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What makes a film great? Everyone has a favourite film, but why is that film a great one? Is it a certain actor, effect, plot or even one line?
There are plenlty of films lauded as 'great', but just because they're big grossing films doesn't mean they actually deserve to be called that.
Take Titanic - Winner of 12 Academy Awards and a massive box-office smash. An amazing film, you might say. But I hated it - thought it was rubbish. Ben Hur got 12 Oscars, and was far more deserving of it - So a great film isn't defined by how many Oscars it won, in my estimation.
It could be one line. What's the best line from your favoruite film? My favourite is Dogma, so I'd best not say any lines, or I'll be banned ;). Some films, good films, have been distilled over time into just one line. I'd say Terminator is the best example of that. You think of Terminator - you think of Arnie saying 'I'll be back', ignoring, or forgetting, what actually made the film great in the first place. Sure wasn't the acting though, heh.
Acting. That's another factor. An actor can make a film. Some average films are regarded as much better because of the principal acoter, or have become great because of that. The best recent example of that? Gladiator, surely. Russell Crowe carried that film himself. Sure it had a great plot, but Crowe was the best piece of that film. But, on that note, does that mean that just because an actor is famous, he or she will cause a film to bring in buckets of money? Perhaps. But famous actors don't make films memorable. I'd say a great example of that was 'The Mexican'. Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts - two Hollywood giants - put together, and the film wasn't massive. Why - because the leads need chemistry. If its a romance, they need to seem good together. If its a comedy, the one-liners and jokes need to come naturally. Example for this? 'Rush Hour'.1 or 2. Rush Hour was a surprise hit - $250 million dollars worldwide. The actors weren't massively famous. Jackie Chan was only a cult hero before this - Shanghai Noon came later. It was because of the star chemistry between Chan and Chris Tucker that this film succeeded.
Special effects - This really can't account for a great movie, can it? Sure, some people's favourite movies are The Matrix or Phantom Menace - but all they are is special effects. Saying that though, these films earned huge amounts of money, and you can't say the acting was particularly good in either of them. Its just the rippling bullets or strange alien things that make these movies good. Although special effects can have thier downside. Hands up who wanted to kill Jar-Jar Binks? :-)
Plot and originality. This is, in my opinion, what makes a truly great film. You have a great plot, and you can stick in unknown actors, and be a success. This is why I love Dogma. It's got such an original plot. Those who have seen it will know what I'm talking about. Then you list some great movies - Ben Hur, Citizen Kane, Star Wars(original trilogy), Gladiator, The Shining, Jaws - And you see they all have a great plot. Sure, special effects, music, acting or whatever may back up and contribute, but its the plot that is the deciding facotr in choosing a great film.
But then again, I tend to be wrong about a lot of things :-)
So, I'll ask you to say your favourite movies - but not just that. What do you think makes them your favourite? I'm just interested - see if I'm right about the plot thing.
Cheers, Stryke
There are plenlty of films lauded as 'great', but just because they're big grossing films doesn't mean they actually deserve to be called that.
Take Titanic - Winner of 12 Academy Awards and a massive box-office smash. An amazing film, you might say. But I hated it - thought it was rubbish. Ben Hur got 12 Oscars, and was far more deserving of it - So a great film isn't defined by how many Oscars it won, in my estimation.
It could be one line. What's the best line from your favoruite film? My favourite is Dogma, so I'd best not say any lines, or I'll be banned ;). Some films, good films, have been distilled over time into just one line. I'd say Terminator is the best example of that. You think of Terminator - you think of Arnie saying 'I'll be back', ignoring, or forgetting, what actually made the film great in the first place. Sure wasn't the acting though, heh.
Acting. That's another factor. An actor can make a film. Some average films are regarded as much better because of the principal acoter, or have become great because of that. The best recent example of that? Gladiator, surely. Russell Crowe carried that film himself. Sure it had a great plot, but Crowe was the best piece of that film. But, on that note, does that mean that just because an actor is famous, he or she will cause a film to bring in buckets of money? Perhaps. But famous actors don't make films memorable. I'd say a great example of that was 'The Mexican'. Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts - two Hollywood giants - put together, and the film wasn't massive. Why - because the leads need chemistry. If its a romance, they need to seem good together. If its a comedy, the one-liners and jokes need to come naturally. Example for this? 'Rush Hour'.1 or 2. Rush Hour was a surprise hit - $250 million dollars worldwide. The actors weren't massively famous. Jackie Chan was only a cult hero before this - Shanghai Noon came later. It was because of the star chemistry between Chan and Chris Tucker that this film succeeded.
Special effects - This really can't account for a great movie, can it? Sure, some people's favourite movies are The Matrix or Phantom Menace - but all they are is special effects. Saying that though, these films earned huge amounts of money, and you can't say the acting was particularly good in either of them. Its just the rippling bullets or strange alien things that make these movies good. Although special effects can have thier downside. Hands up who wanted to kill Jar-Jar Binks? :-)
Plot and originality. This is, in my opinion, what makes a truly great film. You have a great plot, and you can stick in unknown actors, and be a success. This is why I love Dogma. It's got such an original plot. Those who have seen it will know what I'm talking about. Then you list some great movies - Ben Hur, Citizen Kane, Star Wars(original trilogy), Gladiator, The Shining, Jaws - And you see they all have a great plot. Sure, special effects, music, acting or whatever may back up and contribute, but its the plot that is the deciding facotr in choosing a great film.
But then again, I tend to be wrong about a lot of things :-)
So, I'll ask you to say your favourite movies - but not just that. What do you think makes them your favourite? I'm just interested - see if I'm right about the plot thing.
Cheers, Stryke
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Dr Gonzo - Cheers for getting the point of the post. Everyone else, can't you tell me why you like other films. Yes, theres been lots of posts from people saying Wahts your favouite film/horror/comedy and so on. I'm trying to find out why, for some reason. Maybe I was bored...Andyway, I need to be clearer with my topic titles.
Great plot results in good film shocker. Not really that simple though - look at Moulin Rouge - no plot, great film. Style counts for a lot. Originality isn't really necessary either – that girl that's been going on about American Pie has got it in my head. Rather good film, but basically an up dated Animal House with the boundaries of decency updated for the late 90s.
As does time and a reputation. No one really likes Citizen Kane, its a dull film (but had some fantastic shots - Wells' entrance to the newspaper offices with him standing in the door way with head in top right of shot, feet in bottom left is simply stunning... RAMBLING). However, even though no one really likes it, it is a film you’re SUPPOSED to think is great if you know your films. It always gets to the top of critics all time favourite lists, but have you ever seen it even at the lower ends of a general publics top 500? No way! Have you ever met anyone who honestly likes Citizen Kane? Nope. The film's quality is almost totally in perceived. Want proof? Citizen Kane's 60th Anniv edition DVD is on it's way to me in the post! I know I don't like the film yet I still felt obliged to buy this. Actually, I'd rather like to listen to the commentary track to find out what the fuss is about...
Back to where I was originally going before the Citizen Kane Rant, there are so many different things that make a good film that it is impossible to identify one singularly.
Ending with succinct, definite statement.
As does time and a reputation. No one really likes Citizen Kane, its a dull film (but had some fantastic shots - Wells' entrance to the newspaper offices with him standing in the door way with head in top right of shot, feet in bottom left is simply stunning... RAMBLING). However, even though no one really likes it, it is a film you’re SUPPOSED to think is great if you know your films. It always gets to the top of critics all time favourite lists, but have you ever seen it even at the lower ends of a general publics top 500? No way! Have you ever met anyone who honestly likes Citizen Kane? Nope. The film's quality is almost totally in perceived. Want proof? Citizen Kane's 60th Anniv edition DVD is on it's way to me in the post! I know I don't like the film yet I still felt obliged to buy this. Actually, I'd rather like to listen to the commentary track to find out what the fuss is about...
Back to where I was originally going before the Citizen Kane Rant, there are so many different things that make a good film that it is impossible to identify one singularly.
Ending with succinct, definite statement.
Pulp Fiction because its ummm got witty dialogue, good actors, twists in the plot and that speach from Samuel L Jackson at the beggining of the film, what a scene.
need i say it again?
ohhh ok
DIE HARD!
ohhh ok
DIE HARD!
The Shawshank Redemption is a great film - brilliant plot, great actors who create great characters, plenty of sub-plots and a fantastic ending ... an no special effects, shoot-outs or car chases in sight.
Spartacus is similiar, but they're different enough for Gladiator to be a class film in its own right.
Dogma is brilliant, but Top Gun still scrapes it for me, it's a classic.
I may as well answer my own post
Dogma - because of original plot, funny script, and of course, Jay and Silent Bob.
Dogma - because of original plot, funny script, and of course, Jay and Silent Bob.
Wy thank you, person-who-deceides-who-gets-the-FAD ;-)
Chief?
Chief?
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