Film: a Form of Literature and Understanding It

Film: A Form of Literature and Understanding It The purpose of literature not only describes reality but also adds to it. It’s not merely a depiction of reality; it is rather a value-addition. Literary works are interpretations of the thinking patterns and social standards established in society. They are portrayals of the different aspects of everyday life. Literary works serve as a provision for thought and a boost for imagination and creativity. Reading and understanding literature can help someone understand life better. They help a person take a closer look at the different sides of life. In many ways, it can change one's perspective towards life. There are different forms of literature, like film. Film can be considered a form of literature. Literature is about telling a story and entertaining its readers. Film is the exact same way; it tells a story and entertains us throughout it. In film and literature they often relate to someone in some way. They can give lessons in life, and can have an influence on our behavior. This is because we often find ourselves trying to associate with what we see and search for similarities between these characters and ourselves. They can develop our progress to consider things morally. For example a movie with an anti-war theme can make a person rethink what war should be just because they portrayed the film in a particular way. This starts with reading what the film has to offer in terms of what it’s trying to portray. When trying to study what the film has to offer, it’s not just about what the movie is about and who is acting, but rather in what way the film is presented to you. There are five key elements to reading and analyzing film. These five key elements are the narrative, staging, cinematography, editing and sound. We will be analyzing the film Troy. In some films such as Troy there is narration in the beginning of the film as well as the ending of the film. It starts like this with Odysseus saying, â€Å"Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity and so we ask ourselves: Will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we are gone, and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved. † This foreshadows what the film is going to be about. It sets the mood for the film which you know is going to be about war and the legacy of the heroes who fought in the battle of Troy. The film ends with Odysseus narrating again. He says, â€Å"If they ever tell my story let them say that I walked with giants. Men rise and fall like the winter wheat, but these names will never die. Let them say I lived in the time of Hector, tamer of horses. Let them say I lived in the time of Achilles. † This just sums up how epic the film was in terms of showing the significance of the war and heroes. It makes you wonder about if Hector and Achilles were really that great. Staging consists of the setting, space, lighting, acting and choreography, and costume and make-up. The setting is very realistic in terms of the time period of which it supposedly happened. It’s very symbolic to the film because it creates the imagery during that time. Every scene you see brings a sense of awe because it’s so realistic in terms of getting everything right with the costumes, the make-up and props used. The atmosphere and lighting of the film are very clear and natural. The acting was amazing and it definitely made the film more believable and the strong acting could manipulate sympathies towards the characters. It created suspense and complexity within the acting such as the battle scenes and emotional scenes. For example when Hector and Achilles face off, you don’t want either of them to die but someone has to. Hector has a wife and newborn baby while Achilles is out of vengeance and avenging his cousin’s death, creating complex emotions for the viewer. Cinematography was rather frustrating in Troy. In some scenes of the movie it looks much sharper than others. The other was the zooming; to me it was just too much and didn’t match some particular parts of the story. Like when Hector opens the doors of the city to face Achilles, it didn’t really make sense in this film. It just made it look way more dramatic than it needed to be. The editing done in the film had lots of cuts throughout the film especially the battle scenes, but they are necessary. The music of this film makes the story more dramatic to look at. The music is very on key with how they portray the scenes and characters in the movie. It creates a more epic effect with the music. The foundation of the important concepts to understand the movie Troy better are noticeable. From the sound to the staging and acting it makes the story more dramatic. It creates an artistic view to the film because of what it’s trying to portray based off the narration from Odysseus.