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1、NarrativeNarrativel Restricted / Unrestricted / Mixl Momentum Suspense Subtext Stake-raising PacingCritical Perspectivel The pleasure of watching a film comes from: Content and Formall The traditional way of approaching content is through analysis of Themel The other main theoretical approaches: Aut
2、eur, Structuralism Theory, Feminism and Gender Studies, Psychoanalytic Theory, Ideology Theory ThemelThe theme of a film is its main point.lTheme is the controlling idea of the film.lIn addition to constituting a general comment about life, the theme is also the central and controlling idea; it unif
3、ies the film and makes it intellectually and emotionally coherent. Theme is that center of gravity around which all the other elements of the film (genre, character, narrative, style) imperceptibly revolve.ThemelIt means that we should not expect to find a films theme spelt out to us unambiguously i
4、n the form of a statement or argument. lThe theme will emerge gradually from, and be expressed through, the films genre, characters; narrative, and style. Theme only properly exists when it is fully integrated into the film as a wholelTheme: Variable and Diverse vs Invariable and ImmutabilitylMultip
5、le themeMain Stream Cinema Theme1. Broad Human Concerns （广泛的人类问题 ） lThemes commonly reflect the most basic and universal human concerns such as love (whether romantic or affectionate), the nature of humanity, ethical concerns, the meaning of human existence, and the possibility (or impossibility) of
6、 a divine force guiding human affairs. lExamples: universal themes such as the nature of love (The English Patient) and the nature of beauty (American Beauty).2. Life Philosophies（人生哲学）l Theme is a “generalized comment on life“, but it is rarely expressed as a statement of that kind. More commonly,
7、films will present a hero whose lifestyle is, at the same time, a life philosophy; and, through the relative success or failure of that character, we assess the validity of that philosophy. Conversely, we may observe the validity of the opposing life philosophy by watching the fortunes of the antago
8、nist.lExamples: Forrest Gump (in Forrest Gump)Main Stream Cinema Theme3. Religious and Ethical Concerns (宗教和伦 理) lThe West is a fundamentally Christian culture, and although the influence of formal religion and the established Churches has declined over recent decades, the power of the Christian fai
9、th to determine the shape of ones spirituality and ethical values remains strong. Some films focus on the spiritual aspects of religion (such as the desire to transcend the everyday world or to know God) while others focus on the ethical values that derive from religion (such as the notions of sin a
10、nd of evil).lExamples: The Matrix reflects a Christian ideal of transcendence; Seven is concerned with the notion of sin; and The Shining presents an idea of supernatural evil.Main Stream Cinema Theme4. Historical Issues （历史问题）lThemes commonly emerge as responses to specific historical periods or ev
11、ents, especially if they are foundational and/or controversial and/or have a continuing relevance today. In the West, the history of the Roman Empire has been a regular topic because it brought the West into being as a coherent political and geographical entity (e.g. The Rise and Fall of the Roman E
12、mpire), Cleopatra, Gladiator). With regard to modern history, the Vietnam War - probably the most controversial American war of the twentieth century - is such a common thematic concern that it has also become the basis of a subgenre.l Examples: the Vietnam War is the explicit subject matter of Apoc
13、alypse Now and the history of late twentieth-century America constitutes an important stage on which the themes of Forrest Gump are played out.Main Stream Cinema Theme5. Nations and National Characteristics （国家 和国民特征）lFilms are produced by men and women from certain nations for consumption by target
14、 audiences who also belong to certain national groups. For this reason, they often respond on a thematic level to national concerns. They may do so by presenting characters who embody certain aspect of their “national character“, or by exploring the consequences of national values and attitudes.l Ex
15、amples: James Bond embodies aspects of the English ideal, and Super Man for AmericanMain Stream Cinema Theme6.Social/Cultural/Technological Changes （社会、文化与技术的变革）l Cinema is a living art form, and as such it tends to respond rapidly to social, cultural, and technological changes. Films concerned with
16、 “change“ (of whatever kind) provide the audience with a space in which to visualize and adapt to its consequences.l Examples: the idea of “hyperreality“ underlies The Matrix; the media on human emotions is a thematic concern in American Beauty Main Stream Cinema Theme7. Social Problems lFilms sometimes provide a forum in which certain pressing social problems can be presen
