Can there be such a thing as a Smart Film?

[EvilNed]

Of course we're all familiar with films that we recognize as being more "valued" than others. For instance Citizen Kane. On the other end of the scope we have pure dumbed down action and entertainment films such as The Scorpion King or Zombie Flesh Eaters 2.

But is Citizen Kane really a smart film? What makes it smart? Is it more smart than Scorpion King, and if so, how?

Myself, I believe that you cannot say that one film is smarter than another in the same way that you cannot say one film is better than another. You can have an opinion about it, but that's about as far as it goes. You can't prove it one way or another.

What say you?

[capncnut]

For reasons I cannot even begin to describe, 2001 A Space Odyssey would fall into that double-barrelled category rather nicely.

[Eyebiter]

There are some films that required a great deal of reflection to fully understand. Final Approach (1991) is a good example.

[deadpunk]

I would say that the difference is: There are films designed to make you think and films designed to entertain you.

[MinionZombie]

Another definition of a smart film would be one that stands the test of time, one that changed the landscape of future filmmaking, one that showed you things you'd never seen before, achieving new techniques through ingenuity - and so forth.

Citizen Kane is one such film ... and Terminator 2.

It's also to do with the quality of the story, the acting, the direction, the vision of the cinematographer, it's place in history - again, Citizen Kane fills these boots with gusto (as does T2 :)).

I'd question if it's the best film ever made ever - but then again I'd question any film as being the best film ever made ever, because I don't think you can really guage such a thing - there's too many variables in finding the best films of all time.

[EvilNed]

I would say that the difference is: There are films designed to make you think and films designed to entertain you.

Thank you! That's the best damn summary I've yet to hear. It perfectly sums up what I feel is the difference between what people like to call "Smart films" and pure entertainment films.

MZ, interesting theory. But I don't believe good acting, good music, directing etc. etc. makes a film smart. Just really good!

[Danny]

i think it depends on how it started out, if its a remake or adaption of another medium it may not be a smart film, case in point spiderman, but then theres others like the lord of the rings which do seem more like a smart film but i still wouldnt call them such, though i never do about any that sounds too much like your trying to say you have a more refined movie pallet than other people or something and thats just wierd a film is either proffesional and the writer and director really cared about the project or its for the big bucks and nothing more, this usually comes out in films anyway like in hellboy on one side and that god aweful starship troopers 2 on another.
so i dont think you can call something a "smart film" really thats far too general over the whole spectrum a film like "festen" may be thought provocing and someone whos into film ,really into it will notice the cinematographyand another film like "jacobs ladder" may seem smart to for its plot and narrative but there different films with different audiences and since no two people are alike a film may be considered "a masterpiece" becuase of its popularity but it cant be samrt because films are designed to make us think about it if we didnt it wouldnt be entertaining its quality that matters, but not just on its own the whole mise-en-scene has to be taken into acount the music the actors, everything, especially the writing for it to be considered smart, but even a film that may seem smart at first hand like "super size me" may ,at second glance, really be more like a piece of propaganda and its just trying to get you to see what it wants.




either that or im a paranoid nutjob:D

[capncnut]

either that or im a paranoid nutjob:D

No comment. :D

[bassman]

I would say that the difference is: There are films designed to make you think and films designed to entertain you.

Exactly.....

[MikePizzoff]

One word: Pi

[EvilNed]

One word: Pi

Yes? Elaborate?

[MikePizzoff]

Yes? Elaborate?

It's a "smart film". I nearly fried my brain the first time I watched it.

[EvilNed]

It's a "smart film". I nearly fried my brain the first time I watched it.

Yes, but the topic is about how a film can be smart, and what makes it so. Alot of films make you think, but that doesn't mean they're actually smart.

Planning for instance, is part of intelligence. So my friend says that a film that is well planned is a smart one. But then Shaun of the Dead and Return of the Living Dead would be smart films?

[MikePizzoff]

Yes, but the topic is about how a film can be smart, and what makes it so. Alot of films make you think, but that doesn't mean they're actually smart.

Planning for instance, is part of intelligence. So my friend says that a film that is well planned is a smart one. But then Shaun of the Dead and Return of the Living Dead would be smart films?

I think Pi is a smart film. Watch it and you'll see how a film can be smart.

[capncnut]

One word: Pi

When I first saw Pi, I nearly had a panic attack. What a film!

By the way Mike, have you seen a movie called Primer? If not, then may I recommend it. Damn near blew me off my chair!

[bassman]

One word: Pi

YES! Darren Aronofsky....great director. I'm looking forward to seeing "The Fountain" for that reason.

[_liam_]

pi is good. seventh seal, requiem for a dream, eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, memento, eraserhead, lots of chin strokin movies worth checking out...

[capncnut]

pi is good. seventh seal, requiem for a dream, eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, memento, eraserhead, lots of chin strokin movies worth checking out...

Eraserhead, what a movie!

[Danny]

yeah, proper wierd i gurantee mz's seen it cus i saw a little of that in "VHS":D

[MinionZombie]

I saw it once when I was 15. Took me a few months to get through it, I'd only manage about 5 to 10 minutes at a time and I'd be so weirded out I had to turn the tape off a wait a while before attempting the next part, so it ended up taking me a few months to actually get through the whole film! :eek:

What in "VHS" reminded you of Eraserhead?

(speaking of VHS, I'll do a write up of the Bloodbath Film Festival - where VHS was shown - I was at yesterday and will post a short video of it being shown soon as well).

[EvilNed]

I think Pi is a smart film. Watch it and you'll see how a film can be smart.

But what makes it smart? And not just thoughtprovoking or "it has a message" or was well written. Because that's creativity or just preaching.

What makes a film SMART?

A film with a message is a film that's preaching something. A film that's thoughtprovoking doesn't have to be smart, because it's a message that the film might only agree with. A film that's well written is just creative.

None of those things make a film smart.

[Eyebiter]

Finally found the trailer for Final Approach (1991)

5I_le73jOZE

[slickwilly13]

Jason goes to Hell was supposed to be a smart film. *L* Damn, they dropped the ball on that one. Seriously, the creators said that in Fangoria, before its release.

[MoonSylver]

I would say that the difference is: There are films designed to make you think and films designed to entertain you.

Exactly. The only thing I would add to that is that there are some movies that have a certain degree of sophistication to their narrative that are require a modicum of intelligence on the viewers behalf (not to say you have to be a high falutin'-high brow mind you, but not an utter moron either.)

Someone mentioned Memento earlier. That was a pretty smart movie IMO. Intelligently written & you had to stay focused & stay sharp to keep up. A certain segment of the shallow half wit viewing public would just not "get it"

A movie like Road House, for example, is a fun film to me, an entertaining film, but smart? Eh...you can lay back & let it wash over you, it's easy to follow, doesn't take a lot of brainpower to figure out (though when someone pointed out to me how it follows the basic plot of a western w/ the new sheriff coming to clean up the town I thought that was moderately clever.)

So I guess maybe the degree of intelligence in the writing & the degree of intelligence required on behalf of the viewer might determine what is a smart movie? Just my thoughts.