12 Angry Men centres around a jury deciding the verdict of a case, after what initially seems like a simple verdict, one juror throws a spanner in the works and insists the jury take another look at the case.
Legal dramas often centre around the characters of the criminal, the lawyers or the judge, aside from one early glance, 12 Angry Men doesn't feature the accused, the judge or any of the court case. Instead it uses the accounts of the jurors to paint a picture of the case and those involved, introducing the viewers to the case through the discussions the jury have. Though this may sound like a dull concept for a film, it is gripping to say the least as elements of the case are revealed through a trickle of facts in the jury's deliberation allowing the viewer to decide with the jury whether or not the accused is guilty.
The setting of the drama is crucial, on "the hottest day of the summer" in a tiny room with 12 men, each bead of perspiration can be seen as white shirts turn grey and ties get skewed. The pathetic fallacy of the film is simple, the heated discussions occur as the weather gets hotter, a crescendo is reached at the point of a storm and when all is resolved, the weather is still. It is as effective as it is theatrical. The drama barely moves from that room and even during bathroom breaks the tension is kept high as the jurors bicker amongst themselves.
12 Angry Men relies on the group dynamic of the jurors to create tension. The drama comes through these characters rather than events that surround them. Personalities unfold in front of your eyes, political persuasions and temperaments of the jurors are revealed by showing what each juror focussed on in the case and how they relate it to their own situation. At the centre of the drama is Henry Fonda's Juror Number 8, who is initially the only juror with any "reasonable doubt", the concept of which is toyed with throughout the deliberations. Jurors Number 3 and 9 played brilliantly by Joseph Sweeney and Lee J Cobb become the most realistic and believable characters in the entire situation as their characters are given greater back stories and empathy to work with.
Issues of racial politics, urbanisation, the legal system, family disputes and stereotyping come to the fore as each juror gets a chance to speak. Any remark from any character is enough to stir a thought in either a characters or a viewers mind, each word becomes crucial as certain elements of the case and of the group dynamic are explored. Jurors fall in and out favour depending on the viewers own point of view and in this the brilliance of the film is seen. As vote after vote is taken and speech after speech is made watching the film almost makes the viewer a 13th Angry Man feeling involved in the drama.
Saturday 30 October 2010
The Films I Have Already Seen
This isn't to bore any of you with a simple list of films I have seen, but to make sure that I have a saved list of the films in the book "1001 Films To See Before You Die" that I had seen before I began this blog. Starting with the latest releases:-
2009
Inglourious Basterds, Avatar, The Hangover, An Education.(4)
2008
The Hurt Locker, Let The Right One In, Gomorrah, The Wrestler, The Dark Knight,
ANVIL! The Story of Anvil, Slumdog Millionaire. (11)
2007
There Will Be Blood , No Country For Old Men, La Vie En Rose. (14)
2006
Once, Borat, Pan's Labyrinth, The Departed, Little Miss Sunshine. (19)
2005
Brokeback Mountain. (20)
2004
Downfall. (21)
2003
Oldboy, Kill Bill vol. 1. (23)
2002
The Pianist, City of God. (25)
2001
The Lord of The Rings (all 3), Spirited Away, Moulin Rouge. (30)
2000
Memento, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Amores Perros, Requiem for a Dream, Gladiator.(35)
1999
The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, American Beauty, Being John Malkovich, The Blair Witch Project, Fight Club, Magnolia, Three Kings. (43)
1998
The Thin Red Line, There's Something About Mary, Ring, Saving Private Ryan.(47)
1997
Titanic, Funny Games, Boogie Nights, L.A. Confidential. (51)
1996
Scream, Trainspotting, Independence Day, Fargo. (55)
1995
The Usual Suspects, Se7en, Clueless, Heat, Toy Story, Braveheart, Babe. (62)
1994
The Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, Natural Born Killers, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Clerks, The Lion King, Forrest Gump. (70)
1993
Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, Philadelphia, Groundhog Day. (74)
1992
Unforgiven, Reservoir Dogs, Glengarry Glen Ross. (77)
1991
Thelma and Louise, Terminator 2, The Silence of The Lambs, Boyz 'n' The Hood. (81)
1990
Total Recall, Edward Scissorhands, Pretty Woman, Dances with Wolves, Goodfellas. (86)
1989
Say Anything, Sex Lies and Videotape, The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover,
When Harry Met Sally, Batman. (91)
1988
Rain Man, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Die Hard, Dangerous Liaisons, Big, The Naked Gun,
A Fish Called Wanda, Akira. (99)
1987
Fatal Attraction, The Untouchables, The Princess Bride, Good Morning Vietnam, Withnail and I,
Full Metal Jacket, Raising Arizona. (106)
1986
Top Gun, Platoon, A Room With A View, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Aliens, The Fly, She's Gotta Have It, Stand By Me, Manhunter. (115)
1985
Brazil, Back to the Future, The Breakfast Club, (118)
1984
Ghostbusters, Beverley Hills Cop, This is Spinal Tap, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Terminator. (123)
1983
Scarface, Terms of Endearment, The Big Chill, The Return Of The Jedi. (127)
1982
Ghandi, Tootsie, The Evil Dead, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial,
Fast Times at Ridgemont High. (135)
1981
An American Werewolf in London, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Das Boot. (138)
1980
Raging Bull, Airplane, The Empire Strikes Back, The Shining. (142)
1979
Mad Max, Manhatten, The Muppet Movie, The Jerk, Apocalypse Now, Life of Brian, Alien. (149)
1978
Halloween, Dawn of The Dead, Grease, The Deer Hunter. (153)
1977
Suspiria, The Hills Have Eyes, Eraserhead, Saturday Night Fever, Annie Hall, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Wars: A New Hope. (160)
1976
The Man Who Fell To Earth, Network, Taxi Driver, Rocky, Carrie. (165)
1975
Jaws, Monty Python and The Holy Grail, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Dog Day Afternoon. (169)
1974
The Godfather Part II, Blazing Saddles, Chinatown, Young Frankenstein, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. (174)
1973
The Exorcist, Serpico, Don't Look Now, The Wicker Man, Mean Streets, Enter The Dragon,
American Graffiti, The Sting. (182)
1972
The Godfather, Cabaret. (184)
1971
Dirty Harry, Shaft, The French Connection, Get Carter, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory,
A Clockwork Orange. (190)
1970
Five Easy Pieces. (191)
1969
Easy Rider, Midnight Cowboy, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. (194)
1968
Night of the Living Dead, 2001: A Space Odyssey, If..., Planet Of The Apes. (198)
1967
The Jungle Book, Bonnie And Clyde, Cool Hand Luke, The Graduate. (202)
1966
(202)
1965
The Sound of Music, Doctor Zhivago, (204)
1964
A Hard Days Night, Dr. Strangelove, My Fair Lady, Goldfinger. (208)
1963
The Great Escape, Hud, The Birds. (211)
1962
Lolita, To Kill A Mockingbird, Lawrence of Arabia. (214)
1961
West Side Story, The Hustler, Breakfast at Tiffany's. (217)
1960
Spartacus, Psycho, La Dolce Vita. (219)
1959
Rio Bravo, Ben Hur, Some Like It Hot, North By Northwest. (223)
1958
Dracula, Vertigo. (225)
1957
The Bridge On The River Kwai, The Seventh Seal. (228)
1956
The Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Giant, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Searchers, Forbidden Planet. (233)
1955
The Night of The Hunter, Rebel Without a Cause, The Ladykillers, Bad Day At Black Rock. (237)
1954
Rear Window, Animal Farm, On The Waterfront. (240)
1953
Shane, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Roman Holiday. (243)
1952
High Noon, Singin' in The Rain. (245)
1951
The Day The Earth Stood Still, The African Queen, Stranger on a Train, A Streetcar Named Desire. (249)
1950
Rio Grande, The Asphalt Jungle. (251)
1949
The Third Man, White Heat. (253)
1948
The Red Shoes. (254)
1947
(254)
1946
Gilda, It's a Wonderful LIfe, Notorious, Great Expectations, The Postman Always Rings Twice. (259)
1945
Brief Encounter. (260)
1944
Double Indemnity. (261)
1943
(261)
1942
Casablanca. (262)
1941
Dumbo, The Maltese Falcon, The Wolf Man, Citizen Kane. (266)
1940
Pinocchio, Fantasia, Rebecca, HIs Girl Friday. (270)
1939
Wuthering Heights, Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Mr Smith Goes To Washington. (274)
1938
Bringing Up Baby, The Adventures of Robin Hood. (276)
1937
Snow White and The Seven Dwarves. (277)
1936
Mr Deeds Goes To Town, Modern Times. (279)
1935
Bride of Frankenstein, The 39 Steps. (281)
1934
It Happened One Night, Triumph of The Will. (283)
1933
King Kong, Duck Soup. (285)
1932
(285)
1931
M, Frankenstein, Dracula. (288)
1930 and before
Metropolis, The Gold Rush, Battleship Potemkin, The Thief of Baghdad, Nosferatu. (293)
After spending far too much time on this list, it appears I have seen 293 of the 1001 films to see before I die. Now it is just a matter of seeing the remaining 708, in these next 10 years. I hope you all will join me, take part and contribute as much as you all can.
2009
Inglourious Basterds, Avatar, The Hangover, An Education.(4)
2008
The Hurt Locker, Let The Right One In, Gomorrah, The Wrestler, The Dark Knight,
ANVIL! The Story of Anvil, Slumdog Millionaire. (11)
2007
There Will Be Blood , No Country For Old Men, La Vie En Rose. (14)
2006
Once, Borat, Pan's Labyrinth, The Departed, Little Miss Sunshine. (19)
2005
Brokeback Mountain. (20)
2004
Downfall. (21)
2003
Oldboy, Kill Bill vol. 1. (23)
2002
The Pianist, City of God. (25)
2001
The Lord of The Rings (all 3), Spirited Away, Moulin Rouge. (30)
2000
Memento, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Amores Perros, Requiem for a Dream, Gladiator.(35)
1999
The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, American Beauty, Being John Malkovich, The Blair Witch Project, Fight Club, Magnolia, Three Kings. (43)
1998
The Thin Red Line, There's Something About Mary, Ring, Saving Private Ryan.(47)
1997
Titanic, Funny Games, Boogie Nights, L.A. Confidential. (51)
1996
Scream, Trainspotting, Independence Day, Fargo. (55)
1995
The Usual Suspects, Se7en, Clueless, Heat, Toy Story, Braveheart, Babe. (62)
1994
The Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, Natural Born Killers, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Clerks, The Lion King, Forrest Gump. (70)
1993
Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, Philadelphia, Groundhog Day. (74)
1992
Unforgiven, Reservoir Dogs, Glengarry Glen Ross. (77)
1991
Thelma and Louise, Terminator 2, The Silence of The Lambs, Boyz 'n' The Hood. (81)
1990
Total Recall, Edward Scissorhands, Pretty Woman, Dances with Wolves, Goodfellas. (86)
1989
Say Anything, Sex Lies and Videotape, The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover,
When Harry Met Sally, Batman. (91)
1988
Rain Man, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Die Hard, Dangerous Liaisons, Big, The Naked Gun,
A Fish Called Wanda, Akira. (99)
1987
Fatal Attraction, The Untouchables, The Princess Bride, Good Morning Vietnam, Withnail and I,
Full Metal Jacket, Raising Arizona. (106)
1986
Top Gun, Platoon, A Room With A View, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Aliens, The Fly, She's Gotta Have It, Stand By Me, Manhunter. (115)
1985
Brazil, Back to the Future, The Breakfast Club, (118)
1984
Ghostbusters, Beverley Hills Cop, This is Spinal Tap, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Terminator. (123)
1983
Scarface, Terms of Endearment, The Big Chill, The Return Of The Jedi. (127)
1982
Ghandi, Tootsie, The Evil Dead, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial,
Fast Times at Ridgemont High. (135)
1981
An American Werewolf in London, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Das Boot. (138)
1980
Raging Bull, Airplane, The Empire Strikes Back, The Shining. (142)
1979
Mad Max, Manhatten, The Muppet Movie, The Jerk, Apocalypse Now, Life of Brian, Alien. (149)
1978
Halloween, Dawn of The Dead, Grease, The Deer Hunter. (153)
1977
Suspiria, The Hills Have Eyes, Eraserhead, Saturday Night Fever, Annie Hall, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Wars: A New Hope. (160)
1976
The Man Who Fell To Earth, Network, Taxi Driver, Rocky, Carrie. (165)
1975
Jaws, Monty Python and The Holy Grail, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Dog Day Afternoon. (169)
1974
The Godfather Part II, Blazing Saddles, Chinatown, Young Frankenstein, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. (174)
1973
The Exorcist, Serpico, Don't Look Now, The Wicker Man, Mean Streets, Enter The Dragon,
American Graffiti, The Sting. (182)
1972
The Godfather, Cabaret. (184)
1971
Dirty Harry, Shaft, The French Connection, Get Carter, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory,
A Clockwork Orange. (190)
1970
Five Easy Pieces. (191)
1969
Easy Rider, Midnight Cowboy, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. (194)
1968
Night of the Living Dead, 2001: A Space Odyssey, If..., Planet Of The Apes. (198)
1967
The Jungle Book, Bonnie And Clyde, Cool Hand Luke, The Graduate. (202)
1966
(202)
1965
The Sound of Music, Doctor Zhivago, (204)
1964
A Hard Days Night, Dr. Strangelove, My Fair Lady, Goldfinger. (208)
1963
The Great Escape, Hud, The Birds. (211)
1962
Lolita, To Kill A Mockingbird, Lawrence of Arabia. (214)
1961
West Side Story, The Hustler, Breakfast at Tiffany's. (217)
1960
Spartacus, Psycho, La Dolce Vita. (219)
1959
Rio Bravo, Ben Hur, Some Like It Hot, North By Northwest. (223)
1958
Dracula, Vertigo. (225)
1957
The Bridge On The River Kwai, The Seventh Seal. (228)
1956
The Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Giant, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Searchers, Forbidden Planet. (233)
1955
The Night of The Hunter, Rebel Without a Cause, The Ladykillers, Bad Day At Black Rock. (237)
1954
Rear Window, Animal Farm, On The Waterfront. (240)
1953
Shane, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Roman Holiday. (243)
1952
High Noon, Singin' in The Rain. (245)
1951
The Day The Earth Stood Still, The African Queen, Stranger on a Train, A Streetcar Named Desire. (249)
1950
Rio Grande, The Asphalt Jungle. (251)
1949
The Third Man, White Heat. (253)
1948
The Red Shoes. (254)
1947
(254)
1946
Gilda, It's a Wonderful LIfe, Notorious, Great Expectations, The Postman Always Rings Twice. (259)
1945
Brief Encounter. (260)
1944
Double Indemnity. (261)
1943
(261)
1942
Casablanca. (262)
1941
Dumbo, The Maltese Falcon, The Wolf Man, Citizen Kane. (266)
1940
Pinocchio, Fantasia, Rebecca, HIs Girl Friday. (270)
1939
Wuthering Heights, Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Mr Smith Goes To Washington. (274)
1938
Bringing Up Baby, The Adventures of Robin Hood. (276)
1937
Snow White and The Seven Dwarves. (277)
1936
Mr Deeds Goes To Town, Modern Times. (279)
1935
Bride of Frankenstein, The 39 Steps. (281)
1934
It Happened One Night, Triumph of The Will. (283)
1933
King Kong, Duck Soup. (285)
1932
(285)
1931
M, Frankenstein, Dracula. (288)
1930 and before
Metropolis, The Gold Rush, Battleship Potemkin, The Thief of Baghdad, Nosferatu. (293)
After spending far too much time on this list, it appears I have seen 293 of the 1001 films to see before I die. Now it is just a matter of seeing the remaining 708, in these next 10 years. I hope you all will join me, take part and contribute as much as you all can.
Friday 22 October 2010
Introductions
Like many people out there with a passion for films and an inquisitive nature I have recenly purchased the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" and listed how many films I had watched. I counted 293. After doing a little bit of Maths (see below) I worked out how long I had to live. Fortunately this result gave me a solid 47-48 years to watch the remaining films on the list, however as the list constantly updates, I would find it hard to keep up. The maths also doesn't work out, as many of the films on the list I have seen, i've seen in the last 4 years due to age restrictions and such. Thankfully my parents didn't show me Natural Born Killers when I was 3, had that been the case this blog could have been about something completely diferent.
So here comes the point of this blog: I Aim To Have Seen ALL 1001 Films To See Before I Die by the time I am 30 and in doing so widening my knowledge of film and everything associated with it. This task gives my blog it's name as by the time I am 30 I am at risk of Death by Film.
My 30th Birthday will hopefully be on the 10th February 2021, which gives me approximately 537 weeks in which to see 708 films. That's 1.3 films a week and with the help of my girlfriend, friends, family and the staff at the local cineworld I aim to achieve this goal whilst documenting my progress on this blog. I would also like to thank Steven Jay Schneider for putting such a glorious book together and giving me the inclination to persue this endeavour.
P.S If at any point a R.I.P notice appears on this blog, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. Until then, lets get the (salted) popcorn in and enjoy some films.
The little bit of Maths mentioned earlier:
((l/s)*a = da)
l= The number of films on the list (1001)
s= The number of films I have seen (293)
a= My Current Age (19.666)
da= The Age at which I would "die" (67)
So here comes the point of this blog: I Aim To Have Seen ALL 1001 Films To See Before I Die by the time I am 30 and in doing so widening my knowledge of film and everything associated with it. This task gives my blog it's name as by the time I am 30 I am at risk of Death by Film.
My 30th Birthday will hopefully be on the 10th February 2021, which gives me approximately 537 weeks in which to see 708 films. That's 1.3 films a week and with the help of my girlfriend, friends, family and the staff at the local cineworld I aim to achieve this goal whilst documenting my progress on this blog. I would also like to thank Steven Jay Schneider for putting such a glorious book together and giving me the inclination to persue this endeavour.
P.S If at any point a R.I.P notice appears on this blog, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS. Until then, lets get the (salted) popcorn in and enjoy some films.
The little bit of Maths mentioned earlier:
((l/s)*a = da)
l= The number of films on the list (1001)
s= The number of films I have seen (293)
a= My Current Age (19.666)
da= The Age at which I would "die" (67)
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