Cheryl Dunye’s The Watermelon Woman is a film unlike most. The entire storyline and fine details separate it from the classic Hollywood feel and cause it to embrace its true individuality. This film obtains many Independent “Indie” qualities. It tells the story from a different viewpoint than the traditional Hollywood standard. It was made on a scarce budget and there were not any well-known actors. The Watermelon Woman, I would consider, is the epitome of an indie film. It exemplifies the obvious characteristics of what many would call an independent film, but also a few others that help to really set the movie apart. Dunye directs for a particular acting style and movie genre that was rare until the 1990’s.

The Watermelon Woman takes on a documentary like form even though it is a completely made up story. It thrives in a “fake documentary” sort of genre that was rare up until a boom in the 1990’s. For a film to be considered a fake documentary it must appear to be exactly that. Fake documentaries follow the characteristics and qualities that a standard documentary would, except it is fiction. The entire cast, crew, and audience are aware that although it may appear otherwise, the story is made up. In The Watermelon Woman’s case, the story is completely made up but there are some true historical aspects such as the nameless African American actors. The fake documentary is the movie’s narrative. Because the film was released during the period where this sort of style was only just being introduced, it was set apart from most films. This “wannabe” documentary style along with other aspects of Dunye’s work helped to flourish it as a unique and independent film.

Another aspect that really helped to attribute to the indie feel of the film is the acting style. Naturalistic acting is meant to be extremely realistic. It is used more so in theater and is meant to be illusive; making the story feel like real life. The acting style within the movie helps to compliment the fake documentary idea mentioned earlier. Documentaries are meant to embody real life. The only way real life can be embodied through a fake documentary is if the acting appears as realistic as possible. The acting between the characters was very low key and truly felt like everyday, normal conversation. Even when Cheryl would attach her microphone and speak to the camera, the simplicity of the acting made it feel as though the movie was non-fiction.

Lastly, the protagonist role helped to define the film’s independent stature. It is common for indie films to follow the bad guy, or the alternate perspective, of what most classic Hollywood films do. They tend to label the classic antagonist as more of the protagonist. Homosexuality is a topic that was avoided in Hollywood at this time. It was not common for big name movies to obtain much sexual diversity. When this film was made, untraditional sexual orientations would have been considered “outcasts” or “misfits.” The Watermelon Woman follows not only a lesbian, but also an African American lesbian on her journey to discover another actress. During the 1990’s, this plot line screamed independent film.

Movies can be determined as independent for a multitude of reasons. The Watermelon Woman just so happens to exemplify almost every characteristic possible.

I felt very indifferent while watching Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom. Personally, I am not a huge fan of scary movies. They give me nightmares and tend to make me feel overly uncomfortable. Embarrassingly enough, I cannot even watch Steven Spielberg’s Jaws without getting anxious. Although both films made me uncomfortable, there is something a little more bearable about Peeping Tom. The main character, Mark Lewis, was an extremely troubled man, which made me feel sorry for him more so than scared of him. These opinions formed over the course of the film. I feel like most people are disturbed by movies depending on how realistic they are, but for me, it is the opposite. I find myself trembling at the thought of a practically indestructible shark more so than a mentally ill murderer. How is that possible?

Peeping Tom took on the movie from the murderer’s perspective. The audience followed Mark throughout the movie forcing us to form a relationship with his character. From the beginning, it was apparent he was up to no good but we continued to watch. We found entertainment in his sick actions while we learned more about his horrific past, including his relationship with his father. We began to form a soft spot for him. As Mark’s feelings for female housemate, Helen, become more apparent, his troubling past continues to unravel. Originally, most people were probably very turned off by Mark but once his struggles were clear and a positive side was shown by his feelings for Helen, he became more likeable. His will to protect her from himself exemplifies that his actions are not out of a sick joy for killing people but a disturbed soul. The original fear transformed into confusion and pity. Viewers become more able to justify his awful behaviors because of the slight exposure to his gentle and remotely sane side.

What does that mean for a scary movie? In my opinion, Peeping Tom has a creepy storyline, but the fear factor is toned down by the relationship we, as viewers, were able to form with his character. Any narrative containing a murderer can make a person anxious but I think opinions and fear are defined by the relationship the audience is able to create. By the end of the movie, more viewers are inclined to feel indifferent than horrified because of exposure to the antagonist in which builds an understanding. Although Mark was still deemed as creepy and weird by many in the class and many people also felt disturbed by the realistic aspects of the film, not many people solely blamed Mark for his wrong-doings. The audience was able to stick up and justify his ill-minded behaviors.

When I compare Peeping Tom to other horror films, the comparisons and contradictions are endless. I find that many psychological horror films lose their edge depending on two aspects: the point of view and justification. When a movie is portrayed in favor of the sick minded, the audience can easily justify their wrongs because in a sense, they “know” the character. When the film focuses more so on the story’s prey, the film’s fear factor increases due to the lack of ability to justify the antagonist’s actions.

This was my first time watching Singing in the Rain and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only exposure I had prior to this class was my mom singing the songs around the house. It has always been one of her favorites, and now I can see why. The entire film was unpredictable, witty, and it did a solid job of demonstrating 1920’s Hollywood. It had a satirical element with its representation of the switch from silent films to “talkies.” Singing in the Rain was able to capture the true essence of the 20’s and the struggles with technological advancements through its narrative and cinematic language. I believe the characters themselves are what gave the film the extra flare although; I think one character in particular is greatly overlooked.

The focalization on Don and the character representations being biased in his favor framed the movie’s entirety. From the beginning, Don was idolized compared to those around him. He was made out to be this heartthrob, talented actor when in reality; he would be nothing without his best mate. It was interesting because I believe there should have been more of an emphasis on Cosmo. Don was depicted as the hero and Cosmo as his sidekick but anyone who watches the film would be able to see that it is actually the opposite. Cosmo was the true “heroic” figure in the production. Everything Don did was guided by one of Cosmo’s genius plans. Don’s career would have gone down the drain and Kathy’s movie career never would have started if it were not for him. Even at the end of the film, when Kathy was singing behind the curtain, Cosmo was the one who ran onto the stage to show who was singing. Don gave the speech entitling Kathy to her stardom, but Cosmo was the one who physically proved Lina was not the true talent.

Satirical elements can be defined throughout the film. One scene in particular that really caught my attention was the “Moses Supposes” dance routine. The detrimental advancement from silent films to “talkies” of the 1920’s is a major theme within the movie. This scene was able to bring humor to the overly dramatized changes. It begins with Don mimicking silly sayings to better his pronunciations with his vocal coach. Once Cosmo enters, he begins mocking the coach and the lesson with funny faces. The dance and singing number was dedicated to satirically demonstrating the emphasis many actors of the 1920’s placed on saving their careers; trying to transform their talents into speaking roles.

I really enjoyed Singing in the Rain. I found the plot line and overall production very entertaining and well made. It has easily become one of my favorite musical films. The satire and character personalities were very well established and helped the movie maintain a sense of humor and direction. I do hope others are able to view Cosmo as the true protagonist of the story. In my opinion, he was the only non-self seeking character and the day was saved by his genius ideas and actions.