Prove This

Crime film and such. Call me Katie.

[oneluckypunk]

Challenge Post 12: Juvenile Offenders 

Jason Todd, the second Robin after Dick Grayson, was a little more, unconventional, as a superhero. In his most widely-known origin, Bruce discovered him attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile and essentially decided that this kid was the perfect follow-up to the more gentle-natured, morally righteous first Robin (after months of training and school for troubled youths).  He was constantly needed to be reigned-in by Batman, as he would get a little carried away when delivering what he believed was justice to criminals.  After his death and subsequent resurrection as the Red Hood, Jason becomes a vigilante that is one of the biggest thorns in Batman’s side.  Why? Because he believes that killing the criminals is absolutely okay because it’s getting them off of the street permanently, as opposed to Bruce’s idea that everyone can be helped and reformed.  Jason is impulsive, reckless, and full of rage, and teeters on the edge of the line between hero and criminal: if the only people he’s killing are other criminals, where is the line drawn?  Jason Todd is one of my favorite representations of an antihero/vigilante, and is one of the more interesting foils to the character of Batman as he is not inherently criminal like the rogues gallery.  He constantly grapples with his own ideals for what is right and what is wrong, and what his life may have been like if he hadn’t literally died when he was a young teen at the hands of the Joker.

[quotes-from-oitnb]

When you have a connection with someone it never really goes away. You snap back to being important to each other because you still are.

Alex Vause

[singalongbirdsong]

“It ain’t that bad.”

[orangeisthenewvause-deactivated]

let’s never forget this iconic statement happened

[quotes-from-oitnb]

Regrets are for people who had another choice.

Taystee Jefferson

[piiipes]

Vauseman, a summary

Season 1: I love you and I fucking hate you.

Season 2: I wanna be your prison wife.

Season 3: Will you be my girlfriend?

Season 4: Doomed to be together.

Season 5: Will you marry me?

Season 6: I do.

[ohbeauregard]

[quotes-from-oitnb]

The sky is blue, but when there are clouds, you think it’s gray. But really, it’s still blue.

Suzanne Warren

[oksanelle]

[oneluckypunk]

Challenge Post 13: Spoofing

There is an entire episode titled “Orange is the New Yellow,” where Marge goes to prison for 90 days, but finds out that she actually quite likes it there because she gets a break from being a mom.  I haven’t seen the whole episode, but just from this clip I can see a few plays on common narrative points (the ease of getting more time added onto your sentence, the indifference and even glee from the guards in inflicting punishment, etc.)

[oneluckypunk]

Final Project Resources

The main resources I used for my final project are all books, so instead of posting some links, I’ll leave the covers of the books with a short summary (they’re all pretty interesting reads, if you can find them anywhere- some are online on the library, and others will be back on the stacks once I return them).

The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV

This source’s title is pretty self-explanatory, but the section and ideas that I focused on the concept of “the gay killer.”  This is where the audience has a hard time separating the fact that the criminal is gay from the crime they commit, rather than just seeing a criminal who happens to be gay- an interesting read on how stereotypes are perpetuated through time and repetition.

Heroic Desire: Lesbian Identity and Cultural Space

This was a great source in fueling the idea of a lesbian hero, and what she means to those who watch her in their media.  I also used this source when exploring the idea of a criminal queer hero, in conjunction with the next source listed.  There was also a lot of great information and analysis on different kind of lesbian identity and representation, which will be used when I further explore this topic in my thesis.

Shots in the Mirror: Crime Films and Society

This was a great source when exploring the criminal hero, and how someone who is a criminal can be considered a hero.  I used this when examining that very topic, but also in relation to how the stereotype of a queer criminal plays into the fact that they can also be seen as a hero, while still existing as multidimensional character capable of more than just a dichotomous good/evil.

Out Takes: Essays on Queer Theory and Film

This source provided an interesting look at something I had already been kind of thinking about: the seductive and corruptive queer woman, or, a lesbian vampire.  I was already thinking about the stereotypical lesbian who seemingly corrupts an innocent by “turning her gay,” but this source connected it to the vampire narrative in a way that seemed so obvious after the fact.  This was used when I took a look at this kind of stereotype and character, and how OitNB pushed past the simple characterization to give all involved more substance and personality than just dominant villain and submissive victim.

[alexpearlvauses]

Piper, S1: What are you afraid of? That I’m going to do something GAY?

Piper, S6: *marries a woman*

[oneluckypunk]

Tuesday Presentations

Hannah’s project is a really creative take on the concept of vigilantism, and using key ideas from the vigilante figure and genre to create a Cards Against Humanity-style game.  She is centering around the really interesting idea of how we are taught what is good and what is bad, and how we use vigilante film as a form of exploration and catharsis for this idea.  The project itself, as it is based on a comedy game and uses the idea of what the director wants in order to create the prompts, it kind of reminds me a little of the Whose Line is it Anyway game called Hollywood Director (at least, in spirit).

Adriana’s project is focusing on a phenomenon called “The CSI Effect,” in which the narrative show has been shown to have impacted opinions of real-life jurors.  The show warps expectations of how evidence should be utilized, and to what extent DNA should be considered in a conviction.  In a number of cases, jurors who have seen the show expect more concrete, “scientific” evidence in order to convict someone, and rely less on circumstantial evidence.  Crime shows have been misinterpreted enough to start interfering with real-life, and her project is taking a look at this effect.

Maddie’s project is looking at the rise in the effect social media has had on criminal cases, and the involvement of the general public in said cases.  The general public, through the spread of information on social media, has become more vocal and opinionated on crime and criminals that are socially relevant.  In some cases, this creates a sort of “criminal star,” and that person becomes infamous and the “talk of the town” through internet stardom.  Her project will take a look at how “regular” people interpret information from cases, how they get involved, and how celebrity is created through this.

[nocountryforoldjetpacks]

[cinemove]

Fargo (1996) dir. Joel Coen

[moviepostercinema]

Fargo, Joel & Ethan Coen, 1996

[pureodysseys]

Thelma & Louise (1991) dir. Ridley Scott

“That guy was hurting me. If you hadn’t come out when you did, he would’ve hurt me a lot worse. And probably nothing would’ve happened to him ‘cause everybody did see me dancin’ with him all night. They would’ve made out like I’d asked for it. My life would’ve been ruined a whole lot worse than it is now. At least now I’m havin’ some fun. And I’m not sorry that son of a bitch is dead. I’m just sorry it was you that did it and not me.”