The Wonder of Motion Pictures - Movie Review Example

The Wonder of Motion Pictures Just like wish to do with the written word, creators of motion pictures wish to take their audience into a land of never before thought of worlds of magic and amazement. Directors and screenplay writers come together in the quest to bring both the literal, as well as the visual wonder, of cinema to life. Putting pen to paper, the words flow into place, with the end result being the finished product that transitions onto the silver screen in most instances. In this case the creation to observe is the script for the 1980 Hollywood movie "Blade Runner". As any narrator would do, the beginning of "Blade Runner" sets off the visual mind frame through the author's usage of colors to make the imagination come alive as it is trying to visualize what it is that they are reading. The opening credits start off in the Locker-room of the Tyrell Corporation during the day with the words, "It's magnified and deeply revealed. Flecks of green and yellow in a field of milky blue. Icy filaments surround the undulating center," ("Blade Runner" p.1). Interpreting the author's choice of words, the 'field of milky blue' appears to be the sky itself. This description falls within the definition of Mimesis being that its uses descriptive tone to introduce a visual understanding of a scene. While it also fits within the parameters of Diegesis based on telling the reader in the beginning where they are, it uses more of Mimesis. The next paragraph deals more so with verbal choices that give a better sense of the physical environment which the story is taking place. While there is a continued mention of color, there is also an addition of 'hard' words to describe the items within the scene. Such as, "The eye is brown in a tiny screen. On the metallic surface below, the words VOIGHT-KAMPFF are finely etched. There's a touch-light panel across the top and on the side of the screen, dial that registers fluctuations of the iris," ("Blade Runner" p.1). In choosing metallic, and iris, the reader is able to zero in upon the objects which are meant to be right before them in their minds as they are reading the story. As the writers details the fluctuations of the iris, it creates a visual picture in the mind as it can be seen in the mind as an eye that is constantly moving. With that being said, the previous paragraph detailing the milky blue and the flecks of green and yellow, in keeping with the theme of the iris, may actually be tied in together with the description of a human eye. The 'field of milky blue' would be if one was to look into the eye of a person whose iris was blue. It is common for people to have small particles of a different color that lie within their eye, so the 'flecks of green and yellow' would be the slight color imperfections within the eye itself. As the script goes further, the author uses narration to give the story a clean movement from beginning to end. The reader is able to keep in line with how the story is intended to proceed. The frequency of descriptive words plays into the author's narration intent. For a piece of work to be best comprehended and ultimately enjoyed, the narrative has to be at which a clearer picture is given of what it is that is trying to be said in the first place. The following two paragraphs are important to mention, especially in deciphering the intent of their usage, and the meaning of how the author may intend to have the story play out. "The instrument is no bigger than a music box and sits on a table between two men. The man talking is big, looks like an over-stuffed kid. "LEON" it says on his breast pocket. He's dressed in a warehouseman's uniform and his pudgy hands are folded expectantly in his lap. Despite the obvious heat, he looks very cool." & "The man facing him is lean, hollow cheeked and dressed in gray. Detached and efficient, he looks like a cop or an accountant. His name is HOLDEN and he's all business, except for the sweat on his face," ('Blade Runner" p.1). The use of narrative is key in these two paragraphs of the script. In both the author uses descriptive language with the intent of maintaining the visual which was initiated at the beginning of the work. In both instances, the reader is able to infer about the surroundings which the characters are in at the moment. On the other hand, at the end of the second paragraph, the author introduces a literary technique which is meant to introduce something else to the landscape of their work. That is, they set out to give the audience a sense of intrigue. The senses to question as to whether they may, or in that case may not, are aware of everything about someone and how the situation(s) is going to proceed further. Intrigue is very common throughout the history of the media art form whether it is literary in a novel, or literary depicted through the means of the cinematic exposure. Descriptive narrative almost always leads up to character dialogue, with this script being no different in this manner. Viewers are able to decipher the plot of the story in reading the dialogue between the characters of the narrative. It is through the dialogue that character motivation, as well as status among other things, are revealed within the pages of the written word. The intent of the character can be expressed either through their individual dialogue which follows below or shortly afterward. An example of this literary practice is, Leon Okay if I talk Holden doesn't answer. He's centering Leon's eye on the machine. Leon I kinda get nervous when I take tests. Holden Don't move. Leon Sorry. He tries not to move but finally his lips can't help a sheepish smile. ("Blade Runner" p.1) To assess Holden's motivation, which is the central theme in understanding a character, it would be best described as wishing to finish that which he is working on with little, preferably no, interruption from the person with whom he is working on. Leon's on the one hand appears to be innocent in nature, but the sheepish grin he expresses at the end of his dialogue would show a possible sinister intent and what may come later for him, as well as those around him. Physical 'quirks', while ever so casual in nature, can say even more than a spoken word. Both characters continue to converse and it becomes apparent that Holden is performing some kind of test on Leon's character. The duration of the dialogue spoken gives the impression that the test which they are performing is quite complex in nature. At this point in the script, the narration tends to have given way to more spoken dialogue for the characters of the story, rather than narrative that gives the visual of the place or the person(s) involved. Instead it has given way to dialogue which strictly gives the character, instead of the author, to tell the reader what it is they are thinking and when they are thinking it. The subsequent dialogue, especially from Holden, takes on a sense of indifference to the needs of the test subject; rather Leon on the other hand speaks dialogue that gives way to the sense that he is a more naive creature than his character counterpart. As Leon seeks to ask if Holden, Holden seeks to maintain the task at hand with little if any concern for the questions for which he is being asked. If not directly showing a lack of concern, his attitude is shown indirectly. Clever word usage is able to exhibit such indirect thought, but without the obvious. Obvious statements lay out immediately the intent, while indirect is a more casual but forceful way to cause intrigue and suspense for the scene. Like other literary works, each scene is brought to conclusion with a subsequent section that, through descriptive language, sets forward to provide the visual for the scene which they are about to enter into. Throughout the story, the author maintains his use of Diegesis, which can be seen throughout the script, specifically the earlier exchange between Leon and Holden where the characters mood and dispositions are not verbally expressed, but expressed in a third party means to still enable the reader to get a sense of the character thought, feeling, and intent during that particular scene. The power of the written word is unmatched in its ability to transform and transport the reader to a place of wonder that they may never have gone to before, nor had ever dreamed of in their wildest of dreams. For the work to be considered done properly and understandably, the script is to be written in a manner to where the; narrative tells a cohesive and straightforward story, the use of Mimesis is used to give way to visual understanding, Diegesis so that the narrative may be continued and the duration of the work is best understood and enjoyed to value. Those who wish to have the cinematic experience, wish to have an experience which will be so engaging, that they will not soon forget it. References Fancher, Hampton. "Blade Runner." Screenplay written: 24 July 1980. Accessed On: 28 March 2008. URL: http://www.brmovie.com/Downloads/ Docs/BR_Script_1980.txt. Production Co.: Brighton Productions, Inc. 1420 No. Beachwood Dr, Hollywood, Ca. 90028. Read More