Needless to say that cinema has become one of the most important and famous arts in the world. It happens due to several reasons. First of all for most people it is more interesting to watch a movie rather than read books as movies are able to provide visual improvement of some facts. Modern cinema can offer a lot of interesting and outstanding films. Watching the framing of the films can provide us with the main information about the film and define whether this movie worth watching or not. This paper deals with the framings of two outstanding movies Avatar by Cameron and The Outsiders by Francis Ford Coppola. Undoubtedly, these movies shocked the audience by their captivating plot and brilliant visual effects.
The first part of the paper is devoted to the movie Avatar by James Cameron. The film was shot in 2009 and by the beginning of 2010 it achievs so huge success and breakes all possible records for box-office takings all around the world. Creation of the film took about two decades. James Cameron who is famous for such films as Titanic and Terminator is eager to create the movie that will become the expression of his own vision of the science fiction book.
By 2005, he makes the announcement that Avatar would certainly be his next movie, a technically complicated mixture of live action and virtually descriptions that will “alter” the background of general motion pictures. True to the words of Cameron, this movie is about humans invading Pandora planet. This story is a mixture of every provisional fiction topic stanch to paper. This film can not leave the audience indifferent, as it touches upon serious problems and issues and director tries to demonstrate those issues from his point of view.
The planet of Pandora as presented from the imagination of Cameron and produced with the help of computers and super-modern technologies fit for the armed forces is ahead of charming to fix your eyes on. Flourishing woods with phosphorous plants house enormous trees strengthening a great number of meters into the air. Above this cover, serrated hovering mountains spot the sky. By the description of nature Cameron tries to show attitude of people of Pandora to their environment. Some scenes of the movie demonstrate that nature is like our mother and the source of life, which requires care and gentle attitude. So, to my mind this film is a perfect demonstration of ideal attitude to nature.
The director tries to show people’s direct connection with nature and points out that eco-friendly relationship between people and nature are of great importance. It is one of the main messages of the film. Moreover, Avatar is not just a breathtaking amusement, though it is that. It is a technological breakthrough. Unfortunately the frame does not provide with the complete information about the film, presenting just general and the brightest moments of the film. A lot of issues are left behind the frame. For example, except the problem of eco-friendly attitude of people to the nature, this film contains a flat-out, pacifist or anti-war idea. It is destined to instigate a cult.
It comprises such imagery details that it would recompense repeating viewings. The movie shows the antagonistic attitude of people to the inhabitants of the planet of Pandora. Pandora does not represent even a remote threat to the Earth, but still people who inhabit Earth send in ex-military armed forces to assail and surmount Pandora (Plambeck paragraph 3). The armed soldiers of Gung-ho attack the planet in order to conquer its lands and its priceless natural recourses.
To my mind it is some kind of implication used by the director in order to indirectly demonstrate the actions of contemporary politics. It is some kind of allegory that Cameron uses to show that people are weaker than weapons, but unity with nature can resist any attack and cope with any kind of difficulty. As for the question of stratification concerned, Cameron touches upon it as well. He demonstrates the negative attitude of people from Earth to those from Pandora, considering them as representatives of lower class that is very simple to conquer. Pandora’s population is different from Earth’s in the sense of appearance.
Probably this is one more reason why they are not treated as normal. The most interesting thing about this movie is the change of dominant roles. From the very beginning people from Earth were considered as dominants, having the most sophisticated weapons, the end of the film shows that weapons and modern technologies are not obviously the synonym for dominance, as unity and friendship are much stronger. This point of view can be supported by one of the final scenes of the movie, when people of Pandora are being already attacked, they demonstrated their unity and readiness to fight and defend their land in any situation.
Another film that is worth discussing is The Outsiders by Francis Ford Coppola. The content of this film is also very captivating and inspiring. As in the previous movie the director of the film touches upon different social problems faced by the main characters.
The Outsiders is one of the least favorite films Francis Ford Coppola. It is considered to some extent an urchin of both his individual and proficient storms. The movie was released in 1983 and gained quick popularity among the viewers and did rather well at the box office, but still its critics are mainly unconvinced, even somewhat disapproving. We know this movie is shot on the basis of the book written by S. E. Hinton during her sophomore period of high school (Dargis paragraph 2).
So, it is understandable why film describes the problems of the youth so precisely and expressively. After watching the frame of this film the viewer can understand some events of the film, but still it is impossible to realize all the depth of the film without watching it completely. There are different reasons why the reviewers do not like The Outsiders. Some of them stated that Coppola would undertake such apparently inconsequential material; another try to blame the director in using a great number of sins, both authentic and imagined. In fact The Outsiders is some sort of a prompt of Coppola what is like to be a teenager, when each tear is an absolute epic of hurt. Coppola shot this movie to demonstrate people the real life of teenagers, who were considered as the outsiders as they refused to obey to the generally accepted rules of the society.
This is some kind of conflict between youth and society that Coppola tries to concentrate on. This movie comprises both, conviction and justification of the main character, despite of his rude and sometimes violent actions. Probably, the main reason why Coppola comprises so many scenes of violence in the movie is to demonstrate surrounding can alter the inner world of the person and show this person’s desire to dominate over the rules and laws of the society.
Comparing with the movie Avatar by Cameron, it is necessary to tell about the problem of stratification of the society that is also seen in The Outsiders. Coppola demonstrates his character as a member of the lower class of the society, opposite to his fellows, the representatives of higher class. The movie develops the topic of class conflict and demonstrates the differences in the way of life of unequal members of society. Moreover, the appearance stratification is also seen during in this movie. The Socs, who are the representatives of the so-called upper class of the society get by with their spitefulness as they have normal appearance.
They live on the rich side of the town, have a lot of money and opportunity to dress well, they have tiny and tidy haircut, drive expensive and luxurious cars. So, as a consequence, they are never responsible and blamed for something awful. In contrast, the members of the lower part of society that is Greasers are regarded as hoods, as they are underprivileged and poor. Their houses are situated on the poor side of the town. Unfortunately they do not have the opportunity to buy expensive cloth and live the luxuries life. That is why they are convicted in everything wrong and negative. This is the problem of injustice and domination of rich people that Coppola tries to consider in his film as well.
Among other topics described in the movie, we can see the themes of love and affection, coming of age and brotherly love from the point of view of young people. Social identities of the main characters help to understand their way of life and realize true reasons of their mistakes and sins. Despite of the fact that the main character is somewhat negative in the movie, Coppola does not demonstrate him as a criminal or disgusting man. He tries to show that everyone of us was a teenager and it is very hard to remain yourself in the world of people who have completely another interests with you.
A minor theme touched upon in the movie is that dysfunctional families set an incredible suffering on the children and play very important role during the formation of their character. Family has always been regarded as a dominant power over the child that is why the relations inside the family are so important for the personal growth of a child. The main character of the movie and suffers from neglect, abandon and a lack of attention and love. As a result he becomes the member of a gang, belonging to the lowest part of the society, but this gang is actually his family, where he is respected, having the sense of belonging.
Watching the framing of the movies gives audience the possibility to catch the main issues and ideas of the films, but still the greatest part of essential information is hidden inside the movie.
Works Cited
Plambeck, Joseph News Corp. Gets a Lift From Ads and ‘Avatar’. New York Times. 2010. Web.
Dargis, Manohla The Outsiders (1983) Coppola Pays a Return Visit to His ‘Gone With the Wind’ for Teenagers. New York Times. Web.