COMP 1B: Captain Fantastic overview Flashcards
What award did Ross win at the Cannes Film Festival?
Best director
The film was also recognized as one of the top ten independent films of 2016 by the National Board of Review.
What key themes are established in the opening scene of the film?
Masculinity, family, affinity with nature
What is significant about the dinner scene from 44:08 to 49:36?
Juxtaposition between the two families and different approaches to parenting
How does the cinematography establish the grandeur of the natural world?
Using extreme long shots of long duration
What does the framing of Ben in the rear view mirror signify?
His isolation even from his family
What is expressed through the contrast between the wide shot of the landscape and the close-up of Ben?
Ben’s distress for the first time in the narrative
What does Ben shaving his beard and Bo shaving her head symbolize?
Lifestyle changes and transitions in identity
How do the family’s costumes contrast with modern society?
Brightly colored clothes at the funeral defy traditions
What does Jack refer to Ben as during the funeral scene?
Some hippy in a clown outfit
What is the significance of the lighting in the basketball court scene?
It lends gravity to a difficult conversation about whether Ben is dangerous
What narrative structure does the film adhere to?
Continuity editing
What happens during Ben’s hallucinations of Leslie?
Visual softness, choral religious music, and lighting effects
What does diegetic music symbolize in the film?
Rellian’s rebellion and assertion of individuality
What does playing bagpipe music on the bus suggest?
They are an army going into battle
What do train sounds signify when Bo looks through his university acceptance letters?
Impending conflict and anxiety
How does Rellian express his desire to fit into society?
By asking why they can’t celebrate Christmas like the rest of the world
What does the film explore regarding different approaches to parenting?
It challenges all approaches, ultimately letting the children decide how they want to be raised
How are gender roles portrayed in the film?
Tasks are not gendered; children perform the same tasks and are taught the same skills
Who influenced Matt Ross in his direction of the film?
Simen Johan
What shooting style did Matt Ross choose to create immersion?
Handheld shooting
What did Matt Ross aim to achieve in the film’s emotional tone?
Create something psychically hopeful
What does Owen Gleiberman comment on regarding contemporary political culture?
The left and the right in America are selling different versions of anti-establishment fervor
What role did word-of-mouth play in the film’s success?
It contributed to its wider release after positive reviews
How does the film encourage identification with Ben?
Through key moments of grief, such as his hallucinations of his deceased wife
What are the two different approaches to life represented in the film?
Ben’s and Jack’s approaches
What critique does the film offer about contemporary American society?
Americans are over medicated and under educated
What is emphasized in the children’s education?
Diversity in education, including academic subjects and survival skills
What anti-authority message is portrayed in the film?
Children pretend to be a Christian cult to disconcert a police officer
