Key Concepts of American Civilization(project)IntroductionThe aim of this project is to show some approaches to key concepts of American Civilization in different movies. The concepts which I am going to analyze are THE ROAD and THE FRONTIER AND THE WEST. I will describe how the concepts are used in those movies, whether they are used in a traditional sense, slightly reinterpreted or maybe totally different than they used to be in the past. Materials used in this project include photos, screenshots and words.
The MoviesThe Highwaymen (2019), directed by John Lee HancockNeed For Speed (2014), directed by Scott Waugh The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), directed by Andrew DominikBack to the Future: Part III (1990), directed by Robert ZemeckisThe Highwaymen (2019)Short review2978150205613000The Highwaymen follows the story of two detectives who brought down Bonnie and Clyde. The most important thing about the movie is that it does not focus on the famous outlaws but on Frank Hamer (Kevin Costner) and Maney Gault (Woody Harrelson), whose job was to catch them.
When FBI and the latest forensic technology are not enough to catch Bonnie and Clyde, two former Texas Rangers (U.S statewide investigative law enforcement agency) who are Hamer and Gault are chosen to use their old school skills and get the job done. center6744489The star-studded movie directed by John Lee Hancock was produced by Netflix and had its premiere in 2019. It’s based on real characters and does not glorify Bonnie and Clyde, it shows them for what they really were ” criminals. Genre: crime, dramaThe Key ConceptThe RoadLet’s start with the title ” The Highwaymen. The title suggests that the main characters which are Frank Hamer and Maney Gault are the men of the highway, it’s like a title which was given to them because they are no longer Texas Rangers. To be clear, they are called special highway assignments as a branch of police force. The opening scene6249936937594In the opening scene we can see a car which is driving very fast on the empty road. It’s not Hamer’s or Gault’s car. The driver is Clyde Barrow and the passenger is Bonnie Parker. In this scene indicates that the outlaws are using the car as their main form of transportation and they rarely leave it. They are always on the run and do everything in order not to be caught. Hamer’s and Gault’s roadHamer was visited by the governor’s deputy and he made a decision that he wants to catch Bonnie and Clyde. But he didn’t want to do it alone. He visited his old friend Maney Gault and eventually they both ended up on the road.You know how it goes. I gotta live the way they do. This case, that means sleeping in the car, driving thousands of miles a week ” Hamer is aware of the fact that in order to catch the outlaws he needs to be constantly on the move.They are driving throughout the states and they stop only to get new information about the criminals. The road is their new home. They need to follow Bonnie and Clyde, visit every place which the couple visits and never rest. 978097bottom00The concept of the road is redefined here in some way. Highwaymen are on the road because they have a specific purpose, they are driving because of the work which they have to do, not because they want fun. It’s very dangerous, they don’t know whether they will come back home or not. The road in the movie also symbolizes life. It means that the road is a process of life, being in the constant movement without knowing what to expect and what is to come. Hamer and Gault had to trust the road and believe that by driving they will catch Bonnie and Clyde and it meant a lot to them. They decided that they will stay on the road until their job is done, it means that they were prepared to lead the life of the highwaymen as long as they will have to. When it comes to death, the only right way to die was to die on the road. righttopThe last sceneTheir job was done. They killed Bonnie and Clyde because they had to do it in order to stop those criminals. In the last scene we see Hamer and Gault driving away. They can finally come back home and no longer be on the road. They leave this empty road with the feeling of exhaustion but also relief that they finally made it. They will always feel like The Highwaymen because the road had a big impact on them, they realized the nature of life. Need For Speed (2014)-4420702017613Short reviewTobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) is a mechanic but also takes part in illegal race-car driving. He wants to have his revenge against his enemy Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) who had him framed and sent to prison for manslaughter. Released from prison two years later, Marshall plots to prove that he’s the best and wants to have his revenge by winning the De Leon race. But there are some complications because the police are still keeping and eye on him. Finally, when the day of the race has come, Tobey Marshall is ready to do everything that he can. Rivalry is hard but Tobey has chances to win the race. When he sees that his enemy’s car crashed and caught fire, Marshall decides to help the driver. They finish the race by driving to the finish line at the same time. They are both arrested for street racing, but Marshall’s enemy Brewster confesses to killing the man and proves that Marshall was innocent.Need For Speed is based on a popular computer game which has the same title. center7310076Genre: action, crime, thrillerThe Key Concept The RoadThe title is very significant for the general understanding of the movie. It basically says what the movie is about. Need For Speed ” the need to drive very fast, the need to be in a constant movement. The main character feels the urge to speed throughout the roads of America.