My voyage to become a cinephile
Mar 13, 2015 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns
Numero Uno on the list
I’ve always enjoyed older films (or new films focused on the past), but I decided my hobby might take a new direction after watching the documentary And The Oscar Goes To. I saw it in my Netflix recommended list and let it linger in the queue for a while. You can relate – you pour through all the new offerings, get excited, and like a kid in a candy store start adding stuff willy nilly. One night I hit play and was immediately captivated.
Some of the allure is that I’m a lover of history, but another part of it is the difference in celebrity culture. It’s so refreshing to see an iconic actor or actress and only know them for their roles (rather than their lifestyle). Granted, gossip magazines have been popular since the early days of the 1910s, but their rabid approach is relatively modern. (Or maybe our overzealous desire for reading about people’s daily lives is the real driving force – chicken and the egg.) This documentary expertly presented the Academy’s history, its role within the larger context of society, and how certain films and actors defined poignant shifts in our culture.
Feeling inspired, I hopped onto the AFI website and combined their two top 100 film lists. (Fun fact: that yields 123 titles.) My goal is to watch a movie from the list every weekend. I have a partner in crime, my husband is going to participate, and together we’ll blog about our thoughts on the screenings (news to come on that website). When you run the numbers it can feel quite intimidating – after all that’s well over two year’s worth of film. So why have I chosen this quest, embarked on my voyage to become a cinephile?
The list of AFI top 100’s
Many experts feel that film, much like other artistic pursuits, puts a mirror up to society. (Yet it has the equal power to drive things in our culture as well – shedding light on issues that aren’t addressed in other venues like politics, for example.) Storytelling has long been the way people develop friendships, relationships, and communicate the ideas they hold dear. Great movies are an extension of this inclination and aim to spark conversation. Considering how much language and ideals have changed over the years, I’m really excited to see what topics are broached in these films deemed “excellent” by the professionals.
Some of the titles on the list are movies I’ve already seen: All About Eve and The Apartment are a couple I’ve featured on Cause A Frockus. Bette Davis and Anne Baxter square off in the first selection. On the surface the focus seems to be about jealousy and age. The desperation of ambition is timeless, so is that the power of this film? It’s extraordinary to think that a movie made in 1950 speaks to part of our modern human experience. The Apartment is along the same vein, centering around the relationship between love and insecurity. Perhaps the prerequisite for the list is the ability for the plot or the performance to stand the test of time. But then again, being stuck in a time isn’t a negative characteristic. If all things are timeless, how do we differentiate the shifts in culture?
I’m looking forward to exploring all these questions (and more) as Ryan and I move through the list. Additionally I am very interested in measuring the difference in our reactions. Will a man interpret the same retro film differently than a woman? Tell me what you think in the comments!
Cause A Frockus would like to thank the people who post their images to the public domain.
For our readers: Do you think film is an important lens on society? Has this relationship strengthened or weakened over the years as technological aspects creep more and more into movies? Check out this other fun article: Film Noir and Contemporary America.
There are some outstanding films on this list!
As a side note, “Citizen Kane” was the first film to show the entire room [floor, ceiling, walls, etc] in the scene/shot – before this time, one only saw the walls!
Are movies a lens to society and/or current culture? Yes, I believe they are – which should perhaps scare us a bit. They provide escape [as one can see in the lush movies from the 1930’s, for example – everyone is beautifully dressed and speak almost perfect English. Or are filled with magical situations or fantastic stage productions]. As time progressed and our tastes become more sophisticated and our entertainment outlets more numerous and easier to access, they have remained escapes – but have also become more gritty and realistic. People seem more “real” and less idealized. Historical figures are no longer shown as “perfect” but as real people with issues, foibles, faults and weaknesses [and poor hygiene].
They address difficult social issues in an non-sugar coated, real manner – though even in this push for realism, facts are skewed, events over-played and over-dramatized and we still tend to paint the values of the past with the values of the present. Agendas are more obvious.
I’ll be interested to hear what you think of the “oldies” – and what Ryan says, will he note the differences in the attitudes towards women – as well as how those attitudes have remained static in many ways as well? The increase in gratuitous violence and acceptance of it? The ramp up to realism?
What a fun journey! Keep us all posted!
What a fun fact about “Citizen Kane” and yes, I’m also interested to see the differences in reactions based on gender. Always fun to see how things get interpreted!
Glad to know my “History of Film” class was good for something! LOL