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¶ … classic films, and what makes them classic. Specifically, it will contain a discussion of what makes a film "classic" and use a specific film that I believe is classic, with good quality reasons for the answer.
CLASSIC FILMS
The term "classic film" often evokes thoughts of an old film, often shown and enjoyed by audiences throughout many decades. The film could be a musical, such as "The Wizard of Oz," or a drama, such as "Apocalypse Now." Both films (and scores of others) have been called classics, and are often shown on network and cable channels. What makes these films classic?
Some might say it is the acting that makes a film a classic. In "The Wizard of Oz," for example, each actor, from Judy Garland as Dorothy, to Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch is perfectly cast, and creates their role with great talent and charm. They set the stage for all actors who tried to recreate the roles, and made them classic and enduring characters. "Enduring" is a word that seems to go hand-in-hand with classic films,...
It is as enjoyable and magical today as when it was first shown in theatres in 1939.
Close in importance to the characters and casting is the writing. Good writing will not always make a classic film, but most classic films do benefit from great scripts. Many critics call
Apocalypse Now" a modern telling of Joseph Conrad's haunting tale "Heart of Darkness." The movie is based on a classic fiction tale, and so becomes a classic in its own right. The screenwriter uses the same disturbing themes as Conrad, and the writing adds depth to the characters and the film itself. "Apocalypse Now" is a stunning film, both mentally and visually. No matter what the viewer's reaction, the movie makes you stop and think. Coppola and the actors bring this story vividly to life - it is not an easy movie to forget. Thus, another commonality in many classic films is great writing, which also leads to endurance - the viewer cannot forget the visual and verbal images of the film, and it endures in their mind.
Many classic films also make history with their visual techniques or special effects. In The Wizard…
Many classic films also make history with their visual techniques or special effects. In The Wizard of Oz," the film opens in black-and-white, and turns to Technicolor when Dorothy opens the door onto a new world. This technique was new and different in 1939, and created a stir with viewers. The special effects in the movie, from the tornado, to the talking trees in the forest that toss their apples at Dorothy and her friends were all groundbreaking for the time. In "Apocalypse Now," the photography of Vietnam and the conditions facing our troops there during the Vietnam War are both spectacular and disquieting. The scene of the helicopters advancing toward the Vietnamese village to the strains of Wagner's "Cry of the Valkyries" is probably one of the most well-known and often remembered scenes in movie history. "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" has become a standard quote in American language, and just about everyone immediately knows the film it came from.
Great directors can also make even the most mediocre film classic by their understanding of the themes in the script, and the actors capabilities. Francis Ford Coppola is an excellent example of this. His films all tend to be classics, simply because of his incredible understanding of the film, the historic background, and his actors abilities and strengths. "Apocalypse Now" made stars of many of its actors, and Coppola's directing certainly added strength and purpose to the theme from Conrad's book, which was difficult to understand, especially at the end.
In conclusion, a classic film is made up of many elements. Some of them are as unique as each film is unique, and some of them are common to many classic films. Classic films are enduring, and linger on in the mind of the viewer long after they have seen the film. They usually contain excellent casts, who make their characters come completely alive. The writing of a classic film is usually superior, and helps the film and the characters endure. People often quote lines or passages from classic films, because the writing simply demands repeating. Excellent photography and directing usually accompany classic films. The visual techniques and special effects endure, making the film indelible unforgettable. Great directors can create a classic even when many of these elements are missing, by making a mediocre film memorable with acting or photography.
However, the more involved the United States gets, the more involved Blaine gets with helping his love and in the end he helps Lund escapes. This is very similar to the way the United States helps the Allies to escape the atrocities of the Nazis. To me the final line of the movie, when Blaine says to a French friend "I believe this is the beginning of something beautiful,"
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In this area, meanings with their endless referrals evolve. These include meanings form discourses, as well as cultural systems of knowledge which structure beliefs, feelings, and values, i.e., ideologies. Language, in turn, produces these temporal "products." During the next section of this thesis, the researcher relates a number of products (terminology) the film/TV industry produced, in answer to the question: What components contribute to the linguistic aspect of a sublanguage
The way the racist juror was dressed and groomed indicated a lack of class and personal pride. He was an ignorant man who had worked hard all his life, had risen to a level in society where he was above minorities and other impoverished Americans, but still not as well off as he would like to be. He had a deep seeded anger at his position in society which