The Art of Expressionism Explained...
Written: Jan 06 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: beautiful, visually-done scenes
Cons: thin plot
|
|
|
| msposner's Full Review: |
Many who saw the movie, "The Cell", found it difficult to appreciate. This is partly because of a lack of understanding of a cinema art known as 'expressionism'.
The art of implementing expressionism in film originated during the period of World War I in Germany. Two films that demonstrated the movement ideally were The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) and Nosferatu (1922).
To begin to even comprehend the principles behind expressionism, one must grasp the four main characteristics of the particular art.
I. The primary concept is to distort perspectives and angles as an attempt to place emotions over a view of the external world.
II. The use of bold colors and contrasts.
III. The backdrops are highly expressive.
IV. The subject matter of the art is often dark with a horrific element.
V. The scenes are under a lot of control, very tightly done.
In the movie, "The Cell", with the use of advanced technology and "mind-altering" drugs, Jennifer Lopez's character has the ability to travel inside her clients' minds to analyze, explore, and improvise what lurks beneath.
The film also does a good job of establishing a boundary between the three minds that Lopez wades through, including her own mind.
The first mind was of a pre-teen boy. The viewer gets an impression that this was more of a open, virgin mind of a young person.
The second mind was the serial killer's. Of course, it is appropriately portrayed as a very dark, twisted world. Everything is deformed, spawned from pain, and human qualities were greatly malignied.
The third mind was Lopez's. It matched the subtle beauty that Lopez demonstrates- the gently-falling snowflakes across the bare forest surrounded by the pink hue that creates the horizon.
While the movie presents the art of expressionism quite masterfully (I assume they consulted various 'art' experts for the movie), the plot was very, very thin for such a complicated visual movie.
Many praised Jennifer Lopez's acting skills in the movie, but she hardly was nothing more than just a catalyst for the ongoing stream of events that were emerging around her.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
msposner
|
|
Member: Michael Posner
Location: Washington, DC / College Park, MD
Reviews written: 104
Trusted by: 68 members
About Me:
I think your woman is great in bed.
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.