Introduction to Film: Film Viewing Questions Archives

June 03, 2009

Navigator - Questions by Barbara

I was wondering what was done to get the hats that Rollo put on his
head to fly off so fast.
In the beginning of the film when a group of men were talking about
the ship, it looked like they were using a sort of sign language
with their hands. Why were they using these gestures? It wasn't
used anywhere else in the film.
Wasn't it dangerous to use the Roman candles? If the Roman candles
were not real, then how were the sparks displayed without anyone
getting hurt?

Posted by bjr12 at 08:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The navigator discussion question

1. What would happen if the movie was not black and white film? How will it affect the entire movie?

2. Buster Keaton used wide-angle lenses in many scenes. What would happen if he used long focal lenses and tracking for a camera movement in the scene where the cannibals chased the main characters?
Would tension of the scene be heightened?

Posted by sws13 at 07:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Ross Wasserstrom's questions for the Navigator

The setup for The Navigator's plot is very thin at best; it relies on the convergence between a bumbling fool (Buster Keaton) and an international espionage plot. In fact, the characters are not even given names. Does the lack of a "plot" play out positively or negatively in the movie? Would it be better if there was a traditional 'story arc' as such we are more accustomed to?

The comedy of the film is obviously visual, but relies heavily on understanding of social class and American society: in the beginning, Buster Keaton (privy to extroadinary wealth of ambiguous providence) has his driver literally drive him across the street. Is this comedic device used today? How has it changed?

Posted by wrw6 at 07:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Cory's Discussion Questions - The Navigator

1. What did you think of the very distant camera shots (i.e., the ones shown when Keaton was pulling The Navigator with the rowboat)? Were they successful in spite of the actors being so small in the frame or could they have been done better with today's technology?

2. The comedy of the film is very physical. Why do you think that movies made today do not have as much physical comedy in them? What causes the decrease in physicality?

-Cory Hershberger

Posted by cah68 at 05:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Navigator - Discussion Questions

1. Keaton uses a few unique camera angles to produce different effects, but the film consists mostly still-camera wide-angle shots. How does the camera placement compliment the film’s absurd comedic narrative?

2. How does Keaton use lighting to invoke certain moods? Do you think this would have been a more effective technique if the film were done in color?

3. Unlike in modern films, The Navigator's storyline is not the focal point of the film. What makes this film so famous? When faced with the creative challenge of telling a story without sound, is Keaton’s action-oriented approach more effective than would be a subtitle-narrated or dialogue-heavy film with a more complicated plot?

Jackie

Posted by jxp166 at 05:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Navigator Comments

For me, what really stood out in Buster Keaton's work is his persistence in hopeless endeavors. He maintains such politeness and formality while trying to do things like shuffling cards with wet hands that it becomes funny through absurdity. His gives off this feeling that would make anyone want to reach through the screen and grab him by the shoulders and spin him in the right direction and show him how to do whatever hes doing. But at the same time you know that if you grabbed him and spun him he would just end up spinning like a top making the whole situation even funnier.

My question is how did he not manage to make the transition from silent films to talkies? Many actors gained huge fame without ever talking such as Harpo Marxx, or Teller from Penn and Teller.

Posted by rme12 at 05:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Navigator

Do you think this film would be less or more comical with spoken words, and why? Also, how does this silent comedy compare to the modern comedies of today?
How effective was the canted angle when it was used to make the boat seem as if it were shifting from right to left? Did it seem realistic?
Donisha

Introduction to Film