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Re: The Film Thread
First of all, let me start off by telling you this story.
A about two weeks ago, I was driving to Malibu with my cinematographer and my girlfriend's brother. I was filming my short film which I officially wrap up tomorrow. The drive was fairly long so we began discussing films. I love to go in depth about films I've seen, obviously because I'm studying film. I'm not an expert or a critic just yet so I don't act like I am. There are a lot of things I don't know so I try to learn by viewing films, discussing them, and reading about them.
So, my camerman is in his 40s, he's Russian-Armenian and he's been influenced by some greats. We began discussing all sorts of films, mainly international films such as Fellini, Bergman, etc. I asked him about Fellini's film 8½ , which is one of the first films I saw this summer for my film marathon. It's been received as one of the best films ever, and let me tell you, it's a lot to take in. While watching it, I felt quite embarrased for not being able to keep up and understand everything. I read as much as I could about it, and no matter how much you read, it definitely takes more than one viewing. In fact, it takes more than that. It takes time.
My cameraman told me he saw it many, many years ago and didn't understand many things as well. He told me it was because of his age. He said to me there are many films that take years until you can digest them. You need life experience to understand what the filmmaker was trying to tell through his images. 8½ is about life and growing older and facing yourself when you're in a difficult position about what move to make next. He was able to understand the film better as he reached that certain age when he felt the same way.
I think it's the same with Bergman's films. Bergman was able to establish a tone from the beginning of his films and set that tone throughout the entire picture. This is why I believe Allen did an amazing job with Interiors; however, many will claim the film isn't done in well taste or is boring. When I saw The Seventh Seal, I knew I was about to watch a masterpiece. I knew it was going to be hard to take in on a first viewing. I tried to take it all in and analyze the film for myself. I've only seen it once but it's quite clear what immediately grabbed my attention. I've read what some people have said about the film before. Those who have enjoyed it have spoken about its symbolism which is religiously oriented; Joseph and Mary traveling with their child. They also mentioned that before this film, no one had experimented with the themes of death or the meaning of life in a thought provoking way.
I like to think of the film for its visual imagery. Bergman was on a tight budget but it's so beautiful shot, it's beautiful. I'm not sure if I read this or saw an interview, but someone spoke about Bergman and his experience with him during an interview. Bergman just stopped with the interview, turned around and said to a crew member, "You know, if you open that door behind me, it will add a little more light to the scene and add some depth to the picture." That's the type of man Bergman was. He knew exactly what to look for to make his films visually beautiful. I also like to describe the film as people trying to find meaning in a death driven world. I mean, isn't that what we're all doing anyway? Philosophy, is what it is. This film relies heavily on it and in such an interesting way only Bergman was able to pull it off. The encounter with death, knowing your about to die, and ultimately leading up to your own demise. It's an interpretation of death and how Bergman displayed that for us.
A lot more can be said and maybe in a few years, I'll be able to analyze the film in a much more critical standpoint.
First of all, let me start off by telling you this story.
A about two weeks ago, I was driving to Malibu with my cinematographer and my girlfriend's brother. I was filming my short film which I officially wrap up tomorrow. The drive was fairly long so we began discussing films. I love to go in depth about films I've seen, obviously because I'm studying film. I'm not an expert or a critic just yet so I don't act like I am. There are a lot of things I don't know so I try to learn by viewing films, discussing them, and reading about them.
So, my camerman is in his 40s, he's Russian-Armenian and he's been influenced by some greats. We began discussing all sorts of films, mainly international films such as Fellini, Bergman, etc. I asked him about Fellini's film 8½ , which is one of the first films I saw this summer for my film marathon. It's been received as one of the best films ever, and let me tell you, it's a lot to take in. While watching it, I felt quite embarrased for not being able to keep up and understand everything. I read as much as I could about it, and no matter how much you read, it definitely takes more than one viewing. In fact, it takes more than that. It takes time.
My cameraman told me he saw it many, many years ago and didn't understand many things as well. He told me it was because of his age. He said to me there are many films that take years until you can digest them. You need life experience to understand what the filmmaker was trying to tell through his images. 8½ is about life and growing older and facing yourself when you're in a difficult position about what move to make next. He was able to understand the film better as he reached that certain age when he felt the same way.
I think it's the same with Bergman's films. Bergman was able to establish a tone from the beginning of his films and set that tone throughout the entire picture. This is why I believe Allen did an amazing job with Interiors; however, many will claim the film isn't done in well taste or is boring. When I saw The Seventh Seal, I knew I was about to watch a masterpiece. I knew it was going to be hard to take in on a first viewing. I tried to take it all in and analyze the film for myself. I've only seen it once but it's quite clear what immediately grabbed my attention. I've read what some people have said about the film before. Those who have enjoyed it have spoken about its symbolism which is religiously oriented; Joseph and Mary traveling with their child. They also mentioned that before this film, no one had experimented with the themes of death or the meaning of life in a thought provoking way.
I like to think of the film for its visual imagery. Bergman was on a tight budget but it's so beautiful shot, it's beautiful. I'm not sure if I read this or saw an interview, but someone spoke about Bergman and his experience with him during an interview. Bergman just stopped with the interview, turned around and said to a crew member, "You know, if you open that door behind me, it will add a little more light to the scene and add some depth to the picture." That's the type of man Bergman was. He knew exactly what to look for to make his films visually beautiful. I also like to describe the film as people trying to find meaning in a death driven world. I mean, isn't that what we're all doing anyway? Philosophy, is what it is. This film relies heavily on it and in such an interesting way only Bergman was able to pull it off. The encounter with death, knowing your about to die, and ultimately leading up to your own demise. It's an interpretation of death and how Bergman displayed that for us.
A lot more can be said and maybe in a few years, I'll be able to analyze the film in a much more critical standpoint.
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