Essay on Opium Wars - 1685 Words

Drugs have been around for hundreds of years and it modifies normal body functions depending on the drug. During the 19th century, the Chinese had become a victim under the dangerous drug of Opium. When opium was first introduce in China it was like any other drug, addictive and harmful to the human body but the Chinese weren’t aware of the opium negative effects. Opium the narcotic drug is derived of from immature seed pods of poppy plants. Opium was used for pain relieving, it was one of the first drugs able to relieve pain before morphine was invented, and morphine is safer drug then opium and they both came from the same plant. Before the opium war, foreign trade to Western countries was limited and strictly controlled by the†¦show more content†¦Strong economy is very important for every nation, especially in periods of conflicts happening, and with a strong economy countries can support their own military by buying more weapons for better war results. China†™s defeat isn’t just from lack of technology into military but it’s also the insufficient funds to their military. A nation’s military superiority is usually determined by how much the nation is willing to spend on its military; we still see today the superpower of the world like United States is known for its dominating military but their expenditure on military is extremely high which forces their nation in debt. But China is exactly opposite of the modern United States, when they do have money to spend, these money won’t be used effectively and investing into dead-end ancient weapons like bows and spears. Another misuse of spending for the Chinese government is that they spend too much money on arts and instead on their growing fine good’s production prospering China a lot during the Opium wars. Though China isolates them away from the rest of the world it does keep a steady economy and the Opium wars triggered an economical boom in China whic h they will slowly prosper. With the treaty of five ports, it welcomes British merchants to do trades with the Chinese and actually benefit both sides. While British are only interest in certainShow MoreRelatedOpium War769 Words   |  4 PagesOpium War There were two Opium Wars. The first one was from 1839-1842. This war was fought between China and Britain. This war was fought over the two not seeing eye to eye on a lot of things. The second Opium War was from 1856-1860. In this war the British forces fought toward the legalization of the Opium trade. The reason they did this was to be able to expand coolie trace, to be able to open all of China to British merchants, and also to be able to expand foreign imports from internat transitRead MoreOpium Wars1177 Words   |  5 PagesOpium Wars and They Changed China In the early eighteen hundreds, Britain and other European countries demanded more and more Chinese commodities, especially tea and silk. However, only the port in Canton was opened to foreign countries, and Chinese would not take any other form of payments besides silver. The desire to make China into a free market that foreigners have more access to and the increasing, though illegal, European opium import to China eventually created tension between the EuropeanRead MoreThe Opium War Essay2802 Words   |  12 Pagesof history which experienced wars, collapses, failures and successes. The Opium War in the year 1839 and 1856 marked the changing point of China’s trade policy with foreigners, especially with British in opium and tea. China changed from getting tributes to being forced to sign the Nanjing Treaty and Tianjing Treaty with British and French. Due to China’s over confidence and unwelcome attitude toward foreigners and opium, it caused the British to declare the Opium War to China which made ChineseRead More opium war Essay462 Words   |  2 Pages The Opium War was a war fought by two countries Great Britain and china in 1839. The war was fought over the drug opium which was used by the Chinese for hundreds of year to relieve pain. opium is a habit forming narcotic made from the poppy plant. In the late 1700’s the British was smuggling the drug into China for non-medical use. The navies of the two countries mostly fought the battles of the opium war at sea. Within three years the Chinese’s old ships were simply no matches for the brandRead MoreEssay on Opium Wars in China852 Words   |  4 PagesOpium Wars in China The Opium Wars were a series of three wars between the Chinese and the British; primarily fought in regard to the illegal trade of opium in China during the 19th century. They manifested the conflicting natures of both nations and demonstrated China’s misconceptions of its own superiority. The Opium Wars resulted in the humiliating defeat of the Chinese to a country they considered to be â€Å"barbarians†. There were many problems with the system of trade in China; even beforeRead MoreAnti Opium Movement, Opium War And Their Causes2510 Words   |  11 PagesJoel Palhegyi Final Paper Anti-Opium Movement, Opium War and Their Causes The main theme of 19th century was the imperialism expansion of western capitalistic industrial nations throughout the whole world. During this process, the conflicts between occidental imperialism powers and oriental countries never stopped. The First Opium War, well known as the Opium War, was the war that happened during September, 1839 to Autumn, 1842, between China and Britain. The war was initiated by the conflictsRead MoreThe Opium Wars Of The 19th Century1110 Words   |  5 PagesJordyn Saito Pacific Basin Prof. Dongyoun Hwang 12/3/16 The Opium Wars Imperial China was one of the greatest civilizations. It was leading in its inventions, trading routes, and craftsmanship. Beginning in 221 BC, it lasted up till the final Qing Dynasty. It’s downfall can be attributed to the introduction of the drug, opium, from the west. It’s introduction inspired two wars, namely The Opium wars of the 19th century. In the 18th century, the country was flourishing, while it had controlRead MoreTaking a Look at the Opium War591 Words   |  2 PagesAmerica and Britain were connected during this time period. Opium was a drug that was originally used for medical purposes, but widely became popular for recreational use in China. The main reason to why Britain traded opium to China was because they needed to find a way to get China’s economy back up and running, and the only way was to trade Opium in China and to get the flow of silver back into the Chinese economy. Even though Opium was used to help the struggling Chinese economy, it became aRead MoreBritish Responsibility For The Opium War1755 Words   |  8 PagesBritish Responsibility for the Opium War The outcome of the Opium War marked a new age of western imperialism, effectively forcing China’s doors open to the West. How did such a war come about in the first place? At the heart of the conflict lay incompatible market ideologies: China’s interests were in maintaining their traditional tributary system and suppressing the opium trade, while the British desired free trade and diplomatic equality. In a complex storyline filled with misunderstandings andRead MoreThe First Opium War And Its Effects On China1407 Words   |  6 Pagesexternal, such as the First Opium War. The First Opium war, which lasted from 1839 to 1842, led to several economic and political changes in China. The Opium War is considered more that just a war, the results created a deep impact on China and the Western World. For hundreds of years, China had isolated themselves from the world and from foreign trade, but a single dispute over trading rights led to a huge war, which dictated the future o f China. The first Opium War was because of the trade imbalance

Rap Music Is Not The Only Type Of American Music...

Rap music is not the only type of American music associated with sex and violence. The history of Rock’s Roll for example, is a good example. The same arrangements, with white people at the top, uplifted an entire American generation on sex and violence in other types of music. Now they are doing the same with rap music (Roberts, 1994). Rappers have thus been forced to abandon the stated goal of their humble beginning to conform to the marketable aspects of their crafts. (Rebollo-Gil Moras, 2012). Rappers have adopted all elements of hip-hop as a part of their daily practices claiming that hip-hop artists influence music, fashion, and speech. The portrayal of black men and black women in Hip Hop videos and lyrics serve the interests of white supremacist producers involved in rap music. Adams Fuller (2006) describe racialized misogyny as a part of America’s awareness. The authors suggest that this belief has a profound significance on the inner spirit of African Americ ans as it feeds off not only animosity of women but loathing toward Blackness, which serves as a dual-purpose. Whether is the depiction of black female by black males in rap videos or the representation of black female sexuality by white racist, the sexual interaction between black men and black women takes on a compulsory heterosexual tone that explicates traditional heterosexism and entrenched racism (Rebollo-Gil Moras, 2012). Because of the governing sexual and racial aspects of rap music, there areShow MoreRelatedCritical Analysis redeeming Rap music1088 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Redeeming the Rap Music Experience† The influence of rap on black urban youths has become a major part to the modern day music industry. Berry uses the article to show that through rap music, low income black youth are able to develop empowering values and ideologies, strengthen cultural interaction and establish positive identities. This is done by describing different components of urban black culture associated with rap which enhances the struggle for black significance in pop culture. HisRead MoreThe Start Of Hip Hop1094 Words   |  5 Pagescreatively through rhymes spoken to music. A time when groups gathered and had a good time with no fear of violence erupting. However as hip hop evolved, the lyrics changed and it began to take a turn for the worse. The lyrics are no longer a positive outlet to express the problems the youth face, it is no longer â€Å"a compelling distraction from the turmoil of inner-city life† (Green 47). Rap has a huge following among youth no matter their socio-economic backgro und. Rap can and has influenced AmericaRead MoreMusic and the American Culture Essay1620 Words   |  7 PagesMusic has played a vital role in human culture and evidence based on archaeological sites can date it back to prehistoric times. It can be traced through almost all civilizations in one form or another. As time has progressed so has the music and the influences it has on people. Music is an important part of popular culture throughout the world, but it is especially popular in the United States. The music industry here is, and has been, a multi-million dollar business that continues to play anRead MoreRap Music And Its Influence On African American Youth1705 Words   |  7 Pages Music and society have always been closely related. For years now music has been apart of people’s everyday lives all around the world. Having so many different genres out there, it makes it easy to be appealing to so many different ethnic backgrounds. However, one type of genre in part icular has seemed to grab the attention of a younger generation. Rap music has undoubtedly had its utmost impact on African American youth, since many of the performers themselves are African American. An overtlyRead MoreRap Music And Its Effect On Society Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pagespeople think that it is only classical music that has a positive effect on society because of its soft tune and melody, but in fact rap music can have that same effect. The reason that some people think rap music leads to violence is because gang members can often be found listening to rap music, and they dress in the urban clothing style of rappers. The reality is that rap music is greatly misunderstood. The media often portrays rap music as negative and focuses on rap music more when it is relatedRead MoreThe Impact Of Rap Music On Today s Society867 Words   |  4 PagesThe impact of rap music in today’s society is extremely substantial. Many Americans listen to rap music, even though dif ferent rap artist discuss various issues in their songs, it may influences their fans to do the same. A large amount of rap music contains explicit lyrics that describe illegal activities, aggression, and sexual content. Researchers from Iowa State University and the Texas Department of Human Services found that aggressive music lyrics increase aggressive thought and feelings, mightRead MoreConflicting Paradigms On Gender And Sexuality1453 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Salerno SYG 1000 September 30th, 2016 Conflicting Paradigms on Gender and Sexuality in Rap Music: Review Introduction: The article I am researching and analyzing is â€Å"Conflicting Paradigms on Gender and Sexuality in Rap Music: A Systematic Review† written by Denise Herd. This article was published in the academic journal â€Å"Sexuality and Culture†, on July 1st, 2000. This article is centered around rap music with its social and cultural significance for youth audiences, all around the world and howRead MoreA Response to â€Å"Hip Hop: a Roadblock or Pathway to Black Empowerment†1110 Words   |  5 PagesRoadblock or Pathway to Black Empowerment illustrates the influence hip hop and rap music has had on not only the music industry but mainstream culture, African Americans to be specific. Geoffrey Bennett, a senior English Major from Voorhees, New Jersey goes over many aspects of how hip hop came to be â€Å"the forefront of American attention.† He starts from its early history in the 1980s as an African American exclusive music genre to what is now a worldwide phen omenon. He reviews the affect it has hadRead MoreEssay on Rap Music2280 Words   |  10 PagesRap is a popular type of music in todays society, but it didnt just come to be. In the 1970s rap emerged from other types of music to become what it is today. Rap is influenced and inspired by other types of music. Its influences are closely related to each other. Rap music has derived from various types of music. In a world in which people are constantly confronted with violent acts such as rape, assault, murder, school shootings and other violences, society is eager and anxious to find andRead MoreConsequences of Popular Culture1060 Words   |  5 Pageslogically or naturally follows from an action or condition. In this matter we are referring to the consequences of Pop Culture towards violence. Violence in general has one meaning, an act of aggression. We will be examining three types of violence in our culture, Domestic violence, Youth violence, and of course Gun violence. We feel tha t all three of these types of violence have increased in today s society as a consequence of pop culture. Popular culture, or pop culture, is the people s culture that

Cult Films Essay Research Paper Certain films free essay sample

Cult Films Essay, Research Paper Certain movies which today are regarded as classics of American cinema # 8212 ; John Ford s The Searchers ( 1956 ) , Orson Welles Citizen Kane ( 1941 ) , the Judy Garland musical The Wizard Of Oz ( 1939 ) , Frank Capra s It s A Fantastic Life ( 1946 ) , Walt Disney s Fantasia ( 1940 ) # 8212 ; are, or at least used to be, cult movies. Box-office letdowns when they were released, these movies were unbroken alive over the decennaries non by referees or studios or theatres, but by filmgoers who loved them. This devotedness finally attracted the critical re-evaluations, revival-house showings, picture and laserdisc releases, and so on, which have brought these movies the success that eluded them in their twenty-four hours, and moved them beyond their cult audiences and into the mainstream of movie history. The true cult movie, nevertheless, neer wholly loses its foreigner position ; something about it remains excessively eldritch or upseting or juvenile or absurd or specialized or oth erwise indigestible to enable the movie to be embraced by the multitudes. One manner or another, a cult movie transgresses against the theoretical account of the conventional Hollywood film. Demuring the horror movies made by Universal, most of them are non the merchandises of major studios ; the more a movie transgresses, the farther it marginalizes itself, non merely from Hollywood s aesthetic but besides from its avenues of publicity and distribution # 8212 ; and therefore from its market, which is why few people get rich doing cult movies. ( Then once more, most of these movies are low-budget personal businesss which do nt necessitate to do a batch of money in order to be profitable. ) However, the foundation for cult movies is the devoted audience for American horror films, particularly those made from the 1920s through the 60s. Critics largely derided or ignored these movies, go forthing their fans free to portion information and nurture their enthusiasms among themselves. By the 90s, these coevalss of fans have bestowed iconic position upon the ge nre s greatest stars: Lon Chaney Sr. , Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jr. , and Vincent Price. The cults for these histrions drew attending beyond their established classics and elevated neglected movies in which they gave outstanding public presentations, such as Chaney Sr. in The Monster ( 1925 ) , Lugosi in The Human Monster ( 1940 ) , Karloff in The Black Room ( 1935 ) , Lorre in The Face Behind The Mask ( 1941 ) , Chaney Jr. in Son of Dracula ( 1943 ) , and Price in The Conqueror Worm ( 1968 ) [ aka Witchfinder General ] . Over the old ages, as more and more people came to appreciate how talented and unreplaceable these histrions were, virtually every movie in which they appeared was elevated to cult position, horror movie or non, irrespective of how fliting the histrion s visual aspect was or how inexpensive and cockamamie the movie might be. The following measure was the consecration of the demi-gods, most notably Lionel Atwill, John Carradine, Basil Rath bone, and George Zucco from Hollywood movies, and Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Klaus Kinski, and Barbara Steele from the horror narratives made by England s Hammer Studio every bit good as other European ( chiefly Italian-made ) fright movies. Alongside such established Masterss of horror as managers James Whale and Tod Browning, other film makers besides became the objects of cult devotedness, particularly William Castle, Larry Cohen, Roger Corman, and Italy s Mario Bava. The great special-effects Masterss, particularly stop-motion-animation masterminds Willis OBrien and Ray Harryhausen, who were the true stars of their movies, have besides come to be regarded with similar awe.Horror, science-fiction, and phantasies are non the lone genres that have an about automatic captivation for cult audiences. Action/adventure movies are besides extremely regarded, although the standard big-budget blow-em-ups starring Schwarzenegger or Stallone are excessively aboveground and legitimized t o excite cult gustatory sensations. Merely as cultists have fondly broken down the horror genre into specialised sub-categories such as living dead movies, detestable snowman/bigfoot narratives, slasher films, etc. , so excessively do they bask the action movies for their most lurid and disreputable sub-genres. Biker movies are therefore extremely regarded # 8212 ; non merely seminal attempts such as The Wild One ( 1953 ) with Marlon Brando or The Wild Angels ( 1966 ) , produced and directed by Roger Corman, but besides such lesser-known movies as Tom Laughlin s The Glory Stompers ( 1967 ) , which introduced his once-popular character Billy Jack ; manager Richard Rush s Hell s Angels On Wheels ( 1968 ) with Jack Nicholson ; Bill Brame s The Cycle Savages ( 1969 ) with Bruce Dern ; and producer/director Al Adamson s Satan s Sadists ( 1969 ) and Angels Wild Women ( 1972 ) . Other beloved outgrowths of the action genre include bootlegger movies, most notably Thunder Road ( 1958 ) , p roduced by and starring Robert Mitchum ; Viking films, particularly the bestiring ax-swingers Erik The Conqueror ( 1961 ) and Knives Of The Avenger ( 1967 ) , directed by Mario Bava and starring Cameron Mitchell ; and seriess of all sorts, be they Westerns, science-fiction, espionage melodramas, or super-hero narratives. Jungle films are of class extremely prized ; Tarzan is admired in all his embodiments, particularly the series made from 1932 to 48 with Johnny Weismuller ( who s besides beloved for his ulterior Jungle Jim movies ) but besides the Bomba the Jungle Boy movies with Johnny Sheffield, and merely about anything else that has film stars feigning to wrestle king of beastss or alligators. Besides beloved are the Italian-made sword-and-sorcery movies, a series launched by the box-office success of Steve Reeves in Pietro Francisci s Hercules ( 1957 ) and Hercules Unchained ( 1959 ) . Equally long as their budgets are low, their effects tacky, and their characters archetypa l, these movies neer fail to fulfill cult audiences. Crime films play every bit good to cultists, once more most efficaciously when they enter murkier sub-genres. Film noir has become about excessively legitimate to be of particular involvement to cultists, although manager Edgar G. Ulmer s fashionable and fatalistic Detour ( 1946 ) is revered, as is manager Boris Ingster s noir-prototype The Stranger On The Third Floor ( 1940 ) with Peter Lorre. Juvenile-delinquent movies are resistless to cultists, particularly those from manufacturer Albert Zugsmith, High School Confidential ( 1958 ) and The Beat Generation ( 1959 ) . If the teens are besides hot-rodders, so much the better: Dragstrip Girl ( 1957 ) , T-Bird Gang ( 1958 ) , Hot Rods To Hell ( 1967 ) . Crime movies about pot pedlars and acid-trippers are besides extremely regarded, such as Roger Corman s The Trip ( 1967 ) , written by Jack Nicholson, or The Love-Ins ( 1967 ) , produced by Sam Katzman. Drug films of the 30s are part icularly prized because their denouncements now play as sheer comedy: Marihuana ( 1936 ) , Reefer Madness ( 1936 ) , The Cocaine Fiends ( 1939 ) . The most popular of all offense films for cultists are likely the mad-love melodramas, from the authoritative Gun Crazy ( 1949 ) , directed by Joseph H. Lewis, to Terrence Malick s Badlands ( 1973 ) , Leonard Kastle s The Honeymoon Killers ( 1970 ) , and Pretty Poison ( 1968 ) with the darling cult stars Tuesday Weld and Anthony Perkins. Exploitation movies besides rank high on the index of cult films. The spectacle of a Hollywood aesthetic put to work on stuff obviously outside the recognized Hollywood norm neer ceases to please, particularly with burlesque movies such as Varietease ( 1954 ) and Teaserama ( 1955 ) , both starring the legendary Bettie Page ; the raunchy nudies of manager Russ Meyer, most notably Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! ( 1965 ) , Vixen ( 1968 ) , and Cherry, Harry And Raquel ( 1969 ) ; the ultra-violent Gore movies launched by manager Hershell Gordon Lewis with The Blood Feast ( 1963 ) and Two Thousand Maniacs ( 1964 ) ; and such uncategorizable attempts as the all-dwarf western The Terror Of Tiny Town ( 1938 ) or Chained For Life ( 1950 ) , starring Thai twins Violet and Daisy Hilton. Cultists adore seeing the Hollywood ethic broken down ; they hold a particular fancy for all foreign takes on American genres, and enjoy seeing our parlance scrambled into Spaghetti westerns or bull actioners made in Hong Kong or Nipponese science-fiction or the horror films of Mexico, the Philippines, and Spain. Sometimes that foreign film exists within America, as with the yiddish-language movies of the 1930s, such as Green Fields, co-directed by Ulmer and Jacob Ben-Ami. The independent movies made by and with African-Americans and shown along their ain circuit of black audiences from the late teens to the late 40s represent another domestic but foreign film ; the writer/director Oscar Micheaux, who made music als, enigmas, and domestic and societal play, is particularly regarded for his dare and originality # 8212 ; and for his contempt of narrative conventions, typified by his willingness to go forth in flubbed takes or to allow himself be heard from offcamera, directing his histrions! Hollywood s ain poorness row is besides another state, at least every bit far as the industry was concerned. Audiences were heard to moan when the PRC logo flashed onscreen and they realized merely what sort of a rapidly made, low-budget no-brainer they were in for. ( The Producers Releasing Corporation was launched in the 30s and finally absorbed into United Artists by the early 50s. ) By the late fiftiess, American International Pictures was winning over teenage and drive-in audiences with their low-budget offense, actioner, and horror images, many of which were made by producer/director Roger Corman ; in the 60s the studio would happen gold with its series of beach films launched by Beach Party ( 1963 ) with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, and in Corman s Edgar Allan Poe versions starring Vincent Price. Cultists are instantly interested in all band aid studios, mugwumps, and otherwise banal productions, which unconsciously send-up the loftier Hollywood vehicles they try to emulate. Even more extremely prized are the cases of a echt personality reacting creatively to a movie s limited production # 8212 ; hence the cults for such different film makers as Ulmer, Micheaux, and Edward D. Wood Jr. Exploitation movies are besides prized for bewraying their narrative theoretical accounts by integrating extremes of sex and/or violen ce. The cautionary anti-drug tales that dont have a clue, and which are so hilarious today, are the closest cult films come to camp. Although cultists are as delighted as anybody to see The Conqueror (1956), in which John Wayne stars as Genghis Khan, theirs really is not a camp sensibility. What they do have is a fascination for films which one way or another undercut their ability to persuade: either the budget cant supply adequate sets, costumes, and/or effects, or else the cast cant portray their roles — usually due to their own technical deficiencies, or because their fame and/or notoriety eclipses whatever they might do oncamera, as with films that give lead roles to rock stars (such as Ned Kelly (1970) with Mick Jagger or Blindman (1972) with Ringo Starr) or to jock stars (such as C.C. And Company (1970) with Joe Namath or Cant Stop The Music (1980) with Bruce Jenner). Films starring future-President Ronald Reagan and/or his wife Nancy Davis have also earned a special niche, particularly Hellcats Of The Navy (1957), in which the two have romantic scenes together; Davis hearing God speak over the radio in The Next Voice You Hear (1950); or Reagans last film and his only villainous role, director Don Siegels The Killers (1964), which offers such matchless entertainment as the sight of Ronald Reagan slapping around Angie Dickinson. When a film is beloved even though it cannot persuade, its being loved for its realness: how the set is really made, who the actors really are. This perspective, increasingly common in our postmodern era, is precisely the opposite of the way in which one watches a big-budget Hollywood film and has in turn led to the development of an audience with a taste for films that even more strictly deconstruct Hollywoods storytelling methods. Films that superimpose genres are always welcome: Frederic Hobbs biker vampire film Alabamas Ghost (1974), or the horror westerns of legendary director William One-Shot Beaudine, Jesse James M eets Frankensteins Daughter (1965) and Billy The Kid Vs. Dracula (1966), with John Carradine as Dracula. Also prized are patchwork films, in which all sorts of footage has been cobbled together into a feature. Producer/director Jerry Warren released numerous foreign films successfully after inserting new domestic footage; thus, John Carradine wound up alongside Mexican actors in Curse Of The Stone Hand (1965) and Laplanders in Invasion Of The Animal People (1962). Peter Bogdanovich put Mamie Van Doren into Soviet science-fiction footage for the AIP release Voyage To The Planet Of Prehistoric Women (1968). The Terror, with Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson, was signed by Roger Corman but is reputed to contain sequences directed by Francis Coppola, Monte Hellman, Jack Hill, and Nicholson. Other beloved Frankensteins include the last four films of Boris Karloff, released years after his death: The Snake People, The Incredible Invasion, The Fear Chamber, and House Of Evil are Mexican fil ms except for all the scenes with the 80-year-old actor, which were shot in Hollywood over five weeks in 1968; his director was Jack Hill, who also wrote and directed the memorable cult films Spider Baby (1964) with Lon Chaney Jr. and Switchblade Sisters (1975). Cultists also love feature films cut down from serials, which not only turn the cliffhanger genre on its ear, but can also offer lively distillations of all the action. Theatrical features put together from television shows are also welcome, such as One Spy Too Many (1966) from The Man From U.N.C.L.E spy series; the tube can even produce such surprises as Lon Chaney Jr. playing Satan in The Devils Messenger (1961), from the Swedish television series No. 13 Demon Street, written and directed by Curt Siodmak (whod scripted The Wolf Man). The mother of all patchwork films is Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959), written, produced, and directed by Edward D. Wood Jr. Starting with just a few silent minutes of film of Bela Lugosi, made shortly before the actors death, Wood whipped together a science-fiction/horror mix in which aliens resurrect the dead as part of their scheme to conquer Earth. Not hesitating to juxtapose studio shots with exteriors that dont match (even in the rudimentary sense of day vs. night), or footage of Lugosi with scenes that feature chiropractor Dr. Tom Mason walking around and holding his cape in front of his face, Plan 9 From Outer Space operates in a special world all its own. Far from being the worst film of all time — a dopey label attached to the film in the early 80s by a few whitebread critics — Woods magnum opus is actually one of the most beloved and entertaining films ever made. No matter how many times one sees it, there are always new delights to discover. (Who can resist the sight of cop Duke Moore thoughtfully scratching his head with the barrel of his own pistol?) Besides Lugosi, the film also boasts many members of Woods legendary stock company: horror-movie hostess Vampira; 400-pound Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson (here in a rare speaking role as cop-turned-zombie Inspector Clay); and pseudo-psychic Criswell. Equally amazing is Woods first film, an autobiographical account of transvestism called Glen Or Glenda, made in 1953 to cash in on the notoriety of transsexual Christine Jorgensen; along with Wood in the lead role as the cross-dressing Glen, who is afraid to come out to his fianc?e, the film also includes sequences starring Bela Lugosi as a Spirit-figure who offers odd philosophical and poetical commentaries on the characters. Part documentary, part exploitation-melodrama, part fantasy, the film defies description and remains required viewing for all cultists. Despite the numerous cult films that clearly have avant-garde pretensions (or in the case of Wood and Micheaux, anticipations) its rare for an art film to also be a cult film; to a certain extent, they have to be as transgressive for their own genre as the other films are for the Hollywood narrative if theyre to be picked up by cult audiences. Chilean-born writer/director Alexandro Jodorowky is one of the few filmmakers highly regarded in both cult and avant-garde circles. His 1970 El Topo, a Mexican production, was a surreal, Leone-esque western in which Jodorowsky also starred as a killer in search of enlightenment, who wanders a deadly landscape of killers and freaks. The films frequent blood-lettings and penchant for dead animals pushed it into a zone too extreme for the avant-garde circuit, but when El Topo began playing midnight shows in New York City, it became an underground smash. The religious symbolism and carnage were even more extreme in Jodorowskys follow-up, The Holy Mountain (1973); his tour-de-force Santa Sangre (1989), another violent tale of religious madness and physical mutilation, was the directors masterpiece and one of the best cult films of its decade. Other avant-garde filmmakers who have attracted cult audiences include E. Eli as Merhige, who re-photographed each frame of his mysterious feature Begotten (1989) until the distressed result came to resemble a film of impossible antiquity, as though shot before the invention of cameras; and the Brothers Quay, American-born identical twins who live in England and make terrifically detailed, nightmarish stop-motion shorts, such as Street Of Crocodiles (1986) and Rehearsals For Extinct Anatomies (1987). Perhaps the finest avant-garde film to also reach cult status is Eraserhead (1978), a visionary black comedy of sexual dread, set against an entropic universe. Alternately funny, breathtaking, and repulsive, Eraserhead was the first feature of writer/director David Lynch, whose fascination with the bizarre, the distorted, and the unexplainable have made him a major cult director (especially after Lynchs short-lived television series, the memorably twisted Twin Peaks). Eraserhead was another film that made its breakthrough with the public thanks to midnight screen ings. Several other essential cult films also triumphed with midnight shows in the 70s. John Waters first success came with midnight screenings of his notorious black comedy Pink Flamingos (1972), in which 300-pound transvestite Divine played the Filthiest Person Alive and proved it by actually eating some dog turds. Reefer Madness became a very popular midnight movie with college audiences around the country. The equally marijuana-soaked The Harder They Come (1972), a rowdy reggae musical from Jamaica which was produced, directed, and co-scripted by Perry Henzell, failed to find its audience in its initial release but became a hit playing at midnight. The greatest midnight-show success story, however, is The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), a British rock and roll/horror film built around Tim Curry as Dr. Frank N. Furter, a cross-dressing mad scientist from another planet. So devoted is this films cult that they have for years jumped up onstage and acted out the movie while it was being projected. Today there exists an army of information-gatherers who monitor the release and distribution of films that would interest cultists. Through magazines, books, the internet, conventions, and numerous other networks, they keep the cult flames eternally blazing. Thanks to them, low-budget cult films, midnight movies, or psychotronic films have now come to represent a big industry. Hollywood, taking note of the wide and diverse audience for these films, has come full circle and has attempted to capitalize on and re-create its marginalized masters. But unlike the pleasures of seeing poverty row emulate Hollywood, these new films seem more decadent than deconstructive: director Tim Burtons biopic Ed Wood (1994); the William Castle reminiscence Matinee (1993), directed by Joe Dante; the musical remake of Cormans Little Shop Of Horrors (1986), directed by Frank Oz. Such films inevitably disappoint, both artistically and at the box office, and say more about the retro-trash mentality which turns old sitcoms into 90s films than they do about the qualities of their subjects. They also serve as reminders that the special charms and surprises of cult films are genuine and cannot be faked.

Symbolism In Strange News From Another Star Essay Paper Example For Students

Symbolism In Strange News From Another Star Essay Paper Symbolism in Strange News From Another StarSymbolism in Strange News From Another StarStrange News from another Star is found to be a story which contains numerous symbols which in many cases contain some important, abstract information. Symbolism is something which is very difficult to explain due to the fact that not everyone sees the so mentioned symbol. They dont quite see it as you, because no two minds are the same, which implies the fact that they dont react equally to something which must be internally interpreted as it is not present as mere information. On this essay I will try to back up with concise words, why I believe that something is representing something abstract, as well as with information from the author.One of the first symbols that we may find, is actually the star. A star is known as a gaseous sphere, which with nuclear fusion and fission may actually give out huge amounts of energy. Obviously a star is a inhospitable place, so I believe that the star actually represents a planet or a country.The flowers, which have a very important part in the plot of the book are a symbol as well. They, have always, as least as far as I know, had a special message. A message of love, tranquillity, joy and they represent the harmony of nature itself. In the first stage of the book, we may see how a problem, the earthquake, has made the people in the star loose a vast amount of flowers. They lost some of the tranquillity and joy that had invaded their lives. And when they look for a messenger to go find flowers, theyre talking about re-finding the tranquillity and lack of fear that they wanted.I believe that the burials, actually represent life. It may sound a bit peculiar, but in real life once you get accustomed to living a happy, joyful life, you then will not be able to live without it and so, you will need to do practically anything, as the people in the star did, to find the flowers.The symbol of the deity that the youth saw in the temple, I unders tand that by the way in which the story progresses the symbol is actually representing the fact that war, or trouble (the bird of prey) destroys all happiness or good hearted feelings. I think that the representation is what I mentioned above, because when the messenger goes to the foreign star he sees destruction and a total lack of joy.We may find another symbol which goes from pages 55-59. Its the conversation that the youth holds with the king whos nation is in war. Its apparently a symbol because even-though it has important, concrete information for the story, theres more to the phrases themselves. They can be abstracted and thats when I see that the conversation is actually trying to explain the way in which the humanity is being erratic by trying to find happiness. To achieve happiness, you must first get rid of sadness, poverty, trouble, etc (war is the symbol used to represent all of them). It may not be found just by ignoring the others. In the kings star they werent happ y because all of the nouns mentioned above were present. A proof of that may be the fact that when trouble, the earthquake, arouse in the province of the youth then they lost the peace and tranquillity, represented by the flowers that they had had.And ultimately I will mention the symbol which the black bird represents, its what I believe is the image of the harshness, horror and terror of war. Which may reach such levels of futility that it may apparently only be seen as a dream, or even more correct, would be to say that its like a nightmare. .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 , .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .postImageUrl , .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 , .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470:hover , .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470:visited , .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470:active { border:0!important; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470:active , .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470 .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ubaed1d874a3bd08caf2b20b7085dd470:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Hobbit - Summary Essay We will write a custom essay on Symbolism In Strange News From Another Star Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now