The Parallax View and Network

The Parallax View was a cinematically intriguing film, full of drawn-out suspenseful shots that make the viewer experience the same paranoia the characters are experiencing. This film always kept me guessing and never gave too much away. I also appreciated the contrast in its use of sound--how it would shift from a loud action scene to a serene quiet scene with little warning. The brainwashing scene was especially impressive and thought-provoking. Here is an interesting explanation of the "Incredible Montage."

While I found Parallax to be a better quality film, I found Network to be more journalistically relevent. It certainly had a lot to say about the corruption of the media. Like Ace in the Hole, Network portrays the media as harsh and unforgiving, using people merely as subjects of their own profit rather than viewing them as real human-beings. Over and over, Max tries to convince the network that Howard needs medical and psychological help. In the end, the network kills Howard for their own gain just as Chuck Tatum killed Leo in Ace in the Hole. This seems to be a common theme in films about the media; rarely is it portrayed favorably.

Network and The Parallax View

Network and The Parallax View are two very different films which convey very different messages.

Network

Network is a highly exaggerated look into a failing broadcasting network (UBS), and what its higher-ups are willing to do in order to get back on top of the ratings. It begins by looking at news anchor Howard Beale. The head of the news and journalism branch of UBS, Max Schumacher, was keen on adhering to traditional journalistic values, and made every effort to do so on all UBS news programs, including Howard Beale's. Due to the failing ratings of the news division and the influence of Diana Chistensen (who was later put in charge of most of UBS' programming), Howard and Max received news that they were to be fired. Traditional journalistic values were done away with in order to bring about higher ratings. On what were to be his last shows, Howard began to rant and rave in anger. Diana sought to exploit this as people were tuning in to see Howard's ludicrousness. This progressed into a seeming endless downward spiral progressing further and further away from the values Max represented to the ruthless "Whatever Sells" attitude of Diana. Howard's ratings eventually began to fall. The film ends with Diana and her colleagues discussing what to do about these failing ratings. They conclude that the best approach is to assassinate Beale and use the footage on one of their other shows. Though a complete exaggeration, Network shows that there is more to reporting the news than journalistic values. There is a corporate ratings machine to contend with, and one must wonder, "To what extent are networks willing to compromise traditional values in order to maintain ratings?"

The Parallax View

This film tells the story of reporter Joseph Frady, and his investigation into the Parallax corporation. The evidence he has gathered indicates that this corporation is involved in a greater conspiracy to shape the outcomes of political races by seeking out individuals with aggressive tendencies to carry out assassinations. The film begins with the murder of a senator, and years later those who witnessed this murder were being picked off one by one. Joseph begins to realize that these murders, though portrayed as occurring by natural or unaided means,are being controlled by some greater force. Through his investigation, Joseph realizes that the greater force controlling these deaths is the Parallax Corporation. He then seeks out employment in this corporation in order to infiltrate their ranks to further his investigation. The movie ends with Joseph being framed and killed for the assassination of a perspective senator by the corporation he sought to undo.

Conspiracy Theories and Sensationalism

Network and The Parallax View look to be completely unrelated. One is about a corrupt network who kill a man for lousy ratings instead of getting him help, because he is quite obviously insane. The other is about an American senator's assassination at the hands of a very large and organized secret assassin's company. The ridiculousness of that last statement is a testament to America's love of a good conspiracy. But how are these things related? In the beginning of this year Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot by a crazed gunman. Fortunately for her and 13 other people, the wounds were not fatal. 6 more were not so lucky. The assailant, Jared Loughner, was quite obviously insane and showed numerous signs of mental illness. It was obvious that he acted alone and carried out the deed in broad daylight in front of numerous witnesses. That didn't stop conspiracy theorists from trying to claim the whole thing didn't happen. What drives people to this edge? When 99% of America believes this is an event that happened, why do 1% hold to a falsehood? Sensationalism is the answer. The greatest of all sensationalists today (and thankfully, recently fired) is Glenn Beck. Dana Milbank, of The Washington Post, explains why Beck lost his job even though he is one of the most popular TV personalities on Fox. The entire time I was watching Howard Beale lose it in Network I kept thinking of Glenn Beck. They both have wildly popular shows and they both cater to an audience that is mad as hell. Like Beale, Beck encourages his audience to do something about it, but Beck caters to conspiracy theories and I believe in many cases, can inadvertently promote them. Beck uses a blackboard to connect all of the crazy ideas he has in his mind, and it worked for a while. He rode the fear wave that comes out of a post 9/11 and post economic-collapse world. But like Howard Beale he eventually became a liability for the controversial things he was saying. I'm just glad Fox didn't take the route that UBS did in Network. Sensationalism can easily lead to conspiracy theories, but that just might be a conspiracy theory of my own.

Photography makes it

The key to The Parallax View is in the photography. Every moment, every character connection and disconnection, every story, every emotion is in the way it's shot. The use of color separation, light and dark, angles, diagonal lines all support the message and story of the film. Plain and Simple.

http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-Vi-Win/Willis-Gordon.html