The Parent Trap Movie Poster Comparison

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The first release of Walt Disney’s The Parent Trap was released in 1961.   Haley Mills the lead actress of this film played teenage twins that found each other at a summer camp.  After discovering that they were twin sisters they join together and create an elaborate plan of switching places to get to know their estranged parents and get them back together. 



As you can see in the above poster on the left, the designers of the 1961 Movie Poster The Parent Trap, Walt Disney pictures had a specific audience in mind.  Young teenage girls and their parents were the films primary focus.  On this poster are cartoon characters of the teenage star Halley Mills playing twins in this film.  Each  cartoon of Hayley Mills are showcased in a cute and fun fashion.  Looking at each other as if they are singing together.  One twin character adorably feminine whiles the other twin a bit of a tom boy but no less cute.  Together it appears as if they are singing to their hearts content, enjoying the festivities of getting there parents back together.  The twins parents played by Maureen O’hara and Brian Keith, very big names of that day.  The film uses these big names to bring in their preferred audience. While the use of color, text, and the cartoon picture of the parents on a wild ring ride; brings a certain feel that although this film is dealing with difficult marital issues into the mainstream light, that you will have a fun time doing so.

A video clip gives the perfect feel of exactly what this poster is trying to convey in the song, Lets Get Together,written by written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. 

The second movie poster above on the right, has a modern and contemporary feel.  Using modern computer graphics to create a backdrop of the city and pictures of the stars; Lindsey Lohan as the twins, Natasha Richardson as the mother, and Dennis Quaid as the adoring father. 

Although the basis of the story is the same the use of the posters is quite different.  Not only does the movie poster seem to be more serious but its demographics or the audience it is trying to reach is quite different.  Because Walt Disney casts Lindsey Lohan as a young girl around the ages of eight to ten, I believe it safe to assume that is the age they are targeting to come and see the film is also the same.  Also there are much larger images of the parents in the background embracing each other.  As the viewer looks at this poster the viewer is lead to believe that this film is a love story.  Based on the look of the poster, this film is mostly directed at the parents of the youth that Disney is targeting.  Here is a short trailer of the second release of The Parent Trap in 1998.

While both movie posters are very different and targeting a different demographic, both films are a beautiful tale about how families that are torn apart can be brought back together. 

http://www.cinemasterpieces.com/parentmay08.jpg

http://www.impawards.com/1998/parent_trap_ver2.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-0gWnXdBZI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxtyAC59AeE
 
 

Jack Johnson ~ Pop Music Website Analysis

 http://jackjohnsonmusic.com/welcome

 Jack Johnson is a musician that always tells a story in a calm, cool, collected, and mild way.  He combines a funky, grove-laden like spin, on acoustic folk rock, while establishing himself as a musician that sings with soul. His music can be heard in pretty much any coffee shop across the United States. 

His music has a certain air to it that causes the listener to feel as if you were seaside with a cold beer surrounded by friends and family.  Taking it easy and enjoying life.  It makes me think of cool breezes, laughs, and a relaxed day at the beach.  He sings songs about love, pain, and life. He sings from a calm place in his soul and touches millions of listeners all around the world. 

His web page is just like his music.  Instantly is makes you feel relaxed.  The background of the web page looks like old gray wood, the kind you find at the shoreline, dried out and bleached by the sun.  It looks like a bookshelf you would find in a beach house. The background has accents of a cool light green color, making the viewer experience a relaxed feeling while connecting with the earth.  On each shelf are pictures of an old video recorder, film, a jar filled with old coins, a camera, a black and white photo, and the all-defining acoustic guitar.  Each piece on the shelf a relic of what is important in his music.  Capturing life, celebrating it, and singing about it. 

Centered in the web page is what appears to be a poster.  It says, “ Best of Kokua Festival” saying it is Jack Johnson and Friends. Kokua is a Hawaiian word, that translates as "extending loving, sacrificial help to others for their benefit, not for personal gain..." (http://hawaiihubbub.blogspot.com/2007/04/meaning-of-aloha-and-kokua.html) The poster is an advertisement that Jack Johnson is sing for a benefit called the Kokua Hawaii Foundation.  Again using his talents to help others and to encourage people to do their part in there community.  The letters of each word are a light cream color with a darker sage green border.  Again eliciting a calm experience geared to make the fan feel like a friend, a part of the Jack Johnson movement. 

From one visual point to the next Jack Johnson’s website brings forth exactly what the musician defines himself as.  In his music, his life style, and his website that audience feels that he is a good person that just loves to sing, chill at the beach, and love people.  Doing his best to change or evoke change in the world.  

I am a diehard fan of Jack Johnson’s music.  I love nothing more than taking a bubble bath with his music, imagining the ocean hitting the shoreline, sitting in Sand Diego, hanging out with my little brother and little sister.  His music touches me.  After actually looking into his website and discovering that he is doing this wonderful benefit, I feel even better that I buy his music.  The way this website is designed and Jack Johnson's type of music, I find myself truly identifying with this musician in a profound way.  As I too try to live my life in much of the same manner.  Family, friends, music, and the beach, it sounds like paradise.

Lovemark

                                                     Walt Disney ~ My Lovemark <3

                    http://www.glogster.com/sharon82/lovemark-walt-disney/g-6lj5tr6heqrfca720tu5ma0

Walt Disney animated films or anything Disney is my Lovemark.  A lovemark deep rooted in family and dreams.  I was raised in home that didn’t have a television.  As I grew up I would hear about the newest Disney movies and would dream about seeing them.  As my parents views on life changed, along with their belief that movies were wrong, my dad, did the impossible.  He took me on Daddy and Daughter date night, to my first movie, EVER.  It was Walt Disney’s Peterpan, shown at the local theater in our small town.  The anticipation and excitement of not only my first movie I was going to see but also the fact that it was actually a Disney film, was almost more than I could bare.  The fact that my dad took only me, I felt infinitely special and loved.

The opening seen with the castle of all castles, and the music, “If you wish upon a star” began to play, I watch in awe and wonder as the beautiful animated characters appeared on the screen.  After experiencing Peterpan, Neverland, and the lost boys I was hooked forever.  Never had I seen the imagination captured so well.  It was like these films entered into my own child like imagination and painted them in pretty, magical, and exciting ways across the screen.  Each character another way I could make sense of the world. 

 

Every time a new Disney film came out, my dad would take me.  It became a cherished tradition for just father and daughter.  It was in this tradition and my love for animation that created a Lovemark that helps define a big part of who I am.  Disney films are a great way to connect with your family.  As often the films have tragedy that takes place, as does real, life: It helped me face my own tragedies.  These Disney films allowed me to see that life was hard, that there were scary people in the world that wanted to hurt people, and that people we love can die.  It also helped me see that even tough we face adversity we can overcome and triumph over evil and the everyday battles that we face.  Not only that we can overcome these adversities but also we can sing, dance, laugh, cry, and imagine.  Imagine or imagination is the key to my world.  As an artist I would study these films, copy the images, and imagine one day I would be creating a world for children to love and appreciate, as I loved and adored Walt Disney’s animated films.  

                       

The beauty of Walt Disney is it does not stop in the theater or the comfort of your own home.  Walt Disney created a real, innovated, and magical kingdom that allowed the animated world of Disney’s characters to be tangible. Something I could touch, experience, and love. 

A Few years after my first experience with Disney’s films, my mom and dad took is the the happiest place in the world, DISNEYLAND!!!  As I stood there at the base of the castle I became apart of Disneyland.  I was Tinkerbell, Bell, Wendy, Jasmine, and Cinderella,; I was anyone and everything I wanted to be.  I was no longer the little chubby girl that got picked on, I was a beautiful princess, that fought evil queens, where my dreams came true.  It was a place I could take bits and pieces, maybe Cinderella’s glass slippers, or Mickey Mouse’s ears, and take them home.  They were a piece of a make believe world that was tangible and real, because I could hold on to it.

As I have grown up, I find that I still have this child like fascination of the world and to this day I am a diehard fan of Walt Disney films.  I am the first to go see it, taking anyone of my family or friend’s children with me.  Sharing and enjoying the magical world that I used to escape the everyday trials of life, not much has changed.  Sometimes I just need to escape into a world that is boundless, evil NEVER prevails, and I am safe and happy.  These are what make the world of Walt Disney my lovemark, a place to call home, and a place I feel loved and cared for.  Its magical, imaginative, and creates a magical world of family, friends, and overcomers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1IfpwJmHd8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_0Y4aSY1hM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhfp6Z8z1cI

http://images2.layoutsparks.com/1/93429/tinkerbell-19-wings-fairy.jpg

http://www.makems.com/graphic/tinkerbell-6.gif

http://www.makems.com/graphic/tinkerbell-9.gif

 

Friends & Their Technology Predictions

1)      Andrew –  A former Marine said that the next best thing in technology that will have a great impact the military is the application of Nano-technology being applied to the military uniforms.  Its capabilities will be having a range of sensors build into the fabric allowing medical personnel to monitor patients vital signs such as: temperature, heart rate, hydration levels, and other physiological indicators.  The reason this world be good is it will allow the Commanding Officers and Medical Personnel to have all information needed to make better decision for active missions, ultimately saving lives.

2)      John -  According to John and his apocalyptic views of the world.  Creepy, realistic robots are going to take over the world!  In this case after seeing this website, the possibilities of this are applicable.  As technology gets smarter and artificial intelligence becomes available to the public sector, AI will become more and more a social norm.

                           http://www.jokeroo.com/videos/cool/creepy-robot.html

                 

3)      Christine –  The next big thing in technology is going to be 3D printing.  Every businessperson across America is going to put this cutting edge technology to use.  3D printing is a computer-controlled printer that has the capabilities to manufacture everything from tools to aerospace parts allowing quick and effective manufacturing.  Increase product productivity your business will increase financially.  That is every businessman’s goal.

4)      Ashlee -  Believes that the big thing in technology will be in mainstream media. That all media will eventually converge into one single usable unit base media.  This phenomenon is called Media Convergence and it will provide every media source into a one-stop center.  It will be like the Wal-Mart of media.  Everything at low prices. 

5)      Seth –  A music lover believes that the next big thing in technology that will affect the music industry is Hologram Concerts.  Initially the cost of creating a concert such as this will be a lot.  But imagine being able to have twenty-five, fifty, or even a hundred concerts taking place in the states and around the world.  Fans are happy and so is the music industry.  It will be a sad thing for a person like me who does not want the beauty of a live concert and the talent of the musician in person, live, no additions that the entertainment world will most definitely add to a show.

My Tweeps

Bob Harper:  Biggest Loser Celebrity Trainer.  His qualifications speak for them self, as he is a trainer for the Hit TV Reality Series: The Biggest Loser and holds credentials with the American Fitness Training of Athletics and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.  His job is to take very over weight men and woman and motivate them to make huge life changes.  He starts by getting them into a growling exercise routine that shocks their bodies into FAT Burning Fighting Machines.   Then he spends the next sixteen weeks helping them to face fears, overcome those fears, and to blossom into healthier people both physically and emotionally.   Since I am a fan of the show and I too am battling weight issues I have decided to follow him on Twitter.  That way any knowledge he has in the battlefield of weight loss, I can utilize that knowledge with a click of the button.   God knows I need a trainer to get this large and in charge personality into the gym and on her way to a new healthier version of me and if using technology and twitter will help me reach my goals; then BAM I will click that button,

Ellie Krieger: Food Networks Celebrity Chef takes all the guessing work out of eating healthy.  In her show called Healthy Appetite, she engages the audience with everyday healthy choices that fit your lifestyle.  Not only is Krieger a wonderful cook but she is also a Nutritionist, Ellie held the position of director of nutritional services at the prestigious La Palestra Center for Preventative Medicine for several years where she worked with a team of physicians, psychologists and fitness specialists to create a multi-faceted, obesity-treatment program. (http://www.foodnetwork.com/ellie-krieger/bio/index.html) The comfort of knowing that she is not only a chef but also an expert of what truly is healthy, makes me want to try her dishes that much more.  What Krieger is an expert at, is creating dishes that are fast, healthy, and delicious.  So getting good recipes that fit a busy students life style is a necessity to achieving weight loss goals.  The other thing that seems to be awesome about following her on twitter is that she actually puts new recipes idea there for the world to see.  So taking the time to figure out whats for dinner, no problem, I will just tweet to the kitchen. 

The Beauty of IT All…..

The best thing about following people like Bob Harper and Ellie Krieger is that you can have experts in any field right in front of you, in the privacy of your home, at the gym, or at the market.   Skies the limit to success when you have a team of experts at your fingertips to help you make better choices and to just motivate you to change your life.  So often people complain of having the world at your fingertips.  Why complain, if you utilize the web, twitter, blogs, YouTube; we can create a world of experts to help us be successful in many aspects of our lives.  Like all things, moderation, confirming sources, and making sure you don’t fill your mind with garbage is the way you maintain a healthy world view of the world wide web.  As for me, it’s just another opportunity to utilize a good source to create a better me.

Reading Assignment 3: The Digital Divide: Section 1

Article 1: Do they really think differently?  By Mark Pensky.  This article is about the next generation of teens that have grown up in a multimedia frenzy that has caused them to literally think differently.  In this article it discusses neuroplasticity, or how the brain changes or reorganizes itself through different experiences and how the gaming industry and the world wide web literally has changed how the next generation learn and interpret the world around them. The article continues to explain how the brain can make significant changes by being exposed to a stimulant for concentrated amounts of time.  It uses the example of the gaming industry and how it effectively holds the attention span of the modern teen for hours, yet a teacher in a class setting is unable t hold the attention of the teen. It also reflects that if the education system used these same tactics as the gaming industry, reaching this highly technical age, then the education system would be speaking the same language as the modern teen.  By designing software that will engage these teens, they in essence will become more successful.  The article does a great job explaining how making these changes in the education system will work using the Military and NASA as real programs that utilize this new way of educating.  The example was flight and space simulations.  These techniques started out as games and have opened up avenues to further exploration of outer space and prepared our military for live missions.  I found the logic to be sound and plausible, now to just reach the education system. 

Article 2: Learning to Think in a Digital World.  By Maryanne Wolf.    In this article the Neuroscietist pleads her case for the fear of losing literacy.  How the technological world has changed the way people today read and learn an how it can make the real world of books become extinct.  She describes the reading brain as being on the endangered list.  She believes that there are three ways of helping this issue.  One the wise advice of Socrates and how he believed that reading stopped the advancement of free thought.  Two is Marcel Proust’s quote, “ That which is the end of their [Author’s Name] wisdom is but the beginning of ours, and finally understanding the brain through Modern Cognitive Neuroscience.  In short she is trying to convey how very important it is not to allow the very creation of the digital revolution to be the decline of the next generation.  I can see her point of view and I am an avid reader but I was one of those youth.  It was not until my first semester at college that a wonderful professor exposed me to the wonderful world of ink on paper.  I found her opinion to be valid and I want to promote change so that the reading mind does not diminish but I believe the two worlds can live harmously together, needing one to truly be able to grasp the other.

Article 3: Learning Theory, video games, and popular culture.  By James Gee.  In this article he describes how the humans learn best during imagining or simulating experiences to achieve their goals.  He then describes how the gaming industry has captured that and has designed games that allow people to simulate life experiences by achieving goals in gaming.  It is his belief that by gaming or simulating life experiences it would be beneficial because it would improve human thinking and learning.  As a professor of Literary Studies and his explanation of how this technology can advance human thinking and learning, it makes me want to play a game that will simulate success in my own life.  I enjoyed this article.

Article 4: Usability of websites foe teens.  By Jakob Nielson.  This article was all about how usable websites are for teens.  How they are designed for them and how accessible they are.  It used research to justify its claim that teens use the intranet from doing school assignments to researching medical information.  I found the article to be informative statistically speaking and that I had a lot in common with these teens.  I am in my late twenties but I think anyone who uses the intranet has pretty much the same use for it.  The article was most definitely credible and it had interesting facts but I found it to be a bit of a snooze.