Student Film Reviews

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1. Jinyuan Yang 10.12.17 / 5pm

   I remember learning about the great depression in history class and remembered when my history teacher explained how many would go to the theater to forget their struggles. I can see why this is the case. At that time the theater was like alcohol you would forget about your problems for a while even though they would still be there. The film and the music industry helped people cope through the great depression and motivated many to continue working hard. I agree with the article and also believe that the film industry is very successful today largely due to the great depression. The great depression made an increase for demand for film and helped accelerate the industry into action.
2. jddutton2 10.12.17 / 7pm

   The first time I saw the now famous scene with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing “cheek to cheek” it was actually in the context of another movie: “The Green Mile”. John Coffey was seeing a motion picture for the first time. But not just any motion picture, this was a new “talkie” that showcased a beautiful, idealized world far removed from anything John had ever seen or imagined.
   I didn’t realize that this was not just an amazing experience for John, but that it would have been an amazing experience for any viewer in 1930s America. The escapism created by Depression-era movie producers must have been truly breathtaking. I can only imagine how stunning this same audience would have found “The Wizard of Oz”, in which we see an even more fantastic, beautiful world.
   Not only were 1930s’ audiences thoroughly impressed with films like “Top Hat” and “The Wizard of Oz”, but also viewers ever since the Depression. These are just two examples of great American films that came out of this era. As I watch the Cheek to Cheek scene today, some eighty years after its making, I feel transported out of the world I’m used to and into the fantasy world where singing and (superb) dancing can solve all of life’s problems and maybe help you find love.
3. Sal Penza 10.12.17 / 8pm

   The Great Depression was one of the darkest moments in United States history. Any chance that someone was able to escape reality, they took it. Film was definitely the way that people found entertainment during tough times. Given that it was an inexpensive activity, films became the best way to find entertainment. The effect that musicals had on the film industry was revolutionary, and your explanation was great. Since sound was a relatively new idea in film, musicals were very popular. The Wizard of Oz was revolutionary with the different elements of film it used, and also the symbolism that it used. Your explanation of the importance of the Wizard of Oz was excellent. It helped me acquire new ideas about the influence of films on people in general. I learned the significance of the film industry and how it helped an era during an awful moment in history.
4. Aime Rodriguez 10.12.17 / 10pm

   Great Review!
   It was well organized and it provided a lot of great information about musicals. My previous opinion about musicals changed drastically after reading your review. I had always thought of musicals as annoying because of the constant signing but your review allowed me to see musicals in a positive light. I really liked when you talked about how musicals had the power give people a way to escape reality even if it was just for 90 minutes and even more so that they didn’t have to worry about the struggles or hardships they were going through. I also enjoyed reading your take on the film The Wizard of Oz because I remember watching the film and it never crossed my mind that the film was more than just about a girl finding her way back home nonetheless be associated with the Great Depression. In addition, I also liked that you talked about sound being an important factor to the film industry and how it brought a whole new feel to film and how it gave so much more emotion because we are learning about sound in my film study class and how sounds along with music can guide the viewer through a film. Therefore, it was reassuring to read in your review how big of a role sound plays in musicals.
5. andreaanaya 10.13.17 / 10am

   In school we learn about the Great Depression, but only how people felt and other industry. I’ve never read how film industry helped people escaped the reality of the Great Depression. I thought it was very fascinating that the film industry was struggling as well, but still managed to get films out to the public to lift spirits. I always thought musicals were too boring and weird, so I never liked them, but now I see that musicals take people out of reality. Musicals are so different compared to a regular film that it really makes a person transport to another world away from their own. I always watched The Wizard of Oz and always wanted to go to Oz. This really opened my eyes because I didn’t know anything about the film industry during the Great Depression.
6. Nicholas Padilla 10.13.17 / 11am

   I agree that musicals still have all those affects that you mentioned in the minds of people today. As a person who has never gone through a period such as The Great Depression I know I will never know what these energetic films meant for them. It’s interesting how a simple movie was able to brighten then moods of the american people, but it was a simpler time in the 1930’s. Although I can’t relate to the struggles of these people I can relate to the emotions that musicals make me feel. The emotions are very strong. The Wizard of Oz is a film I have watched many times in my short life. The joy and memories it gives me are heart warming and pleasureful. This movie includes many things that I have learned in my film class. The use of mise-en-scene in The Wizard of Oz is great and magical giving the audience a feel that no other musical in the 1930’s could accomplish.
7. denise coulson7 10.13.17 / 12pm

   Hi Eleah Colton,
   I really enjoyed reading this article “Escaping Reality through the 1930’s.” The Great Depression was definitely a horrific time to go through. Very terrifying that the economy can drop as fast as that. Movies are definitely one stress reliever that would help people keep their mind off it. Without movies are entertainment there wouldn’t be something that can erase this terrible time of people’s lives. But, I do find musicals kind of irritating and not as fun to watch. I really enjoyed reading this article is was well put together and the thoughts are something I would definitely think of for this era. Great Submission!
8. Dylan Van Mieghem 10.13.17 / 4pm

   Hi Eleah , your paper was very interesting and informing. I cant believe that to go to the movies back then it was only 15 cents! After reading what you wrote it made me think of the film era during the great depression differently. I would have predicted the film industry to fail, but since films were an escape from realities, they were just what the audiences wanted. I found it interesting finding out that musicals were popular during the great depression. I imagined myself living back in the depression and thought about the Wizard of Oz, and if I had viewed that film in the 30’s I would have felt inspired. I am usually not a fan of musicals , but I may think of them differently after reading this.
9. NicholeHutchins 10.13.17 / 5pm

   I enjoyed the musical and movie review Escaping Reality in the 1930’s. When I learned about the Great Depression in school, there was not a lot of information about the entertainment industry and how it evolved to relate to average American citizens. I thought it was interesting how the author used the characters in each movie to represent a social class in America during that time. In the review, the author used Dorothy ( a character that represents American values), the scarecrow (represents average American farmers), and tin man ( represents dehumanized factory workers) in the Wizard of Oz . I was not aware of the deeper meaning behind the characters before reading this review, therefore, I find it very informative and well written.
10. Isabel Plasencia 10.13.17 / 6pm

    It’s interesting to think back that far, that when they finally came about with the sound for the films. I never knew that they came out with so many musicals because of how they were able to add in that sound and not only that but that the musicals were also because of the desperate times of the depression that was going on back then. The movies still play a big role to us nowadays, also helping us escape from reality for a second, where kids think they can become these great superheroes, woman can look up to other great successful woman in a film and men can see that they’ve got a lot of potential to become better of themselves. Some films can be scary, a little crazy, and some weird, but we still get engaged in these great happy films to keep our spirits up and look forward to something great.
11. Nico413 10.13.17 / 7pm

    What a great and very well articulated analysis of the how the movies had such a positive effect on the moral of the U.S. during the great depression. My great grandmother used to tell us stories about how the movies are really what rescued people from pits of despair. Movies like Golden Parade transported her our of the dreary existence in Chicago during the Great Depression. Also, The Wizard of OZ signaled hope during World War II when Hitler sought to exterminate innocent people. The song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow was beacon for better days to come and escape of sorts from more then financial ruin that would unite humanity against evil.
12. dpalmy 10.13.17 / 8pm

    Really awesome review! It was well written and had some great insights about the Great Depression and the overall context of the film. Learning about this devastating era, majority of people were struggling in their day to day lives. Watching a joyful movie made you forget about your problems and brought you some happiness. I really love musicals; it shows true talent between not only acting, but singing and dancing. It is rare to see that in today’s movies. Above all else, musicals are extremely entertaining and mostly brings optimism into our lives. This reminded a lot of one of my favorite classic musicals, Singin’ in the Rain.
13. Fernando_Ramirez 10.13.17 / 9pm

    I loved the way you describe the relationship in between the great depression and the movie industry. It happens that I agree with your ideals. As you said, I myself every time I go to the movies “escape from reality”. It is a good way to forget about the problems of life, as people went through the so Sad “The Great Depression”, people entered in a world that let them forget for about 1 hour and 45 minutes the calamities they were living: specially I am sure the film industry help those people that lose family members due to The Great Depression. I am also sure that The Wizard of Oz is a remarkable film work that help many people when it was introduced on the market. The songs, the cinematography, the cast, the mise-en-scene, the acting, the lighting, and many more elements of the movie were capable of distracting the American People of the hardships they were living at the time. Eleah Colton, great job on the review. I enjoyed very much.
14. Quinten Jones 10.13.17 / 9pm

    I thought this review was exceptional, it provided insight on one of the darkest periods in America’s history and explained how movies helped people cope. Classical films such as Top Hat, Footlight Parade, Gold Diggers, and even the Wizard of Oz provided hope and escape for Americans during the Great Depression. I particularly liked how you delved into the particulars of each film reinforcing the psychological effect the films had; things such as calmness, magic, dancing, aspiration and fulfillment were all elements that helped people find an escape. Moreover, the role that the characters of these films had on society were positive and solidified the significance of Old Hollywood. One can say that these classical films saved Hollywood and the psyche of America during the years of the Great Depression.
    Thank you for your review.
15. Alyssa Dominguez1 10.13.17 / 10pm

    I have taken a number of history classes on the Great Depressions. There had been plenty of depressions before, but this one was truly something rough. It shaped the entire generations. I’m happy about your analysis about how films helped people through this crazy time. 15 cents for a movie is a geat escape, and that era is dominated by classic Musicals, that are still in high grace today. It really can be an escape and something to truly help people get through their problems. The tall stories, and singing and dancing where very influential on people and changed their mindstate on what was going on.
16. Natasha Black 10.13.17 / 11pm

    I love what you’re saying about people watching films to escape. It’s so interesting when you look into in because films of all genres are used as a tool to escape reality. The most obvious would be with romantic comedy, where a perfect love story occurs which everybody strives to achieve, however is incredibly unreasonable. Musicals are used to create positivity through the use of formalistic acts and situations.
17. OscarCampos 10.13.17 / 11pm

    This was a very interesting review to read for it provided multiple great film reviews while also linking the historical context for the era in which they were created. I do not recall learning much about the Great Depression in earlier school years which is why I found this review to be very fascinating. It never crossed my mind to think that film and the film industry had a very significant effect and toll given and taken during the Great Depression. Amazing to know that even during troublesome low times people still manage to create their best with passion being the only requirement. The meaning behind the characters was mind-blowing, its the little details that really make a film one to remember.
18. Rian Pitts-Lopez 10.13.17 / 11pm

    Your review was very well written, and very informational! I also remember learning about the Great Depression and I remember how they mentioned how sad everyone was, with no hope. Turning to bad things such as alcohol and drugs, but some tried to see the best and turned to the arts. It was a great way to as you say, “escape reality”. Today I think people do similar things, maybe not musicals but especially with social media. People turn to more uplifting things, especially after being stuck in a rut for so long. As I said, very insightful and makes me think about what would people turn to if the something like the Great Depression happened again.
19. declanrector 10.14.17 / 5pm

    I like the amount information analyzed and explained in this article and found it to be a very easy read. I’ve learned about the Great Depression in multiple history classes and the economic impact, but never have I been informed about the importance of film in the 1930’s. film sparked hope and kept people eager to live a nearly lost “American Dream”. As well it was very cheap to see a film back then. I’m sure that even the government appreciated the impact films were having on citizens at the time.
20. Elena Haro 10.15.17 / 11pm

    This was a very interesting and very well written and organized. The great depression was a tragic thing to go through. Watching a enjoyable movie makes you forget about everything for awhile and smile. Films like this play big roles in society today. These characters were well played and their personalities makes this an old Hollywood film. This was deffenitely very enjoyable.
21. Jake Bednar 10.16.17 / 1pm

    Wow, that was a very interesting and in sighting review on how the depression changed the musical and film industry. I had no idea how much effect the great depression had on people going to movies. It makes perfect sense for people to want to watch a film to “escape reality” in times of despair. The depression really rose peoples likeness for movies and boosted the industry. It was a good choice for film producers to change the type of movies they were making in order to keep the peoples minds off of the depression.
    This was mostly done with the new sound technologies. The sounds are what really make the movie feel real and allow the audience to get hooked. This was a really great review and I learned a lot about how the great depression affected the film industry.
22. gabemoreno9 10.18.17 / 10pm

    Eleah, Great job on ur blog entry. It was a very good read, I was engaged the whole time because you presented a lot of interesting information. It’s crazy to think that movies have been around since that time era, and how extremely cheap it was. I didn’t know that before the great depression there were no sounds in movies, and how sound brought a whole new life to film. I found it also really interesting how you were able to link the characters in the movie to the great depression, Dorothy representing the youth was perfect because she was on her to path to power which was the yellowbrick road. Film has always played a key part in allowing people to escape reality and enjoy good times through the tough times.
23. Sydney Lynott 10.19.17 / 11am

    Your review about escaping reality in the 1930’s was very intriguing to read. I really enjoyed how you put a quote in the very beginning and then further elaborated on how movies helped condition our society today. I think movies are an escape from reality and can impact peoples lives for the better. The Wizard of Oz was an awesome example of how films can distract you from all the harsh surroundings going on around us, but it also focuses in on values and politics. Although society can be drowning in different problems such as the great depression, there are always films that people can rely on to get away from it all, but with subliminal hidden messages, reminding us that problems still do exist.
24. Ginny hunter 10.22.17 / 1pm

    Eleah, I really enjoyed your review on Escaping reality in the 1930’s. I really enjoyed the quote you put in the beginning of your analysis. The quote you inserted really helped me, as a reader, get into the mindset of what I was about to read. I definitely agree that during those hard times movies were a way of escape for a majority of the population. I am still laughing that movies were only 15 cents! I’m surprised that the film industry did better though during those times. Being that movies are an escape from reality, it makes sense that people relied on them to get away from their daily lives. Its definitely interesting how much the Great Depression impacted the film industry and it makes me look at that time period very differently now.
25. Shaden Gallardo 10.30.17 / 11pm

    I never hear a good or cheerful thing about the historical event of the Great Depression, but after reading this article it fascinated me on how much a film can really help you escape. Especially in an economic crisis like this one, whenever I would learn about this in a history class I would think to myself, what can possibly make them even have the smallest joy through this rough time. It’s amazing that there was a way to help them keep their minds off what was happening. Not only that, but it’s beneficial to their mental and emotional well being. This is also a reason why I personally love movies, it distracts me from life and that can be a really good thing. There is nothing else on my mind but the film I’m watching, which of course also had that affect on the people going through this rough tragedy.
26. Mike Sugleris 11.01.17 / 11pm

    Film is a beautiful thing, its amazing how you can be watching something and completely feel isolated that nothing else around you is going on. I really enjoyed reading you review and normally don’t enjoy reading about the great depression but this was a good exception. This was a good knowledgable catch up about this era in time and also a great reading about film. I never thought a movie would be 15 cents, kinda wish it was that now, but then again we all would be working extra hours everyday and no one wants that. Overall great job.
27. CameronJordan 11.06.17 / 2pm

    Great job on the review! Enjoyed reading this article and found it fun and easy to read. Before reading this I had never thought about how people during the Great Depression needed to find a distraction from all the bad things that were occurring and films make so much sense as something to help distract.I still find this to be true in modern times, films can really help people find a way to escape from their realities just as books do.
28. Olivia Jewell 11.08.17 / 5pm

    I remember learning about the Great Depression in econ class and history class and both taught me that society, after awhile just got better, everything was fixe and everyone was happy. But in the moment I never thought about how people would just ‘get better’ then. But it all makes sense now. Musicals make me feel good. I can escape the world around me and I’m now in the dance movements. It takes a lot of effort to make a movie that is also a musical that everyone is in love with. The only recent movie I can think of is La La Land. That movie while sad because the two never end up together in the end, but so up lifting. The songs are catchy and it makes the audience be in another world, just like The Wizard Of Oz did.
    Great review!

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