Generally speaking, swimming pools are modern status symbols. They represent wealth, freedom and control. In movies and TV shows, this symbolism is often exploited for various purposes. In coming-of-age movies, for example, swimming pools can help portray youth and fun. However, sometimes a swimming pool can also symbolize decadence and abandonment (if it’s dirty or contaminated, or even if it’s empty). In “Breaking Bad”, for instance, people piss, vomit or bleed out in pools. Walter spends a lot of time cleaning his pool, but nobody actually swims or has fun in it. What movies or TV shows use swimming pools to represent deterioration, corruption or even sin? This topic should focus on the ominous side of swimming pool representation.
Swimming pools often serve as powerful visual metaphors in film and TV. In The Great Gatsby, the pool symbolizes Gatsby’s wealth and ultimate downfall, as it becomes the site of his tragic death. Similarly, Sunset Boulevard uses a pool to reflect faded glory and despair. Your mention of Breaking Bad is spot on—Walter’s pool is a constant reminder of his moral decay. Any other chilling pool scenes come to mind? – danielledunham6 days ago
The topic taker should examine both the DCU Cinematic Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Specifically, the topic taker should consider the ways in which the handling of adapting comics to film or broader mediums brings attention to the superhero genre. For example, Spider-Man (2002) is considered to be a major success for a superhero movie, following the success of X-Men (2000). Does the attention that a cinematic universe creates gain new audiences for certain characters, regardless of the franchise, or is a divide created between the film adaptation and the comics? Are there aspects of the DCEU and the MCU that keep the superhero movie franchise fresh, or is the genre stagnating? Specifically, consider how Marvel's multiple phases might actually be daunting for a newcomer to the superhero franchise. The topic taker should dig into these questions, reviews of major movie entries, and should also consider what could be done to improve how superhero stories are told.
While a theory about the newly announced Superman movie, this seems to bring up some interesting points on the direction DCU may be taking, and hints at some thoughts surrounding the superhero movie genre: (link)
While potentially biased, this Wikipedia page has a discussion board on the reception of the MCU, and may prove to be a decent starting point into understanding how the MCU performs: (link) article: List&text=The films within the franchise,14 Hugo Awards, winning two.
Just to note, the DCU and DCEU are two distinct cinematic universes with different continuity. DCU is a soft reboot of the DCEU. – Sunni Rashad3 weeks ago
Here's to hoping the MCU has a solid clean-up plan – alyholmberg18 hours ago
Non-human antagonists enrich storytelling by pushing the boundaries of imagination and challenging both characters and audiences to confront fears and truths beyond the human realm.
Interpret how earthquakes have been used as non-human antagonists in the movie 'San Andreas'
The writer has been guided, the non-human antagonist to focus on for this post is the earthquake – Laurika Nxumalo2 months ago
Pi's storytelling is another method of psychological survival. The narrative itself can be seen as an attempt to make sense of his trauma and find solace in a version of events that is more bearable than the brutal reality.
I feel this could use a bit more context for the potential writer. – Sunni Rashad3 months ago
The writer could explore further the psychological element of storytelling in order to deal with trauma – Laurika Nxumalo2 months ago
This article could analyze how schizoid personality disorder (SPD) is portrayed in movies, examining both accurate depictions and those that lean into stereotypes. It could explore characters from films like Taxi Driver, Her, or Donnie Darko, discussing how their emotional detachment, introspection, and isolation reflect aspects of SPD. The article might delve into how these portrayals provide insight into the human experience of disconnection, often serving as metaphors for broader societal issues.
You might also consider discussing the challenges filmmakers face in representing SPD authentically while balancing narrative engagement. Exploring the potential impact these portrayals have on public understanding of the disorder — both in terms of awareness and misconceptions — could add a valuable dimension. Addressing how the nuanced representation of mental health contributes to more empathetic storytelling would make the topic particularly relevant in today's cinematic landscape.
I think Christian Grey from “50 Shades of Grey” would be a good character to look at with regard to the depiction of SPD – Laurika Nxumalo2 months ago
The original Jumanji (1995) remains a nostalgic classic almost 30 years after its release. Its technologically updated sequel might have gotten the side-eye from the original film's devotees, but also pulled in a flock of new fans, as evidenced when a third movie invited viewers back to its jungle. Zathura, which featured a space-themed board game, is arguably less beloved than the Jumanji films but has plenty of fans. And the new film Family Pack has thrown players of yet another magical game into 1497 France to face werewolves while grappling with their personal problems, deep emotions, and general dysfunction.
Analyze the presence and appeal of magical board games in family films. What makes magical board games the right catalysts to bring families, siblings, or even strangers (thus, "found family") together in these films, as opposed to say, video games or a game on the sports field or court? Do these films have something special to say to families in today's technology-driven age and if yes, what is it? Do "magical board game" stories have potential as a bigger subgenre, and if yes, what other board game themes, family structures, or themes of the human condition could be explored? Use the mentioned films as a jumping off point, but feel free to explore what as-yet-untapped plots might look like.
Another movie with magical games is Labyrinth (1986) – Laurika Nxumalo2 months ago
Analyse Hayao Miyazaki's use of picturesque European-inspired aesthetics in his movies. Think "Howl's Moving Castle", "Kiki's Delivery Service", and "Porco Rosso" – all are either inspired by 19th and early 20th century Europe, or in the case of "Porco Rosso" use real countries such as Italy in the 1930s. How does Miyazaki draw on these elements of aesthetic to create beautiful and magical settings? How does the source material, British author Diana Wynne Jones' novel "Howl's Moving Castle", and the real world influences of the time period, World War 1 etc, influence Miyazaki's renditions? What does he include, what does he exclude? What is the affect of these renditions on Japanese and international audiences especially when considering Japan's relationship with the West? You can also compare these European aesthetic/story films with the Ghibli films set in Japan, such as "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Spirited Away". Plenty of questions to ask yourself when doing this article. I recommend potential narrowing down the subject to certain aspects of the aesthetic, such as subject, technology, colour etc.
You could also include the set design for the live stage play of "Spirited Away" and if that is catered to the audience or true to the source material. – yoderamy172 years ago
Book-to-movie films (and—more regularly, now—shows) are especially common in young adult franchises such as The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games, and Divergent. The first three Harry Potter films are some of the most beloved book-to-movie adaptations in history. The latter movies, while successful in other regards, were criticised (especially by book purists) for cutting out, altering, or ignoring large chunks of the source material. I have heard several fans say that they would watch a Harry Potter reboot if it was a high-budget streaming show that adapted each chapter into an episode, with the dialogue and plots and sub-plots remaining exactly the same as the books. Whether this would ever be done remains to be seen,
Movies face an issue in that they are limited in run-time. While there are long movie adaptations out there (The Lord of the Rings is a prime example), more commonly, they are cut to fit at a little over 2 hours. They prioritise entertainment and a streamlined story. Books can vary in length to a great degree—the first Harry Potter book was around 77,000 words while the fifth (the longest) was around 257,000. Yet the fifth movie (2hrs and 18 minutes long) was actually shorter than the first (2 hours and 32 minutes long). The movie arguably benefited from cutting much of the meat of the book, at least from an entertainment perspective, if not from a story and world perspective.
How important is it for the plot to be accurately represented in films, given that they are, indeed, adaptations of the source material and not direct translations? Is it enough for the characters and world to be represented with care and detail? Are fans right in complaining about inaccuracy and missing scenes in book-to-movie adaptations? What are some examples of book-to-movie adaptations done well, and done poorly?
The different approaches to book adaptations and the merits or detriments of shifting the medium of a story would definitely be an interesting topic. Another possible aspect of the topic would be the question of whether a movie or an episodic show is the most effective format, whether this is case specific, and what sort of plots and subplots lend themselves to short or long form cinema. – Quodlibet2 years ago
Movies and books are two extremely different mediums with unique characteristics, potential benefits, and potential barriers. Consider this example: In the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, there are several significant internal monologues. In my opinion, one of the most substantial ones is Alice's internal monologue while questioning her own identity (inside the rabbit hole); however, I was unable to locate a single movie that featured this internal monologue. In a novel, a character could typically have an internal monologue for a whole chapter, or even more, but in a movie, it would be disastrous. In light of this, I believe the questions to be asked are: Which elements should be removed in order to make room for the new medium? What elements need to be modified to take advantage of the new medium's potential? etc. The issue is not whether there should or shouldn't be disparities between the two - because there will always be disparities between the two; rather, it is how to implement these contrasts without compromising the book's basic concepts and takeaways. – Samer Darwich2 years ago
The benefits of a series format compared with that of a film would definitely be an interesting topic. In my opinion one of the interesting examples to explore would be the adaptation of philip pulman's series 'his dark materials' and how the movie compares to the HBO series. Whils both effectively translate the novels into another format, both fail where the other succeeds. For example the HBO series is more detailed and has better pacing whereas the movie has a tone that is similar to that of the books. Another example is all quiet on the western front which has been adapted into a television sereis and two different movies, the most recent havign been released this year. I'm sure some interesting comparisons can be drawn between the different adaptations that would help furthere develop this topic. – Matilda2 years ago
The debate of making a successful book to movie adaptation is great to engage in. There first needs to be an acknowledgement that there ate two different mediums and depending how abstract or explicit, its down to directors' and writers interpretation the book. – ml223702 years ago
I think that books do more intense and detailed descriptions of the story. But the adaptation of a book to the movie is really good as not all can read books but most people watch movies tho! – dancingnumbers2 years ago
I think the recreation of famous stories in film can be a really beautiful thing and gives more options of accessibility for a wide range of audiences. Although I can agree that film adaptations can be missing the "spark" of the novel, there will always be different versions that exist. A recording of an audiobook with a different voice actor than the original recording will have nuances and tone that transform the story, just as a movie will create a slight variation of the original tale. Within these changed adaptations we can add new, modern factors to elevate relatability and relevance to modern society, such as increasing diversity (which is always a good thing). – tayloremily292 years ago
A lot of this has with the personal connection to the material. I remember hating the Watchmen film when it came out. I was not familiar with the material and I remember not feeling invested in any of the characters - I left the cinema about half way through (the only other time I did that was in Batman and Robin). Friends of mine who I trust and are familiar with the source material loved it and it felt to them like a very accurate representation. There is also the nature of time passing to consider. Perhaps a piece of literature is twenty years old (or more!) and has key elements that need to change to reach a contemporary audience - these might not be the core or 'the message' of the story, but they might be things that seem essential to some readers of the original material. If there were a way to judge the access of the new audience to the original authors intent, that might be something to look at. – ggmills9 months ago
I would argue the best adaptations sit along their source text or are in dialogue with them rather than being carbon copies. Dune the novel is not the same as Dune the film (2021 and 2024) but both can exist side by side and their themes and ideas are have overlap in many ways. How a film or tv show diverges from a source text and why is as interesting as how they remain faithful. Many readers and fans of novels/book franchises need to be more aware/conscious about the necessity of changing a text when adapting it to another medium. Fundamental structures/narrative techniques of a novel or short story may not translate to a visual medium. The more beloved the text, and the more strictly constructed the text, the more potential for criticism there are from fans of the property. The Rings of Power is a fascinating case study in the process of adapting texts for tv. House of Dragons is another fascinating case study. – Sean Gadus5 months ago
