Earthquake :[

My mom has never seen the movie Earthquake. And I would ask my grandfather but he's Panamanian and doesn't speak much English so I am pretty sure he has not seen the movie either. Sorry about this.

Camera Men: Georges Méliès and Abel Gance

My favorite movie- it has it all <drama, comedy, tragedy>

   Georges Méliès was born in Paris, France in 1861 and died in 1938. Méliès was a professional magician before getting into the film industry. Méliès saw his first film in 1895 and less than2 years after that was making films of his own. Méliès lined up 12 cameras in a row with a thin wire connected to each so that when one picture is taken from the proceeding camera the next one will go off and then the next so on and so on. he did this in order to create a stop-motion visual effect. Méliès was also responsible for creating transitions such as fading-in, fading-out, and dissolving from one scene to the next in narrative films. Méliès has made over 500 films and is most famous for A Trip to the Moon (1902). Méliès died very poor due to the vast progression of the film industry and his inability to keep up with its advance.

   Abel Gance (1889-1981) was also born in Paris, France. Gance started his career as an actor at 19 years old and continued to act without the support of his parents. Gance made his first film in 1911. At this time WWI was going on and many men were being drafted, however Gance was not able to join due to health issues. Gance had many successful films, including his first major film called  I Accuse (1919), an anti-war statement that was considered a classic. Ten years after this film, he created Abel Gance's Napoleon (1927) which was one of his more controversial pieces that while it used all the techniques available in film as well as his own stylish touches. Napoleon ended up being six hours in duration when complete. It saw very little sells in the box office because of its length. Gance went on to make films for 30 years after this downfall. He lived long enough to see the revelation of Napoleon of 1927.

The Stock Market Crash in 1929: Dark Beginning Bitter End

The Stock Market Crash in 1929 was caused by people borrowing money they could not pay back to investors. This money was used to buy stocks as well as tickets to Broadway shows. So while Broadway was very popular with the lifestyles of the 1920s, it also suffered with the crash on  October 24, 1929 or "Black Tuesday" because people could no longer afford tickets to these shows along with other luxury attractions. Unemployment was at its highest while prices and wages were at its lowest. Low prices of produce put farmers out of work and put America in a dilemma for years to come. The stock market crash is the reason for the nation's deficit today.

Blackface Performers: Accepted Racism?!

White actor in blackface

Blackface was theatrical makeup used in the 19th century by white actors who would paint their faces and mimic stereotypes amongst black people in America.  Blackface was very popular in minstrel shows. Minstrel shows made a mockery of black people's lives. On a positive note, minstrel shows also translated the ideas and messages of various operas into terms that general audience could understand. After the civil rights movement, minstrels were put to an end. 

The problem with minstrels was that it was simply racist and it was also inaccurate. Minstrel shows depicted this impression of a happy slave. Black people are not always these happy go lucky type of people but that was the only parts of their lives depicted on stage. The fact that black actors were not allowed to perform at this time made the performances unjust and uncalled for in my opinion.

JAZZ: Verb to Noun

THIS WOULD BE A COOL T-SHIRT...

WHAT DOES JAZZ MEAN?

The origins of the word Jazz are very vague and undetermined as no one really can pin point where it actually came from. It is known to com from New Orleans around the 1920s. First being used amongst bands as a way to tell their fellow band mates to pick up tempo in a song, "Jazz it up!". It was also known to originate in sports as a way to describe someones poor pitching such as "That was a jazz ball". While its origins are not cohesive, the spelling has also changed over time.

OPERA: A new Discovery of Mine

I, like many people that I have encountered, do not like operas. I never even liked musicals. They are two different things, I know, but the high pitch singing and weird costumes never really caught my interest until ART211. It is amazing how one class can show you things interesting things about areas you had no care for. From the history of the males and how they would have things done to them so that their voices would not change. To the loads of makeup men and women would use to cover up syphilis scars and perfume for their odors. I was also amazed at the lengths people would go to just to impress others. I will never look at an opera the same. I may even go see one in person. (Maybe...)

I checked out the animation that Julia posted and it was pretty good. Thank you for the suggestion.