The Relationship Between Film And Reality

Film exists in layers of physical existence and reality. You have the layer the audience views of the film’s world - setting, characters, and plot - and then you have the layer the film production workers view of the film’s world - actors, the set, and the story. Like photography, film is able to establish a physical existence. However, unlike photography, film uses two very unique and different techniques in order to establish its physical existence. According to Siegfried Kracauer, film establishes its physical existence through representation of reality as it evolves through time and with the help of techniques and devices exclusive to cinema cameras (Kracauer 187). All the world is a stage for film, however Kracauer lists specific techniques of film he refers to as cinematic due to how these techniques are read on the cinematic medium. Although Kracauer wrote his theory on Establishment of Physical Existence in 1960, the 2015 movie Tangerine contains a fair amount of content that can be serviced as examples in order to support Kracauer’s theory. Using the 2010’s movie Tangerine directed by Sean S. Baker, modern cinema examples from various scenes of the film can be provided for examples on Siegfried Kracauer’s theory of Establishment of Physical Existence through cinema’s recording functions of nascent motion, cinema’s revealing function of transients, and cinema’s revealing function of blind spots of the

During the course of this essay it is my intention to discuss the differences between Classical Hollywood and post-Classical Hollywood. Although these terms refer to theoretical movements of which they are not definitive it is my goal to show that they are applicable in a broad way to a cinema tradition that dominated Hollywood production between 1916 and 1960 and which also pervaded Western Mainstream Cinema (Classical Hollywood or Classic Narrative Cinema) and to the movement and changes that came about following this time period (Post-Classical or New Hollywood). I intend to do this by first analysing and defining aspects of Classical Hollywood and having done that,

This paper was prepared for Introduction to Film History, Module 1 Homework Assignment, taught by Professor Stephanie Sandifer.

To begin, the idea of two realisms is first illustrated in the opening sequence of the film and continues throughout the length of the story. For example, the neighborhood shown in the film is

David Bordwell wrote his article ‘The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film’ in an effort to convey the main idea that “art cinema” can be considered as a distinct mode of film practice, through its definite historical existence alongside other cinematic modes, set of formal conventions, and implicit viewing procedures. Rather than searching for the source of the art, or what drives the art in film, Bordwell compares art cinema to the classical narrative cinema, and highlights the differences in narrative structure. Bordwell makes the assumption that it defined itself against the classical narrative mode; especially with the way it deals with space, time, and the cause and effect link of events.

Hollywood cinema is primarily subjected to telling stories. The inclination of Hollywood narratives comes not just from good chronicles but from good story telling. The following essay will discuss Hollywood’s commercial aesthetic as applied to storytelling, expand on the characteristics of the “principles of classical film narration” and evaluate alternative modes of narration and other deviations from the classical mode.

A filmmaker who was concerned with creating a realistic world in his/her films would probably shoot in the following setting

Being one of the world’s most popular art forms, it was inevitable that these archetypes would find their way into film as well. In this essay I will argue that the

A realist film that shows great accuracy is the war film All Quiet on the Western Front. The storyline incorporates just enough action to inform viewers that it is a war movie and at the same time it also embodies many other aspects such as the politics, emotions and hype involved with the war (Ronald, R. 2013). This gives the viewer a more accurate view as all aspects of the war are covered. Throughout the film we see that real locations have been chosen to enhance the realistic vision and accuracy of the film.

Theorist Vsevolod Pudovkin claims that narrative films are mainly a “product of construction” and cautious compilations of “selections of images that have been shot” (Renée).

Realism, as the name implies, is a concept that deals with reality, or the actuality of something. In film, the realism as a style does not imply that what is going on in the film is true to real life, but more that the techniques used while filming made it seem real. Documentary films are the closest to a truly realistic depiction of life, with actual people and events, however these are not the only films that deal with realism. In Ryan Fleck’s film, Half Nelson (Ryan Fleck, USA, 2006), a realist style is used as a means of portraying the struggles of drug abuse, the demise of idealism as a lifestyle, and the perception of hopelessness for life in general. All three of which are themes evident throughout the movie and can be represented

The world of film has changed dramatically over the years and will likely continue to change along with technological and professional developments. Like many modern innovations, film has changed substantially over a rather short period of time, from black and white movies to modernized color films. Still, it is impressive to think how far film has come, and looking back into the near past affords an appreciation of the technology that no longer exists. Thus my viewing experiences towards film have tremendously changed in recent years as I have become more and more immersed in its world.

The concept of Social realism as a film genre is to portray the ‘real life’ of a working-class society. Social realism films depict the social, political and economic injustices’ that influence and impact people in society (Taylor, 2006). Social realism is raw, and gives the audience a true indication of what life is like (Lay, 2002).

Barthes claims that the author is dead (Barthes, 1977: 208), a theoretical construction that perceives the director as an idea, whereas, Bazin’s principle method establishes cinematic realism.

In all forms of art there is a natural inclination to explore and experiment within the medium. The resulting methods and formats can be seen as alternatives and additions to existing ones. I do not believe that, in terms of technical decisions, there is a superior style of film making that the industry progresses to on a set path. I agree with Arnheim’s statement that “there is no objection to the complete film as an alternative to the stage” if it exists with the other types of films (Arhheim, 186). In some cases advances in method and technique are used to fix the problems of technological limitations. In other cases these advances provide alternatives. The introduction of color is described by the latter. Color was introduced as an alternative to black and white movies but never completely replaced them and didn’t stop the use of black and white as an effective technique in modern cinema.