In this class there have been three movies that have stuck out to me the most. They have all taught me something, but in different ways. These three movies are Birth of a Nation, King Kong, and Beauty and the Beast.
The first movie that sticks out to me is D. W. Griffith's 1915 Birth of a Nation. I feel that is was the least valuable to me in context of the history of the cinema. I feel that it was not easy to follow and that the actors did not portray their characters very well
I also feel with Birth of a Nation that it was too far behind in time for someone in this era to be able to truly understand it. With that said, I do believe that it can help film students appreciate the technology that we have today.
The second movie that sticks out to me is King Kong. I feel this movie is more valuable, than Birth of a Nation, to the context of the history of the cinema. The reason I feel this is that the story and characters are much easier to follow and understand. I also believe this because, while the story may not be believable to all audiences; the audience wants a mix of emotions and entertainment. King Kong has these characteristics of entertainment and is why it is one of America's favorites.
I also believe that it is valuable to the history of the cinema because it has been remade. Let me explain, a movie can sometimes be built onto or totally done in a different way. But I think a movie that can for the most part, have its originality and same context in the remake, is an educational tool. A movie like King Kong that can be redone and taken to such a great level is a movie that should definitely be studied in any cinema class.
My reason for not saying that King Kong was the most valuable movie watched in class, was the settings. I feel that the settings were not the best they could be. When the crew is waiting by the big wall and gate, one can tell it is not real and that the forest behind the wall does not look believable. This may not be the truth, but from my point of view it is. Overall I think King Kong is definitely valuable to the history of the cinema, just not the most important.
The third and final movie that sticks out in my mind is the French version of Beauty and the Beast. I feel this movie is most valuable out of the movies watched in class because it shows how far the cinema has come in such areas as story line, settings, and character development.
I also believe that since the movie can be done in so many different types of cinema it is a movie that needs to be studied. I learned something from all three of these movies. Some movies just had something more to educate students of the history of the cinema.