protagonist Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff)  is experiencing as how his daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) provides a sense of escapism for him. I chose not to use this movie as Coppola did not create any ounce of sympathy for the main protagonist due to his level of success therefore it was difficult to apply my research to this movie. Complaints regarding this movie included the repetitive nature of Coppola movies and how there was heavy influence from her previous effort Lost In Translation.

Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH4vaTKTgXw
 I rejected this as it predominantly discussed set design and sound within her other film 'Somewhere' and therefore did not apply to the chosen focus film. She also discussed her father Francis Ford Coppola as well as tips for aspiring film makers. 

Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKmBRgmFLQ0
 This was not used as it mainly discussed the screenplay as well as actors such as Emma Watson. It also discusses the original Nancy Jo Sales article and having Paris Hilton in the film. It briefly touches upon sound but this information was already discussed in Item 6. 

Item - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SR2K8ugJC4
 This interview primarily discussed her inspiration behind The Bling Ring as well as casting - rehearsal techniques were also mentioned. She did however discuss cinematography and the choice of using digital as opposed to film as it heightened the technology aspect of the film. 

Item - http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/apr/30/the-bling-ring-trashy-inaccurate
 This simply discusses the reaction and criticisms of the movie from one of the actual Bling Ring members Alexis Neiers. Therefore not having any relevance towards the question/title. 

Item - http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2006/11/fraser200611
 This had no significance to my studies as it documented the writers time on the set of Marie Antoinette as well as her experiences with Sofia Coppola. It also documented her criticisms of the sound as she did not understand the use of modern music in a period piece. 

Item - http://gandt.blogs.brynmawr.edu/web-papers/web-papers-2/its-a-mans-world-the-male-gaze-and-the-film-industry/
 Although this article does discuss the male gaze in Hollywood, briefly touching upon Coppola. it does however only discuss 'Lost In Translation' in relation to Scarlett Johansson's character and therefore was not applicable to my studies. 

American Blockbuster #2

The Lego Movie (2014)

Cost - $60 million

Cast - Chris Pratt

          Will Ferell

          Elizabeth Banks

          Will Arnett

          Nick Offerman

          Alison Brie

          Charlie Day

          Liam Neeson

          Morgan Freeman

          Channing Tatum

(All cast are top billed cast/voice actors and actresses) 

Director - Phil Lord

                 Christopher Miller

Genre - Animated-Adventure-Comedy

Box Office - $457,506,875

Production Company - Warner Bros./Lego System

Certificate - PG

Release Date - February 14th 2014 (UK) February 7th 2014 (US)

Does the cast have audience appeal?
 The cast of the movie is massive, containing mainly A list Hollywood stars like Ferell and Freeman who all widely have universal appeal. This cast provided the voices for the characters and helped the film come to life through the animation of the iconic Lego company. The large cast proved beneficial to the films success although films with all star casts generally do poorly at the box office like; 'Movie 43' or 'New Years Eve'.

Was this film popular?
 The film was incredibly popular with it's audiences, including audiences that weren't specifically targeted by the film including the teen/adult market. It has been considered to be one of the greatest animation films and delivers easily understandable comedic humour with an all star cast. The film commercially did well and went onto spawning the sequel that is scheduled for release in the near future. As expected, the concept of the film attracted audiences as opposed to the cast, as there had never been a Lego film created for the cinema - it has also gone onto inspiring more toy related films, such as the pre-production 'Barbie' movie. 

What makes this film an American Blockbuster?
 This film is considered to be an American Blockbuster due to the sheer scale of production and high budget ($60 million), the film was shown internationally and grossed over $451 million in profits. The production company that commissioned the distribution of the movie was Warner Bros. which is an established and well known production company. The movie was released on Valentines Day in the UK, which was a week before the half term holidays therefore they targeted parents that would take their children to the cinema during half term in order to keep them occupied. 

How was it marketed? 
 Lego released a range of mini figures before the films release, they also allowed fans to create a Lego model of themselves which had the possibility of being featured in the movies trailer. Posters of the characters were given to customers that bought from the Lego website, Barnes & Noble threw themed events for the films promotion. Fast food giant McDonalds released a line of holographic cups in 'Happy Meals' to target the younger demographic. A video game was eventually created during the release of the film which allowed players to play a story loosely based on the plot of 'The Lego Movie'.

Reviews
 The critics like the audience loved the film, it received a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 8.1 rating on IMDB, the film performed well commercially and with the critics which labelled it as a 'beautiful animation' - The majority of critics enjoyed the movie. 

US Independent Film #2

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

Cost - $7.5 million

Cast - Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tom Hansen) - Top Billed

          Zooey Deschanel (Summer Finn) - Top Billed

          Geoffrey Arend (Mckenzie)

          Chloe Grace Moretz (Rachel Hansen)

          Richard McGonagle (Narrator) 

Director - Marc Webb

Genre - Comedy-Drama

Box Office - $60,722,734

Production Company - Fox Searchlight Pictures

Certificate - 12A

Release Date - September 2nd 2009 (UK) August 7th 2009 (US)

Does the cast have an audience appeal?

 There is a sense of audience appeal from both of the main cast as they had both starred in a range of films. The audience grew to love the quirky acting styles of Zooey Deschanel who had previously starred in films like 'Elf' and 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy', therefore having a slight name for herself but not being an A list Hollywood actress. Joseph Gordon-Levitt had the same status as Deschanel as he was not a major Hollywood star but still had a range of films that he'd starred in, such as 'Mysterious Skin' and '10 Things I Hate About You'. The film arguably put more of a name out for the two actors who went on to starring in more known films/television series like 'The Dark Knight Rises (Gordon-Levitt) and television show 'New Girl' for Deschanel. 

Was this film popular?

 Despite being an independent film, this film reached a mass audience and was popular with audiences and critics alike. It went onto making $60,722,734 which was a $53+ million profit, the film also became a cult classic and gained a huge fan-base. The nonlinear narrative again proved popular as it didn't follow the linear typically romantic comedy, but instead chose its own path of showing the relationship between Summer and Tom. It's known as a 'sleeper hit' as it didn't have a massively successful opening or masses of promotion, but became successful over a long period of time and is now a hit. 

What makes this film independent?

 The film was an independent film due to it being filmed independently as opposed to being filmed by a major film studio, the budget was low ($7.5 million) and went onto becoming an international success. The film was designed to be more artistic as opposed to being made for profit like most Hollywood films, the artistic vision seen throughout with sets and timeframes being drawn/animations. Fox Searchlight Pictures deals with distributing independent films, therefore this being a branch from Fox Entertainment Group which distributes more mainstream movies. The film was shown at Sundance Film Festival in 2009 of which it received a standing ovation, before being nominated at the Golden Globes for Best Picture and Best Actor. 

How was it marketed?

 Zooey Deschanel is apart of the duo She & Him and recorded songs for the soundtrack, and both Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel starred in the music video for 'Why Do You Let Me Stay Here' which was recorded by She & Him. Both lead roles starred in the debut episode of Microsoft Zune and Mean Magazines 'Cinemash' where they mashed together the characters of Sid & Nancy with the (500) Days of Summer storyline. 

Reviews

 The movie received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, it went onto winning awards from major film festivals such as Hollywood Film Festival award, Satellite Award and was nominated for four Independent Spirit Awards. It was an international success and the film was placed in several "top ten films" lists as well as eventually being nominated for Golden Globe awards. The critics and audiences that viewed the movie at the festivals helped the film be widely distributed.