What Makes a Film Great

What makes a film great

Have you ever had some one tell you a movie is a classic and you have never seen it, let alone heard of it? Or if you did see it you didn't think it was worth your time. Well it still may be a classic. To be a classic movie a movie has to simply stand the test of time. It must be embraced by each new generation. I read a review where a "professional" critic wrote "...an instant classic" about a newly released movie. I highly disagree the critic does have a great say in if it is a decent movie or not. But they do not have the final say if a movie is a classic or not, a classic must stand the test of time.

"What makes a great movie?" is a question every filmmaker asks, but none can agree on the answer (which is why we have so many critics telling us what to think). I will not only ask, but also give you my very logical yet opinionated answer. I say opinionated because in film when deciding whether or not the movie is great, is an opinion. One person could love it, and another could hate it. The bottom line is everyone has a different rating system and point of view. When deciding what makes one film better than the next you must consider all angles of the film, not just acting and/or action (which is all most people consider). You must also consider directing, editing, camera shots and movements, story, dialogue and monologues, character development and interaction, as well as other technical aspects. A great movie in my opinion must include all of these aspects as well as a great story line. Some movies are classics because of repeat viewing. How many times have you seen The Wizard of Oz for example? You do not personally have to enjoy a movie for it to be a classic. I know several people who could spend an afternoon watching John Wayne movies. Westerns are not my favorite genre but to many people they are classic. One movie I completely disagree with as far as classic status goes to Citizen Kane. Yes, I know, it is always on the top of every best of film list. However, put it to my test. Do people, (today) other than film students such as ourselves, ever watch this movie? Does the general public ever make references to it? I've seen many great movies where the plot wasn't "great", but the philosophy and understanding was well used. For instance, there's Spaceball's, Scary Movie, Blazing Saddles, etc. because of