Savanna Orme

The Mummy (1999) is an adventure film directed by Stephen Sommers, inspired by the film of the same name from 1932. The film follows Rick O’Connell, an American adventurer who teams up with a librarian Evelyn Carnahan, and her brother Jonathan, to uncover the lost city of Hamunaptra and the treasures the city is rumored to have hidden there. Their exploring awakens Imhotep, (the mummy) who unleashes curses on the land and tries to resurrect his previous love.

The film’s atmosphere is established through its use of cinematography. High-contrast lighting is often used to add to the supernatural or horror elements of the film. Imhotep’s resurrection scene is an example of this when they use glowing effects. The CGI used in many of the supernatural scenes is enhanced by the lighting and illusion encouraged by the cinematography. The film also uses sweeping desert landscape shots to establish a sense of the setting of the film. Action scenes often used rapid cross-cutting to build tension and show the group’s desperate attempts to combat the different supernatural curses.

The musical score in the film, composed by Jerry Goldsmith, enhances the film’s epic feel, and is often used to underscore both action and moments of tension. Stereotypical “Egyptian” or exotic music is often used to establish setting. The music also helps establish the film’s sense of scale and excitement. Ominous music adds to the horror/thrill of the film and establishes the mood in scenes ranging from fear to romance.

Characters in The Mummy are fairly typical for its genre. Rick’s character has a transformation from selfish criminal mercenary to heroic masculine protector that often coincides with the typical damsel in distress character that Evelyn represents. She challenges typical feminine aspects by being bold and adventurous but remains feminine enough to play the attractive victim when needed. Rick is redeemed by the end of the film when he puts aside his own interests by staying to rescue her. The choices made in costuming for Evelyn show her gradual transformation into an adventurous woman and away from her proper librarian outfits less suited for travel.

The East in films is often portrayed as wild, chaotic, and lawless which is enforced by many of the film’s scenes of Cairo. The beginning battle scene, the sentencing of Rick to death, and many fights along the way show this lawlessness. The Western protagonists are depicted as intelligent, courageous, and humorous, while the Egyptian characters are primarily portrayed as either villains or mystics aiding the heroes. Similar to the film Gunga Din, the native people of the film’s setting are dispensable. The entire group of Americans are those they employed are eventually disposed of, but the Egyptians are the first to go. The Western figures often are shown as advanced in their fighting, which is also similar to the action-adventure displayed in Gunga Din. When the townspeople are impacted by plague the characters cut down many of them without a second thought.

The Egyptian people are shown as superstitious, comic reliefs, or clumsy while also contrasting with the depiction of the Medjai as noble and wise. While the film leans into many of the tropes and stereotypes of depicting “exotic people” they also do well to avoid lumping all characters into only one group based on their nationality. The Westerners aren’t all shown as intelligent and wiser than the natives such as in previous films like Gunga Din and Simba. The film relies heavily on stereotypes but also has a great variety of stereotypical characters in each group and category that it makes the film come across as far less targeting. The film feels nostalgic to other heroic adventure and action films, presenting a variety of characters, which has caused it to age much better than other films we have watched in this class.

The film, like many involving Egyptian lore, romanticizes the past and depicts archaeology as an exciting pursuit for treasure hunters instead of more academic figures. Evelyn representing the academic side of archaeology is an outlier in the group as the other Western figures are overwhelmingly searching for wealth instead of knowledge. In this way, it presents ancient Egypt as an exotic mystery to be explored by outsiders for their own benefit. The dark secrets of ancient civilization fight against the West. The film, however, also acts as a warning as it shows the consequences of disturbing history or overstepping where the characters assume they know better than the native people.

The climax of the film sees our main characters (the ones who haven’t died at least) facing off against Imhotep in Hamunaptra. Rick’s action-hero abilities and Evelyn’s scholarly knowledge are combined to defeat the villain, restoring order for their escape. Imhotep’s defeat in a way reflects the film’s recurring theme of fate, as he is undone by his own arrogance similar to the American’s stubbornness. His own tampering with ancient history by trying to raise his girlfriend from the dead causes his own destruction similar to how our western travelers almost meet their destruction by tampering with his burial.

Major themes in The Mummy include adventure, the consequences of greed, and the tension between modernity and the past. While the film glorifies exploration and discovery, it also warns the West against the arrogance of disturbing the wild and untamable history of Egypt. This is very similar to the films we have watched this semester that frame the African continent as wild and untamable. In this film and similar films surrounding Egypt, we see the attempt to separate Egypt and Egyptian mythology from Africa and instead group it with similar film tropes surrounding the Middle East.

The Mummy’s portrayal of exotic Egypt is reinforced through the film's use of cinematography, music, and action. The film reinforces many traditional colonial narratives while also differing from and warning against colonial actions. The film is an interesting study of the exploitation of cultures and a fascination with ancient civilizations that many in the West were interested in seeing in film. The film is both a cautionary tale and a colonialist treasure hunt which makes it an interesting film to discuss when considering the history of film’s portrayal of Egypt, its people, and its culture. 

The Quiet American (2002) is a historical dramadirected by Phillip Noyce and based on the novel by Graham Greene. ThomasFowler is a British journalist living in Saigon in 1952 and is reporting on thewar. He believes himself unbiased and detached from a political perspective onthe conflict. He meets Alden Pyle, an American posing as a medical aid worker.Pyle is eager to be involved in political discussions around Vietnam and theconflicts occurring there. He pushes Fowler for his opinion and perspective onthe war involving colonial France and communist powers moving westward.Fowler’s Vietnamese mistress becomes involved in the film when Pyle confesseshis love for her and the two western men begin fighting for possession of her.

The Vietnamese individuals in thefilm are impacted by the decisions of the Western powers and aren’t given muchautonomy of their own. Phoung when seen as a metaphor representing Vietnamitself, is viewed as an object of desire by the two powers. Phuong is convincedthat she needs one of the two men in order to survive and is highly influencedby them. This reflects how Vietnam is in a place of vulnerability and moresusceptible to being placed under the influence of the two powers.

Fowler, representing colonialism,has in a way, bought her but is passive and lacks promises of marriage ortreating Vietnam as equal to the West. Fowler denies Phuong any promise ofbringing her with him back to London. She is a treasure discovered in Vietnamand must stay there. The exotic beauty of Phuong has been won by him, and healmost seems to gloat about it when he participates in voyeuristic actions. Itappears that he likes seeing others covet Phuong when he knows he is inpossession of her. It didn’t seem to me that he ever strongly considered thepossibility that he could lose her to another. He, like the foreign powers ofthe time, disregards the agency of the colonized people.

Pyle is optimistic, naïve and canbe seen as a metaphor representing America, the growing global influence of theUnited States. He, unlike Fowler, is full of action and promises her marriageand social acceptance by his family when he wishes to wed her in front of hisparents. He wants to absorb Vietnam into the American dream and is not passiveabout his opinions on it. However, his promises lack follow-through, though hisclaims do cause Phuong to leave Fowler temporarily. This use of metaphor makes methink about the growing American involvement leading to the Vietnam War. Themany promises and hopes the war sought eventually led to failure. Similarly,Pyle is assassinated at the end of the film and fails to fulfill any of hispromises to Phuong or Vietnam.

Self-interest drives many of thecharacters in the film, even when they claim they act for the good of others.Pyle’s interest in saving a country and a girl resulted in the cruelty of otherinnocent civilians. Pyle intervening is seen as benevolent in his eyes. Thefilm shows how justified intervention isn’t always rooted in charitableactions. He is saving Phuong and other Vietnamese citizens from making thewrong choices in leadership, but in doing so, may have caused more harm by notgiving the people a voice in the first place. The film critically views howimperialism results in countries imposing their beliefs without firstunderstanding the people they seek to control. Fowler appears to believe he ismorally superior due to his refusal to take sides. His inaction is its own formof complicity. By the end of the film, he seems to learn that passiveness inthe face of injustice is its own stance or action.

Discovering that Pyle is secretlyinvolved in United States operations in Vietnam, causes Fowler to be confrontedwith making a moral decision, possibly betraying Pyle to the communists. Thisdecision challenges his previously held neutral stance involving his presencein Vietnam. Fowler’s betrayal may be justified as being for the greater goodjust as Pyle justifies the violent actions the U.S. is secretly plotting out.Both individuals may convince themselves their actions are for the greater goodwhile also being influenced by selfish desires. For Pyle representing theAmerican influence, greater involvement in Vietnam yields rewards such as thepossession of Phuong/Vietnam. Fowler in representing colonialist ideals, bybetraying Pyle is protecting his interests in keeping Vietnam/Phuong tohimself.

The clothing, props, and indoorinterior were used to indicate the characters' social positioning. The suitsworn by the two male characters indicated their identity as Westerners becomingcomfortable and used to Vietnamese styles. Phuong’s traditional dress keeps heridealized as an exotic beauty. She is often positioned between the two men,such as in the dancing club and when Pyle visits to propose to her. Thispositioning reflects her conflict in choosing between the affections of one ofthe two men.

The use of cross-cutting andhandheld camera movements in action scenes effectively creates the illusionthat the camera is the perspective of Fowler. The shaky handheld camera duringthe bombing scene, in particular, is very impactful in relation to what Fowleris witnessing while also switching to presenting scenes of him.

I think the most powerful scene inthe film is the bombing in the public square. The viewers, along with Fowler,begin the gradual realization that the attack was orchestrated by the politicalgroup and general that Pyle supports. The disturbance of the scene is matchedby the disturbing and apathetic reaction from Pyle who is supposed to bemedically trained. The scene is critical in being a revelation into the cost ofthe growing American intervention in Vietnam. Fowler’s personal world isshattered by this violence when he fears that his mistress was in the café atthe time of the bombing. The scene following shows his realization that he canno longer remain neutral in the conflict.

The Quiet American powerfully highlights the moralcomplexity of imperialism and war intervention. Political motivations hidebehind many of the characters and the film shows the consequences thesemotivations have to everyday citizens of a colonized country. It also used Fowleras a journalist to show the illusion of neutrality in conflict and the waysself-interest hides behind other intentions.

Gunga Din (1939) is an adventure film directed by George Stevens and based off a poem by Rudyard Kipling. The film follows a trio of British soldiers stationed in India during the British Raj control in the late 1800s. Cutter played by Cary Grant, MacChesney played by Victor McLaglen and Ballantine played by Douglas Fairbanks Jr. view their station as a grand adventure, or a chance to seek treasure. Gunga Din, played by Sam Jaffe, is introduced to us as an Indian water carrier who dreams of becoming a soldier. The British soldiers are portrayed as morally righteous, humorous, competent and strong. They win battles with confidence and seemingly without much effort. Their Indian counterparts depicted in the film are portrayed as either supportive and loyal, or dangerous extremists.

In theme with the film being a rousing adventure comedy, the acting and dialogue is very theatrical and exaggerated. The characters perform as if on a stage casually passing witty remarks back and forth while fighting. Their confidence and light banter while in battle or even after being tortured turns the serious topics in the film playful. The music, composed by Alfred Newman, defines the mood of each scene. Battle scores, fast escape music and other tunes contrast with hopeful somber music that help define the moods of the scene. Lighting similarly establishes mood such as the high contrast lighting in the Thuggee temple providing a feeling of menace and foreboding. Costuming plays a key role in distinguishing the characters’ ranks and class status. The British soldiers in full dress uniform contrast greatly with the loosely clothed natives in only dhoti and turbans. Cross cutting was often used in the film to heighten tension during action sequences. Sweeping outdoor shots also dominated the fight scenes to dramatically display the action occurring and the number of soldiers and cult members participating in the battle.

The film’s themes of bravery, brotherhood, self-sacrifice, and loyalty are strongly established as we view the bond between the three soldiers. Duty and adventure are shown as a male pursuit with Ballantine’s fiancé Emmy serves as a narrative plot device preventing Ballantine from these pursuits. Her role comes off as a comedic obstacle between the group of men, which Ballantine eventually overcomes by leaving his fiancé and extending his enlistment. His role of being a man, adventure, and duty is challenged by his marriage and plans for going into the tea business. These actions feminize him and cause his friends to seek out ways to save him from his own choices, scheming for his sake. The film romanticizes military life by showing how it provides these male pursuits of adventure, brotherhood, and purpose. This is the purpose that Gunga Din seeks throughout the film as he is committed to join the cause and have meaning in his life. The same purpose and meaning that causes Ballantine to overcome his foolish lapse into feminine domestic life and rejoin the service alongside his comrades.

The climax of the film is Gunga Din’s final sacrifice to warn the British troops of the Thuggee cult. Climbing to the top of the temple, Gunga Din manages to use a bugle to alert the army of the enemy before being shot, sacrificing himself. His actions give the army enough warning to prepare and avoid the Thuggee trap. Gunga Din’s commitment to becoming a soldier is only taken seriously after his death and the scene reinforces themes in the film of courage and duty to the empire. The poem read at the end of the film attempts to show that Gunga Din’s legacy is defined by his heroic actions. He proved his worth by sacrificing himself to the empire and is then honored for his sacrifice after death. He likely would have never been seen as an equal to the British soldiers had he not died for their sake. The film relates the message that colonial subjects should aspire to follow the empire. I found that this message doesn’t come only from Gunga Din’s tragic end but also in the way Ballantine chooses to lose the woman he loves to serve the empire. It is also implied that Cutter’s dream of collecting the gold from the temple and being set for life is abandoned for his loyalty to remain a sergeant with MacChesney and Ballantine. Duty, loyalty, and self-sacrifice become a part of many of the characters’ stories in the film as they leave nationalism, gold, and women behind for the sake of brotherhood or the empire.

In the reading, America’s Kipling by James Chapman and Nicholas J. Cull, it mentions that the famous line and compliment at the end of the film “you’re a better man than I am Gunga Din” is rendered meaningless. I agree with the claim made in the paper that the significance of this line is dampened by the way the film repeatedly depicted the character as naïve, awestruck by the British, and a comic relief. His character is infantilized in speech and mannerisms. He has a childlike innocence in his admiration for, and dreams of becoming a soldier which is shown in the amusement Cutter gains from catching him practicing the troops marching calls. I remembered this scene establishing the bhisti water carrier as childlike, but a rewatch of this scene helped me see the additional choices they made to solidify this. I had failed to remember that Cutter even wags his staff at Guga Din upon discovering the hidden bugle scolding him saying, “now don’t you know that’s very naughty.” Even the way he is spoken to belittles the character and establishes to the audience the power difference between him and the other men. Gunga Din’s exaggerated movements, clumsiness, and struggle to accomplish tasks also trivialize the character’s actions such as when he brings Cutter a fork when asked to find him a tool to escape. The flip to courageous competent soldier is too drastic to fully take seriously as the film’s efforts to portray Gunga Din as foolish and primitive in a way make his sacrifice seem less intentional. The film’s exaggerated stereotyping of the Indian character undercuts their own efforts to give him character development and renders the heartfelt moment at the end of the film less consequential.

Some of he major themes of the film were bravery, brotherhood, self-sacrifice, and loyalty. Glorified imperialism could also be a less intentional theme that stood out to me as the British soldiers are viewed as saviors bringing justice and purpose to the unlawful natives of the country they are colonizing. Gunga Din represents the loyal native and his story both suggests that colonial subjects should aspire to follow the empire and unintentionally serves as a warning that the empire will use its subjects and demand everything from them including their life.  

Simba (1955) directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, is a war drama based on the Mau Mau uprisings that took place in Kenya during the filming, from 1952-1960. The film begins with an act of violence towards a white man by an African man and establishes the mood of the film and the uncertainty of the violence of the African landscape. There is no context for this murder, making it feel merciless and unjustified. The film then follows Alan Howard, played by Dirk Bogarde, as he arrives in Kenya to visit his brother David. Mary Crawford, played by Virginia McKenna, is a friend of his brother and picks him up from the airport to take him to David’s farm. Upon their arrival at the farm, they discover that David, who has been described as a pacifist who cared for the native population of Kenya, has been killed by the Mau Mau rebel group. Alan Howard chooses to stay in Africa with Mary Crawford’s family and begin to repair his brother's farm. He is uncertain and distrusting of the native people of Kenya. Mary Crawford is compassionate towards the African people and is an assistant to Dr. Karanja, an educated African man and practicing doctor played by Earl Cameron. The film follows the conflict and tension between these characters and their views on native Kenyans and the colonial powers establishing roots in Africa.

Wide-angle shots capture the vast, wild, and overwhelming expanse of the natural environment of Africa. These shots emphasize the idea of the untamable, dangerous, and unknown force of Kenya. The music score of Simba helps to establish the mood and atmosphere in the film. It combines Western elements with drums and chants reminiscent of African musical traditions. Music choices reinforce the conflict between the cultures. The mood follows the music score as subdued music accompanies intimate or serious moments. During scenes of the landscape, the music swells to perhaps emphasize the power of the wild elements of the African landscape. Lighting is also frequently used to show menace, as the Mau Mau groups work in the dark, sometimes backlit by fire casting shadows. The groups of white colonizers however are shown in scenes with high light, airports, town meetings, and homes flooding with artificial light. This puts them in a more civilized view to the audience. This is also emphasized by the choice of setting and representations of the Kenyan homes. Straw-topped huts contrast greatly with the homes of the white farmers establishing greater barriers between the two groups and depicting the native people as primitive. A video informal made at the time of the Mau Mau uprising also called the Kenya emergency, is filmed in the city, and warns civilians of the Mau Mau, urging them to be on alert as the tensions increase and more of the local police militia become active in the area. Seeing real footage taken during the conflict after watching the film Simba was interesting as the footage of the city starkly contrasts with the rural village the film Simba chooses to depict. Choices in the film were made to make the Kenyan people appear less civilized and instead fit into the “dark continent” and “wild Africa” stereotype expected in film.

Simba attempts to represent the multi-faceted elements of human nature and their capability for cruelty and compassion. There are themes of colonial power and the moral responsibility of the British settlers to educate and civilize the native population. The pursuit of power and peace is shown by many of the characters we interact with. I viewed Alan Howard’s character as a stand-in for the audience to view and absorb the facts and feelings of the conflict. He is an outsider to the country and thus is relayed information to understand the situation in Kenya as the audience learns with him. He is untrussing and weary of the people and I think the film assumes its audience would similarly sympathize with his distrust. During the meeting where the farmers and other white settlers meet to discuss the increase in violence, the audience of the film is invited to listen to the perspectives on what to do and consider what their thoughts would be sitting in the room with the other characters. Mary Crawford plays the character most in sympathy with the native people, convincing Alan of their humanity after the death of his brother. Dr. Karanja assists in this view, contrasting with the Mau Mau as he represents himself as educated and civilized. Colonel Bridgemen and Mary’s father don’t see much hope in the African people and thus represent the opposite views of the conflict. As the film progresses Alan, and the audience, are shown the complexity of the power imbalances between the European colonizers and the local population. Alan is swayed by Dr. Karanja’s renouncement of the violence occurring in the village and lets go of his suspicions of him. He also meets the young orphan boy Joshua, whose life has also been damaged by the violence.

The film ends with a close-up of the young boy Joshua representing the hope, innocence, and potential of the peaceful Africa our three characters dream of. Dr. Karanja’s dying words of “perhaps we don’t deserve peace” are followed by the group seeing the young boy and Dr. Karanja remarking “But he, he has done nothing wrong.” The reading, Mumbo-jumbo, Magic and Modernity: Africa in British Cinema, 1946-65, by Wendy Webster describes this representation best seen in Joshua. “Despite the focus on violence against white settlers, Africans were also shown as victims of Mau Mau, endorsing the view that British action in Kenya protected Africans.” Alan’s growing sympathies towards the people he despises at the beginning of the film are meant to also reflect on the audience as we are shown representations of civilization and innocence in the two most prominent black characters in the film. Although the film has strong biases towards the colonialists, I can see how progressive it may have been for its time and attempted to show the complexity and nuances of the perspectives of those living in Africa.

The Battle of Algiers is a war drama film directed by Gillo Pontecorvo and was released in 1966. The film was made in the documentary style of Italian neorealism. It reflects many of the same qualities of post-World War II Italian films including the use of black and white film, non-professional actors, and nontheatrical dialogue. The film depicts the impacts of terrorism and counterterrorism prevalent during the Algerian War of independence which took place from 1954–1962. The film follows the efforts of The National Liberation Front (FLN) as they fight for freedom against the repression of the French colonial occupation of Algeria. Urban guerrilla warfare is practiced by each group including bombings, assassinations, and torture. The conflict intensifies and both sides escalate their actions until it becomes a national revolution, causing the French military to get involved.

During the film, we see the perspectives of both groups involved in the conflict as we observe their actions. We follow and view the FLN freedom fighter and commander Ali La Pointe as he is radicalized against the French and rises in trust within the National Liberation Front. The most prominent French character the film followed is Colonel Mathieu, who leads the 10th Airborne Division of the French Army. He is based on the real officers involved in the Algerian war and responds to the terrorism in Algeria with logic and brutal force. Torture, executions, and bombings by the French are responded to by the FLN with assassinations of police officers, public bombings, and strikes. The end of the film felt to me to show the inevitable fall of colonial rule in Algeria as while the French destroy the FLN, their movement lives on through the citizens. The military had a brief victory over the freedom fighters, but it resulted in French occupation being unsustainable as the people became more radicalized against them.

Cross-cutting was very successfully used in the film to heighten suspense and tension, particularly in the scenes showing the Algerian FLN members planting bombs in French civilian areas. Shots of French civilians’ movements were juxtaposed with the Algerian women discreetly planting the bombs, adding tension and providing a strong sense of moral dilemma. The unsuspecting French civilians are given close-up scenes, emphasizing their carefree and calm deminer in the bomb locations. While watching these scenes I both felt anxious for the women to succeed and fear for the French civilians. The film’s editing choices to humanize the civilians in the bombing scenes was a powerful show of the moral complexity of the freedom fighters’ cause and the horrific realities of warfare.

The use of music and film scores was very well thought out. I thought it was significant that the film chose to strategically place music and diegetic sound in the film. The score disappears at certain moments allowing for the ambient raw sound to dominate. In particular, the scenes of combat, marching crowd, and torture rely on diegetic sound, enhancing the realism of the scene. The score would return at times to increase the tension and unease of scenes. The music helped influence the mood of the scene but also would disappear to emphasize realism. The changes didn’t feel too abrupt and I felt the style of music and ambient sound added to the tension feeling and realism.

The depictions of civilians participating in the freedom effort were fascinating to me. I think that scenes of women and children are underrepresented in most war movies and when included often are used as symbols of innocence or as helpless victims of military violence. Colonial repression would have significantly impacted all citizens living in a state of political and societal power imbalance. Seeing the film show these citizens responding to the repression through action was one of my favorite parts of the film. Women were an active part of the resistance as they aided in concealing weapons, passing notes, and planting bombs. They exploited gender and colonial stereotypes at checkpoints, passing with contraband material through the French barricades where men were being checked. Women also helped hide the FLN members, providing them with shelter and food while they continued their work. Children in the film were also shown as radicalized by the growing resistance of the FLN and participated in marches, delivering notes and acting as lookouts in the film. The film while somber, ends with hope as women and children march in the streets during the uprising and continue the fight of the FLN, foreshadowing their future victory against the French repression.

The torture scene in the film is particularly powerful as it is described and defended so casually by Colonel Mathieu. The unease of these scenes comes from the direct and non-glorified depictions of violence used to control an already repressed group of people. The brutality of the French military’s efforts is shown as routine and the press questioning it highlights the extreme lengths those in authority go to justify their actions. Colonel Mathieu’s response to the press is so matter of fact that it brought to mind the way the Algerians are dehumanized by the French. The responses to the strikes also made me think of how much France and the French citizens occupying Algeria rely on the work and exploitation of the people. Those protesting by avoiding work were forced to return to work and fed propaganda involving the FLN.

 I really enjoyed this film as I enjoy documentary-like films and Italian Neorealism. Watching it also made me want to go back and rewatch other Italian films made at that time. I appreciated the realistic and honest nature of the film and its attempts to show both sides of the conflict in a neutral way. The complexity of history is fascinating to me, and I appreciate it when films attempt to show this complexity. I think the film maintained a sympathy for the Algerian people without becoming overly sentimental or biased. It also didn’t blandly treat each side as being equally justified, thus diluting the message of the film. Even when depicting the freedom fighter organization as crushed, the film showed the power a repressed people can have when they join together for a cause and maintained a message of hope.