The Art of Watching Films, 8th Edition

Description

With an emphasis on the narrative film, The Art of Watching Films challenges students to take their film experience further by sharpening their powers of observation, developing the skills and habits of perceptive watching, and discovering complex aspects of film art that they might otherwise overlook. The Art of Watching Films introduces the formal elements and production process of films, and helps students analytically view and understand films within their historical, cultural and social contexts. The text presents an analytical framework that can be applied to all movies, as distinctly different as Avatar, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Vertigo, Iron-Man, Man on Wire, and The Hurt Locker. Instructors and students can now access their course content through the Connect digital learning platform by purchasing either standalone Connect access or a bundle of print and Connect access. McGraw-Hill Connect® is a subscription-based learning service accessible online through your personal computer or tablet. Choose this option if your instructor will require Connect to be used in the course. Your subscription to Connect includes the following: • SmartBook® - an adaptive digital version of the course textbook that personalizes your reading experience based on how well you are learning the content. • Access to your instructor’s homework assignments, quizzes, syllabus, notes, reminders, and other important files for the course. • Progress dashboards that quickly show how you are performing on your assignments and tips for improvement. • The option to purchase (for a small fee) a print version of the book. This binder-ready, loose-leaf version includes free shipping. Complete system requirements to use Connect can be found here: http://www.mheducation.com/highered/platforms/connect/training-support-students.html Cover Page......Page 1 Title Page......Page 2 Copyright Page......Page 3 Dedication......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 11 Half Title Page......Page 18 1 The Art of Watching Films......Page 19 What Makes Film Unique......Page 20 Increasing Realism as Technology Evolves......Page 21 THE CHALLENGES OF FILM ANALYSIS......Page 22 The Two Sides Can Coexist: This Book’s Position......Page 23 BECOMING A RECEPTIVE VIEWER......Page 25 Be Aware of Personal Biases......Page 26 THE FILM-VIEWING ENVIRONMENT......Page 27 PREPARING TO SEE A FILM......Page 31 Analyzing Your Responses to a Film......Page 33 2 Thematic Elements......Page 34 Focus on Emotional Effect or Mood......Page 35 Focus on Style or Texture or Structure......Page 37 Focus on Ideas......Page 39 IDENTIFYING THE THEME......Page 45 EVALUATING THE THEME......Page 46 Analyzing Theme......Page 47 Films for Study......Page 48 3 Fictional and Dramatic Elements......Page 50 A Good Story Is Unified in Plot......Page 51 A Good Story Is Credible......Page 52 A Good Story Is Interesting......Page 54 A Good Story Is Both Simple and Complex......Page 57 A Good Story Handles Emotional Material With Restraint......Page 58 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE......Page 60 Nonlinear Structures......Page 61 Endings: Fine-Tuning the Dénouement......Page 62 CONFLICT......Page 64 CHARACTERIZATION......Page 66 Characterization Through Dialogue......Page 67 Characterization Through External Action......Page 68 Characterization Through Reactions of Other Characters......Page 69 Characterization Through Contrast: Dramatic Foils......Page 70 Characterization Through Choice of Name......Page 71 Varieties of Characters......Page 72 ALLEGORY......Page 75 Universal and Natural Symbols......Page 76 Creating Symbolic Meanings......Page 77 Symbolic Patterns and Progressions......Page 80 Metaphors......Page 81 Overreading Symbolism......Page 82 Irony of Situation......Page 83 Irony of Character......Page 84 Irony of Tone......Page 85 Analyzing Fictional and Dramatic Elements......Page 86 Watching for Fictional and Dramatic Elements......Page 88 Mini-Movie Exercise: The Graduate......Page 89 Films for Study......Page 90 4 Visual Design......Page 91 COLOR VERSUS BLACK AND WHITE......Page 92 SCREEN FORMAT (ASPECT RATIO)......Page 93 FILM STOCK AND HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEOGRAPHY......Page 96 PRODUCTION DESIGN/ART DIRECTION......Page 97 The Script: The Starting Point......Page 98 Setting and Its Effects......Page 99 Studio Versus Location Shooting......Page 104 Living Spaces and Offices......Page 106 Fantasy Worlds......Page 107 COSTUME AND MAKEUP DESIGN......Page 108 LIGHTING......Page 111 Analyzing Visual Design......Page 115 Mini-Movie Exercise II: Fantastic Mr. Fox......Page 117 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 118 Films for Study......Page 119 5 Cinematography and Special Visual Effects......Page 120 THE CINEMATIC FILM......Page 121 CINEMATIC POINTS OF VIEW......Page 122 Objective Point of View......Page 123 Subjective Point of View......Page 124 Indirect-Subjective Point of View......Page 125 Director’s Interpretive Point of View......Page 127 ELEMENTS OF CINEMATIC COMPOSITION......Page 128 Focusing Attention on the Most Significant Object......Page 129 Keeping the Image in Motion......Page 133 Creating an Illusion of Depth......Page 137 Handheld Camera......Page 144 Camera Angles......Page 145 Color, Diffusion, and Soft Focus......Page 146 Special Lenses......Page 148 Fast Motion......Page 149 MOVIE MAGIC: SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS IN THE MODERN FILM......Page 150 THE F/X OF ANIMATED FEATURE FILMS . . . ESPECIALLY FOR ADULTS......Page 158 FLASHBACK: ANIMATION: ONCE AN OPENING ACT, NOW A MAIN EVENT......Page 159 Analyzing Cinematography and Special Visual Effects......Page 166 Mini-Movie Exercise: Cinematography......Page 167 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 168 Films for Study......Page 170 6 Editing......Page 172 SELECTIVITY......Page 174 FLASHBACK: FILM EDITORS: A HISTORY BEHIND THE SCENES......Page 175 TRANSITIONS......Page 177 RHYTHMS, TEMPO, AND TIME CONTROL......Page 187 EXPANSION AND COMPRESSION OF TIME......Page 188 SLOW MOTION......Page 189 The Freeze Frame......Page 198 The Thawed Frame......Page 199 CREATIVE JUXTAPOSITION: MONTAGE......Page 200 Analyzing Editing......Page 201 Mini-Movie Exercise I: New York Stories......Page 204 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 205 Films for Study......Page 206 7 Color......Page 207 FLASHBACK: DISCOVERING COLOR AT THE MOVIES......Page 211 Effects of Color on the Viewer......Page 213 Color as a Transitional Device......Page 216 Expressionistic Use of Color......Page 219 Color as Symbol......Page 220 Surrealistic Use of Color......Page 221 Color to Enhance Mood......Page 222 Comic Book Color......Page 223 Painterly Effects in Color......Page 224 Ironic Use of Color......Page 226 COLOR VERSUS BLACK AND WHITE......Page 227 Analyzing Color......Page 232 Mini-Movie Exercise: Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams......Page 233 Films for Study......Page 234 8 Sound Effects and Dialogue......Page 236 SOUND AND THE MODERN FILM......Page 237 DIALOGUE......Page 238 THREE-DIMENSIONALITY IN SOUND......Page 239 VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE SOUND......Page 241 POINTS OF VIEW IN SOUND......Page 243 Sound Effects to Tell an Inner Story......Page 245 Slow-Motion Sound......Page 247 Ironic Juxtaposition of Sound and Image......Page 248 Placing Unusual Emphasis on Sound......Page 249 Using Sound for Texture, Time, and Temperature......Page 250 SOUND AS A PLOT DEVICE......Page 251 SOUND AS A TRANSITIONAL ELEMENT......Page 252 VOICE-OVER NARRATION......Page 253 SILENCE AS A SOUND EFFECT......Page 257 Voice Dubbing......Page 258 Subtitles......Page 260 Analyzing Sound Effects and Dialogue......Page 261 Mini-Movie Exercise: “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”......Page 262 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 263 Films for Study......Page 264 9 The Musical Score......Page 266 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MUSICAL SCORE......Page 267 GENERAL FUNCTIONS OF THE MUSICAL SCORE......Page 268 Telling an Inner Story......Page 270 Providing a Sense of Time and Place......Page 271 Foreshadowing Events or Building Dramatic Tension......Page 272 Adding Levels of Meaning to the Visual Image......Page 273 Characterization Through Music......Page 274 Triggering Conditioned Responses......Page 276 Providing Important Transitions......Page 277 Music as Interior Monologue......Page 278 Music as a Base for Choreographed Action......Page 279 Covering Possible Weaknesses in the Film......Page 281 BALANCING THE SCORE......Page 282 Analyzing the Musical Score......Page 284 Watching for the Musical Score......Page 285 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 286 Films for Study......Page 289 10 Acting......Page 290 THE GOAL OF THE ACTOR......Page 291 BECOMING THE CHARACTER......Page 292 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FILM ACTING AND STAGE ACTING......Page 293 FLASHBACK: SILENT ACTING EVOLVES: THE SUBTLETIES OF EXAGGERATION......Page 297 Interpreters and Commentators......Page 301 THE STAR SYSTEM......Page 302 CASTING......Page 304 Casting Problems......Page 307 The Typecasting Trap......Page 308 Supporting Players......Page 311 Special Casting Challenges......Page 313 Extras and Small Parts......Page 315 ACTORS AS CREATIVE CONTRIBUTORS......Page 316 SUBJECTIVE RESPONSES TO ACTORS......Page 319 Analyzing Acting......Page 320 Watching for Acting......Page 321 Mini-Movie Exercise II: Coffee and Cigarettes......Page 322 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 323 Films for Study......Page 325 11 The Director’s Style......Page 326 THE CONCEPT OF STYLE......Page 329 SUBJECT MATTER......Page 330 CINEMATOGRAPHY......Page 333 EDITING......Page 335 SOUND AND SCORE......Page 336 CASTING AND ACTING PERFORMANCES......Page 337 SCREENPLAYS AND NARRATIVE STRUCTURE......Page 338 EVOLVING STYLES AND FLEXIBILITY......Page 341 SPECIAL EDITION: THE DIRECTOR’S CUT......Page 344 A PORTFOLIO OF FOUR DIRECTORS......Page 346 Analyzing a Director’s Style......Page 355 Mini-Movie Exercise II: Paris, Je T’Aime......Page 357 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 359 Films for Study......Page 361 12 Analysis of the Whole Film......Page 363 Theme......Page 364 The Relationship of the Parts to the Whole......Page 365 Objective Evaluation of the Film......Page 366 The Film as Showcase for the Actor: The Personality Cult......Page 368 The Film as Product of a Single Creative Mind: The Auteur Approach......Page 369 The Film as Moral, Philosophical, or Social Statement......Page 370 The Film as Repeated Form: The Genre Approach......Page 371 The Film as Political Statement......Page 372 The Film as Gender or Racial Statement......Page 373 The Film as Insight to the Mind: The Psychoanalytical Approach......Page 375 The Eclectic Approach......Page 377 EVALUATING THE REVIEWER......Page 379 DEVELOPING PERSONAL CRITERIA......Page 380 Analyzing the Whole Film......Page 382 Mini-Movie Exercise II: Nine Lives......Page 384 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 385 Films for Study......Page 386 13 Adaptations......Page 387 Change in Medium......Page 388 Change in Creative Artists......Page 389 Cinematic Potential of the Original Work......Page 390 Literary Versus Cinematic Points of View......Page 391 FLASHBACK: THE WRITER’S PLACE IN HOLLYWOOD......Page 393 First-Person Point of View: Challenges......Page 395 The Problem of Length and Depth......Page 397 Philosophical Reflections......Page 398 Summarizing a Character’s Past......Page 399 The Challenge of Summarizing Events......Page 400 Literary Past Tense Versus Cinematic Present Tense......Page 401 Other Factors Influencing Adaptations of Fiction......Page 402 Structural Divisions......Page 404 Sense of Space......Page 405 Stage Conventions Versus Cinema Conventions......Page 407 Other Changes......Page 409 FROM FACT TO FILM: REALITY TO MYTH......Page 410 Analyzing Adaptations......Page 414 Mini-Movie Exercise: “Hills Like White Elephants”......Page 416 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 417 Films for Study......Page 418 14 Genre Films, Remakes, and Sequels......Page 420 GENRE FILMS......Page 421 The Strengths of Genre Films......Page 422 Basic Genre Conventions—And Their Variations......Page 423 REMAKES AND SEQUELS......Page 437 Remakes......Page 439 Sequels......Page 441 Analyzing Genre Films, Remakes, and Sequels......Page 447 Mini-Movie Exercise: Frankenweenie......Page 448 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 449 Films for Study......Page 450 15 Film and Society......Page 454 FILM FOREIGNNESS......Page 455 DOES AMERICAN FILM SHAPE OR REFLECT SOCIAL AND CULTURAL VALUES?......Page 457 THE MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION CODE, 1930–1960......Page 459 EXCERPTS FROM THE MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION CODE......Page 460 CENSORSHIP IN TRANSITION, 1948–1968......Page 464 THE MPAA RATING SYSTEM......Page 466 MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA VOLUNTARY MOVIE RATING SYSTEM......Page 467 BEYOND THE CODE AND RATING SYSTEM......Page 471 CHANGING FORMULAS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SEX, VIOLENCE, AND LANGUAGE......Page 474 SOCIAL PROBLEM FILMS AND DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING......Page 477 FLASHBACK: FILMING LIFE: A HISTORY OF THE DOCUMENTARY......Page 481 Analyzing Films in Society......Page 485 DVD Filmmaking Extras......Page 487 Films for Study......Page 489 Notes......Page 492 Glossary......Page 498 Index......Page 506 Credits......Page 528