Classic and Modern Films
My Take
By: Clara Lim & Andre Tan
When people think of classic films, they remember Gone with the Wind, The Seven Year Itch and Grease. When they think of modern films, they think of The Matrix, Harry Potter and Fast and Furious. Granted classic and modern films have their individual charm, but they both have one thing in common, the capacity to attract the audiences of their time.
Silent Film
Moving pictures began around 1880. However, silent film had only begun to take off in the 1900s. Perhaps the most famous silent films of all time were the works of Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin’s ability to make people laugh without speaking was his gift, but nonetheless a necessity. Silent films were black and white, with orchestral music as its only sound effect and short paragraphs as well as lines to lead you along. A stark contrast from today’s modern audio technology. Nevertheless, people had to make do with the technological limitations and cinema was still popular. Silent films ended its rein by the early 1930s and transitioned to ‘talking pictures’. This subject was covered in a comical angle in ‘Singing In The Rain’.
Black and White
Another interesting transition in film was from black and white to colour. This happened around the mid-1960s. However, its quality is undoubtedly inferior to today’s modern high definition visuals. With our current ability to super-impose shots and fill the scene with vibrant colour, our technology can turn black and white films into coloured ones and improve visual appeal of older films.
Musicals
Musicals peaked in popularity in the years 1930-1950. Those of you familiar with musicals may recall fondly the talents of Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand just to name a few. Musicals demanded that its actors and actresses knew how to sing, dance and act. Although it’s popularity has significantly diminished, Bollywood films with extensive musical sequences are still very popular with its audiences.
Content
One big difference between classic and modern films are its liberty in including scenes depicting gore, violence and sex. In the past the lead male would swoop in to kiss the lead female with his face covering most of the kiss, nowadays that are many scenes depicting passionate love scenes. On the subject of gore and violence, classic films showed people falling to their deaths, cuts and being shot, along with tacky ‘bam’ ‘wham’ sound effects, very rarely giving the close up on the aftermath. In modern films hearing intense screams of pain, seeing bodies being sliced open and heads cut off with gruesome audio effects are a normal thing in Singapore’s Rated NC16.
Although extremely distasteful to most of the older generation, these are the scenes that attract the majority of youth, who are fascinated at watching torture and pain inflicted. The sounds make it even more realistic and teens flock to watch the latest horror and gore filled movies. For our love affair with the shock element cannot end as we watch hand-over-mouth, or in some cases, with a smirk on our face.
In some ways the messages in films have changed. Issues like pre-marital sex may have been depicted as shameful in the past, but in today’s context becomes a heart-felt story of a single mother. We now tackle issues of racism, abortion, homosexuality, diseases and so forth much more openly. However, there is a trade off, we have to be more politically correct to attract the masses. @
