After watching the short film, "Masters Hands" that was made in 1936, I immediately think of a famous quote stated by Jack Valenti, special assistant to President Lyndon Johnson. "I think politicians and movie actors and movie executives are similar in more ways than they're different. There is an egocentric quality about both; there is a very sensitive awareness of the public attitude, because you live or die on public favor or disfavor. There is the desire for publicity and for acclaim, because, again, that's part of your life
And in a strange and bizarre way, when movie actors come to Washington, they're absolutely fascinated by the politicians. And when the politicians go to Hollywood, they're absolutely fascinated by the movie stars. It's a kind of reciprocity of affection by people who both recognize in a sense they're in the same racket."
It is interesting to reflect on how the way in which we see reality today has changed so rapidly before our very eyes. It is as if all we see anymore is a blur of media outlets, a canvas of technological imagery so complex that we fail to recognize how it has transformed itself, in such a short period of time, before our very eyes. It is like seeing light, but not seeing the many individual rays make up that light.
After watching "Masters Hands", I am moved by how differently we used to perceive films in the past in comparison to today. "Masters Hands" uses dramatic music so much so, that at times, I felt the music was almost haunting. However, I eventually came to an understanding that the dramatic music stimulated a sense of a mystery within my mind, into a world worked by humans, but ran by machines. The dark still-images of the film made the machinery world seem almost alien, as fire sliced the scenery perhaps reminding the audience of the forceful fiery and driving force that this new invention would take in the future.
And similarly to the quote above, I contemplate how people today are affected by different forms of reality and how politicians can use it as a tool to fulfill a purpose or specific desire. Unearthing the ongoing head-to-head Democratic race for the Presidency between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, I ponder how politicians can utilize techniques found in the film "Masters Hands" for their benefit.
For example, in this video endorsed by Barack Obama, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY we see use of an intense array of imagery, music, and captions fueled by the support of young celebrities. It is as if this video could be played on MTV at any moment, specifically geared to younger folks, moving at a very fast pace, fast enough to keep their attention and stimulate their interests and desires through things they are used to seeing.
On the other hand, in this video endorsed by Hillary Clinton, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wNvvuG309s, we see still-images, dramatic repetitive music, and slow moving scenery that gives the audience enough time to think about what they just saw. It is also important to notice that many of the still-images are filled with older folks.
Could we assume that because Hillary's video seemed to be more directed to older folks, that use of more ancient technological stimulations similar to the way that more historic forms of media such as Masters Hands were once presented to the public would effect older generations used to that kind of technology far better than the MTV-like, fast-paced, highly technological video that the Obama campaign produced? Maybe, maybe not. But the idea does not seem so far-fetched.
Resources
Jack Valenti, special assistant to President Lyndon Johnson, interview on National Public Radio, December 13, 1974. This excerpt was printed in The Washingtonian, March 1975, p. 162.
You Tube. Barack Obama. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY
You Tube. Hillary Clinton. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wNvvuG309s
It is interesting to reflect on how the way in which we see reality today has changed so rapidly before our very eyes. It is as if all we see anymore is a blur of media outlets, a canvas of technological imagery so complex that we fail to recognize how it has transformed itself, in such a short period of time, before our very eyes. It is like seeing light, but not seeing the many individual rays make up that light.
After watching "Masters Hands", I am moved by how differently we used to perceive films in the past in comparison to today. "Masters Hands" uses dramatic music so much so, that at times, I felt the music was almost haunting. However, I eventually came to an understanding that the dramatic music stimulated a sense of a mystery within my mind, into a world worked by humans, but ran by machines. The dark still-images of the film made the machinery world seem almost alien, as fire sliced the scenery perhaps reminding the audience of the forceful fiery and driving force that this new invention would take in the future.
And similarly to the quote above, I contemplate how people today are affected by different forms of reality and how politicians can use it as a tool to fulfill a purpose or specific desire. Unearthing the ongoing head-to-head Democratic race for the Presidency between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, I ponder how politicians can utilize techniques found in the film "Masters Hands" for their benefit.
For example, in this video endorsed by Barack Obama, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY we see use of an intense array of imagery, music, and captions fueled by the support of young celebrities. It is as if this video could be played on MTV at any moment, specifically geared to younger folks, moving at a very fast pace, fast enough to keep their attention and stimulate their interests and desires through things they are used to seeing.
On the other hand, in this video endorsed by Hillary Clinton, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wNvvuG309s, we see still-images, dramatic repetitive music, and slow moving scenery that gives the audience enough time to think about what they just saw. It is also important to notice that many of the still-images are filled with older folks.
Could we assume that because Hillary's video seemed to be more directed to older folks, that use of more ancient technological stimulations similar to the way that more historic forms of media such as Masters Hands were once presented to the public would effect older generations used to that kind of technology far better than the MTV-like, fast-paced, highly technological video that the Obama campaign produced? Maybe, maybe not. But the idea does not seem so far-fetched.
Resources
Jack Valenti, special assistant to President Lyndon Johnson, interview on National Public Radio, December 13, 1974. This excerpt was printed in The Washingtonian, March 1975, p. 162.
You Tube. Barack Obama. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY
You Tube. Hillary Clinton. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wNvvuG309s