Introduction II-Some more thoughts to begin the journey
The ultimate Artist has created us to appreciate beauty, to be emotionally stirred by our surroundings. We should not be calloused to Him using things of this world to move our hearts. This is by no means an excuse to ignore our conscience, but it is a call to admire the abilities He has given to create such masterpieces. Don’t be afraid to watch things that challenge you. Some movies do not entertain us, but provoke us. They force anger or fear out of us; that’s okay. Perhaps, that is the point. Allow your reactions to fester. Discuss them with someone. Talk about them here.
I believe that perhaps the most powerful effect of art, and in this case more specifically film, is the power to stimulate thought and, in turn, spur discussion. It has always been my hope that film viewers will not merely watch, but listen, feel, and respond to what they see or hear. Armageddon may carry a similar message as Casablanca, but the presentation of one is so greatly superior to the other that, I for one, cannot be moved in the same way. But that does not make one less “art” than the other. The ability of a movie to make you smile or feel patriotic is equally acceptable to creating emotions of anger or sadness.
Contrary to many people's beliefs the best films have not been produced in the last decade. The public has been watching movies for over a century. What makes us think that filmmakers are just starting to get the idea of how the art form works? Watch a film from before you were born. Pick one, any one. Watch it for what it is. Don’t be disappointed by the lack of CG or rapid-fire editing techniques. Appreciate what will probably be long scenes, heavy on dialogue and light on action. Look for lighting, staging, facial expressions, and camera angles. All of these things force the vision of the viewer into a desired response. What responses do you have?
I want to try to reveal the underbelly of the movies. Why is it that Sydney Lumet and Christopher Nolan are not the household names that Tom Cruise and Halle Berry are? Simply because some artists do their best work behind the camera should not excuse us from withholding our praise. Movies are so much more than actors. Those on the screen are only the beginning of the vast group of artists that make up the vision of the film. There is no single auteur. We live in a world as social beings, unable to prevent ourselves from reacting to others. Admittedly, some may bend more than others to the whims of those around them, but none is exempt from this effect. So then, why are film directors, producers, or writers less idolized than most actors? One word can describe this effect: exposure. Let’s expose the movies and their makers.
~RG
I believe that perhaps the most powerful effect of art, and in this case more specifically film, is the power to stimulate thought and, in turn, spur discussion. It has always been my hope that film viewers will not merely watch, but listen, feel, and respond to what they see or hear. Armageddon may carry a similar message as Casablanca, but the presentation of one is so greatly superior to the other that, I for one, cannot be moved in the same way. But that does not make one less “art” than the other. The ability of a movie to make you smile or feel patriotic is equally acceptable to creating emotions of anger or sadness.
Contrary to many people's beliefs the best films have not been produced in the last decade. The public has been watching movies for over a century. What makes us think that filmmakers are just starting to get the idea of how the art form works? Watch a film from before you were born. Pick one, any one. Watch it for what it is. Don’t be disappointed by the lack of CG or rapid-fire editing techniques. Appreciate what will probably be long scenes, heavy on dialogue and light on action. Look for lighting, staging, facial expressions, and camera angles. All of these things force the vision of the viewer into a desired response. What responses do you have?
I want to try to reveal the underbelly of the movies. Why is it that Sydney Lumet and Christopher Nolan are not the household names that Tom Cruise and Halle Berry are? Simply because some artists do their best work behind the camera should not excuse us from withholding our praise. Movies are so much more than actors. Those on the screen are only the beginning of the vast group of artists that make up the vision of the film. There is no single auteur. We live in a world as social beings, unable to prevent ourselves from reacting to others. Admittedly, some may bend more than others to the whims of those around them, but none is exempt from this effect. So then, why are film directors, producers, or writers less idolized than most actors? One word can describe this effect: exposure. Let’s expose the movies and their makers.
~RG
posted by Regular Guy at Friday, May 13, 2005
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home