Pirates of the Carribean 2 and 3 were shot back-to-back and released soon one after the other. This is something which James Cameron is also attempting with his Avatar sequels. On the other hand, there was a gap of 59 years between the two installments of Disney's Fantasia. Analyse the various effect the timing between episodes has on aspects like the box office prospects of the films taking into consideration factors like brand recall and set production costs.
I think the effect speaks to the creative principle behind the theme. In Pirates, you have the right actor, the necessary chemistry, and a setting that lends itself to dynamic rehashing of plot. Some which of pertain to other cinematic marvels, Tron, for instance; the same which could be said. But, why drown the audience in Tron revivals when the original accomplished what films are expected to accomplish: take the imagination to new and unrealistic frontiers, time and again, without the need for props and people. When the Tron sequel eventually emerged, it was nearly messianic in its prophetic second coming, to the delight of its loyal cult following. This is going to be a worthwhile literary examination, part of which I have only scratched the surface of--looking forward to it. – lofreire8 years ago
I say if you're going to do installments, space them out reasonably. A gap of 59 years is too long, because by then the original product has already aged too much. People are more inclined to hate the new installment on sight because it's not the old one. Or, they go the other way and give the new installment so much praise, the old one is forgotten. In a series like Pirates, you have to watch spacing of releases so people can keep up. The more episodic your series, the harder it may be for "newcomers" to catch up and keep up. Well-spaced releases, say 2-4 years apart, keep the series audience-friendly. – Stephanie M.8 years ago
Assess the continuing relevancy of revolutionary filmmaker George Méliès, taking note to mention not only his pioneering use of special effects, but also the practicality and methodology of his cinematic practice. While technologies and cinematic styles will always be changing, it is always important to look back and remember why we choose to make films, and what makes them so amazing and enjoyable to behold.
Good topic. I think Martin Scorsese's Hugo helped the recent revival of interest in this pioneering movie-maker. – Ben Hufbauer8 years ago
The story or Méliès shows how magicians responded to the emergence of film which eroded their income stream as people visited the theatres less. – Peter Prevos8 years ago
He has directed some of the most popular movies known to the American public/around the world in the last decade; so what is it about his directing style that keeps raking in audiences by the millions?
Nolan's pretty strong on auteur theory, good choice! – m-cubed8 years ago
I think a key feature of his films is that he tends to focus on the psychology of the human mind; what are its extents and limitations, why and how it thinks certain ways. And to audiences, I think that many find it unique and refreshing that he is creating major Hollywood films that deal with something so cerebral ( which is not as common amongst the majority of big budget Hollywood pictures)
That could be an angle to take – Yanni8 years ago
JulieCMiliay, Hello again. As you pointed out, Christopher Nolan is without a doubt one of the most financially successful directors working today, and in my opinion, he deserves the praise. While this is a bit of a cheap way to make suggestions, I think it's best to simply write some pros and cons about him in order to be fair in critiquing his work while also appreciating it. First the negative: 1. He isn't all that original. While many say that his movies are different and break off from most movies, the bulk of his work isn't actually original material. He's made 10 movies thus far (I'm counting Dunkirk though it hasn't been released), and only 4 of them are original (Following, Inception, Interstellar, and Dunkirk). The others are as follows: Memento is an adaptation of his brother's short story Memento Mori; Insomnia is a remake of an Icelandic movie of the same name; The Dark Knight trilogy is, obviously, an adaptation of the Batman comics; and The Prestige is an adaptation of a novel of the same name by Christopher Priest. While he is definitely an exciting director, his material usually comes from someone else.
2. Sometimes he isn't much of a craftsman, especially when it comes to editing. I'd recommend watching some videos on Nolan's editing and see for yourself how it can get a bit confusing to tell what's going on, especially during action scenes. And that's about all I can think of, really. Now the positive: 1. He's a classy director. His movies don't rely on swearing, graphic depictions of sex or violence, or controversial subjects in order to get an audience.
2. He's a spectacular director. His movies are often grand in scope and, more importantly, they rarely involve CGI. The majority of the effects in his movies are practical and as such make the scenery all the more vivid.
3. His movies are, as Yanni said, interested in making the audience think. More often than not (at least in my case), I find myself thinking about his movies long after I've seen them because of the ideas presented and because of how they were presented. I hope these observations help. Thanks for your time,
August – August Merz8 years ago
It would be good to see 'Dunkirk' also included in this analysis. – Vishnu Unnithan8 years ago
They once asked Plautus how he so perfectly knew the culture and as an immigrant to Rome from southern Italay, read Jewish and Italian, how he has so many hits to a roman audience. Make Sure that the theatergoer is the same person at the epilogue as he is at the ovation, especially when writing for the upper crust, and He said 'Know thy audience'. a Latin line reechoed in Groucho at that machers funeral, give the people what they want. – Antonius8657 years ago
Look at the remakes of today and compare them with the originals and see if the changes that have been made for a contemporary audience improve the property or not.
The remake adds a greater dimension of perception (or misperception) that is not entirely there in the original, perhaps due to the state of the art or the creative force behind it. The issue then becomes the over-reliance on technology (or the performer) to carry the story, leaving thin the inspiration and vitality of imagination, I believe. If you write this article and I rewrite it a year later, what (and who) determines which is better, or worse? I am eager to find out. – lofreire8 years ago
My first thought on reading the heading and pitch was the broad strokes approach to condemning/questioning the legitimacy of remakes. Same as with any work which derives from another, superiority is subjective. I'd also stress the importance of audience - in the case of series like Star Trek, the audience is extremely important because the bulk of the original audience is still around and there are huge expectations. In the case of public domain, so Frankenstein or Dracula for instance, anybody can make a TV show or a movie or a derivative novel without buying rights, and the market is already saturated with retellings of high and low quality so expectation is not as much an issue. Finally, pop culture and social awareness change and morph over time, so content which was totally acceptable in the fifties or sixties would have to change to become palatable to a modern audience, and that isn't a bad thing - it's just a necessary alteration, like tying up a loose end or addressing a minor inconsistency. – Cat8 years ago
Also,examine the need for these remakes. Doesn't the minor alteration of the story render these remakes as a form of fanfiction themselves? – Vishnu Unnithan8 years ago
The 2016 American comedy-drama film, Swiss Army Man, starring Daniel Radcliff as a farting corpse, has been denoted by many as a film about gender transitioning. This article could explore the symbolism and themes of the film to highlight different interpretations the film may have. Although Swiss Army Man is a relatively straight forward story, its interesting and slightly fantastical plot could be relate to a number of different societal issues. What do you think the meaning behind the film is?
Such films often provide good fodder for thought. Would make for a nice read. – Vishnu Unnithan8 years ago
As a society, especially in the U.S., we love Christmas movies. Most of us grew up with "the classics," from Home Alone and Miracle on 34th Street to Rankin-Bass specials, A Christmas Story, and A Christmas Carol. Yet, the modern Christmas movie has positively exploded. Hallmark, for instance, has reams of them, which the public gobbles up every year.
Our enchantment with Christmas films has so influenced us that we even watch them in the middle of summer (see Hallmark's Gold Crown Christmas preview week/Christmas in July for examples). The question is, why have these films, specials, and so forth gripped us so tightly? Is it simply nostalgia and the need for something warm and happy, or is something else going on here? Has Christmas-based entertainment lost its edge, or has its year-round accessibility given it a new one?
Analyze the relationship of Jess and Jane in Bend it Like Beckham, is this the true relationship of the film? Is the relationship between them heterosexual or homosexual? Is the character of Joe created to enforce normal roles?
Interesting topic. Would help to clarify the proposed thesis: If the relationship is heterosexual, then does that suggest____? If homosexual, then ____? – Nate Océan8 years ago
Definitely a topic to be investigated, but perhaps be careful not to monopolize on this relationship as homosexual or heterosexual, but rather the reason Juliette's mother thought she was gay: the fact that she wasn't a girly girl and played soccer was a contributing factor. I think the underlining concern is not sexuality, but gender roles and expectations. While Juliette's mom tries helplessly to buy her daughter a pretty bra instead of a sports bra, Jess has to hide the fact that she is playing soccer because her family's Indian culture doesn't think it appropriate for a girl to be playing soccer. – Gaby8 years ago
Whoa-- mind blown. Never ever thought about it like this. This could be an outstanding topic to write about. – JulieCMillay8 years ago
A great soundtrack is so much more than just a collection of good songs. It can pull the story along while somehow effortlessly blending into the background. The right one often helps define a movie. Analyse the effect the much-recognised soundtracks had in such films as Forrest Gump, Drive, The Departed, Pulp Fiction, The Dark Knight and others.
Great topic! I would recommend choosing around three examples for clarity (one that works because of the score, one that doesn't work because of the score, one that is strengthened by the score). Also, score VS soundtrack, which did you mean? The score is in the film, the soundtrack is a supplementary collection, typically for advertising. – m-cubed8 years ago
Interesting topic...Would be great to do an analysis on animated movies vs live-action, and whether that plays a role in how important the soundtrack is??? – MikeySheff8 years ago
I buy soundtracks based on their content of music acquired by production. I have several soundtracks in my current Vinyl record collection. If you collect them always purchase VINYL RECORDINGS when available you will be glad you did. – WilliamBailey8 years ago
Amazing topic, I would look at live action and animated films, as well as the musical score and songs added into the movie because there can be a difference in the mood the two different types create -GingerSavvy – GingerSavvy8 years ago
As a musician, when the soundtrack is good I definitely have a bias towards the movie. I think the soundtrack definitely makes a difference. Of course, there are times where the acting and plot is not as good as the soundtrack as well. Because music is so important in films, it makes a big difference! – birdienumnum178 years ago
I would definitely agree on soundtracks making a great movie. Try focusing on the elements on why those soundtracks you listed are great. Just what is it about them that can resonate with a viewer and make a film truly memorable? – DanielMichael8 years ago
Sound production plays such a huge yet underappreciated role in film and TV, I would honestly love to see an article or essay written about it. Also possible use examples like the recent Lady Macbeth, or RAW, and other films which utilize extremely tight or sparing use of music. – Cat8 years ago
Have been waiting for someone to tackle this. Great, great topic. I personally believe film soundtracks can absolutely make or break films. There are so many avenues and arguments to explore about this idea. Hopefully someone writes about it. – JulieCMillay8 years ago
