Okay, so I mused a lot in Wednesday’s post, so I’ll allow someone else to muse, in this case Dutch YouTuber Tom van der Linden, the man behind the channel “Like Stories of Old.”
In the half-hour video below, he goes into what many of us cinemaniacs have often felt, but felt hard to articulate: they’re not making films like they used to… and we may be losing something because of it. What I really appreciate is that the video isn’t a screed. It’s an exploration that doesn’t rely on “that feeling” and actually gives name to some concepts like perceptual realism and indexicality and, most importantly, haptic visuality. It explores why not only do some fantasy films “feel real” while being clearly not, not all modern films, including some very CGI-heavy films, feel false.
For those of us who have made films… and aspire to make very engrossing films, it’s a thought-provoking level of nuance.
I’ve often thought about what “feels real” as I watch stories that are fantastical. Most recently, I have finally been able to convince my kids to watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy. And dear readers, let me remind you: watching classics with the fresh eyes of people who haven’t seen said classic before helps you experience the film anew. It’s been a pleasure and, of course, amid the visual effects, there is plenty of handmade costumes and props and absolutely huge miniatures that rather defy the description “miniature.” There’s unapologetic moments where the camera pushes in and times where it hangs back for us to soak in a vista or chaotic battlefield. The world feels fully lived in through dozens of scenes.
So, as you look for what movie or movies to watch this weekend, consider which ones are going to make you feel something… and I do mean haptically.