Friday, April 2, 2010

Peer Review by blog


Hollywood is well known for its film industry. For many decades, producers and film directors had been racing with each other to make the film that will attract many audiences. They had tried many genres of films in hope to be the best in the most demanding industry. One genre that always intrigue people is the science fiction, especially involving the alien and extraterrestrial life. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (CE3) and Independence Day (ID) were both made reflecting the new idea of life off of the earth. Even though both films contain the same idea of the existence of life in outer space, they have large differences on themes, films’ style and the aliens’ appearances.
            The first most noticeable similarity was that in both movies, there was some form of government cover-up. In CE3, when the government pinpointed the location of the aliens in Idaho, they had to scare away the citizens in the area. In that plot, the government had let out some news that a train carrying canisters of anthrax crashed, releasing nerve gas on the countryside. This had forced almost all the residents away, except a few people that made cross-country treks to the location. These driven individuals couldn't stop thinking about the area since they had their encounters with the alien. The government tried to discourage them by using the same sleeping gas on them that they had used on the cattle in the area to simulate the spread of Anthrax. In ID, there was another cover-up, but of a different form. This time, the general populace wasn't the only victim of a black project. In this one, even the president didn't even know the existence of the 40-year old alien ship in Area 51. The government in some secret science department had been researching the alien since the 50’s and only when the alien attacked earth, they were being revealed to the public.
            Another similarity was the order of contact with the aliens. The aliens allegedly initiate the first contact in both movies. The reaction to this contact besides initial cover-ups was also similar. In both CE3 and ID, humankind tried flashing lights and playing music, with quite varied results. In CE3, the aliens responded with more lights and tones leading to a successful first contact, while in ID the aliens responded to the lights as well, by blasting humankind with a large beam weapon. In ID, after humankind learned about the reaction of these aliens, they tried to blast the alien’s space ship but then failed. In CE3, the human respond well after the alien’s contact. Both of these films stressed on the human reaction after receiving the alien contacts. Some human react well when the alien respond well but some human react badly although the alien respond well.
            The differences between these two movies are very easy to see. The most obvious of which would have to be the overall theme in the plots. While CE3 proposes that we keep an open mind about friendly alien contact, ID shows us that the most likely technologically superior aliens might not have peace in mind, and that such an assumption could lead to disastrous results. Eventually, in the film, most of the big cities in the world were blown away by the alien space ship.
            The style of both movies is also different. ID is more action based with lots of scenes that have things being shot down and blown-up; while CE3 is more of a drama with people having strange hopes and dreams. The main characters in these films reflect on the films genre. In the Independence Day, the main characters are the genius analysts who discover the secret code in the signal and the US pilot who killed the alien ship. However,  in Close Encounter with the Third Kind, there is a man stuck in a dead end job with a family that makes his life harder than it has to be, a woman who loses her child to the aliens, and a kindly group of men who track the aliens. From the beginning until the end, Independence Day entertain audience with some computer graphic effect about the bombing by the alien and the counter attack by the human. In the Close Encounter of the Third Kind, the audiences see the relationship between all those characters deal with their rational and moral dealing with the aliens arrival.
            Another clear difference from both movies is the aliens’ physical characteristics. The ID aliens were small, creatures with triangular shaped heads, and blue jelly-like skin. They also had large skin suits that they would wear when they were outside their ships. These suits enable them to breathe the earth atmosphere. The ID aliens also have some tentacles on them and react aggressively onto humankind. On the other hand, the CE3 aliens were small, gray creatures with big round heads and big black eyes, the familiar alien look. The alien in this film has friendlier look than the other one in ID film. The aliens in CE3 film do not have some weird tentacles and seems to react normal when they encounter human kind.
            Close Encounter of the Third Kind was the top movie in the 70’s while Independence Day was the main action movie in the 90’s. All the differences found in both movies can be reflected on the different community values at that time, the time when the movies were made. However, the differences on the films make them more exciting to watch. Although both movies are different on some aspect, the movies serve the same purpose; giving the audience the glimpse of what would happen when the outer space life come down to earth. Both movies showed us the possibilities that may happen when the human and alien make interaction with each other on this earth.

----my essay for one of the subjects.nothing to write so just paste it.feel free to review and proofread..

2 comments:

  1. pali..nati eh ak wi peer editing mu..in progress g..hihi;D

    ReplyDelete
  2. cehh.seminggu doh aku suh buat

    ReplyDelete

berkata-kata lah sesuka hati....

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