Dr. Strangelove

Dr. Strangelove

Stillman

Grant Stillman and Jack Richardson both had comments on Dr. Strangelove that caught my attention. Stillman talked a lot about where the substance of the film came from. He talked about how research was done that showed a link between the stars in Dr. Strangelove to before the script for the movie was thought up. An article in Time magazine in 1961 proves that Peter Sellers, Adiai Stevenson, and Henry Kissinger were linked to Russian espionage conspiracies. This goes back to Dr. Strangelove when the Russian ambassador states that the Russians were able to gain intelligence from the New York Times. In a quote from Foreign Affairs, Kissinger states many key concepts that appear throughout the movie such as when he says, “every country lives with the nightmare that even if it puts forth its best efforts its survival may be jeopardized by a technological breakthrough on the part of its opponent.” This statement relates to Dr. Strangelove talking about the possibility that something such as the doomsday machine really does exist and that the U.S. cannot do anything about it.

American President and the Russian Ambassador on the red phone with the Russian leader

Another example is when Kissinger wrote, “establishment of a communications system to enable the leaders of both countries to communicate instantaneously.” Relating this to the movie would be when the American President picks up the red phone in the war room and instantly is able to communicate with the Russian leader when one of the B-52s has been ordered to drop a nuclear bomb. Stillman also mentions the symbolism in Miss Scott’s appearance in the movie as well as the Playboy magazine read by Major Kong. Miss Scott appears as the only woman in the film and is more a sex symbol as she is the secretary who appears in scantily clad clothing for the time period.

Richardson

Jack Richardson’s review of Dr. Strangelove is a bit different than Stillman because he writes more on the satire that the film is. He mentions the opening scene “in which two bombers copulate in mid-air by means of a refueling tube while the song ‘Try a Little Tenderness’ plays.” The humor is related to the sex symbolism shown in war machines such as the B-52s. Another example that Richardson talks about is when Dr. Strangelove “fights a possessed right arm intent on offering Nazi salutes against its owner’s will.” This shows the attempt at humor that communism ideals may be present even within the highest levels of the U.S. government.

Cinematography

As Richardson mentions in his review, Kubrick was able to show “the heightening of a speech and performance by the choice of a dramatic camera angle.” One such example was the speech of Dr. Strangelove in the war room in which the camera looks straight on at him in the wheelchair as if we are seeing the war room from the American President’s point of view.

Dr. Strangelove's speech in the war room

Sound

I feel that the sound used in Dr. Strangelove is intriguing and by this I mean the use of song throughout the movie in the form of popular songs of the time at the beginning and end of the movie, as well as the song When Johnny Goes Marching Home when the pilots are in the B-52 that drops the bomb.

General Ripper and Officer Mandrake

Mise en scene

The mise en scène that I liked was the way the war room was set up. There were many major scenes that took place within the war room and having a setting that depicts possible reality is important in a movie such as this. There was General Turgidson explaining to the President that General Ripper had built in authority to drop a nuclear bomb without the President’s permission. Also, there was the important speech of Dr. Strangelove at the end of the movie explaining the only solution possible if the doomsday machine were to go off. The room was set up with dim lighting and views that showed the entire round table. It also showed the enormous amount of space that the room contained.

Dr. Strangelove in the war room

Green Building

Green Building

URL to the same video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg7IUEE0fnE

Building Green: Aspects Of Importance

Building Green: Aspects Of Importance

A home that has many green building techniques implemented into its design.

Introduction

As potential new home-builders or homeowners, you should know that green building is becoming more popular everyday. Building green or sustainable construction “does not necessarily mean major sacrifices in comfort, convenience, or even safety in the design and construction of homes or buildings” (Deal 13). Sustainable construction, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states that “Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle from sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction” (U.S. EPA Definition of). Through this life-cycle strategy, I will explain the most important aspects of green building, which consist of building materials, efficient heating and cooling systems, and water conservation. I will then explain why some feel the costs could be too much to burden and the ways the government has tried to help with these extra costs.

Building Materials

A chart displaying the amount of money spent on green building materials since 2003

Building materials are essential in the efforts of sustainable construction. These materials are the first step in helping to get a home labeled as an ENERGY STAR efficient home. The ENERGY STAR label “is the government backed symbol for energy efficiency. An ENERGY STAR labeled product, appliance or building indicates superior energy performance” (U.S. EPA Reducing Energy Use). The label works with all building materials and products as well. These materials and products are under such building categories as sealing and insulation, roof products, windows and doors, and flooring.

Sealing and Insulation

The majority of homeowners can feel the easy to find air leaks around windows and doors, but it is the ones they cannot see or feel that are the most costly. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s energy star website, “holes hidden in attics, basements, and crawlspaces are usually bigger problems” than those out in the open spaces of a home. Their website recommends, “sealing these leaks with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping” (U.S. EPA Energy Star), which will cut down on utility bills and improve the living conditions within a home. Furthermore, leaks and cracks develop within the air ducts that distribute hot and cold air throughout the house. “In a typical house, however, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections” (U.S. EPA Energy Star). When these are not taken care of, utility bills will rise and a reasonable comfort level within a home cannot be reached. A homeowner can also cut down on their utility costs by using insulation products, which go hand-in-hand with correct air sealing. Types of insulation include fiberglass, cellulose, rigid foam board, and spray foam. The Department of Energy website says, “Insulation is rated in terms of thermal resistance, called R-value, which indicates the resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness” (U.S. DOE Fact Sheet Insulation). This rating system is used for differing temperatures throughout the country so that the correct amount and type of insulation is used to produce the most effective return on the insulation that is used.

Roof Products

Roof products are the second type of building material that is essential to sustainable construction. The roof of a home absorbs the sun’s heat and transfers it into the home, but an ENERGY STAR qualified roof will “reflect more of the sun’s rays…and can reduce peak cooling demand by 10-15 percent” (U.S. EPA Energy Star). Roofs are an important element in having energy efficient homes throughout the country. A more reflective roof can reduce the amount of time an air conditioner needs to be used, which in turn reduces “the demand for electric power and resulting air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions” (U.S. EPA Reducing Energy Use). A new direction, that is not as popular on homes as it is buildings right now, is green roofs. “Green roofs are tools for dealing with storm water runoff and reducing urban heat islands. Other industry claims include their ability to reduce energy use by insulating buildings from extreme temperatures” (Levine). These green roofs are a different option that could become more popular as green building becomes increasingly popular.

Windows and Doors

The third sustainable construction material needed for an energy efficient home is windows and doors. Windows and doors are important because that is where the most common air leaks are found. A home with airtight windows and doors “can reduce your energy bills up to 15% while helping protect the environment” (U.S. EPA Energy Star).

Flooring

Types of flooring are the last important factor in determining energy efficiency within building materials. There are numerous types of floors that can be used to build sustainable homes. A list might look something like rubber flooring, bamboo, timber used from sustainable forests, recycled flooring materials, cork, and wool (“Recommended Materials…”). The type of floor that is used is factored into two categories when determining a green home, which are in-home living conditions and building materials. The type of floor chosen is an important decision because sustainability within a home is necessary, but comfort maybe more important.

Heating and Cooling Systems

Efficient heating and cooling systems are an integral piece of the puzzle when it comes to sustainable construction. These systems are usually the source of the increased costs in utility bills if they are not properly functioning as “heating and cooling costs the average homeowner about $1,000 a year” (U.S. EPA Energy Star).

There are numerous areas of inefficiency within these systems that could occur. It is possible for there too be air leaks, functioning issues within the heating and cooling systems, or even wear and tear from years of use. These issues could lead to one of two possible results, which are finding and fixing all of the issues that arise or replacing it with a brand new ENERGY STAR qualified unit. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, if a “central air conditioning unit is more than 12 years old, replacing it with an ENERGY STAR qualified model could cut your cooling costs by 30%” (U.S. EPA Energy Star). The heating systems recommended by the EPA are air source and geothermal heat pumps. An air source heat pump uses “the difference between outdoor air temperatures and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat your home” (U.S. EPA Energy Star).

According to the Consumer Energy Center, a geothermal heat pump will “rely on the stable, even heat of the earth to provide heating, air conditioning and, in most cases, hot water” (California Energy Commission). The new efficient heating and cooling systems can range anywhere from 8 to 45 percent in terms of increased efficiency compared to new standard units and the old ones that already exist in the houses. This increased efficiency and reduced utility costs can add up and outweigh the upfront costs involved with purchasing one of this new heating and cooling systems.

Water Conservation

Water conservation is the third important aspect of sustainable construction that I want to focus on. This is maybe the most important aspect of the three that I will talk about. I say this because of the overall effect that water has on the environment, humans, and its uses throughout the country. As water becomes scarce in some parts of the country, such as the Las Vegas region, it is important for those who have the access to sufficient amounts of water to use it in the most efficient ways possible. According to the EPA, “less than 1% of all the water on Earth can be used by people” (U.S. EPA Conserving Water). Within sustainable construction, water conservation is possible in many different ways. These ways can consist of collection of rain water using underground collection systems, water collection that allows the rain water to be used for everyday household uses, having water efficient fixtures and appliances, and being conscious of the amount of running water that is used for everyday tasks. There are many ways to collect rainwater and one of the easiest is to collect it in a rain barrel, which could “save the average homeowner about 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months, or 40% of total household water use” (U.S. EPA Conserving Water). Rain barrels allow homeowners to conserve water by re-using rainwater to do everyday household tasks such as washing the car, watering plants, or topping off the swimming pool.

A diagram giving ways to conserve water.

Having water efficient appliances and fixtures allows energy and water to be saved. Replacing a toilet with a high-efficient one “can save a family of four, on average, $2,000 in water bills over the lifetime of the toilets” (U.S. EPA Conserving Water). The same goes for faucets and showerheads where 32 percent of residential indoor water use occurs. These fixtures need to be fixed and maintained to function properly. As for water-efficient appliances, the most notable is the washing machine. The washing machine “uses about 41 gallons of water per load, and is the second largest water user in your home,” according to the EPA (U.S. EPA Conserving Water). The new, “high-efficiency washing machines use 35 to 50 percent less water, as well as 50 percent less energy per load” (U.S. EPA Conserving Water).

Water conservation can occur within a household member’s everyday life. A few examples are shutting off the water when one brushes their teeth, fix leaks as soon as one becomes aware of them, avoid over-watering the lawn, and take shorter showers. These are just a few of the many things one can do to increase their water conservation and decrease their water bill.

Costs: The Counter Argument

The most commonly heard argument to building green is the extra costs involved. Though many people may want to build a sustainable home, at this time in our country it is very difficult to get the cash to pay the extra costs up front. The economy is down and many people have been looking for ways to stretch their dollar into two or three dollars. Several of the items that are listed above can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars in extra expenses at the beginning. According to the U.S. EPA, “these products can be more expensive to purchase up front” (U.S. EPA Energy Star), which in turn causes the homeowner to look for the more conventional, less expensive alternatives. Though it may sound good to the customer to see a more affordable price tag, they should consider the long-term impact of their short-term decision.

Savings: Energy Bills & Tax Credits

If the homeowner were to sit down and figure out the costs involved in terms of up front costs plus long-term utility costs then they would realize the savings that would benefit them from going green. The energy efficient products are more expensive at the outset of the purchase, but “the cost difference will be paid back over time through lower energy bills” (U.S. EPA Energy Star). The long-term affect on energy bills is not the only option in terms of savings for customers who purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products. If the homeowner chooses to purchase some energy efficient products during the years of 2009 and 2010, then there are possible tax credits for some of the products. The most publicized of these are windows, doors, and appliances, which are eligible for up to a $1,500 tax credit.

Financing

In addition to lower long-term energy bills and a tax credit up front for energy efficient purchases, there is also special financing that maybe available to those who purchase these products. Here is what the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s website on Energy Star has to say about financing available to those who purchase energy efficient products:

ENERGY STAR financing was created to make it easier for consumers to purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) do not provide the funding for the financing. Rather, the EPA works with private lenders and sponsors, such as manufacturer, utility, energy efficiency administrator, or retailer partners, who are interested in providing energy efficiency financing to their customers. Like other ENERGY STAR qualifying products, the EPA allows companies to use the ENERGY STAR label on financing products that meet certain criteria. At a minimum, the EPA requires that the financing product give consumers the incentive to purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products. This can take the form of lower interest rates and longer repayment terms than those offered for non-ENERGY STAR qualified equipment. Both the lender and the sponsor must have a signed agreement with EPA. (U.S. EPA Energy Star)

Conclusion

Building green is the wave of the future and is important for long-term future of our country. There are numerous ways for people to build green and live sustainable lives. The impact that building materials, heating and cooling systems, and water conservation can have on the resources of this country, utility bills, and health of the individual within the home is huge. It is important for homeowners to realize the long-term benefits that outweigh the short-term costs so that they too can live sustainable lives. I feel that with the increasing help of the federal and local governments, it is possible for everyone to begin to build green and live sustainable lives.

A diagram giving the anatomy of a green building. It describes many of the things that can be done to build a green home.

Works Cited

California Energy Commission. Consumer Energy Center. California Energy Commission. 2006.

Web. 2 May 2010.

The California Energy Commission gives information regarding renewable energy sources. I will use this to explain the basics of geothermal energy.

Deal, Walter F. "A Place to Stay: Building Green." Technology Teacher 69.6 (2010): 11-16.

Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.

Deal’s article gives examples of what is important in green construction as well as the definition of green construction. I will use these examples to provide a foundation for my paper.

Levine, Ketzel. “‘Green’ Roofs Sprout Up All Over.” National Public Radio. National Public

Radio, 23 June 2004. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1970286>

The article explains the growing trend of planting grass and flowers on top of rooftops to reduce energy costs and deal with storm water.

“Recommended Materials for Sustainable Construction.” Lambeth Housing. Lambeth Housing,

Sept. 2008. PDF. 2 May. 2010

This article provides a listing of flooring materials used for sustainable construction. I will use this list to give examples of types of flooring that can be used.

United States. Department of Energy. Fact Sheet Insulation. DOE. 15 Jan. 2008. Web. 28 Apr.

2010.

The Department of Energy website gives information about how to conserve energy. I will use this website to give information about insulation.

United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Conserving Water. EPA, 9 Nov. 2009. Web. 2

May 2010.

This website explains ways to reduce and reuse water in the most efficient of ways. I will share some of these ideas within my paper.

United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Definition of Green Building. EPA, 2 Apr.

2010. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.

EPA basic information page gives essential information regarding the foundation of what green building is all about. I will use this web page to provide a basic description of green building.

United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Reducing Energy Use. EPA, 16 Dec. 2009.

Web. 27 Apr. 2010.

This site provides information on heating and cooling systems. This information will be used to provide efficient ways to cut down on heating and cooling.

United States. Environmental Protection Agency: Energy Star. Products. EPA, Web. 27 Apr.

2010.

The energy star website gives a comprehensive look at materials used in green building. I will use this information to further enhance my point through specific types of materials and products used to gain an ENERGY STAR rating.

Alien

Kane with the "face-hugger" attached

Alien starts off showing the large panned out view of the mother ship and then slowly moves in and throughout the ship. As the camera finds the crew on board awakening, Kristin Thompson mentions in her chapter on Alien that Kane’s “waking first is also a way of making sure we can recognize him, since he spends most of his time in a space suit or in the concealing grip of the face-hugger” (288).

I found this opening interesting while at the same time confusing. It was interesting because it was silent with a large amount of ship detail being displayed. The opening allows for the viewer to have numerous thoughts enter their mind about the setting before reaching the cast asleep in the ship. However, at the same time it confused me because of the non-traditional nature the producer went about developing the characters. I felt that there was no one main character, which Thompson touches on in her piece about the Alien when she says, “The casting is quite ingenious, in that it avoids using any stars who would obviously be expected to survive to the end” (284).

The crew on the unknown planet where the alien is found

Alien is an intriguing film because the audience does not realize that the cast

will begin to die until over halfway through the film. It keeps the audience guessing which character, if any, will survive. According to Thompson, this type of plot “presents a challenge to filmmakers, in that audience involvement depends to a considerable degree on both suspense and surprise” (284). In the case of Ridley Scott, the director of Alien, who did an excellent job of attacking the challenge until the alien killed Dallas. At this point, I realized that Ripley would be the only remaining survivor because of her intensity in dealing with the situation when everyone else seemed overwhelmed by it.

Alien discription

In my opinion, the alien’s depiction is quite strange because of the way it is formed. The face-sucking alien that attaches to Kane’s face is not the alien that appears in the remaining scenes of the film. The alien is reproduced within Kane’s body in an unordinary fashion and Stephen Mulhall speaks about this in his response to the film when he says that “in order to reproduce, it must insert a long, flexible member into the host’s body through one of that body’s orifices, and deposit a version of itself within its host’s torso where it develops to the point at which it must force itself out again” (20). This act is not expected because all the other characters feel that he is fine until the alien forces his way out of Kain at the dinner table. This is the first time the audience sees the alien and when they do they see this very tiny, evil looking object. One thing I found interesting about the alien in the film was that it never had the same appearance. For example, the alien comes out of Kane as this tiny object then in the air ducts when Dallas tries to kill it, it appears as this massive round object with this large face. Furthermore, at the end of the movie when Ripley is in the small ship alone after the explosion, the alien appears hidden in the background but has these long tentacles similar to an octopus. These different looks that we see from the alien adds to the suspense of the viewer because they are not sure what will appear or when exactly it will appear.

Cinematography

The camera views in the movie also intrigue the viewer. I noticed camera angles in situations where the music would get intense and the characters would become more aware and freightened that the angles would increase. By increase I mean pan out down long hallways to see the character at the end then zoom in real close to the face to see the expression on their faces.

Also, the camera view was in first person at the end of the film when Ripley is looking for the alien. This was a way for the director to say that this person is now filming because they are the only remaining human alive.

One last camera angle I want to touch on is the wide-angle shot that we see when the mother ship explodes. It is an angle that allows for the entire explosion to be seen, which looks like a nuclear bomb exploded. Then at the end we see the small ship with Ripley just disappear into a vast space that exists in the universe. This shows that a small ship compares in comparison to the massive amounts of endless space.

Mulhall, Stephen. “Kane's Son, Cain's Daughter.” On Film. London: Routledge, 2002. 12-32.

Print.

Scott, Ridley, dir. Alien. 1979. Twentieth Century Fox, 2009.

Thompson, Kristin. "Alien." Storytelling in the New Hollywood. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1999.

283-306. Print

Pan's Labyrinth

Pan’s Labyrinth was a film produced by Guillermo del Toro set against the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s and 1940s. Del Toro uses magnificent images and creative filming to produce a fantastic film that draws the viewer in and does not allow them out. He uses such compositional modes as mise en scène and cinematography to portray the message he is trying to get across. He also used Ofelia’s fantasy acts and objects in her wonderland to portray what is taking place in the real world.

Guillermo del Toro sets the film within the Spanish Civil War and does not tame any of the gruesome executions or torture that occurred. An example was when Captain Vidal stabbed and shot the men who were hunting rabbits because he thought they were part of the guerillas. Furthermore, del Toro puts the audience into the war with the culture, history, and location that is portrayed. Smith and Edwards both comment on this in their overviews of Pan’s Labyrinth. Smith states it like this, “Eluding nativism (shooting “in exile”), he also avoids facile multiculturalism, engaging deeply with the culture, history, and cinema of his host country” (4). Edwards says something very similar when he says, “This fecund, earthy and maternal underland is juxtaposed with scenes in the 'real' world of fascist Spain in 1944, with their steely military colours and sharp cold lines and shapes” (142). Edwards’ description not only ties the film to the time period, but also to the underworld that Ofelia is part of.

Captain Vidal

Guillermo del Toro shows cinematography in his film making that is fantastic. Take for example, a description that Smith gives in his review when he says, “In a single, extraordinary shot del Toro tilts down to inside the mother’s womb, where we see a golden fetus mutely listening, and pans right to the fantastic blossom atop a mountain of thorns” (6).

This depicts one of the many great camera shots throughout the film. Ofelia, at the time, is telling a story to her unborn brother and the camera shot enables the audience to view the unborn fetus dreaming the story as it is told. As a viewer, I also felt like the captain was portrayed as the most important person through the use of shooting him with a low camera angle that would pan up to his face.

The compositional mode of mise en scène that del Toro uses is phenomenal in my opinion. The characters in the wonderland are so realistic, but at the same time you understand that they are fairy-type creatures. An example of this that I can think of is the faun and the gruesome creature with the eyes in his hands. In addition, the costumes used on the real characters put the audience into the time period that allows for belief of everything that takes place.

Gruesome creature

I found the use of symbolism between the wonderland and reality to be intriguing. I did not catch all of these until reading Smith and Edward’s accounts of the film. An example would be Ofelia seeing red cover the page of her book and then turning to see her mother bleeding due to birth complications. Another example that Edwards mentioned was “from the tortured rebel's split hand to the Captain's split face” (143). A third example that is symbolic is the two knives that Ofelia and Mercedes use to get to freedom rather than experiencing death.