Joan of Arc (1929) visual analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Joan of Arc (1929) visual analyses - Essay Example I feel that Dreyer actually did a unique job to develop eloquent interpretations from visual objects to life situations and to other artworks. The use of photography and pictures Dreyer uses a portrait of Mile Falconetti to reveal the faith that guided the lady knight of France. The sadness portrayed in this picture seems very real and at some point, as tears roll down her cheeks, the eyes widen at hearing something from the old, cultured men who question her pitilessly. The interesting part revealed here is that, though it happened 500 years back, when anyone takes a seat in the Little Carnegie Theatre, looking at this extraordinary motion picture, he or she is torn between hate and pity. The face of Mile with her closely collected hair is at first persuasive but startling (Warner 56). Her brown skin, the staring eyes, her lips free from rouge but which look dry, all resemble the girl of the soil. However, as the picture continues, one realizes in the sensitive elements something re ally magnetic, specifically the irregular glance of hope. Her expression does not tighten a feature, and when she is steadfast in her faith, no movement of the jaws is portrayed, but regularly by her eyes. No signs of revenge or bitterness, but she is confident with the responses to her inquisitors. The photography used by Dreyer pulls ever jot of fury, disdain, and impatience from the soldiers and clerics. The whiplash pulls touching extreme to touching extreme to give the movie its raw authority, but it is positively wearing for the viewer. Personally, I felt drained after watching the movie, which means I was deeply invested in the emotional turmoil by Joan throughout the movie. The use of the camera Mile Falconetti is outstanding in the way she answers questions, and Dreyer darts at different places of the stage with his camera. Sometimes he reveals Jeanne in a turn of the room with the huge heads and tinier heads in the foreground. He brings out something that is happening and then flashes somewhere else to other heads. All this is achieved without fadeouts or dissolves in such an efficient way that whichever the angle from which the scenes are viewed, it is ever satisfactory and not in any way impressionistic or tricky. It is a fact that a curious feat, the way in which this movie is pictured, with its numerous close-ups, it is very thoroughly matched to this specific subject. Nevertheless, the weakness in the film can be seen here, noting that it is doubtful if this screen method would effectively suit any other story (Warner 72). The camera is frequently placed at exaggerated angles, and faces are often cropped so firmly as to forcefully defy a character’s individual space. Further, edits in between shots are mostly had no coherence. This means that the camera could go between the questioner and Joan without minding to care if it seems like they are really facing each other. Since the shots are framed so firmly on every frame, each movement wave s into great touching pay-offs. In this sense therefore, interties are almost useless when the camera bores into the soul of every character. I agree that the all-purpose lack of interties actually made the best part of the film and kept the pace from deteriorating. Costumes The Danish director in this film makes the most of long phrases of the costumes or garments of the priest in the foreground on a single side of the barrow’

No-Fault Divorce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

No-Fault Divorce - Essay Example In the first decade of this century the grown of divorce rates has reached almost epidemic proportions in the United States with as many as 12 million divorces registered over the 1990s which is the highest the developed world (Williams, 2000). Consequently, a number of experts view no-fault divorce as one of the key contributors to the increasingly high divorce rates in the US. Even brief analysis of the no-fault legislation and specifics of divorce granted under it suggests that such belief relies on solid evidence and might be absolutely correct: no-fault laws in their current form must be revised on the basis of sociological and legal experience that has been accumulated over the last three decades. The concept of no-fault divorce does not require demonstration of any proofs or evidences of wrong-doing to dissolve a marriage. The first state to adopt no-fault laws was California where they came in force on January 1, 1970. The example of California was soon followed by other states that implemented similar legislation. Prior to that, the procedure for obtaining a divorce involved mandatory provision of evidences demonstrating fault of one of the spouses. Requirements to the nature of such evidences were strict too. It was not sufficient to make a mere statement of not loving the spouse: only a proved case of committed adultery, wrongdoing, abandonment or other serious guilt qualified as a valid reason for divorce. At the same time, the spouse who preferred to save marriage had most instruments to do so. Therefore, it was up to the judge to weigh all evidences provided by both sides to the marriage, and often the decision regarding granting divorce was negative (Baskerville, 200 0). The sophisticated divorce procedure forced many couples who did not commit any act sufficient for the court to grant divorce seek for the way to bypass it. This resulted in numerous tricks and legal fictions invented by lawyers to satisfy the needs of such couples. For the most part, these tricks were based on false testimonies. This tendency produced highly negative response from the legal community with numerous judges and lawyers arguing against the excessively strict divorce procedure. The key concern was that such increase of perjury cases occurrence might undermine the reputation and integrity of the US system of justice. Advocates of a simplified divorce procedure claimed that adoption of no-fault laws was a better choice than forcing spouses continue living together or making perjury (Friedman, 2002). Although the no-fault legislation apparently simplified the divorce procedure, there has recently been a considerable movement for revocation of no-fault laws in the United States. Several key problems are associated with the concept of no-fault divorce. Firstly, the initial objective pursued by authors and advocates of no-fault laws was to facilitate dissolution of marriage by mutual consent of both spouses. However, it turned out that in most cases mutual consent was not in place and the new procedure enabled any party to the marriage to dissolve it without the other party's agreement. Thus, according to some estimates four out of five no-fault divorces were unilateral with only one of the spouses insisting on ending the marriage (Baskerville, 20