The Celebration Film - Movie Review Example

The Celebration Film It is quite difficult to come up with realism in both television and film. Realism receives consideration as a choice that is stylistic in nature. It receives notification that there is no point in time that realism will ever be real. It incorporates the use of artifice to reflect and bring out reality. It is a known fact that television and films are products of mediation. However, the producers of films and television can decide to employ steps, emulate realism in the most accurate way possible. These steps included use of content where real people and settings were undertaken. Another step was in the style and form used where shooting was on location, cameras were hand-held, lighting used was natural and performances were natural. The last step was in the identification of the tone and subject matter used. The tone was either negative or positive. Subject matter undertook segmentation into taboo, controversial, or relatable topics. The film the celebration incorporates controversial content such as abuse. It is also relatable in terms of conflict and family. Thomas Vinterberg in his film The Celebration employs the use of realism in the cinematic language used in his film. The film the celebration in its realism was the first production under the Dogme95 set of rules known as the vow of chastity. It thus had its filming done on location as opposed to a studio. The music and sound used was diegetic. The camera used during production was hand-held. It was a film produced in color. There was no use of filters or optical work in its production. The film did not contain any superficial work but featured a chronological realistic event. There was no geographical or temporal alienation. It was not a genre movie but its format was that of an Academy 35mm. the director received no credit. This paper analysis the editing used in this film by Thomas Vinterberg. It encompasses the continuity style of editing. This is where the illusion of continuous time and space is illustrated. The film the celebration challenged the film language conventionally. It did this in order to make films that were both authentic and truthful in nature. This translated in shedding of the much used to aesthetic ways of adding make up, light and sound. This brings about additional time to polish and improve the acting. This occurs due to no breaks to get costume changes, get make-up done, and have the lighting changed or hair redone among other things. The handheld camera is another advantage in the making of the film. This camera follows the actor as opposed to the actor following the camera. This gives the actor better space and freedom to act, impersonate, and bring out their character while acting. The actors put concentration in acting with each other rather than acting for the camera. The director is in a position where he has to be creative. This is due to the freedom and restrictions bestowed upon the director by the production situation, which is unusual. A voice-over or music does away with a scene that would otherwise have been horrible or nun functioning. The producer has to be creative when coming up with ideas to incorporate in the film like music. Thomas Vinterberg in his film the celebration set the plot to take place during a Danish family get together that was traditionally and therefore a lot of music was customarily present. The film also cuts many costs and is economical. The crew does away with many departments such as lighting crew, makeup and hair stylists among others. The film the celebration takes place in a small castle within a period of approximately 24 hours. It rotates around one central tale. It is thus correct to say that the story does follow the rules set by the Aristotelian classical drama. These rules regarded the unity of action, place, and time. The temporal framing of the film is undertaken the steps and flow of the film. Starting with when the guests arrived, the celebration preparations undertaken, the actual celebration and finally the epilogue or end of the celebration. The spatial connection in the film is in the setting of the small castle. Here the factor that is unifying in the film is the family secret revelation. This secret is that the father, whom is celebrating his 60th birthday on that occasion, has previously sexually abused his son and daughter when they were merely children. The dramaturgical analysis goes further to show the thesis that this particular film is quite conventional in nature. The visual connection goes a step in showing that the film occurs in several phases. The producer varies the number of phases due to the degree of detail that he wishes to portray in the film. However, the number of phases appears in a fixed order regardless to their number. The connection in this film takes place in the following phases the prelude, the presentation, the clarification, the conflict escalation point, the climax and finally the fade. The prelude is where the conflict and theme of the narration receives revelation. The celebration brings this out in the first five scenes. The first scene shows the son Christian coming down a hilly road. His phone rings and from the tone of the conversation the viewers gather that a shocking event will occur that evening. Christian believes he can take control of the situation. His brother Michael and sister Helene receive introduction in the three scenes afterwards. The next phase is the presentation stage. Here the when, what, who and where of the film are brought to light. In this film, the presentation comprises of family and friends. It starts from the point where guests arrive in the castle, introduction of the parents Helge and Else and the sequence of the three siblings in their rooms. Helene’s discovers her late sister’s suicide note with its content withheld at the time from the audience. Helene’s constantly repeats the words ‘they must not find it” thus stressing the importance of the note. This letter initiates the first turning point in the film. It is set to bring about a change in the nature that was previously harmonious in nature. It is a rolling stone for the presentation to jump into clarification. The clarification phase begins before entrée and dinner drinks. The eldest son is to toast to his father after the entrée. His speech signifies a point of no comeback where there is no option of a way out. He reveals an ugly truth that has been a secret for too long a time. The guests in a more literal manner cannot leave since the chef has stolen their keys thus no one can leave. This moves the audience into the conflict escalation phase. Here characters try to be slyer than the other is. Helene calls Christian insane. The mother tries to pass of the saga as nothing. The brother Michael reacts violently. The father tries to exert his authority and discipline Christian. Twice Michael who is following his father’s orders throws out Christian. With the help of two guests, Michael ties Christian to a tree. The second turning point occurs when Helene decide to read the contents of the suicide note she had earlier discovered. The father then admits his heinous crime. The climax phase features a very emotional Michael. He previously denied the incest claims. Presently he is very aggrieved that he gives his father a beating. Christian stops him from urinating on his father as the audience hears a plea from the father saying, “Kill me!” We then enter the final phase, the fade. It occurs in about the last five minutes of the film. At breakfast, Michael expels his father. The mother chooses to stay with his children rather than leave with the defeated husband. The causal connections in the film reveal a situation where the action-taking place at any given point is clear. The connection and relation between the characters appears vividly. For example, the use of set up/pay off format is used. This format occurs where the trait is introduced then used later. For example, Helene hides the suicide note in a tube containing painkillers. The pay off occurs when the letter is found by Pia who was sent to get painkillers by Helene. Work cited Loukides, Paul, and Linda K. Fuller. Beyond the Stars. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1991. Print. Read More