Touch of Evil Essay Example for Free

Touch of Evil Essay Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) attempted to lift the stylish low-budget crime drama form with quality directing, writing, acting, cinematography, soundtrack, and locations, while maintaining the authentic film-noir motif. One of the key elements of film-noir was steamy sexuality, and Touch of Evil exploited this genre feature enthusiastically with lurid and seductive characterizations and scenes of tawdry sexual tension. Touch of Evil takes place in a border town between the USA and Mexico, representing the thin line separating two different cultures and realities. The lead character finds himself in a dilemma when a murder takes just as he and his bride cross the border. He struggles to deal with local officials without ruining his honeymoon, but events conspire against him. The local Sheriff is dishonest, his wife is kidnapped by his enemies, and his murder investigation takes him into an underworld of human misery, corruption, and sleaze. In 1958, interracial relationships were socially unacceptable, perhaps even forbidden in certain sections of America. Hollywood generally avoided the subject until the controversial Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967, Stanley Kramer), almost a decade later. So when Touch of Evil’s opening scene presents a Hispanic man and a Caucasian women, a newly wed couple, it purposely introduces an element designed to produce audience anxiety. When Orson Welles’ character, Sheriff Quinlan, realizes that the characters portrayed by Charleton Heston as Miguel Vargas, a virile Mexican, and Janet Leigh as Suszie, a sexy American, are a honeymooning husband and wife, he snidely comments, â€Å"She dont look Mexican†¦.† Earlier, the Mexican border guards addressed the same issue with similar disdain. These scenes establish interraciality as a socially unaccepted custom in the film’s universe and focuses the audience’s attention and expectation of danger on the issue. The plot soon fulfills the expectation. Vargas, an honest and incorruptible police official, tries to help the local police solve a murder that he and Suzie witnessed as they crossed the border into Mexico in the open scene. In one scene of high sexual tension – and fantasy – Suzie, in seductive lingerie, in the privacy of her hotel room, has phone sex with her husband who has called her from a pay phone. A blind man, adding a titillating voyeurism to the scene overhears the conversation. Matters are complicated when Suzie is kidnapped by criminals with a grudge against Vargas, and Vargas’ dedication to his prosecurial duty and concern for his wife leave him with a dilemma of two separate crises both demanding him to take action. The stakes rise when Vargas becomes convinced that the local sheriff (Welles’ Quinlan) is corrupt and is framing an innocent man. Vargas tries several times to rescue Suzie, which fail and serve to incite the kidnappers to threaten Suzie with sexual degradation, and ultimately places her in even greater danger of being murdered. The result of these events on top of the smoldering relationship between the main characters is a story that produces a story environment of smoldering sexuality that produces scenes rife with sexual anxiety. Sources consulted: â€Å"Touch of Evil† http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052311 retreived Oct. 16, 2007 Ebert, Roger. Review of â€Å"Touch of Evil† September 13, 1998 http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19980913/REVIEWS08/401010367/1023

Aurora is a Typical Teenager in Among The Mourners Essay -- essays res

Aurora is a Typical Teenager in Among The Mourners In the classical short story 'Among the Mourners', written by Ellen Gilchrist, a thirteen year old female deals with 'difficult' times. Aurora, the protagonist, is an average teenager who is faced with emotions of mortification and lust. 'Among the Mourners' conveys Aurora's feelings through the wake her parents have at her house, her new boyfriend, Giorgio, and her parent's marriage. Many times Aurora seems to be being over-dramatic through actions towards her family and boyfriend. Also, Aurora has the predisposition to tell lies, extend the truth, or even make her own belief up about a particular event. Finally, like any adolescent boy or girl, Aurora is boy crazy. Therefore, Aurora is a typical teenager because she is over-dramatic, stretches the truth, and is boy crazy. Aurora tends to over dramatize a lot of events taking place. At the wake her father was holding because a close friend, Mr. Alter, had committed suicide, ?[Aurora] was mortified? (93) because ?there were cars parked all over the yard and police cars in the driveway? (93). One can say that under the circumstances it was expected for people to draw together, to pay reverence to a love one, but Aurora saw it as an inconvenience or an embarrassment. As well as when Mr. Seats, a close friend of Mr. Alter, came to stay, Aurora did not want to give up her room, she states ?I did not kill him. Why should I give up my room (94). Again, Aurora makes a big deal over giving up her room, in understandable circumstances. In addition, when she describes her new boyfriend, Giorgio, ?[he] speaks about fifteen languages and he is so good-looking [one] wouldn?t believe it? (93), her description goes a little too far, bec... ... ?Among the Mourners?, one can see Aurora acts as a typical teenager. She over dramatizes many events in her life, just as if the world is coming to an end. Likewise, Aurora stretches the truth to get what she wants or to possibly get attention. Still, she is boy crazy and curious of what the opposite sex has to offer with her relationship with Giorgio. Aurora is a typical teenager, just like any teenager in today?s times. Many teenagers tend to get embarrassed or become over-dramatic for attention. Also, telling lies to get what they want, because normally teenagers feel as if they are more responsible that what people give them. In Aurora?s case was she was Gifted and Talented. In short, teenagers today end up experimenting or even getting pregnant at a young age, therefore, it is not surprising for Aurora to be curious. Nonetheless, Aurora is a typical teenager.

Effective partnership working Essay

A partnership is an arrangement between two or more groups, organizations or individuals to work together to achieve common aims. Effective partnership working must have some sort of personal stake in the partnership. All partners should work towards the same goal. The partners should have similar system of beliefs and work together over a reasonable period of time. Partners should understand the value of what each of them can contribute to the set aim. Both should respect and trust each other. Partnership working also shares creativity, and responsibility. Working together can highlight different issues, problem and solutions and there is more potential for productivity or effectiveness. All partners must always tell each other what is planned and consult everything together before making any decisions. They must act together as everyone working towards the same outcome. 1.2 Working in partnership with colleagues it’s very important .We all need to work in the same way and be consistent. People I work with on daily basis are the best source of advice and information needed when some issues may arise. By working together I am able to see all recorded information and being able to use them when needed .Communication within the home is a key to effective support .By working together everyone can be supported and all ideas can be taken into consideration on meetings and solving issues become easiest. Working with other professionals like Learning Disability team or Intensive support team also gives me a different point of view on situation and this way I receive support from qualified and understanding people. I can share information and seek advice .This way I get an excellent feedback and much needed support .Some individuals have a complex needs which are very difficult to cope and seeking support from others is very important .Organization receive different training and do specialize in giving help .Therefore maintaining good relationship with them is important to provide the quality support for Service Users. Working in partnership with advocates is needed when Individuals have a lack of capacity and have no one who can act on their behalf . Working together with independent advocates shows that setting follows the guidelines and regulations .Independent person can see the different point of the situations discussed and help to decide what is  the best for the person concerned .As a support staff will share all relevant information with them and act on the best interest of the individual. Working with families, Service users, friend of individuals give me a never ending source of information’s so I’m able to provide the care they want .By working together we gain information and that can help make Individuals live easier in the care setting. This way parents feel valued and respected. Parents and family feel comfortable when visiting the setting talking to and planning with workers .Every opinion must be valued and treated seriously as we all want the best for the Service Users .Talking and working together with individuals gives us a chance to get to know they likes and dislikes and be able to make them happy. 1.3 Partnership is about relationship between people and the aim of it is to achieve what couldn’t be achieved alone. By working together we build a relationship. We improve outcomes and achieve more equal life for the individuals and better future for them. Because everyone works together Service User can feel safe and have choice of where and how they want to live. As staff I need to listen to them and give them choice and information’s must be available in the right format .Individuals feel valued and respected. They know that there is a lot of different people who are happy to help and give advice .It also makes staff feel more valued as they have they say and their opinion is more valued what means that they are more happy to stay in the work place like that.

Judaism and Passover

* This essay will describe Passover a Jewish Holy Days. This essay will discuss the time of the year of the holy day(s), the historic origin of the holy day(s), and the religious practices associated with the day(s). This essay will also identify the theological or cultural differences that may lead to differences in the observance of the holy day by the various branches of Judaism. * Passover is a Jewish holidays, best known maybe because Christian history, the Last Supper was said to be a Passover meal. The last and greatest of the plagues is the death of the first-born sons of the Egyptians.The Israelite’s son weren’t killed because they have followed Yahweh’s warning and have marked the doors of their homes with the blood of a substitute – a sacrificial lamb (Exod. 12:13). Because God has â€Å"passed over† Egypt, the event is thereafter called the Passover or Pesach, and its yearly memorial has become one of the major Jewish festivals. Passover begins on the 15th day of Nissan (Nissan is 30 days between March-April). Passover is the first of the three major holidays (Passover, Shavu’ot and Sukkot) with both historical and agricultural significance.Historically Passover observes the Exodus from Egypt after many years as slave to the Egyptians, as told in Exodus. Agricultural receives little attention, it is the beginning of the harvest season in Israel. The weeklong holiday of Passover starts on the first lunar month and may have originally begun as a renewal springtime nature day. It recalls the Hebrew’s escape from Egypt slavery. Placing lamb blood from the Passover meal, as told in Book of Exodus, over the doors of the Hebrews, keeps the angel of death from killing their first born sons and the power of God â€Å"passed over† Egypt.The Passover Meal is a memorial meal, the Seder or order, at which Jews eat several symbolic foods (bread, a meal, salad of nuts and fruits). The bread, a thin flat bread called matzah, does not have yeast. Matzah shows how there was no time for bread to rise in the Hebrews’ rush to leave Egypt. This is also refer to as chametz (leaven; sounds like â€Å"hum it's† with that Scottish â€Å"ch†), it symbolizes a way of removing the â€Å"puffiness, arrogance, pride† from their souls. Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt) that have not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water† (Judaism 101). A shank bone of lamb or other animal is in the meal, symbolizing the sacrificial lamb. A salad of nuts and fruits, or haroseth, symbolizes the mortar used by the Hebrews in their forced labor. To remember the suffering of the Hebrews during their oppression, diners dip parsley in saltwater and eat bitter herbs. During the meal the story of Moses, and the Israelites is retold.A place and cup of wine is set up at the table for the prophet E lijah, â€Å"actions representing the hope that he will return to earth to announce the coming of the Messiah. A delicious meal follows the ritual part of the supper. Today many Jews invite non-Jews to share in their Seder and celebration of Jewish customs† (Molloy (2010)). The text of the Passover seder is written in a book called the Haggadah. â€Å"Orthodox Jews of Ashkenazic background also avoid rice, corn, peanuts, and legumes (beans) as if they were chametz.All of these items are commonly used to make bread, thus use of them was prohibited to avoid any confusion. Such additional items are referred to as kitniyot† (Judaism 101). * In conclusion this essay described Passover. The essay discussed the time of the year of the holy day(s), the historic origin of the holy day(s), and the religious practices associated with the day(s). This essay also identified the theological or cultural differences that may lead to differences in the observance of the holy day by the various branches of Judaism.

Denial of Death essays

Denial of Death essays One of the major focuses of Don DeLillios White Noise is death. In this novel DeLillio over emphasizes the concept of death and the fear mankind has of it. He plays on our fear of death and the reality and certainty we have of our own demise. Through two of his main characters, Jack and Babette, DeLillio demonstrates this fear irrationally. Their phobia of death causes both characters to develop plots to avoid and deny their own deaths. All plots tend to move deathward(p26). This is very ironic logic that DeLillio has Jack use in his discussion with the department heads. Jack plotted to create an image for himself. Jacks whole personification is one that is larger than life, therefore larger than death. After all he walks the campus in a dark, flowing robe and wearing large dark glasses. He is known as J.A.K. Gladney, the originator of Hitler studies, a role in which he can hide from life. This is a concept most individuals are guilty of. We create a public image, a personification, of who we want the world to believe we are. Though not grand as Jacks our personifications allows us to hide our deepest fears and to create a shield between the world and us. In his professional life Jack is able to disguise himself from death. This superficial personification does not shield him from deaths watch at home. He and Babette enjoy a marriage that allows them to talk openly and intimately about everything, except death; their deepest fear. Who will die first. This is a question that comes up from time to time.(p15) Neither character wants to be the last to die. To die first would be easier. To die last would be to die alone. To die alone is the ultimate betrayal. Abandoned by the one you love, whether it is because they preceded you in death or for other reasons is probably the most devastating experience any human being could imagine. This is one o ...

Weapons Used by Pirates

Weapons Used by Pirates Pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy, which lasted roughly from 1700-1725, employed a variety of weapons to carry out their high-seas thievery. These weapons were not unique to pirates but were also common on merchant and naval vessels at the time. Most pirates preferred not to fight, but when a fight was called for, the pirates were ready! Here are some of their favorite weapons. Cannons The most dangerous pirate ships were those with several mounted cannons - ideally, at least ten. Large pirate ships, such as Blackbeards Queen Annes Revenge or Bartholomew Roberts Royal Fortune had as many as 40 cannons on board, making them a match for any Royal Navy warship of the time. Cannons were very useful but somewhat tricky to use and required the attention of a master gunner. They could be loaded with large cannonballs to damage hulls, grapeshot or canister shot to clear decks of enemy sailors or soldiers, or chain shot (two small cannonballs chained together) to damage enemy masts and rigging. In a pinch, just about anything could be (and was) loaded into a cannon and fired: nails, bits of glass, rocks, scrap metal, etc. Hand Weapons Pirates tended to favor lightweight, quick weapons which could be used in close quarters after boarding. Belaying pins are small bats used to help secure ropes, but they also make fine clubs. Boarding axes were used to cut ropes and wreak havoc in rigging: they also made for lethal hand-to-hand weapons. Marlinspikes were spikes made of hardened wood or metal and were about the size of a railroad spike. They had a variety of uses onboard a ship but also made handy daggers or even clubs in a pinch. Most pirates also carried sturdy knives and daggers. The hand-held weapon most commonly associated with pirates is the saber: a short, stout sword, often with a curved blade. Sabers made for excellent hand weapons and also had their uses on board when not in battle. Firearms Firearms such as rifles and pistols were popular among pirates, but of limited use as loading them took time. Matchlock and Flintlock rifles were used during sea battles, but not as often in close quarters. Pistols were much more popular: Blackbeard himself wore several pistols in a sash, which helped him intimidate his foes. The firearms of the era were not accurate at any distance but packed a wallop at close range. Other Weapons Grenadoes were essentially pirate hand-grenades. Also called powder flasks, they were hollow balls of glass or metal which were filled with gunpowder and then fitted with a fuse. Pirates lit the fuse and threw the grenade at their enemies, often with devastating effect. Stinkpots were, as the name suggests, pots or bottles filled with some stinking substance: these were thrown onto the decks of enemy ships in the hope that the fumes would incapacitate the enemies, causing them to vomit and retch. Reputation Perhaps a pirates greatest weapon was his reputation. If the sailors on a merchant ship saw a pirate flag that they could identify as, say, Bartholomew Roberts, they would often immediately surrender instead of putting up a fight (whereas they might run from or fight a lesser pirate). Some pirates actively cultivated their image. Blackbeard was the most famous example: he dressed the part, with a fearsome jacket and boots, pistols and swords about his body, and smoking wicks in his long black hair and beard that made him look like a demon: many sailors believed he was, in fact, a fiend from Hell! Most pirates preferred not to fight: fighting meant lost crew members, damaged ships and perhaps even a sunken prize. Often, if a victim ship put up a fight, pirates would be harsh to the survivors, but if it surrendered peacefully, they would not harm the crew (and could even be quite friendly). This was the reputation that most pirates wanted. They wanted their victims to know that if they handed over the loot, they would be spared. Sources Cordingly, David. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1996 Defoe, Daniel (Captain Charles Johnson). A General History of the Pyrates. Edited by Manuel Schonhorn. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1972/1999. Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: The Lyons Press, 2009 Konstam, Angus. The Pirate Ship 1660-1730. New York: Osprey, 2003. Rediker, Marcus. Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age. Boston: Beacon Press, 2004. Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. Mariner Books, 2008.

Use of sound and music in the film Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock Research Paper

Use of sound and music in the film Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock - Research Paper Example When music and sound are used efficiently in a movie, a certain flow that comes up that makes the movie seem to fit better. The 1960 Alfred Hitchcock horror movie ‘Psycho’ is a perfect example of movies massively relying on the process and technique of music and sound editing (Khairy 09). The ultimate aim of this context is to examine the use of sound and music in the movie Psycho. It specifically looks on how music and sound was used to convey suspense. To begin with, Alfred Hitchcock is believed to be the ‘master of suspense’ and an immense leader. Psycho created in 1960 was one of his great movies that were one top ten of the American Film Institute’s top breathtaking films (Kolker 12). Hitchcock has a tendency of using suspense and tension to shock his audience. He achieves this through efficient use of cinematography and correct position of camera, use of movement, angles and shots. He also managed to employ scary music and lighting when he intended to shock his audience or generate suspense (Schickel and Capra 29). However, he misleads his audience to come up with shock but at least that is expected in a horror movie. At the start of the film, Marion Crane and Sam Loom are seen in the bedroom together. This seemed to suggest that it was a love and romantic story but after stealing the money from her boss, then it is believed the genre of the movie is about crime. Nevertheless, the genre of this film was not about romance or even crime, it was a thriller where the main character died a third way through the film. That is too shocking and unexpected because she was the main character and a good person as well (Kolker 12). Another suspense and shock came when the audience realized that Norman Bates dresses like his â€Å"mother† in women’s clothing, which comes up odd and bizarre. Besides, untrue suspense makes shocks more shocking in the sense that the audience never