One of the great things about films is that they are
recorded and can be seen for many years to come. The film industry brought
several horrible films to theaters, but also delivered numerous amounts of
extraordinary films to be remembered. Over the course of my summer, I had the
opportunity to watch some of the greatest films ever produced. I experienced happiness,
anger, sadness, and anxiety while watching these films and while I am only
going to discuss about the 3 films that impacted me, I believe they were all
films everyone needs to watch.
One of first films I watched over the summer was the
neo-noir mystery crime film, L.A.
Confidential (1997). It was directed and produced by Curtis Hanson and
starred Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, and Danny
DeVito. The film centers around 3 policemen who try to solve a murder while the
corrupted Los Angeles Police Department intervenes. The film also happens to
interweave Hollywood celebrities. I specifically chose this film because the
action and drama had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I especially
loved how the movie leads the audience into the crime case as much as the
characters. L.A. Confidential (1997)
is the type of movie I would not mind watching again, which in my opinion makes
for a marvelous movie. The set is historic and iconic because the film used the
actual places of Los Angeles to film. Not to mention cinematographer Dante
Spinotti’s magnificent work on the lighting. Spinotti’s simplistic use of light
and shadow make dramatic scenes more intense. However, the one element that I
loved the most about this film is the composition and framing of certain shots.
Many of the frames in L.A. Confidential
are used to convey meanings of anger, distraught, suspicion, and fear. Overall,
the devious story of the corrupted LAPD was captured continuously because of
excellent camera work and the use of continuity and parallel editing. This film
has left an absurd amount of impact on my life because of the film’s historical
implications. The historical reference to the 1950s scandal magazine Confidential gives me a perspective on a
previous time period. The biggest impact the film left on me is the possibility
of scandal and corruption.
Another exquisite movie I had the pleasure of
enjoying over the summer was 1999 drama film American Beauty. The director is Sam Mendes and the producers are
Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks. The film stars, Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora
Birch, Allison Janney, Peter Gallagher, Mena Suvari, Wes Bentley, and Chris
Cooper. The movie is about a boring suburban father who tries to reignite his
life through his daughter’s friend. I chose this film because it is a drama
where it makes me root for the main character. Even though the ending was
already fixed, it still made me want to help the character in his situation.
The main reason I selected this film was because it made me think about the
misinterpretation of “beauty.” An element American
Beauty used precisely is the different colors for the different sets to
represent different meaning. Screenwriter Alan Ball uses red to convey a
meaning of freedom and desire for Lester since he lives a boring and sex-less
life. For Jane, red symbolizes her journey towards individuality since she gave
up on trying to “fit in.” In addition to the color, the music also credits to
Lester’s goal of freedom. The music used is primarily by folk and rock artists
since their music was an expression towards the oppression of the government. Both
the music and the color play an integral part in portraying the central theme
of individuality and freedom. I am so glad to have watched this movie because it
pulled tugged my heart and picked my brain. After watching the movie I cried,
but I honestly have no idea why. I just thought the whole movie was beautiful.
The movie showed me the true meaning of beauty, which is what I see as
beautiful. After Lester’s death, we hear him talking about all the beautiful moments
he had throughout his life. At that point, he was free and could experience the
beauty that was his life. This particular ending made me realize the inevitable
beauty that surrounds each and every one of us.
The last movie that I found particularly interesting
was French drama film, The Diving Bell
and the Butterfly (2007). The film depicts the life of Jean-Dominique Bauby
after suffering a stroke which left him paralyzed except for his left eye.
Bauby suffers from a condition known as locked-in syndrome. The film is
directed by Julian Schnabel and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Jon Kilik. The
film stars Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne
Consigny, and Max von Sydow. I chose this film because it was such a great
movie about the triumph of the human spirit. This film speaks volumes when it
comes to taking certain things for granted, which is why I chose this film. The
main component I want to discuss about this film is the composition and camera
work. The film is shot primarily in first-person which takes a certain
creativity only the film’s cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski, could conjure up.
The perspective from Bauby makes it more difficult to comprehend since we can
hear how depressing his thoughts are and how limited his body is. The scene
where Bauby’s right eye is being sewed shut is quite gruesome to view because one
is looking at it from his perspective. I was emotionally impacted by this film
because it represents the perseverance of the human spirit. When I watch films,
I sometimes lose myself within the character I relate to the most, but this
particular film was very difficult for me to handle the life of Bauby. In my
opinion, the saddest scene was when Bauby and his father were having a
conversation about how both of them are stuck. I cried a lot during that scene
because I could not image how difficult it would be to talk to my father like
that. Overall, the film taught me a very important life lesson, which is to never
take life for granted because one day you might never get the chance to fully
experience the beauty of the world.
Throughout the summer, I studied and watched 9 magnificent
films that every student of film should watch. Even though there was not nearly
enough time to watch every great film possible, I believe that there are some
other films that film students should watch and study. One of the movies in
which I believe a student of film should study is neo-noir psychological
thriller film, Memento (2000). The
film’s director is Christopher Nolan and the producers are Suzanne and Jennifer
Todd. The film stars Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Joe Pantoliano. The
movie is about a man with short-term memory loss who is trying to solve the
murder of his wife. I chose this film because I love the way the film is
presented. It is presented not in chronological order, which makes the audience
actually think about the order of the movie. This film was the first film that
expanded my brain on the complexity of how a film can order their scenes. Nolan’s
reverse chronological storytelling and Dody Dorn’s, the film editor, editing
style make the film encompass the art of neo-noir. Dorn captures the
protagonist’s flashbacks exquisitely which makes the audience feel the
confusion about the order of events. I believe that students should study Memento because it shows how far the
continuity of a neo-noir can be taken. Students will see great uses of
different camera angles and a different perspective on how to tell a story.
Overall, I believe the film will push the imaginative boundaries of film
students with the story being depicted in reverse chronological order.
A film that I would love for students of film to
study about music and sound is the superhero film, The Dark Knight (2008). It is directed, produced, and co-written by
Christopher Nolan. The other producers are Emma Thomas and Charles Roven while
the co-writer is David S. Goyer. The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine,
Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan
Freeman. The film takes place in the fictional city of Gotham, where Batman
tries to stop the tyranny of the villain known as the Joker. I chose this film
because I love an action packed movie where a protagonist overcomes adversity
to achieve their goals. The acting was phenomenal, especially from the late
Ledger who played the Joker. This film fills my body with adrenaline and
wonder, which is why I chose this film. One of the great aspects of this film
is the sound work. The soundtrack, composed by Hans Zimmer and James Newton
Howard, make scenes dark and mysterious with its powerful and twisted sound. Richard
King, the sound designer, made every sound of cars racing, buildings burning,
and Batman soaring seam surreal. It truly made the action alive when watching
the film. King later won an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing for his work
on The Dark Knight. I believe that
any student of film should study this superhero film because it teaches the
essence of film sound. The music composition is used in a way that conveys
danger, anxiety, and anticipation. Film students should definitely watch this
film to understand how the music can convey the mood. The sound should also be studied
by film students because any blockbuster action film should not have sound
effects that sound ridiculous. I believe The
Dark Knight is a great film in which a student of film can master the art
of sound and music in film.
One of my favorite movies of all time in which film
students should interpret is the science fiction thriller film, Inception (2010). It is directed,
co-produced, and written by Christopher Nolan. The films has long list of
actors including: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion
Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, and Michael
Caine. The film is about a group of thieves who commit corporate espionage
through entering the subconscious of their target. I specifically chose this
film because it deals with the unexplained phenomenon that is dreams. It is an
outstanding film that puts the audience’s mental strength to the test. The film
plays a big part in determining whether something is real or imagined. Nolan
enjoys using as little CGI as possible, therefore the set designer, Guy Hendrix
Dyas, had to put a lot of effort in making dream scenes look surreal. One of
the greatest set design in Inception
was during a fight scene in a hotel hall. The design the characters fought in
was designed to spin to signify the gravity changes. In the particular scene, stunt
doubles were used so Lee Smith, the editor, had to cut shots to hide the fact
that stunt doubles were used. Besides Wally Pfister’s, the film’s cinematographer,
excellent vision for camera angles and positions, the film’s soundtrack is the
most impactful in my opinion. With every scene there accompanies music that is
beautifully integrated to fit the scene. Hans Zimmer, the film’s music
composer, is a genius with the soundtrack because the music eases the audience
into this subconscious adventure. I strongly believe that any film student
should study Inception because it has
all the components of a film that uses different editing techniques, different
sound styles, and remarkable set designs. In my opinion, studying this film literally
brings dreams into reality. In conclusion, I believe Inception is a film worth studying because of how wonderful the filming
techniques embody the film’s overall story.
I know that there are many other great movies
besides the 6 listed, but these movies really impacted the way I view films. I
have never watched the first 3 movies listed until the summer, which made me
upset that it took until now to watch 3 great films. I look at films
differently now after learning a lot about the art of film. After watching
those films, I am looking forward to watching many more of the great films
produced and the greater films yet to be produced. I have a greater sense of
the art of film and I can proudly say that this movie addict has moved closer
towards becoming a cinephile.
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