““Bad Movies and Good; Bad Movies and Good; Good Movies and Good Movies and Great”, Thematic Great”, Thematic

Elements, and Story Elements, and Story Structure Structure

Review of the Essay’s Review of the Essay’s Important Concepts, Chapter Important Concepts, Chapter

2 and some of Chapter 3 2 and some of Chapter 3 Review Review

In judging a film, we need to ask In judging a film, we need to ask three basic questions:three basic questions: 1.1. What is its central purpose?What is its central purpose? (theme) (theme) 2.2. How fully has this purpose been How fully has this purpose been

accomplished?accomplished? 3.3. How important is this purpose?How important is this purpose?

Purpose of First Question: Understand Purpose of First Question: Understand the film the film

Purpose of Second Question: Measure Purpose of Second Question: Measure its its

perfectionperfectionPurpose of Third Question: Measure its Purpose of Third Question: Measure its

significance significance

Chapter 2: Thematic Chapter 2: Thematic ElementsElements

ThemeTheme: The central, unifying purpose and : The central, unifying purpose and focus of the film (Unlike literature, the focus of the film (Unlike literature, the theme of the film is not limited to an idea.) theme of the film is not limited to an idea.)

Types of Themes found in FilmTypes of Themes found in Film::

1. Plot1. Plot

2. Emotional Effect or Mood2. Emotional Effect or Mood

3. Character3. Character

4. Style, Texture, Structure4. Style, Texture, Structure

5. Idea 5. Idea

Focus on PlotFocus on PlotThe film is most concerned with The film is most concerned with what what

happenshappens. Its primary purpose/ focus . Its primary purpose/ focus is linked to its plot. is linked to its plot.

Action/Adventure films and detective Action/Adventure films and detective stories are concerned mainly with stories are concerned mainly with plot plot

Examples: Examples: Bourne Bourne SeriesSeries, Gladiator, , Gladiator, Day After Tomorrow, LA Day After Tomorrow, LA ConfidentialConfidential , , Raiders of the Lost Ark, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Pirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the Caribbean

Emotional Effect or MoodEmotional Effect or Mood The film’s primary concern is to convey a The film’s primary concern is to convey a

certain mood to an audience, get the certain mood to an audience, get the audience to feel and react a certain way. audience to feel and react a certain way.

Horror/Suspense Films are most notably Horror/Suspense Films are most notably concerned with the Emotional Effect concerned with the Emotional Effect

Horror/Suspense: Alfred Hitchcok films, Horror/Suspense: Alfred Hitchcok films, Saw Saw Series, Series, Texas Chainsaw MassacreTexas Chainsaw Massacre seriesseries

Comedy: Comedy: StepbrothersStepbrothers, , SuperbadSuperbad Romantic Films: Romantic Films: NotebookNotebook Dramadies (part comedy and part drama) Dramadies (part comedy and part drama)

are concerned with both emotions. are concerned with both emotions. Royal Royal TenenbaumsTenenbaums

CharacterCharacter

The film’s primary concern is with The film’s primary concern is with portraying a unique character and portraying a unique character and tracing his/her development. These films tracing his/her development. These films are “character driven” rather than plot are “character driven” rather than plot driven. driven.

Bio-pictures focus on character (Bio-pictures focus on character (Ali, Ali, Raging Bull, Frida, Ray, CapoteRaging Bull, Frida, Ray, Capote))

Non-bio pictures that also focus on Non-bio pictures that also focus on portraying a unique character: portraying a unique character: Rushmore, Charlie Bartlett, Napoleon Rushmore, Charlie Bartlett, Napoleon DynamiteDynamite

Texture, Style, StructureTexture, Style, Structure

These films are most concerned with These films are most concerned with the visual representation of the story the visual representation of the story and experimenting with style and and experimenting with style and structure. What we remember most structure. What we remember most is the “look” of the film or the way in is the “look” of the film or the way in which the story was told. which the story was told.

Examples: Examples: Memento, Sin City, New Memento, Sin City, New World, Waking Life, 300World, Waking Life, 300, Scanner , Scanner DarklyDarkly

IdeasIdeas The film’s primary concern is to convey an The film’s primary concern is to convey an

idea about life, human relationships, the idea about life, human relationships, the human experience, and/or society. human experience, and/or society.

The idea may be stated directly by a The idea may be stated directly by a character or clearly represented by a character or clearly represented by a particular scene or conveyed more particular scene or conveyed more subtlety through the connection of various subtlety through the connection of various elements. elements.

The film’s central idea is open for The film’s central idea is open for interpretation and there may be several interpretation and there may be several opinions as to what a film’s central idea is. opinions as to what a film’s central idea is.

Perfect Film Perfect Film no excess scenes, no shot that does no excess scenes, no shot that does

not contribute to the total meaningnot contribute to the total meaningno cinematic element—cinematography, acting, no cinematic element—cinematography, acting,

dialogue, editing, sound—that distracts from the dialogue, editing, sound—that distracts from the central purpose of the film. central purpose of the film.

Each cinematic element will be the best possible Each cinematic element will be the best possible one for expressing the total meaning: The one for expressing the total meaning: The images and the dialogue will be fresh, not trite images and the dialogue will be fresh, not trite (except, of course, when the film deliberately (except, of course, when the film deliberately uses trite or clichéd cinematic language for uses trite or clichéd cinematic language for purposes of irony).purposes of irony).

Perfect Film, cont. Perfect Film, cont.

There will be no clashes between the There will be no clashes between the scenes and sound of the film and its scenes and sound of the film and its sense, or its form and its content. sense, or its form and its content.

The structure of the film will be the best The structure of the film will be the best possible structure: images and sound will possible structure: images and sound will be so effectively arranged that any be so effectively arranged that any rearrangement would be harmful to the rearrangement would be harmful to the film.film.

Elements of a Good Story Elements of a Good Story

Unified in plotCredibleInterestingSimple and ComplexHandles emotional Material with

Restraint

(Chapter 3 Review)

Good vs. Great Film Good vs. Great Film A great film communicates a richer experience; it A great film communicates a richer experience; it

successfully accomplishes a more significant successfully accomplishes a more significant purpose. The discriminating viewer will get from it a purpose. The discriminating viewer will get from it a deeper enjoyment because he has been nourished deeper enjoyment because he has been nourished as well as delighted. as well as delighted. 

Great movies engage the whole viewer in his Great movies engage the whole viewer in his response—senses, imagination, emotion, intellect; response—senses, imagination, emotion, intellect; it does not touch the viewer on just one or two it does not touch the viewer on just one or two sides of his nature. sides of his nature.

Great films seek not merely to entertain the viewer Great films seek not merely to entertain the viewer but to bring the audience, along with pure but to bring the audience, along with pure pleasure, fresh insights, or renewed insights, and pleasure, fresh insights, or renewed insights, and important insights, into the nature of human important insights, into the nature of human experience. experience.

Good Vs. Great Film (cont.) Good Vs. Great Film (cont.) Great film, we might say, gives its viewer Great film, we might say, gives its viewer

a broader and deeper understanding of a broader and deeper understanding of life, of his fellow men and of himself, life, of his fellow men and of himself, always with the qualification, of course, always with the qualification, of course, that the kind of insight which art gives is that the kind of insight which art gives is not necessarily the kind that can be not necessarily the kind that can be summed up in a simple “lesson” or summed up in a simple “lesson” or “moral.”“moral.”

It is knowledge--felt knowledge, new It is knowledge--felt knowledge, new knowledge--of the complexities of human knowledge--of the complexities of human nature and of the tragedies and sufferings, nature and of the tragedies and sufferings, the excitements and joys, that the excitements and joys, that characterize human experiencecharacterize human experience