Glengarry — Zhuoya Li
I watched the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. In this movie where dirty words are all around our ears, I can see the desperation and deception that people exhibit through out the play.
The play starts with a boss motivating his workers of working harder to closing more deals. According to him, if they are not able to close them, they are total losers. They cannot blame the quality of the deals, for they cannot find excuses for themselves and they should only blame themselves. It sounds like they worth nothing at all if they cannot do their jobs. All of the things can be prescribed on money. The good guy can make nearly a million dollar a year, and all of the workers are required to work off their ass to become earn that much for themselves. It is ruthless and no respect for human dignity at all, but they have to bear all of these humiliation and mental abuses and be obedient to the boss. There is no mercy for the weak and incapable people. The only criteria for them is how much deals they can make.
Levene is a tragic man, standing on the brink of total catastrophe for his family. His daughter is in hospital and she has no nurse to care for her because Levene cannot pay for the bill. He often stays on his past accomplishments and boast about how many months he stays on the first of the board. He loses his hope for the future, thinking that he might possibly be the last of the group and get fired. He clings to everything he can to make him closer to survival and keeping his job. Since he wants success so bad, he loses all of his constraints and shows off all around the office.
Williamson is called the “company man” because he works for the company to implement orders from the superior. He does not concern about how his fellows feel about his inhuman request, nor does he sympathizes with his workers’ concerns of getting bad deals and fail to close the deals. He works as an office manager, so he does not need to go out meeting with clients and sale the real estate. In other words, he does not earn money based on commission like sales do, so he can be indifferent about their hatred toward the requirement of last two get fired. It is like forcing people to finish the work they cannot possibly do.
Moss is a smart guy. He cleverly uses people’s mind to control them for his own use. He knows that Aaronow wants high-quality deals, so he sets a verbal trap to force him commit the crime of office robbery. Then he chooses Levene to be his partner of crime, for he is also desperate to make some deals. Moss is good at analysisinp human emotion, and he can use his ability to target people to be his accomplices.
This play displays a microcosm of how the capitalism system works. The top people get the incredible high payment , in this office—a Cadillac. The bottom of the people are living in the shadow of losing their jobs. This arrangement actually encourages workers to work not only for their own success but also for their colleagues’ downfall. That is why they’ve got so many cheating and exploitation happen in this office.
A Raisin in the Sun–Zhuoya Li
After reading the play A Raisin in the Sun, I find myself deeply depressed by what happened in it. From the beginning of this play, I can feel the tension hidden in those lines. It talks about a big word : “dream” ; and gives two options of what to do with it. It foreshadows that the characters in this play will have to face the choices it mentioned in the beginning. Whether to dry up like a raisin in the sun or to explode, the characters use their own actions to give the answers, and how they do this is truly encouraging and inspiring.
There are few themes that carry through the whole play, and I want to categorized performances in this play under the name of these themes. One thing that is repeated again and again is money. The setting of this play is that this poor black family lives in a poor “slum” where two floors of people share only one bathroom. Travis wants to have fifty cents to donate, but his mom refuses his pleading even though it means Travis may be the only kid in his class to not give that money. Ruth is very straightforward about not having that fifty cents, and I can see that she suffered a lot from not able to help her own kid. After all, who the mother wants to see her kid be humiliated. Walter Lee as a father seems much more generous that Ruth, giving Travis the money to donate as well as money to take a cab. When he wants to go out later that day, he has to ask his family for money to take a car, and was mocked by his family member. Walter does not want his son to be different from others, so that a little sacrifice of himself is not that important.
Walter is probably feeling this kind of responsibility and powerlessness so many times, that he becomes a man whose mind is occupied by money. He eagerly searches for the opportunity to become rich, and at the same time go through a lot of changes. He becomes selfish of ignoring his sister’s need to go to medical school. He goes against his mom because she forbids him of using the insurance money. All of those displeasure comes from one simple fact : they have no money.
One thing that goes with money hand by hand is dignity. Most of indignity for their family can be explained in three ways : they are poor, they are black, they are bot poor and black. Walter illustrates a lot about why he wants to do something big instead of keeping his job: he is spurned by his clients who see him as nobody; he feels sorry for his wife working way too hard than she should be ; he does not want his son to sleep on sofa every night and bothered by only 50 cents. Another thing is about color. This play exposes how low the status of black people is in America at that time. Teachers publicly calling them “poor niggers” and Ruth does not seem to be upset too much about that. We can conjecture that this kind of bold humiliation is too common for them to be mad at. Walter also uncovers huge differences between black and white by referring to his dream of becoming rich: why does these white boys can sit on the back of his car and talks about deals worth millions of dollars while he has to solicitously ask them which way to go. It is simply not fair and he cannot accept his fate of being in low status his entire life — he has an unwillingness that ultimately leads to his mistake of losing his money.
In the end, Walter abandons his idea of moving out and confront the white man with full dignity. He inherits their family tradition of pride and shows that to his son and family. I am so proud for him displaying tenacity and self-respect in front of the white people who are waiting to insult them with real action. After all of those conflicts and frustration, Walter and his whole family proves that they are really admirable man.
Movie Response: Much Ado About Nothing
Wait, that’s Denzel, what isn’t he in?
Movie Response: Medea
hell hath no fury like a woman scorned…
Movie Response: Glenngarry Glen Ross
Movie Response: Glenngarry Glen Ross
Glenngarry Glen Ross was the best movie script I have heard. There were moments where I rewinded the movie to hear the exchanges in dialogue again. The plot is dull when you read about it, but the performances offered by the cast were outstanding. I did not care much for the plot, it is not very compelling alone. Glenngarry Glen Ross Ross is a movie entirely lead by the actors that bring the movie to life and create tensions throughout that make you question ever buying a new home!
I have no negative critiques of Glenngarry Glen Ross. The movie built an intensity and intrigue remarkably and provided such dynamic and round characters. My favorite scene was when the businessman came from “Downtown”. His script was so well written I got motivated to make lifestyle changes and apply A-B-C’s to my own life!
I applaud Glengary Ross for superb cinematography. Ever shot of the movie could have been an awesome still picture. Overall, Glengary Ross captures the lives or real estate brokers in the most dramatic way possible. It is an excellent movie and was a great movie finale!
Into the Woods (Live Play)
Anthony Keith
Play Response: Into the Woods
Into the Woods was hilarious! The director’s comedic intentions were very evident and the the actors did a superb job at keeping the audience on the edge of their seat in suspense, waiting for the next opportunity to laugh. I love how Into the Woods felt very down to earth and comfortable. I saw it at the Alliance Theatre. The actors felt more amateur than The Wizard of Oz and the play felt less professional. The play intertwined the tales of Rapunzel, Jack in the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and Little Red Riding Hood, all to tell the story of a baker and his wife that are cursed by a witch!
There were no significant lighting and visual gimmicks at Into The Woods, just great actors, a stable setting, and a funny script. Seeing Into the Woods at the Alliance Theatre made me intrigued as to how different theatrical spaces influence different feelings for the audience and the role that it has on how individuals interpret a play. At the Fox Theatre, I felt very prestigious, but uptight. That may have made my expectations significantly higher, which led to a disappointing experience. At the Alliance Theatre, I felt comfortable, relaxed, at that other audience members were not professionals and executives, but friends and family going to enjoy a play casually.
Into the Woods did not feature the same miraculous visual supplements that were showcased in The Wizard of Oz. Instead, the lighting and visual components utilized were modest, yet appropriate. They did not outshine the performance, but complimented theplay exceptionally well. The environment was also not as immersive as The Wizard of Oz, but I appreciated feeling separate from the play. I felt like a viewer watching what was in front of me, separate but engaged, instead of within the play.
The costumes were as humble and seemingly amateur as the lighting and visual components, but I believe they added to the comfortability of the play and the comedic value. The costumes looked like high quality Halloween costumes, but no more, and added a dramatic appeal.
I have no negative critiques about Into The Woods. I would recommend anyone to see it at the Alliance theatre and to take family! It was fun and exciting. The play straddles the fence between being adult and childish as adult jokes about sex, love, independence, marriage, lust etc.are intertwined in song, dance, and playful exchanges.
Wizard of Oz (Live Play)
Anthony Keith
Play Response: The Wizard Of Oz
The Wizard of Oz was lackluster.The familiar tale of Dorothy, Witches, the Wizard, and of course, Todo, is difficult to make spectacularly original, but I think it is a responsibility of the director to make his own, considering the notoriety of the play. Instead, it followed the narrative very conventionally and the play felt safe. The actors did not feel very alive in their roles. Although characters were expressive, as the tale necessitates, there was not enough energy emitted by the actors to enliven the characters as I expected.
Instead, the play featured miraculous visual supplements that overshadowed the actors relevance. The lighting and visual components utilized were dazzling and a testament to technology’s value in contemporary theatre. I was most intrigued by the role that technological advancements play in contemporary theatre and most impressed at how lighting and visual supplements can create a world within a theatre. I could only afford the gallery seats, but I did not feel like my experience was sacrificed. The most impressive visual effects were projections on a screen that animated tornadoes, monkeys flying, the witch flying, and Dorothy teleporting back home. The second best visual was a rainbow installment that glowed magnificently at the end of the play. The lighting transitioned colors seamlessly and complimented moods so intensely that you could feel the emotionality radiating. The play was lacking in theatrical performance, but exceeded expectations in visual communication. I feel like the visuals compensated for the sub-par performance.
The lighting and visual components mentioned were most utilized for the setting. There were not many structures on the play stage. Instead most of the setting was projected against a screen, making the play feel more real and the environment immersive.
I could not see the costumes well from the gallery seats, but from what I could distinguish, they too were as impressive as the lighting and visuals. The costumes looked exceptionally realistic, as if the characters were really in Oz, not on a theatre stage. I wish I could have made out the intricate details of the costuming. Nonetheless, I was disappointed that the play did not approach its adaptation with originality and I would not recommend others to see it besides for the visual spectacle it offered.
Sweeny Todd
Anthony Keith
Movie Response: Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd was terrifyingly amazing. I have never been a fan of musicals, but Sweeny Todd encompassed an intensity and emotionality with every song that was undeniably compelling. I was engaged from the onset of the movie and never lost interest. Sweeny Todd has a dark overtone, and is a film that has the capacity to insight a cruelty in even the most innocent viewers.
My only negative critique of Sweeny Todd is that Todd’s transition into his most demonic self was not very clear. I was unaware of what compelled him to start killing his clients. The violence grew to be a bit excessive and lost its artistic value for a moment, seeming like an amateur slasher film. Yet, that did not significantly detract from the viewing experience. I validate its excessiveness in that fact that Todd killed his own wife, having been uncontrollably violent. I suppose it was appropriate because it conveys the Todd’s decaying state of sanity and purpose. Whereas his intentions were to avenge his wife and exile, he began to derive a greater satisfaction from the killing. I believe this is what makes his moment of recognizing his wife most compelling; it reminded him of who he was before he lost himself.
I applaud Sweeney Todd for capturing the tension between characters in a romantically scary way. Most impressively, the coordination of songs between Todd and Mrs. Lovett almost made me an advocate for their romance. The cast/characters in Sweeny Todd offer a range of intriguing perspectives. Each character is very full and had the potential to have a movie detailing a story of their own, especially Pirelli. Pirelli’s boy servant, Tobias, was my favorite character of the film. His character straddles the fence of good and bad, providing a necessary balance of character dynamics. His bravery is admirable and loyalty devout. I believe this is why the movie even ends with Tobias killing Todd. Symbolically, Tobias is a boyish version of Todd. He has an unapologetic warrior spirit, but also harness an affectionate spirit, evidenced by his expressions of care for Mrs. Lovett, which seem partially like a love interest, but also as a son. The plot is based in Todd killing who he believes has committed evil, just as Tobias believes Todd has committed evil. Tobis killing Todd brings the story full circle and ultimately symbolizes good overcoming evil.
My final curiosities lie in the whereabout of Todd’s daughter. Does she ever make it away? Does Jamie come back for her? Does she ever learn about her father? The movie leaving those questions unanswered is unfulfilling and makes the movie feel incomplete! Overall, Sweeney Todd was remarkable.
Raisin in the Sun Response
A Raisin in the Sun is a play that follows the life of an African American family living in the South Side of Chicago. The family is not well off, but they have dreams of moving up. The daughter, Beneatha, is working to become a doctor despite the fact that her brother, Walter, is always telling her that she should become a nurse like all the other women. Walter has dreams too. He wants to start a business. His idea at the present is to go in with a couple of his friends and buy a liquor store. He is frustrated, because no one, not even his mother, will support his dream like they support his sister’s.
At the beginning of the play, things are about to look up for the family. They are going to come into some insurance money from their father’s passing. They will have money to put Beneatha through school and maybe even buy a new place. Mama refuses to give money to Walter’s liquor store. It is this point in the story that Walter’s moral character starts to decline. His hardships have become too much for him and he begins to sinks into a perpetual blue mood. His relationship with his wife, Ruth, is on the rocks and when she reveals that she is pregnant and thinking of aborting the baby, he tells her to go ahead. Mama is disgusted with his actions but she can see that his liquor store dream being crushed is destroying him. To help her declining son, she puts some money into a new house in a middleclass, white neighborhood, and then gives the rest of the money to him. She tells him to put some of it in the bank for Beneatha’s school, but the rest he can use as he wishes. Walter’s mood reverses and he is the happiest we have ever seen him. He has new life and his relationship with Ruth is revived.
However, things take a drastic turn for the worse. One of Walter’s friends arrives with the news that their business partner, Willy, has taken all of the money and run. We find out that Walter had given him all of the money, even the money he was supposed to set aside Beneatha’s school. With this news, Walter’s character takes another dive. He tells the family that he is going to call the man from the welcoming committee and tell him that they will take the money. A man representing the white neighborhood to which they were moving had come earlier to offer them money not to move there. The racist whites did not want to be living in the vicinity of black people. Given the extremely insulting and racist nature of this offer, they had shooed him quickly from their apartment. Walter, who has momentarily given up all hope, calls him to take the deal. Our faith and his family’s faith in him are restored when he changes his mind at the last minute. The play ends with the family packing their boxes into the movie truck and heading off to their new home. The characters in this play were well developed. They were multidimensional and very human, containing all of the moral dilemma’s, dark times, and hopeful dreams of a real person. I particularly enjoyed the complexities of Walter’s character. Throughout the play he struggles constantly to keep his head above water, but sometimes his head slips under. He, more than the others, is emotionally affected by their difficult situation, and so he occasionally looses hope. In the end however, he is able to keep his head up and overcome the hardships that life continues to throw at him.
I very much enjoyed this play. It provides a compelling commentary on the struggles African Americans face everyday living in a racist society. In addition, it is a beautiful story of hope, perseverance, and the power of dreams.
Glengarry Glen Ross Response
Glengarry Glen Ross is a depiction of the actions men will take when they are under too much pressure and their backs are against a wall. It is also a commentary on the inner workings of corporate America and the brutal hierarchies that are built. Glengarry Glen Ross is about a group of salesmen whose sales are down and are about to be fired if they don’t bring them back up. The problem is, the system is rigged. Most of what is needed to make consistent sales is good leads. However, only the people who are already on the top of the pyramid get the decent leads, the Glengarry leads. Those who are on the bottom get useless leads that they have no chance of selling to. Because of this, those on the bottom have no way of ever working their way up the ladder. With the prospect of being fired looming above their heads and only terrible leads to work with, the men are willing to do anything for a sale, including rob the office.
Dave Moss, a salesman played by Ed Harris, comes up with a plan to steal the glengarry leads out of their office building and sell them to a competing real estate agency. He attempts to coerce a coworker, George Aaronow, into helping him pull of the robbery. He tells Aaronow that by listening to his plan he is already accomplice and that he will be the one to go into the office while Moss goes and gets himself an alibi. Not only is Moss willing to commit a robbery, he is willing to betray his friend. In the end we find out that Aaronow still refuses and Moss recruits Shelley Levene to be his accomplice. He is caught because he lets slip that he knows that the Office Manager, Mr. Williamson, left the contracts on his desk the night before instead of taking them to the bank as usual. This indicates that he was the one who broke into the office. I found the uncovering of this fact particularly tragic because of its timing. Levene’s luck had just changed that morning when he landed a 82,000 dollar sale and the top salesman, Richard Roma, expressed his admiration and said that they should team up and work together. Everything would have turned around for him, but instead he was going to prison.
I had mixed feelings towards the characters in this movie. It is hard to sympathize with them because they don’t really come off as good people. They are sleazy characters, willing to trick people out of their money, step on their friends, and commit crimes just to get paid. On the other hand, they are stuck in a bad situation. They have families who depend on them to survive, they are on the brink of being laid off, and their managers are refusing to help them by giving them decent leads. When you put a person’s back against the wall, you cannot really blame them for doing what they have to do to get by.