Being married to a filmmaker can often make watching movies
a more fatiguing experience than I would like. Here I am, a 27-year-old woman
who grew up loving the entertainment industry, and personally, my only desire when
watching a movie is to be entertained. However, my husband who holds a degree
in Cinematography finds joy in analyzing the different aspects of a film.
Typically after watching something at home or in the theater (which we visit
quite frequently), he and I will enter into a discussion about how good or bad
the film was. It seems as if we always end in a stale mate simply because our
views on the elements that make a film well executed are very different.
My husband bases his decision heavily on the way a film was
made, looking at the technical components of lighting, story, sound and
editing. Although I do agree that when done correctly these elements can
highlight a film’s greatness, for me, the entertainment factor is the biggest
one to consider. If for two hours or so I could sit fully engaged in a story,
not worrying about the time or wanting to be somewhere else, then I give that
film a big seal of approval. These debates, these elements of subjectivity are
exactly what make film viewing an amazing adventure to be a part of.
Films are 100% subjective and the experience will differ
with each person. What one person thinks is an incredible film, another might
find boring and uninteresting. The point here is that film is not all about
technical pizzazz, or how amazing the script may be. These are all parts of the machine. However film, much like all art, is
about finding an audience that will have an emotional connection with its
message. Being transported into a life that isn’t our own, if only for a few
hours, is one of the central goals of filmmaking.
These two ways of viewing a film, the technical versus the
emotional, are not exclusive to my husband and I. Take for example the Academy Awards. In doing some research,
I found that out of the top 20 highest grossing films of all time, only two
were awarded the Best Picture award at the Oscars. Well, my take on it is that
the Academy sides with my husband when making their final decisions. They tend
to look at the technical aspects of a film to determine if it is in fact worthy
of an Oscar. The most recent film to win best picture, The Artist, has only
made roughly about $37 million in revenue since its limited release. Think back
on past Best Picture winners and try to recall the last time a Sci-Fi/Fantasy
genre film won. Believe it or not, the last time a film in that genre won was
nearly 10 years ago with The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. This film,
which ranks number five on the list of highest grossing films is part of one of
the most popular film trilogies of all time, but only once has it’s brilliance
been recognized by the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences. This
contrasting example goes to show that in the eyes of the Academy, the amount of
revenue a film makes (which I believe can be translated into how many people
actually went to see a film) has no affect on the determination of an Oscar
award winner.
There’s no wrong way to view a film, much like there’s no
wrong way to look at a piece of art or watch a flower grow. Each person has a
different perspective and it all depends on the connection they make with the
film they are experiencing. For some viewers, the technical ways in which a
movie shines brings out a feeling of happiness, while for others; emotionally
connecting with a story does the trick. No matter which side you’re on, the
brief suspension from reality that comes from watching a film encompasses the
true meaning behind entertainment, and it’s an experience I hope to have for
years to come.
