Well for whatever reason I can no longer access the article link I had for you guys for the movie we finished today. So instead respond in about a hundred words to the following questions:
1. What character resonated with you the most? Why? How did their actions contribute to the overall theme of the movie?
2. What were your reactions to the dancing scene being in color while the rest of the movie was in black and white? How did the the vibrant color affect the scene?
Ok so here's the article for the Netflix She's Gotta Have It which we'll be watching and discussing tomorrow: Article
1. What character resonated with you the most? Why? How did their actions contribute to the overall theme of the movie?
ReplyDeleteI probably liked Nola more than any other character. She shows a respect for herself that few characters give to her. She is proud of her sexuality and upfront about her desires. She doesn’t seek to possess the men like they do her. She may end up being hurt by Jaime’s relationship with the dancer, but she acknowledges that those feelings aren’t necessarily fair and concedes to the idea of Jamie being in another relationship when trying to win him back. She’s not interested in a romantic relationship, she just wants to have fun, and she’s completely honest about that. She’s far from perfect, but she creates a strong statement. Women do t need to attach themselves to men. They can own their own minds and bodies, as Nola claims to at the end of the film. She is independent.
2. What were your reactions to the dancing scene being in color while the rest of the movie was in black and white? How did the the vibrant color affect the scene?
The sudden color was quite jarring, and it’s disappearance from the film after that scene made it stand out from the rest of the film.
This might be far fetched, but I kind of saw this film as being in the style of French New Wave cinema contextualized through New York. It has the same low-budget feel, the same auteurship in Lee’s control over the film, the same layback shot compositions and innovative editing. The fourth-wall breaking monologues resemble those in Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless. The film differs from the French New Wave in its themes, language, setting, and attitude. If the French New Wave celebrated French life and culture, then Lee’s films celebrate the life and culture of New York, specifically its black population. So, in that sense I considered that the sudden use of color could possibly be a reference to some of the color films of the New Wave, notably A Woman is a Woman, which involves the same kind of vibrant color palette and energetic, romantic dance sequences. Again, this is probably a reach.
Thematically, this shift could represent the fantasy that Jamie sees for himself and Nola. The romantic couple dancing together, sharing a picnic. Jamie sees their relationship as a surreally vibrant and wholesome thing as opposed to its grittiness and ambiguity (literally and figuratively black and white).
-Joanie
(I meant to say "black and white and everything in between. The point I was making is that it was gray.)
Delete1. I think that Nola resonated with me the most just because of the important role her character plays. By “Important” I not only mean that she’s the central character of the film but also that her character is one that isn’t seen very often in any sort of media. I don’t think I can think of another movie that has a central woman who has relations with multiple men simultaneously, is completely honest about it, and ultimately doesn’t change her habits just because of what pressures she faces.
ReplyDelete2. For some reason, the vibrant coloring of the dancing scene in contrast to the rest of the film being in black and white made me think of Mary Poppins when the characters all go into the painting and are dancing around with penguins and carousel animals. It made it seem all happy and fluffy even though the song itself was in actuality quite harsh.
I hadn't even read yours yet but I also made the connection of Mary Poppins!
Delete1. There wasn’t a character that resonated with me that much through the movie. First off, the guys in the movie seemed to really only care about themselves, or they were just especially annoying. As for Nora and the others girls in this movie, I just couldn’t connect with them.
ReplyDelete2. I liked the fact that this scene was in color. I was a bit surprised at this because it was just a sudden change from very dark colors to bright vivid colors. I think that the color change, altered the feeling of the scene even more than if the scene was in black and white. I think this because usually dark colors imitate a sad or gloomy feeling while bright colors have a happy and joyous connotation.
I had mixed feelings about most characters but the one that I enjoyed watching was Mars. Mars was the comedic relief and something about the way Spike Lee says his lines, similar to “Do the Right Thing”, sounds hilarious no matter what he’s saying. His funny repetitiveness and ability to make Nola laugh drew me towards his character because he seems to be the most innocent of the sexual relationships. I didn’t really understand the dancing scene or why there was color… I think it felt paradise-y and unrealistic like Mary Poppins or something along those lines. It could’ve maybe been a change in rhythm for the film to catch viewers’ attention and change the focus later? I really loved the dancing but I’d like to talk about what that scene meant because I found it strange.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Mars simply because he was so funny. Most of the comedic parts of the movie were centered around him, and I think Spike Lee did a really good job of playing him. I think that the character of Mars is an important one because he is such a fun character. For me, I had no problem with the movie being in black and white, however I wish that it was consistently black and white, rather than throwing one scene with color in. I do understand why they put color in the scene though because it makes an already unique scene stand out even more.
ReplyDelete1. I did not like any of the characters that much, but I liked Nola because she claimed her sexuality and did not let the men in her life tell her otherwise. I like that she knew what she wanted, but I do not like how she treats Opal and her old roomate (Clorinda).
ReplyDelete2. The dancing scene is easily my favorite scene because I love the song and I think that if the scene was in black and white it would not show how happy she was at one point with Jamie. The song does have a different connotation with the lyrics, but seems happier with the colorful dancing in contrast to the rest of the movie.
1. I didn't particularly enjoy any character that much but, I think out of all of them my favorite character was Mars. I really liked how goofy he was and I think that's really all he was good for in the movie and I think Spike Lee did a great job of playing him. I think Mars personality was the vibe where everyone kind of knows someone just like him and it's just a fun time to have around. However, his character was very one dimensional and you don't really get much background about why he is the way that he is. I'm excited to see the more modern version of Mars too, hopefully the show still grasps his energy.
ReplyDelete2. I didn't really like the scene in color. I think it's because I don't fully grasp the significance of the scene because I found it kinda boring watching them dance. I think the whole movie should have just been in black and white. I think the scene disrupted the vibe of the movie because instead of characters talking about Nola, we just watched them watch a performance. Maybe the scene is significant because it is the one scene in the film where Nola is able to see what she could have if she chose one of these men, but honestly I'm not sure.
1. What character resonated with you the most? Why? How did their actions contribute to the overall theme of the movie?
ReplyDelete2. What were your reactions to the dancing scene being in color while the rest of the movie was in black and white? How did the the vibrant color affect the scene?
1. The character that resonated with me the most was definitely Jaime. He seemed to be the most “balanced” person in this movie. Now, of course the rap scene definitely takes away from that, but before that he seemed to me at least, the most morally conscious. Now of course, he is not THAT morally conscious because of many reasons, such as the rape scene. His actions added another sense of emotion to the scheme of things in the movie.
2. The dancing scene was extremely interesting to me because of musicality and color. The scene being in color while the rest of the movie being in black and white can be interpreted in many different ways. But for me, it showed that the emotions in that scene was less “black and white” than in the rest of the movie. Now I may be reading too deep into things, but that what I got from the scene.
ReplyDeleteWhat character resonated with you the most? Why? How did their actions contribute to the overall theme of the movie?
My personal favorite character was Mars simply because I loved his sense of humor. Although he wasn't developed much at all, he added comedic relief that didn't seen forced or out of place. I liked Nola most of the time, but sometimes she seemed a little too one dimensional.
2. What were your reactions to the dancing scene being in color while the rest of the movie was in black and white? How did the the vibrant color affect the scene?
The dancing scene didn't really resonate with me like I think it was supposed to. I could see how the vibrant color of the scene could be an attempt to show Jamie's love for Nola, but that message didn't totally come across to me.
1. What character resonated with you the most? Why? How did their actions contribute to the overall theme of the movie?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I really liked Mars mainly because I found him to be pretty funny throughout the movie. Although I will say he can get very annoying very fast with his repeated questions. I felt that Mars’ overall purpose in the movie was to act as comic relief, and to start conflict between himself and Greers.
2. What were your reactions to the dancing scene being in color while the rest of the movie was in black and white? How did the the vibrant color affect the scene?
I liked that the dancing scene was the only part that was in color, because it really made it a memorable scene which I think is important because this scene in particular shows that Jamie is willing to spend time and effort to do things that make Nola happy. I also think the color gave the scene a cheerful atmosphere, which is important because this is one of the big moments when Jamie and Nola bond. Also one thing that I like about the song that is playing during the dancing, is that it resembles what happens throughout the movie.
ReplyDelete1. What character resonated with you the most? Why? How did their actions contribute to the overall theme of the movie?
Though I was not a big fan of his character, I think I resonated the most with Jamie. His attitude towards Nola and his relationship (in terms of monogamy) reflects mine, and I think that he was the character I felt most empathetic towards. He seemed to be the most genuinely committed out of the three suitors, which I found admirable. I couldn’t find myself resonating with Nola. I tried to understand her rationality in having relationships with three men, but I think my morally monogamous upbringing prevents me from sympathizing with many of her issues. I think that Jamie and Nola’s respective actions represent both sides of the film’s commentary on female sexuality. Jamie believes that sex should be representative of the love between two people, while Nola sees sex as purely physical and not necessarily to be done with only one sexual partner.
2. What were your reactions to the dancing scene being in color while the rest of the movie was in black and white? How did the the vibrant color affect the scene?
In all honesty, my knowledge of the film’s budget made me think that the film only included this one scene in color because of budget restrictions. I thought that the scene was relatively unmemorable, besides the fact that it was the only scene in color. I initially assumed that Spike Lee would have preferred to film the entire movie in color, and that the inclusion of the scene was pointless, but at second glance his expression of lack of color seems to have added to the depth of Nola’s relationship with Jamie. Her relationship with Jamie seemed to be the only one that surpassed a purely physical/novelty relationship, so it would make sense that an act displaying the true love between the two would be displayed in vibrant colors.
1. What character resonated with you the most? Why? How did their actions contribute to the overall theme of the movie?
ReplyDeleteThe character that resonated with me was Mars. I liked Mars because he was most definitely the funniest character. All of the characters were pretty annoying due to their obsession over Nola, but Mars was by far the funniest. Mars sense of humor contributed to the theme of the movie because his comical presence was totally different from the serious personalities of Greer and Jamie.
2. What were your reactions to the dancing scene being in color while the rest of the movie was in black and white? How did the the vibrant color affect the scene?
I thought this was interesting how the change in color was so sudden. I didn’t really know what to think of it when it happened. As I think about it now, I think the writer was trying to make the scene stand out because it is so unordinary from the rest of the movie.
My favorite character was definitely Mars. I feel so foolish for saying that, but I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said otherwise. He just seems so out of place and comical in a serious atmosphere that I can't help but laugh. And in my opinion he would have been the best match for Nola. They both seem like completely honest characters and they both are fairly open about their multi person relationships. Mars never tries to trick Nola or say too much bad about the other men, he likes to make her laugh and tell jokes like he is her best friend. Now I am not saying this would make the perfect relationship between them, but for how individual these two characters are, and yet how much fun they have together, it seems like a better option than either Jamie or Greer.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I didn't even realize the switch from black and white to color while I was watching the film. So, I guess it didn't really have much of an effect on me. But it is interesting to think why Spike chose to do this. In my opinion, his reasoning could be a whole lot of things, but I think he was trying to show the happiness in the dance through the color somehow.
My favorite character was Mars. While Nola dated a lot of different guys, Mars (in my opinion) was the one who stayed the most true to himself. Her first lover, Greer Childs, was narcissistic and seemed to care more about his own image more than his feelings for Nola. Her second lover, Jamie Overstreet, seemed ideal as a companion; however, when he first confronted Opal (who seemed to have a close relationship with Nola), Jamie revealed how quick to Jealousy he was. He instantly assumed that Nola was cheating on him with Opal, instead of considering Nola's perspective of the situation. In this film, Mars had flaws, but he is my favorite character because one of his strengths was that he truly loved Nola.
ReplyDeleteWhen the color switched during the dance scene, I was reminded of the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz." In that movie, when Dorothy first arrived at the Munchkin village, the screen switched from black-and-white to color. To me, this signified life and vibrancy that no one has ever seen before. I got this same vibe while watching the dance scene. The scene, in my opinion, was supposed to symbolize true beauty, the likes of which no audience has seen before.
*Sorry this is suuuper late because I couldn't find it yesterday and I just saw it now, but I wanted to answer it anyways...*
ReplyDelete1) Nola stayed with me the most because I really couldn't make sense of her character. She wasn't really sure what she wanted, because she couldn't decided between the three men and she didn't really know how she wanted to view her own sexuality -- should she be proud of it or as she questioned towards the end, be celibate? Nola was very ambiguous, which threw me off a little bit, but also made me think about who she is and what she stands for, which I am still unsure of.
2) The dancing scene was all in color while everything else was black and white, which made the mood seem super happy and uplifting. If anything, for me, it made Jamie seem like a good guy because he was the one who had given her that dance/play thing and made everything seem so happy and pretty. (So misleading...)