Jocelyn Hetrick's Casablanca Blog

When I first began watching Casablanca I thought it was going to be extremely difficult to stay interested throughout the movie: one being because it is a black and white movie and two because it is also a very old movie. However, once it actually started I was able to watch it until the end. It was not too bad for being an older movie; however, it was not a movie that I would ever watch again.

 I can see where other movies took ideas about the love triangle and other aspects from. I noticed throughout various camera angles, but it was difficult for me to see and understanding  the lighting and color aspects because it is in black and white, so there is not much contrast. During the goodbye scene at the end the director used an extreme close-up to relate intense feeling to the audience and also blurry white background to ensure the focus is on the main characters.

            This movie is different than any movie created today. I completely agree with James Berardinelli when he said “if Casablanca was made in today's climate, Rick and Ilsa would escape on the plane after avoiding a hail of gunfire.” It is extremely true. Today’s films are focused primarily on the happy ending, which is one of the reason’s people may find Casablanca so intriguing and classical.

            Watching this film shows how much it has developed over the years. If this film was created today it would have contained much more complicated shots and angles, and much better graphics. Although it would not have been a movie I would have picked, it was not a bad film to watch and I learned a lot from where film began and now have a better appreciation for it.