Movies about Talking to the camera
Cinema is the only art form capable of utilizing and combining all other arts, and in such inspiring ways that it can produce a new way of complete human expression; ergo a fresh, and “sui generis” art itself. However, as in every art form, to achieve a confirmed or acclaimed artistic status is not a matter of self-declaration, but one of specific assets. Perhaps the most critical of all those assets in film is none other than the camerawork.
The camera placement and movement is one of the most crucial aspects in every film production. It represents the overall vision of the director, the skill of the director of principal photography, and their ongoing collaboration throughout the filmmaking process. Since the beginning of feature films in the first decade of the 20th century, many of the pioneering techniques have been used extensively, maximizing not only the possibilities of each era’s camera technologies, but also the level of artistry in motion pictures.
Tracking shots, crane shots, multiple cameras shooting the same scene from different angles, “Dutch angles”, long takes, the use of deep focus, the use of wide-angle and zoom lenses, and intentionally unsteady shots through a hand-held camera, are all different ways of making a film more beautiful, and more rich in meanings and symbolisms. Add to that the benefits of post-production (editing, special effects, soundtrack), and it is quite clear that cinema is limitless regarding its creative potency.
Any filmmakers who have mastered all those classic camera techniques mentioned above, and are lucky enough to have a well-written screenplay on their hands, plus an efficient crew to surround them, meet the requirements to make a good film.
But to make a great film, you need a bit of that extra magic that separates the true visionaries of the medium (those who challenge the audiences to follow them in their often uncompromising and non-mainstream cinematic ventures) from the dexterous craftsmen (those who depend on their technical expertise in order to impress the largest possible amount of viewers, incorporating the “entertainment” factor into their work).
As Aristotle quotes, “the aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance”. The following list is a selection of 30 movies (please do not pay much attention to their order, it is of secondary importance), from different eras, genres and cinema movements, which fulfill this aim by relying heavily on their brilliant camerawork. These are not necessarily revolutionary movies in terms of technological breakthrough, but they are in terms of artistic virtuosity.
30. City Of God (2002)
Directed by Fernando Meirelles, & Kátia Lund
Cinematography by César Charlone
One of the most poignant crime films of the 21st century thus far, “City of God” is a coming-of-age story which manages to point out the unstrained social commentary surrounding the recent history of Brazil’s organized crime.
The subjective narrative, freeze frames and sweeping scene shots are clearly influenced by the cinematography in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” (although director Fernando Meirelles uses a non-linear narrative style, plus many amateur actors from the favelas, which are also key elements for the depiction of the disordered lifestyle of the gangs), but César Charlone’s camera has a life of its own, fully dependent on the era in which the events take place; lively and furious in the late 60s, more static and character-centered during the majority of the 70s, and documentary-like in the protagonists’ more mature phase (the 80s).
29. Bande À Parte (1964)
Režie Jean-Luc Godard
Cinematography by Raoul Coutard
A French New Wave gem, “Band Of Outsiders” is quite more accessible than Jean-Luc Godard’s previous contributions to the movement (“Breathless”, “Contempt”, “Vivre Sa Vie”), mainly because of the amusing narrative form, and the charming heist/love triangle plot.
For most of its running time, it is a carefree inner-city road movie, where the camera focuses on the “outsiders” while they drive, chat, dance and run all over Paris (there are three particular scenes which remain highly influential – if you are familiar with the dance scene in “Pulp Fiction”, you will definitely see the connection, in terms of style), providing a vibrant portrayal of the city life, and paying tribute to youthfulness at the same time.
28. Sedm samurajů (1954)
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Cinematography by Asakazu Nakai
This heroic samurai gathering is one of the most respected and influential movies of all time, and one of the few really convincing slices of life from previous centuries (Kurosawa and Tarkovsky are probably the greatest ever in that department).
There is no particular secret behind the film’s success, other than the creator’s persistence to take the most out of every situation. This translated to a constructed set on location from the start, in order to get the best performances out of his cast, and the innovative (at the time) use of multiple cameras for the action sequences.
Režie Ken Loach
Cinematography by Chris Menges
“Kes” is arguably the best British drama of all time, the finest of all Ken Loach’s social realist films, and quite possibly the most beautiful film inspired by Italian Neorealism.
Chris Menges employs some long-distance shots to take advantage of South Yorkshire’s contrasting scenery. At one end, there is the beautiful green countryside (the place where a boy like Billy – the main star of the film – can enjoy some peace, away from the bullying at school and the quarrels at home), while at the other end, the quiet but depressing little towns, with a clear view of the nearby mines and industrial establishments (the most probable life destination for all the youngsters of the area). These images set the tone for what is about to come, while the use of non-professional actors speaking the Yorkshire dialect gives a documentary-like flavor to the film.
26. Apokalypsa nyní (1979)
Režie Francis Ford Coppola
Cinematography by Vittorio Storaro
On the surface, this epic adventure may look like over-the-top war poetry, but in reality it is a thorough study of human nature.
Coppola (together with John Milius who co-wrote the screenplay) used the Vietnam War as the vehicle for his story, and shot the film in the Philippines. For the biggest part of the movie, the camera moves slowly and serves as Captain Willard’s point of view. His river journey into the jungle in order to spot and terminate Colonel Kurtz’s unauthorized operations, visually echoes Lupe de Aguirre’s search for El Dorado (Herzog’s “Aguirre, Wrath Of God” was a major influence on Coppola), but there are also a few surreal modern war sequences happening along the way.
25. Shadows Of Forgotten Ancestors (1965)
Directed by Sergei Parajanov
Cinematography by Viktor Bestayev, & Yuri Ilyenko
A “Romeo & Juliet” type of story, “Shadows Of Forgotten Ancestors” is a film with strong naturalistic elements and symbolism (one of the main reasons behind Parajanov’s condemnation to artistic death inside the Soviet Union).
The frenetic camera movement blends with intense colors, costumes and the unique folk music of the Carpathian Mountains, and the result is a sublime celebration of the Hutsul culture. This is a film that could have been made without any dialogue; the camera does the speaking, as we are witnessing a pure cinematic explosion of genius.
24. Le Plaisir (1952)
Directed by Max Ophüls
Cinematography by Philippe Agostini, & Christian Matras
“Le Plaisir” is an anthology of three dramatic short stories; all associated with pleasure, and a typical Ophüls masterpiece.
In each story, there are a number of virtuosic dolly shots of the basic characters’ gatherings, which give a romantic tone to the whole project. As for the first story in particular, though it’s the smallest one duration-wise, it remains astonishing even by today’s standards. It begins with extraordinary “Dutch angle” shots, which pave the way for the splendid long take of the dance hall scene, and the rest is history.
23. Down By Law (1986)
“Down by Law” is a black and white cult comedy classic by one of the most original American indie filmmakers, who was fortunate enough to have Robby Müller behind the camera, and a still-unknown Roberto Benigni in front of it (next to Tom Waits and John Lurie) speaking English. The result was a rare mix of surrealist humor and downbeat beauty.
Müller used slow-moving camerawork and natural day and night lighting, which were perfect fits for the three loners of the movie, the empty streets of New Orleans, and Waits and Lurie’s hypnotic soundtrack (both the composers and stars of the film).
22. Days Of Heaven (1978)
Režie: Terrence Malick
Cinematography by Néstor Almendros, & Haskell Wexler
A period romantic drama set in the Texas Panhandle (the actual shooting location was the ghost town of Whiskey Gap, Alberta, Canada) and narrated from a little girl’s point of view, “Days Of Heaven” is one of the most notable examples of American arthouse filmmaking.
The images that appear onscreen are some of the most captivating ones in film, and Malick’s stubbornness to shoot daily during the “magic hour” (20-25 minutes after sunrise, or before sunset) was the main reason behind the artistic success of the movie.
21. Boogie Nights (1997)
Režie Paul Thomas Anderson
Cinematography by Robert Elswit
A gripping coming-of-age story of fame and decadence, this movie offered originality and a brilliant ensemble cast when it was released 18 years ago. Most of all, it marked the first big breakthrough for one of the most important cinema voices of our time.
P.T. Anderson used fast camera panning throughout the whole film, in order to capture the instant reactions happening between his actors while having a conversation, and provided a suitable late 70s/early 80s feel to the overall atmosphere. Although most notably, he has a tendency for the long take (which was reminiscent of some classic shots by Ophüls, Welles, Altman and Scorsese), as he created two magnificent ones in “Boogie Nights”; the first one being the glamourous introduction, while the second one coming as a sudden tension-building scene midway through the film.
What Does Breaking the Fourth Wall Mean?
Whether it’s a character like Deadpool cracking jokes, Ferris Bueller talking to us in the shower, or the late Ray Liotta as gangster Henry Hill explaining himself to us in a courtroom setting, breaking the fourth wall is a unique way to bring the audience into the story.
You can utilize this type of storytelling on the stage, in movies, on television, and even in books.
Here we present a simple breakdown of what it means to break the fourth wall, examples of them from movies and TV, and how storytellers can enhance their stories by doing so.
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Co je to čtvrtá zeď?
The «fourth wall» is that imaginary «wall» between the performers and audience of a movie, TV show, or play. While the audience can «see through» this wall and observe the actors’ performance, the actors cannot.
Breaking the Fourth Wall Meaning
A fourth wall break occurs when a performer acknowledges the presence of the audience, the camera, or any other observer. This is usually done by looking directly into the camera and/or addressing the audience directly.
It is a dramatic technique in theater, film, television, and literature where characters display an awareness that they are in such a work.
The narrative practice of breaking the fourth wall has been around for centuries. The original term was born from the theatre in the 1800s, where krabicové sady were constructed with three physical walls that could be manipulated for any production needs, with the fourth wall being the imaginary wall between the stage and the audience.
If you’ve ever watched Saturday Night Live or seen behind-the-scenes footage of sitcoms being shot in front of a studio audience, you’ve seen box sets that have three walls used to convey a structure the characters are houses within as the story comes to life. The fourth wall is that invisible implied barrier between the story and the audience.
In the origin of this technique in the theatre, when certain plays had characters addressing the audience directly, they were breaking the fourth wall.
Examples of Breaking the Fourth Wall
Breaking the fourth wall is one of the most unique narrative techniques in film, television, and theatre today, giving writers and directors a chance to directly connect with the audience in a more intimate way. The experience of the fourth wall being broken allows the audience to become something beyond just a mere observer. The story and characters become more personal to the audience because of the direct interaction through the imaginary fourth wall. And the technique can work in any genre and on any platform.
Comedic Fourth Wall Breaks
Deadpool brought the technique to the forefront of blockbuster filmmaking by means of comedic delivery. What could have been a straightforward superhero movie with comedic levity (i.e., Strážci Galaxie, Mravenčí muž, etc.) became something highly unique and original (for its time) for the genre.
Why do the characters in The Big Short talk directly to camera?
See here: Margot Robbie is speaking to camera explaining some arcane financial instrument. But the Big Short isn’t a documentary. And there are several other scenes where people talk directly to the audience. Why are the characters in the Big Short talking directly to the camera?
58.8k 62 62 zlaté odznaky 337 337 stříbrné odznaky 657 657 bronzové odznaky
zeptal se 13. března 2016 v 12:43
Jordan Case Jordan Case
211 2 2 stříbrných odznaků 5 5 bronzových odznaků
I feel like they just wanted an excuse to put a pretty girl in a bubble bath for no particular plot-specific reason. I suppose it’s the only way they could get people to pay attention to what would otherwise be pretty dry and esoteric subject matter.
13. března 2016 ve 14:48
Why shouldn’t they? Many narrative films use this device in various ways. the information is meant to be for the audience specifically. and, technically, the parts like this scene aren’t «part of the film». Who should she be speaking to instead?
13. března 2016 ve 15:25
One more reason: Now I want to watch this movie. I mean who doesn’t want to watch an attractive actress explain complicated financial instruments while taking a bubble bath? I like listening to Marketplace as it is, and that’s radio!
14. března 2016 ve 15:49
@ToddWilcox — Hey, I wasn’t knocking it. Seems like a pretty clever way to get your point across. It can be overdone of course (Game of Thrones anyone?) Just pointing out what would be considered «obvious click-bait» if it were a website. (Is there a term for that in movies?)
14. března 2016 ve 18:44
To be honest, I found the bath tub scene really frustrating. I had no clue who this lady was or why she would be in a tub and it made me remember how much I dislike the fact that Hollywood men almost always have to turn women into a piece of meat. It was my least favorite part of the film. I dreaded her return until the Bourdain segment, when it became clear that they would likely us each «explainer» only once.
15. března 2016 ve 14:51
2 odpovědi 2
Director Adam McKay harnessed plenty of star power when he adapted Michael Lewis non-fiction book «The Big Short» for the big screen [. ]. But one problem remained for The Big Short, opening Friday. To understand the story, audiences needed to wrap their heads around «Synthetic Collateralized Debt Obligations» and other deliberately obtuse Wall Street concepts. «Michael never thought his book could be turned into a movie because of all the esoteric descriptions of financial instruments,» says McKay, the former Saturday Night Live head writer best known for helming the moderátor komedie. «I figured I needed to explain this terminology in the most clever, apropos way I could.»
To get mainstream audiences up to speed on Wall Street lingo, McKay recruited a team of celebrity explainers to pop up in the film. Wolf Wall Street star Margot Robbie defines mortgage securities from the comfort of a bubble bath. Kuchyně důvěrná author/chef/TV host Anthony Bourdain illustrates how banks bundle toxic assets into CDO’s by chopping up chunks of stale fish served to unsuspecting customers as «fish stew.»
In some ways it is a critique on our times:
«So much of what led us to miss this collapse in the first place is that we live in this 24-hour pop culture news cycle filled with movie stars and affairs and the Kardashians,» McKay says. «Celebrities dominate our mental space so I thought it would be funny and useful to have someone like Selena Gomez giving specific descriptions of these financial instruments.»
The movie contains other sequences where the fourth wall is broken:
In addition to celebrity cameos, Ryan Gosling’s slick Wall Street investor Jared Vennett narrates plot developments directly to the audience. «Certain stodgy critics and filmmakers don’t like when characters talk directly to camera but I find it really exciting,» says McKay, citing Lidé na 24 hodin, Americká nádhera a Ferris Bueller den Off as inspirations for breaking the «fourth wall.»
«You wouldn’t want to do it in Panův labyrint or Children of Men,» he explains, «but for The Big Short, I thought that having your characters speak directly to camera would be a great way to engage the audience. Here’s a world they’ve been told they can’t enter, they’re not smart enough, they don’t know enough. I wanted to invite the audience into the story and make them feel comfortable.«
odpověděl 13. 2016. 13 v 04:XNUMX
48.8k 6 6 zlaté odznaky 151 151 stříbrné odznaky 195 195 bronzové odznaky
The technique of talking directly to the audience (which is what they are doing when talking directly to the camera) is called «breaking the 4th wall». The Big Short is not the only movie where this technique is used (a current example is Deadpool where the key character makes many hilarious comments directly to the audience enhancing the comic and ironic nature of the movie).
But why are they doing it in tento film?
While the Big Short is not a documentary, it is a dramatisation of things that actually happened. The characters mostly represent real people (there are some name and detail changes: see this question Did The Big Short movie change names or conflate characters?). But the characters in the real world broadly did what they are seen to do in the movie. There really was a financial crisis caused by fraud and incompetence in banking and a small group of people saw it coming and profited from it.
The problem for movie audiences is that the actual details of what went wrong and how some people foresaw the problems are rather technický. The financial instruments are the sort of things that are developed by what even the bankers call «rocket scientists» and one of the problems is that many of the banking experts did not understand the obscure consequences of these instruments even though they were selling or buying them. There is little hope that the general public can quickly pick up any understanding of them despite their centrality to the events described in the movie.
All this means that making a compelling movie could be undermined because the audience is bamboozled by the arcane detail. Or they would expect that detail and never bother to see the movie in the first place.
The movie found a brilliant way round that problem. First there are several scenes where characters break the 4th wall acting as narrators to guide the audience through what is happening. Then there are several comedic inserts where well-known people explain in slightly comic (but surprisingly accurate) ways the nature of the obscure contracts being discussed by the movie’s characters. These scenes go a long way to neutralise a potentially very negative audience reaction to otherwise very technical stuff.
In effect the scenes where the 4th wall is broken provide ironic comic interludes that inoculate the audience agains the technical fear of the actual subject matter. And many mere mortals get to see a great movie about what really happened in the financial crisis and may even understand some of the stupid things bankers did.
I suspect the movie would have been far more boring without that and that far fewer people would have seen it.
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