Monday, 23 June 2008

• A Reinaugurtion, a Reinterpretation, and a Reinvention

  I created this blog for a class, and it died.  I created this blog and had hoped to do something after the class but the class ended then the blog died because I did not use it because the class had died.
  
  But I wanted more, I wanted so much more.
  
  And now I've got it.  My junior I.S. started and ended second semester, and while that kept me from making this, this ode to all things film, into what I wanted it to be, I've got a better idea now than I ever had then anyway.  I'll try not to be as linguistically charged as I am on my other blogs, dulacian and impersonalemotion.  Film is a visual art and I'm going to be writing about it for a very long time.  This is my outlet for the creative end of that, but it's not the language that matters as much here as it does in those other two spots.
  
  I don't know how to start really.  What this will be is something simply about the films I see and what I think about the art itself.  It will pop off as I think about letting it. 
  
  This past year and a half I've become ingratiated to the art in ways that I never though possible.  Before, I never really liked movies.  Now, it's my intellectual playground more than any other area.  So, let's look at who I was before the intellectual revolution, and who I am now
  
  Favorite Movie then: Donnie Darko
  Favorite Movie now: 8 1/2
  Favorite Director then: George Lucas
  Favorite Director now: Federico Fellini
  Average Movies watched in a week then: 0.8 or so
  Average movies watched in a week now: 3.5
   
  That's just a slight look at my movie watching habits.  What's far more important are the actual movies that I've watched.  I've learned that the best films often are not American and usually aren't that exciting.  Film is an artform that can be entertaining for the senses.  But it doesn't have to be and deep intellectual enjoyment can seep out through the screen, trumping any excitement. 
  
  So what do I watch?
  
  Film.  Glorious film that exists for the sake of the film. 
  
  To best understand what I mean, 8 1/2 by Federico Fellini and L'Avventura by Michaelangelo Antonioni are required viewing, along with a bit of The Children of Paradise by Marcel Carne and Hiroshima, Mon Amour by Alain Resnais for good measure.
  
  The greatest thing about great films of old is that they are usually available at most public libraries, which means they are free.
  
  I don't care much for independent film for the sake of its independence or racy themes.  Film is not about plot or situations. 
  
  But I love Juno.
  And I love Thank you For Smoking.  I don't know if those count as independent or not, but Jason Reitman knows how to make a film.
  
  I think that's all I've got for now.  Sometimes, I just want to discuss film, and this will be my outlet.  Until that happens again, keep watching.
  -Zack
  
  

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