Reflection of how to analyze films

Essay by guest123University, Bachelor'sB, April 2009

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Reflective � PAGE �1�

Reflective Paper

ENG: 225 Introduction to Film

March 1, 2009

Analyzing movies is not an easy task. There are many things to take in account when attempting to do so. I am going to describe some of the techniques that I have found and used in my own analysis of movies. I will also be discussing how I interpret meaning in the movies that I watch.

Theme is defined as "a unifying or dominant idea." The theme of a movie can sometimes be found by answering the following questions: "what was the central point the director was trying to make with this film and what was the central goal of the film." If the theme is not apparent after the questions above sometimes describing the movie to another person is helpful. Usually what is discussed the most is the theme. There may also be supporting or minor themes found in a movie.

These motifs as they are called are not substantive enough to be considered a theme.

Analyzing the story is much easier than analyzing the theme of a film. A story is presented in film through the plot (simple, complex, timeless, believable) the characters (appearance, dialogue, interplay between characters, actions, names) and symbolic elements.

"Many film critics say the real movie begins in the editing room. Sometimes a potentially good film is less successful because of poor editing. Essential parts of the film's storyline may be cut out entirely, or scenes which do nothing to move the plot forward are left in the final cut. When editing is done right, it should be nearly invisible. When analyzing the editing of a film, look for anything that jars or confuses you. Scenes with dialogue should cut seamlessly between actors speaking the lines and others reacting to...