GUEST COLUMN: 5 Movies That Changed Cinematography
5 Movies that Changed Cinematography
Movies have become a breakthrough in the construction of the plot, the quality of filming, and special effects.
1. The Jazz Singer
USA, 1927
Musical, drama, comedy
Duration: 88 minutes
Jackie Rabinowitz dreams of performing jazz. But he comes from a Jewish family of a church singer, and his family is against his musical career. A comedy star in love with him helps the hero to breakthrough.
This picture opened the era of sound cinema. Previously, only inserts with musical numbers or background sounds were used in films. In The Jazz Singer for the first time, there were scenes with the speech of the actors. In total, they last about two minutes, not counting a few songs. However, from this point on, silent films are gradually becoming a thing of the past.
Ironically, the first uttered remark in this tape was the phrase: "Wait, you haven't heard anything yet."
2. Citizen Kane
USA, 1941.
Drama.
Duration: 119 minutes
Newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane dies in his home while uttering the word “rosebud.” The death of such a famous man causes a violent reaction from the public, and the journalist Thompson gets the task to understand his past.
Director Orson Welles is another experimenter of the world of cinema. His Citizen Kane ushered in an era of independent films made according to the director's vision, without the influence of studio producers on the creative process.
Equally important, in this film, Wells departed from the traditional linear form of narration. Citizen Kane is filled with flashbacks that gradually reveal the main character's past. Without this film, there would probably be no works by Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and many other famous directors.
3. The Seven Samurai
Japan, 1954
Drama, adventure
Duration: 207 minutes
Japan of the XVI century. To protect the village from the constant raids of a gang of looters, the residents hire an experienced samurai. He gathers a team of seven people and helps everyone rally against a common enemy.
The classic picture of Akira Kurosawa became the prototype of many action films. Echoes are visible in both the explicit remake of The Magnificent Seven and other westerns, as well as in Star Wars. The thing is that Kurosawa touched on topics that are relevant at all times.
In addition, the director created a reference scheme for plotting and revealing the characters, which is still used today. In The Seven Samurai, important characters are gradually introduced, then their conflicts and attempts to find a common language are shown. Heroes communicate with representatives of another class, prepare for the main battle, and finally enter into a confrontation with the villains.
4. Psycho
USA, 1960
Thriller, detective
Duration: 109 minutes
Marion Crane spontaneously steals money at work and leaves town. On the way, she stops at a motel. It is run by Norman Bates, a pleasant young man who has a very strange relationship with his mother.
Alfred Hitchcock is not called the master of suspense for nothing. Psycho paved the way for a whole direction of horror and thrillers, where the dark atmosphere is pumped up with the help of close-ups, shadows, and slow-motion. The film's influence is felt in both Stanley Kubrick's movies.
In addition, Psycho is considered one of the progenitors of cinematic plots with a sharp turn in the final, as well as the predecessor of a slasher — a subgenre of horror films in which a maniac kills teenagers.
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey
USA, UK, 1968
Science fiction, thriller
Duration: 162 minutes
In prehistoric times, the black monolith turns Australopithecus into humans. Millions of years later, humanity finds the same stone on the Moon, sending a powerful signal somewhere in the region of Jupiter. There goes the research ship Discovery. However, the HAL 9000 on-board computer has its instructions.
Stanley Kubrick's film was a breakthrough in terms of visual effects. The director was very meticulous about every detail, even using models of ships of different sizes in the shooting. In the final scene, when the hero experiences a psychedelic experience during a flight, a new technique was used for the first time: the frames were shot through a narrow slot in the lens flap, and then glued together, creating a deformed image.
In addition, Stanley Kubrick released a film that is completely atypical for fiction. This is a philosophical film with an ambiguous plot, which the audience can interpret in their way.
These movies are not just a pleasure to watch. They are also Educational in a way, so students will benefit from watching them, as well as visiting Essays Writing Help.
