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Scorcese Judges Capitalism
Scorcese and the Consequences of Capitalism
The movies, Taxi Driver and Goodfellas, take on the philosophy of Capitalism.
Scorcese gives his audiences a first hand look at the toxic effects.
What is Capitalsim?
Adam Smith – the Father of Modern Capitalism
Smith’s philosophy posits that when individuals trade, they value the purchase more than the value they give in exchange for a commodity.
Carl Marx – the Anti-Capitalist
It is generally assumed that Marx was an avid reader and admirer of Smith’s work.
Marx criticized various aspects of Smith’s thought and developed them as part of his theory.
The main difference is that Smith primarily looks backward, sees that things are better than they were, and offers various reforms to improve society.
Marx looks mainly to the future and believes that the future could be so much better than the present and argues for a communist revolution.
Anti-Capitalism Goes to the Movies
Taxi Driver
A mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action. –IMDB
Year: 1976
Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle, the wayward psychopathic hero.
Bickle’s thinking is deeply rooted in Capitalism, yet he is totally unfulfilled by money.
He works long hours “anytime, anywhere” and has no problem paying thousands of dollars to an arms dealer.
The scene where his unhappy consumerism can best be seen when he strikes up a conversation with the girl at the concession stand (hits on her).
Unable to initiate a conversation, he buys his way out of the dilemma, requesting a type of candy that “lasts longer.”
He is trying to purchase an idea – something long-lasting.
Something meaningful.
Goodfellas
The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mob, covering his relationship with his wife Karen Hill and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito in the Italian-American crime syndicate. –IMDB
Year: 1990
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Nicholas PileggiMartin Scorsese
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci
Goodfellas is a movie about how Capitalism structures our labor and our compensation, even affecting our families and relationships.
The film is a comprehensive dissection of the belief that if you get the chance to have a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.
Early in the film, Scorces’ protagonists choose work that is thrilling and fun.
Something they love and love doing together.
Though probably illegal and often immoral- their joy becomes contagious, even making the viewer envious.
But, as they age, the fantasy of the Goodfellas gradually becomes a cautionary tale.
Soon the pursuit of money, respect, and belongings became all-consuming.
Reflecting an exercise of exposing events that seem fun, glamorous, and aspirational – by revealing how people who seem wholly unbound by rules end up with lives just as limited as the rest of ours.
Lorraine Bracco’s “Karen” takes us inside and outside the illegal, immoral, and violent work.
In voice-over, she tells Henry, and his friends are “just blue-collar guys, gaming the capitalist system.
In a coarse movie, the boundary between polite society and its criminal underbelly is far too blurred for a simple character.
What are your thoughts?
Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore: An Analysis
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Year: 2011
Writer:
The Movie
The 2011 animated short film, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, an allegory about the curative powers of story, won the hearts of children, adults, film festival judges, and Best Animated Short Film at the 84th Annual Academy Awards.
Directors William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg wowed audiences by synthesizing cutting-edge modern tools with traditional cinematic elements. Computer animation, miniatures, and conventional hand-drawn techniques visually bring to life the story of a man who gives his life to books.
This blog intends to examine three modes of cinematic expression in the short film: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Specifically the use of iconography, color, and composition.
Iconography
Iconography is an essential part of film and television shows, with specific visual images or symbols used to convey critical information about the story, genre, or timeframe.
When Morris Lessmore is blown out of his stasis by the inciting incident of a storm, he grabs his book while the storm blows away buildings. The iconography of the images and symbols of the storm provides visual clues to the viewer, referencing the genre, the theme, and the plot.
This story is a modern tribute to an old world. A silent film paying homage to the world of yesterday – a world in which printed books inhabited our world.
- The viewer immediately understands the significance of a storm blowing away buildings in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Our minds and hearts are taken back to 2005 and the devastation caused by the real-life Hurricane Katrina.
- Morris Lessmore’s grey suit, walking stick, and porkpie hat will remind cinephiles of the silent film actor Buster Keaton. Specifically, in the storm scene from the 1928 film Steamboat Bill, Jr.
- The storm’s visual images are also inspired by the tornado scene in the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz. Also, as the use of color (see below).
- The nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty
- The story Treasure Island
Color
A color is a powerful tool in cinematic expression. On the surface, making images dynamic, colorful, and beautiful. However, with the proper uses, color in the film tells a story. This is evident in the Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.
- Like The Wizard of Oz, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore utilizes the contrast of color and black and white as a narrative device. The black and white represent the storm’s sadness and despair.
- When the hurricane descends, the colors darken. After the storm, the color grey marks utter devastation. Morris wanders in the grey, conveying a feeling of sadness and boredom until the Lovely Lady hands him a copy of Humpty Dumpty. The color is restored, marking Morris’s newfound happiness.
- Morris himself attain color when entering his new home, the library. The people waiting in line are grey and only become colorful after borrowing books from Morris’s library. The use of color marks the significance of books in people’s lives. (Similar to the movie Pleasantville.)
Composition
The composition, the arrangement of visual elements to convey an intended message, is seen in The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.
According to Dr. Anette Hagen, “The Potential for Aesthetic Experience in a Literary App” the composition of the film and the app is minimal, conveying a world of minimalism to the viewer: less is more.
- The character Morris Lessmore is the only human character with a name.
- The character of Morris Lessmore appears in every frame of the film.
- Morris Lessmore’s life is minimal. His life involves only books. He has no family, no romance, and no ordinary life.
Conclusion
It is evident that the three modes of cinematic expression, color, composition, and iconography, found in The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, contribute to the immense pleasure of audiences of all ages and all nationalities.
Bibliography
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore: Film for Book Lovers Wins Oscar
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
(Adapted from a paper written for Cinematic Expression Course with Professor Anat Kapach)
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