Why Beauty is Killing Cinema

Summary

The video script from 'Cinema Cartography' explores the complex relationship between beauty and cinema, challenging the notion of superficial beautification in films. It advocates for a deeper cinematic language that conveys story, emotion, and technical excellence, transcending conventional aesthetics to achieve the sublime. Highlighting films that use visual storytelling to reflect the human condition, the script encourages filmmakers to embrace the full spectrum of life's experiences, from pain to love, to create truly impactful cinema.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The pursuit of beauty in cinema is endless, with filmmakers using various techniques to enhance the visual appeal of their work.
• 🎥 Hollywood often promotes a sanitized and inoffensive version of reality, which can lead to a dull and empty form of beautification that may detract from the film's message.
• 🔍 The script emphasizes the importance of cinematography that speaks to story, emotion, and technical excellence, rather than just surface-level beauty.
• 🌈 Films like 'Ulysses' Gays and 'The Tree of Life' use aesthetic iconography and cinematography to transform perceptions of beauty and enhance storytelling.
• 🖌️ Masters of cinema understand that appropriate cinematography isn't always about polished looks; it can also involve ugliness and harsh realities to convey the truth of characters' lives.
• 🎨 The script discusses how certain films, such as 'Gomo' and 'A Razor Head', use visual elements like color and absence of color to foreground the world of dreams and struggles of life.
• 🏔️ To elevate both beauty and the sublime, cinema should reimagine conventions beyond aesthetic indulgence and explore the limitless potential of art.
• 🌍 The video is sponsored by Mubi, a curated streaming service that showcases exceptional films from around the world, offering a diverse range of cinematic experiences.
• 🎭 The script highlights the use of artifice in films like 'The Red Shoes' and 'Fanny and Alexander' to create dreamscapes and highbrow visual abundance.
• 🎬 The power of cinematic language lies in its diversity, offering new perspectives and experiences that go beyond conventional beauty standards.
• 📽️ True cinematic beauty is found when all decorations and ornaments are stripped away, allowing for a more profound exploration of the sublime in film.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the 'Cinema Cartography' video?

The main theme of the 'Cinema Cartography' video is the exploration of beauty and the sublime in cinema, discussing how filmmakers use various techniques and aesthetics to convey their messages and evoke emotions.

How does the video view the role of beauty in cinema?

The video suggests that while beauty can be a powerful tool in cinema, it should not overshadow the story, emotion, and technical excellence. It argues against empty beautification that can make films dull and instead praises the use of beauty in service of a strong concept.

What examples does the video provide for films that use aesthetic iconography to transform the way we see beauty?

The video mentions 'Ulysses' Gays, 'Hero', and 'The Tree of Life' as examples of films that use aesthetic iconography to transform the way we perceive beauty and enhance storytelling.

What is the significance of the term 'sublime' in the context of the video?

In the context of the video, 'sublime' refers to a cinematic experience that transcends conventional beauty, evoking deep emotions and contemplation, and often reflecting the truth of the human condition.

How does the video describe the relationship between artifice and cinematic splendor?

The video posits that artifice, or the deliberate use of cinematic techniques and design, can create real cinematic splendor when it serves the story and the film's message, rather than merely adhering to Hollywood's artificial standards.

What is the video's stance on the use of extreme artifice in films like 'The Red Shoes' and 'Fanny and Alexander'?

The video appreciates the use of extreme artifice in films like 'The Red Shoes' and 'Fanny and Alexander', highlighting how highbrow visual abundance and stylized cinematic grammar can craft a unique and lyrical experience.

How does the video discuss the role of visual language in the works of German expressionists?

The video discusses the German expressionists' work as an example of marrying cinema with production design to create extreme expression through visual language, which serves to enhance the storytelling and emotional impact.

What is the video's opinion on the use of beauty in films like 'Neon Demon' and 'Playtime'?

The video suggests that in films like 'Neon Demon' and 'Playtime', the use of beauty, whether through over-the-top lighting schemes or visual comedy, should be in service of the plot and contribute to the film's critical outlook.

How does the video interpret the concept of decay in relation to beauty in films?

The video interprets decay as a form of beauty that can be meditative and transformative, as seen in 'Decasia', where the passage of time and decay create new meanings and abstractions from once-beautiful images.

What does the video suggest about the diversity of perspectives in cinematography?

The video suggests that there is an infinite amount of perspectives in cinematography, ready to be unveiled by filmmakers, and that true cinematic beauty is found when all decorations and ornaments are stripped away.

How does the video conclude about the relationship between beauty and cinema?

The video concludes that great films dare to reinvent beauty because they dare to reinvent cinema itself, understanding that while there is sensibility and sublime in the human condition, there isn't always beauty.