? The End of Cinema as we know itFrom Citizen Kane to Star Wars, and Pulp Fiction to The Matrix, moviemaking has seen major changes in the last 75 years. Major studios have been formed, and moviemaking has gone from being a hobby, art form, business, and come full circle to start all over again. Movies started out without sound, color, or length ??“ now films are often in excess of 2 or more hours, filmed in digital surround sound, and presented to us in formats as big and ground breaking as 3D Imax. Jon Lewis states that we are at the end of cinema as we know it ??“ and this writer agrees with his assessment. Before simply assuming that cinema is movie to completely uncharted territory it??™s important to remember that tried and true methods have shaped modern films, and while new techniques are emerging, todays films are simply new visions of classic filmmaking. In 1941, Citizen Kane debuted to theaters and drastically changed the landscape of filmmaking. Orson Welles pushed style to the limits, and this movie is often quoted as being “ the best film of all time.
” While that statement is subjective in nature, the parallels in story in structure can be seen in films today. The early years of Hollywood followed a formula. Independent filmmakers were not given a chance to be in the spotlight as they are today. Studios employed trademark techniques for films, and were able to produce an astonishing amount of productions because of it. The studio and star systems also tended to produce a predictable film though, and movies such as Citizen Kane were able to break free of that mold and make something different.
It is simple to say that films of today employ classic techniques of yesterday, but its what todays filmmakers are doing with these techniques that is truly remarkable. Films such as The Matrix and Star Wars are not a matter of evolution in filmmaking. It was the creative genius of George Lucas and his crew that made Star Wars so ambitious for its time. The same can be said for The Wachowski brothers, who created the Matrix. Both of these movies employed special effects and film techniques that would be used again and again in movies thereafter.
One cannot simply assume that we are at the “ end of cinema as we know it” simply because new special effects come along to dazzle us, it is the ingenuity of constantly renewing source of producers, writers, directors, and actors/actresses. Movies such as Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarintino promise a film style of something the likes of which we have never seen before. He was able to take an ultraviolent film, make it non-linear, add some dark humor and come of with an entirely new breed of movie. The advances of technology and a movie-going public unhindered by inhibition are nursing the talents of our future filmmakers. Whereas fifty years ago certain subjects of movies were taboo, todays films are no longer restrained by subject matter containing sex, violence, or political content. Already we are seeing 3d as becoming the new future standard of film. High Definition allows us to become immersed in the film like never before. Todays best filmmakers are not simply indulging in the freedom to film such movies, but instead are able to more freely express themselves.
We are certainly looking into the future when it comes to films, and the best is yet to come.