Criticism of Art, Trouble in Paradise - Essay Example

Criticism of Art Definition of art Art refers to the use of a reflection of reality or the creation of imaginary pictures in the mind of a human being (Phoenix, par 1). Art helps people to understand the world and to learn and share thoughts. The diverse ways of expressing the understanding of the world gives rise to various kinds of art: cinema, poetry, music, theatre, painting, architecture and sculpture. Several characteristics make art unique. Art portrays reality by using concrete means perceivable by human senses in the form of mental, artistic images as opposed to the use of concepts (Phoenix, par 3). An artistic work creates an image in a person, uses essential features of the real world, and conveys them to the person through concrete events and social life. The more vivid and tangible the artistic characters portray their individual traits, the greater the influence they have on a person. Art relates to the physical activities of man. During these human activities, issues to do with aesthetic preferences and the appreciation of beauty arise. One of the major tasks of art is to identify the beauty of life, manifest it in artistic images, and convey it to people in order to meet their aesthetic needs (Phoenix, par 5). The political class uses art to win over support because art is partisan. For instance, contemporary bourgeois art meets the needs of reactionary imperialist forces. The film Trouble in Paradise is an example of art. The film uses different characters to portray the reality of the world on how people relate in the society. The film dramatically illustrates the exploitative nature and the need for achievement among the characters, clearly creating the picture of how aggressive some people can be in order to achieve their goals. Gaston, the main character, uses several artistic tricks in the film to get the support he needs, this is the partisan characteristic of the film. The film provides an artistic impression of beauty in Mme. Colet’s lifestyle and looks. A chemical reaction between sodium and water is not art. It does not stimulate mental images of the reality of the world and does not provide insight on social issues. The reaction does not provide lessons on life and presents no aesthetic value of life. 2. Descriptive criticism Trouble in Paradise dramatically presents its scenes using varying lighting effects and sounds. The film starts with a dark view of a dark porch in Venice. A doorbell impatiently rings from a darkened hotel room nearby; the use of darkness in these instances is a feature of films noir. The lighting effects and use of shadows is keen on highlighting issues that raise suspense or suspicion in order to stimulate artistic impressions in the minds of the audience. The use of shadows from the beginning of the film connects with other scenes of shadow use throughout the film. For instance, the shadow of a man fleeing from the balcony leads us to dark corridors and into a room where an injured person lies down. The shadow movement helps the viewer to connect the probability of the fleeing man to be the cause of the injury. The film’s storyline flows in a sequential manner. The scenes are interrelated in a unique way that leaves the viewer understanding and appreciating the storyline. The scenes from the hotel all the way to the end of the film have some similarities in the traits of characters and emphasis on the storyline, which simplifies the storyline and makes the film interesting. The use of camera techniques by the film makes it easier to understand the traits of the characters and stimulates creativity in the viewer’s mind. For example, when Lily receives a phone call while Gaston is around, she pretends to be answering a call from the royalty. The camera cuts to a view showing the caller in order to help the audience understand the character and pretense of Lily in a dramatic and humorous way. As police officers interview Filiba after a robbery, the camera pans back and forth, showing the victim and the police officers. The camera in this robbery scene helps the viewer to understand the disbelief that the police had on hearing Filiba’s narration. The film satisfactorily employs the use of music to explain the tone and mood in various scenes. The music in the film indicates romance, danger, suspense, and confusion. 3. Interpretive criticism The film brings out the reality of femme fatale and homme fatale in the society. The characters use their gender as a charm to manipulate characters of the other gender. In the first scene at Venice, we see a well-dressed, gentleman Gaston Monescu, addressed as "baron", making himself ready for a romantic and intimate dinner in his suite. Gaston’s guest, Lily, finally arrives, and in a romantic way, he removes her wrap, thereby revealing her backless, designer gown. Both of them seem keen to win over each other as shown by their seductive talk and actions. Lily exhibits the characteristics of a femme fatale while Gaston exhibits those of a homme fatale; their intentions seem ulterior towards each other. They reveal their true behavior and confess love to each other. With a great similarity in pick-pocketing theft and their mastery of verbal wit in a perfect give-and-take scene, Lily is evidently excited upon realization that Gaston is another fellow crook. Lily’s character of femme fatale manifests itself again when she notices an advert offering a reward to any person who could find Mme. Colet’s handbag. Lily is sure that Gaston took it, and she sees a potential loophole that could make her loose him. She uses her charm to beg him to return the purse for the reward so that the handbag does not act as a bridge for Gaston to develop an affair with Mme. Colet. Clearly, Lily has also fallen to Gaston’s charm and does not want to leave him. On the other hand, Lily’s charm works on Gaston and he finally agrees to return the handbag. At Mme. Colet’s house, Mme. Colet falls for Gaston’s charm as he returns the handbag. Mme. Colet looks for her checkbook in her safe and Gaston memorizes the lock combination code. Gaston is keen on making her more submissive to him to in order for him to get what he wants from her. As the two sit together on the seat, she encourages him to help her in financial management and submits sexually to him. He tricks her with his shrewd "business" concepts and manages to convince her to consider hiring him as her personal secretary. Trouble in Paradise explains the moral disorders in society. The absence of Mme. Colet’s father is for the moral disorder of his daughter. She is a gorgeous and wealthy woman who is full of arrogance and seems to be willing to seduce a man of her choice in order to use him, as she openly told Gaston. The scenes of theft, sex, deception, and robbery indicate the moral decadence in the society. 4. Evaluative criticism Trouble in Paradise provides an attractive storyline that captivates the audience. The film has a clear theme and provides useful lessons on socialization. The detail and scenes of the film are highly interrelated and coherent with the film’s structure. The film informs the audience about being cautious of manipulative people and avoiding the moral disorders of the world. The characters in the film clearly present the subject matter of moral corruption and manipulation. The emphasis on the communication of the subject matter enhances the artistic nature of the film. The participation and influence that the film evokes is long-lasting. The film is insightful to the audience and creates a deep sense of conviction to the audience. Trouble in Paradise elaborate on the subject matter and leaves the viewer with understanding of the subject matter and its underlying ideas. The film exhaustively covers its subject, providing an in-depth understanding of the rot in the society. The strong content of the film presents a rich insight into the subject matter of the movie. All the characters present a manipulative trait in one or several scenes, which puts more focus on this subject in the entire film. Gaston and Lily manipulate each other in most of the scenes. Gaston and Mme. Colet manipulate each other to satisfy their desires. The deep insight of the film on the subject matter engages the audience in such a manner that the audience wants to view the movie again since there is no monotony. The film is a masterpiece. Works Cited Fullmovie.rollcinema.com,. Trouble In Paradise | MOVIE ONLINE. N.p., 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.. Phoenix, The Red. The Main Features Of Art. The Red Phoenix. N.p., 2009. Web. 12 Oct. 2014. Read More