Film Theatre Review Writing Process
Watch
Research - Who is the director? What has been said about the show? Key Performers?
Analyse- What is your understanding of it ? Make notes. Discuss with others. Zoom in on a particular bit you particularly liked or disliked and explain why.
Draft an outline of the review.
Examples and Evidence - to back up your opinion
Consider how the work stands out- what is the wider importance or message.
Structure
Introduction - title, release date, background info, very short summary (1 sentence)
Analysis of plot
Creative elements- dialogues, characters, colour, camera techniques, costume, mood, symbols. Do they contribute or take away from the plot.
Opinions- yours, audience, critics
Conclusion- was the film maker successful in their purpose. Will you use these ideas in the future?
That's Entertainment
West Side Story Memories
West Side Story opened on Broadway in 1957, it then became a film in 1961 directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, and was adapted in 2021 by Steven Spielberg. West Side Story Memories is a documentary made in 2003 looking back at the creation of the 1961 film.
I learnt a lot from this documentary as previously I didn't know anything about the production of the film, or about the people who created it. It particularly highlighted to me the quality of the choreography in West Side Story. The film was mostly choreographed by Jerome Robbins whose background was formally in ballet, which you can see in the elegant balletic style of the dancing mixed with American jazz and Cuban Paso Dobles. He really looked at choreography in a new way as he worked with the dancers, discovering their limits and what felt right to them, and created moves specific to their character allowing them to speak with their bodies, to convey a message. This is particularly president in the sequence 'Cool'. I also found it very interesting when they spoke about the sets on West Side Story, as every single scene is a set apart from the prologue. The some of the scenes have a realistic quality to them however the majority are quite theatrical in their appearance, which I love, and is similar to other musicals of the time period including 'Singing in the Rain'. This documentary also highlighted to me the use of colour in the film, primarily the use of harsh red which reflects the turmoil of the story, this can be seen to particular effect in the gym dance scene with the bold red walls, and also in Marias bedroom where her stain glass French doors cause patches of coloured light to be reflected all across the walls. Overall I really enjoyed this documentary, and because of it plan to look more closely at the directors and choreographers behind films that I watch as this gave me a better understanding and appreciation of the film.
Analysis of plot
Creative elements- dialogues, characters, colour, camera techniques, costume, mood, symbols. Do they contribute or take away from the plot.
Opinions- yours, audience, critics
Conclusion- was the film maker successful in their purpose. Will you use these ideas in the future?
Notes Made From the Documentary
The original film was theatrically shot whereas the new Spielberg version is hyper realistic.
Jerome Robbins
Made it feel natural that people should just start suddenly dancing by slowly adding more and more moves, like slight clicking of the fingers and moving of the shoulders.
He played around with camera angles, which was new at this time of film making, especially in musicals. He dug trenches to put the camera in, followed the dancers and use jump cuts.
He choreographed for the characters, the steps only worked for them in that moment.
He believed in working with the dancers to see if the moves worked with them.
The song 'Cool'- this really showed the dancers speaking with their body
Robert wise and Jerry Robins co directed the film
Robbins told to leave after 60 percent was done as he was taking up soo much time and money, he rehearsed everything again and again. However, Weiss brought him back for the Oscars.
Robert wise edited it also edited Citizen K
All locations are sets except from the prologue
The sets use a lot of intense red . Like the gym scene.
Maria's room French doors have coloured glass allowing colours to be reflected on the other walls
Sweet Charity
The film Sweet Charity was released in 1969 and was directed by Bob Fosse. It follows Charity, a dance hall hostess who's dream it is to escape her job and find love. You can really see Bob Fosse's dance style in the choregraphed dance routines throughout the film, with hunched shoulders, staccato moves and hats playing a prominent part. In the dance routine in the high society club the dramatic shapes created in the dance are emphasised by the costumes as they are simple and black which highlight the silhouettes of the dancers. There is also a lot of hand choreography during this dance routine which is heavily emphasised by the long white gloves worn by the dancers. During the scenes in the dance hall the dancers wear bright, bawdy colours which contrast each other, causing each dancer to stand out, however there are subtle accents of each others colours in each outfit, whether its their underskirts, or a flower adorning their dress. During the ' Big Spender sequence the glittery, tasselled and bejewelled costumes mirror the glitzy interior of the music hall making the seem part of the furniture and not real individuals, which seems to degrade the women. The glitter also reflects the song lyrics which talks about wealth. In the song 'See Me Now' Charity is posed so for a moment the chandelier looks like it is her headdress, I found this very interesting as I had never considered how furniture and interior decoration can be used as a momentary costume, this is something I will consider in the future when creating my designs. I also want to discover how to make a foldable top hat, as this would prove useful when trying to transport bulky items.
Notes
Charity wears accents of red throughout the film in every outfit, maybe reflecting her continued search for love.
Cabaret
Cabaret is a musical romance that was directed by Bob Fosse and released in 1972. It follows the story of sally, a cabaret dancer, who falls in love with two of the kit kat clubs clients, whilst the Nazi's grow in power. The film is set in 1931, and the costumes reflect this using popular styles from the 20s and early 30s. In the opening scene we can see the dancers dressed in the boyish La Garconne style which was popularised by high end designers such as Coco Chanel. Although all the dresses of the girls are different they are all tied together by the fact each have a pair of black stockings on which helps the costumes look coherent as a group and suggests the idea that they aren't allowed to be completely individual. This androgynous look is continue in Liza Minnelis costume in 'Mein Heir' where she wears a bowler hat, waistcoat, and shorts. However, these items are very fitted allowing her to still look feminine. The shorts also allow her to move easily through the choreography. Although most costumes look authentic for the time period, during the song 'Maybe this Time' we can see a 70s influence creeping in with flared trousers and a floaty tunic top, reflecting the time period it was produced in rather than set in. This is a common occurrence in many period films, especially those from the 70s and 80s.
There is a scene in the film where we continually flick to two different scenes, one of which is the Kit Kat club owner singing, and the other a man being beaten by the Nazis. These two scenes are cleverly linked together by the costume as the blood splatters on the mans shirt are reflected in the red pattern of the owners waistcoat, causing the two scenes to merge together.
Other Notes
Bob Fosses signature staccato, hunched choreography can be seen throughout accompanied by dancers dressed in black and wearing bowler hats.
Sally often wears a robe that is printed with a garish purple floral print, reflecting her bold character.
In 'Money Money' the subdued browns and blacks of her dress help highlight the jewellery, which in turn reflects the song.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Released in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was directed by and although was a flop when it was first released, due to midnight viewings, and audience participation it has now become a cult classic. The final show in the film shows the main cast all on stage together. Instead of their varied and individual costumes they were wearing at the beginning they are now all dressed identically with only their make up differing. As well as all the costumes being the same their costumes mimic Frank n Furters iconic costume from the beginning, suggesting how they are now under his control and way of thinking. The style of dress is very similar to that worn in the dance hall musicals that come before this, such as Cabaret and Sweet Charity, making the collective cast look like a Cabaret Act.
Saturday Night Fever
Directed by John Badham and released in 1978 Saturday Night Fever is set in the disco scene in Brooklyn where 19 year old Tony Manero escapes his life and thoughts of the future through dance. It covers lots of dark topics such as rape, drug abuse, and potential suicide, these stories are intertwined and act as a contrast to the party atmosphere of a 70s club. The costumes for the film were all bought from shops, this means that they really do capture the essense of the time periods clothing style. You can see this with the large lapels on shirts and jackets, high waisted bell bottomed flairs, and floaty tops. The designer hast just bought any items of clothing but evidentially thought closely about each piece and colour schemes. A bright colour red runs throughout the whole of the film, maybe hinting at the evil and danger which happens right the way through the film. We first see Tony in a bright red shirt, which makes him stand out from the crowded street, and confirms straightaway to the audience that this is the main character. Later on Tony's sister is wearing a similar hade of red, suggesting a strong relationship between the two. Similarly Stephanie wears flashes of red throughout the film, perhaps mirroring her growing relationship with Tony.
As everyone in the disco scenes match with the time period an their environment, this makes Tonys brother stand out even more when he visits the club. In this scene he is wearing a wool jacket, instead of a leather jacket like the rest of the group of boys. This emphasises the fact he is an outsider and doesn't belong in this world. I like how this simple difference in the material of his jacket really alienates him from everyone else.
All That Jazz
All That Jazz was the last film that Bob Fosse directed that looks at narrative, it was released in 1979 and marks the real start of layered narratives without distinction in film. The costume that really caught my attention in this film was the girl in white who Joe Gideon talks to whenever he is hallucinating. Her whole costume is bright white, however it involves lots of different textures and layers, which makes up for the lack of colour and draws they eye all round the costume as each piece is subtly different. The whole look is very ethereal, with the floaty net making her look not entirely solid, this makes it clear to the audience that this is a hallucination sequence. This costume subtly changes throughout the film depending on the topic that her and Joe are discussing. I cant tell whether these changes were actual changes in the fabric or just the position of the camera, lighting and what they focused on. When they were discussing his marriage it appeared as though her dress was made of lace reflecting a wedding dress, with the net like a veil. When they were watching young Joe in the Burlesque club it appeared that the woman was now only scantily dressed, covered only in sheer net. And finally at the end when Joe finally realises he is going to die we see the woman silhouetted with her arms outstretched, with her bell sleeves and full bottomed skirt she has the traditional sillouette of an angel, symbolising Joes upcoming death.
Notes
Muted quite autumnal colours when the dancers are practising, making them all work together with colour and how they move.
Bob Fosse hand clicks emphasised by gloves.
After the flight song when the dancers are only in underwear, all their under garments are wither black or white. This monochrome effect mirrors the intense light and shadows created by the lighting.
Joe Gideon wears simple black throughout.
The men in charge of the business side of the film are always dressed smartly in suits, separating them from the informally dressed dancers.
Hair
Hair is an anti war film that was first a stage show in 1968, but wasn't allowed to be released as a film until 1979, as censorship laws banned films from commenting on the Vietnam war. The costumes in this film are an array of colours, textures and patterns all thrown together and layered to create a vibrant exciting effect. There is no colour scheme evident among the hippies, instead they all show their individuality through what they were. This is unusual in group scenes as normally the costumes are made ton blend together and make the main actors stand out from the crowd, instead of everyone standing out each for a different reason. This reflects the hippie mentality of being allowed to express yourself freely in whatever manner you choose. You can really see the clothing of the time period here with flares, waistcoats and bell sleeve involved in most of the costumes. I was also impressed with the breaking down of the main characters outfits, which made them look like they really had been living on the streets, with subtle dirt marks an an air of unkemptness about each item of clothing.
One from the Heart
One from the Heart is a 1982 American musical romantic drama that follows the story of a couple who break up in order to try something new and find a more interesting partner. The whole film is et in a studio, with only one shot being filmed outside. This made the whole film very impressive as you could see all the work that had gone into every building and street. However the sets weren't perfect and you could tell where the set ended and the backdrop began in quite a few of the scenes. I really enjoyed the unconventional lighting used in each of the scenes, which appeared unnatural, and often was a combination of clashing colours, which helped silhouette the characters, added drama, and made each figure into a work of art. Also the way two stories are played out at the same time on the same set at some points in the film adds to the theatrical nature of the whole performance, and is something I've never seen done before in a film. I found it interesting how they used a thin gauze to sperate the two different places, allowing the audience to understand that the performers were in different locations, and draws the focus to each story separately. I thought the most powerful costume of the whole film was the red 'revenge' dress that she wears to meet up with her new partner. The brightness of the colour is very impactful, and could symbolise lust and anger. Also the way it hugs the figure and cuts low on the back with a large slit, makes the whole garment very dramatic, and helps convey the desires for freedom and experimentation that Franny is feeling.
Dick Tracy (1990)
Dir. Warren Beaty
The Commitments (1991)
Dir. Alan Parker
Strictly Ballroom (1992)
Dir. Baz Luhrmann
The Beekeeper of Aleppo
The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a 2019 novel by Christy Lefteri, and was adapted for stage by Miranda Cromwell, which had never been done before. The story look at the plight of refugees who travel from Aleppo in Syria to Europe during the Syrian Civil War, and is based on the author's experience over two summers volunteering in Athens at a refugee centre. The story was heart breaking and a whole world was created through simple set design and costuming. The whole thing was acted on one set however different parts of it became different things, such as the bed becoming a boat, this was an excellent technique and was very effective. The costume was essential to this performance as there were more parts than actors, meaning the costume had to completely alter the actors appearance in order to prevent confusion, this went down to the tiniest detail including adding a tiny bit of extra padding to one of the characters bum, not only did this change the shape of the actor, but also helped them feel and move like a different character.
Cunning Little Vixen
This opera was written in 1923 by Leoš Janáček completed in 1923 which was an adaptation adapted of a novella by Rudolf Těsnohlídek. I saw this performance at the Theatre Royal Nottingham performed by Opera North. This was my first time seeing an opera. I didn't enjoy the story as I thought it was very boring, and the script itself seemed to be constantly stating the obvious. I also didn't like the fact that the singing was just the same notes on repeat, which got very tedious. I felt that if they didn't sing the words then no one would go to see it all, but as its an opera its considered culture so people go and see it. However, the costumes and the set were really well done making the opera as a whole very visually speaking. I like how the set made the stage look like rolling hills, and the fact it wasn't flat meant you could see all the characters well as they were all on different levels. As well as the characters on the floor there was also two performers acting as birds suspended in rocking chairs, the clever using of suspended branches meant it looked like they were sat in the trees, and partially hid them giving the idea that they were always watching what was going on on the forest floor. The animal costumes were also very inventive with some having small little tweaks added to existing clothes to mimic an animals appearance e.g. the flaps on the dogs hat were raised up slightly to make them look more like dog ears.
Jo Jo Rabbit
Jo Jo Rabbit was released in 2020 and was directed by Taika Waititi whoes quirky directing style and humour is evident throughout the film. It follows the story of Hitler Youth cadet Jojo Betzler who firmly believes in the ideals of Nazism, and whose imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler. However, his ideals begin to crumble when he finds a Jewish girl in his house. Although this film was about war it had a very sharp and clean aesthetic to it, with pops of colour standing out from the military colour pallet, it seems very similar to the visuals in Wes Andersons films. Scarlett Johansson's costumes stood out in the film, as they often incorporated bright contrasting colours this highlighted her as the symbol of goodness and hope in these dark times. Another thing that stood out to me was was when she used a handful of coal dust smeared across her face to act as a fake beard, helping her bring her missing husband to life.
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