Assignment 20: How to...--Amir Abou-Jaoude

How to Watch a Film

As the Oscars approach, we sit down to watch all of the nominees and busily make our own predictions. Still, too often when we watch a film, especially those that are decades old, we passively watch it. In order to appreciate a film, however, we have to examine several factors. In order to get the most out of your movie-viewing experience--

1. Consider the context in which the film was made. If you are watching a film that was made recently, this is relatively easy. You understand the political and social issues that are at the heart of movie. However, if you watch a movie from the 1930s or 1940s, like a Preston Sturges or Frank Capra comedy, it can be difficult to examine the historical circumstances. The 1930s and 1940s were a time when the American cinema was controlled by Hollywood's moguls. Movies were a form of escapism, and people were eager to forget the crises of the Great Depression and World War II. Sturges's and Capra's filmmaking represents this innocent escapism. The context in which a film was made can help you better appreciate the film--Capra's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington seems more clever when you consider that it was made when the political atmosphere in Washington was tense.

2. Examine each of the director's choices. Some of these choices conform to the traditional film grammar established by pioneers like D.W. Griffith. For example, many directors use close-ups to emphasize certain elements in a scene, and they employ establishing shots to create a sense of setting. Look at the choices that fall outside of this traditional framework. If a director uses a close-up to denote something that is not important or uses an unusual type of cut, that is a choice that should be considered. For example, Stanley Kubrick uses a match cut to bridge two sequences and span thousands of years in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Why does he choose this cut instead of a more traditional dissolve?

3. Look at the people involved in the movie. Some directors, like Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Capra, or Vincente Minnelli, specialize in one type of film, while others, like John Ford, Robert Altman, or Stanley Kubrick, dabble in all kinds of genres. This is true of actors and producers too. Is the director or actor in question acting within his or her comfort zone or doing something radically different? Why did they choose this story to bring to the screen? This gives you a greater appreciation of the film. For example, Anthony Perkins's performance as Norman Bates in Psycho is even more astonishing when you consider that before the film, he was a teenage idol who had never been in a horror movie.

4. Try to evaluate a film objectively. All too often, we see a film as either good, okay, or bad. This framework does not allow for much analysis. What made you think that the film was either good, okay, or bad? Was it the director, the actors, the screenplay, the set design? Elucidate your criticism clearly. "The film was too long," "the acting was cheesy," or "the screenplay was bad" are vague points of contentions. Expand on what you thought was wrong with the film. "The screenplay suffered from lack of structure, and didn't have enough of a focus. Therefore, the effect of the film was lost on me" is a more clear criticism.

5. Don't worry too much about the meaning of the film. Often, the most celebrated films have messages that are difficult to decipher. David O. Selznick, the mogul behind Gone With the Wind, used to say "when I want to send a message, I use Western Union." Just appreciate the director's images, and the mood he creates. Cinema is a visual medium, and while the greatest directors may not make the most profound films, they create the most memorable images.

Hopefully, these steps will increase your appreciation of film. While it is difficult to consider these items when caught up in the story of a film, it will make the two hours you spend with a movie more worthwhile.