Analysis of film and cinematography in movies

¶ … Art of the Critique

Film critique is not unlike literary critique in many ways. The ability of the director to reinforce the central theme of the film throughout the film is the key to maintaining the strength of the film. The characters should support the central theme of the film through not only their dialogue but through their body posture and expression. Strong characters are built through their ability to support the main theme of the film. Plot then becomes an inconsequential part of the film. A good film begins with strong characters and plots that are driven by the actions of the characters and their reaction to the situation into which they are placed. These are the most important elements of the film. The other elements of the film such as cinematography and acting support the central theme of the film and serve to support the role of the characters in enhancing the theme. This essay will support the thesis that the ability to review films relies on a specific technique that involves multiple viewings of the film, each time stripping away a certain layer of the film to reveal deeper meaning.

Part II: How I Watch the Film Critically

Film is a complex art form with many elements. All of these elements blend together to create a whole that leaves an impression on the audience. Aside from standard literary elements such as conflict, dramatic structure, characterization, allegory, symbolism and irony, film also uses costume, lighting, camera angle, and set to convey its message. Film has the ability to add a visual element that literature cannot. The audience leaves less to the imagination than with books and other literary forms. Boggs and Petrie (2008) suggest that one needs to break up the film into pieces in order to discover the whole. This is similar to literary critique I many ways, but there are many more elements to analyze in a film.

My method for analyzing films goes along with Boggs and Petrie's insistence that one cannot watch a film critically and understand it the first time through. Critical film analysis requires viewing the film a second, or even a third time in order to derive its meaning. The following will examine how I critically watched the 1995 film Se7en.

In order to properly critique the movie Se7en, I took the advice of Boggs and Petrie and watched it three times. The first and most obvious observation was that the movie was a murder mystery with an all-star cast. I expected quality. The first viewing focused on the plot and the role of the characters. This viewing was a rather superficial viewing and I became familiar with the most basic elements of the film. Unfortunately, I do not feel that many viewers get past this first viewing. The first time through a movie, I do not know what is coming. The main purpose of the first viewing is to familiarize myself with the movie. One might be able to write a simple plot summary or character summary, but it would be limited to what was on the surface at this point. I do take notes during this part of the process.

During the second viewing, I am more familiar with what is coming up next. I concentrate on the literary elements. In this film, allegory and foreshadowing played key roles in the ability to convey the theme. I try to identify major themes during this viewing. The first and most obvious theme in this movie is its connection to the Se7en deadly sins of the Bible. In this case, this was obvious even to the uneducated critic. It was grossly over-stated in the plot. This was too obvious and I tried to identify secondary or tertiary themes that were more subtle. In this film, the theme of family kept coming into play, as did the theme of being where one is supposed to be in life and doing what they are supposed to do.

I have found that tertiary plots may not be apparent in the second viewing. The second viewing concentrates more on literary mechanics. The third viewing is where I get to the meat of the film. I concentrate on the emotions of the characters and the motivations behind their actions. I take notes and draw connections between the characters. I make character charts in order to see the relationships and connections that exist. I try to get to know the characters in a personal way. It is only after the third viewing that I can determine if the elements of the film support themes that the director was trying to convey. I also pay attention to what the director is saying by their camera angles, use of sound, and use of light. I try to connect it all together into a whole. Only then can I judge the quality and content of the film.

After the third viewing, when I think that I have it all together, I may go back and review parts of the film that were confusing or that do not seem to fit my conclusions about the film. For instance, in Se7en, I did not get the connection between the attorney and the sin of sloth. The attorney was working, not sitting around doing nothing. In order to understand this connection, I had to go over the rantings of the killer, then the connection was easier to make. In addition, the connection between Doe not revealing her pregnancy to Mills and the sin of jealousy was not apparent until I could replay those parts that pertained to that subplot.

My method for reviewing films requires multiple viewings, each time paying attention to a different layer of the film. The final viewing focuses on the deep emotional layers of the film. It is necessary to have a DVD so that portions that are unclear can be replayed to gain a better understanding of the film. This is my method, based on the methods by Boggs & Petrie, for reviewing film.

Part III: How I derived the meaning of the film, "The Notebook"

Using this multiple viewing strategy, let us now examine how the meaning of the film, "The Notebook" was derived. The first viewing provided the plot and allowed me to understand the characters, at least on the surface. It is set in present time, but much of the movie flashes back to the 1940s. It is the story of a man who sits with an elderly woman with Alzheimer's and reads her a love story. The story is actually autobiographical and tells the story of how the woman had to choose between two lovers, the one that her parents approved of and her true love. This general overview was obtained upon the first viewing.

The theme of unrequited real love, versus love that was artificial and represented a compromise is the most obvious theme that stood out in the movie. However, I suspected that the plot went deeper than that. Upon second viewing of the movie, techniques such as flashback and allegory using birds. In the scene where Allie is afraid to get in the water and Noah yells at her, the water could be considered representative of emotions. Allie is afraid of her emotions. She won't get into the water and she won't face her emotions towards Noah either. This is supported by the confrontation where Noah asks Allie what she really wants, not what everyone else wants, but what she wants. She never answers, but makes an excuse to run away from the scene quickly. In the second viewing, The film used comparison and contrast to make a point about real love and a love of convenience. Of the film, the emotional impact of Allie hiding from her true emotions emerges as a theme. This was not apparent in the first viewing of the film. These key literary elements became apparent in the second viewing of the film.

The third viewing was designed to bring out the deeper emotions of the film; The third viewing was conducted with these points in mind. Allie did not expect herself to fall in love with Lon so quickly. This may have surprised the audience too, particularly considering how deep her emotions apparently were for Noah. However, when one compares the two, it is obvious that Allie's love for Lon is superficial. She is attracted to the outer trappings. This portrayal illustrated two types of love, one that is deep and emotional and the other that is superficial. This was a key thesis that the director was trying to portray in the film. This thesis is further supported by the talk that Allie has with her mother about why she married Allie's dad.

It is not until the end that the viewer realizes that the lady in the nursing home is the heroine and the man reading the book to her is her love. The setting serves as a thread that connects the past and the present. The birds flying away in the end are representative of the freedom to love each other that Allie and Noah now have with each other. No physical bounds can restrain them. These elements became apparent on the fourth viewing. I then went back through the scenes to see if bird imagery was hiding in other scenes. Birds were found throughout the story, such as Noah providing bread for Allie to feed the birds, a mockingbird on the porch after they make love, etc. Upon closer examination, this emerged as a central tool for conveying the theme that Noah and Allie's love was as wild and free as the birds.

An analysis of "The Notebook" is a prime example of how the technique of viewing the film several times until the layers emerge can reveal deeper meanings with each viewing. In order to understand how the various elements of the film blend together, using freeze frame is an excellent way to analyze the photographic elements of the film.

Part IV: Identify criteria for evaluating the film

Now, I have revealed my techniques for reviewing a film and the method that is used to understand the deeper meaning and symbolism of a film. However, in order to write a meaningful critique, the criteria that the film is expected to meet must be established. Every critic will have their own favorites and those that they do not like. Every critic has their own set of criteria by which to judge films. The criteria established for a certain film depends largely on the purpose of the film, the genre, and what the film was trying to convey. The first part of film critique is to view the film attentively, rather than casually. The techniques that I use for accomplishing this have already been discussed at length. However, understanding the literary and Cinematic elements of the film are not enough to write a useful critique of the film.

In order to develop criteria by which to judge a film requires research. This research should focus on finding the strategy used in making the film, the history behind the film and how the creators came up with the idea. The critic should be able to clearly identify the type of film (Dirks, n.d.). This information search should include, but not be limited to the year of release, the rating, main stars and performers, the director, the running time and the genre classification. These factors represent only the basic information necessary to understand the film and to make a critical assessment of it.

The critic must make an assessment of the content and decide whether it was social, political or historical (Dirks, n.d.). In the end, the opinion of the critic is only that, an opinion. However, the critique will have much more credibility if they pay attention to the elements that make a good film critique. Credibility is a key element in the film critique. A good critic builds a relationship built on trust, which can only be built if the critic does their homework.

In order to develop a set of criteria for evaluating the film, the critic must address the key elements of the film. The first element of the film is the plot. The critic must decipher how the story is told. They must also examine the vantage point of the film, whether the transitions are effective, and whether they is closure at the end of the film (Dirk, n.d.). The critic must then address the themes of the film, both major and minor. The critic must analyze the characters and acting performances. Perspective and visual cues must be included in the critic, as well as soundtrack or musical score (Dirk, n.d.). All of these elements must meld together to enhance the theme and meaning that the director was trying to convey. There are other elements that can be discussed, but these are the most important to the film critic.

The film critic must also understand the culture of the film and the culture for which it was intended. Misunderstandings regarding the culture portrayed in the film can create difficulty both for the reviewer and the film. This is particularly true when the film is not intended for the critic's home culture (Goudreau, 2006). Lastly, the critic must have a thorough understanding of filmmaking techniques and why various techniques are used (LoBrutto, 2005).