Essay on The Film O brother, where art thou - 1049 Words

The Film O brother, where art thou? The film O brother, where art thou? is set in the Great Depression of the 1930’s and emphasizes the struggle between the upper and lower classes by using a variety of cinematic devices. Through the use of these cinematic devices and comedic relief the realities of the Depression are viewed without creating a stark, melancholy, documentary-styled film. Examples in this film of these cinematic devices used to show these realities include: bleak colors, contrasting of light and dark colors, long shots, high-angle shots, and spherical camera lenses. These particular devices provide a glimpse at the realities of the oppression, poverty and despair of many of the American people†¦show more content†¦Another such example, of the use of color to point out the differences in social class, is the use of contracting colors. Many of the people who are dressed in white and light colors are those who have power and money. Other people are dressed in darker colors, perhaps due to the fact that they would have to wash their own clothes rather than being able to have them washed. Pappy O’Daniel, the governor of Mississippi, and his campaign staff are one such example. In particular is a scene in which they are discussing the upcoming election and what should be done on the porch of what can be assumed is Pappy’s house. Not only are the men dressed in whites but the porch and home are also painted white. Pappy is an exemplification of power and money, he is governor and also a well to do businessman. Other people associ ated with Pappy carry out this theme throughout the film as well. The radio station, which Pappy owns (or at least finances) is seen several times and is painted white. Long shots of the radio station are used not to show smallness, as will be discussed later, but to show contrast between the building and the brown dirt surrounding it. The signs of the time are also shown through the use of specific camera shots, which humble the characters and show their frailty. Long Shots, in particular, are used to exemplify the smallness of the characters (without power) in the vastness of the world around them. In the scene in which theShow MoreRelatedFilm Summary for O Brother Where Art Thou?1171 Words   |  5 Pagesabandoned clothes). Carrying Pete in a shoebox, Delmar and Everett go to a restaurant where they meet Big Dan Teague (John Goodman), a one-eyed Bible salesman. Thinking that their box contains money, Big Dan lures them to a field for an advanced tutorial on salesmanship. He violently beats the two men, kills the toad after finding no cash, and steals their car. Everett and Delmar arrive at Everetts hometown, where he attempts to speak to his wife, Penny (Holly Hunter), mother of his seven daughtersRead MoreO Brother, Where Art Thou?: Modern Adaptation of Homers Odyssey1265 Words   |  6 PagesThe film O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a reinterpretation of the epic poem The Odyssey. The Coen brothers, writers and directors of the film, did not over analyze their representation. â€Å"It just sort of occurred to us after we’d gotten into it somewhat that it was a story about someone going home, and sort of episodic in nature, and it kind of evolved into that,† says Joel Coen in Blood Siblings, â€Å"It’s very loosely and very sort of unseriously based on The Odyssey† (Woods 32). O Brother, Where ArtRead MoreO Brother Where Art Thou1597 Words   |  7 PagesApril 12, 2008 Film Analysis â€Å"O Brother Where Art Thou† This old time musical theatrical movie clip was an insightful blast from the past that made you cherish those days where it was inconceivable to not be a gentlemen, and it was a down right shame to be anything less then an honest women. This old time movie with a new age attitude definitely strikes the funny bone of any modern day movie watcher. â€Å"The opening titles inform us that the Coen Brothers O Brother, Where Art Thou is based on HomersRead More O Brother, Where Art Thou? - From Greek Classic to American Original3139 Words   |  13 PagesO Brother, Where Art Thou? - From Greek Classic to American Original In the winter of 2001, American audiences initially paid little attention to Joel and Ethan Coens Depression era, jail-break, musical buddy comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou? The films reputation lingered, however, and over the next seven months O Brother eventually grossed a significant $45.5 million (imdb.com). Loosely adapted from Homer’s The Odyssey, the film focuses on Ulysses Everett McGill’s (George Clooney’s) journeyRead MoreO Brother Where Art Thou Character Analysis1694 Words   |  7 Pages The Coen Brothers’ film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, is loosely based on Homer’s famous Greek epic, The Odyssey, in that certain features in the film resemble those found in Homer’s epic, but the film still reveals its own sense of originality by making it more relatable to the modern world. While The Odyssey is set in Ancient Greece and O Brother, Where Art Thou? is set in the southern part of the United States during the 1930’s, the w orks are similar in following a protagonist who encountersRead MoreThe s Epic The Odyssey And The Movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?848 Words   |  4 PagesI have watched O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? hundreds of times before taking this class, but until now I had no idea that it was largely based on The Odyssey, by Homer. When I reviewed the movie I realized that it is almost a parallel to The Odyssey. To summarize the film O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?, Ulysseus Everett McGill, played by George Clooney, is doing time in Mississippi. He ends up scamming his way off the chain gang accompanied by Delmar, played by Tim Blake Nelson, and Pete, played by johnRead MoreAnalysis Of O Brother And The Odyssey 1707 Words   |  7 Pagesinto other forms of media, particularly film, which is one of the most prominent forms of media in the modern technological world. One popular adaptation of The Odyssey to film is the Academy Award nominated film O Brother, Where Art Thou where Odysseus is portrayed as escaped convict Ulysses Everett McGill, and he leads 2 other escaped convicts who help him return to his home. There are many differences between the classic epic poem and the modern 2001 film that takes place in rural 1937 MississippiRead MoreAnalysis Of O Brother Where Art Thou 961 Words   |  4 Pagesovercome. In order to do so, Odysseus had to prove his intellectual capacity, strength and determination. â€Å"O Brother Where Art Thou† is a 2000 adventure film which follows the journey of a man named Ulysses Everett McGill as he attempts to make his way back home with two fellow convicts after escaping prison. Although it lacks the structure and does not follow sequence of events of the odyssey, the film portrays many of the fundamental concepts and ideas explored in The Odyssey. In t his paper, I will exploreRead MoreMovie Review : O Brother, Where Art Thou1305 Words   |  6 PagesO Brother, Where Art Thou? is a film that will surely make you want to fall out of your chair laughing, and make you want to get up and dance. This film is an absolute classic. It is hilarious, adventurous, and makes you feel good about yourself. The most unique thing about this film is the main characters break out of jail for the wrong reason, and then go on a wild chase trying to get home. Another unique part about this film is that the main character is currently divorced and wanting to remarryRead MoreThe Odyssey And O Brother, Where Art Thou?1269 Words   |  6 Pagessometimes the movie falls short of the mark. O Brother, Where Art Thou?, however, tends to stay on track with the Odyssey. Due to the fact that O Brother, Where Art Thou? takes place in 1930’s Mississippi, certain plot elements can not correlate directly, but other than that conflicts tend to be similar. Ma jor characters make the same decisions as their Odyssey counterparts, with slightly different motives. Overall, The Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou? have similar and different protagonists,