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Would you still enjoy the film if you couldn’t see the screen?

Image shows actors, harrison ford, carrie fisher and mark hamill on the set of star wars. The image is blurred.
Image shows actors, harrison ford, carrie fisher and mark hamill on the set of star wars. The image is blurred.

Image via: disney.wikia.com

Can you recognise the film scene above?

For most people, the biggest worry at the cinema is how much that large bag of popcorn costs. For others however, there are more things to worry about when going to see the latest movie.

Not all movie fans have the ability to enjoy films the same as everyone else. Imagine trying to watch a film you couldn’t see or hear.

Many movie goers are in fact blind, deaf or on the autistic spectrum. Whilst at first you may think that this would hinder the movie going experience, more and more cinemas are recognising these problems and catering for a wider audience. Cinemas such as Odeon provide guests with special accessibility screenings for those who are blind, deaf or autistic.

Many films screened at Odeon provide film fans with a separate audio track for those who are blind or partially sighted. Aspects of the film such as scene surroundings, setting, body language of the actor and dialogue are described to the guest. This audio commentary is available at the box office of the cinema, with the headset being used during the showing.

The recent trend of 3D films has meant that some film fans can’t get the full experience as many sight issues mean the guest can’t see 3D cinematography.. As a result, the cinema aims to provide guests with 2D performances where possible. Guide dogs are also welcome in all cinemas.

For customers with a visual impairment, Odeon offers audio descriptive showings of recent films at your local cinema. Whilst there may not be many showing in comparison to standard showings, this is certainly welcome. Odeon also offers some captioned, subtitled performances for those with a hearing impairment. They also offer use of a headset to improve your hearing of the film soundtrack itself.

A standard showing of a recent film can certainly be a challenge for movie goers who are autistic. In recent years however, many cinemas have started showing autism friendly screenings, specific for those on the autism spectrum. Odeon for example, host an autism friendly screening one Sunday each month at 11.30 am. These showings have certain changes within the performance, lights at a lower level, lower sound level, no advertisements and allowances for movement and noise within the theatre.

These screenings are partnered with Dimensions, a non-profit organisation supporting services for people with learning disabilities and autism. The aim with these screenings is to make guests feel as comfortable as possible, with the hope that in time, they would be able to attend a standard screening.

Whilst there is still some work to be done in order to ensure every guest has the same experience at the cinema, these are certainly some advancements that are welcome and is a step in the right direction. In time, everyone will be able to have an enjoyable experience at the local cinema.

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Events, Offers and Releases 07/04/14

Image shows a still from the upcoming animated movie, Rio 2. The still shows 5 blue birds sitting together as a family in the jungle.
Image shows a still from the upcoming animated movie, Rio 2. The still shows 5 blue birds sitting together as a family in the jungle.

Image via: uiconstock.com

The main movie release this week is the eagerly anticipated dancing animation sequel, Rio 2 on April 11th. Jewel and Blu are now happily settled down since the events of the first film and have 3 children. They decided however, that they wish to move to the Amazon, quite the trip from Rio de Janeiro. Nigel the Cockatoo is back, seeking revenge! This is definitely something for the kids (and maybe a few adults too!)

If you’re looking for something a bit more spooky, Oculus has you covered. A family with a dark and disturbing history, decide to find out just how 2 members of their family died. Convinced it was a supernatural force, the family find out that some things are just left alone. Critics are already raving about this film and it’s certainly set to scare the heck out of you on April 11th.

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The Death of Brandon Lee: One of Films Most Tragic Moments

March 31st 1993 will forever remain one of the saddest days in modern film history. 52 days into a 60 day shoot, Brandon Lee, son of the late martial arts expert Bruce Lee, was tragically shot and killed during the filming of the supernatural action film, The Crow.

As did his father (Enter the Dragon 1973), Lee never lived to see the release of his most successful work. However, also like his father, mystery and suspicion surrounding the actor’s death will forever immortalise Brandon Lee in movie folklore.

Young Brandon Lee with father Bruce. image via es.wikipedia.org

Young Brandon Lee with father Bruce.
image via es.wikipedia.org

On April 1st 1993, the Los Angeles Times reported “Actor Brandon Lee, the 28-year-old son of the late Kung Fu star Bruce Lee, was killed Wednesday after a small explosive charge used to simulate gunfire went off inside a grocery bag during filming on a movie set in Wilmington, N.C.”

However, the article later states that “it is still unclear whether the projectile came from the gun or the grocery bag or both. “When the other actor fired a shot, the explosive charge went off inside the bag,” said Wilmington police Officer Michael Overton. “After that, we don’t know what happened.”

Although admitting the case was still under investigation, Wilmington Police announced that they were treating the incident as an accident, yet many fans suspected foul play. After suspicion surrounding the cause of Bruce’s death from an apparent reaction to painkillers in 1973, many were sceptical about the causality of Brandon’s fatal last scene.

The unfinished 1973 martial arts film Game of Death, starring Bruce Lee, provides even more spooky coincidences that further fuelled the fire of many conspiracy theorists, as Lee’s character is shot in similar circumstances to his real life son, although he does return to take revenge.

So how did this tragic event really occur? In the scene, Lee is supposed to have been shot by thugs as he walks into his apartment to find his girlfriend being raped. It is believed that due to increasing time restraints, the decision was made to use dummy cartridges in the prop weaponry, which appear functional, yet contain no gun-powder.

The empties would be made from real cartridges, a responsibility handed to effects technician Bruce Merlin. To do this, Merlin, assisted by prop master Daniel Kuttner, would dismantle the live cartridges by removing the bullets, emptying all contained gun-powder, detonating the primer (a device for igniting the powder charge in a modern cartridge of centerfire ammunition) and then re-assembling the cartridge.

During preparation, Merlin and Kuttner tested the gun that would be used in scene by using a cartridge containing only a primer and a bullet with no gun-powder, which caused the bullet to become lodged into the forcing cone of the gun. When it came to shooting the scene, the live bullet remained in the barrel, which was then propelled out by the explosion from a blank cartridge, fatally injuring Lee in the process, as the cameras rolled.

Lee was pronounced dead at 1.04pm. After being buried next to his father in Washington, footage capturing Lee’s death was destroyed before ever being developed. Released in 1994, The Crow became a box office smash and is now regarded as a cult classic.

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This week in history 31st March – 5th April

A black and white photograph of Sherlock Homes, watson and Beryl Stapleton look intently through a magnifying glass that Holmes holds towards the floor
A black and white photograph of Sherlock Homes, watson and Beryl Stapleton look intently through a magnifying glass that Holmes holds towards the floor

Image via derekwinnert.com

This week marks the 1939 release of of 20th Century Fox’s The Hound of the Baskervilles on March 31st. The Sherlock Holmes adaptation starred Richard Greene as Sir Henry Baskerville, Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson and Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes.

The film was a hit and Rathbone and Bruce wet on to star in a total of 14 films based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective novels. Rathbone and Bruce were also hired to play Holmes and Watson on the radio series “The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”.

In 1975 The Hound of the Baskervilles was resored and re-released to theatres. It was a success and was even covered in the national evening news.

On March 31st 54 years after the release of The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1993, Brandon Bruce Lee was unfortunately killed on set while filming The Crow. 

The 28 year old actor was the son of martial arts film star Bruce Lee and had appeared in a handful of action films. He landed the lead role of Eric Draven in the film adaptation of James O’Barr’s comic book series The Crow. 

Lee died when he was accidentally shot while filming. A revolver containing dummy cartridges created by the props crew was used in a scene. Unintentionally, the percussion primer was left in place on one of these bullets and when the gun was discharged and the bullet unknowingly moved into the barrel.

When this revolver was later fired at Lee from a short distance, the dummy cartridges were replaced with blanks and when these were fired the dummy bullet already in the barrel was fired fatally striking Lee in the abdomen.

Video footage of Lee’s death was used as evidence in the following investigation then later destroyed as part of the lawsuit settlement after the shooting was ruled an accident.

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The Bechdel Test Applied

A black and white comic strip featuring two female characters going to see a film

Two weeks ago I looked at The Bechdel Test. A set of standards which aim to determine whether works of fiction are gender biased. The three requirements are as follows: the work must feature at least two named female characters, who talk to each other about something besides a male character.

Let’s apply the Bechdel test to a few of the nominees for this year’s Oscars Best Film Award.

Firstly, American Hustle. Two of the main characters are women, Sydney Prosser or Edith (Amy Adams) and Rosalyn Rosenfeld (Jennifer Lawrence). Both are strong female characters although Jennifer Lawrence’s role is mostly as Irving Rosenfeld’s wife. They do talk to each other in a scene in the second half of the film, in a conflict where they argue over Irving. They also briefly mention their favourite nail polishes, so technically this does pass the test, but not with flying colours.

12 Years a Slave is another nominee, including a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong’o who plays Patsy in the film. There are a few female characters in the film, Anne Northup (Kelsey Scott), Mistress Epps (Sarah Paulson) is Edwin Epps’ (Michael fassbender) wife, and then Patsey (Lupita Nyong’o). Patsey and Mistress Epps feature in scenes together but only speak when Mistress Epps offers every slave some biscuits save Patsey “there’ll be none for you”.

There is also a scene in the film where Patsey has afternoon tea with Phebe (Deneen Tyler) but the audience does not witness any conversation between the two until Solomon turns up and then Solomon discusses Master Edwin Epps with Phebe and his affection for Patsey. So 12 Years a Slave, this year’s Oscar Best Film winner, does not pass the Bechdel test.

Of the nine Best Film nominees, four pass the test, American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club, Nebraska and Philomena. The Wolf of Wall Street, Her, Captain Phillips and 12 Years a Slave do not feature two female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. Gravity is exempt as it starts only two main characters, Ryan Stone – the female lead and Matt Kowalski. It’s interesting to note that all of the five nominated best directors were also men.

This reflects film on a larger scale too, for the last ten years, films that have failed the test have earned on average a higher gross.