visual review this presentation by david bruce visualhollywood.com
TRANSCRIPT
Everything you need to Everything you need to know about know about
PERFECT PERFECT STRANGERSTRANGER
……and how it relates to you and how it relates to you and the world around you.and the world around you.
Includes info on the Includes info on the actors, director, with news, actors, director, with news, reviews, and photos.reviews, and photos.
Visual ReviewVisual ReviewVisual ReviewVisual Review
This presentation byDavid Bruce
visualhollywood.com
SHORT SYNOPSISMovies Contain the
Essence of Being Human
A journalist (Berry) goes undercover to A journalist (Berry) goes undercover to ferret out businessman Harrison Hill ferret out businessman Harrison Hill (Willis) as her best friend's killer. Posing (Willis) as her best friend's killer. Posing as one of his temps, she enters into a as one of his temps, she enters into a game of online cat-and-mouse.game of online cat-and-mouse.
Bruce Bruce WillisWillis
KEY ACTORS
Giovanni Giovanni RibisiRibisiMilesMiles
Halle Halle BerryBerry
The Cinematic Arts Have the Power to Transform
Florencia Florencia LozanoLozano
KEY TALENT
Director: James FoleyDirector: James Foley
Story by Jon BokenkampStory by Jon Bokenkamp
Todd Komarnicki Todd Komarnicki screenplay, and screenplay, and also appears in the also appears in the film as a CSI film as a CSI Witness. He is the Witness. He is the producer of The producer of The Retreat (2008) and Retreat (2008) and Wild About Harry Wild About Harry (2007)(2007)
Our Artists Are Our Liberators
ARTIST HIGHLIGHT
Actors are Liberators Unaware
Halle Berry Halle Berry is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Academy Award-winning Academy Award-winning American actress and former American actress and former fashion model and beauty queen. fashion model and beauty queen. Berry was awarded the Best Berry was awarded the Best Actress Academy Award in 2002 Actress Academy Award in 2002 for her performance in Monster's for her performance in Monster's Ball, and is the only woman of Ball, and is the only woman of African American descent to have African American descent to have won the Academy Award for Best won the Academy Award for Best Actress.Actress.
ARTIST HIGHLIGHT
Actors help us: laugh, be happy, cry, get angry, and even think. Can there be any better gifts?
Bruce Willis Bruce Willis is a two-time Emmy Award-is a two-time Emmy Award-winning, Golden Globe-winning, Golden Globe-winning American actor and winning American actor and singer. He came to fame in singer. He came to fame in the late 1980s and has since the late 1980s and has since retained a career as both a retained a career as both a Hollywood leading man and a Hollywood leading man and a supporting actor, in particular supporting actor, in particular for his role in the Die Hard for his role in the Die Hard series.series.
ARTIST HIGHLIGHT
Filmmakers are RevolutionariesNot Just Entertainers
Director James Foley Director James Foley (born December 23, 1957 in (born December 23, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York Brother of Brooklyn, New York Brother of director Jerry Foley. Attended the director Jerry Foley. Attended the Univeristy of Southern California Univeristy of Southern California Film School.Film School.
Selected FilmographySelected FilmographyPerfect Stranger (2007)Perfect Stranger (2007)Confidence (2003)Confidence (2003)The Corruptor (1999)The Corruptor (1999)The Chamber (1996)The Chamber (1996)Fear (1996)Fear (1996)Two Bits (1995)Two Bits (1995)Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)After Dark, My Sweet (1990)After Dark, My Sweet (1990)Who's That Girl? (1987)Who's That Girl? (1987)At Close Range (1987)At Close Range (1987)Reckless (1984)Reckless (1984)
TRIVIA AND NEWSMovie Making is the ConvergenceMovie Making is the Convergence
of Many Talents and Art Forms of Many Talents and Art Forms
The first motion picture to The first motion picture to be filmed at "ground zero", be filmed at "ground zero", the site of the former New the site of the former New York World Trade Center York World Trade Center since the terrorist attacks since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.of 11 September 2001.
The filmmakers filmed The filmmakers filmed three different endings to three different endings to the film, each with a the film, each with a different character as the different character as the killer.killer.
EXTENDED SYNOPSISStories are Transforming
Following the unsolved murder of one Following the unsolved murder of one of her childhood friends, New York City of her childhood friends, New York City newspaper reporter Rowena Price newspaper reporter Rowena Price (Halle Berry) decides to go undercover (Halle Berry) decides to go undercover to investigate the case herself.to investigate the case herself.
EXTENDED SYNOPSISAll Kids are Born Artistic
What is Natural is Essential
Her search leads her Her search leads her on a chase through on a chase through the darkest corners the darkest corners of the Internet as she of the Internet as she observes her observes her primary suspect, primary suspect, multi-millionaire multi-millionaire Harrison Hill (Bruce Harrison Hill (Bruce Willis).Willis).
EXTENDED SYNOPSISStories Embody the Essence
of Being Human
As a CEO of a powerful As a CEO of a powerful advertising company, Hill is a advertising company, Hill is a very respected and public very respected and public individual, but that helps individual, but that helps Rowena keep a close eye on Rowena keep a close eye on him.him.
EXTENDED SYNOPSISCinematic Story Telling is a
Profoundly Humanizing endeavor.
As she jumps between various on-line As she jumps between various on-line and real-life personalities, she searches and real-life personalities, she searches for any signs of guilt or weakness in for any signs of guilt or weakness in her subject.her subject.
EXTENDED SYNOPSISFilm making is a
Community Event.
With the help of an IT With the help of an IT wiz and hacker named wiz and hacker named Miles Haley (Giovanni Miles Haley (Giovanni Ribisi) and using the Ribisi) and using the anonymity of the anonymity of the Internet to her Internet to her advantage, she hopes advantage, she hopes to finally achieve some to finally achieve some justice as she tracks justice as she tracks down the killer online.down the killer online.
CRITICAL OPINION
Halle Berry's strong Halle Berry's strong performance and a cool twist performance and a cool twist overcomes conventional plotovercomes conventional plotHarvey S. Karten, Harvey S. Karten, COMPUSERVECOMPUSERVE
Derives some novelty value Derives some novelty value from its colorblind casting. from its colorblind casting. But as a thriller, it's so by-But as a thriller, it's so by-the-numbers that it's hardly the-numbers that it's hardly worth keeping count.worth keeping count.Scott Foundas, Village VoiceScott Foundas, Village Voice
Free Artistic Expression is a Mark of a Free Society
(One star out of four) There’s little (One star out of four) There’s little storytelling craft in evidence and scant storytelling craft in evidence and scant regard for the planting of subtle clues. regard for the planting of subtle clues. Dan Jolin. EmpireDan Jolin. Empire
Grade: CGrade: CEmanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.comEmanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.com
FILM REVIEW:PERFECT STRANGER
Art is the Language of Liberation
David BruceDavid BruceDavid BruceDavid Bruce
Ambition to Succeed vs. Ambition to Succeed vs. Need to SurviveNeed to Survive “Harrison Hill will do anything to “Harrison Hill will do anything to succeed,” Berry says, “and Ro will do succeed,” Berry says, “and Ro will do anything to survive. The needs of one anything to survive. The needs of one are based purely on ambition, and the are based purely on ambition, and the needs of the other are based on our needs of the other are based on our primal need to stay alive.”primal need to stay alive.”
Human worth is far greater than any Human worth is far greater than any personal ambition. Ambition should personal ambition. Ambition should always be subject to respect for always be subject to respect for others. others.
There is a powerful lesson in this film. There is a powerful lesson in this film. Reflection: Do our ambitions Reflection: Do our ambitions (personal, relational, professional, (personal, relational, professional, political) help or hurt others?political) help or hurt others?
FINDING TRUTH in PERFECT STRANGER
Society is only as free as its arts. Art is the voice of human freedom.
Halle Berry: “I think Ro is a really good Halle Berry: “I think Ro is a really good actress. Because of her job as an actress. Because of her job as an investigative reporter, Ro has become very investigative reporter, Ro has become very good at pretending, wearing different faces, good at pretending, wearing different faces, chameleon-like. For her, it’s a way to survive; chameleon-like. For her, it’s a way to survive; she’s a woman on a mission.”she’s a woman on a mission.”
We all role play. We all tend to act differently We all role play. We all tend to act differently with certain people and in particular with certain people and in particular situations. Examples: The parent role , the situations. Examples: The parent role , the business role, the lover role, the friend role. business role, the lover role, the friend role.
Reflection: Are each of your roles in sync Reflection: Are each of your roles in sync with the real you and those around you? Ro’s with the real you and those around you? Ro’s roles were totally different, but very in sync. roles were totally different, but very in sync. Mr. Hill’s roles were selfish and lacked Mr. Hill’s roles were selfish and lacked integrity and consideration of others .integrity and consideration of others .
LIFE CONNECTIONS inPERFECT STRANGER
Art is a Liberating Force
Somebody Somebody murdered murdered Grace!Grace!
““Every person we meet Every person we meet in the course of a day is in the course of a day is a dignified, essential a dignified, essential human soul, and we are human soul, and we are guilty of gross guilty of gross inhumanity when we inhumanity when we snub or abuse him.”snub or abuse him.”
--Joshua Loth Liebman, --Joshua Loth Liebman, Rabbi and writer (1907–Rabbi and writer (1907–1948)1948)
Treat everyone with Treat everyone with Grace!Grace!
WHY MOVIES ARE SO IMPORTANT
"The meaning of life is the most urgent of "The meaning of life is the most urgent of questions" questions" --Albert Camus (Existentialist thinker--Albert Camus (Existentialist thinker)..
In In “Movies and the Meaning of Life”“Movies and the Meaning of Life” author Kimberly author Kimberly Blessing points out that movies can help us reflect Blessing points out that movies can help us reflect on five of life’s most important questions:on five of life’s most important questions:
1) What is reality and how can I know it? 1) What is reality and how can I know it? 2) How can I find my true identity? 2) How can I find my true identity? 3) What the significance of my interactions with 3) What the significance of my interactions with others? others? 4) What’s the point of my life? 4) What’s the point of my life? 5) How ought I to live my life? 5) How ought I to live my life?
The idea behind The idea behind Visual HollywoodVisual Hollywood is that Movies can is that Movies can and must play an essential role helping us explore and must play an essential role helping us explore the meaning of our existence and our life together. the meaning of our existence and our life together. No other quest is more necessary or important. No other quest is more necessary or important. Movies are powerful. Movies bring personal Movies are powerful. Movies bring personal meaning, and can contribute to a peaceful world. meaning, and can contribute to a peaceful world. Cinematic story telling can be a transforming event.Cinematic story telling can be a transforming event.
Visual Hollywood takes an existential approach to life. We celebrate with human freedom. We use movies and the arts as a means of understanding the human condition and our collective relation to the world around us.
Our basic quest is:
1. To know what it means to be human in the world.
2. The pursuit of human freedom.
To Restrict Creativity is to Restrict the very Nature of the Creator
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