Home 2018 February 6 Are movies art?
Most people that walk into a movie theater want to be entertained. They go in to sit back and relax and sit at a screen to take their mind off things. As it should be. There is nothing wrong with watching the movie The Avengers and expecting the movie to give you social commentary. But what if a film can be more than that? The question I pose today is: Are movies art? Is there more to a movie than just people holding a camera and shooting videos of other people?
That last question can be answered very in depth, going over all the techniques and procedures involved in making a single movie. (But I'll answer that completely in my research paper.) The issue I want to focus on right now is, should movies be classified as art? Here I will be more brief and concise so you won't have to read pages upon pages of details on how movies work.
In an article by Kenan Profitt, the author goes over 5 basic reasons on how movies are art. He even goes on to say movies are the highest form of art.
In another "article" by James R. Temple, he describes the cultural effects movies have. "Movies are invaluable reflectors of twentieth century culture, not only from filmic commentary by intelligent and socially aware filmmakers, but often inadvertently; the escapist musical Top Hat (1935) tells us something about the grim realities of the Depression. Movies will often shape themselves to appeal to perceived cultural attitudes, and as a result they will not only reflect their culture but actively influence it. This penchant for distorting a reflected vision of reality can often lead movies to create myths, with the heroic leads of action melodramas and presentations of historical characters that succeed more by their emotional resonance than their accuracy." This is the same effect that literature and other art, like paintings, can have on society. But it's effect is on a larger scale since movies are more perverse in our society than other forms of art. It can be simple effect, such as t-shirts on little kids with their favorite superheroes. Or it can have much more grandiose effect in distorting peoples views. For example, the movie Jaws made an entire generation afraid of going into the ocean in fear of sharks.
So yes, movies are as much as art as anything else. It requires a lot of effort to make and produce. The cultural effects are just as far-reaching as any other type of art.
Are movies art? by Bobby is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Interesting article, Bobby! I really liked how you not only discussed the work that goes into making a movie but also the culture that goes along with movies. Based on your post I think you would enjoy reading this article, https://www.debate.org/opinions/are-movies-art. I look forward to reading your future posts!
I am really moved by your post, "Are movies art?" because I too enjoy the art of movies and take them very seriously. I like to watch movies and do much more than simply enjoy it, I want to be part of them and this really proved to others just how much effort it takes to make a single movie and call it art. Movies are most definitely the highest form of art and my favorite so thank you for writing this.
very good article sir, can't wait to see your next one!