On Good Film

Ashley G.

Professor Zoller

Life Narratives

10/29/2012

On Good Film

                Have you ever gone to see a movie? Have you ever gotten halfway through the film and been on the edge of your seat? The characters have been developed and they are at their breaking point but somehow keep going, heading toward their goal. Have you ever sat in crazed anticipation with your eyeballs practically jumping out of your skull? The final half of the movie is what you have been waiting for; you need to know how these characters are going to save the day or how they are going to pull their broken relationship back together. Have you ever felt these things and then walked out of the theatre feeling like the director of the movie was a lazy bum who was too much of an overpaid indolent jerk to actually come up with a good ending? I have.

                I really like films. I’ve written an eleven page paper about the mythological references and allusions in the Star Wars saga. I’ll watch a good movie dozens of times and in each viewing I catch something new that I had not noticed before. “Ooh that was foreshadowing! Oh that’s why he said that. Look at that character development, the writer made that character really dynamic.” I say. I will watch a bad movie once and the curse the director silently in my head and hope that they have a change of heart and change their profession. I hope that they realize what a horrible detriment they have done to the film world and repent for their cinematic sins. One of these sins is the overuse of bad special effects and 3D. (P.S. to directors: making a movie in 3D does not make it better than 2D. 2D is easier on the eyes and on the wallet. Note specifically to Disney, I would like a refund for the showing of Beauty and the Beast I saw in 3D. My eyes still hurt and the animation looked fuzzy, thank you for blemishing a piece of my childhood. )

My dad and sister and I went to see two separate movies on two separate occasions. The first was a sci-fi thriller and the other was an adventure movie. The latter was the sequel to a lucrative saga and the former had an actor in it that starred in one of my favorite movies. We sat down in the theatre with our overpriced popcorn and soda that should have been from the fountain of youth for the amount of money we had paid for it. In each instance I was really excited for the movie, the trailers had been amazing and my dad had taken my sister and me for the late night showing. What teenager wouldn’t be super excited? The first three quarters of each movie was great. There was mystery, science, adventure and the hero of one movie kicking some serious bad-guy butt. Then the last twenty minutes of each respective movie rolled before our eyes. And twenty minutes later I was sitting watching the respective credits roll and saying the same thing. “Aliens? Aliens! Why did it have to be aliens? Couldn’t they come up with something better than extraterrestrials with a flying saucer?!” Note to Hollywood big shots, if a writer pitches a movie and it ends with aliens appearing out of nowhere for no apparent reason, turn them down immediately. Then tell them to go home and spend the next several days writing an actual ending to their pathetic excuse for a script.  

Lazy directors are not the only problem I have with Hollywood. I also have a problem with films that have a weak story. You can’t have a good movie without a good story. Throwing in seventeen famous movie actors does not a good movie make. In fact it ruins it. Seriously why would I want to watch a movie and be thinking the whole time, ok that’s that chick from that adventure movie and oh that’s the guy from that horrible comedy and that irritating man from that horror film. Why are they all in eighteenth century England talking in fake British accents? Directors take a cue from George Lucas, possibly one of the greatest film storytellers of the century, go find new actors and actresses that can act. Bring in some new blood, instead of just reusing old blood that makes me think of dozens of other movies while I’m watching yours. What was I talking about? Oh yeah good story. I’m not saying that writers have to reinvent the wheel with this one. If you want to write a Romeo and Juliet or Hero’s Journey story fine with me but make it good. Give the actors something to work with besides cheesy lines and pointless action. The Hero’s Journey is an archetype developed by famous mythologist Joseph Campbell. This archetype is shown in ancient mythology in the stories of Hercules, Jason and countless others. It is also the basis for the Star Wars films, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, the Harry Potter Octet and Disney’s The Lion King. In my opinion good films and they all have the same basic premise. Main character leaves home on a quest then comes home triumphant with character development in the middle. This archetype has been used dozens of times over in countless ways. Directors/ writers if you have a bad story don’t just push it through (or use aliens to tie up loose ends) look at what other successful people have done and take some cues from them.

So what makes a good film? There are several things. First have a good plot that makes sense to someone else besides the writer. Second, have some character development. At least a few of your characters have to change throughout the movie because of what’s happening in the story. Third, have everything that happens have a purpose. If a character is going to break down and have a cry make sure that it’s for a reason and not just to make the ladies in the audience cry as well. That’s it really, sensible plot, well developed characters, and purpose. Throw in spectacular scenery and if the story dictates some good special effects and you have a good film.