The Way Hollywood Tells It : Story and Style in Modern Movies

Hollywood moviemaking is one of the constants of American life, but how much has it changed since the glory days of the big studios? David Bordwell argues that the principles of visual storytelling created in the studio era are alive and well, even in today’s bloated blockbusters. American filmmakers have created a durable tradition—one that we should not be ashamed to call artistic, and one that survives in both mainstream entertainment and niche-marketed indie cinema. Bordwell traces the continuity of this tradition in a wide array of films made since 1960, from romantic comedies like __Jerry Maguire__ and __Love Actually__ to more imposing efforts like __A Beautiful Mind__. He also draws upon testimony from writers, directors, and editors who are acutely conscious of employing proven principles of plot and visual style. Within the limits of the “classical” approach, innovation can flourish. Bordwell examines how imaginative filmmakers have pushed the premises of the system in films such as __JFK, Memento,__ and __Magnolia__. He discusses generational, technological, and economic factors leading to stability and change in Hollywood cinema and includes close analyses of selected shots and sequences. As it ranges across four decades, examining classics like __American Graffiti__ and __The Godfather__ as well as recent success like __The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers__, this book provides a vivid and engaging interpretation of how Hollywood moviemakers have created a vigorous, resourceful tradition of cinematic storytelling that continues to engage audiences around the world. Hollywood moviemaking is one of the constants of American life, but how much has it changed since the glory days of the big studios? David Bordwell argues that the principles of visual storytelling created in the studio era are alive and well, even in today’s bloated blockbusters. American filmmakers have created a durable tradition—one that we should not be ashamed to call artistic, and one that survives in both mainstream entertainment and niche-marketed indie cinema. Bordwell traces the continuity of this tradition in a wide array of films made since 1960, from romantic comedies like Jerry Maguire and Love Actually to more imposing efforts like A Beautiful Mind. He also draws upon testimony from writers, directors, and editors who are acutely conscious of employing proven principles of plot and visual style. Within the limits of the "classical" approach, innovation can flourish. Bordwell examines how imaginative filmmakers have pushed the premises of the system in films such as JFK, Memento, and Magnolia. He discusses generational, technological, and economic factors leading to stability and change in Hollywood cinema and includes close analyses of selected shots and sequences. As it ranges across four decades, examining classics like American Graffiti and The Godfather as well as recent success like The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, this book provides a vivid and engaging interpretation of how Hollywood moviemakers have created a vigorous, resourceful tradition of cinematic storytelling that continues to engage audiences around the world. Includes information on Woody Allen, Robert Altman, Asian films, Brian de Plama, European cinema, Alfred Hitchcock, Hong Kong films, Sam Peckinpah, Arthur Penn, Otto Preminger, Brett Ratner, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, Orson Welles, American Graffiti, At Long Last Love, A Beautiful Mind, Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown, Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Jaws, Jerry Maguire, Lord of the Rings trilogy, Matrix trilogy, Memento, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Sixth Sense, Star Wars series, Two Weeks Notice, arcing shots, axis of action, black and white footage, camera movement, characterization, climax, close ups, comedies, complicating action, cutting, dialogue hook, directors, editing, energy, epilogue, establishing shots, fantasy, film noir, flashbacks, following shots, foreshadowing, four part structure, framing, handheld shots, heroes, horror, hyperclassical construction, independent films, innovation, intensified continuity, intercutting, long lens, long takes, low budget films, montage sequences, motifs, multiple camera shooting, narrative, over the shoulder shots, overt narration, plot, postclassical cinema, protagonists, puzzle films, rapid cutting, reverse order plotting, romantic comedy, science fiction, set up, shots, singles, soundtracks, special effects, Stedicam, story development, studio era, television, thrillers, time, tracking shots, video, violence, visceral effects, visual style, wide angle lens, wide screen, wipe by cuts, wipes, etc. Frontmatter Acknowledgments (page ix) Introduction: Beyond the Blockbuster (page 1) PART I: A REAL STORY (page 19) 1. Continuing Tradition, by Any Means Necessary (page 27) 2. Pushing the Premises (page 51) 3. Subjective Stories and Network Narratives (page 72) 4. A Certain Amount of Plot: Tentpoles, Locomotives, Blockbusters, Megapictures, and the Action Movie (page 104) PART II: A STYLISH STYLE (page 115) 1. Intensified Continuity: Four Dimensions (page 121) 2. Some Likely Sources (page 139) 3. Style, Plain and Fancy (page 158) 4. What's Missing? (page 180) Appendix: A Hollywood Timeline, 1960-2004 (Bradley Schauer and David Bordwell, page 191) Notes (page 243) Index (page 273) Hollywood moviemaking is one of the constants of American life, but how much has it changed since the glory days of the big studios? This book argues that the principles of visual storytelling created in the studio era are alive and well.