1. As we watch progress through the film, "The Hurt Locker", how is the idea of realism being used for this movie? What kind of effects do you think this has on viewers?
As we watched the movie, we are presented with scenes that some say are very similar to true events in the war. The film does not sugar coat things but shows more truth than fiction. I do not believe we realize just what our nation's soldiers encounter and because this film's realistic scenes, we are able to imagine, to an extent, what it is like. Because of the film's showing of the brutal outcomes of war, us viewers gain more patriotism and feel more support for our nations' protectors. As I watched the film, I gained more patriotism but i also gained more hate towards the terrorist that have cause thousands of deaths over the past years. Seeing surprised attacks and people being filled with fears, I felt useless. We say we support our troops yet we continue to complain that our coffee is too cold or our food was not prepared right. We should feel ashamed for such complaints when our soldiers actually have something to complain about. Former soldiers of this war that have watched this film probably become overwhelmed with sadness having to remember those conditions they had endured.
2. What do you think your biggest take away is from this class? What would be a suggestion to make the class better for next year?
I believe the greatest take away is the knowing how inaccurate Hollywood films can be in terms of historical events. It is amazing to see how Hollywood filmmakers change history to follow a more interesting story line that the viewers will enjoy. I would suggest focusing more on the history of films and less on how films are created. I felt that learning about the art of film making was more suited for an actual film art class not a history film class. Don't get me wrong, I do believe being educated on the evolution of film was important in the class but the information of point of view, camera positioning, types of documentaries, etc. was irrelevant.
