"Blood for Oil"

1)       "Blood for Oil" is film studies scholarship that supports its argument by thinking through metonymy.  What is metonymy and why is it important for analysis and creative practice?

Metonymy is a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else with which it is closely associated. It’s important for analysis and creative practice because it can be used to present a set of meanings to suggest a similarity between actions or events. 

2)      "Blood for Oil" studies scholarship that is new historicist in its framework.  What is new historicism and why does it matter?

New Historicism seeks to find meaning in a piece of work by considering the work within it that may contain ideas and assumptions of its historical era. It could shed light on a particular role or effect that the historical era of a work is trying to reproduce for others to see.

3)      The article begins with an analysis of the written and aural components of the film’s opening.  Why?  (This analysis carries through to the analysis of Franklin, the generator, and the chain saw itself.)

The articles begins with an analysis of the written and aural components of the film’s opening because it is the most important part of the film. The whole social and political background of the the film is established in the opening with the radio station voice narrating the current situation of the time and recent issues with grave robbers, dead bodies, oil crisis, and economical crisis. 

4)      Corporate signage figures heavily in the argument.  Why does genre matter to how we think about corporate signifiers?

Genre matters when we think about corporate signifiers because some genres could use corporate signage in a positive advertisement-type of way and other genres may use it to point out something negative about a corporation. 

Romeo and Juliet directed by Baz Lurhmann

Opening Sequence:

    The similarities between the film and the beginning pages of Prince Of Cats are that they take place in the city, it starts by introducing a group of boys, and differences in ethnicity between some of the characters. The differences between them are the division of land between both houses in the film, the film's plot is given as a general synopsis through the help of the media, and the introduction of characters are done in the beginning of the film rather than through separate acts like in the graphic novel.

    The rapid fire editing and sped-up action set the tone for a city highly dominated by scenes of chaotic violence. The opening shots of the division of city sets the scene for the upcoming action of the film. Media coverage of the civil unrest stresses how the feud between the families affects the entire city.

   The setting and culture of Lurhmann's film refers to the Italian city near water, Verona. It is a modern city near a beach and it shows civil unrest and violence, which also could be alluding to the similar civil unrest that took place in the riots in LA in 1992.

Costume Party:

   The similarities between Lurhmann's party scene and the costume party that takes place in Prince Of Cats are the scene where Tybalt expresses anger against Romeo's presence. Also, Romeo is dressed up as a clown in the graphic novel to show how he behaves in a really comical manner perhaps. While in the film he dresses up as a knight to show nobility and a person who's service is devoted to a woman or a cause. Juliet is dressed up as Wonder Woman in the graphic novel to reflect strength and an independent spirit. While in the film she was dressed as an angel to show purity and delicacy.


Father Lawrence v. The Apothecary:

   My interpretation of the presence of drugs in the play, film, and graphic novel is that it could symbolize a distortion of reality or as a source of entertainment like the drug Romeo took in the film and the drug taken by one of the Montague boys in the graphic novel. It could also symbolize something dangerous like the poison given to Romeo in the film and play as well as something medicinal like the sleeping drug, similar to anesthesia, given to Juliet.


 

Prince Of Cats

    The new setting and culture that the classical story of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is interpreted through in the graphic novel ‘Prince of Cats’ may influence those who come from the same background and share the same culture. It is, for the most part, similar characters and conflict, but with a new time period and people being portrayed. Themes like violence, love in dangerous situations, and societal rules are still present. It now has a hip-hop influence added as a story element as well as an urban setting taking place in Brooklyn during the 80s. The life of the youth is now shown through young people from different ethnic groups, modern society, and gang warfare. When there is a new interpretation of an older story it opens up new possibilities to include different aspects of a culture that could make the story even more compelling. For example, language, customs, knowledge, morals, and art could bring a more interesting element to a story that has been told or read several times. We are able to see how a story like Romeo and Juliet can be represented from Ron Wimberly’s own personal life and inspiration from living around the NY street culture in the 80s as well as through a different protagonist, Tybalt.