Film and Some of Its Different Elements

I was unable to find the particular article that this writing is in reference to but I did some of m own online research regarding the topic. I am under the impression that a lot of the people in this class are English majors, and have taken various film-related classes. I am a psychology major and have never seen Citizen Kane or The Godfather, which probably gives me a disadvantage in this blog discussion. I also am not very familiar with filmography in general (aside from the general overview in the book), so please excuse me if I misstep.

Previously, my understanding of these movies was very very basic (and honestly hasn't dramatically improved). My knowledge stood that they are regarded as two of the greatest films of all time (The Godfather being ranked right behind Citizen Kane). I was under the impression that a large part of the hype over these films is based on the unique cinematograph and overall film technique. In reading about Citizen Kane, the juxtaposition of scenes seems to play a large role in how the audience interprets the screen play. In reading about The Godfather, it seems like there is a heavy reliance on unique camera shots to unconsciously give the audience certain emotions (as in any film, but I think this movie is often used as an example in film classes).

Now on to the real topic which is how characters in film tend to pursue the American dream to a tragic end. This is the new and unfamiliar territory for me (character analyses). Apparently, these two films are THE classic examples of this pursuit. I suppose that makes them "conventional" in regards to character development. I can't think of any specific examples of other characters that do the same thing. however, I think this is the mission with most classical "conventional" (in character) movies. I keep specifying "in character" because these are obviously both verb unique and unconventional in other aspects. That is why the stand out so much.

I really appreciate film because of it roundness. As one of m classmates pointed out the other day, film is the "intersection where all art forms come together." This is why I have appreciation for more than acting and aesthetic considerations.