Thursday, 17 September 2009
The Streetcar Trailer- Homework
Considering the film was released in 1951 (over half a century ago!!) it's not too dissimilar from the kind of thing we're used to seeing for a modern day Hollywood blockbuster... or is it?
What do you find striking about the trailer? Is it effective in:
a) generating an interest in the film?
b) reflecting the intricate stage directions of Williams' original?
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a)
ReplyDeleteAcknowledging the fact that this trailer is over 100 years old, i ignored that fact that the trailer kept using exclamation marks!!
Anyways, all in all, I think this trailer is very effective in generating an intrest in the film. One of the main ways it does this, is the way it raises a lot of plot oppurtunities. Since it introduces two HUGE personality, it gives the audience the thought that something might happen between them. The two personalities being Blanche and Stanley. The trailer also leaves the audience feeling that something may happen between, Stanley, Blanche and Stella, maybe a love triangle or some sort of complication between the three.
b) I think the trailer also effectively reflects the intricate stage directions of William' orginal. First of all, Williams is known for his stage directions so this will be expected to feature on the trailer. You notice this straight away, as the trailer starts, you immediatly hear the piano in the background. The piano being the ''blue'' piano being played by ''brown fingers.'' Also the stage directions also potrays Stanley as the aggressive person with his body langauge. For example, when he bangs the table in frustration.
In conclusion, i think this is a very good trailer for one of being 100 years old.
ps. sorry for it being so long :D
First of all, Lol (laugh out loud) at Foysol..
ReplyDeleteOkay now down to the questions,
a)To generate interest, I also agree with Foysol, where he mentions the trailer gives away many plot storylines or ideas about how the play might turn out. I think introducing both Blanche and Stanley gives the audience something to look forward to and also allows them to acknowledge and get familiar with these to important characters. Also this allows the audience to make there own ideas about the play might turn out, for example love triangles or affairs. All these methods definately generates interest in the play.
b) I think the trailer also effectively reflects the intricate stage directions of William' orginal. Tennessee Williams was well known for his stage directions, so it is expected the play will have his stage directions in them. First of all, the 'blue piano' that was mentioned in the stage directions was heard in the background at the beginning of the trailer. Stanley is also described to be very 'agressive' in the stage directions, so during the trailer you see the agressive in Stanley eg. when he banged the table.
:D
a. the trailer starts off by telling the viewer about how successful the film was all over the world, and the two main characters Stanley and Blanche are introduced, played by two famous actors. the guy who commentates the opening also speaks really dramatically. the trailer shows some of the more dramatic scenes from the book, and there seems to be some sexual tension between stanley and blanche, but she seems to be involved with other men too, so the viewer would be interested to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteb. as foysoluddin and tanvir123_4 mentioned, tennesee williams is well know for his stage directions, so you would expect the actors to behave how willaims portrayed them in the book. for example, blanche is old but flirtatious, and stanley is aggressive and demanding, as shown in the scene where he bangs the table.
:)
Woah ,well im definatley not going to go into as much detail as the above smart asses but I'll do what i can :)
ReplyDeletea. The trailer is succcessful in generating intrest as it gives us small insights into the characters and the various storylines and themes of the film. Immediatley we are introduced to the plays protagonist Blanche who comes across quite glamorous and dramatic , she appears with a number of men which implies that she is of a flirtatious character it also makes the audience intrested to see what happens. Stanley is also introduced and the audience are immediatley wary of his charcter because of the agggresivness he puts out towards Blanche .
b. I think the trailer reflects the intricate stage directions of Williams to an extent. It is successful in setting the scene and the mood , we see the "raffish charm" of New Orleans and the dark ,poor feel of the area ( this might be the black and white trailer... ) . The stage directions talks about it being set in a "cosmopolitan" city , and that there is a "intermingling of races " but the only non- white person i see is the man who works at the train station ... This is probably due to the time of this film (1940's America ).
X
(^^All The Above^^)
ReplyDeletea)I think that the trailer immediately sparks up interest as it introduces us to the protagonist and the antagonist all at once. It sends out a strong vibe which makes the audience sense a possible aquaintance between the two. This intrigues the audience as they feel that there might be something to look forward to, making them want to keep watching (read on).
b) I think that the fact that Tennesse Williams wrote the directions with such depth meant that the actors playing such important characters had to live up to the expectations that Williams had already set for this particular scene. I feel that these characteristics have been shown within the trailer as we meet the two main characters and see that Blanche is very flirtatious and sense the manliness from Stanley.
:P
we are not 'smartasses', i do actually find that comment derogarotary but thankyou for calling me 'smart' :D
ReplyDeleteOh really , your offended by that!?... Woah .
ReplyDeleteSorry
:)
Well done peeps, keep the posts coming!
ReplyDeletemiss said 'peeps', nicee :D
ReplyDeletea)& b) the trailer is effective in generating interest as we are instantly introduced to the antagonist & protagonist. after watching the trailer i have the impression that blanche will be a promiscuous character and something might happen between her and stanley, intentionally or unintentionally. i think stanely is a very intimidating character so it would be interesting to see if stella is maybe trapped in a violent relationship and convinces her sister that she is infact in love. but at the same time i can see that stella and stanley have a strong sense of passion between then. in the trailer i think i saw two threats of rape,one with mitch and the other with stanley. the trailer makes me want to be proved wrong or right. considering that this trailer was made almost half a century ago i am impressed as it had conjured up alot of assumptions and tension.
ReplyDeletewilliams is known for his stage directions and i think this trailer has done him proud.
finally i know this has no relevance to the h/w but i think the character of blanche looks too cheap to apparently play a high class woman.
THE END :)
a)Although this film was released a long time ago, it still creates a romantic but tragetic feeling of what we would see in the movies today. As a result, this tailer immediately generates my interest as it effectively creates a dramatic atmosphere. For instance, the music in the background is very rapid. Also, we can see that Blanche is the protagonistan as she appears to be innocent. It seems that all she wants is for someone to love her. On the other hand, Stanley who is the antagonist is portayed as aggressivea nd unthoughtful. Furthermore, this trailer is effective in foreshowing what the film is about.
ReplyDeleteb) Firstly, the book 'A streetcar named desire' is a play, so its purpose is to be acted out. Therefore, I think that the film has effectively reflected the intricate stage directions of William Tennessee. For instance, the book illustrates that Blanche came on a streetcar named desire and the first thing that we see in the trailer is this. this is effective as the film is as in-depth as the book. Additionally, the aggressive actions of Stanley convey the type of character that William wanted to create.
By Chauntelle 12AS4
a)FIrstly, i was immediately struck by the trailer, because (although it is all black and white!) i found it very drawing because of all the effects used in it, considering it was made in the 1950's. It is definitely strking because it starts off with the 'blue' piano and there are a lot of clips shown from different scenes, which really helps set the scene for an audience, especially since I haven't seen the movie. All the captions throughout the trailer got slightly annoying towards the end, however they do add a positivity to the trailer and we're immediately shown the main characters. Alongside that it gives an insight into the story and I think that there's a lot of romance involved which helped narroww downn the genre type of the movie, and maybe some tragedy thrown in as well.
ReplyDeleteb) I think that the stage directions have been played well throuoghout the trailer, e.g. the blue piano, however I think that is up for question until we've watched the whole film. However, all the characters shown through the trailer are already reflecting the characters the way they were portrayed in the book itself; especially Stanley, just by his physical appearance he already matched the way Williams described him. Also, Blanche seemed just like the way Williams had descrbed her in all her white glory.
To conclude, I thought that the trailer evidently portrayed the book so far and I can't wait to see the rest of the film.
A.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the trailer is very effective in generating an interest in the film. Interest is generated through the way in which the plot has been portrayed and directed, which makes viewers form a vague idea of what the plot of the film might actually be. The vagueness of the plot is created by the order of the different scenes shown in the trailer. It allows the viewers to imaginatively explore a wide range of ‘potential’ plots. For example, glimpses of scenes are shown of Blanche (Vivien Leigh) with quite a number of different men. This might lead the viewers into assuming that Blanche was quixotic and had a handful of romantic involvements with these men. Or they may presume that Stanley’s love interest in the film is Blanche as they are exhibited as the lead roles of the film.
B.
I don’t feel that trailer has successfully reflected the intricate stage directions of Williams’ original. For example, the “cosmopolitan city” doesn’t appear to be quite as cosmopolitan as Tennessee Williams had directed it to be. Since Williams’ original was so broadly renowned, (as all the lovely “peeps” have already mentioned), the actors portraying Blanche and Stanley had to live up to the expectations set by the magnitude of Williams’ original. In my opinion they failed to do so; Blanche was depicted as somewhat of a flirtatious “gold-digger” in Williams’ original but this feature of Blanche was indistinct in the trailer.
:D
a)
ReplyDeleteWhen the trailer first begins, it suddenly creates a strong atmosphere of suspense and intrest. I think that the music adds to the trailer to make it even more striking. It sounds as if it's a climax building up and building waiting for something intriguing to happen. I like the way the narrator speaks with authority and confidence almost as if he is convincing us to watch the film as he mentions "it won the critics awards... the most revealing play ever written". This adds to making the film seem interesting because we as audeinces would want to hear about how good it is before we would like to watch it. The trailer introuduces as to two characters Blanche and Stanley. This tells us that they are the main characters and that they are linked togehter in a way that we don't know about but however Some bits foreshadow how the characters may end up. Doing this, i think kinda livened up the trailer in a way that we are eager to see more.
b)
I think that when watching the trailer we do not really get to see the intricate stage directions as William intended it to be. But However in the book William mentions how the area is a cosmopolitain city we we get the sense that it is because we see that the roads and streets are full of people walking around. it looks busy and congested. Even though the stage dirctions from the trailer are not that clear, we still see that the flat they live in is small and narrow.
Thankyou, (it took me 45mins to do this)
a)the trailer is very effective in creating an interest about the film as immediately the two main charactors are introduced, this is done in a very bold way with the sound effect. There are also captions to capure the attention of the audience and you can tell even as it starts there is going to be something interesting between the two main charactors. Also the trailer is very bold and sends a sence of need for the charactor Blanche, although she is glamorous and flirtatious she seems out of place. It also shows flashes of different scenes and therefore is effective in creating an interest.
ReplyDeleteb)Williams is very famous for his stage directions therefore it is expected to feature alot in the trailer. For example the 'blue piana' that was mentioned in the beginning of the play started off the trailer in the background, also the charactors are portrayed very well as you can tell Blanche is flirtatious and Stanly is going to be aggressive.
a)The trailer is very flourishing in generating interest in the film as the opening few seconds’ loud dramatic music starts to play in the background and then just by that you can conclude a dramatic film and storyline for the play. As Stanley and Blanche are the first two people we see on the screen in the trailer you can be sure that they are both very important and that they are both drawn towards each other in some way or another and that there will be some sort of bond between them both. I like the way the narrator speaks with influence and self-assurance almost as if he is persuading us to watch the film as he mentions “The most revealing play ever written…it won the critics awards”. This tells us the “audience” that the film is good and this makes us even more eager to watch the film because we have been lead by the trailer.
ReplyDeleteb) I think the trailer also successfully in reflecting the intricate stage directions of William' original. Tennessee Williams was well acknowledged for his stage directions, so it is expected the play will have his stage directions in them and that the characters will abide by the roles of each character and the way Williams wants them to be. And Blanche is said to be innocent but classy and she looks so when she appears out from the cloudy train station! And Stanley is said to be straight forward and aggressive and we seem him like this in the small shot of him banging his hand on the table and so Williams has conveyed the characters he wanted form the book into the play.
Yup so that’s all folks!! :P x
“A Streetcar Named Desire” is 1951 film adaptation of the play written by the noted Tennessee Williams. Taking into consideration that this film was made half a century ago, the trailer has several prominent features that are still able to generate interest in the 21st century audience towards the film. Right from the beginning the film is introduced as an epic tale, which will touch minds internationally- “A motion picture the world will talk about and remember”. To corroborate this ambitious promise, the two main characters are introduced as two remarkable personalities. The first is Blanche DuBois a fading but flirty woman, whom the narrator states “wanted so much to stay a lady”, implying controversy will concern her, whether she likes it or not. We see her interacting with the masculine and brutish Stanley throughout the trailer, and this contrast in characters implies that the film will be based around the conflict they get into. Throughout the trailer we see snippets of scenes from the play to allow a sense of familiarity and connection within the audience. Furthermore, the narrator uses powerful adjectives- “vivid, vibrant exciting story”, which helps draw the audience’s interest.
ReplyDeleteWilliams is known for her intricate stage directions, and these are played well in the trailer to an extent. The play depicts a blue piano in the background, which is also in the trailer, allowing the audience to make that connection. Furthermore the actors play their characters well, with Blanche being portrayed as an over-dramatic seductress (which is emphasized by the recurring scenes of her surrounded by men) and Stanley’s forcefulness and dominance with woman. Their clothing also reflects the description in the book, with Blanche wearing dainty dresses and carrying handkerchiefs and Stanley sporting t-shirts. However the image of a “cosmopolitan city” isn’t portrayed as effectively, with the streets appearing more crowded than an area of sophistication.
=) LALALALALALALA!!
A)I think this trailer is very effective in generating an interest in the film. When the trailer starts it creates a strong vibe because of the 'blue piano', it also gives us, the audience a hint of whats going to happen in the play. We see that Blanche and Stanley's relationship is more than we would expect them to be as Stanley's wife is Blanche's sister, we can see a strong passion of love between Blanche and Stanley which raises alot of question in our mind of whats going to happen in the play also it makes us want to continue reading the rest of the play.We are straight away introduced to the characters Blanche who plays protagonist, but we also see that she is quite flirtacious towards other mens. And Stanley the antogonist who comes across quite an aggressive and powerful character. We see this when he bangs the table and both Stella and Blanche lower their head as he gets up.
ReplyDeleteB)I think the trailer also effectively reflects the intricate stage directions of Williams original. We can already see that the characters that is protrayed in the book is equivalent to the ones in the film.
I don't know why but this trailer made me laugh... a lot.
ReplyDeletea)
The trailer is effective in generating interest in many ways.
Firstly, the music is very dramatic and daunting as it seems to build up tension and suspense. It just seems like the typical classic music you would expect to hear.
The first words you see are "A motion picture the world will talk about and remember!". This makes the play seem like the "business" as it keeps being bigged up when the narrator says "It won the critics award" etc.
The first two characters introduced are Blanche and Stanley, which gives them the status as the main characters. Acknowledging the fact this film is quite old, these characters may be seen as attractive which might also grab the viewers interest. The woman, Blanche, is portrayed as a promiscuous woman as in every scene she is seen with a different man. She is then shown in conflict with Stanley, and the viewer can gather that the play revolves around their problems and conflicts. Stanley is quite a brutal man, and the viewer is immediately interested in watching the play as they want to find out what happens to Blanche.
The trailer doesn't reveal too much or too little, and keeps the viewer eager for more.
b)
William's intricate stage directions are evident in the trailer. Every little detail and action is accurately conveyed by each character. Stanley - being the brutal, forceful man and Blanche - the innocent, promiscuous woman.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletea) The trailer immediately grabs the viewers attention with the opening music. Also, the introductory captions, such as, "The outstanding actress of out day..." is very persuasive in making the viewer want to see the movie. However, I found the commentatory very dull but concidering it was made a long time ago - it could've been much worse.
ReplyDeleteb) It is not clear if the stage directions are followed exactly but judging from the exaggerated expressions from each actor and the dramatised music; I think the play will reflect the intricate stage directions.
* sir you can kill me about the late post next english lesson, but its better late than never :D
ReplyDeletea) Considering the movie is based during 1951, it still shares similarities to what we expect in our movie trailers today. Sharing snippets of the different events, themes and characteristics this film consists of. Immediately the trailer generates an interest to the reader by the narrator stating the movie is worldwide. In addition, we are shown the romantic scenes and flaws which intrigue the reader to want to know more and ask questions to. The trailer uses the effect of sound to create an atmosphere, which creates and sets the snippets to be more suspense/romantic.
Overall, i think whether the trailer is old or new, it had still maintained to set the focus and its aim to create an interest to the viewer, introducing us to the cast and the key events and themes of the movie.
b) We arlready know that williams is known for his famous stage directions so it were inevitable that these were portrayed throughout the trailer. The actors and their characteristics have been shown just as described from the play itself. Eg: Blanche; classy, sophisticated and Stanley; the alpha male, very aggressive.
:) ciao bellas x