As we did not watch the row of pictoresque movies that we are suposse to watch for these blog entries I want to praise something that is left behind by critics (on most of the time): bad movies. John mentioned that we can learn from bad movies learned what not to do. But that is really unfair to the kind of universe that bad cinematographies share.
In fact, my favorite movie is a incredibly bad movie. Big Trouble Little China, with Kurt Russell in his climax as a bad ass of the cinema. But in essence, this is just another piece of junk created by Hollywood during the 80's. This specific register have too many loose ends, a really bad character arc, not a single good camera angle or any studies on how to enhance the visual experience of the audience. It is just blunt. A old chinese evil god in order to reincarnate has to sacrifice an green eyed virgin chinese girl. What a horrible premise for a movie! But here is the thing: this amount of nonsenses is more appealing to me than any single shot, just to exemplify, of Sunrise, although I consider Sunrise a better movie.
I know many "intelectuals" praise any of these good movies in almost a religious way, but the most seen movies are exactly the bad ones! The most seen movie in all history-Titanic- was a piece of sinky garbage! Are good movies that elitist? And Why bad movies englobe everyone?
Although I am not sure of these answers, yet, I try to enjoy both of them, on their on unique ways. I understand the power of a good movie, their deep shots, deep meanings and heartful feelings. Good movies are too powerful, That's why they might be so difficult to watch! but bad movies are easier to relate with. You cheer that the protagonist will kick some arses!
So I will keep watching and try to find a way that share both of these world. I know some genious already manage to do it, so it is not that original. I guess the challenge now lives on what Master Pavel remarked about truth and the edge of the world between movies and reality. We need to find a common place for all those truths: virtual, cinematographic or real. So good movies will relate more easily, or bad movies will arise true feelings too.
The only exception on all that are movies with animals in it.Specialy with monkeys. They are just bad.Period.
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5 comments:
It's safe to say that a majority of people watch movies for purely entertainment purposes, and there's nothing wrong with that. These movies usually appeal to one's emotions, from the "chick-flick" that leaves the girls crying and the boys sighing ("Thank god it's over.") to horror films ("Holy shit!"). Therefore, films like "Titanic," which you apparently hate, make a lot of money.
However, I've always heard that what makes literature a true time-lasting art is its ability to not only reach one's heart but to also reach one's mind. That's why we will never read one of my more favorite series, The Princess Diaries, in a literature class. It's not necessarily an "elitist" attitude that determines what is a "good" or "bad" movie, but rather the intellectual value that one can gleen from a film. But that doesn't mean that a "bad" movie has no value.
By the way, the Princess Diaries movie was pure awfulness.
not thaaat bad. It has Anne Hathaway.
movies with animals are so awesome. i still remember when i watched 'Dunstin Checks In' (or something like that, about a chimp causing havoc in a 5-star hotel). i was cracking up through out the film. then lets not forget Free Willy and Jaws and Deep Blue Sea.
One thing i noticed about Sunrise (amongst a few others) was the conditioned behavior of the dog. I could be wrong, but this movie could have probably been one of the first to employ a trained animal. in the scene where the husband is taking the wife for the 'ride of (for) her life', the dog goes crazy barking (animals have the ability to sense imminent danger). then he breaks the shackles that bind his and jumps into the lake and does a doggy paddle towards the boat. once ON the boat, the dog absolutely calms down. what caused the change in the dog's demeanor? it was probably manipulative techniques that have now evolved into the art of animal training.
How can you possibly like animal movies? They they are so cute and troublesome. That's so...ergh ...anyway.
And jaws is not really a Animal movie. The antagonist is not really the shark, but only the presence of it.
About the intelectual power of the good movies: well, you can find intelectual appealing in any movies! Even the bad ones. It is actually harder to find signs in bad movies because you get distracted with other things.
When I said it was elitist I meant that is not easy to related or absorve intelectually an good movie, and people that cannot make this effort, won't find them interesting.
I will keep my mind on bad 80's movies because I surpass the surface of what they tell us. Take for instance "Ferris Buller's day off"(which will never be a bad movie, but it is mainstream enough.) What an essay on life! Carpe Diem!
Very apt comments, Jean.
I'm not against "bad movies," in the least. In fact, I have some secret favorites that are some of the worst films ever made. Further, there's a class of film I like to call "failed masterpieces," where the line between sublime/terrible is so narrow that I often can't tell the difference (David Lynch's Dune comes to mind).
There's also an observable trend in the history of film: cinema has a dual purpose to elate the senses and to make the producer a huge amount of money. This split purpose can sometimes lead to "art" (Sunrise, et al.) or to "trash" (BTLC), yet we can find delight in both.
So sez I.
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