A Rationale

            So much has been written about film over the years, you’d think that the subject would be completely exhausted by now. There comes a point in film criticism (especially when looking at past films deemed “classic”) where you’d think all classical criticism would become a moot point.

            One could take this idea even further and argue that all artistic criticism is useless. It can be seen as a bastard art form, surviving only because of the parasitic relationship it holds with the material it concerns. It could be argued that, rather than adding to the art it discusses, artistic criticism detracts from it, somehow making the art worth less than it was at face value.

            While I can understand wanting to experience art completely devoid of outside influence (which would allow for a more personal interpretation), criticism after the fact can be immensely illuminative and rewarding. It becomes an art form itself, enhancing the source art to levels that it wouldn’t have reached before.

            Not only does criticism add to original text, but it is also helpful in providing historical context. Research after watching a film always provides me with new insights as to the political/economic climate surrounding a film, the place the film holds within the history of the medium, and information about the personal life of the author (be they writer, director, producer, cinematographer, or a culmination of these roles). Especially when looking at films from the past, criticism is key to context.

The point that I’ve ended up dancing around is that criticism only adds to art. The original impact of a film will still stand even after reading pages of analysis. The artist/text/audience triangular relationship is essential here. Any work of art can be read in different ways, taking personal experiences, supplemental texts, and historical context into account. Every work of art exists differently in millions of places. Criticism is the act of chronicling personal interpretations so these different interpretations can be considered, sparking new works of art. Because of thought, reflection, and criticism, one work of art is viewed through multiple, unique lenses. This is the joy of criticism.

This blog is an attempt to offer up my own critical interpretations of films. Nothing written here is fact. Nothing written here is the be-all and end-all of film meaning, I would never pretend that it was. My goal is merely to relate to any readers my own experiences and relationships with films, and hope to spark any sort of illuminating discussion. Above all, I’m hoping this blog will be a way for me to organize my movie watching, my observations, and my thoughts.

I hope everyone will have as much fun reading this as I’m sure to have writing it!

Sam Flancher