Movies
So I just saw "Batman Begins" for the second time. The first time, my brother and dad were out of town and my mom and I were bored, so we went and saw it. But don't tell anyone, because my brother doesn't know. :-) Anyway, he wanted to see it, so we went again. All except my dad, because he doesn't like movies unless they have shooting, some kind of organized crime-related violence, or George C. Scott.
So, I'm watching the intro thing for the Marcus Theatres. You know how they have that little montage of the "it" movies, like Shrek, Harry Potter, Big, Titanic, you know. I really like the clip they use from LOTR, where Gandalf the White passes his staff over his face. Ian McKellan's expression in that shot is so intense, I love it. He's a really good actor. I liked him as Magneto and he's supposed to be in the new Da Vinci Code movie as Teabing. I don't really agree with the rest of their casting in that movie, but... okay, I'm getting off topic.
So I'm watching the intro thing. And I get to thinking, "Why is it that Americans love movies?" I think that America gets far more into movies than do the other countries, as least as far as I know. I'm probably wrong on this, but... Since movies really got their big break in America and most American movies, the good ones anyway, get sent overseas, America kind of leads the world in movie production.
But why is it that any of us human-type peoples like movies? They're like simplified books, if you really come down to it. They can't cover as much as books, they can't do the same kind of stunts and special effects that books can (although that's already not true, I suppose), and they don't allow the freedom that books give the reader. In a book, the reader can develop their own, well, everything. You are given the basic descriptions (unless it's Tolkien, in which case you're given every little detail down to the dust on the bottom of the character's shoes), but it's still up to the reader as to what the character looks like. Exactly what color are Mr. Darcy's eyes? What does the inside of Hogwarts really look like, as far as decorations and tapestries? What kind of flowers grow in Adam Trask's front lawn? In books, this is all up to you, so each world is different and therefore the book means something different to every person who reads it.
However, in movies, you're essentially told all that. You know that Mr. Darcy has brown eyes, or whatever, because that's what color eyes Colin Firth has. You know what the inside of Hogwarts looks like because that's how the director and set designers made it, so now there's no question as to what tapestry hangs above the staircase to Gryffindor Tower. English teachers always say, "Show, don't tell," but movies do just that. Oh, there are the cases where movies do that sweeping cinematic thing, like Kevin Costner seemed to be in love with in "Dances with Wolves", but that's still like telling. No room for interpretation, though it does take your breath away.
So if movies are like the book's simplified younger brother, why do we spend $5.75 to see a two-hour story when books give you the same story, but more and longer-lasting? Maybe it's because sometimes we need to be shown instead of forcing ourselves to create. It is less work for the reader/watcher, that's for sure, and if you don't have the time, a movie is a great way to go.
Also, maybe the movies make stories seem more real. Take chick flicks, for instance. If you read a book about, oh say, "You've Got Mail", you wouldn't really get into it. You'd think, "God, this is stupid. Why am I reading this?" Hence the trashy romance novel. But when it's made into a movie, you can associate a real person with the characters. You think, "So maybe this really can happen!...?" It gives us a chance to escape to reality, which books can do, but on a different level.
Another thing: why do we keep watching stupid movies like "You've Got Mail" or ~shudders~ "The Prince and Me"? Who makes crap like that? Who gives those people money to make crap like that? I'll admit it, I watched "The Prince and Me", but I regretted it afterward. Yet people keep making them and people keep watching them. It's like the Megaman series!!!! Sorry, obscure video game reference. I think I'm about ranted out, so I'll keep some of my questions and mild annoyance for later.
"With one look they'll forgive the past
They'll rejoice I've returned at last
To my people in the dark
Still out there in the dark..."
-Norma (Sunset Boulevard)
PS I know I mentioned this before, but here are some of my favorite books:
*The Stand by Stephen King
*Timeline by Michael Crighton (Crighton is a really good author. Jurassic Park is another good one. People think, "Oh, dinosaurs. Right." but it's really a good book. Crighton's really good at sneaking in scientific facts in a way that you don't notice that you're actually learning about, oh, say, quantum mechanics)
*Song of Solomon by Toni Morrisson
...I'll come up with more later. Sorry!
PPS Next time, I'm gonna write about video games, probably. Cuz I loooove video games!
PPPS OK, last one. I just have to complain about their casting for the Da Vinci Code. What is with Tom Hanks as Langdon?!? No! Tom Hanks is too boy-ish looking for one, and I just don't see him as a professor type. I would have cast either Mel Gibson (or maybe not...) or Harrison Ford as da professor. But then, maybe they didn't want to repeat Indiana Jones with Ford... Anyway, I hope Hanks proves me wrong. I do like Audrey Tautou and Jean Reno, though. If you haven't aready, watch the movie Amelie. It's in French, but it's really good! Do it! OK, done for real this time.
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