Critical Study Flashcards
What does Murrow say television is proving?
“…evidence of decadence, escap-ism and insulation from the realities of the world in which we live” (Murrow, wires and lights in a box, beginning)
What does Murrow say about his audience?
“We are currently wealthy, fat, comfortable and complacent. We have a built-in allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information…” (Murrow, wires and lights in a box, beginning)
What is television being used for?
“…television, in the main, is being used to distract, delude, amuse and insulate us”
What characterises the limitation of television and media?
“This instrument can teach…lluminate, and… even inspire. But….only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends.” (Murrow, Wires and lights in a box, ending)
Why were people scared of standing up to McCarthy?
“… for fear they too would be targeted.” (Beginning title card)
Why does Murrow say we should not be afraid?
“We are not descended from fearful men…Not from men who feared to defend the causes that were, for the moment, unpopular.” - Murrow
What is Clooney’s basic context?
The war on terror creates by 9/11. Governments were recording people’s private lives, and there was mass fear surrounding the other, in this instance those of middle eastern appearances.
What does George bush say that influences Clooney’s context?
‘you are with us, or you are with the terrorists’, well balanced unbiased media coverage was viewed as a sort of treason.
What reason did Clooney give for making GNGL?
“I wrote because I was mad, because I was being called a traitor to my country, because I said we should ask questions before we send people to war, and I found a way to express that in film.”
What are the three contexts of GNGL?
Ed Murrow - McCarthyism, cold war, fear of communists.
Clooney - war on terror, fear of the other
Current - fear of cancel culture, can’t speak out against anything popular for fear of being ridiculed by mass media.
What is the effect of the black and white aesthetic of the film?
Adds to the form as a docu drama, as it enables Clooney to use archival footage.
Symbolises the lack of nuance allowed in political opinion during both Murrow’s context and Clooney’s context.
Joe and Shirley Wershba’s significance?
The secrecy of their relationship stood as a symbol for the secrecy during the time. Just as the relationship of the two was known for ages, so was the foolishness of the hysteria surrounding communism. But as Mcarthy lost power to quieten these doubts, the knowledge of the two characters relationship was also revealed.
Messages from the jazz music
Used to say things that others were scared to say;
“So darling don’t be wise, keep your eyes on me.”
“I’m watching you.”
