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sing both contemporary and classic films, ?he Art of

UWatching Films helps students develop critical skills in the analysis and evaluation of film. By suggesting what to look for and how to look for it, the text challenges

students to sharpen their powers of observation, establish habits of perceptive watching, and discover complex aspects of cinematic art that will further enhance their enjoyment of

watching films.

REVISION HIGHLIGHTS

• A new full-color design, including new color photos and movie stills throughout, adds to the book's attractiveness and appeal to students; more importantly, it helps them better understand concepts discussed in such chapters as Color, Cinematography, and Visual Design.

• New coverage of such thought-provoking topics as the treatment of sex, violence, and language; censorship and the MPAA Rating System; the "foreignness" of foreign films; and social problem films is now highlighted in new Chapter 15, Film and Society.

• The new "Flashback" feature gives students a brief historical overview of such topics as the history of film editing (Chapter 6); the use of color in filmmaking (Chapter 7); voice dubbing (Chapter 8); acting in silent films (Chapter 10); and the role of the screenwriter (Chapter 13).

STUDENT CD-ROM WITH FILM CLIPS AND

COMMENTARY

This CD-ROM, designed specifically for The Art o/Watching Films, provides short film clips that reinforce the key concepts and topics in each chapter. Along with each film clip is commentary that relates the film clip to the ideas discussed in the text. A short quiz accompanies each clip and commentary. Film clips are from such movies as The Graduate, Psycho, Pleasantville, Meet the Parents, Do the Right Thing, Vertigo, and Shakespeare in Love.

The McGraw'HiII

McGraw-Hili Higher Education

VISIT THE ONLINE LEARNING CENTER AT www.mhhe.com/awf7

This Web site for The Art o/Watching Films includes tools for both instructors and students. For instructors, the Online Learning Center (OLC) offers a new instructor's manual; a test bank; EZ Test Computerized Test Bank; a PowerPoint presentation including outlines for each chapter and discussion questions; and multiple-choice questions for use with the Classroom Performance System. Instructors also have access to all the assets in the Student edition of the OLC, which include a special feature "Writing About Film;" a selected bibliography and list of resource materials; self­ testing quizzes for each chapter, including multiple-choice and true-false questions; and study materials for every chapter, including chapter outline, Internet exercises, and Web links.

ISBN 978·0·07·353507-4 MHID 0-07-353507-9

90000

IT] > z

9 www.mhhe.com

http:www.mhhe.com
www.mhhe.com/awf7
The ART of Watching FILMS

The McGraw'HiIl Companies "Ii'

• Higher Education Published by McGraw-Hill, an imprint of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this public"tion may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 DOC/DOC 0 9 8 7

ISBN-I3: 978-0-07-353507-4 MHID: 0-07-353507-9

Editor in Chief: Emily Barrosse Publisher: Lisa Moore Sponsoring Editor: Chz'istopher Freitag Developmental Editor: Nancy O'OChiere Marketing Manager: Pamela Coopez' Media Producer: Stacy Bentz Production Editor: Brett Cokez' Interior Designer: Kay Fulton Cover Designer: Preston Thomas Art Edi tor: Ayelet Az'bel Photo Research Coordinator: Sonia Brown Production Supervisor: Richard De Vitto Composition: 10.5/13 Janson by Tbompson Type Printing: 45# Publisbers j\IJ.atte Plus by R.R. Domzelley & Sons

Credits: The credits section for this book begins on page C-I and is considered an extension of the copyright page.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Boggs, Joseph M.

The art of watching films / Joseph M. Boggs, Dennis W Petrie.-7th ed. p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-07-353507-4 MHID: 0-07-353507-9

1. Film criticism. 1. Petrie, Dennis W. II. Title.

PNI995.B525 2008 791.43'OI5-dc22

2006048155

The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at tlle time of publication. The inclusion of a Web site does not indicate an endorsement by the authors or McGraw-Hill, and McGraw-Hill does not guarantee the accuracy of tlle information presented at these sites.

www.mhhe.com

For����'iiiI.i

Contents

PREFACE XIII

Lord of the Rings

1 The Art of Watching Films 2

THE UNIQUENESS OF FILM 3

THE CHALLENGES OF FILM ANALYSIS 5

THE VALUE OF FILM ANALYSIS 6

BECOMING A RECEPTIVE VIEWER 9

THE FILM-VIEWING ENVIRONMENT 1 1

PREPARING TO SEE A FILM 1 5

DEEPENING OUR RESPONSES TO FILMS 1 7

Analyzing Your Responses to a Film 18

The New World

2 Thematic Elements 19

THEME AND FOCUS 20

Focus on Plot 20

vi

Focus on Emotional Effect or Mood 20 Focus on Character 22 Focus on Style or Texture or Structure 23

Focus on Ideas 24 IDENTIFYING THE THEME 32

EVALUATING THE THEME 34

Analyzing Theme 36 Video Exercises 37 Films for Study 38

Finding Neverland

3 Fictional and Dramatic Elements 40

FILM ANALYSIS AND LITERARY ANALYSIS 41

THE ELEMENTS OF A GOOD STORY 41

A Good Story Is Unified in Plot 42 A Good Story Is Credible 42 A Good Story Is Interesting 46 A Good Story Is Both Simple and Complex 48 A Good Story Handles Emotional

Material with Restraint 51 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE 53

DRAMATIC STRUCTURE 54

Linear, or Chronological, Structure 54 Nonlinear Structures 55 Endings: Fine-Tuning the Denouement 56

CONFLICT 57

CHARACTERIZATION 59

Characterization T hrough Appearance 60 Characterization Through Dialogue 61

Characterization T hrough External Action 62 Characterization Through Internal Action 62 Characterization T hrough Reactions of

Other Characters 64 Characterization Through Contrast: Dramatic Foils 64 Characterization Through Caricature and Leitmotif 65 Characterization Through Choice of Name 66 Varieties of Characters 67

ALLEGORY 70

SYMBOLISM 71

Universal and Natural Symbols 72 Creating Symbolic Meanings 73 Symbolic Patterns and Progressions 76 Symbolic Values in Conflict 78 Metaphors 78 Overreading Symbolism 79

IRONY 80

Dramatic Irony 80 Irony of Situation 81 Irony of Character 82 Irony of Setting 82 Irony of Tone 82 Cosmic Irony 83

Analyzing Fictional and Dramatic Elements 84 Video Exercises 86 Mini-Movie Exercise 88 DVD Filmmaking Extras 88 Films for Study 89

Memoirs of a Geisha

4 Visual Design 90

COLOR VERSUS BLACK AND WHITE 91

SCREEN FORMAT (ASPECT RATIO) 92

FILM STOCK 93

PRODUCTION DESIGN/ART DIRECTION 97

The Script: The Starting Point 97 Setting and Its Effects 101 Studio Versus Location Shooting 105 Period Pieces 106 Living Spaces and Offices 107 Fantasy Worlds 108

COSTUME AND MAKEUP DESIGN 1 1 0

LIGHTING 1 14

THE BUDGET'S EFFECT ON THE FILM'S LOOK 11 9

Analyzing Visual Design 119 Video Exercises 120 Mini-Movie Exercise 121 DVD Filmmaking Extras 121 Films for Study 122

Brokeback Mountain

5 Cinematography and Special Visual Effects 124

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VISUAL IMAGE 12S

THE CINEMATIC FILM 1 25

CINEMATIC POINTS OF VIEW 126

Objective Point of View 127 Subjective Point of View 128 Indirect-Subjective Point of View 130 Director's Interpretive Point of View 132

ELEMENTS OF CINEMATIC COMPOSITION 133

Focusing Attention on the Most Significant Object 134 Keeping the Image in Motion 138 Creating an Illusion of Depth 143

SPECIALIZED CINEMATIC TECHNIQUES 1 S1

Handheld Camera 151 Camera Angles 152 Color, Diffusion, and Soft Focus 153 Special Lenses 155 Fast Motion 157 Special Lighting Effects 157

MOVIE MAGIC: VISUAL EFFECTS IN THE MODERN FILM 158

THE F/X OF ANIMATED FEATURE FILMS ... ESPECIALLY FOR ADULTS 166

FLASHBACK: ANIMATION BECOMES THE MAIN EVENT 168

Analyzing Cinematography

and Special Visual Effects 175 Video Exercises 176 Mini-Movie Exercise: Cinematography 177

Contents vii

Mini-Movie Exercise: Animated FX 177 DVD Filmmaking Extras 178 Films for Study 183

The Constant Gardener

6 Editing 1 85

SELECTIVITY 187

FLASHBACK: SAVING THE MOVIES: WHAT FILM EDITORS HAVE ALWAYS DONE 1 88

COHERENCE, CONTINUITY, AND RHYTHM 1 90

TRANSITIONS 190

RHYTHMS, TEMPO, AND TIME CONTROL 198

EXPANSION AND COMPRESSION OF TIME 202

SLOW MOTION 203

THE FREEZE FRAME, THE THAWED FRAME, AND STILLS 21 2

The Freeze Frame 212 The Thawed Frame 213 Stills 214

CREATIVE JUXTAPOSITION: MONTAGE 21 5

Questions for Analyzing Editing 216 Video Exercises 216 Mini-Movie Exercise 219 Mini-Movie Exercise 220 DVD Filmmaking Extras 220 Films for Study 220

Gone With the Wind

7 Color 222

COLOR IN THE MODERN FILM 225

Effects of Color on the Viewer 225

viii Contents

FLASHBACK: DISCOVERING COLOR AT THE MOVIES 226

Color as a Transitional Device 233 Expressionistic Use of Color 236 Color as Symbol 238 Surrealistic Use of Color 238 Leitmotifs in Color 239 Color to Enhance Mood 240 Comic Book Color 240 Comic Strip Color 241 Painterly Effects in Color 242 Ironic Use of Color 244 Special Color Effects 244

COLOR VERSUS BLACK AND WHITE 246

Analyzing Color 252 Video Exercises 252 Mini-Movie Exercise 253 DVD Filmmaking Extras 253 Films for Study 254

A Prairie Home Companion

8 Sound Effects and Dialogue 256

SOUND AND THE MODERN FILM 257

DIALOGUE 258

THREE-DIMENSIONALITY IN SOUND 259

VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE SOUND 262

POINTS OF VIEW IN SOUND 264

SPECIAL USES OF SOUND EFFECTS AND DIALOGUE 266

Sound Effects to Tell an Inner Story 267 Distortion of Sound to Suggest Subjective States 268 The "Personality" of Mechanical Sounds 268 Slow-Motion Sound 269 Ironic Juxtaposition of Sound and Image 269 Placing Unusual Emphasis on Sound 269 Using Sound for Texture, T ime, and

Temperature 272 SOUND AS A PLOT DEVICE 273 SOUND AS A TRANSITIONAL ELEMENT 274

VOICE-OVER NARRATION 275

SILENCE AS A SOUND EFFECT 281

RHYTHMIC QUALITIES OF DIALOGUE AND SOUND EFFECTS 281

THE "SOUNDS" OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR INTERNATIONAL FILMS 281

Voice Dubbing 282 Subtitles 283

FLASHBACK: DUBIOUS DUBBING 284

Analyzing Sound Effects and Dialogue 285 Video Exercises 286 Mini-Movie Exercise 286 DVD Filmmaking Extras 287 Films for Study 288

Walk the Line

9 The Musical Score 290

THE REMARKABLE AFFINITY OF MUSIC AND FILM 291

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MUSICAL SCORE 291

GENERAL FUNCTIONS OF THE MUSICAL SCORE 292

SPECIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE MUSICAL SCORE 294

Heightening the Dramatic Effect of Dialogue 294 Telling an Inner Story 295 Providing a Sense of Time and Place 296 Foreshadowing Events or Building Dramatic

Tension 297 Adding Levels of Meaning to the Visual Image 298 Characterization Through Music 298 Triggering Conditioned Responses 301 Traveling Music 302 Providing Important Transitions 302 Setting an Initial Tone 303 Musical Sounds as Part of the Score 304 Music as Interior Monologue 304 Music as a Base for Choreographed Action 304 Covering Possible Weaknesses in the Film 307

SYNTHESIZER SCORING 307

BALANCING THE SCORE 309

Analyzing the Musical Score 311 Video Exercises 312 Mini-Movie Exercise 312 DVD Filmmaking Extras 313 Films for Study 316

Capote

10 Acting 3 1 8

THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTING 31 9

THE GOAL OF THE ACTOR 319

BECOMING THE CHARACTER 320

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FILM ACTING AND STAGE ACTING 322

FLASHBACK: SILENT FILMS: ACTING ON THE PAST 330

TYPES OF ACTORS 332

Impersonators 332 Interpreters and Commentators 332 Personality Actors 333

THE STAR SYSTEM 333

CASTING 335

Casting Problems 339 The Typecasting Trap 340 Supporting Players 344 Special Casting Challenges 347 Extras and Small Parts 349

ACTORS AS CREATIVE CONTRIBUTORS 351

SUBJECTIVE RESPONSES TO ACTORS 354

Analyzing Acting 356 Video Exercises 357 Mini-Movie Exercise 357 Mini-Movie Exercise 358 DVD Filmmaking Extras 359 Films for Study 361

Contents ix

King Kong (2005)

1 1 The Director's Style 363

THE CONCEPT OF STYLE 367

SUBJECT MATTER 367

CINEMATOGRAPHY 371

EDITING 373

SETTING AND SET DESIGN 374

SOUND AND SCORE 374

CASTING AND ACTING PERFORMANCES 375

SCREENPLAYS AND NARRATIVE STRUCTURE 377

EVOLVING STYLES AND FLEXIBILITY 381

SPECIAL EDITION: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT 383

A PORTFOLIO OF FOUR DIRECTORS 386

Analyzing a Director's Style 396 Mini-Movie Exercise 397 DVD Filmmaking Extras 397 Films for Study 400

The 5hawshank Redemption

12 Analysis of the Whole Film 403

THE BASIC APPROACH: WATCHING, ANALYZING, AND EVALUATING THE FILM 404

Theme 405 The Relationship of the Parts to the Whole 405 The Film's Level of Ambition 407 Objective Evaluation of the Film 407 Subjective Evaluation of the Film 408

OTHER APPROACHES TO ANALYSIS, EVALUATION, AND DISCUSSION 409

x Contents

The Film as Technical Achievement 409 The Film as Showcase for the Actor:

The Personality Cult 409 The Film as Product of a Single Creative Mind:

The Auteur Approach 410 The Film as Moral, Philosophical, or Social

Statement 411 The Film as Emotional or Sensual Experience 412 The Film as Repeated Form: The Genre Approach 412 The Film as Political Statement 414 The Film as Gender Statement 415 The Film as Insight to the Mind:

The Psychoanalytical Approach 416 The Eclectic Approach 418

REREADING THE REVIEWS 420

EVALUATING THE REVIEWER 420

DEVELOPING PERSONAL CRITERIA 422

Analyzing the Whole Film 424 Mini-Movie Exercise I 425 Mini-Movie Exercise /I 426 DVD Filmmaking Extras 427 Films for Study 428

The Chronicles of Narnia

13 Adaptations 429

THE PROBLEMS OF ADAPTATION 430

Change in Medium 430 Change in Creative Artists 431 Cinematic Potential of the Original Work 432

ADAPTATIONS OF PROSE FICTION 433

Literary Versus Cinematic Points of View 433 FLASHBACK: THE WRITER'S PLACE IN HOLLYWOOD 436

Third-Person Point of View: Challenges 438 First-Person Point of View: Challenges 439 The Problem of Length and Depth 440 Philosophical Reflections 442 Summarizing a Character's Past 444 The Challenge of Summarizing Events 446

Literary Past Tense Versus Cinematic Present Tense 447

Other Factors Influencing Adaptations of Fiction 448

ADAPTATIONS OF PLAYS 449

Structural Divisions 450 Sense of Space 451 Film Language Versus Stage Language 454 Stage Conventions Versus Cinema Conventions 455 Other Changes 567

FROM FACT TO FILM: REALITY TO MYTH 457

Analyzing Adaptations 463 Mini-Movie Exercise 465 DVO Filmmaking Extras 466 Films for Study 468

Superman Returns

14 Genre Films, Remakes, and Sequels 470

GENRE FILMS 471

Values 472 The Strengths of Genre Films 473 Basic Genre Conventions-and Their Variations 473

REMAKES AND SEQUELS 490

Remakes 492 Sequels 495

Analyzing Genre Films, Remakes, and Sequels 501 Mini-Movie Exercise 502 OVO Filmmaking Extras 503 Films for Study 505

Grey Gardens

15 Film and Society 512

FILM FOREIGNNESS 513

"Strange Silents" 515 DOES AMERICAN FILM SHAPE OR REFLECT SOCIAL AND CULTURAL VALUES? 51 6

THE MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION CODE, 1 930-1 960 51 8

BOX 1 : EXCERPTS FROM THE MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION CODE 51 9

CENSORSHIP IN TRANSITION, 1 948-1 968 523

THE MPAA RATING SYSTEM 525

BOX 2: MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA VOLUNTARY MOVIE RATING SYSTEM 527

CENSORSHIP AND FILMS ON TELEVISION 531

BEYOND THE CODE AND RATING SYSTEM 533

CHANGING FORMULAS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SEX, VIOLENCE, AND LANGUAGE 535

SOCIAL PROBLEM FILMS 538

FLASHBACK: REALLY REEL LIFE 542

Analyzing Films in Society 546 Mini-Movie Exercise 548 OVO Filmmaking Extras 549 Films for Study 551

NOTES N-1

GLOSSARY G-1

INDEX 1-1

CREDITS C-1

Contents xi

ONLINE APPENDIXES www.mhhe.com/awf7 Writing a Film Analysis

SAMPLE STUDENT PAPER 1 : ANALYSIS OF A COMPLETE FILM

(John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath)

SAMPLE STUDENT PAPER 2: ANALYSIS OF SELECTED FILM ELEMENTS

(Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver)

SAMPLE STUDENT PAPER 3: ANALYSIS FOR STUDY

(Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence)

xii Contents

Selected Bibliography and Study Materials

REFERENCE

FILM HISTORY AND CULTURE

SILENT FILM

DIRECTORS

FILM TYPES AND TOPICS

SPECIFIC FILMS

COLLECTIONS OF REVIEWS, ESSAYS, AND INTERVIEWS

FILM AESTHETICS AND THEORY

FILM PERIODICALS

MULTIMEDIA SOURCES

INTERNET SITES

DVDNlDEOCASSETTE SOURCES VIA MAIL

Preface

Not only is there an art to making films, there is also an art to watching films. We wrote this book to challenge students in introduction to film courses to sharpen their powers of observation, develop the skills and habits of perceptive watching, and discover complex aspects of film art that they might otherwise overlook. We designed the text to complement any film studied; its analytical framework can be applied to films as distinctly different as The Grapes ofU/rath, Cache, Dreamgiris, Batman Begins, Little Miss Sunshine, and Flags of our Fathen.

We are excited to offer this new seventh edition of The Art of VVatching Films in full color. The addition of color photos and movie stills throughout not only adds to the book's attractiveness, but also helps students better under­ stand concepts discussed in such chapters as Color, Cinematography, and Vi­ sual Design. In all, more than 450 images with extensive, informative captions illustrate key points in the text.

As in previous editions, we have tried to include as examples a large num­ ber of contemporary films that today's students are likely to have seen. We do this with the understanding that students learn better and are more engaged by the subject matter when they start with what they know. However, we also in­ clude numerous examples from American film classics, which are discussed in a way that does not assume prior knowledge. Moreover, throughout the text, we examine and include examples from films from other countries, documentaries, and animated films.

ORGANIZATION

In its formal organization and intent, The Art of TVatching Films is as straight­ forward as possible, with a focus on narrative film. The first chapter offers a rationale for film analysis while providing suggestions for deepening film appreci­ ation from day one of the course. The text then develops a foundation for under­ standing theme and story (Chapters 2 and 3) and moves on to discuss dramatic

xiii

xiv Preface

and cinematic elements (Chapters 4-- 1 1) . Chapter 12 provides a framework for integrating knowledge of all these elements into an analysis of the whole film. Subsequent chapters explore special topics: adaptations (13); genre films, re­ makes, and sequels (14); and film and society (15).

Based on extensive reviewer feedback, we have made the following organi­ zational changes to the seventh edition:

• The topic of special visual effects is now covered in Chapter 5 on Cinematography.

• A special section on animated feature Films was added to Chapter 5. • Examples from silent films are integrated throughout, but special coverage

of silent films can be found in Chapter 10, Acting, and Chapter 15, Film and Society.

• As with silent films, examples and discussion of foreign films are integrated throughout, with special coverage in Chapter 8, Sound Effects and Dialogue, and Chapter 15, Film and Society.

FEATURES

New-"Flashback" Features

New to this seventh edition of the text are seven boxed features that explore important aspects of film history. "Flashback" features are illustrated by one or more photos and give students a brief historical overview of such topics as the history of film editing (Chapter 6); the use of color in filmmaking (Chapter 7); voice dubbing (Chapter 8); acting in silent films (Chapter 9) and the role of the screenwriter (Chapter 13) and the underrated art of documentary filmmaking (Chapter 15).

New-Chapter on Film and Society

A new chapter on Film and Society covers such thought-provoking topics as the treatment of sex, violence, and language; censorship and the MPAA Rating System; the "foreignness" of foreign language and silent films; and social prob­ lem films, including documentaries.

Student CD-ROM with Film Clips and Commentary

This CD-ROM, designed specifically for The A17 of Watching Films, provides short film clips that reinforce the key concepts and topics in each chapter. Along with each film clip is commentary that relates the film clip to the ideas discussed in the text. A short quiz accompanies each clip and commentary. Film clips are from such movies as The Graduate, Psycho, Pleasantville, Meet the Parents, Do the Right Thing, Vertigo, and Shakespeare in Love. The CD-ROM

was created by Donna Davidson-Symonds of College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, CA.

Unique Chapter on Adaptation

Chapter 1 3 , Adaptation, treats a major aspect of current filmmaking that is rarely covered in textbooks: the adaptation not only of works of literature, but also television series, computer games, graphic novels, children's books, and even magazine articles, into feature films.

Video Exercises

End-of-chapter video exercises offer a hands-on immediacy to the study of film. Assuming that most students have at least limited access to a VCR or DVD player, we have devised video exercises for nine of the chapters in the text.

• For VCR: To view the section of film dealt with in each exercise, set the VCR counter at "0000" (or the real-time counter at 0:00:00) at the very end of the studio logo, just as the "movie proper" begins. (The "movie proper" includes such things as "Paramount Pictures Presents," opening credits, and the main title). Then fast-forward until the numbers given in the exercise appear.

• For DVD player: For examination of comparable scenes on any available DVD, merely follow the descriptive references in the "chapters" indicator of the main menu.

Questions for Analyzing Film Themes and Techniques

Questions at the end of every chapter help students apply chapter concepts to the analysis of any film. They increase students' involvement in the film experi­ ence, encouraging them to participate actively in an engaging quest rather than respond passively to the surface details.

Mini-Movie Exercises

Chapters 3 through 15 also provide students with exercises for examining a short film or "cinema sampler" (part of a feature film that is virtually self-contained). These exercises permit scrutiny of "complete," unified works rather than just frag­ mented bits and pieces of a feature-length film. They should be especially help­ ful to students and teachers who necessarily work within limited time periods.

DVD Filmmaking Extras

Chapters 3 through 15 contain annotated lists of topic-specific materials about the filmmaking process to be found on DVD versions of many movies. In

Preface xv

xvi Preface

addition, instructions are given for locating many "Easter eggs" (special hidden features) on DVDs.

Writing About Film

Many instructors ask students to write about the films they watch-either in­ formally in a journal or formally in an essay to give structure and logic to their own critical responses. In this text's Web site (www.mhhe.comlawf 7). we offer guidelines for writing a film analysis and three sample student essays. The first is a lengthy, complete examination ofJohn Ford's The GTapes ofWmth, showing how a student might approach a paper assigned as a major class project. The second is a shorter, simpler paper focusing on important techniques employed in Martin Scorsese's Taxi DTive1'". Both of these essays illustrate the types of analysis that one might expect students to write by using this text and a video source for multiple viewings. So that students using this book can grasp the in­ terrelationship of the text, film, and finished essay, we have noted in the mar­ gins of both papers the pages in The An of Watching Films that helped each student writer. The third student essay is a sharply focused analysis of Scor­ sese's The Age of Innocence without textual annotations.

ONLINE LEARNING CENTER

An Online Learning Center (OLC) for The An of Watching Films can be found at www.mhhe.co/awf 7. The Web site includes tools for both instructors and students.

For instructors, the OLC offers:

• An instructor's manual including chapter outlines, chapter summaries, lecture ideas, discussion questions, and lists of recommended films.

• A test bank containing, for each chapter, over 3 0 multiple-choice, matching, and true-false questions.

• EZ Test Computerized Test Bank, a flexible and easy-to-use electronic testing program that allows instructors to add their own questions and export tests for use with course management systems such as Blackboard or WebCr It is available for Windows and Macintosh environments.

• A Powerpoint presentation includes chapter outlines and discussion questions.

• Questions for use with the Classroom Performance System (CPS), a revolutionary wireless response system that allows instructors to pose questions to students and have their responses tabulated instantly. Go to www.mhhe.comlcps or ask your McGraw-Hill sales representative for further details.

Instructors also have access to all the assets in the Student edition of the OLC, including:

• The special feature "Writing about Film," described above, which provides guidelines for writing a film analysis and three sample student essays.

• A selected bibliography and list of resource materials. • Self-testing quizzes for each chapter, including multiple-choice and

true-false questions. • Study materials for evelY chapter, including chapter outline, internet

exercises, and web links.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This new, all-color seventh edition of The Art of Watching Films exists primarily because readers have embraced its predecessors enthusiastically. I wish to ex­ press enormous gratitude to the past and current users of my work and that of Joe Boggs.

In addition, I offer my sincere thanks to my family, friends, colleagues, and students for their ardent encouragement tllroughout the making of this book. Immensely praiseworthy among those who actively supported my efforts are Michael Blaz, Carol L. Briles, Miriam J. Briles, Elizabeth Gill, Sandy S. Ridlington, Jeanine Samuelson, Jane A. Tubergen, Robert J. Whelchel-and, especially, Robert D. Briles, Roberta Tierney, Suzanne K. Van Wagner, and Thomas P. Tierney.

Many valuable kindnesses also came my way from Marcia Adams, Deborah Blaz, Jeanne Braham, Ray Hatton, MalY E. Heltsley, Miles Hession II, J acque­ line E. Orsagh, and Robert C. Petersen. And co-workers whose thoughtfulness eased my labor include Timothy Hopp, Donald P.Jones,Joan Karbach,Jeanine Samuelson, Jan Schlegel, Lisa Toner, Katllie Wentworth, and Vicki Frey.

Within McGraw-Hill Higher Education, senior sponsoring editor Chris Freitag, sponsoring editor Gina Boedeker, development editor Nomi Sofer, photo editor Sonia Brown, and copy editor Patricia Ohlenroth were particu­ larly helpful. To senior production editor Brett Coker lowe many thanks for his extremely effective leadership and wise counsel. Most of all, I offer my heartfelt appreciation to senior development editor Nancy Crochiere, whose intelligence, creative wit, and patient professionalism sustained me throughout the progress of our challenging tasks.

Finally, I thank all of my colleagues who served as reviewers for this edition:

Brian]. Benson, North Carolina A & T State University

TimotllY Case, University of SOUtll Dakota

John Ernst, Heartland Community College

Mark Freeman, San Diego State University

Robert Gore, Sacramento City College

James Gorham, Midwestern State University

Preface xvii

xviii Preface

Michael Haddock, Florida Community College

Robert Kagan, Manchester Community College

Julie Levinson, Babson College

Cynthia Lucia, Rider University

Valjoan Myers, Oakland Community College

David Popowski, Minnesota State University

Jan Quinn-Weyent, Long Beach City College

John P. Smead, Central Missouri State University

Janice Vierk, Metropolitan Community College

A very special thanks to Donna Davidson-Symonds of College of the Canyons for her superb work on the shldent hltorial CD-ROM that accompanies this text.

Dennis W Petrie

The ART of Watching FILMS

THE UNIQUENESS OF FILM

The tremendous expense involved in producing motion pictures reminds us that film is both an industry and an art form. Each film is the child of a turbulent marriage between businesspeople and artists. Yet despite an ongoing battle be­ tween aesthetic and commercial considerations, film is recognized as a unique and powerful art form on a par with painting, sculpture, music, literature, and drama. A. O. Scott, a film reviewer for The New York Times, has eloquently iden­ tified other tensions within our insatiable appetite for going to the movies:

T he e sse ntia l pa rado x .. . is t hat it is at o nce co lle ct ive a nd rad ica lly so lita ry, a n a ma lga m o f the co he sive so cia l rit ua l o f t heate rgo ing a nd t he ind ividua list reve rie o f nove l- reading. The movie s offe r vi sio ns o f a bette r wo rld eve n a s t hey a re sy mpto ms o f e ve ryt hing wro ng wit h t his one . As such, movie go ing is pe rha ps sti ll . . . t he e xe mpla ry mode rn cult ura l a ct ivit y. It spl ice s to get he r ind ivid ua lism a nd ma ss cultu re -t he insiste nce on the pa rt icula rit y o f ide ntit y a nd the sta nda rd­ izat io n o f e xpe rie nce, t he li ne at t he bo x offi ce a nd t he so lita ry d rea mi ng in t he da rk-like a se re nd ipito us a rt- ho use po uble feat ure pro gra mmed by a de it y wit h pe rve rse ta ste s a nd a n odd se nse o f humo r. I

As a form of expression, the motion picture is similar to other artistic media, for the basic properties of other media are woven into its own rich fabric. Film employs the compositional elements of the visual arts: line, form, mass, volume, and texture. Like painting and photography, film exploits the subtle inter­ play of light and shadow. Like sculpture, film manipulates tl1ree-dimensional space. But, like pantomime, film focuses on moving images, and as in dance, the moving images in film have rhythm. The complex rhythms of film resemble those of music and poetry, and like poetry in particular, film communicates through imagery, metaphor, and symbol. Like the drama, film communicates visually and verbally: visually, tl1rough action and gesture; verbally, through dia­ logue. Finally, like the novel, film expands or compresses time and space, trav­ eling back and forth freely within their wide borders.

Despite these similarities, film is unique, set apart from all other media by its quality of free and constant motion. The continuous interplay of sight, sound, and motion allows film to transcend the static limitations of painting and sculpture-in the complexity of its sensual appeal as well as in its ability to communicate simultaneously on several levels. Film even surpasses drama in its unique capacity for revealing various points of view, portraying action, manip­ ulating time, and conveying a boundless sense of space. Unlike the stage play, film can provide a continuous, unbroken flow, which blurs and minimizes tran­ sitions without compromising the story's unity. Unlike the novel and the poem, film communicates directly, not through abstract symbols like words on a page but through concrete images and sounds. VV'hat's more, film can treat an almost infinite array of subjects:

The Art of Watching Fi lms 3

4 CHAPTER 1

It is impo ssible to co nceive o f a nyt hing w hich t he eye might be hold o r t he ea r hea r, i n a ctua lit y o r ima ginat io n, w hich co uld not be re pre se nted in t he med ium o f film. Fro m t he po le s to t he e quato r, fro m t he Gra nd Ca nyo n to t he minute st flaw in a pie ce o f stee l, fro m t he whistling fl ight o f a bullet to t lle slow growt h o f a flower , fro m t he fl icke r o f t ho ught a cro ss a n a lmo st impa ssive fa ce to t he fre n­ z ied ravings o f a mad ma n, t he re is no po int in spa ce, no de gree o f ma gnit ude o r speed o f move me nt w it hin t he a ppre he nsio n o f ma n w hi ch is not wit hin rea ch o f t he fil m. 2

Film is unlimited not only in its choice of subject but also in its approach to that material. A film's mood and treatment can range from the lyric to the epic. In point of view, a film can cover the full spectrum from the purely objective to the intensely subjective; in depth, it can focus on the surface realities and the purely sensual, or it can delve into the intellectual and philosophical. A film can look to the remote past or probe the distant future; it can make a few seconds seem like hours or compress a century into minutes. Film can run the gamut of feeling from the most fragile, tender, and beautiful to the most brutal, violent, and repulsive.

Of even greater importance than film's unlimited range in subject matter and treatment, however, is the overwhelming sense of reality it can convey. The continuous stream of sight, sound, and motion creates a here-and-now excite­ ment that immerses the viewer in the cinematic experience. Thus, through film, fantasy assumes the shape and emotional impact of reality (Figure 1.1). The technological history of film can in fact be viewed as a continual evolution toward greater realism, toward erasing the border between art and nature. The motion picture has progressed step by step from drawings, to photographs, to projected images, to sound, to color, to wide screen, to 3-D and beyond. Attempts have been made to add the sense of smell to the film experience by releasing fragrances in the theater. Aldous Huxley'S novel Brave New World depicts a the­ ater of the future in which a complex electrical apparatus at each seat provides tactile images to match the visuals:

Go ing to t he Fee lie s t his e ve ning, He nry? ... I hea r t lle new o ne at t he A lha mbra is first- rate . The re 's a love sce ne on a bea rskin rug; t lley say it 's ma rve lo us. E ve ry ha ir o f t lle bea r re produced . T he mo st a mazing ta ctua l e ffe ct s.3

Although Huxley's "Feelies" have not yet become reality, the motion pic­ ture has succeeded-through Cinerama, !MAX, and other wide-screen, curved-screen, large-screen projection or computerized virtual reality tech­ niques-in intensifying our experience to a remarkable degree. In fact, by cre­ ating images that are larger than life, films have sometimes been made to seem more real than reality. A cartoon published shortly after the release of the first Cinerama film (This Is Cinerama, 1952) illustrates tl1e effectiveness of tl1is de­ vice. The drawing pictures a man groping for a seat during the famous roller-

FIGURE 1.1 Making Fantasy Become Reality The f i lm medium gives such fantasy

movies as Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon the texture and emotional impact

of real ity.

coaster sequence. As he moves across a row of theater seats, another spectator, in a panic, grabs his arm and screams hysterically, "Sit down, you fool! You' ll have us all killed!" This cOlnic exclamation echoed similar ones from early silent film patrons who reacted nervously to the first train that swiftly entered a cinema's "station." What awesome delights must await us consumers of movie CGI (computer generated imaging) in future decades.

THE CHALLENGES OF FILM ANALYSIS

The properties that make film the most powerful and realistic of the arts also make analysis challenging. A motion picture moves continuously in time and space. Once frozen, a film is no longer a "motion" picture, and the unique property of the medium is gone. Therefore, film analysis requires us to respond sensitively to the simultaneous and continuous interplay of image, sound, and movement on the screen. This necessity creates tlle most challenging part of the task: We must somehow remain almost totally immersed in the experience of a film while we maintain a high degree of objectivity and critical detach­ ment. Difficult though it may seem, this skill can be developed, and we must consciously cultivate it if we desire to become truly "cineliterate." Innovations in videocassette recorders (VCRs), laserdisc players, and now digital videodisc (DVD) players and recorders can help, initially at least, by simply making screenings (as well as multiple viewings) of a film easier than in the past.

The technical nature of the medium also creates challenges. It would be ideal if we all had some experience in cinematography and film editing. In the

The Art of Watching Films 5

6 CHAPTER 1

absence of such experience, we should become familiar with the basic tech­ niques of film production so that we can recognize them and evaluate their effec­ tiveness. Because a certain amount of technical language or jargon is necessary for the analysis and intelligent discussion of any art form, we must also add a number of important technical terms to our vocabularies.

The most challenging part of our task has already been stated: We must be­ come almost totally immersed in the experience of a film and at the same time maintain a high degree of objectivity and critical detachment. The complex na­ ture of the medium makes it difficult to consider all the elements of a film in a single viewing; too many things happen too quickly on too many levels to allow for a complete analysis. Therefore, if we wish to develop the proper habits of analytical viewing, we should see a film at least twice whenever possible. In the first viewing we can watch the film in the usual manner, concerning ourselves primarily with plot elements, the total emotional effect, and the central idea or theme. Then, in subsequent viewings, because we are no longer caught up in the suspense of what happens, we can focus our full attention on the hows and whys of the filmmaker's art. Constant practice of the double- or multiple-viewing technique should make it possible for us to gradually combine the functions of two or more viewings into one.

We must also remember that film analysis does not end when the film is over. In a sense, this is when it really begins. Most of the questions posed in this book require the reader to reflect on the film after viewing it, and a mental re­ play of some parts of the film will be necessary for any complete analysis.

Finally, as we move through the chapters that follow toward the analysis of individual films, we must always remind ourselves that if the medium can truly be called an "art," then it is definitely a collaborative one. Scores, if not hun­ dreds, of commercial professionals are involved in the production of the aver­ age "picture" (to use the term that many filmmakers themselves prefer). When we analyze a literary work such as a novel or poem, we judge the toil of a single creative individual. By contrast, our close examination of a film requires an awareness of the talents of many different artists, including producers, direc­ tors, production/costume/makeup designers, and, of course, actors. Usually, though, in the beginning is still the word, and the screenwriter-who has his­ torically been viewed as the least respected major team player in Hollywood­ remains the primary O1'iginating force within cinematic art.

THE VALUE OF FILM ANALYSIS

Before we turn to the actual process of film analysis, it may be worthwhile to look into certain fundamental questions that have been raised about the value of analysis in general. Perhaps the most vocal reactions against analysis come from those who see it as a destroyer of beauty, claiming that it kills our love for the object under study. According to this view, it is better to accept all art intu-

FIGURE 1 .2 Learning

to Dive Watching

classic f i lm d ramas like

Ingmar Bergman's The

Seventh Seal helps us to

u nderstand our human

selves with a depth

that m ight e lude us

otherwise.

itively, emotionally, and subjectively, so that our response is full, warm, and vi­ brant, uncluttered by the intellect. However, an either/or, black-and-white po­ larization of intuition and analysis is flawed. It denies the possibility of some middle ground-a synthesis that retains the best qualities of both approaches and embraces as equally valid both the emotional/intuitive and the intellec­ tual/analytical approaches. This book rests on that middle ground. It assumes that the soul of the poet and the intellect of the scientist can coexist within all of us, enriching and enhancing the film experience. Analysis need not murder our love of the movies. We can experience beauty, joy, and mystery intellectu­ ally as well as intuitively. With the tools of analysis, we can discover the deepest reaches of understanding that only the poet within us can fully appreciate (Fig­ ure 1.2). By creating new avenues of awareness, analysis can make our love for movies stronger, more real, more enduring. The analytical approach is essential to the art of watching films, for it enables us to see and understand how each part functions to contribute its vital energy to the pulsing, dynamic whole.