Introduction
Films have been created to describe a story to the viewer and hence should have an appeal. They are directed in different forms which are dictated by the intention of their production. Movies can be for entertainment, education, economic and political purposes among many other reasons. In all movies, however, certain criteria have to be adhered to. These elements are subject to analysis leading to the rating of the films as hits or blockbusters. Awards have been granted in the film achievement ceremonies in different categories. The sorting is based on the overall value first then sub-categories are on selected elements such as plot, cinematography, effects, and actors. To catch the attention of the viewers and film analysts, the film has to be directed professionally. (Raj, 2007)
It takes a team of dedicated actors, technicians, and other procedural combinations to produce a film that will become a hit. To build a team of quality, the director needs to work with the best actors fitting into roles and technical staff. The film plot, the sounds, and the pretentious elements are vital to its success. The motion pictures industry has continued to be very competitive over the years.
Films are produced with more effects that are dramatic and give the audience a feeling of suspense and intrigue. These developments have been made possible by the advancement in technology called computer-generated images. The computer age has changed the effects in film production creating the possibility of characters to be perceived as performing dangerous stands e.g. jumping over a cliff. Motion pictures have greater sound and picture outcomes that form a theatric feeling thus resulting in huge gains. (Raj, 2007)
Body
An examination of the film Forrest Gump shows the effective use of professionalism to produce a blockbuster film. It is a humorous drama based on a novel written in 1986 by Winston Groom. The story is about a man and his heroic expedition through existence meeting past states personalities in presidents and a musician. He encounters events of the late 20th century yet he is not conscious of their implication due to his scholarly scarcity and being naive.
However, his naivety and little knowledge help him to be straightforward in his dealings with the people he meets. The film begins with Forrest sitting on a bus stop bench and starts to relate his story to his listeners who turn out to sit with him at the bus stop. A feather is seen floating in the breeze and landing on his feet, he picks it up and puts it into his Curious George storybook. This feather will later be seen at the end of the film and it is symbolic of what happens in his life. (Bagley, 2008)
Forrest’s listeners vary during the recounting of his life ordeal each with different sentiments. Some are skeptical others lack sympathy while others show empathy giving the show a unique moving experience. The story of Forrest is well understood by the film viewers as it builds up to a scheme that captures characters as they appear. The account is generally described looking back; however, in the last part, it goes sequentially. The tale is told from a tertiary view with Forrest telling it and his thinking is exposed. The predicaments faced by Forrest in his early life give the movie a basis and this happens between 1951 and 1984.
The tale begins in a hilarious and cheerful nature, except that it progresses on to present heartbreak as the film advances. However, his inability turns out to be his best asset as he goes through lots of challenges that required him to be naĂŻve. He is liked by the people he meets in his life due to his simple nature. He is affectionate and generous demanding to defend those he holds dear particularly Jenny. She is the central actor in the film jointly with Forrest. (Daria, 2007)
The plot is simple and easy to follow by an audience of any age group. It captures the audiences’ emotions taking them from sympathy to the adoring of a devotee. The movie revolves around Forrest who is the main actor and his lover Jenny. Forrest is pretty warm for his parent mother, who has an enormous persuasion on him as a child. This is evident by the way Forrest reminisces his mother’s articulations to him all over the film. He tells of his upbringing when he went to a physician to address his back problems. He was given braces for his feet that aided him in walking. Forrest Gump first was friends with Jenny Curran in their childhood days.
Forrest was occasionally harassed due to his condition and mental inability. He later discovered he could run very fast which assisted him many times in life later. His running abilities are later used to join the football team and later in the army to rescue colleagues out of the forest. One day he gets into a fight with a boy to protect Jenny at a party which turns out to be a mistake. This occurs frequently all through the film, and it’s not that he is unaware of the ensuing circumstances. (Bagley, 2008)
Forrest’s mother later died and he is visited by Jenny after a long absence. Forrest proposes to her but she declines and later that night they get intimate and Jenny leaves him again. This is followed by his three years, two months, fourteen days, and sixteen hours run transverse of America. People got inspired by this but Forrest declared he did it as he just considered running. As Forrest narrates the account to the elderly lady at the bus stop and declares he is there to meet Jenny.
The lady tells him Jenny does not live far off and taking the bus is not necessary. Jenny lived in the opposite direction to where the buses were going. On realizing this, he runs in the direction he was given to seek his lover. Arriving he finds Jenny in her apartment with his son who is not psychologically impeded like him. They marry at last but Jenny passes on due to an unknown viral attack. The movie ends with his son Forrest Jr. getting on the bus on the first day of school. The quill from the storybook falls out and rises through the light wind. (Daria, 2007)
The film has a premise showing a character that lives on possibilities and never takes things as opposing. It stresses the organizing of the impediments of one’s course in life. Acknowledgment of oneself is also an idea taught in the movie. The death of the characters also makes us aware that people will have to die at some point in life. The feather at the commencement and finish of the movie shows fate or just hovering about on a gentle wind as depicted by Forrest.
The photography was outstanding with distinction in perspectives and proximity which gave the movie a personal appeal. The lighting was also used to stress the scenes. When Jenny appeared there was brightness, in the war the lighting was darker. The editing was swift in some scenes such as in the war but slower when Forrest was talking with Jenny. This is to focus on the major parts of the movie. The song is used to illustrate the view and moment e.g. Free Bird was played when Jenny was about to bound from the veranda ridge. Jenny sought to turn into a bird when she was small and the music fitted her character. (Bagley, 2008)
The film also has camera extraordinary things such as scenes of heads of state and Forrest collectively holding hands. The showing of computer-generated imagery is above board especially on the scene at the bus stop. Coupled with a touching storyline, the film is captivating and can teach a lot. It is a poignant film about love and its various personifications, which at the sensitivity of the film Forrest’s affection for Jenny in no way adjusts. This is despite the ongoings around him in war and the change of locations. Even if Forrest may not appear to realize all that is in his proximity, the audience gets the logic that he is familiar with what is adequate.
This can be seen when Jenny tells him that he does not know what love is. Forrest follows a conventional standard of living while Jenny clinches to a life packed with substance abuse and defiant war assemblies. How Forrest and Jenny ultimately end in matrimony may be a kind of ironic settlement. The preparation of the characters and makeup created a feel of the 1970s when the novel story was derived. (Bagley, 2008)
In the production of the movie, the use of computer-generated illusions techniques for image outcome giving the film a presence and feel of reality put it on high standards. With the aid of methods like covering and others in the CGI procedures, Tom Hanks was included in the collection video recording. This earned the film’s best illustration effects honor. The character Deputy Dan’s limbs were amputated using the effect by covering the limbs with a blue material which made possible the work of the painting on every single outline. Gump is a good narrator with simplicity and modesty. For such a meek character, the story is mind-boggling.
He undergoes a lot of tribulations that can be used to teach society. It is a tale of love and a person who lives in a very enormous world that could be difficult to comprehend. The film has memorable lines that leave the audience with a question mark as to do this happens? In the scene where Lieutenant Daniel Taylor asks Forrest if he has found Jesus yet, Forrest answers that was he supposed to be looking for Jesus?
This brings out the humor and again shows naivety that is common to the present society. Tom Hanks plays the role of an accredited actor and had his specifications before taking up the character of Forrest Gump. He said that the proceedings that were on set need to be traditionally precise. This gave the film a truthful nature hence its attributed awards. The movie is full of magical moments of optimism, bravery, tolerance, feel affection, consideration, and empathy all of which give particular significance to our existence. (Bagley, 2008)
The film Forrest Gump was well-staged winning lots of awards for its creativity. The film has used a lot of the techniques used in making and directing movies and can be seen in its reviews. Although it was given many Oscars, the film has offered valuable lessons to society. In the current global hardship, optimistic people will prevail and only if the bravery in them is rekindled by such films. Tolerance with one another is also stressed in the character of Forrest. He has many friends and it is credited to how he accepts them. To be of benefit in the community, compassion and giving others hope are vital. Jenny shows lots of compassion for her lover Forrest and this moves the viewer as the world around her is full of war and drugs. (Bagley, 2008)
Conclusion
The film industry is very competitive with contemporary directors using the latest technology. This has been very instrumental in the production of past scenes as seen in the film Forrest Gump. The film was made after wide research on the script and storyline. The director uses the best available qualified persons and techniques to produce a blockbuster. This film has been received well and has scooped many awards and credentials.
The cast is also played in a 1970s setting that gives the film a realistic look. The use of music and lighting effects brings out the progress in the movie. The different scenes are defined by changes in the shades and background music. The harmony played depicts the instant stages such as when Jenny wanted to leap off the veranda. It also referred to her thought of herself as a bird. This mixture of tact makes the movie a must-watch in the cinema and at home.
However, there is a discrepancy from the original novel. The film mainly centers on the beginning eleven chapters and omitting the following chapters. It ends with the last part of the novel. This is however not a reason to think that the film is half-baked. The purpose of the film was served and the message to the audiences was appreciated. There are also some additives to spice up the film such as the braces on Forrest’s feet when he was young. All in all, it is a good film with enough life stories for contemporary society.
Daria. (2007). Narrative analysis of “Forrest Gump”. Web.
Bagley, E. (2008). “Forrest Gump” Teaches Many Lessons, and Tom Hanks Earns Best Actor Oscar. Web.
Raj, A. (2007).”Bollywood Cinema and Indian Diaspora” in Media Literacy: A Reader edited by Donaldo Macedo and Shirley Steinberg New York: Peter Lang.