Final Blog

Throughout this film class eagerly at times viewing several movies in the back far right of a class several facts about movies have became known to me. Most movies have a main story, but along with that a deeper side story, which is mostly a theory and not proven. As several know, another important and obvious fact is that movies can have great writing, but horrible actors, and make a disaster of a film, or they can have great actors, but horrible writing, and have the same effect. When watching movies I have also learned that production values are an asset, no matter who is acting or directing.



With all movies there is of course a main story, but with several that I have viewed in this class there is another story to the main one. This sort of second story, is never evident, and sometimes just a theory and a mere thought and myth in the movie. One example is the classic western, The Searchers. Several have said that the main character, Ethan Edwards, is the father of the missing daughter Debbie, and not that of his brothers.






Several movies that we have viewed in this class have had horrible actors but fantastic writing, well at least in my opinion. One actor that stands out to me in this category is Karen Allen in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film was of course fantastic, but Karen did a horrible job of portraying Jone's love interest. Karen was great in the film Scrooged, but other than that she only disappoints. Another actor who displayed this action was Cary Grant in North by Northwest. The writing for the film was not superb, but it wasn't bad either, and with a good actor this can be hidden, but with Grant it was only highlighted.



Production values have been proved to be an asset, and a sometimes even the savior to a horrible film. The money invested into a film has always been a large factor in a success of a film, but with times changing and new technology being made the old film advances and classic great scenes have been reduced to a chuckle now, even though it use to make headlines in papers. Lord of the Rings would be nothing without the glittering special effects and CGI. E.T. would of not had the buzz and success it did without the whooping 10 million used to generate a smile on eager faces.




Film studies has forever effected how I view any movie. Instead of sitting and waiting for the end, I now analyze every detail, and attempt to find the morals of the film. When I see a special effect rather than my jaw dropping open in amazement, I wonder how much that cost. The way I watch movies has been changed, but for the better.