The Crucible by Nicholas Hytner :: Movie Review, Film

This captivating screen version of The Crucible is based on Arthur Miller’s play in 1953. Nicholas Hytner did an excellent job at directing this movie. There are a few faults in the film, but overall it was a wonderful movie. The first fault in the movie was the beginning scene. The scene was supposed to be a night scene. But it looks as if it was early morning. I think Hytner shot the scene during the day and tried to use the night vision but it did not work so well. Another bad scene was when the girls are supposed to faint in the courtroom. The scene was poorly directed and acted. Bob Crowley did a great job with the designing of the costumes. They completely fit with the scenery and the setting. The music was also a plus with this film. It always fit in every scene. The base drumbeats were timed just right in the scene when Elizabeth is questioned about John being an adulterer. Right when she gave her answer the drum went, â€Å"BOOOM!† The camera always seemed to be in just the right place at all times. The cameraman shot every angle perfectly. He caught every person’s reaction, such as in the scene when John admits to lechery with Abigail. First he catches Abigail’s reaction to John’s admittance of this, and then he also catches Reverend Parris’s reaction when the Judge is talking about the girls dancing in the woods. The lighting worked very well in Elizabeth’s scene with the judge. Right before she states her answer, Hytner makes the rain go away and the sun come out and across the back wall of the courtroom. It makes the audience think that something good is about to happen, as if she was going to tell the truth and all the trials were going to stop. One character that stuck out to me is Winona Ryder as Abigail. She has a look of lust. Her eyes show deep sexual passion every time she looks at John Proctor. Ryder’s looks are very intimidating. In the scene when she threatens the girls, not only does her threat, â€Å"†¦let anyone breathe a word or the edge of a word about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring with me a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.

Functions of Doctrine in a Christian and African Perspective

Doctrine, in Ninian Smart’s dimensions of religion refers to the writings and textbook knowledge that people have regarding their religion. This is exactly what people believe about their respective religions passed on from the generation to generation. Doctrine is in fact, â€Å"the set of answers one has accepted to life’s profound questions. † It intrinsically comprises what the ethical standards of a certain religion would have and it â€Å"directly affects† the behavior of its followers. The â€Å"symbolic and mythical† are given order by doctrine, since people cannot rely on abstract truths alone.The main purpose of doctrine is to give â€Å"authoritative and sometimes systematic proofs that their religious reality and everyday reality is one and the same. † It may also be said that doctrines are somewhat answers laid out by the authoritative body in a certain religion, to answer the questions of life. They are â€Å"logical† hig hly systematized body of religious knowledge intrinsic in religion. It is evident that when two opposing doctrines clash, â€Å"believers commit the most bloody atrocities in the name of their belief† and in the process stay true to the doctrines they uphold.Certain aspects of the human life such as â€Å"death, suffering and change† are given light by religious doctrines, since it gives a foundation of belief to the religious follower. It may be said that people need something to hold on too, because these facts of life are much too grave for the ordinary human mind. In general, doctrines are â€Å"belief systems which provide answers to certain boundary/identity questions. † What cannot be explained is therefore given light by religious doctrines, and this help in a person’s acceptance of life and its realities.The functions then of doctrine are to â€Å"bring order and focus to myth and ritual†, â€Å"provide institutionalization of answers to the unexplainable†, â€Å"control boundaries of religious expression†, and â€Å"determine what is inclusive and exclusive in a given religion. † African religion has been greatly questioned by early European explorers visiting the continent. Some Africans were actually even converted to both Islam and Christianity through these explorers. In modern times, African religion still continues to be dominantly pagan.Dialogues regarding African religions have had certain difficulties since African â€Å"ethnic groups lack a term for religion in the Western sense as an entity or activity separate from everyday life. † Africans uphold religion as a complete way of life. African religion also may become misleading, since doctrines per tribe differ in degree and belief, where it is only called â€Å"doctrines† for formality purposes. As most world religions, the African religions hold that there is one creator of the universe who withdrew and remains remote f rom the concerns of the world.Believers do not directly talk to this god, nor do they offer sacrifices to him. Instead, secondary divinities are seen as ‘middlemen’ between them and their god. They are considered as â€Å"children of the god† or at least are held to be high ranking in their religious hierarchy. It should be noted that African â€Å"religions do not demand adherence to any single doctrine. † The intent of these religions is almost always pragmatic, where â€Å"religious rituals serve as strategies for reinforcing life, fertility and power. Doctrine then for them is a set of practice and rituals that they do in order for them to survive.What they believe in is that â€Å"the principal vision shared by African religions is that human beings must vigilantly maintain a harmonious relationship with divine powers in order to prosper. † The goal of these religions is to control these divine powers for the betterment of their lives, and â⠂¬Å"ritual is the way to do so†. A practical way of looking at religion and doctrine is what comprises African religions.Ritual then â€Å"ensures a community’s responsible relationship with ancestors who are guardians of the moral order, with spiritual forces within nature, and with the gods. † Of course, for Christianity, it is a totally different story. Doctrine for Christianity is a way of life, yet it is not purely for survival. Rituals are present yet not in the same sense as African religion where they offer animal sacrifices and hold mystical ceremonies. Christian doctrine therefore is an ethical way of life, a compilation of the facts about the religion, compiled by the Catholic Church.Christian doctrine therefore centers on the truth about God, Jesus and life. These are ways on how to live a Christian life which also teaches the way of Jesus. It may be seen as dogmatic, since the early doctrines were considered more of dogma than a religion that can hel p in a person’s salvation. These Catholic doctrines had been protested and continuously scrutinized by scientists and philosophers like Friedrich Nietzsche. The Catholic Church has been known in its early years to have imposed a way of life to the Christians, implementing soul and even physical persecution in the name of sin.The Catholic Church, though not changing the religious doctrines through time, adapts to the modern world of democracy and human rights. Persecution, like in Dante’s Inferno is not taught anymore, and was instructed to be uplifted because people follow not because they believe in the doctrine, but because of fear of persecution. Christian doctrine has now become a way of life for most Christians, deepening and rejuvenating their faith in their daily lives through it.

Genetically Modified Foods One World Essay Essay

Did you know that we’ve been eating genetically modified foods for the past 10 years? It’s in about 70-75% of our nation’s food. Our food supply has greatly improved. Today we are going to find out what are genetically modified foods. Genetically modified foods are foods that have been engineered in the laboratory. They are improved in many ways. In the first part of my speech I will talk about the genetic modification technology in food and agriculture, locating improvements. In the second part I will include a debate about food safety, consumer attitudes and other concerns. Newspapers frequently carry stories about genetically modified food. The biotechnology agricultural age is occurring. Scientists had an idea to make food have better appearance, growth, and taste. In genetic engineering you take the best food available and add the few characters you are interested in so that you’re breeding efficiency is increased. The last century was a time of big changes in genetic engineering. Humanity made huge steps toward creating new life. Experiments with creating human were not successful, but the whole world was watching the experiment with sheep Dooley, which became first cloned animal. It was first such a big succeeded experiment and as a result almost everyone knew the last news about the sheep. However a big achievement was made in modifying new plants and crops. In the 21st century genetically modified products already became a part of our life. Every day new genetic products appear in shops and it becomes harder to find healthy food which does not contain any added chemical components. Apples during the winter time, oranges which become ripe twice faster than their period of ripening and tomato bushes which can survive very cold weather prove that biological world had experienced a lot of changes. Experiments are being made, new plants are being produced for a quite a long period of time, however genetically modified products is one of the hotly debatable topics today. The benefits of gene technology in terms of food production are enormous. The most common genetically engineered crops contain modifications that make the plants resistant to certain diseases and herbicides, or allow them to produce their own pesticides, thereby eliminating or reducing the need to spray. So-called â€Å"Bt corn,† for example, contains a gene resistant to the harmful mycotoxin fungus and herbicide producers, Monsanto have created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be unaffected by their product Roundup. The soybean farmer therefore can avoid targeting specific weeds and require just one application of a general weed-killer, reducing costs and agricultural waste run-off. Genetically modified crops are also being adapted to grow in salty, dry or frosty environments, contain edible vaccines, have a longer shelf life and be more nutritious. A group of Swiss and German scientists recently developed a strain of GM rice known as ‘golden rice’ due to its altered color. Containing genes that produce a unusually high amount of beta-carotene (vitamin A), this rice could be a solution to the thousands of poor children in Asia who eat little but rice and go blind or die from lack of vitamin A. Public reaction to the use of recombinant DNA in genetic engineering however has been mixed. Sliding US export commodities such as genetically modified soybeans and corn have highlighted hardened public opinion and widespread resistance to biotech crops, especially in the European Union. Concerns about GM foods fall into three categories: economics, environmental hazards and human health risks. The latter two have been the subject of hot debate, both in Australia and overseas. Environmental damage from GM crops can be caused through various channels. One of the main concerns has been the possibility of gene transfer to a non-target species, that is crops engineered for herbicide tolerance and weeds cross-breeding, resulting in the transfer of the herbicide resistance to create ‘super weeds’. In addition, environmentalists fear that transgenic plants may proliferate rapidly, pollinating natural plants in their surroundings eliminating existing species. Further environmental suspicions include those of unintended harm to other organisms and of the reduced effectiveness of pesticides once insects become tolerant to a crop’s natural pesticide. Questions have also been raised on the human impact of genetically modified organisms. Critics of recombinant DNA fear that the pathogenic, or disease-producing organisms used in some recombinant DNA experiments might develop extremely infectious forms that could cause worldwide epidemics. Likewise, the unknown effect of foreign genes introduced into GM food crops in terms of human health also presents a controversial issue. Furthermore, there is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans in order to increase their nutritional value was abandoned when it was found that the genetically engineered soybeans caused an allergic reaction in people sensitive to Brazil nuts. For these reasons, extensive testing and labeling of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies. Biotechnology has started to revolutionize food production, with fantastic results. With the world population of 6 billion expected to double in the next 50 years and an adequate food supply becoming a major challenge it will no doubt continue to do so in the future.

Analysis of a film poster Essays

Analysis of a film poster Essays Analysis of a film poster Essay Analysis of a film poster Essay Essay Topic: Film The film poster that I have chosen to analyse is that used for Halloween Resurrection. The title of the film is situated at the bottom of the page but has also been centred. The font used for it stands out because it is plain but it also has the sharp edging which helps with symbolising what the genre of the film is. The use of colour in the word Halloween helps it to stand out, the silver colour used at the top of the lettering contrasts with the black background making it stand out and catch the eye of the public. The poster has also included a lot of the common things that you will find on all film posters such as the certification, which is situated next to the title. There is also all the information about the production company, director etc which has to be included for legal purposes, the one thing that is found on almost all film posters is the names of at least one star who is in starring in the film but this poster does not include any names. Also there is no release date found on the poster, one reason for this could be because the poster was released before the company had decided on the date of release. First impressions from the poster are that the film is going to be a thriller genre. Once you look in more detail at the poster you can see that there are different images that have been used to create the feel that the film is going to be of the above genre. Firstly the title Halloween Resurrection shows that it is going to be a thriller because you usually associate Halloween with ghosts and rising people from the dead, also the word resurrection is associated with the rising of dead people. Another image that shows the thriller side is the use of the knife which blood on the tip of it, also the way that the knife has had a sparkle put on it shows that it is sharp and it makes you feel as though it will be used for evil. The use of the Michael Myers mask as the background image shows that it is going to be a thriller, but people who have seen the other films in the Halloween series will pick up on this up. If you havent seen any of the other Halloween films then you will not realise who the person is in the background but you should be able to realise that he seems evil because you are only able to see half of his as the other half is in shadow and the sockets of his eyes are completely black. The poster does conform your expectations of the genre because it shows many images that you can associate to other thriller films. The way that the sentence Evil finds its way home is placed across the face in the background makes you think that maybe this face is in fact the face of evil, and it is his home where he is planning on going back to. Also the image of the knife with the blood on it shows that there will be death within the film and that is more than likely the way that people are going to be killed. The enigma which is used to bring people into watch the film is the face in the background because people are going to want to know whos face it is and why it is being kept in the dark. The review given to the film that has been printed on the poster again ties in with the thriller genre as it says that the film is more gore-splattering than you might expect. The image used as the background of the poster is an extreme close-up on a very pale face. The camera has been positioned face-to-camera on a slight upward tilt. The light has been angled so as though only half of the face is lit up and the other half is in the shadows, the side that has been lit up is the side with the writing running across the cheek. The other stars in the film are collaged together to fit inside the blade of the knife, it has been done in this way because all these people are going to be victims of the killer. The order, which they have been put in the blade could symbolise the order of which they are going to be murdered. The way that the image of Tyra Banks isnt only a close up of her face like the other stars is used to try to bring in an audience of males because it shows her cleavage. The further back the images are in the knife blade the more shadowing there is on their faces, the face at the front has hardly any shadowing whereas the face at the very back has half of her face in shadow. The faces within the knife blade all have serious expressions with a slight look of anxiety and fear, this could show that they are going to be victims of the killer or they know something about the killings. The face in the background is expressionless. The main framing is open but within that there is the framing of the knife blade, which is a closed frame. The image in the background is slightly out of focus and this helps to bring the knife into focus in the foreground. In the review written on the page there is the use of hyperbole, the way that the word hugely has been used to describe how entertaining it is has been put there to emphasise it. There is a range of ages of the people who star in this film, the people who we can see from the film range from teenagers to 30s. There is also an even range of gender, in the majority of films males have more roles than women do but from the people you can see on the poster there is an even range. The images used within the poster are used in a typical manner to show that the film is going to be of the thriller. The use of the mysterious person in the background and then the knife blade in the foreground with all the other stars from the film collaged into it also help build tension about the film. The film poster was directed mainly towards people who are over 15 and into thriller films. It is also directed towards people who are fans of films from the rest of the Halloween series, these people are aimed at by the use of the Michael Myers face in the background. I think that the poster was also successful because it builds tension about the film and makes people want to go and see what is actually going to happen.

7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)

7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them) 7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them) 7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them) By Mark Nichol The sentence construction â€Å"(noun) (verb phrase) by (noun)† is known as passive voice or passive construction, because the true subject is relegated to the end of the sentence and is thus acted on, rather than acting, which often weakens the statement. The solution is simple: Give the focal point of the sentence its due â€Å"(noun) (verb) (noun),† and demote the false subject to the back of the line. Note that not every passive construction is evil sometimes what seems to be the false subject is worthy of prominence but a preponderance of passive constructions leads to a wearying read. 1. â€Å"There is a considerable range of expertise demonstrated by the spam senders.† The actors in this little drama are the spam spenders or, to be more active, the spam senders are the actors in this little drama. Direct them center stage, and send the weak â€Å"there is† opening packing to the provinces: â€Å"The spam senders demonstrate a considerable range of expertise.† 2. â€Å"It was determined by the committee that the report was inconclusive.† Again, the subject is weak and indeterminate. Two actors, the committee and the report, are vying for the lead role here, but committee is the bearer of the news about the report, and to place the report the head of the sentence would be to replace one passive sentence with another. Attend to the actors: â€Å"The committee determined that the report was inconclusive.† 3. â€Å"We were invited by our neighbors to attend their party.† We is stronger than it as a sentence opener, but â€Å"our neighbors† is stronger still: â€Å"Our neighbors invited us to attend their party.† 4. â€Å"Groups help participants realize that most of their problems and secrets are shared by others in the group.† This sentence starts off actively but then turns and bellies up in the middle; emphasizing â€Å"others in the group† over â€Å"most of their problems and secrets† makes the sentence more active: â€Å"Groups help participants realize that others in the group share most of their problems and secrets.† 5. â€Å"The proposed initiative will be bitterly opposed by abortion rights groups.† The content may be about the proposed initiative, but that doesn’t preclude given a sentence about it a more dynamic structure: â€Å"Abortion rights groups will bitterly oppose the proposed initiative.† 6. â€Å"Minor keys, modal movement, and arpeggios are shared by both musical traditions.† The writer is detailing key information at the head of this sentence, but starting off with the context is stronger: â€Å"Both musical traditions share minor keys, modal movement, and arpeggios.† 7. â€Å"In this way, the old religion was able to survive the onslaught of new ideas until the old gods were finally displaced by Christianity.† Remember when I wrote that not every passive voice should be targeted for reconstruction? This sentence is more active, but no more correct: â€Å"In this way, the old religion was able to survive the onslaught of new ideas until Christianity finally displaced the old gods.† Perhaps the newcomer, Christianity, should also come later in the sentence. Again, don’t indiscriminately exterminate passive construction at the expense of the writer’s voice or intent, but do exercise judicial revision to rejuvenate pallid prose. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using the Active Voice to Strengthen Your WritingTestimony vs. Testimonial

Cause - Effect Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cause - Effect Assignment - Essay Example However, when they become obsolete and are discarded inappropriately, the products release toxic substances into the environment- including air, water, and soil. Various computers parts have varying levels of toxic substances. For instance, an average computer screen contains five to eight pounds of lead accounting for around 40% of all lead in the US. Generally, these items form part of a larger category of wastes known as electronic waste, or e-waste. Electronic waste generally refers to carelessly discarded, excess, or broken electronic devices. This definition is vague and there is still debate as to whether items such as broken fridges and other household appliances should be included under e-wastes. However, the widely accepted definition includes wastes arising from computer hardware, old electronic devices such as phones (both fixed and mobile) and entertainment gadgets, television sets, computer monitors, refrigerators, and other electronic communication devices. Poor dispos al of e-wastes poses several risks to human health and degrades environmental quality as they contain noxious metallic elements known to cause serious health complications. When the wastes are buried in landfills, toxic constituents can infiltrate into water systems and the soil, and finally reach our bodies. Should we sacrifice ourselves for the sake of technology? There has been a growing call for industry players to effect proper disposal of e-wastes, or to find alternative uses of the wastes, such as recycling and separating the components of the electronic devices for use in various industrial processes. Causes of Increased Volumes of Computer Hardware Although toxins released by poorly discarded computer hardware affect every one of us, the majority is generated by electronic companies and repair shops that do not want to incur additional expenses in adopting sound waste management expenses. Critics also argue that recycling could unintentionally cause damage to the environmen t as it leads to accumulation of electronic materials that will eventually have to be discarded. They further argue that e-wastes do not constitute a significant portion of total wastes. Hence, diversion of more funds to implement waste management practices will only serve to benefit the companies and not the public (Hicks et al, 2005). Besides, recycling of computer hardware exposes workers to the heavy metals present in most of the equipment. This problem can worsen if workers do not wear protective gear. It is costly too since the percentage of the initial cost recovered after recycling can be as low as 1-5%. Using these arguments, companies and individuals have continued to dump computer hardware and other electronic wastes without regard to their long-term effects on the environment. This could subsequently result in the suffering of innocent individuals who have had no input in the disposal process. A second common source of waste computer hardware has been through dismantling shops. Although the recycling process is a noble idea, not computer parts are recycled. The non-recycled parts are poorly disposed leading to increased amounts of waste computer hardware in our town. The steady increase of these computer parts together with other obsolete electronic items could ultimately result into a steady increase in electronic wastes resulting to unmanageable levels. Long Term Effects of Computer Hardware in my Town Electronic wastes contain precious elements

Coconut Groove Fire Incident Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coconut Groove Fire Incident - Research Paper Example This, among other design flaws and failures to take safety measures into consideration, led to the tragic incident. This paper seeks to give an in depth analysis of the events that led to the fire, and changes executed by fire and safety departments across America to avoid a repeat of the tragedy. The Cocoanut Grove Fire and Potential Causes To understand why the Cocoanut Grove fire was not easily contained, and why it claimed so many lives, it is imperative to get an idea of its original layout. This facility had three exits, on the Shawmut, Piedmont and Broadway sides (Boston Fire Historical Society, n.d). The building’s main entrance comprised of a single revolving door on the Piedmont Street side. The entrance opened into Cocoanut Grove’s lobby, while the way into the Melody Lounge, in the lower level, was through a single stairwell from the reception area. There were no other entrances or exits from this part of the Night Club. The exit to Shawmut Street was positi oned centrally along the main club area’s wall. Another entrance along this wall, and bordering the performance stage was closed at all times. The third exit was on the side of the new Broadway Cocktail Lounge. This exit comprised of just one door, which unfortunately opened inward. Another contributory factor, to the massive loss of life, was that all other exits that could have enabled patrons to escape were either obscured or locked. For instance, had the door on the side of Piedmont Street been open during the incident, Melody lounge patrons could have exited without having to go back to the reception area (Beller & Sapochetti, 2000). Another imperative safety flaw noted was that, exit points from the upper level dressing areas were through stairs, which ended at the Shawmut side door that was always locked. Additionally, windows on the Shawmut and Piedmont building sides were obscured, making them virtually invisible for patrons inside the facility. Further, the night cl ub’s interior had numerous decorations, made of flammable materials. Some of these materials included fabrics on the ceiling as well as artificial leather used on bars and walls. To make matters worse, the facility had false walls and suspended ceilings throughout, covering the building initial fixtures. There were also artificial palms, for decorative purposes and these were not only in the night club, but also in the Melody Lounge at the basement level. The palm trees’ capacity to burn was accentuated by incorporation of electrical lighting and its affiliated wiring. The lower leveled Melody Parlor also had highly flammable rattan wood coverings on the walls, and most of the furniture in the entire facility had artificial leather covering (Beller & Sapochetti, 2000). Allegedly, a mere eight days prior to the tragic fire, inspectors from Boston’s fire department had scrutinized the facility. In their report, these inspectors indicated that there were sufficient exits, no combustible decorations and enough fire extinguishers to put out a fire, in case of one. Apparently, the only deficit found by the inspectors was the absence of a steel fire barrier between the dining area and the Broadway Lounge. It is crucial to note that, following the facility expansion through inclusion of the Broadway Lounge, the club’s management sent an application for a restaurant license to the town council. Under the new terms of operation, the Cocoanut