the groundhog day project

I've mentioned, of course, how one of my papers this fall quarter was on the cinematic Christ-Figure. I shared a bit of it a while back . That section got broken up a little and there was a separate introductory bit added and... well, don't worry, I'm not going to share the whole paper. The prospectus actually worked out well enough, that doing the research is doable. So, I'll hold onto it for now. That being said, I'd like to take a position today that would probably be a part of my conclusions in the final paper that would come from that research. See, the scale I plan to use-- (Keep in mind, the prospectus was supposed to be written as if we intended to go ahead with the research afterward, and so I will also write of it here in the same terms. So, when I say "I plan" to use" this scale, imagine it, if you must, as "were I to go ahead with this research, I would use." I will necessarily be writing in definitive terms for brevity while e...

Our score so far: (If you're just joining us, today's entry is part two of Phil as Christ-figure, using the 25 "structural elements of the cinematic Christ-figure" from Anton Karl Kozlovic's "How to Create a Hollywood Christ-Figure: Sacred Storytelling as Applied Theology," Australian eJournal of Theology 13:1 (2009).) 1: "tangible, visible and colourful characters" - check 2: "central protagonists" - check 3: "typically outsiders" - check 4: "arrive [by] outside intervention" - check 5: "have alter egos" - not really 6: "very special, rare and unusual beings" - check 7: "have... twelve intimate friends-cum-associates" - check, though I may have to list these again to make the 12 clear: Ned Buster Buster's Wife Ralph Gus Doris Debbie Fred Chubby Man Old Lady #1 Old Lady #2 Old Lady #3 There are changes from yesterday; notably I removed Felix (and his wife) to include Ralph ...

Speaking of religion... well, I was a couple entries ago . Speaking of religion, the use of angels in Groundhog Day makes for an interesting take on things... maybe more interesting than the mention of Joyce Kilmer's "Trees" but why harp on that again? (And, no I did not intend a pun there with the harp bit.) Anyway, first angel: there's an angel statue in the front lawn of the bed and breakfast. I think Michael Foley would see that as evidence that Phil has a guardian angel watching over him from the start of the time loop all the way to February 3rd. I hope it's a fox... (And, that will perhaps be the most dated reference in this whole blog when historians study it in the future. [Seriously, reading this entry again nearly two years later, it took me a moment to figure it out.]) And, that angel is visible again right before Rita goes into the bed and breakfast on date night. And, again at the end of the film. Second angel: well, in dialogue, Phil tells...