Module 4 Lessons

Lesson 57

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Exploring Your Viewing Habits and Preferences

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What was the last feature film that you saw? Where did you see it? Was it at home on TV? Did you buy or rent  or DVD? Did you watch it at the movie theatre? What was it about? What type of film was it? How would you classify it? Was it an action movie? A thriller? A war film? Science fiction? Romantic comedy? Do you usually watch this type of film, or was it a genre that you usually don't care to watch? Why do you watch movies?

How often do you watch movies? Do you prefer going to a movie theatre, or would you rather view a movie on DVD in the comfort of your own home? Do you find yourself going to the same kinds of movies or renting from the same section in your movie-rental store? Do you watch movies to be entertained or to broaden your horizons?

In this lesson, you'll be dealing with some of these questions as you explore your past and present viewing experiences. The purpose of this exploration is to help you learn more about yourself and your viewing habits. You will discover how filmmakers appeal specifically to certain audiences, and you'll learn about film reviews.

What Kind of Viewer Are You?

Journal Entry

In your journal, describe your viewing habits. Here are some aspects of viewing behaviour that you can focus on. For each of the following considerations, you should do more than merely answer the questions. You should also comment and expand upon your answers.

• Nowadays, it has become very easy to view a film. You can go to the cinema, rent videos or DVDs, or watch movies that appear on television. How many movies do you and your family watch in a typical month? Include movies that you view on TV.
• Some people only watch movies when they're with their friends or family. Do you prefer watching movies alone or with company? Explain.
• Why do you watch films? Provide at least three reasons, and explain them.
• What kinds of movies do you prefer watching? Why? What kinds of movies do members of your family enjoy?
• Have you ever watched a foreign film in which there were subtitles or dubbed voices? What was your reaction?

Charlie Chaplin
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• Have you ever watched a film that was photographed in black and white? Examples include classics such as The Kid (1921) starring Charlie Chaplin, It's a Wonderful Life (1946) with James Stewart, and A Christmas Carol (1951) starring Alastair Sim. More recently, Schindler's List (1993) and Pleasantville (1998) were filmed in black and white. What was your reaction?

Mr. Haas: What kinds of movies do you and your friends like? Brandon: Action movies! Lin: Fantasy or science-fiction movies. Chelsea: Comedies and romance films. Dominic: Horror films.

Determining Your Viewing Preferences

You've already discovered that literature can be classified according to genres, such as poetry, short story, essay, and novel. Films can also be classified according to genres.

Films often share common features, such as character types, plot, tone, settings, suspense, or special effects. Some films, for example, might feature teenage protagonists involved in comic plots and be set in a high school or other location frequented by teenagers. Other films may feature older protagonists and be characterized by tear-jerker endings that are sentimental or tragic.

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Filmmakers appeal specifically to certain audiences by creating works that fit into easily recognizable genres. They know that viewers are loyal to particular genres and to successful formulas.

Have you ever thought about your preferences in terms of viewing? Determining your preferences may help you understand a bit more about yourself or the reasons why you watch movies.

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1. Make a list of at least 15 movies you've watched. The list does not have to be in any particular order and should include titles of films you viewed at the cinema or in your home (rental movies or movies broadcast on TV).

You may need to consult your family and friends to refresh your memory.

2. Once you've identified at least 15 movies you've viewed, create another list—this time of movie genres.

If you can, work with one or more other students or family members to complete this list. A trip to the video store may help you to compile this list. Your list should contain at least 12 to 15 different genres.

3.

1. Once you've compared your list of genres to the one suggested in the Appendix, classify the 15 films you listed in question 1 according to genre.
2. What conclusions can you draw about your viewing preferences? Do you seem to prefer one genre over all the others, or do you have a wide variety of viewing preferences? Explain reasons for your answer. What are the characteristics of your preferred genre that most appeal to you? Explain.

After you've responded to these questions, discuss your findings with a partner or in a group.

Genre and Conventions

Every genre has its own conventions—something that you accept and expect to see in a film. People accept conventions, even if they're unrealistic. The audience's acceptance of conventions is what makes enjoyment of a film possible.

Here's how one student summarized the conventions for two movie genres.
 

As you can see from these examples, conventions are often very unrealistic, but that doesn't matter. Audiences accept and expect the conventions. In fact, awareness of genre and the associated conventions is what enables you to predict what will happen next in a film.

Mr. Haas: Creative screenplay writers will often mix elements from various genres to avoid being too predictable. If you could predict most of the major action in a film, would you value that film? Dominic: No, I would want my money back. I like it when I get sucked into making a prediction and it turns out wrong. I like the surprise. Mr. Haas: Exactly! A skilled writer may use the conventions of one genre to set up a situation and then have that situation resolved by using the conventions of a different or related genre.

4. To complete this question, copy out in your notebook a chart similar to the one that follows. Then choose five genres from the list you generated in question 2. List the genres in your chart.

For each genre, identify at least three films that fit there. The films do not necessarily have to be recent. You may have to use the Internet or print resources to help you complete this part.

Next, identify at least three conventions that you might expect to see for each genre. Remember to consider such elements as character, plot, setting, and tone.

In the sample chart, the genre fantasy film has been done to serve as a model.
 

Becoming an Informed Viewer

A popular feature in newspapers, magazines, and now on the Internet is the movie review. People often read film reviews to learn about new movies and to help decide which ones to view.

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Read the following movie review by James Berardinelli.

Cast: Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Adam Goldberg, Vivien Cardone, Judd Hirsch, Josh Lucas, Anthony Rapp, Christopher Plummer Director: Ron Howard Producers: Ron Howard, Brian Grazer Screenplay: Akiva Goldsman, based on the book by Sylvia Nasar Cinematography: Roger Deakins Music: James Horner U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures A Beautiful Mind is a beautifully written, effectively acted, and meticulously crafted effort that is likely to remind many viewers of a simple axiom: a movie doesn't have to be groundbreaking to be compelling. Originality is a prized commodity because there is so little of it in Hollywood these days, but, when filmmakers do such a skilful job with familiar elements, their efforts should be acknowledged. Affecting without being overtly manipulative, A Beautiful Mind tells the life story of John Nash, a Nobel prize winner who struggled through most of his adult life with schizophrenia. As directed by Ron Howard, this becomes a tale not only of one man's battle to overcome his own disability, but of the overreaching power of love—a theme that has been embraced by films as diverse as It's a Wonderful Life and Rocky. A Beautiful Mind may have been developed to be a crowd-pleaser as well as a tear-jerker, but genuine craft is evident in the way the pieces were assembled. The movie never becomes cloying, nor does it threaten to drown us beneath an outpouring of false sentiment. This is no Patch Adams, filled with saccharine-coated artificiality. The characters are effectively drawn and their plight touches an emotional chord. A Beautiful Mind offers a catharsis without insulting the intelligence. Sadly, too few movies these days can make a similar claim. This film argues that there are still instances when Hollywood-produced, big budget movies are worth a viewer's investment of time and money. A Beautiful Mind purports to tell the true story of Professor John Nash (Russell Crowe), but, while the gross facts may be accurate, one must expect embellishment of the details. Narrative features are not constrained by the same rules that limit documentaries. We first meet Nash as a student at Princeton in 1947. He is brilliant but erratic—a mathematical genius who lacks social skills. He is aided in making it through those difficult years by his roommate, Charles (Paul Bettany). Years later, following an astounding breakthrough that revolutionizes economics, John is teaching at M.I.T. and doing code-breaking work for a shady government agent, William Parcher (Ed Harris). It's at this time that John meets, falls in love with, and marries Alicia (Jennifer Connelly). But his happy world soon starts to crumble. John is afflicted with paranoid hallucinations; by the time he is taken to a mental hospital under the care of the mysterious Dr. Rosen (Christopher Plummer), he is diagnosed as having an advanced case of schizophrenia. For Russell Crowe, the winner of last year's Best Actor Oscar, this is another opportunity to broaden his range. Crowe successfully buries his personality beneath Nash's, allowing the character to come to the fore (a necessity, considering the actor's current load of off-screen baggage). Much as he did in The Insider, Crowe shows no difficulty inhabiting the skin of a real-life individual who has a stronger intellect than physique. And, when it comes to the sequences depicting Nash battling his demons, Crowe's performance is utterly convincing. Meanwhile, Jennifer Connelly is luminous as Alicia. Although the showier performance belongs to Crowe, it's Connelly's complex work, depicting a woman torn by love for and fear of the same man, that elevates the film to a higher level. The actress was unjustly overlooked for Requiem for a Dream; hopefully, the Academy will not repeat that mistake. Solid support is provided by Ed Harris and Christopher Plummer. A viewer certainly doesn't have to be a mathematical expert to appreciate what A Beautiful Mind offers, although those with a strong left-brain component may relate better to John Nash than right-brainers. The movie tosses mathematical theories and theorems in the audience's direction, but explains them simply and lucidly; no one is going to become lost or bored. A Beautiful Mind isn't about mathematics except as a symbol. It's about human frailty and the ability to triumph over it. Nash could just as easily be a doctor, a lawyer, or a construction worker and the essence of the story would not change. The strength of the writing and production values elevate A Beautiful Mind far above "disease of the week movie" quality. At the core of the picture lies the relationship between John and Alicia, and the tribulations that the strength of their bond allows them to overcome. On one occasion, a friend asks Alicia how she can continue to stay with her stricken husband, and she replies with a succinct explanation that everyone who has ever been in love will understand. A Beautiful Mind defies the conventional Hollywood wisdom that love is passion and romance. For John and Alicia, it's painful, heartbreaking work. And, while hearts and flowers are great for a fantasy, this is the kind of expression of emotion that touches a deeper chord.1 1 "A Beautiful Mind: A Film Review by James Berardinelli," 2001,<http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/b /beautiful_mind.html> (5 June 2002). Reproduced by permission.

5. Movie reviews provide important background information. Reread the review carefully, and determine the following:

1. Who is the director of the film?
2. Who wrote the screenplay? What is the screenplay based on?
3. Who are the major actors, and what roles do they play?
4. What is the story about? Summarize the plot in two or three sentences.

6. What do you learn about the genre of the film and how closely it conforms to the conventions?

7. Do you think the review "spoils" the suspense by giving away too much information about the plot? Explain.

8. According to the reviewer, what are the strengths of the film?

9. Despite the fact that the review is rather positive, there are a few aspects of the film that are not viewed so positively. What are they?

10. According to the review, what audience is the film intended for? In other words, who would most enjoy the film?

Based on the review that you've just read, would you see the film? What would you especially look forward to seeing in this film?

Journal Entry

In your journal, explore how you go about choosing what film you're going to see or rent. What factors do you think about?

Consider also the extent to which reading a review of a film helps you to better appreciate or enjoy the viewing experience.

Going Further

Did you know that there are many agencies that keep track of people's viewing habits and study them very carefully? Using the Internet or library resources, research the researchers. Learn more about the kinds of statistics they gather. You can summarize your findings in a series of simple statements or conclusions drawn from your findings.

In this lesson, you explored your viewing habits and preferences. You also looked at how films fit into particular genres that follow specific conventions. You then learned that reading a review of a film can help you to better appreciate and enjoy what a film has to offer.

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Suggested Answers

1. Responses will vary. For purposes of the next question, you will need to have at least 15 titles to work with. Ask your friends or family members to help you complete the list.

2. Responses will vary. Here is a list generated by one group of students. Notice that some of the genres are quite informally named. This reflects the fact that genre names evolve from the informal to the formal.
 

• comedy	• fantasy	• spy
• parody	• mystery/detective	• disaster
• action	• historical epic	• biography
• adventure	• martial arts	• romance
• drama	• western	• animated
• war	• musical	• children's
• horror	• foreign	• teenage
• science fiction	• crime/gangster	• "chick flick"

3. a. and b. Responses will vary. Were you surprised by what this exercise revealed about your movie-viewing preferences? Compare your preferences with those of your friends, your family, or the members of your study group. Are your preferences quite different from those of others that you know? Do others share some or all of your preferences? Which ones?

Which genres do you think most people like? Which ones do you think are preferred by only a small percentage of viewers? Do movie preferences reveal something about the personalities of people?

Remember to discuss your ideas with a partner or in a group.

4. Responses will vary. Following is how several students responded.
 

Genre and Film Titles	Conventions
Fantasy Lord of the Rings Willow Dragonheart	• The wizard is all powerful but has to rely on the hero to save the day. • Good always triumphs over evil by the end. • The hero is given a special weapon or power to use at the last minute to triumph over evil.
Action Rush Hour 2 Speed Vanilla Sky	Cars can speed through busy streets without ever hitting pedestrians. No one ever wears seatbelts, and yet they can walk away from serious crashes. Early in the film, the hero always misses capturing the bad guy by seconds.
Comedy	Nobody ever really gets hurt or killed in a comedy. Deep down inside, even villains have some good in them. Everything works out for the best in the end.
Science Fiction	Aliens are either bug-eyed monsters or gorgeous women. Earthlings always outwit and defeat the technologically superior aliens. All aliens speak English.
Horror	No one ever thinks of leaving the house, even when they know that there is something spooky or evil going on. The elusive axe murderer is always the least likely suspect. The slasher always goes after young, attractive teenagers.

5. a. The director of the film is Ron Howard, also known as Richie Cunningham from the classic TV series Happy Days.

b. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman based on the novel by Sylvia Nasar. Goldsman, by the way, is also responsible for the screenplays for Batman and Robin and Batman Returns!

c. Russell Crowe plays John Nash.
Ed Harris plays Parcher.
Jennifer Connelly plays Alicia Nash.

d. The film tells the true story of how math genius John Nash suffers through his schizophrenia to eventually win the Nobel Prize.

6. The film is a biography, but it also fits the genre of drama. What this means is that the writer and director take liberties with the facts to make the story more dramatic and entertaining. The reviewer, Berardinelli, says as much in the third paragraph:

A Beautiful Mind purports to tell the true story of Professor John Nash (Russell Crowe), but, while the gross facts may be accurate, one must expect embellishment of the details. Narrative features are not constrained by the same rules that limit documentaries.

7. Responses will vary. Most readers will appreciate the amount of detail provided in a review such as this one. It's common knowledge that Nash does win the Nobel Prize despite his condition. Therefore, nothing significant is really given away in the review that people did not know before.

8. The major strengths of the film are the writing and the acting.

9. In the first paragraph, the suggestion is made that there is nothing "groundbreaking" in this movie. This can be seen as verging on a negative comment. In the same paragraph, a suggestion is also made that the film is "affecting without being overtly manipulative." In other words, the film is manipulative to a degree but not to a fault.

10. According to the review, you do not have to be a "mathematical expert" to appreciate the film. Berardinelli also goes on to suggest that "left-brained" viewers may relate better to Nash than "right-brainers." The bottom line, however, is that according to the reviewer, anyone can enjoy this movie.