Three Kings

1.) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class it was discussed that Three Kings director David O. Russell was very demanding and aggressive with his actors, even coming to a physical confrontation with actor George Clooney. Also related in the class was that fellow director Spike Jonze takes a rare turn at acting in the film portraying the bumbling and mildly dim-witted Private Vig. Additionally, even though the film depicts an Iraqi desert landscape, the film was shot entirely in America. Russell's questionable casting and demanding directing pays off for the director as Three Kings is a very gritty and emotional film which portrays a sense of war and bewilderment in a foreign land precisely and minutely.  

2.) Find a related article and summarize the content.

http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/filmnotes/fnf03n3.html

An article on the University of Albany's website explains that David O. Russell began film school at age twenty-eight, much later than the average student. According to the article Russell began his career as a social activist before transitioning his energies to film. The article goes on to state that Russell tends to insert political or social opinions into his films, typically surreptitiously under layers of action and surreal detail. In the case of Three Kings Russell attempts to portray a somber and defeatist attitude toward military involvement in Iraq, similar to the attitude in many films about Vietnam. The article also claims that Russell makes frequent reference to the films that inspired him such as Apocalypse Now, Too Hot To Handle, and The Man Who Would be King.

3.) Apply the article to the film screened in class.

Every character in Russell's film seems to have an agenda and an opinion. The film is rife with lectures highlighting the opinions of both sides of the Gulf War. In the end, however, all the characters seem to converge on a middle ground agreement which satisfies both parties. Perhaps instead of demonizing American involvement in the Gulf War Russell's desire was to see a peaceful and mutually beneficial arrangement between the American military and Iraqi refugees. Whatever the case, Three Kings is clearly an opinion piece which seeks to inform and to persuade.

Three Kings seems to be a part of a long line of Hollywood references/inspirations. The University of Albany's website claims that the film makes reference to Apocalypse Now, among other films, in the same manner that Raiders of the Lost Ark pays tribute to classic adventure films such as Hong Kong and Zorro Rides Again. Raiders of the Lost Ark was in turn an inspiration for the Mummy and National Treasure films as well as the Tomb Raider and Uncharted video game series. Hollywood directors seem to enjoy paying respect to their influences and recreating scenes and imagery from their favorite films.

4.) Write a critical analysis of the film.

Russell's decision to cast Spike Jonze, a non-actor, in a major role as well as his conflicts with Clooney seem to indicate his very specific style of directing. Because of this it can be inferred that Three Kings was shot and acted exactly as Russell envisioned it. However it is unknown exactly how much of the story was Russell's original idea and to what extent the original screenwriter John Ridley, who still receives a story credit, had influence and input on the final draft of the film's script.

One of the most unique aspects of Three Kings is its visual style. Action scenes teem with kinetic energy and flashbacks are inter cut with a humorous flare. Also of note is Russell's sense of humor. The director seems to enjoy a dark and somewhat sadistic sense of humor reminiscent of the Coen brothers, with a jaded and blasé depiction of killing which at times seems to be deliberately comical. The film abruptly jumps between drama and comedy, sometimes not clearly defining when a scene is supposed to be funny or serious. It is this strange feeling of mixed emotions which seems to appeal to a majority of film critics and reviewers, and what makes Three Kings such a highly regarded film.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 
1) (X) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class. 

2) (X) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper. 

3) (X) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text. 

4) (X) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper. 

5) (X) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read. 

6) (X) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography. 

7) (X) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality. 

8) (X) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper. 

Name: ______Alex Wisniewski______________  Date: _______4/23/14_________________