Morvern Callar (Lynne Ramsay) and A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavettes)

Morvern Callar Palm Pictures 2001 (Lynne Ramsay) BBC Films Company Pictures
-close shots on body parts, scenery, waits to reveal faces
-slowly introduces scene
-main character: reacts to tragedy with denial, self abuse, isolation
-bar/party scene (Ramsay repeats these scenes throughout her films, they are often shot without any direction, "unscripted" and have the feeling of being very real, almost documatary)
-random shots of people at party
-main character sits on the edge of the water outside the party, alone. The sky is gray, fog, dark.
-Carried along by visuals more than dialogue
-Soundtrack consists of character's perspective of listening to a mix tape:
Japanese Cowboy - Ween
I Want More - Can
Fragrance - Can
Goon Gumpas - Aphex Twin
Everything You Do is Broken - Boards of Canada
Spoon - Can
Some Velvet Morning - Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra
Blue Milk - Stereolab
You Can Fall - Broadcast
Cool in the Pool - Holgar Czukay
Double Speed Mayhem - 303 Nation
Hold of Death - Lee "Scratch" Perry
Cind Eram de '48 - Taraf de Haidouks
Nannou - Aphex Twin
Cordevesa and Tranguillo - Amor Juan Jose Sanches Cruz and friends
Dedicated to the One I Love - The Mamas and the Papas


A woman Under the Influence (John Cassavettes)
-Opens contrasting two main characters in their respective environments
-Very slowly builds tension
-Relies heavily on dialogue
-Acting is unscripted in some scenes, very well done, very intense
-Creates empathy for main character by showing her struggling alone, and the awkwardness of her interactions with people
-Very real feeling - almost voyeuristic and uncomfortable