Underground

While the imagery and political tensions portrayed in the film were accurately represented in the movie, Underground, the film's excessive noise made the story difficult to follow. More simply, it was distracting. However, in the purpose of analyzing film, I feel Underground's outrageous prescence of sound was an intentional parallel to the setting, and to the film's interpersonal relationships. Here, sound operates as a bridge to the audience, allowing us to connect our own "discomfort" with the film's erratic nature, to that of the War.
Additionally, the characters themselves are unorthodox. Though admittedly impacted on many levels, their response to the political unrest (and to each other), seems to echo the slap-stick comedy of "The 3 Stooges." Much like the use of sound, their personalities lack a certain tranquility.
The aforementioned examples create a conflict between what the audience should ideally feel, and what is felt. Undeground's method of presentation, challenges the audience's ability to fully symphathize with these characters.

Underground

I found Underground to be full of irony, a bit difficult to follow, and full of energy. The irony comes from the fact that the film is categorized as a comedy when the story it’s trying to tell is so tragic. The energy, fast paced action, blaring trumpets, and exaggerated humor creates such a busy and confusing atmosphere that you forget that this is a time of great sadness. I believe this dark, twisted commotion felt on screen by the viewer is parallel to the consciousness of the Yugoslavian citizen. The seriousness of the war is masked over by the need to cause commotion. Despite all the activity, the film has moments when the humorous, energetic mood plunges into one of deep sadness: when younger Brother cries because his zoo is destroyed or when Vera dies after giving birth to her baby.

In the film "Underground" chaos seems to be the norm. The characters Blacky and Marco act incredibly calm though amidst these fierce and violent displays of chaos. It seems that the characters are trying to keep aspects of normalcy in their every day lives of unordinary circumstances. An example of this is in the beginning of the film in which Blacky is eating his breakfast, ignoring the external events going around him. This film shows how characters in times of war and desperate situations, try to live their lives positively and nonchalantly. The film downplays instances of death such as the dead animals at the zoo. Through this display of horrible situations being taken so light-heartidly, one can see the true awfulness of World War II Europe.

Kusturica’s Underground

In Kusturica’s Underground, the conflicts are given a comedic and almost sarcastic touch through the aesthetics of the movie during what typically would be a stressful moment. The character Blacky typically gives the most comedic relief in these stressful situations. For example, when Blacky's town is being bombed at the beginning of the film, Blacky continues to eat his meal without alarm in a comedic way as dust from the ceiling is shaking off onto him and his plate. Another instance occurs when Blacky steals Natalia from the stage on his back with a rope and shoots a man in the front row of the audience. While all of this is occuring, Blacky is cracking jokes and pretending to be an actor to the grand amusement of his friend Marco (which causes us to know it is fine to laugh as well). So Kusturica’s Underground gives us the contemporary "let it be," cool, calm, and collected humor we love in a historical WWII/Cold War context.

Underground

The turmoil surrounding the events in the film "Underground" is juxtaposed against the striking imagery and the manic nature of the film's characters, Blacky and Marko. The film traces their friendship through World War I, the Cold War and through the Yugoslavian Wars. This juxtaposition is seen when a marching band follows Blacky around wherever he goes almost creating a playful nature throughout the film. This is suggesting the citizens' state of mind during the different periods of history the film covers. That playful nature and the cinematography added an extra life to the characters that was needed in order to keep the film from falling into a dreary film with no hope.

Sucker Punch

Amid the civil turmoil happening in the movie, Undergound, there is almost a breath of fresh air behind the stinking corruption and rebelled nature of each character. Blacky and Marko offer a satirical presence to all of the chaos erupting in the middle of war. You see this mainly from Blacky, especially in the beginning of the movie when they were first being bombed by the Germans. His town was being blown to smithereens and yet he is focused on eating and it is only until his meal gets interrupted that he gets up and grabs his gun. Marko presents himself as the more respectable of the two, not as disruptive but equally difficult to predict what will come next. However, together, their collective, outlandish and explicit actions implicitly offer a sense of pride and nationalism. Underground may be coming from all different angles, but it shows a people united, behind a single cause. Surrounded by tension and conflict, Blacky and Marko find themselves in situations where they are contrasting what is happening. They are the comic relief, however, their beliefs are serious matters. They are rebels, they won't stand for an occupation by the Germans, which is seen through Blacky's murdering of Franz in the middle of Natalia's play. The conscious of the play is only seen and understood if you fight through the absurdity of Marko and Blacky, all of their antics are mere "sucker-punches" to the war, to those against them, but their cause is one of unity and revolution, all behind one nation.

Underground by Kusturica

Underground presents a consciousness of Yugoslavian nationalism. As a foreigner watching the film, you can’t help but feel like you are a citizen of Belgrade and behind these heroes named Marko and Blacky. Upon watching the first segment I wanted to stand up and yell “Fascist Motherfuckers!” Kusturica does a great job of protagonizing the Communist party. The random documentary footage also gives the movie a huge sense of legitimacy. The movie is aesthetically enhanced as a comedy by the unusual and uncanny details that are elaborated throughout the movie during seemingly serious scenes. One example is the duck picking at the Tiger’s face after a whole zoo was destroyed by an air raid. Another example is the giddy behavior of the movie’s antagonist, Nazi officer Franz.All of these schemes create comic relief for this war based film.

Post Prompt: Underground

The film "Underground" is a fascinating film that takes place in Yugaslavia around the same time as World War II. This film is interesting because this was obviously a tragic and dangerous time period in the country during this time yet there are many comical moments that take place. There were scenes where bombings were taking place and some of the character's shown were simply ignoring what was going on as if it was something that happened on a regular basis. One man was even questioned by his wife why he was continuing to eat even though there was obvious chaos going outside and his response was "out of spite". This was such a tragic event and many people in the film were almost ignoring what was going on and trying to make the best out of it, or so it seemed. The film was educational in the fact that this did happen and even shows real war footage combined with the actual movie. The humor combined with this horrible event is an interesting combination but also makes the movie more enjoyable to watch; spite the difficulties the country and individuals face, most of the characters followed in the movie seem to not be too depressed about it. Most of the bombing and war scenes have loud and entertaining music that, at times, make it seem like an over dramatic thriller than a depressing war movie; which a movie over subject matter like this would probably be. The way this film was written and put together is appealing because of the subject matter; though there is much controversy about it, it is a film, which is an art, and there should be no boundaries or any negative connotation associated with it. The mood is set because of the strange behavior and dialogue these people engage in in such a difficult and heart breaking time period. The characters are extremely sane for the situations that happen to them and Marko and Blacky engage in behaviors that do not seem like natural reactions to how a normal human would act and feel during an event like this, but then again, this is a movie; the bizarre and crazy behavior of the characters mixed in with the fast-paced music, and real life war scenes create a fascinating way to tell the story during this time. It's ironic that a film taking place between a depressing time in Yugoslavia's history would be funny, but that makes the film that much more absurd.

Underground Response

The film Underground depicts two friends in the country of Yugoslavia going through WWII and the Cold War. The film contrasts the serious nature of these events with the comedic antics of the two main characters, Marko and Blacky. Much of the film is shown with a big band following the main characters, which adds to the lightheartedness of the film despite the seriousness of the events going on around them. The main characters almost treat most of these things as backburners to what they consider more pressing matters in their life. For example, during a scene in the beginning of the film, Blacky, who's house is being bombed at the time, is arguing with his wife about whether or not he's cheating on her. It's a trivial matter, considering the circumstances, but I think that the creators of the film do this to show that you don't have to take things so seriously. Rather than focus on the bad things going around them, the main characters live their lives as is, which encourages its viewers to do the same.

Familiar Chaos

As I sat and watched Underground there appeared to me to be this reoccurring theme or utter chaos, and not in a chaotic type of way, but in a very familiar and usual fashion which seemed remarkably bizarre to me. Even in the opening scene there is chaos. There are obviously inebriated men firing their weapons at random with a band playing hastily behind their rushing horses. The next scene is in a zoo where animals seem to begin to grow frantic and immediately following that is sheer chaos as the small town begins to be bombed and blown to pieces. However, within all this chaos, the character Blacky seems to be in no way taken aback. He goes right on eating his meal and intends on finishing it. There seems to be some level of strange normality amidst all the chaos.

This is a theme brought back over and over throughout the film and interestingly enough, it usually has something to do with alcohol and the two main characters, Blacky and Marko. From scene to scene, they are depicted in outrageous situations where they seem to thrive in, with of course their faithful companion, alcohol.

underground response

The film “Underground” presents an interesting perspective on World War II. We always hear about the persecution of the Jewish people, so it is refreshing to see a new point of view during this period in history. The film is a combination of realistic and fantastical elements; love and war; humor and fear.

Humor is a crucial component of this movie because it relieves the tension and conflict created by war. For example, Blacky’s declaration of love onstage to Natalija in the midst of Nazi officers creates a comedic situation despite the danger. Viewers almost forget that the movie is based upon history because they get caught up laughing at the situations that the characters find themselves in—kidnapping brides, rescuing monkeys, and all with a lively band playing in the background. Humor is a way for the audience and characters to cope with devastation upon their homes and lifestyle because of war. However, the inclusion of documentary footage brings us back to reality. My favorite parts of the movie were these real-life clips.

Trumpets Blasting

Aesthetically I think "Underground" was enhanced by the constant upbeat music. While the band following Marko and Blacky around was a little odd at first it added a sense of passion and exuberance to what they were doing, like they didn't care who heard them because they were going to do it either way. It also kept the action moving, the band helped the characters move from scene to scene with less effort and connected many of the scenes that may have otherwise lacked proper transition (cause let's face it that movie was ALL over the place). The enthusiasm of the music complimented the outgoing personalities of Blacky and Marko and the way they chose to deal with an obviously hectic time.

Underground

In the film "Underground" the characters focus seems to be maintaining sanity of everyday life while in wartime. Satire and hyperbole are very present in every aspect of the film. Instead of shielding and protecting themselves during the bombings the characters carry on with normal activities such as dancing or eating breakfast. The criminal events of the main characters Blacky and Marko are a large part of the plot what seems to be unusual is their ability to get away with the crimes and not be punished. The film is also very graphic with all the dead animals from the bombings which is really sad. There were a lot of animals involved in the movie. Ivan kept many animals from the zoo and Blacky used a black cat to clean his shoes which could be seen as a symbol of his criminal activity and behavior.The main characters were also unable to trust each other. Blacky had a wife and a girlfriend, Marko eventually stole Blacky's girlfriend. Marko and Blacky also took advantage of the workers making them believe the war was still happening in order to get free labor.

Underground

The 1995 film, "Underground" follows the lives of two men through the history of Yugoslavia starting with WWII progressing to the Cold War, and then lastly through the Yugoslav wars. The overall consciousness of the movie directs itself towards the manic state of people of power during periods of strife and hardship.The sections that we watched seemed to portray a wronged nation seeking justice, and it also comments on the state of people's minds when at war. For example, a noisy marching band follows Blacky around wherever he goes whenever he is in a situation where he commands power. Aesthetically the movie creates tension through the use of loud music and crazily hectic scenes, such as the scene where Marko and Blacky are celebrating Jovan's 3rd birthday and a brawl begins because two people are suspected to be traitors. Mood is subtly expressed through satirical-like mockery of Nazis and also Partisans, who act in strange behaviors. The scene where Blacky sits around eating during the bombing of his city, is a good example of this strange behavior. His disgruntled wife asks him during the bombing, "How can you just sit there and eat?" and he replies, "What, do you want me to die hungry?" This kicks off the movie with a feeling of unease, due to characters responding in abnormal ways to extremely serious events. The mixture of the documentary scenes overlaid with the characters demonstrates that, in the movie, Yugoslavia was going through actual realtime war events, yet the way the characters respond is far from any type of reality. This can be seen as commentary about people during war, and how Yugoslavia may have been during the hard times in its history.

Underground

In the movie "Underground," there is a vast amount of turmoil occurring all at once throughout the whole film. What intrigued me was the imagery that the film uses; I realized that there was a lot of animals involved in the film whether they be the direct focus of the scene or in the background. The film starts off with a zoo scene and all the animals are going crazy while the bombs are being dropped from above. For me, this scene really set the tone for the rest of the film because it exposed the turmoil and devastation that would be going on throughout. To me it instilled in me the idea that if the poor animals are acting helpless, the humans going through these arduous times must be reacting the same or perhaps even worse. I found it ironic how Blacky strangles a black cat at one point of the film considering his name. I saw this as symbolism; the fact that he strangles this black cat foretells that Blacky himself will be putting himself into situations that will end up leaving him at a very troublesome time in his life. Another thing I noticed was the fact that there is almost always a live band following Blacky and Marko around playing music at the more heightened parts of the film. I saw this as a way of highlighting the main point of the movie for the audience to remember them.

Underground

In the film "Underground", there is a mixture of serious themes with satirical humor. The characters undergo real-life issues as they experience a war, yet most of them, such as Marco and Blacky, are always goofing around or not handling certain situations with what one would normally deem appropriate. An image below that exemplifies this is Ivan on the bike. Vera is having a baby without her husband at her side and a war right outside her window. This situation probably did occur during this war itself, as babies would be born regardless of the circumstances, and was probably very terrifying for the mother and those around her. Even though some characters handled the situation appropriately, Ivan is picked up on a bike, peddling to create light so they can help give birth to the child. The image is humorous to the point that it is almost ridiculous. In a situation where I should have been concerned for the mother and her child, I was laughing at a man on a bicycle. This is just one example of the exaggerated and chaotic scenes in the movie. This slapstick comedy seems to be there to present to the viewer just how insane and tragic the time period really was for this who lived through it. The exaggerated craziness between the characters mixed in with there serious situations seems to be there to explain how Yugoslavia was at the time and make an impact on the viewer so something similar will not happen again.

Underground

The 1995 film, "Underground", portrays Yugaslavia during and after World War II. WWII was obviously disastrous and in European countries like Yugoslavia even more so. The constant uncertainty and deadly attacks definitely took their tole on the overall society in Yugoslavia. Based on the trailer for the film, it looks like it takes a satirical and somewhat slapstick approach to the portrayal of these times but does so to point at more serious issues. The trailer is a collage of calamitous...chaos; from swinging on chandeliers to smashing bottles on heads and dancing on tanks, all accompanied by a deafening marching band. All of these absurd images in the context of WWII remind me of the novel "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller. I haven't seen "Underground" but I would not be surprised if it was stylistically similar in using absurdism to juxtapose the foolishness of war. Many surrealistic images like the band under water or the piece of land floating away could be indicative of this societies detachment from their accustomed reality.

Underground

In the film, "Underground", the chaos around the characters caused from the turmoil of World War II, has a deep psychological effect on the witnesses of the charnage. The characters in the film all seemed a little bit "off their rocker", and their exaggerated psychotic actions are more than likely an interpretation of the crazy lengths people in this age went to in order to survive and function during war. Marko and Peter obviously share a unique friendship at the onset of the film, as the ride in a carriage together and shoot at the marching band behind them. It seems that every time Peter's thoughts are clouded or inebriated by alcohol when he's trying to have fun during war, the band is right behind him, blaring trumpets and tubas around him. I think it brings good imagery to what drove the character's actions. He ignored the crazy war by drinking, having fun, and reliving experiences one would have out of war time.

Despite the obvious deranged plot twists in the film, each character seems to maintain a seemingly sane and mutual understanding of the importance to survive. People live underground, labor together as a community, and steal just to keep surviving while their country land above them is riddled with craters.

"Underground" succeeds in portraying the balance between sanity and survival for the individuals actually struggling through World War II by providing comedy in dramatic circumstances.