Comenius Multirateral Project 21st century Hazards 4th meeting in Portugal

1. Comenius Multirateral Project 21st century Hazards 4th meeting in Portugal Guimaraes, September 2012 Dimitris Papacharalampous M.Ed., Ph.D. Special Lyceum of Athens

2. The Representation of Floods and Tsunamis in Cinema Lesson Plan

3. Hellenic history and culture, from ancient times till today, has been closely connected with Hydrological Hazards: • -Hellen, was the son of Deucalion and Pyrrha , the couple that survived the flood that Zeus sent to punish humans. • -The destruction of Minoan Civilization in Crete was caused by giant tidal waves that were created by the eruption of the Santorini volcano in 1600 BC. • Great tidal waves occur in Greece every 80-90 years. • Flooding of cities and fields is a common phenomenon even nowadays due to heavy rain, river tide, deffective draining e.t.c.

4. Water The source of life and also the source of a cathartic end Flood A very popular, global mythological and literature motif, that is connected with the ending and the beginning of a new historical era Exmples: Deucalion, and Pyrrha (Greek Mythology), Manu( Hindu Mythology), Gilgamesh(Sumerian Mythology), Noah (Genesis)

5. Noah’s Arc-1999 Noah’s Arc-1928 Evan Almighty- 2007

6. The importance of the representation of natural phenomena in cinema Many times our attitude towards natural phenomena or our behavior when we cope with them, is not based on our knowledge and our personal experience, but on our reception of them through art and mass media. Example: Our fear of sharks is not based on facts or on our experience, but on films such us “Jaws” that have inscribed the fear on our unconscious.

7. Lesson Objectives • Students are expected • a. to enhance their knowledge about floods and tsunamis and check the information cinema provides about them • b. to realise • the cultural significance • of their representation in cinema • the psychological, aesthetic and • ideological purposes this representation serves • -the way cinema shapes our conscious or unconscious attitude towards these phenomena • and the natural environment in general.

8. Duration :5 class hours Class C1 of Lyceum/ 6 students The lessons took place in the computer lab. Phase A (1 class hour) During phase A the students were asked to search and watch in Youtube flood/tsunami movie scenes.

9. Phase B (4 class hours) • During phase B the students chose • the most interesting scenes. • They were asked • - to watch again carefully the selected scenes • - to identify the cause of the hydrological disaster • - to examine • the scientific accuracy of its representation • b. the geographical, historical, ideological • and psychological context • narrative and cinematic aspects • -to share their conclusions

10. We studied scenes from the movies: Tsunami Hereafter/ Clint Eastwood/ 2010 Deep Impact/ Mimi Leder/ 1998 The Day after Tomorrow/R. Emmerich /2004 Killer Wave/ Bruce Mc Donald/2007 Tidal Wave/Yoon Ye Koon/2009 Flood O Brother where art thou/ Cohen Brothers /2000 The Weeping Meadow/ Th. Aggelopoulos/2004 Killer Flood - The Day The Dam Broke /D. Campbell /2003

11. Hereafter/ Clint Eastwood/ 2010

12. Students’ Conclusions • -Tsunami/Earthquake/Thailand • Realistic representation • -Real event(2004) • Emotions: Surprise-> Panic/Fear-> Agony-> Disappointment, sorrow (similar between heroes and spectators) Hereafter/ Clint Eastwood/ 2010 Our emotional involvement follows the shot succession: wide shots, medium shots, point of view shots, close-up

13. -Narration focus on woman and child -> Increase of emotional charge. Nature vs Culture (hotels, village, cars) Nature prevails Tsunami is a symbol of: a.the Invincible/Destructive Power of Nature b. the Unavoidable Destiny/The Fatal Chance c. the Double Dimension of Nature (Life/Death)

14. This scene reverses in our unconscious • the image of the sea • and the image of the “idyllic” Asian resorts: • a. Beach is not only a place of joy and carelessness, but also a place of threat and death. • b.Thailand is not only an ideal place for holidays, • but also a dangerous place.

15. O Brother where art thou/ Brothers Cohen/2000

16. Students’ Conclusions -Flood, part of a hydroelectric project -USA, Mississippi Area/1930’s -Not realistic representation: 1.Flooding a valley is a slow process. 2.The valley should have been evacuated. O Brother where art thou/ Cohen/ 2000 3. The fugitives should have got drowned. -Emotions:Agony->Hope->Surprise-> Agony->Relief-> (black) Humor (saved by the coffin) The genre of the film (comedy) secures their survival.

17. -The flood does not represent nature because it is caused by men Flood is a symbol of a.The Divine intervention (Miracle) b.The Evolution of Human Culture and Technology. The prevalence of reason. c.The Saving Chance d.The Absurdity that rules the cinematic world of Cohen Bros or the world in general. ( The cow on the roof)

18. The Weeping Meadow/ Th. Aggelopoulos / 2004

19. The Weeping Meadow/ Th. Aggelopoulos/2004 Students’ Conclusions -Flood due to heavy rain and the land morphology/ Greece / 1920’s -Emotions: Grief/ Pity for the villagers. -No camera (long shots only) or narrative focus on persons.

20. Controversy over the scene: -Critics:We are distracted by the long shots and the aesthetic perfection of the scene. The flood seems not so destructive or fatal because it gives us a chance for cinematic pleasure. We do not focus on the emotions of people, but on their slow synchronized movements and the choreographed movements of the boats. - Students’ opinion:We are moved by the melancholic rhythm of camera, music, people and boats. We feel empathy, emotional identification with the whole community.

21. Flood is a symbol of the Historical Process. For Angelopoulos there is no plain fate or chance or plain natural phenomena. All these have social, economical, political, historical consequences. They are part of the history.

22. Thank you!