Groundhog day film analysis

It begs the question is there anything that can save you besides you. Groundhog day is, probably, one of the most interesting and memorable movies, starring bill murray and andie macdowell. When it first came out, the title groundhog day simply referred to the fact that this film takes place on groundhog day. Groundhog day is a film that finds its note and purpose so precisely that its genius may not be immediately noticeable.

Groundhog day 1993 groundhog day is a comedy film directed by harold ramis that stars bill murray, andie macdowell, and chris elliot. The spirituality of the film groundhog day is built around the context that each and every individual brings to the table, or in this case the theater or personal home entertainment experience, while watching the film. In an essay entitled groundhog day the movie, buddhism and me, spiritual. Jun 04, 2014 the spirituality of the film groundhog day is built around the context that each and every individual brings to the table, or in this case the theater or personal home entertainment experience, while watching the film. Groundhog day is 25 years old but fittingly eternal the. Stripes, ghostbusters and groundhog day all featuring the late harold ramis onscreen and in the writers. Gilbey celebrates the inspired casting of murray, andie macdowell, and less wellknown actors such as stephen tobolowsky. To his astonishment, phil finds himself trapped in a rerun of his most unfavorite day of the year. Apr 03, 2009 the aim of this paper is to focus on the development of the archetype of the individual shadow throughout the psychological analysis of the main character of groundhog day, a film with bill murray and andie macdowell, directed by harold ramis and released in 1993. Andie macdowell and chris elliott costar groundhog day was a modest success on release and. Phil connors is able to see that there are many beautiful things that are worth living for.

On the whole, the film groundhog day shows how a person can discover meaning in hisher life. Personal redemption holds the key to enlightenment bill murray plays phil connors, the detestable, egotistical weatherman in groundhog day. Although groundhog day starts out as just another hohum bill murray comedy, the film soon switches gears and becomes a deft and innovative comic parable about love, identity, living in the moment, and destiny. Groundhog day film analysis what would you do if you had the chance to relive the same day over and over again. Marmots cant tell us when spring is coming, but they can tell us a lot about how animals will react to changing weather. Vincent during the toronto international film festival. Feb 07, 20 but if one of the marks of a great film is that we can barely remember a time when it wasnt in our lives, then groundhog day passes that test with ease. Remember this is where puxatony phil, the groundhog, decides if there is another six weeks of winter or spring based on if he sees his shadow or not.

Phil connors is a weatherman who has been reporting on groundhogs day annually. As with this paper from italian psychiatrist massimo lanzaro that delves into the symbolic and psychological undertones of the movie groundhog day the shadow is that part of us we fail to see or know, all that we would not want to be, and it is the sum of all those unpleasant parts of our personality that we prefer to keep well. Ethical analysis of the movie was written and submitted by user teagan cantrell to help you with your own studies. Though on the whole a lighthearted comedy, this movie also deals with depression, and phil undertakes a series of suicide attempts. Feb 02, 2014 groundhog day succeeds as a film because of the way it plays with, subverts, and outright mocks the tropes of each of the genres it flirts with. May 05, 2014 before discussing the film i will give a small recap on the plot of the story. The film groundhog day is more than just a romantic comedy, its about selfimprovement, becoming further connected with the people and things around you including yourself. What are the spiritual messages of the movie groundhog day. Its also the exact line of dialogue uttered midway through the film by its lead character phil connors, the snide, superior local. Directed by harold ramis, screenplay by danny rubin and harold ramis. Writer danny rubin and director harold ramis may not have intended the connection. Groundhog day is a magnificent film about what makes us truly human. The year after the film was released, 35,000 people descended upon the village. Groundhog day shows us that people will like us more if we develop a lot of cool skills like piano playing and ice sculpting.

Cult leader keith ranieri was my grade school classmate. This weeks video essay is an analysis of groundhog day, in it we explore what the movie has to say about the meaning of life. Cinematography in groundhog day essay topics, sample papers. An example of an exceptional work of moral fiction is the apparently minor comedy, groundhog day, which shows us a character who has to be exiled from normal life so he can discover that he is in exile from himself. He crafts a report on the groundhog day celebration so eloquent that all the other stations turn their microphones to him. For phil, the nasty, selfcentered weather forecaster played by bill murray in groundhog day, that hell reveals itself one morning in the groundhog capitol of punxsutawney, pa. Phil connors, a weatherman, has a poor outlook on life. Just a place for fans, and for any and all things related to the 1993 harold ramis groundhog day film, starring bill murray, andie mcdowell, chris elliot, stephen tobolowskyand scooter the groundhog. Yet it is very much a film by the man who directed murray with another. As any number of storylines on tv which the film has inspired can attest, there is nothing inherent comedic about.

What caused and ended the time loop in groundhog day. Ive always wondered what caused the time loop experienced by phil connors in groundhog day, as well as what ended it, but i dont recall it being discussed in the movie. Audiences were treated to three free screenings of celebrated murray movies. Of course, groundhog day is about a lot more than that. When chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Phil, who is a weather man for a pittsburgh news station, goes to punxsutawney pennsylvania to cover groundhog day. May 29, 2019 groundhog day is, probably, one of the most interesting and memorable movies, starring bill murray and andie macdowell. The beginning, which takes place in normal time, in which the character is selfcentered and embodies hate of self and others, defense and constriction. The 1993 film shows murray repeatedly experiencing a. Analysis of the film groundhog day 1436 words bartleby.

I try to keep myself up to date, but i do not pretend to know everything. Through his journey of reliving groundhog day repeatedly, phil slowly and reluctantly transforms into a much more likable person. In fact, one of the reasons why groundhog is fully open source because i need others to add their knowledge. They believe that if ritas there, the cycle may be interrupted. Obviously the movies a metaphor for psychoanalysis, because we revisit the. The dialogue is from harold ramis 1993 neobuddhist, modernday purgatorial and archetypal example of practice makes perfect film, groundhog day, starring bill murray. It has been called existential, surreal, loveable, sweet and sentimental, brilliantly imaginative and, by one washington post critic at the time of its release, a movie that will never be designated a national film treasure by the library of congress. Jan 30, 2005 groundhog day is a film that finds its note and purpose so precisely that its genius may not be immediately noticeable. Bill murray called it probably the best work ive done and, 20 years after its release, groundhog day can still take your breath.

The story of groundhog day includes a number of phases. While some people would call it a time travel movie. After covering groundhog day and being stuck in punxsutawney, phil wakes again at 6am to his clock radio playing ive got you babe, the same song a recurring motif of the film as the previous. Groundhog day has long been one of my very favorite movies. Groundhog day succeeds by breaking the rules of every genre. In an essay entitled groundhog day the movie, buddhism and me, spiritual cinema circle cofounder stephen simon calls the film a wonderful human comedy about being given the rare. First structural analysis submitted by mike danson. The legacy film of director harold ramis, who cowrote the script with danny rubin, groundhog day stars bill murray as prima donna pittsburgh weatherman phil connors. What was the cause for the time loop featured in groundhog day, and why did it end. Viewed on the most trivial level its just another hollywood romcom, but on closer inspection it furnishes a dazzling treatment of nietzsches concept of eternal recurrence, even illuminating deleuze and irigaray. Curators of the series, polling some 35 critics in the literary, religious and film worlds to suggest films with religious interpretations, found that groundhog day came up so many times that.

Jun 17, 2018 groundhog day 1993 groundhog day is a comedy film directed by harold ramis that stars bill murray, andie macdowell, and chris elliot. Groundhog day is a movie about a meteorologist, phil, who has to travel to punxsutawney, pennsylvania to cover the annual groundhog day celebration. Phil connors is a tv weatherman who thinks that his current job at a local pittsburgh station is a waste of his talent. Considered as one of the funniest and wellthought films of its era, groundhog day prompts audience not to watch the characters learn but to create personal realizations based on the premise of the story.

Rotten tomatoes has no rating for this film zoom in analysis will give it a 7 out of 10. And sure, the name is appropriate because the whole tradition of groundhog day implies that the flow of time is so fragile that it can be determined by a cute rodent. Before traveling to the festival, phil predicts that the blizzard scheduled to hit the area was no longer a threat. Groundhog is a tool that intends to integrate day and electric lighting. Groundhog day punxsutawney, which only has about 5,500 residents, has seen an uptick in visitors with tourism numbers ranging from 1530,000 depending on what day of the week feb. It unfolds so inevitably, is so entertaining, so apparently effortless, that you have to stand back and slap yourself before you see how good it really is. The point is that the plot of the film gets better and better each time the viewer watches it.

The director harold ramis didnt intend for his movie groundhog day to be heralded by religious thinkers as an example of how to live life, but thats exactly what happened after it. Phil, who is a weather man for a pittsburgh news station, goes to punxsutawney read more. In our modern age, so enamored with selfcentered technocratic utilitarianism and political pragmatism, it is a reminderperhaps one can go so far as to say a revelationof the deeply formative significance of literature, art, and music for our lives. But if one of the marks of a great film is that we can barely remember a time when it wasnt in our lives, then groundhog day passes that test with ease. In this video, we examine how phil is designed to be a character that seems like he could never. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper. After the big groundhog day evening dance, rita and phil retire together to phils room. Groundhog day, directed by the late harold ramis and starring the peerless bill murray, was a solid hit in 1993, but crucially, its been a film with. September 5th 2014th was reserved as bill murray day in toronto canada in support of the world premiere of bill murrays most current comedy st. He has journeyed there to do a remote broadcast about his namesake, the groundhog punxsutawney phil, who every year informs. Movie analysis groundhog day essay example for students. How groundhog day is the ultimate buddhism movie world. He goes to punxsutawney for the annual groundhog day celebration, and ends up getting stuck living the same day over and over again. Groundhog day shows us that there is a really big difference between knowledge about the world and wisdom about how we should use that knowledge.

In a subtle analysis, he unpacks the films remarkable blend of humor and melancholy, revealing groundhog day to be a rare beasta mainstream hollywood comedy that grows richer with each repeat viewing. Before traveling to the festival, phil predicts that the blizzard scheduled to. The film focuses on phil connors, a weatherman stuck in time who is forced to relive the same day over and over. Parents need to know that groundhog day is a 1993 comedy starring bill murray as a smug and selfish weatherman who must live through the same day over and over again until he learns the value of caring about others. Groundhog day stays resolutely romcom and refuses to get bogged down in analysis of phil connors days in punxsutawney 37 of which are seen on screen, though the entirety of his purgatory could. The premise of groundhog day is expertly constructed to drive natural, organic character change. But groundhog day, harold ramiss brilliantly imaginative, wildly funny new comedy. Cinematography in groundhog day free essays, term papers. I warn you, however, that i am a mechanical engineer, with studies in daylighting. The plot of this movie bears resemblance to many mythical narratives describing the transformation of a persons inner world. Is groundhog day one of the great philosophical movies. But groundhog day, harold ramiss brilliantly imaginative. Groundhog day 1993 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.

I remember seeing an interview, somewhere that i cant for the life of me find now, where. From the opening of the 1993 film, there was an effort to provide the ironic background for the films resolution at the end. Bored with his life, he heads up to punxsutawney, pennsylvania, as he does every year on february 2, to report on the groundhog day festival. There is film analysis then there is jungian film analysis. The guys basically an egomaniac, so he definitely isnt impressed when his bosses send him off to the small town of punxsutawney, pennsylvania to cover the annual groundhog day festivities. Groundhog day essay examples and ideas on study boss. The most horrible thing about life is not knowing whats going to happen next. The film groundhog day is an existential film based on the myth of sisyphus. It stars bill murray as phil connors, a tv weatherman who, during an assignment covering the annual groundhog day event, is caught in a time loop, repeatedly reliving the same day. Nov 14, 2008 rotten tomatoes has no rating for this film zoom in analysis will give it a 7 out of 10. There is an old belief that everyone is rewarded with the heaven or hell that he deserves. This pattern repeats for what might actually be weeks, months, or maybe even years.

Or at least thats what we have thought up till now. Jungian analysis of groundhog day go into the story. How groundhog day changed dramatically during development. After covering groundhog day and being stuck in punxsutawney, phil wakes again at 6am to his clock radio playing ive got you babe, the same song a recurring motif of the film as the previous day. For the uninitiated, groundhog day or the black hole of love as. What would you do if you had the chance to relive the same day over and over again. Only bill murray couldve handled the mad concept of groundhog day as well as he did, the brilliant concept and theories behind the film drive the force of the picture. Living an authentic life in the film groundhog day. The groundhog by richard eberhart in richard eberharts poem the groundhog, the author uses his expertise in language to contrast life and death in nature. The ideas, introduced in the film, deserve much attention. With diction and contrasting imagery the author discloses his idea that the world is in constant change. Groundhog day study guide contains a biography of harold ramis, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Groundhog day is a 1993 american fantasy comedy film directed by harold ramis and written by ramis and danny rubin. Assigned, yet again, to cover the groundhog day festivities in punxsutawney, phil descends on the town in a cloud of smug exasperation people are morons.