The Graduate

"The Graduate" remains a personal favorite. Mike Nichols cinematic masterpiece conveys the generational conflict of the time. The film contains little to no reference to the Vietnam War. Instead of focusing on political and military controversy, Nichols demonstrates the cultural isolation felt by the youth of 1960s. Nichols utilizes the camera angles to intensify the claustrophobia experiences by Ben. Ben remains a detached individual even though people constantly surround him. The film illustrates the a cutural disbelief and disconnect. The use of water emphasizes the youths function as objects. Finally, the film ends in ambiguity, a lack of moral rightness, and the realization that our hero knows not what he wants, which acts as a metaphor for the current and future generations. 

Dr. Strangelove represents a satirical black comedy. Stanley Kubrick directs a fantastically humorous film about military and political relationships. Kubrick portrays the “vanity of human wishes,” human frailty, fallibility, error, and hubris. The film suits the sensibility of the early 1960s.  One main theme is the satirizing of the Cold War through its focus on MAD.  It mocks the attitudes of American and Russian leaders. Certain leaders pushed for war but did not understand the implications regardless of who “won.” Winning would only end in mutual destruction. The detached and exuberant characteristics of the film effectively portray communication of military and political leaders during the Cold War.

Kurosawa’s “Yojimbo” illustrates the story of a masterless Samurai who strives to achieve peace in a town corrupt and violent from the influx of gambling. The film parallels the American western through characterization, plot and theme. The helpless people of the village depend on the heroic loner to reinstate peace and order. Sanjuro, the ronin, has no moral code except discipline. He isolates himself, distorts society’s values to achieve his goal, and plays with the greed of the people.  He lives as a Robin Hood esque character and establishes order out of chaos. “Yojimbo” effortlessly depicts the classic American Western in a novel and captivating way.

“Shoot the Pianist” focuses on existentialism. The film maintains the belief that life is meaningless unless the individual finds meaning.  Tuffaut’s film demonstrates the French New Wave cinema while paying tribute to classic American film noir cinema. The main character Charlie struggles with his life after the suicide of his wife. He continues on only by playing the piano, the one thing he knows how to do.  His live remains simple until he becomes involved with his brother who gets into trouble with gangsters. Charlie returns to life he once left and chaos ensues leading him to repeat the same mistakes as before. Ultimately, Charlie must find meaning in his life to continue.

Fellini’s  neorealist film “La Strada” symbolizes the individual’s struggle to find one’s person.  Gelsomina, Zampano, and the Fool react differently in their search for a purpose.  Gelsomina desires to be loved and to have a certain purpose in her life. Zampano’s emotional isolation ultimately determines his failure, which is recognized at the end. “La Strada” may be viewed as a study of human failure. Each character to means to achieve a certain goal, but the only one that comes close is the Fool. The Fool lives his life by his own terms and happily. He eventually teaches Gelsomina, who lives as child, that more to life exists then serving Zampano. Gelsomina struggles with separating from Zampano because he gives her a purpose; however, ultimately, Gelsomina realizes Zampano’s brutality when he kills the Fool.  The film functions as a study of these characters and their actions during and reactions to their lives.