Anthony Uniejewski Casablanca Blog

               Casablanca was a huge change to the way people made movies. Also there are so many quotes used in today’s language that came from a movie that was released in 1943! “Here’s looking at you kid”. At the end of the film when Ilsa is about to get on the plane, Rick says, “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday….”; and this is a classic line used in so many movies today. In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Michelangelo used the line about the plane. That is just one example of so many other movies that use lines from this movie.

                When I say that it changes the way people make movies, this means that the angles, the lighting, and even the way dialogue is performed all comes from a basis of this movie. I read a movie review and the man said that the way “Rick” talks was used in movies just because he came off as threatening, mature, and “cool”.

                My favorite scene from this film is at the very end when they get to the airport. So much happens that impacted the film. Rick confesses his love for her to everyone and he shoots and kills the German General. This changed the way people view and make films as well because it taught them to create suspense and have a dramatic conclusion to the story. Not only was there a romance but there was action at the end as well. Some people look at the film and say how poorly it was directed or how bad it is for today’s standards, well in 1943 this movie was “top of the line” and is a classic still today.

                I loved this film. I thought that is was directed perfectly. Obviously technology has come a long way since then, but for back then the acting was spectacular and the setting was set up very well. I have a complaint about the movie though. My only issue with the movie is that the timing was off with the actors and actresses. What I mean is that you could tell the actors were anticipating what was going to happen and the jump too early, or the respond too quickly. Other than that everything else was good. Like is said previously, in my opinion the best scene of the movie is when they get to the airport and he says his quote about getting on the plane.

                The camera angles varied slightly. It is hard to tell because the technology now dwarfs the technology back then. There were some shots that showed intimidation and others that were wide and telephoto shots. They were all hard to pick out the first time I watched the film. After I reviewed it and watched it again it seemed to come together a little better.

                The review that I read said that people try to remake this film all the time, but it never comes out to be as successful or just plain old good as the original film. This is one of those movies that won’t be remade easily if at all.