Hollywood drama with a hint of humour on the top

Hollywood drama with a hint of humour on the top

written by Georgina Kassai

A Star is Born, which was made in 1937, is an American Technicolor romantic drama film produced by David O. Selznick (who also produced Gone with the Wind), directed by William A. Wellman from a script by Wellman, Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker, and Alan Campbell and starring Janet Gaynor (7th Heaven (1927), Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) as Esther Blodgett, an aspiring Hollywood actress, and Fredric March (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)) as Norman Maine, a fading movie star who helps launch her career.

The film is about Hollywood – its beautiful and ugly side as it shows a relationship between two people who are at opposite points of their career and because of that there is a lot of drama, but with romance, which makes it a little lighter with some jokes and funny scenes, even at the end.

The movie perfectly shows how Hollywood looked like at that time: how it worked if someone had a career in the film industry. It was not easy, at least for most people. The costumes represent the time when the film was made, the style of the 30s.

The sound effects are either caused by the characters and things on the set, as they are everyday sounds, and this is mostly for the comedic aspect of the film, or music without any singing, and this is for helping the viewer to enjoy the scene more and it generates in the viewer the correct emotions for the scene. There are a lot of cuts in the film, and each one follows the other in chronological order, as the story is linear. Moreover, there are different camera angles, sometimes the camera is far from the actors, and sometimes, for some important scenes the camera is closer to the faces of the actors.

Furthermore, the film’s most important part is the actors. The filmscript is quite simple, but the actors deliver their lines perfectly and they make the film enjoyable. The lead actors are really good in their roles, as the young Hollywood actress and the drunk falling star. But some other supporting actresses and actors deliver good acting too, because each one represents a character with a different character type.

My personal opinion is that the film is worth watching. The funny scenes make it more likeable; I really liked the humour of the grandmother. I felt the story was like a Hollywood fairy tale, even at the end, but I think it was because it was more funny than dramatic in a sad way. My favourite scene was the end when the grandmother appeared again, speaking to the radio at the red carpet, but I also liked the scene when Esther received the Oscar.

In conclusion, A Star Is Born is a classic film with great actors, demonstrating two people’s lives on the two different sides of fame. The plot could happen in modern times too and because of that it is no wonder that it has three remakes.  

Film review by Péter Tömöri

A director is born

     What happens when we mix a singer, an actor and a well-known formula? A good film apparently. The new ‘A star is born’ film is a great hit in the cinema, which is not a big surprise after seeing the film. I had my doubts in connection with some aspects of the film, such as with the main stars (Bradly Cooper and Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta better known as Lady Gaga) and the chemistry between them, but seeing them on screen persuaded me that it was just my cautious self speaking. But let’s move on to the plot of the film!

      Jackson Maine (Bradly Cooper) is a famous singer, whose career is declining at the moment due to his alcohol addiction. On one fateful night when he goes to a bar, he meets with Ally (Lady Gaga), who is a waitress and amateur singer-songwriter. There she sings a song, which amazes Jackson, and he immediately becomes interested in her. The film follows their rising love, Jackson’s continuously declining career and Ally’s rise to success. I don’t want to spoiler the rest, so let’s move on.

     As I said, I had my doubts about the two working together and individually. Let’s face the facts, this film is Cooper’s first movie as a director, and as an actress Lady Gaga didn’t previously impress the audience. But they rock in both categories. Cooper could easily take up the role of Jackson, and he could direct himself and Lady Gaga successfully. This resulted in a good chemistry, where it’s not uncomfortable to watch those two having a romance. And surprisingly, Lady Gaga is not just a singer. Of course, she excelled in the parts when she sang, but she supervised the main actors’ singing training, and that’s how one of the best songs was born in the movie. The song “Shallow” could be a hit single, but watching the two perform that is worth every penny. I have read that some people are talking about an Oscar nomination for Bradley Cooper, and he has a solid chance of winning the prize, in my humble opinion.

     And having mentioned Shallow, I must say that the movie is amazing on the musical front as well. It may be due to the experience of Lady Gaga, but truth be told, Cooper did his best too, which was needed. And every other song played in the movie is praiseworthy, so I encourage everybody to listen to them at home.

     However, I must admit, that one thing made me think. This was a reboot, and even though I saw only one scene from the 1976’s ‘A star is born’ with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, the scene where Jackson and Ally perform Shallow was oddly familiar… And as such, was it necessary to make a remake of that film? Some would say yes, because the previous version is outdated, some would say no, because that one is still classy.

     I encourage everyone who loves a romantic story to see this one in the cinemas; it is worth seeing it once, even twice for some.

Tömöri Péter's perfect day

For the topic of my paragraph I have chosen to present my perfect day. But before I do that I need to state it is unlikely to happen in the close future since I haven’t got a perfect person yet ( or rather not anymore ) with whom I would share it. This perfect day would begin by waking up next to that perfect person in a cozy bed and do nothing but speak with her until noon. And since it would take place in August, we would eat at least one box of ice-cream while watching a film after lunch. I am a gentleman wanna-be, so she could choose the movie. The most important part would come at nightfall. My plan is that we would go out to an empty field to have a romantic picnic and watch the starfall. We would stay out until the last comet has passed. I wish it will become reality one day… Until then, I can fill the empty spaces with newer ideas.

Viktor Meszaros film review correction

Film review

A star is born

Viktor Tibor Mészáros, English Language Practice Seminar, BBN-ANG-102, Eötvös Lóránd University, Budapest

E-mail: viktor981008@gmail.com

               In 2018 the American film industry (Warner Bros. Pictures) presented perhaps the greatest romantic drama of the year A Star is Born directed by Bradley Cooper and starring Lady Gaga. The film gives an overall view about the biggest pitfalls and the ups and downs of the show business in the frame of a musical film. In the film two careers are presented in a contrasting way. The film shows us Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), a famous, acknowledged rockstar but struggling with serious alcohol problems, who suddenly falls in love with Ally (Lady Gaga), an ordinary girl gifted with extraordinary musical talent. The plot follows their love story and their problems which occur due to show business.

             There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that in this film the main actors (Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga) show new sides to the audience which were hidden up to now and that is the main reason why this film became a blockbuster. Lady Gaga can be seen as never before: not only without make up, but also in a totally new role. Ally knows that she is a talented singer and would like to be more than a bar performer but does not chase success. Her sudden love for Jackson is what gives a starting point to her career, but her love for him will always be more important than fame. The performance of Bradley Cooper is a great one because he is an alcoholic but somehow he remains a likeable and sympathetic figure to the viewers throughout the film. Although there are several radical changes in the plot the characters have to deal with, for me they are not presented as complex characters.

              The plot or the story follows a formal structure of the film’s narrative called compositional motivation. There is no action or event that falls outside the cause-effect logic. I would like to put the emphasis on the moment when the managers discover Ally. This moment functions as a turning point in the plot when the two careers begin to move away from each other. From that point Ally’s career is emerging until the film’s end, but on the other hand the life of Jackson begins to decline rapidly and will be on the verge of downfall near the end of the film. This fast change in the state of the plot makes the viewers believe that there will be no happy end.

             Furthermore, I have to say that the film is not so rich in visual experience. For example, the sets and the spectacle are not emphasised in the film and they are rather simple than eye-catching or amazing, although the numerous extreme close ups (focusing on the face) help to highlight the importance of music in the film and serve as powerful images.

             Regarding the entertainment value of the film it definitely overwhelms the audience with the wide range of emotions. There are scenes which are humorous, extremely romantic or frightful and as a result, it is able to hold the attention of the viewers even if the film is quite long.

            Finally, I would like to highlight that in this film the songs and the singing are in the centre and as a result this film is not only a unique work of art in the genre of romantic dramas, but it also has a high place on the list of top musicals thanks to the remarkable job of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

                  

             

            

A star was born

A star was born

                 Bradley Cooper's directional debut happened in the "brand new" film, the  so-called "A star is born". A lot of people were wondering if he can live up to the expectations not only in acting, but also in directing. According to the expert critics, we are not disappointed. I cannot do anything but share this statement. In my opinion, three things made this film a blockbuster.
                 First of all, the cast should be rewarded on its own. The two leading actors, Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine and Lady Gaga as Ally, are the main pulling power in the film. The plot idea, which shows the love between Jackson and Ally, is well played by Cooper and Gaga. What's more, the two actors have different experiences in their life according to their role. In my opinion, these experiences helped them to play as a unit.
                  We should not forget about the songs that feature in the movie. They are a huge boost to the story. They can be heard just at the right moment, with perfect lyrics. In the opening scene, Black Eyes is about hiding Jackson's addiction. In the closing scene, I'll Never Lose Again is a big irony in terms of the ending.
                  Lastly, the plot itself is well written, even though it has been written before. The parallel but constrasting stories, the high highs, and the the low lows, are the key factors that separate this movie from the others. If we pay attention, we can draw a line between Ally and Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga's problems are shown in her acting role, for example, dealing with the ideal model.
                   To conclude, this is a film worth watching. To be honest, I don't like these types of movies, but this film was not overplayed at all. It managed to keep the attention with jokes or shocking scenes when it was necessary. I recommend everyone to watch it.

Do We Know Ourlseves?

Three women, three times, three places. There are three suicide attempts, two successful. That characterises the movie: The Hours.

In Sussex Virginia Wolf fills her pockets with stones and walks into the river. In Los Angeles Laura Brown fills her purse with medicine and checks into a hotel room. In New York Clarissa Vaughan watches the man she once loved to see he lets himself fall out of a window, or not. The plot takes place in three different places. But in every place in the first shots three women have breakfast, buy flowers and prepare to throw a party.

The Hours, directed by Stephen Daldry, based on the novel by Michael Cunningham, doesn’t try to force the stories to become parallel. In the film Wolf has her own room and an understanding husband. Laura does not love her husband although she is a typical suburban housewife with a loving husband. Clarissa who lives in the present is a lesbian who is living with her partner and a daughter. She is caring for a friend who is suffering from AIDS. The progression of the three stories show that freedom has expanded during the decades but human responsibilities have not. It also shows that suicide comes in different ways.

The three actresses, Nicole Kidman, Maryl Streep and Julianne Moore play these roles very well. They identify with the characters completely. We can even say that these roles were written for them. Although, they have to play such sad roles, they play them very well. In this move there is not really any chemistry between the characters, although two characters do meet in the end, but I will not say which ones.

I would highly recommend this movie to those people who love dramas and a little mystery. The atmosphere in this movie is mysterious, because of the camera movement and how the characters are played. 

Dark and bright sides of being a star

A star is born is a film which will leave you thinking about how success is temporary and how quickly our life can change. The plot of the film is like a roller coaster, the characters are once up and once down. This is not a typical love story as you can see.

At the beginning of the film Jackson Maine is a famous singer who has got everything. He is popular, everybody wants to take photos with him and he is invited to a lot of concerts. He is a star who has reached the top after ten years but he does not seem to be satisfied with his life. After he meets Ally in a bar, it is love at first glance. Jackson helps Ally to build her singer career because he sees something in her beautiful voice. Everything seems to be perfect when they are together: Ally’s career is more and more successful after singing a duet with Jackson in a concert. Their life looks like a fairy tale but it soon becomes clear that Jackson is not able to keep his alcohol consumption under control. He has more drunk than sober hours. After a while people are not interested in his songs  and he gets worse and worse possibilities to sing. While Ally tries is preparing for her first tour after winning a Grammy Award, she changes her mind and goes to her last concert because of her husband’s condition. This is the last day of his life…

The performance of the actors is realistic from both sides. Lady Gaga is a singer and we all know that she has a beautiful voice but we have never seen her playing in a film as a leading actor. Her anger, fears and love for Jackson come through in her performance. Bradley Cooper did not have an easy task next to Lady Gaga on the stage but with his voice and guitar he crushes it and their duo with the song Shallow is fascinating. The only problem was maybe that in the second half of the film Bradley Cooper did not play a man who we could feel sympathy for. In the end Jackson is a burnt out singer with drug and alcohol problems who is jealous of the success of his wife. Bradley Cooper demonstrates his slow decay as well as he can while Lady Gaga plays a worried wife who is not satisfied with her appearance. During the film the two actors help each other in the realistic performance so that we can feel their problems and happiness, too.

In my opinion, this film was really gripping and moving because the plot of the film could be realistic, too. It was not an easy and sweet Hollywood love story with a usual happy ending. This film shows us that being yourself in the music industry is not easy and you can be burnt out after a while. This film leaves a bitter aftertaste in our mouth that life is not always fair and sometimes we can not keep all of the things in our life under control. A star is born is a highly recommended film for everyone who likes films which give food for thought.

The strangest item on my bucket list

I have always wanted to be a writer, ever since I was born. Buying Christmas and birthday presents was rather easy for my family, because basically I read any book they got me. Later, I got interested in writing short stories and eventually, poems too. This was years ago; now I have the goal to become a writer myself. I did well at local magazines’ competitions and got the chance to get to know important and talented people, both elderly artists and people at my age. Lately, I was offered a job at a cultural magazine, where I already published some news, events and articles. I am paid for the job, I guess this is a small step forward to journalism. Nevertheless, my dream is to write books, volumes of poems and novels; to become a writer, a poet, an author of my own. I would like to give something to this world; something people, readers and litterateurs will say: we have a lot to talk about. Something, that will last long and changes a bit of people’s life.