This blog post examines how «Chronicle of a Summer» — through the cinéma vérité format — documented the daily lives and questions of ordinary people, revealing the cinematic truth about the reality of an era and human happiness. 「Chronicle of a Summer」 Plot Summary In Paris during the summer of the 1960s, director Jean Rouch instructs a woman named “Marcelle” to ask various passersby on...
How did an ordinary man in the movie “Notting Hill” achieve love with a global superstar?
This blog post examines the structure and meaning of how an encounter between an ordinary everyday life and a global superstar evolves into a convincing love story, using “Notting Hill”—a quintessential romantic comedy—as an example. Film Introduction This film is the most famous and representative work that cannot be omitted when discussing the romantic comedy genre. Released in 1999 as a...
Why Does the Happy Ending of ‘Notting Hill’ Leave Something to Be Desired from a Feminist Perspective?
This blog post reexamines the happy ending of the film “Notting Hill” from a feminist perspective, exploring how traditional gender roles and romantic comedy conventions are reproduced, along with their significance and limitations. A Theoretical Approach to Romantic Comedies Why do we watch romantic comedies? Why do audiences go out of their way to see the almost predictable ending in...
Why does ‘La Jetée’ end in death, while ‘Eternal Sunshine’ returns to a new beginning?
In this blog post, we will examine how the ways ‘La Jetée’ and ‘Eternal Sunshine’ handle memory and time lead to different conclusions, exploring their narrative structures and the meaning of love. Can love within memory be eternal? Our lives are thoroughly realist. We live daily routines following almost identical patterns. We work, study, eat, and sleep. Though we feel each day—yesterday...
Why did surrealist cinema choose the irony of everyday life?
In this blog post, we will examine how surrealist cinema reveals the unconscious and desire through the irony of everyday life rather than fantasy, and explore the significance of this expressive strategy. The Revolution of the Unconscious: Surrealism To briefly describe the Surrealist mode of expression, it can be defined as a style aiming to express the super-real—a world transcending...
How does the musical film ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ simultaneously establish romance and horror?
This blog post analyzes the genre characteristics of the musical film ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, focusing on how it combines a thriller narrative with the backstage musical format to simultaneously establish the emotions of romance and the tension of horror. The 2004 film “The Phantom of the Opera” is an adaptation of the musical, featuring the music of world-renowned musical composer...
How far has the boundary between fiction and documentary been blurred in Wim Wenders’ films?
This blog post examines how the boundary between fiction and documentary has been blurred in Wim Wenders’ films, focusing on his perspective and the spirit of the times. It questions the possibilities of cinema by exploring both the tradition of New German Cinema and his documentary work. When discussing the relationship between fiction and documentary, the films of the New German...
How does Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘Talk to Her’ depict loneliness and communication?
This blog post examines how melodrama cinematically portrays loneliness, silence, and the possibility of communication through Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘Talk to Her’. On Melodrama Among many film genres, I have a particular fondness for melodrama. When I’m sad or lonely, I can project myself onto the protagonist and cry freely. When I want to break through a stifling feeling, I find...
How does Howards End reconstruct the ‘Only connect’ ethic of the novel into cinematic language?
This blog post examines how Howards End visually reconstructs the ‘Only connect’ ethic of the original novel through mise-en-scène and character placement. About the Author ― Progressive Liberal Writer E. M. Forster E. M. Forster was born in London and participated in liberal groups at Cambridge University during his studies. Rebelling against Victorian morality and values, he became...
Why does ‘Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse’ make us reexamine society through the act of gathering?
This blog post explores how the act of gathering, as depicted in Agnès Varda’s documentary ‘Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse’, prompts us to reconsider the relationship between individual lives, society, art, and ethics. “I’m filming people who collect discarded things to survive. Like writing a diary, I record them and record myself.” In the past, commoners would often bend over to...