Both videos are of the beginning of Great Expectations, where Pip meets the convict and is ordered to retrieve him food. Both videos are set in forested area, using real-live action actors, and follow the storyline of the book closely.
The first video was made my children for a school project. It was filmed by a shaky camera, and actors that did not portray Dicken’s characters precisely (for example Pip is not Asian). In this version it was evident that it was filmed in a modern home (piano and carpeted floor visible). The dialogue was exactly what was spoken in the book, although it may not have been spoken in the manner of the real characters (e.g. no accent).
The second video was a lot more professional, with different-angled cameras and lots of scenery ken crops, which in a way was representative of the much description that Pip used in the book. This was not evident in the earlier book. The second video was more dramatic, but the order of scenes was somewhat different from the book, such as Pip being punished by Mrs. Joe before he had come into contact with the convict.
by: The_Real_Allan
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Kate Oyston's Assignment 2
Film Comparison:
The first version stayed closer to the text, using that as the script as opposed to adapting it like the second version did. While this does keep the dialogue more similar to that in the book, the disadvantage is that it doesn’t develop the characters as well. So much of what we learn about the characters in the novel comes from Pip’s descriptions of them. However, obviously it’s not possible to have the descriptions in a film version. Therefore, I think it’s better to adapt the script to convey in dialogue what is usually said in Pip’s thoughts in the novel. So I thought the second version developed characters better by changing the dialogue. That being said, I liked how the first version kept the action the same as in the novel. The second version completely changed the encounter between the convict and Pip, and I found it confusing. That initial encounter, and how polite Pip is during it, speaks to his character. By taking out that encounter, they lost the chance to establish Pip as the endearing young boy from the beginning. I think if the two versions were combined, taking the script from the second and putting it with the action from the first, it would be perfect.
Reflection:
Having seen the film versions, I think I have a lot more sympathy for Pip. In particular, I thought the beginning of the second version, when Pip is running away from the convict, made me feel bad for the poor little boy with no parents scared of the criminal who was chasing him. My pity increased as his sister bullied him, and made him feel guilty for the fact that she’s had to raise him, as if that were his fault. Also, how bossy Mrs. Joe was in the first version made me appreciate that Joe has to put up with this grumpy woman every day. I think seeing the character, and having a vision of what he looks like and how young it is, makes you sympathize with him more because it humanizes him.
KARISHMA
I think the first version of Great Expectations does a good job of being true to the text. Most of the dialogue is very memorable and straight from the book. I think the second version takes more artistic freedom with the way in which it portrays the events e.g. Pip's first meeting with the convict is shown after he returns home to Mr and Mrs. Joe. I think the 2nd one is more about adapting Great Expectations for film, whereas the first one is the book as a film. I thought the Pips were similar in both versions- the sense of fear, innocence and naivity was present throughout. For e.g. Pip's face when he takes the bread in the first version is akin to Pip's face in the 2nd version as he dangles from the convict's arms. Joe in the first version seems less passive and more loud about his opinion, for e.g. at dinner he tells Pip to not stick the bread in his pants, and that he is his "best friend". But in the 2nd version, Joe cannot get a word in edgewise and even I was rather intimidated by Mrs. Joe's aggressive antics.
I think the 2nd version really changed my interpretation of Mrs. Joe. She seemed very scary and menacing but my sense of her was that she wasn't so scary but more intimidating. She seemed vindictive with the way she stared at Pip with her eyes full of hate, but I always thought of her as a sister and a wife who perhaps whined and complained and was short-tempered, but at the end of the day, still had some feelings of care and compassion. This was a more harsher version of Mrs. Joe but I understand where it's coming from. I think my understanding of the book has changed because seeing the story brought to life really helps me visually.
-Karishma
I think the first version of Great Expectations does a good job of being true to the text. Most of the dialogue is very memorable and straight from the book. I think the second version takes more artistic freedom with the way in which it portrays the events e.g. Pip's first meeting with the convict is shown after he returns home to Mr and Mrs. Joe. I think the 2nd one is more about adapting Great Expectations for film, whereas the first one is the book as a film. I thought the Pips were similar in both versions- the sense of fear, innocence and naivity was present throughout. For e.g. Pip's face when he takes the bread in the first version is akin to Pip's face in the 2nd version as he dangles from the convict's arms. Joe in the first version seems less passive and more loud about his opinion, for e.g. at dinner he tells Pip to not stick the bread in his pants, and that he is his "best friend". But in the 2nd version, Joe cannot get a word in edgewise and even I was rather intimidated by Mrs. Joe's aggressive antics.
I think the 2nd version really changed my interpretation of Mrs. Joe. She seemed very scary and menacing but my sense of her was that she wasn't so scary but more intimidating. She seemed vindictive with the way she stared at Pip with her eyes full of hate, but I always thought of her as a sister and a wife who perhaps whined and complained and was short-tempered, but at the end of the day, still had some feelings of care and compassion. This was a more harsher version of Mrs. Joe but I understand where it's coming from. I think my understanding of the book has changed because seeing the story brought to life really helps me visually.
-Karishma
Great Expectations Films
Jason Ngo
Both versions present the same material, but the main difference is that the order in which the events occurred were different. The first version was not produced by professionals and consequently, the actors' lines were identical to the novel. On the other hand, the second version presented the convict's actions in a flashback. Although this choice is unique, the director aimed to show that Pip's mind was in total chaos. Another similarity are the surroundings in which the films were filmed at. Although the first version clearly had a limited budget, the audience gets a feel that the environments are what Dickens inteded it to be, such as the graveyard and Pip's house.
Reflection
After watching both of these films, I have a new perception of Pip. In the first version, I had the impression that Pip was not worried about his meeting with the convict. On the contrary, Pip's meeting with the convict in the second version impacted his life to the point where he would have nightmares thinking about his encounter. Also, I had the feeling that the graveyard had a more sinister atmosphere after reading the text. However, the second version does not have that "spooky" atmosphere.
At first, I thought he would be younger and more innocent-like, but
Both versions present the same material, but the main difference is that the order in which the events occurred were different. The first version was not produced by professionals and consequently, the actors' lines were identical to the novel. On the other hand, the second version presented the convict's actions in a flashback. Although this choice is unique, the director aimed to show that Pip's mind was in total chaos. Another similarity are the surroundings in which the films were filmed at. Although the first version clearly had a limited budget, the audience gets a feel that the environments are what Dickens inteded it to be, such as the graveyard and Pip's house.
Reflection
After watching both of these films, I have a new perception of Pip. In the first version, I had the impression that Pip was not worried about his meeting with the convict. On the contrary, Pip's meeting with the convict in the second version impacted his life to the point where he would have nightmares thinking about his encounter. Also, I had the feeling that the graveyard had a more sinister atmosphere after reading the text. However, the second version does not have that "spooky" atmosphere.
At first, I thought he would be younger and more innocent-like, but
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Gender Research Assignment
The Effect Class Has on Gender Roles
Class division was really a division of power and money. Women in positions of higher status had much greater power, authority and influence than those who did not share those positions. The classes were divided as follows:
Upper Class
Middle Class
Working Class
Under Class (impoverished)
Belonging to the upper classes, the highest being nobility, royalty (e.g. the Queen) women were challenging stereotypes of their role as the homemaker and took on positions of great power and responsibility. Whereas women in the lower classes worked at a very domestic level; as maids, washerwomen and seamstresses. Gender roles were often challenged by women in the higher classes but arguably, reinforced by those in the lower positions of society who had no other option.
Conventions Around Gender
Women were expected to be housewives and bear children. The woman was supposed to manage the houeshold, delegate its servants, and possessed the job for taking care of sick family members. Attributes that women looked for in Victorian times included a good temper, compassion, and neatness. Fine motor skills were very important to the mistress of the household. Women could be emplyoed in factories or in the garment industry, but often did not work in subjects such as law or medicine. Women were typically educated in the arts and French.
Status of Women in the Victorian Era
Women were seen as "pure and clean" and consequently, they were not used for physical exertion. A women's role in Victorian society is to improve the lives of others through the development of healthcare, education, and social services. For instance, women were expected to tend the house, such as delegating tasks to the servants. Similarly in the late 1800's, women were still thought of as "pure and clean" and they were commonly employed as nurses and typists. However, women were treated ad second-class citizens sinc they were denied the rights to vote.
Works Consulted
" Victorian Women -- Social and Economic Status: Class and Occupation." The Victorian Web: An Overview. 29 Oct. 2009 <http://www.victorianweb.org/gender/femeconov.html>.
"Women in the Victorian era." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 23 Oct 2009, 09:48 UTC. 29 Oct 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Women_in_the_Victorian_era&oldid=321546575>.
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