My chosen films:
The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
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Directed and Prodcued by: Norman Jewison
Written by: Alan Trustman Music by: Michael Legrand Cinematography: Haskell Wexler Production Company: The Mirisch Corporation Simkoe and Solar Productions Distributed by: United Artists Release date: June 19th 1968 Country: US Budget: $4.3 million Box office: $14 million |
Starring:
Summary:
Bored millionaire Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen) concocts and executes a brilliant scheme to rob a bank without having to do any of the work himself. When Vicki Anderson (Faye Dunaway), an investigator for the bank's insurance company, takes an interest in Crown, the two begin a complicated cat-and-mouse game with a romantic undertone. In an attempt to decipher Anderson's agenda, Crown devises another robbery like his first, wondering if he can get away with the same crime twice.
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The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
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Directed by: John McTiernan
Produced by: Michael Tadross, Pierce Brosnan and Beau St.Clair Screenplay by: Leslie Dixon and Kurt Wimmer Story by: Alan Trustman Music by: Bill Conti Cinematography: Tom Priestly Production Company: Irish DreamTime Distributed by: United Artists and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Release date: August 6th 1999 Country: US Budget: $48 million Box office: $124.3 million |
Starring:
Summary:
Bored billionaire Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan) decides to entertain himself by stealing a Monet from a reputed museum. When Catherine Banning (Rene Russo), an investigator for the museum's insurance company, takes an interest in Crown, a complicated back-and-forth game with romantic undertones begins between them. In an attempt to find out where Banning's loyalties lie, Crown returns the painting and essentially turns himself in, hoping that Banning's feelings for him will lead to an escape.
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Context - alan trustman
In 1967, Trustman wrote his first screenplay, The Thomas Crown Affair. His law office overlooked the First National Bank of Boston, where he had worked during the summer of 1954, and his knowledge of the bank procedures led to the movie about a millionaire businessman who commits a perfect crime, a robbery by five men who do not know each other and never meet until the robbery, in which each has a separate role. The insurance adjuster (Vicki Anderson in 1968 and Catherine Banning in 1999) figures out who is responsible for the crime but falls in love with the miscreant. The initial screenplay took 30 days to write. Trustman had written the script for Sean Connery but producer Walter Mirisch and director Norman Jewison cast Steve McQueen, who had been pursuing the role, the first in which he plays against his usual blue-collar man of action persona. Trustman felt the script had to be rewritten for McQueen and spent a week making lists of what McQueen liked, didn't like, did well, and couldn't do.
The Thomas Crown Affair has iconic scenes, such as the erotic chess game between between McQueen and Dunaway culminating in one of moviedom’s longest kisses. |
Character comparison
thomas crown
Steve McQueen’s Thomas Crown is a man of few words; this should make him intriguing, or at least proffer him an air of mystery even if there’s nothing underneath. But Jewison’s decision to shorten much of McQueen’s dialogue—edited on purpose to counteract McQueen’s slightly brutish tendencies—ends up undercutting the sizzling dynamic he’s supposed to have with Dunaway’s Vicki Anderson. Crown is supposed to be a suave smart aleck whose witticisms fare comparably with the smooth operating traps of Anderson, but she usually ends up with the better lines, upsetting the balance between the two.
Pierce Brosnan’s Crown, by comparison, makes everything look effortless. Both he and McQueen have charisma, but only Brosnan oozes it. Not only does he look better in a suit, he makes outlandish rich hobbies look genuinely exhilarating: flying planes, crash-sailing expensive boats, making 6-digit dollar bets while golfing. He takes genuine, cultivated pleasure out of life. He enjoys the finer things, including the art he steals. When the Anderson character, now renamed Catherine Banning (Rene Russo), tells him, “You live very well,” a line repeated from the original, the audience believes her. It is less convincing out of Dunaway’s mouth. McQueen’s Crown dabbles in similar hobbies, but there’s a hardy athleticism in his polo moves that demonstrates effort and work (the actor spent 6 weeks learning to play the sport). Russo’s Banning is a savoury treat: as the 2 get more intimate, she begins to relax and enjoy their lascivious proclivities, fooling herself into thinking she has a handle on the affair. She also begins to reveal herself and then convincingly feels torn when she realises her smitten fate. |
vicki anderson/catherine banning
Both Dunaway in the original film and Rene Russo in the remake, play insurance company investigators. Russo is presented as being older, smarter and more savvy compared to the original, in which Dunaway coos like a model and acts like a giddy, vapid girl. This partially shows how society has changed its views on more confident female characters (feminist film theory).
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certifications
The UK's film ratings are decided by the British Board of Film Classification and have been since 1912.
From 1950–1970, film ratings were:
From 1950–1970, film ratings were:
The 1968 original Thomas Crown Affair would've been rated in this period. Currently, the 1968 version of the film is rated as ‘PG’ (this is a revised rating using the up to date rating system). At the time the film would've probably been given an 'Adult' rating. This is due to there being very mild or no; sex, nudity, violence, gore, profanity, alcohol, drugs, smoking, frightening scenes.
From 1989–2002, film ratings were:
Due to the large gap between PG and 15 and industry pressure regarding Batman, a 12 certificate was introduced in 1989.
All of the symbols were graphically edited. The cinema 12 certificate was modified and renamed 12A. Those under 12 could now be admitted to 12A films, provided that they were accompanied by an adult aged at least 18 years old. Contrary to popular belief, the certificate was not introduced for the film Spider-Man, the first film to receive it was actually The Bourne Identity. However, Spider-Man and other films still on general release at the time were reclassified as 12A. |
The 1999 version on the other hand, is certified as being a ‘15’ in the UK (again this is a reviewed rating using modern ratings). This is presumably due to the moderate amount of profanity and sex & nudity in the film.
Audiences would’ve changed from the 60s to the 90s, by being more accepting to certain ideas and social norms on screen.
From 2002 - present, film ratings were:
In 2002, all of the symbols were graphically modernised but retained all their main features (colour, shape, etc.). The Uc certificate was retired in 2009, and replaced with BBFCInsight, which states where works are 'particularly suitable for pre-school children'; however, older DVDs may still carry the Uc certificate. The consumer advice for the U certificate was updated to advise parents to check the film in case of children under the age of 4 and PG in case of children under 8.
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editing
Steve McQueen’s Thomas Crown is a man of few words; making him intriguing and mysterious. Jewison shows this by shortening a lot of McQueen’s dialogue, with sudden jump cuts. This was edited on purpose to counteract McQueen’s slightly brutish tendencies and ends up undercutting the dynamic he’s supposed to have with Dunaway’s Vicki Anderson.
The photography is also unusual in the original for a mainstream Hollywood film, as it uses a split-screen mode to show simultaneous actions. Split screen editing is almost a cliché, and highly popular with movie directors of the 60s. However, Norman Jewison and Hal Ashby in the polo scene used the method of multiple screens within the widescreen picture to capture the frantic action on the Polo field. The music is also perfectly pitched to help give this scene a sense of movement.
The above mentioned polo match is below, but I have also included another scene where it is used.
The photography is also unusual in the original for a mainstream Hollywood film, as it uses a split-screen mode to show simultaneous actions. Split screen editing is almost a cliché, and highly popular with movie directors of the 60s. However, Norman Jewison and Hal Ashby in the polo scene used the method of multiple screens within the widescreen picture to capture the frantic action on the Polo field. The music is also perfectly pitched to help give this scene a sense of movement.
The above mentioned polo match is below, but I have also included another scene where it is used.
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cameras
The cameras used in 1999 are more advanced than 1968.
In the remake the type of camera used for filming was a ‘Panavision Panaflex Platinum’ with ‘Panavision Primo Lenses’, this was a significant film camera of the time. It allowed for effects and movement to happen when going through production and editing. |
The cameras of the 60s remained consistent in the ways that the filming of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ (1968) occurred with many mid shots, two shots and panning to follow characters.
music
This is the original song used in the first movie (one of the scenes it is used in is above), it is sung by Noel Harrison.
The remake of the film also used this song, but instead Sting sings it. The above video isn't from the scene it is used in.
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In addition to other technology that improved, the audio quality will have as well. The audio would've been extracted the same, however, the audience are able to clearly pick up on the difference and overall quality.
In the original, the music was composed and conducted by Michel Legrand. He wrote his music as long pieces rather than specifically to scene timings, with the film later edited to the music by Legrand, Jewison and editor Hal Ashby. This approach wasn't favoured by Hollywood because it left too much up to the composer and could get expensive, but for Legrand and the score it was a liberating experience. It allowed him the freedom to write his impressions of scenes that would be in the final cut of the movie. The remake, was composed by Bill Conti. It featured a variety of jazz arrangements which harken back to the original film's version, allowing viewers who have seen the original to tie the two together. In addition, the film ends with a reprise of the song ‘Windmills of Your Mind’ sung by Sting. |
what do i need to include in an online blog?
Now that I know what my blog post is going to consist of, I can now start designing it. I will be using online sources to help me decide what I need.
Short Paragraphs
Because reading is harder online it’s best to break the text into manageable chunks. Paragraphs should be much shorter online than on paper with two to three sentences per paragraph a good guideline for blog posts.
Font size
Big is better. Tiny writing is hard to read online, even for people with 20/20 vision.
Don’t overuse bold text or it loses its effectiveness but use bold text to make a splash and highlight important sentences that will catch people’s attention and draw them into the blog post.
Don’t overuse bold text or it loses its effectiveness but use bold text to make a splash and highlight important sentences that will catch people’s attention and draw them into the blog post.
drop the italics
Italics are hard to read in print. Couple that with on-screen reading already being challenging and banish italics from your blog writing.
capital letters
Use capitals for proper nouns and at the beginning of sentences but avoid writing all in capitals because it’s harder to read. Plus using capital letters constantly is the online equivalent of being shouted at.
Use images
A good use of images will draw readers into your blog posts. Sometimes people read a post purely because I like the image. Ideally, your images will add to your blog or emphasise it's message.
Even if they can’t do that use them to break up text, draw your reader’s eye down the page and reward them for reading and spending time on your blog.
Even if they can’t do that use them to break up text, draw your reader’s eye down the page and reward them for reading and spending time on your blog.
Sources:
https://spectrumculture.com/2013/05/12/remakeremodel-the-thomas-crown-affair-1968-vs-the-thomas-crown-affair-1999/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Trustman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thomas_Crown_Affair_(1999_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thomas_Crown_Affair_(1968_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_British_film_certificates#Overview
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063688/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0155267/
https://www.successfulblogging.com/16-rules-of-blog-writing-which-ones-are-you-breaking/
https://spectrumculture.com/2013/05/12/remakeremodel-the-thomas-crown-affair-1968-vs-the-thomas-crown-affair-1999/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Trustman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thomas_Crown_Affair_(1999_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thomas_Crown_Affair_(1968_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_British_film_certificates#Overview
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063688/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0155267/
https://www.successfulblogging.com/16-rules-of-blog-writing-which-ones-are-you-breaking/