Blog 15: Reflection

Interestingly enough, I feel like I might have digressed. In September, I was so eager to learn new things. I mean, I’m sure everyone was. But as the weeks went by, I was becoming over it. I became less motivated to do anything, whereas in the beginning of the semester I was eager and willing to do my work. This happens all the time though, so it’s not something I’m surprised at. I’m just not as enthusiastic as I was in September. I’m sure this cycle will repeat when the spring semester kicks in. There is, however, one thing (school-wise) that has changed for the better. My interest in film and cinematography has increased immensely. I’m seriously considering going into this career field. I still have a lot to learn but now I finally know for sure what I want to study. I was so iffy this semester about what I wanted my major to be. Up until last month, I wanted to change my major to photography, but my American Film class has grown on me and is so intriguing now so I’m going to just stick to media studies. The American Film class changed my ways of looking at films. It’s so much deeper than the storyline or plot. All the cinematography stands out to me now. I wish I was more aware of this when I saw Inception.

Outside of academics, I don’t think I’ve changed much. My social skills still suck. I’m still the reserved type I was back in September. That’s actually something that I wish would’ve changed. It’s not that I’m shy, I just don’t really talk to anyone unless I’m spoken to first. In my mind, that’s a problem and should be fixed.

I have been watching a lot of documentaries lately. One in particular, Very Young Girls, made me realize how good I have it. I’ve been a lot more appreciative and grateful of what I have. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always grateful but you know, sometimes you just need a reminder cause it’s easy to forget.

I would get a little deeper and personal on this blog but I’m not one to share personal feelings with anyone, so that’s all for now.

English 103 Research Paper

Jasmine Hurtado
Dr. Vasileiou
ENG103


Realities of West Side Story

West Side Story, a film set in the late 1950s in New York City, is a modern twist on Romeo and Juliet. It is a love story between a caucasian male and a Puerto Rican immigrant. Maintaining a relationship was difficult because of their differences and the people around them. Violence and gang activities were also a main aspect of the film. Tony, one of the Jets, falls in love with Maria who is Bernardo's sister, the leader of the Sharks. Many problems arise because of the gang rivalries. Unfortunately, there were three deaths in the film. Riff, the leader of the Jets, and Bernardo are killed in a rumble. The film does not end on a positive note. Tony is shot and killed by one of the Sharks. Most of the film was filmed in Los Angeles so exterior scenes weren’t true to New York City. The opening sequence, however, was shot in Lincoln Center, New York.


The film’s portrayal of New York City was very similar to how it actually was. In the 1950s, tons of Puerto Ricans migrated to New York City, which was known as The Great Migration, not to be confused with the African American Great Migration that took place in the early 1900's. This actually happened to be the third wave of this migration, but by far the largest. By 1953, Puerto Rican migration to New York reached it's peak when 75,000 people left the island. Estimates are that more than one million Puerto Ricans migrated during the 1950s. The main areas in New York City that Puerto Ricans fled to were The Bronx, Brooklyn and East Harlem, which would later be known as Spanish Harlem for obvious reasons. By 1964, the Puerto Rican community made up 9.3 percent of the total New York City population. The New York Puerto Ricans, or "Nuyoricans", would borrow words from the english language and make it into "spanglish". ("Latino Education Network Service") In other words, english words were spoken with spanish pronunciations. It is a very improper way to speak but it showed their adaptation to a new country. The Puerto Rican characters in West Side Story seemed to know good english and their accents weren’t too strong. It makes sense to not give them such a strong accent because it is a movie where audiences need to understand what they were saying but there wasn’t a hint of "spanglish" in the film. (Perez y Gonzalez, and 118-19)


In West Side Story, the Puerto Ricans were not treated with respect, but instead like pieces of dirt, even by authorities. One of the officers, in reference to the Puerto Ricans, said, "Boy, oh boy. As if this neighborhood wasn't crummy enough." Just like the film, they weren't treated respectfully when they arrived to New York City. There were signs on restaurant doors that read, “No dogs or Puerto Ricans allowed”. It was tough because "...although they were U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans were seen as immigrants who wanted what rightfully belonged to white Americans----jobs, an education, housing and the American dream. This subjected Puerto Ricans to ostracism, prejudice, discrimination, and violence." (Perez y Gonzalez, and 118-19) It was a rather unfortunate situation. If you didn’t know any better, you would think Puerto Ricans were some type of aliens from outer space.


The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded on September 17, 1922. The reason for starting this party was to gain independence. By 1950, there was an office located in New York City. On November 1st, 1950, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, two Puerto Rican nationalists, attempted to assassinate President Truman. They believed this would help Puerto Rico gain its independence quicker. ("Harry S. Truman Library and Museum")
In the 1950s, it was normal to have rumbles between rival gangs. The way these rumbles were set up was like the film. They would go to neutral locations or “turf” and the War Cousellor’s of each gang would set a time and place. ("West Side Story") In West Side Story, it was Doc's Candy Store. (Kendall) It all seems very accurate in the film, however, what they failed to show were African Americans. They received discrimination too and resided in the same cities as the Puerto Ricans but that wasn't shown in the film at all. (Greene, and Pranis 15-16) The only types of people the film showed were whites and Puerto Ricans, which isn't realistic.


The rent for apartments in the 1950s was about $293. By the 1960s it raised almost a full hundred dollars to $365. In 1957, the cost of living is as follows:


("Cost of Living in 1957")

The Puerto Rican characters in West Side Story were employed, so it wasn’t unrealistic for them to be able to survive without worrying about not having money to eat or live. They lived in slums. (United Nations Human Settlements Programme 71)
The film addressed an issue that was very true to what really happened in the 1950s. The Puerto Ricans were discussing Tony, the man who Maria fell in love with, and they said he had a job as a delivery boy. However, Chino, one of the Puerto Ricans, had a job as a delivery boy but he was paid only half of what Tony made, simply because one is an American and the other is considered an immigrant. From 1954 to 1965 the mayor of New York City was Robert F. Wagner. He welcomed any Puerto Rican to work. There were many cheap jobs for them to work. ("Latino Education Network Service")


West Side Story’s portrayal of New York seemed very accurate. There wasn’t anything in the movie that made you question if what happened was truly possible. Although some parts, like showing African Americans, were completely absent, it was still a realistic representation of New York City life in the 1950s.





Works Cited

"Cost of Living in 1957." Heartbeat's One and Two - 50's and 60's. Web. 2 Dec 2010. .

"Culture 60's." West Side Story. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov 2010. .

"FAQ: Assassination Attempt on President Truman's Life." Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Dec 2010. .

Greene, Judith, and Kevin Pranis. "Gang Wars: The Failure of Enforcement Tactics and the Need for Effective Public Safety Strategies." Justice Policy Institute Report (2007): 15-16. Web. 30 Nov 2010. .

"History." Latino Education Network Service. LATINO/A EDUCATION NETWORK SERVICE, n.d. Web. 27 Nov 2010. .

Kendall, Paul. "50 years of West Side Story: the real Gangs of New York." Telegraph (2008): n. pag. Web. 30 Nov 2010. .

Perez y Gonzalez, Maria. Puerto Ricans in the United States . Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group Inc., 2000. 118-19. Print.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme, First. The challenge of slums: global report on human settlements. London and Sterling, VA: Earthscan Publications, 2003. 71. Print.

Blog 12: Outline of Major Research Essay

I. Introduction

A. Plot


II. Social Realities

A. The Great Migration (1950’s)
B. Adapting to the English language
C. How Puerto Ricans were treated
D. Labor

Blog 14: Draft of ENG 103 Paper

West Side Story, a film set in the late 1950's in New York City is a twist on Romeo and Juliet. It a love story between a caucasian male and a Puerto Rican immigrant. Maintaining a relationship was difficult because of their differences and the people around them. Violence and gang activities were also a main aspect of the film. Tony, one of the Jets, falls in love with Maria who is Bernardo's sister, the leader of the Sharks. Many problems arise because of the gang rivalries. Unfortunately, there were three deaths in the film. Riff, the leader of the Jets, and Bernardo are killed in a rumble. The film does not end on a positive note. Tony is shot and killed by one of the Sharks.

The way New York City was portrayed was very similar to how it actually was. In the 1950s, tons of Puerto Ricans migrated to New York City, which was known as The Great Migration, not to be confused with the African American Great Migration that took place in the early 1900's. This was actually the third wave of this migration, but by far the largest. By 1953, Puerto Rican migration to New York reached it's peak when 75,000 people left the island. Estimates are that more than one million Puerto Ricans migrated during the 1950's. The main areas in New York City that Puerto Ricans fled to were The Bronx, Brooklyn and East Harlem, which would later be known as Spanish Harlem for obvious reasons. By 1964, the Puerto Rican community made up 9.3 percent of the total New York City population. The New York Puerto Ricans, or "Nuyoricans", would borrow words from the english language and speak "spanglish". ("Latino Education Network Service")In other words, they would say english words with spanish pronounciations. It is a very improper way to speak but it showed their adaptation to a new country. In the film, the Puerto Rican characters seem to know good english and their accents aren't too strong. It makes sense to not give them such a strong accent because it is a movie and audiences need to understand what they're saying but the characters didn't even speak "spanglish". (Perez y Gonzalez, and 118-19)

In West Side Story, the Puerto Ricans were not treated with respect. They were treated like a piece of dirt, even by authorities. One of the officers in the film said "Boy, oh boy. As if this neighborhood wasn't crummy enough." He said that in reference to the Puerto Ricans. Just like the film, Puerto Ricans weren't treated respectfully when they arrived to New York City. "...although they were U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans were seen as immigrants who wanted what rightfully belonged to white Americans----jobs, an education, housing and the American dream. This subjected Puerto Ricans to ostracism, prejudice, discrimination, and violence." In the 50's, it was normal to have rumbles between rival gangs just like West Side Story. They would fight over girls, much like what happened in the film. The way these rumbles were set up was also like the film. They would go to neutral locations and set a time and place. In West Side Story, it was Doc's Candy Store.(Kendall)The makers of West Side Story made sure to include this. However, what they failed to show was African Americans. They received discrimination just like Puerto Ricans but that wasn't shown in the film at all. They only types of people the film showed were whites and Puerto Ricans, which isn't realistic.

The film addressed an issue that was very true to what really happened in the 50's. The Puerto Ricans were discussing Tony, the man who Maria fell in love with and they said he had a job as a delivery boy. However, Chino, one of the Puerto Ricans, had a job as a delivery boy but he was paid only half of what Tony made, simply because one is an American and the other is considered an immigrant.

Blog 13: Minority Report Response

If someone were to tell you that there was a system ran by the government that stopped murders before they happened, you would probably think it was a good idea. What could possibly go wrong? Those "murderers" would be locked away and unable to harm anyone. However, there are problems that arise with this solution. Is it ethical to lock someone up for a crime they haven't committed yet? The major part in the question is the word "yet". This is a debate that is potentially never ending. Like one of the characters in the movies stated, "just because i stopped it from happening, doesn't mean it wasn't going to happen." I found that statement to be very profound. I completely understand this perspective and agree with it. Obviously, it is impossible to be able to see the future and pick out potential murders but there are people who have thought about committing crimes who have been taken away or accused of eventually doing it. For example, the man who was suspected of attempting to bomb Times Square this summer was found and taken into custody by authorities. Apparently, in Minority Report, the crimes were definitely going to happen because of the precogs and the characters' ability to see the future. With the example I made about the alleged terrorist, the crime wasn't definite because we can't see the future. Whether we can see the future or not, I don't find these things to be wrong. There are pros and cons to everything and I rather be safe than sorry.

Special Project: MOMI Activity

The layout of the museum was set up in a way so that you can go through it and see the history of moving image in chronological order. It’s a smart idea because then you can see the progress and all the innovations that were made. I didn’t really have a reaction because I was already expecting the layout to be the way it was. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It only makes sense. Even though we learned some of the things that were shown to us, I still learned a lot. The fact that some parts of the museum was hands on made it even better. We got to see the very primitive stage of moving image with the optical illusions such as the bird in the cage. Also, the section where I think 3D was kind of explained was so interesting and it was hard to look away because it was so appealing to the eye. When she showed us the first or one of the first video games, Pong, it was crazy to me that people enjoyed playing that back in the day. One of the most fascinating parts of the museum was when the soundtrack of movies was explained to us and we got to see Titanic as an example. I don't really know what story is being told. I just know it just showed how moving image evolved.

Blog 11: Media Research Paper

Alfred Hitchcock

Films are an important part to mass media. They are used for various different purposes such as entertainment and education. It is also an art form that has been developed over the years. Alfred Hitchcock is a major influence to film and is looked as one of the greatest directors of all time.

Hitchcock was born on August 13, 1899 in London, England. In 1924, Hitchcock received the opportunity to go to Germany by Michael Balcon as an apprentice and contribute to other directors' films. "It was here that he fell under the spell of German expressionism, whilst working as art director on F.W. Murnau’s Der Ietzte Mann" ("filmsdefrance.com") and it was evident in all of his films. Being inspired by other filmmakers and their techniques such as "Eisenstein and his theories on montage" ("filmsdefrance.com") and how to use the camera in a subjective way, he decided to begin creating his own films. His first few attempts were a failure. But by 1926, he got the gist of things and his first successful film was created.

"Alfred Hitchcock was one of only a handful of directors able to make a the successful transition from the silent era of cinema." (Collinson) He had a successful career in the UK as a director with films such as The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, Blackmail and The 39 Steps. By the time Hitchcock moved to Hollywood in 1940, he already had an incredible repertoire of work under his belt. Hitchcock made his first American movie in 1940 entitled Rebecca. "With that film, Hitchcock's Hollywood career took off." (Lewis 259) To no surprise, it won Best Picture at the 1940 Academy Awards. He proceeded to make popular films for years.

Hitchcock liked to be challenged technically. He had a great understanding and knowledge of moviemaking and even wrote the production section for the Encyclopedia Britannica. (Flint, B.) He liked to test his boundaries and from that came his technical innovations to cinematography. He was praised by Francois Truffaunt, a leading director of France's New Wave. He said that "Hitchcock is almost unique in being able to film directly, that is, without resorting to explanatory dialogue, such intimate emotions as suspicion, jealousy, desire and envy." This statement may have seemed great but detractors thought Hitchcock's films lacked substance and significance. They actually hit the needle on the head. Hitchcock didn't care as much about the plot as he did about the technical aspects of his films. The story didn't matter to him. He actually preferred less complicated dialogue. "If your story is confusing or requires a lot of memorization, you're never going to get suspense out of it." (Bays) It wasn't about what was happening. It was more so about how can he visually get what is happening across to others on film. A famous quote from Hitchcock was "..what is drama, after all, but life with the dull bits cut out..." The dull bits referred to anything unnecessary and irrelevant. He wanted to "create an experience for the spectator. Often, the least important element in a Hitchcock film is the plot." ("filmsdefrance.com")

One of the first notable techniques Hitchcock used was a concept called "Macguffin". He didn't create it or name it. He gave the credit to one of his screenwriters, Angus McPhail. However, he popularized it. It was introduced in his 1935 film The 39 Steps. The Macguffin was a "device around which the plot revolves but which is not actually central to the film." ("filmsdefrance.com") It was a "plot contrivance that really didn't matter." (Hitchcocked!). "It's an object to keep the story going." (Hitchcocked!) It's what drives the plot but isn't made out to be a big deal. It can also be referred to as bait because it metaphorically reels the spectator in. "The McGuffin is essentially something that the entire story is built around and yet has no real relevance." ("Essortment")

In 1948, Hitchcock's first film in color, Rope, was released. It seemed to have almost no cuts and be a smooth, long running film. However, that is not the case. There is a total number of ten cuts. Hitchcock challenged himself to making a film that was on-going with almost no cuts or elapsed time. It is a difficult task to do without it being play-like. The main reason why a film couldn't be done in one take was because 10 minutes was the maximum length of a reel at the time. ("Enlightenment - The Experience Festival "

"I undertook 'Rope' as as stunt; that's the only way I can describe it. I really don't know how I came to indulge in it. The stage drama was played out in the actual time of the story; the action is continuous from the moment the curtain goes up until it comes down again. I asked myself whether it was technically possible to film it in the same way. As an experiment, Rope may be forgiven. [sic]"
--Alfred Hitchcock ("Hitchcock and Me")


This technique was very innovative and has been used to "hide" edits. Steven Soderbergh's film Erin Brockovich used this technique at a point in the movie thanks to Alfred Hitchcock. Another reason why Rope is praised for its innovations is because it was shot on a single set. (aside from the opening scene.)

In 1958, Hitchcock released a film called Vertigo. The dolly zoom effect which was first developed by Irmin Roberts, was used by Hitchcock in this film and was popularized. It was innovative in the sense that it represented a "falling-away-from-oneself feeling". Because Hitchcock used this technique in Vertigo (and later on in Marnie), other filmmakers began using it. An example of a more current film that has used this technique is in The Lion King when Simba realizes there is a stampede coming and the camera zooms in on him but the background pulls away dramatically. ("Television Tropes & Idioms")

Hitchcock didn't like his films to be predictable. That is what caused suspense. According the documentary, The Men Who Made The Movies: Alfred Hitchcock, he wanted the viewer to have some sort of background information. He gave the example of a bomb unexpectedly going off after a five minute dialogue about baseball. He said the audience would be shocked for ten seconds. Then he changed the scenario and said showing the audience the bomb under the table earlier in the scene with a five minute stamp will make their reaction different. Instead of being shocked after the dialogue, he wants the anticipation of the bomb going off to be high. That's the difference between something being suspenseful and something being surprising. He wants the audience to wish they could help whoever is having the dialogue and talk to the screen as if the characters could hear them. "But, one important factor; if you work the audience up to this degree, that bomb must never go off and kill anyone. Otherwise, they will be extremely angry with you."(documentary) It gives the audience an experience. “He would show the audience thing that the main character may not be aware of. Since you already feel for the characters, you're thinking 'Guy! Dude! Look!'” (Hitchcocked!)

How many times have films had villains where they were sinister, dark and easy to hate? Those traits are way too common and are repetitive. Hitchcock liked to make the villains in his films likable. He "suggested that in our times, evil can intrude anywhere...wearing any mask." (The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock) He doesn't like to portray the villain as it would be portrayed fictionally. They shouldn't be scary. They should be charming and attractive. That played a large part in why Hitchcock's films were so suspenseful. He says that "evil and good are getting closer together today. That the hero is no longer tall with a perfect profile...and the villain doesn't kick the dog anymore. He is a charmer." (The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock)

Hitchcock liked the revisit themes in his films and one of those themes voyeurism. "Hitchcock found really interesting ways to represent the pleasure of watching other people." (Hitchcocked!) There was a lot of spying going on in his films. "There's a titillation factor in observing and watching what other people are doing and knowing something that they don't know you know." (Hitchcocked!) This statement makes so much sense and is very true. Hitchcock wasn't just pulling things out of the sky. He knew that society was actually like this. People liked to know things without others knowing they know. He just made it so that this concept would come off very creepy. He made an entire film based off this idea. "Rear Window essentially is a film about voyeurism."(Hitchcocked!)

Hitchcocked!, a documentary on Alfred Hitchcock was released in 2006. Many modern day directors praised his work and share how his work influenced them. They gave their insight on Hitchcock's film techniques and concepts. Keith Gordon stated "I can't think of a director who's had more influence on modern filmmaking than Hitchcock. When you see a horror or suspense film now, it's almost impossible that it hasn't been influence by Hitchcock." That is an extremely bold statement. Coming from a successful modern day horror film director, this statement holds a lot of value. "If I had to pick one filmmaker that has probably informed most of my filmmaking, it would probably be Alfred Hitchcock." This was said by Victor Salva. It's amazing to see other filmmakers and directors not be afraid to give credit and say who they were inspired by. To have a documentary about Alfred Hitchcock with other accomplished directors commentating shows how relevant he was to filmmaking. Ernest Dickerson did the most and stated that Hitchcock defined modern film grammar.

Other than films, Hitchcock dove into the medium of television. He was one of the first film directors to make use of television when it first became popular. Hitchcock was the host and producer of a television series entitled Alfred Hitchcock Presents which lasted 10 years; from 1955 to 1965. ("TV.com") It featured dramas, thrillers and mysteries. He also appeared in a book series called Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators until his death.

“Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most popular directors of all time because of his ability to keep the pace and suspense through an entire movie” ("United States History") When making films, Hitchcock always had the viewer in mind. He tried to find ways to engage the audience in a not so obvious way. He made the audience feel emotionally connected to the characters because of his film techniques. He wasn't just an ordinary filmmaker; he was a visionary and is responsible for being an innovator and pioneer in suspense and psychological drama. He isn’t known as the “master of suspense” for nothing. “He was an entertainer in a popular medium who was also expressing himself. The fact that he had dark things to express made his work all the more interesting and all the more unique.” (Hitchcocked!) His innovative techniques and concepts are still being used to this day.




Works Cited
"Alfred Hitchcock ." filmsdefrance.com. N.p., 2009. Web. 28 Oct 2010.

Bays , Jeff. "How to turn your boring movie into a Hitchcock thriller... ." Leading With Personality. N.p., Dec 2007. Web. 28 Oct 2010. .

Collinson, Gary. "Silent Master: The Early Films of Alfred Hitchcock." Flickering Myth. 08 Feb 2010. Web. 28 Oct 2010. .

"Rope film - Innovations: Encyclopedia II - Rope film - Innovations." Enlightenment - The Experience Festival . N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct 2010. .

"Alfred Hitchcock film techniques." Essortment. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct 2010. .

Flint, B., Peter. "Alfred Hitchcock Dies; A Master of Suspense." The New York Times on the Web. The New York Times Company, 30 Apr 1980. Web. 28 Oct 2010. .

"Alfred Hitchcock’s Technical Wonder, “Rope”." Hitchcock and Me. N.p., 30 Sep 2010. Web. 30 Oct 2010. .

Hitchcocked!. Dir. Jeffrey Schwarz." Automat Pictures: 2006, Film.

Lewis, Jon. American Film A History Film. Ed. Peter Simon. New York and London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. Print.

The Men Who Made the Movies: Alfred Hitchcock. Dir. Richard Schickel." The American Cinematheque: 1973, Film.

"Alfred Hitchcock Presents." TV.com. CBS, n.d. Web. 29 Oct 2010. .

"Alfred Hitchcock." United States History. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct 2010. .


"Vertigo Effect." Television Tropes & Idioms. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct 2010. .