Paradise Now and Then
Clay Meyers
History of Art 3901
Professor Svede
September 7, 2012
Filmmaking features can shape the viewer’s attitude toward specific elements of a film. Music, timing, camera features, setting and much more all influence the viewer’s outlook. The Battle of Algiers and Paradise Now and then both put their perspective on the struggle between two different groups and fighting techniques within the two sides. Each film takes a different approach to connect the viewer to the film. With only being exposed to twenty-six minutes of The Battle of Algiers, it was difficult to get on a personal basis with the characters. Understanding who the characters were and the reasoning for their actions was missing. Learning on how and why they started fighting was a challenge faced while watching this film. The lack of seeing relationships form and how the fighting started was a major difference compared to Paradise Now and then. During this ninety-minute production it was very clear on the relationships the characters held with one another. The roles each character played were easily connected back to the plot and helped unfold later scenes because of the apparent character attitude due to the time span of the film. The tactical plans behind the film’s attacks are showcased in very different ways. In The Battle of Algiers that attacks don’t show any planning before the actual attacks. The attacks on the street all just occur without planning. The attack upon the Palestinians is all of a car ride over to their community and a bomb explodes the building. The third attack from the Palestinians is all of three women changing their appearance to cross the border and the man creating the bomb. All that is left is the execution. Within Paradise Now and then the planning initially started nearly ten minutes into the film and wasn’t executed until eighty minutes later at the end. Since this plot takes so long to actually play out, it shows the emotions of the characters as to how
History of Art 3901
Professor Svede
September 7, 2012
Filmmaking features can shape the viewer’s attitude toward specific elements of a film. Music, timing, camera features, setting and much more all influence the viewer’s outlook. The Battle of Algiers and Paradise Now and then both put their perspective on the struggle between two different groups and fighting techniques within the two sides. Each film takes a different approach to connect the viewer to the film. With only being exposed to twenty-six minutes of The Battle of Algiers, it was difficult to get on a personal basis with the characters. Understanding who the characters were and the reasoning for their actions was missing. Learning on how and why they started fighting was a challenge faced while watching this film. The lack of seeing relationships form and how the fighting started was a major difference compared to Paradise Now and then. During this ninety-minute production it was very clear on the relationships the characters held with one another. The roles each character played were easily connected back to the plot and helped unfold later scenes because of the apparent character attitude due to the time span of the film. The tactical plans behind the film’s attacks are showcased in very different ways. In The Battle of Algiers that attacks don’t show any planning before the actual attacks. The attacks on the street all just occur without planning. The attack upon the Palestinians is all of a car ride over to their community and a bomb explodes the building. The third attack from the Palestinians is all of three women changing their appearance to cross the border and the man creating the bomb. All that is left is the execution. Within Paradise Now and then the planning initially started nearly ten minutes into the film and wasn’t executed until eighty minutes later at the end. Since this plot takes so long to actually play out, it shows the emotions of the characters as to how