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Prior to this assignment, I never knew the film, The Wizard of Oz, was based on a book written by L. Frank Baum called, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  In addition to exploring the relationship between film interpretations and adaptations of the original text, I was able to learn about the cultural appropriation of the film into American society.  What was most fascinating about this unit was the investigation of the lasting memorabilia associated with the film such as red ruby slippers, which were not actually part of the original text.  How we come to “know” these images is a representation of our own knowledge base and is therefore worthwhile to scrutinize whilst reflecting on our own epistemologies.

Taking a critical eye to Disney’s interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid was illuminating.  The entire unit highlighted how impactful the strength of interpretation is and what it means when corporate marketing backs projects.  Deciding what to include and eliminate are key factors in the process of interpretation.  This dissection of the childhood film broke down many attributes of unjust themes such as sexism and racism within the film and compared that to Andersen’s original text.  What was the necessity of these changes?  And who were the decision makers?  Hereafter, I often ask these same questions of the images presented in the media and how they are all interpretations of a text.

What Happened to the Little Mermaid?

The word, “literacy,” takes many forms nowadays as the prevalence of digital media increases every day. One of my strengths showcased here is my ability to synthesize literacy in print and digital forms. Using critical analysis skills, I can read more deeply into texts including film.  Film interpretation was my most significantly improved skill set throughout the MAED program.  Here, I provide samples of how those experiences interpreting film have changed my perspectives on media analysis.

Film Literacy

Through the adult lens of film interpretation, The Insider, demonstrates how Jeffrey Wigand’s noble whistle blowing within the tobacco industry can teach us about how we arrive at our life’s choices.  The motivations we feel are not always as tactile and straightforward as one may assume.  For Wigand, numerous zeroes on his paycheck did not stop his high internal ethical standards.  It was powerful for me to view a film so intense and detailed and write a critical reflection about Wigand’s decisions and what that meant with regard to his adult career development.

GRADUATE WORK SHOWCASE

The Magical Chemistry of High Ethical Standards, Intrepidness, and a Phone Call

Oz Book and Film

 

This was a surprisingly lengthy unit as the investigation of Chris Van Allsburg’s picture book, The Polar Express, was made into a full-length animated film.  This film interpretation was a more of an example of how original texts, such as books, can function as foundational frameworks rather than the basis for entire film scripts.  As this was Van Allsburg’s second picture book to film (i.e., the first being Jumanji), it makes one wonder how books-to-film are selected and if authors today are motivated by dollar signs to write.

Riding The Polar Express
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