The Manchurian Candidate, Johnathan Demme directed the remake. Both films portray paranoia, mind control, and conspiracy. Frankenheimer utilizes satire, humor, and symbolism to convey the themes, whereas, Demme uses modern fears, camera angles and focus, and mental illness to achieve similar results.
Many of the elements of the 2004 remake have been modernized. While the original movie placed the soldiers in Korea, the remake placed them in Kuwait. Demme did changed the location of the war, in order to appeal to current fears and suspicions. In 1962, the threat of communism was at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts. However, during 2004, only three years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, citizens were no longer concerned about communists, but rather about the Middle East. If Demme did not change the setting to Kuwait, the movie would not instill the same fear as it did in the original movie, “by outfitting the superbly insinuating basic story with a battery of up-to-the-minute concerns that readily feed on present fears and suspicions, Demme... inject[s] new life into a recently dormant genre - the paranoid thriller” (McCarthy). Raymond Shaw’s mother, Eleanor, was also given a more modern job in the remake; instead of merely being the wife of the senator who leads behind the scenes, in the remake she is the one who is the senator. Her role depicts the emerging role of women in modern politics. Demme also chose to give Major Marco’s girlfriend, Rosie, a more modern and important job as an FBI agent. By modernizing the film, Demme allows the contemporary audience to be able to better relate and understand the film.
Dark humor and satire were present in the original film, in order to provide a break from the intensity and paranoi...
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The Manchurian Candidate. Dir. John Frankenheimer. Prod. John Frankenheimer and George Axelrod. By George Axelrod. Perf. Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, and Angela Lansbury. United Artists, 1962.
The Manchurian Candidate. Dir. Johnathan Demme. By Richard Condon. Screenplay by George Axelrod, Daniel Pyne, and Dean Georgaris. Perf. Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep, Kimberly Elise. Paramount, 2004.
Achenbach, Joel. "They're Out To Get You, Into a Multiplex." Rev. of The Manchurian Candidate (2004). The Washington Post 26 July 2004: n. pag. Print.
McCarthy, Todd. "Review: 'The Manchurian Candidate'" Rev. of The Manchurian Candidate (1962). Variety 17 July 2004: n. pag. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.
Sterritt, David. "A 'Candidate' worth Backing." Rev. of The Manchurian Candidate. The Christian Science Monitor 30 July 2004: n. pag. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.
For some people a sad story, yet for others a message to the people that see the movie. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) is a movie made after the time of the Cold War (1945-1952) . Indeed, there are reasons to believe that this movie is anti-communist by the fact that it presents traits of some Cold War features such as espionage and maybe proof of McCarthyism.
(1350)A Comparison and Contrast Analysis of the Depiction of the ”War on Terror” in Zero Dark Thirty (2012) and The Siege (1998)
The Hunger Games. Dir. Gary Ross. Perf. Jennifer Lawrence. Lions Gate Home Entertainment, 2012. Film.
... out of a 1950s woman's film. The melodramatic influences of the film continue to manifest themselves in the newer release, just as Apocalypse Now continues to influence the epic movies of contemporary filmmakers. The unison of operatic spectacle and personal conflict spawned an original genre in the 1970s that remains an effective method of addressing social concerns. As we enter another period of political unrest and social change, it is likely that a new wave of melodramatic films is beginning to form on the horizon; there are certainly parallels between a government that declares war on terrorism and the U.S. army in Vietnam, who "knew everything about military tactics, but nothing about where they were or who the enemy was" (Cowie 143). From Conrad to Coppola, nuclear family to nuclear terrorism; never get off the boat, unless you're willing to go all the way.
Rebel Without a Cause. Dir. Nicholas Ray. Perf. James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, and Jim
“There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line” (“Oscar Levant Quotes”).
Munro, Neil. "Larry Flynt’s Relentless Campaign." The National Journal. 9 January 1999. Vol. 31, No. 1-2. Pg. 44.
Edgar Hoover eludes to these same themes in his 26 March 1947 testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee. “The Communists have developed one of the greatest propaganda machines the world has ever known. The… propaganda technique is designed to promote emotional response with the hope that the victim will be attracted by what he is told the Communist way of life holds in store for him.” Linking these channels of propaganda are the themes of psychological, physical, technological and social dangers of political establishments more similar to Communism than
Talbot, David. "The Assassination: Was It a Conspiracy?: Yes." Time. 169 (7/2/2007): n. page. Print.
Blade Runner. Dir. James Riddley-Scott. Perf. Harrison Ford, Joe Turkel, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah, Joanna Cassidy, Brion James, William Sanderson, M. Emmett Walsh, Edward James Olmos, Morgan Paull, Columbia Tri-Star, 1982
In conclusion, details involving the characters and symbolic meanings to objects are the factors that make the novel better than the movie. Leaving out aspects of the novel limits the viewer’s appreciation for the story. One may favor the film over the novel or vice versa, but that person will not overlook the intense work that went into the making of both. The film and novel have their similarities and differences, but both effectively communicate their meaning to the public.
The Crucible. Dir. Nicholas Hytner. Perf. Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder and Paul Scofield. 20th Century Fox, 1996. DVD.
LA Confidential. Dir. Curtis Hanson. Perf. Kevin Spacey, Russel Crowe, Guy Pierce, Kim Bassinger, Danny DeVito. Regency, 1997.
William Wyler is the director of the 1959 award-winning version of Ben-Hur. The film is an adaptation of General Lew Wallace’s novel. Karl Tunberg is credited with the actual screenplay. Sam Zimbalist was the original producer of Ben-Hur, but he died before the completion of filming. The two main characters are Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) and Messala (Stephen Boyd). Another important person involved in this film is Miklos Rozsa. He composed the award-winning musical score in a total of eight weeks.
Dir. Steven Spielberg. By Brian Aldiss. Perf. Haley, Joel Osment and Jude Law.