In “Spartacus,” How are Power and Sex Intertwined?
Kubrick's "Spartacus" depicts how power is used for sexual oppression and shows the film's titular hero refusing to degrade the fellow slave he loves.
In “Psycho,” What are the Underlying Meanings of the Character Names?
The names "Marion Crane" and "Norman Bates" have strong thematic implications and evocative power in Hitchcock's 1960 horror classic, "Psycho."
In “A Streetcar Named Desire,” What are the Thematic Connections Between Sexual Desire and Death?
In "A Streetcar Named Desire," the connection between sex and death is one of the strongest symbols in the play. Williams is indicating that putting the bulk of one's pursuits in the…
How Does “The Lion King” Echo the Story of Shakespeare’s Hamlet?
Not only does the story of "The Lion King" (1994) share similarities with the Old Testament, but it also shows parallels to William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Two young…
What was Stephen Belber’s Approach to Translating “Match” from Stage to Screen?
When preparing to translate "Match" from a stage play into a film, writer/director Stephen Belber took a lot of cues from Mike Nichols' 1966 adaptation of "Who's Afraid of…
Why is “Nightcrawler’s” Score So Upbeat?
Composer James Newton Howard and director Dan Gilroy decided to create an upbeat score for "Nightcrawler" in order to emphasize Lou's feelings of success and pride in his work and…
Despite Similarities, Do “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Blue Jasmine” Express Different Messages?
"Blue Jasmine" adapts many aspects of "A Streetcar Named Desire," but Woody Allen's film departs from the messages of its predecessor.
In What Ways Are “Blue Jasmine” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” Similar?
In notable ways, "Blue Jasmine" is a modernization of "A Streetcar Named Desire," with many of the same character beats, plot points, and themes.
Are the Most Captivating Scenes in “Match” the Dramatic Highs or the Calmer Moments?
"Match" is a three-handed drama full of intense highs and lows that are both crucial to the narrative - but it's the simmering moments of quiet drama that really supply the charm in…
In “Nightcrawler,” Does Lou Bloom Pass the Psychopath Test?
Played to eerie perfection by Jake Gyllenhaal, Lou Bloom shows some psychopathic tendencies, but does he qualify for the "psychopath" label according to Robert Hare's Psychopathy…
How Does “A Clockwork Orange” Use the Moon as a Symbol?
The film and novel versions of "A Clockwork Orange" use the moon as a symbol of life's cyclical nature, while alluding to the unprecedented social progress of the space race.
What Does the Title of “A Clockwork Orange” Mean?
"A Clockwork Orange" can seem an ambiguous title for viewers of the film, but Anthony Burgess' original novel gives more insight into the meaning of the title phrase.