The End of Cinema as We Know It
- Submitted by: myrr
- Views: 1023
- Category: Arts
- Date Submitted: 04/19/2010 09:27 PM
- Pages: 3
- Report this Essay
The End of Cinema as we know it
From Citizen Kane to Star Wars, and Pulp Fiction to The Matrix, moviemaking has seen major changes in the last 75 years. Major studios have been formed, and moviemaking has gone from being a hobby, art form, business, and come full circle to start all over again. Movies started out without sound, color, or length – now films are often in excess of 2 or more hours, filmed in digital surround sound, and presented to us in formats as big and ground breaking as 3D Imax. Jon Lewis states that we are at the end of cinema as we know it – and this writer agrees with his assessment. Before simply assuming that cinema is movie to completely uncharted territory it’s important to remember that tried and true methods have shaped modern films, and while new techniques are emerging, today's films are simply new visions of classic filmmaking.
In 1941, Citizen Kane debuted to theaters and drastically changed the landscape of filmmaking. Orson Welles pushed style to the limits, and this movie is often quoted as being "the best film of all time." While that statement is subjective in nature, the parallels in story in structure can be seen in films today. The early years of Hollywood followed a formula. Independent filmmakers were not given a chance to be in the spotlight as they are today. Studios employed trademark techniques for films, and were able to produce an astonishing amount of productions because of it. The studio and star systems also tended to produce a predictable film though, and movies such as Citizen Kane were able to break free of that mold and make something different.
It is simple to say that films of today employ classic techniques of yesterday, but it's what today's filmmakers are doing with these techniques that is truly remarkable. Films such as The Matrix and Star Wars are not a matter of evolution in filmmaking. It was the creative genius of George Lucas and his crew that made Star Wars so ambitious for it's...
The End of Cinema as we know it
From Citizen Kane to Star Wars, and Pulp Fiction to The Matrix, moviemaking has seen major changes in the last 75 years. Major studios have been formed, and moviemaking has gone from being a hobby, art form, business, and come full circle to start all over again. Movies started out without sound, color, or length – now films are often in excess of 2 or more hours, filmed in digital surround sound, and presented to us in formats as big and ground breaking as 3D Imax. Jon Lewis states that we are at the end of cinema as we know it – and this writer agrees with his assessment. Before simply assuming that cinema is movie to completely uncharted territory it’s important to remember that tried and true methods have shaped modern films, and while new techniques are emerging, today's films are simply new visions of classic filmmaking.
In 1941, Citizen Kane debuted to theaters and drastically changed the landscape of filmmaking. Orson Welles pushed style to the limits, and this movie is often quoted as being "the best film of all time." While that statement is subjective in nature, the parallels in story in structure can be seen in films today. The early years of Hollywood followed a formula. Independent filmmakers were not given a chance to be in the spotlight as they are today. Studios employed trademark techniques for films, and were able to produce an astonishing amount of productions because of it. The studio and star systems also tended to produce a predictable film though, and movies such as Citizen Kane were able to break free of that mold and make something different.
It is simple to say that films of today employ classic techniques of yesterday, but it's what today's filmmakers are doing with these techniques that is truly remarkable. Films such as The Matrix and Star Wars are not a matter of evolution in filmmaking. It was the creative genius of George Lucas and his crew that made Star Wars so ambitious for it's...