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Article Evaluation

The article on filmmaker Megan Griffiths is very sparse. While all of the information included is relevant, there is very little of it. The article is very neutral and simply states facts. There are no opinions in this article and therefore there are no opposing claims. While the article lists 10 films that the filmmaker has worked on, it does not include any other information about her career and her work on those films. There is a sentence that says she received her MFA in either 2000 or 2001. This is not a good piece of information because it does not provide an accurate look at her education and is not factual. It should have the exact year that she received her MFA and should not leave this up to speculation. There are three references cited with this sentence. One of them does not have a web link and the other two include the year that she received her MFA. One says that it is in 2000 while the other says it is in 2001. Instead of including this in the article, the contributor should have tried to find more sources that confirm which year is actually correct instead of leaving it up to the reader to decide. There are only two sentences in the section about her career and they only mention 3 of the 10 films that she has worked on. There needs to be more information about her career in this section and it should talk about more of her work. In the filmography section, only 3 of the films have references attached to them. All of the films should have references to confirm them. The opening section consists of one sentence and does not provide a proper introduction into who Megan Griffiths is. There is a lot of information missing from this article that needs to be added. There are not conversations in the Talk section of the article; there are only two entries that are modifications of links. The article is deemed a stub. This means that it is too short and lacks substance. This article could be heavily improved.

Research on 3 Filmmakers

Film Research Assignment

           While I was researching these three female filmmakers, I was genuinely surprised by how hard it was to find sources about them and their work. I found that of the three, there is the most information on Kathryn Bigelow published (she has made the most films) and the least about Barbra Streisand. There is a plethora of information about Barbra Streisand but more about her role as a singer and an actress, not as a filmmaker. Additionally, almost all of the information that I found about Streisand as a filmmaker discusses how her reputation as a star negatively influenced both the public and critical reception of her work. It was so clear that she was under such heavy scrutiny because of her gender. There were many men who tried to block Streisand from pursuing a directorial career because of her gender and her status as a “difficult actress”. They did not want a woman in their elite sphere, especially during the 1980’s, and really tried to prevent her success. I was also interested to find that many of the articles about Kathryn Bigelow were either in conjunction with her ex-husband (fellow filmmaker) James Cameron, or mentioned him in them. She is very attached to her husband even in her career and after I did some research on James Cameron, I found that Bigelow was rarely mentioned. I found out that many people attribute her success to her husband, which evidence proves is not the case. Lastly, it was difficult to find information about Julie Taymor’s film career. There is a lot of information on her work in the theater, as she has had many successes on stage, but not as much about her film work. Her film work is not as popular but she has a solid body of work that should be discussed on her Wikipedia page. I am not surprised by my findings, as female filmmakers are often ignored in history and today, but I am excited to contribute the information that I did find to my project.

Filmmakers:

1)   Kathryn Bigelow

2)   Barbra Streisand

3)   Julie Taymor

Blumenthal, Eileen. Julie Taymor, Playing With Fire: Theater, Opera, Film. Abrams. 1995.

           This book explores the career of Julie Taymor through a 50-page biographical essay, personal notes, and interviews with Taymor. It has an incredible amount of information about Taymor’s career in regard to theater, opera, and film. The point of interest in this book is the section about her work as a filmmaker. It goes in-depth on her directorial style and the struggles she has faced as a female in a male-dominated industry. It has a lot of information about her film career that her Wikipedia lacks.

Eichenbaum, Rose. The Director Within : Storytellers of Stage and Screen, edited by Aron Hirt-   Manheimer, Wesleyan University Press, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central,         https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/emory/detail.action?docID=1816464.

Rose Eichenbaum’s book profiles many filmmakers and discusses their roles as directors. The subject of my research is the chapter that discusses Julie Taymor’s work. Eichenbaum discusses Taymor’s film history as well as current projects that she is working on. Taymor is one of the only female directors discussed in this book and it is interesting to see how she is discussed within this male-dominated atmosphere. It also discusses her role as female within such a male-dominated industry and how it influences her work.

Fernley, Allison, and Paula Maloof. "YENTL." Film Quarterly (ARCHIVE), vol. 38, no. 3, 1985, pp. 38-46,1, FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals Database,            https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-            com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/852654606?accountid=10747.

           Allison Fernley and Paul Maloof’s article in the Film Quarterly (ARCHIVE) in the Spring of 1985 discusses both Barbra Streisand’s critically acclaimed film Yentl and her directorial skills and experience. The article describes the obstacles Streisand faced in making the film, such as her status as a star and her gender, and how she overcame them. The film discusses how her reputation (as a difficult woman to work with) has influenced public perception of the film. It goes in depth on feminist film theory and how Yentl fits within that.

Goldman, Eric A. The American Jewish Story Through Cinema. University of Texas Press, 2013.

           Eric Goldman’s book explores how the American Jewish experience has been historically explored in cinema. Chapter 5, entitled “The Way We Were and The Prince of Tides: Barbra Streisand and The Evolving American Jewish Woman”, is the main focus of my research. It discusses the film The Prince of Tides, which Streisand directed and includes a lot of information in about the film and the process of making it. There is a lot of information that I contribute to her Wikipedia article. 

"JAMES CAMERON and KATHRYN BIGELOW." American Film (Archive: 1975-1992), vol. 16, no. 7,           Jul 01, 1991, pp. 40-43, Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive,    https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-            com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/964083195?accountid=10747.

           This article in American Film is a one-on-one between James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow. This article is very interesting because it is a conversation between a male director and a female director, who happened to also be married. The conversation compares their working styles as they both have premieres at the same time, his “Terminator 2”and hers “Point Break”. This article provides a lot of insight into her film style and artistic touch.

Kelleher, Ed. "Kathryn Bigelow: Twisting Movie Conventions." The Film Journal (Archive: 1979-   1996), vol. 93, no. 4, Apr 01, 1990, pp. 23-23, 65, Entertainment Industry Magazine      Archive, https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-            com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/1401456136?accountid=10747.

           Ed Kelleher’s article in The Film Journal reviews Kathryn Bigelow’s film history and discusses how she is unique as a filmmaker. It really describes her unique film style and how she challenges established film conventions often.  It includes an interview with Bigelow, having first-hand accounts of her work and her struggles. It discusses her film style and it discusses her most recent films. The combination of the first-hand accounts and the extensive history would make a great addition to my project.  

Keough, P. Kathryn Bigelow: Interviews. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2013. Project   MUSE

           This book contains many articles about and interviews with Kathryn Bigelow. It profiles her body of work and goes into many aspects surrounding her career. It contains a plethora of different interviews she has done for different publications and it also contains articles written about her by scholars. It is a great compilation of information and provides a lot of important material that could go into her Wikipedia article.

McCandless, David. “A Tale of Two Tituses: Julie Taymor's Vision on Stage and    Screen.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 4, 2002, pp. 487–511. JSTOR, JSTOR,     www.jstor.org/stable/3844238

           David McCandless’s article talks about the transformation of Julie Taymor’s small off-Broadway production of Titus Andronicus to her hit film version of it. This article is great because it provides an insight into Taymor’s artistic vision and process. It shows her brilliance as an artist and filmmaker. While she is known widely for her work in the theater, she is less known for her work in film, though she is critically lauded. Her Wikipedia article does not provide much information on her work as a film director and this source is great for contributing information.  

Spada, James. "THE LEGEND OF Barbra Streisand: STREISAND'S 15-YEAR QUEST TO MAKE        'YENTL'." Billboard (Archive: 1963-2000), vol. 95, no. 50, Dec 10, 1983, pp. BS8, BS10, Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive,    https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-        com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/1286446789?accountid=10747.

           James Spada’s article in Billboard discusses the full 15-year process that it took for Barbra Streisand to direct, write, and produce her famous film Yentl. It talks about how it took her a long time to get a studio to finance the film as at the time nobody knew if she had any talent behind the camera. It interviews Streisand and has direct quotes from her about her career as a director. It is a great resource for my project.

Kathryn Bigelow Resources

Benson-Allott, Caetlin. “Undoing Violence: Politics, Genre, and Duration in Kathryn Bigelow's Cinema.” Film Quarterly, vol. 64, no. 2, 2010, pp. 33–43. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/fq.2010.64.2.33.

This journal article discusses Politics, Genre, and Duration in Kathryn Bigelow's films. It profiles her entire career, discussing these three topics extensively in her films. Additionally, it includes a lot of bibliographic information about her. It discusses all of the different subjects that Bigelow has studied in her life and shown how her education has reflected in her work. Benson-Allott shows the evolution of Bigelow's work in term of her violent aesthetic and her shaping of politics in her films.

Hemphill, Jim. “The Cinema of Kathryn Bigelow: Hollywood Transgressor.” Film Quarterly, vol. 58, no. 1, 2004, pp. 61–63. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/fq.2004.58.1.61.

In this journal article, Jim Hemphill discusses the branding of Kathryn Bigelow as a Hollywood "transgressor" and how she both fits into that title and does not. It discusses how her films fit both within mainstream media and how they challenge the typical conventions of it. It also shows how her ideals are employed in her films and how they have been received by the public.

"JAMES CAMERON and KATHRYN BIGELOW." American Film (Archive: 1975-1992), vol. 16, no. 7, Jul 01, 1991, pp. 40-43, Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive,    https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/964083195?accountid=10747.

           This article in American Film is a one-on-one between James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow. This article is very interesting because it is a conversation between a male director and a female director, who happened to also be married. The conversation compares their working styles as they both have premieres at the same time, his “Terminator 2”and hers “Point Break”. This article provides a lot of insight into her film style and artistic touch.

Kelleher, Ed. "Kathryn Bigelow: Twisting Movie Conventions." The Film Journal (Archive: 1979-   1996), vol. 93, no. 4, Apr 01, 1990, pp. 23-23, 65, Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive, https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/1401456136?accountid=10747.

           Ed Kelleher’s article in The Film Journal reviews Kathryn Bigelow’s film history and discusses how she is unique as a filmmaker. It really describes her unique film style and how she challenges established film conventions often.  It includes an interview with Bigelow, having first-hand accounts of her work and her struggles. It discusses her film style and it discusses her most recent films. The combination of the first-hand accounts and the extensive history would make a great addition to my project.  

Keough, P. Kathryn Bigelow: Interviews. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2013. Project   MUSE

           This book contains many articles about and interviews with Kathryn Bigelow. It profiles her body of work and goes into many aspects surrounding her career. It contains a plethora of different interviews she has done for different publications and it also contains articles written about her by scholars. It is a great compilation of information and provides a lot of important material that could go into her Wikipedia article.

Things to Add to Kathryn Bigelow's Article

Bigelow states that Blue Steel, originally bankrolled for $10 Million, was shot on location in New York both due to financial condsiderations and because she doesn't "like movies where you see a welfare apartment and it's the size of two football fields."

In her acceptance speech for Best Director, Bigelow didn't mention her status as the first woman to ever receive an Oscar, surprising many audiences. In the past, Bigelow has refused to identify herself as a "woman filmmaker" or a "feminist filmmaker." Throughout her career, she has been faced with harsh criticism for the violence in her films, facing questions such as Mark Salisbury's in The Guardian, "Why does she make the kind of movie she makes?", or Marcia Froelke Coburn for the Chicago Tribune's, "What’s a nice woman like Bigelow doing making erotic, violent vampire movies?"

She defeated her husband ex-husband James Cameron in the category, for his directorial work in his sci-fi film Avatar, with a budget of $200 million. The Hurt Locker was far less expensive to make, relying on the use of hand-held cameras, long takes, and diligent sound design.

For a while, Bigelow lived as a starving artist, crashing with painter Julian Schnabel in performance artist Vito Acconci's loft.

Next, she directed Near Dark (1987), which she co-scripted with Eric Red, a hybrid of the Western and the vampire movie, which quickly became a cult classic. With this film, she began her life-long fascination with manipulating movie conventions and genre.

Bigelow followed Blue Steel with Point Break (1991), produced by ex-husband James Cameron, which starred Keanu Reeves as an FBI agent who poses as a surfer to catch the "Ex-Presidents", a team of surfing armed robbers led by Patrick Swayze who wear Reagan, Nixon, LBJ and Jimmy Carter masks when they hold up banks.

Film Style

Bigelow is known for her shifting relationship to Hollywood and it's conventional film standards and techniques. Her work "both satisfies and transcends the demands of formula to create cinema that’s ideologically complex, viscerally thrilling, and highly personal".She has had success both ascribing to conventional Hollywood cinema techniques as well as creating her own unique style that pushes against mainstream conventions. She is also known for entrenching social issues of gender, race, and politics into her work of all genres.

While her films are often categorized in the action genre, she describes her own style as an exploration of "film's potential to be kinetic". Her frequent and notable action sequences are unique because of her use of "purpose-built" camera equipment to create unique mobile shots that are very distinctive and indicative of the physicality of her work. In many of her films, such as The Hurt Locker, Point Break, and Strange Days, she has used utilized mobile and hand-held cameras.

Perhaps what Bigelow is most well-known for is her use of extensive violence in her films. Most of her films include violent sequences and many of them revolve around the theme of violence. Violence has been a staple in her films from the beginning of her career. In her first short film The Set-Up (1978), two professors deconstruct two men beating each other up and reflect on the "fascistic appeal of screen violence". For this film Bigelow asked the two actors to actually beat each other up in the film's all-night shoot. This interest in violence seeped it's way into her first full-length feature film The Loveless, starring William Dafoe, which follows a 1950's motorcycle gang's visit to a small town and the ensuing violence that occurs. Her next film Near Dark follows a young boy who falls in love with a vampire after being bitten by her. The film was originally conceived of as a Western but the genre was so unpopular at the time that Bigelow had to adjust her script and invert the genres conventions. She still used the violent staples of the genre including sieges, shoot-outs, and horseback chases. It is regarded for it's combination of the Western and horror genre and it's exploration of "homosexuality and 'white America's illusion of safety and control'". The film became a cult classic within the horror genre community. Bigelow herself saw a screening of it in Greenwich village with a horror genre crowd.

Her film Blue Steel, which was quickly followed by Point Break and Strange Days, was her first venture into the action film genre, in which she has stayed in throughout her career and has found her most success. The film revolves around a female cop who is falsely accused of a murder and who in the process of clearing her name investigates a killing spree connected to the original murder. Similarly to Near Dark, Bigelow inverts the typical action genre conventions by placing a female protagonist at the center. The film digs deeply into feminist issues and is often taught and studied by feminist film scholars. Her next film Point Break, starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, was her breakout film that truly bolstered her to mainstream success. The film follows a detective who goes undercover in a suspected criminal gang of surfers who primarily rob banks. It marks the first time that Bigelow used lengthy Steadicam tracking shots. It was also her biggest financial success yet, grossing $83.5 million worldwide with a budget of $24 million. Although her next film Strange Days, which ruminates on the relationships between media, sex, race, class, and technology, had a budget of $42 million, it only grossed just under $8 million. Although the film flopped, it led Bigelow and her team to spend over a year developing a camera that intended to approximate human vision. Sequences filmed by this camera are widely regarded as innovative and startling regardless of the film's success.

The commercial failure of Strange Days was followed by a stream of commercial and critical flops for Bigelow. Her films The Weight of Water and K-19: The Widowmaker received negative reviews from critics and little attention from the general public. It wasn't until Bigelow decided to independently produce her film The Hurt Locker that she made a commercial and critical comeback. This film was her first transition into definitively political and historical film.The Hurt Locker, which follows members of a bomb squad serving in the Iraq War, was Bigelow's first venture into pseudo-documentary style film, abandoning the aesthetic stylization found in Strange Days and Near Dark. The film utilizes the genre's tendency to use quick cuts, shaky camera, and rapid zooms. It also breaks with the conventional narrative structures of her previous films, following a more unorganized and experimental narrative structure. Her next film, Zero Dark Thirty, is widely seen as a direct extension of The Hurt Locker, going further in-depth of historical analysis and taking a clearer moral stance on issues of geopolitics and American foreign policy. The film is her most controversial to date, with heavy criticism on the depiction of the CIA's torture practices.

Throughout her career, Bigelow has been known for her tendency to go to extremes for her films. In Point Break, while filming the famous skydiving scene, Bigelow was on the airplane with a parachute on, as she filmed Patrick Swayze throw himself into the sky. During surfing scenes in the same film, she would either paddle on a longboard or lean over a nearby boat as far as possible to get shots of Keanu Reeves surfing. For the opening of Strange Days she controlled a crane that dropped a camera man off the edge of a tall building. For The Hurt Locker, Bigelow filmed in Jordan in up to 130 degree heat.

Comments: Although this is one of the most comprehensive articles students in our class are reviewing, there are still some areas that need improvement. I like your clarification comments to add into the already existing headers, but you may want to add an individual film style section. As the article briefly mentioned when discussing Zero Dark Thirty, Bigelow used hand-held cameras for a variety of the shots. Was this always her film style or has it evolved over time?

Peer Review Response:

I will definitely look into adding a section about Bigelow's film style, especially in regards to her use of violence and politics in her film. I will also look into the use of hand-held cameras in her work and see if her film style has evolved over time or if she has always utilized a similar style.