Narrative Elements In Film

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From "Understanding Movies" by Louis D. Giannetti, page 318: "Despite
the enormous importance that the script can play in a sound film,
some directors scoff at the notion that a writer can ever be the
dominant artist in the cinema. When asked what the value he placed
on his scripts, for example, Josef von Sternberg replied that the
narrative or story elements of his works were of 'no importance
whatsoever' to him. Antonioni once remarked that 'Crime and Punishment' was a rather ordinary story - the genius of the novel
lies in how it's told, not in the subject matter per se. Certainly
the large number of excellent movies based on routine, or even
mediocre scripts seems to bear out such anti-literary views.
With characteristic wit, Andrew Sarris has pointed out how the
director's choice of shot - how the action is photographed - is the
crucial element in most films, not merely the action as action.
....Sarris' observations reinforce the thesis of this book: that
subject matter alone can never be a reliable index of quality in a
film, for the artist must translate his subject into the forms of his
medium before its true content can be fully experienced and appraised.
In these terms, then, the screenwriter generally provides the subject
matter of a film, but the director creates its true content."

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VH Audio

Topic - Narrative Elements In Film - AudioHead 14:13:42 08/18/00 (11)

Indeed, the plot isn't important... - Dmitry 20:41:53 08/21/00 (3)

One Of My Favorite Quotes... - AudioHead 08:55:53 08/22/00 (2)

Addendum. - AudioHead 11:40:33 08/23/00 (1)

Re: Addendum. - Dmitry 23:16:09 08/28/00 (0)

Re: Narrative Elements In Film aren't the only thing contributed by the screenwriter - Bruce from DC 15:48:05 08/18/00 (4)

Then there's Vanya on 42nd Street... - clarkjohnsen 07:13:08 08/21/00 (2)

OTOH, Filmmaking As Collaborative Art. - AudioHead 08:34:27 08/21/00 (1)

That's good! (nt) - clarkjohnsen 12:34:21 08/21/00 (0)

Re: Narrative Elements In Film aren't the only thing contributed by the screenwriter - AudioHead 10:36:14 08/19/00 (0)

I think I know this book... - Stephen Hayes 15:23:36 08/18/00 (1)

Gene Kelly Hanging Off Lampost... Singing In The Rain. - AudioHead 10:25:37 08/19/00 (0)

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