Marina Caitlin Watts
Bio
Marina loves Frank Sinatra and hates decaf coffee. The native New Yorker and Cornell grad knows every word to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and thinks Shakespeare is cool. If you need her, she's waiting for Godot. Twitter: @marina_caitlin
Stories (37/0)
Just Some Really Good Biopics
Some of the best movies, in my opinion, are bio-pics. These movies take the life (or events of a life) of someone extraordinary. They’ve won many Academy Awards, and procured countless nominations. Citizen Kane, the “greatest movie of all time” was loosely based on newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, after all. These films give us a glimpse at major historical events, sensational figures, and a better sense of what it was really like as them.
By Marina Caitlin Watts7 years ago in Geeks
Why Do We Quote Films?
How many times have you stood on your porch and screamed, “I’m the king of the world!” Or wandered around in the dark and uttered “I have a bad feeling about this?” How about reassuring your mopey best friend that “you aren’t dying; you just can’t think of anything better to do?”
By Marina Caitlin Watts7 years ago in Geeks
"Ferris Bueller, You're My Hero"
Through hours and hours of countless film watching, there have been very few that have stuck with me. John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is high on that list, as I grew up watching it and know the script verbatim. Impacting my mindset during my time in high school and college, it has taught me to live life to its fullest, even if it means breaking a few rules.
By Marina Caitlin Watts7 years ago in Geeks
Citizen Kane, 75 Years Later
1941 saw the release of Citizen Kane. Orson Welles directed, wrote, produced, and starred in the film, which is greatly criticized for its resemblance to the life of newspaper tycoon, William Randolph Hearst. The story is the quintessential American Dream, perfectly arching a rise and fall for our tragic hero, Charles Foster Kane. More than just for the classic narrative, Kane received many accolades after its release. Due to its technological advances, its interpretation of the American dream, and an emphasis on the gratuitous excess that comes along with power, Kane stands the test of time, even 75 years later.
By Marina Caitlin Watts7 years ago in Geeks
Regulating the Movies
In the 1920s, the movie industry was under fire. In 1921, Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle (American silent film actor and director) was charged with the rape and murder of actress Virginia Rappe, thus making the movie industry disreputable. There were threats of boycotts, government regulation all over, and much-needed interventions. The movies needed to fix themselves before the government did.
By Marina Caitlin Watts7 years ago in Geeks
Films That Discuss Communism
With all the political uproar shaping what Americans thought of communism, Hollywood reacted in the way it knew how to, and best: by producing movies. These films were made after the blacklisting of the Hollywood Ten, and were great examples of media that got Americans thinking about communism in a different light than before. Some examples include The Red Menace, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and North by Northwest.
By Marina Caitlin Watts7 years ago in Geeks
Hollywood and the Red Scare: A Brief History
Films can inform, and they can also entertain. During the 1950s, however, there was a growing fear in many that communist ideals were being worked into films. Through the work of Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House of Un-American Activities Committee, accusations spread throughout the film community. Many films that did not support those ideals were falsely accused of spreading bad vibes and teaching their viewers to embrace communism.
By Marina Caitlin Watts8 years ago in Geeks
Arthur Miller and Elia Kazan
For a long time, Elia Kazan and Arthur Miller were very good friends. They worked together on plays and films, as the former directed the latter’s play Death of a Salesmanon Broadway, which eventually became one of the best American plays of all time. However, the Red Scare and threat of communism had a bad reputation for destroying relationships, personal and business ones.
By Marina Caitlin Watts8 years ago in Geeks
Movie Musicals: The Greatest form of Escapism
When I was a kid, I remember the first time I saw Singin’ in the Rain. And by seen, I mean catching a glimpse of the final scene. You know, where Cathy (Debbie Reynolds) is exposed as the voice behind Lena (Jean Hagen’s) talent, and she rushes out of the theater, only to be stopped by crowds and Don (Gene Kelly) singing to her "You are my Lucky Star". No, this particular song isn’t a showstopper, but I remember watching this final scene and realizing how badly I wanted to see the rest of the film, what brought those characters to that part. This big reveal caught my attention, along with the costumes and the set and the commotion on screen.
By Marina Caitlin Watts8 years ago in Geeks