Film Studies Daily Log

Thursday, January 22

We examined the ending of Murder, My Sweet and its contrast with Farewell, My Lovely, the Raymond Chandler novel on which it was based. This happy Hollywood ending takes the film (even further) away from the noir underworld.

We then looked briefly at a more serious imposition of the forces of light on Hollywood movies, namely the Hollywood Blacklist, and watched six minutes of a documentary about that chapter in film (and U.S.) history.

Finally, we began watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Students were asked to ponder while watching the film what the real-world relevance of this film was in the 1950's and what it is today.