This film, which was awarded the Oscar in 2011, does not represent the most advanced technology in the film industry, but traces the development history of the film itself, allowing us to re-examine today's film art from the original silent film era. That era was a silent era. Perhaps only the word artist can match the great actors who dedicated themselves to the art of film at that time. They were not only stars, but at the same time, they really used their acting skills to let the audience understand the real art of film. So, we have to call the great actors of that period real artists.
The movie returns to its hometown once again, back to France, from Lumière to Merieux, the masters have made our world an art that can be felt, movies. This kind of space and time are intertwined, and the art of replacing reality is undoubtedly a great invention in that era. Today, director Michael recreates the classics, allowing us to relive the silent film era and find the original art in the interlacing of time and space. feel.
Who is the girl?
- The whole film revolves around this thread, which tells the story of the ordinary Miss Miller who slowly made her fortune because she met the movie star George. The Story of a Movie Rising Star. Such a story also shows us the transition from the silent era to the talkies. The protagonist in the film, George, a famous actor in the silent film era, was stubborn and serious about the film, which made him gradually dazzled by his arrogance, and he firmly believed that silent films would not fail. Then, the bleak box office never gave him another chance. This seems to be a joke to us, as a film that pays homage to the silent era can make the image of the great artist of the silent era so embarrassed. I think the director seems to be not just complaining to us about the impetuous transitional era, but more about human nature and emotions in his shots. Not only George and Miller, but also Mr. George are inseparable. The puppy, the kind-hearted driver Clifton, and the boss of the Keno Film Company who only asks for money.
human torture
George, the central figure of the whole film, he can represent the artist as well as the silent film era. In 1927, silent films were very popular in the market. The beginning of the film intuitively showed George's excellent performance in the film and his witty performance with his puppy on stage. In any case, he is the most popular in the film company. The star, the darling of the audience. But the good times don't last long, the market is changing, the times are changing, the appearance of sound films has made a large number of audiences choose movies that can talk, and this has made a new generation of stars, Miller. George would never have imagined that Miller, who played tricks in his own film, would one day surpass him, so arrogantly, he still insisted on serious silent films and used actions to realize his value in the film. But in the end, the silent film "Tears of Love" actually became his resting film, and he was overthrown by this sound era. After suffering multiple blows such as the departure of his wife, unemployment, and the sale of his family property, this great artist is still invincible and sluggish. Miller, who became famous by virtue of "Beauty Mole", became famous, and gradually became proud and made way for the newcomer, which became another knot between her and George. Yes, great artists are gone forever, leaving the world to sigh.
As George's well-trained and loyal puppy, he never leaves. Because it is a puppy, there is no complicated spiritual world, and its heart is always loyal to its owner. Whether it was George, who used to be charming on the screen, or George who is now hungry, cold, and drunk, he never left, and even at a critical moment, he saved George with his intelligence and humanity. I have to say that the puppy may be the embodiment of humanity deliberately set by the director. The film company boss can fire George for the sake of the market and interests, and his wife can leave George because he can't stand the embarrassment of life, but he can't. The camera closes it up many times, showing the human side because the owner is in danger.
In addition to the puppy, there is also the coachman Clifton, who has a deep relationship with George. He didn't leave him because of George's disappointment. On the contrary, he gave George a lot of help. Even if he didn't get a salary for a year, he was willing to work for George and take care of George's daily life. After being fired by George, he would still take the drunken George with him. Back home, and still helping George in spirit when he later served Miss Miller. It can be said that the setting of Clifton's character and the puppy's character have the same effect. The director is using some very ordinary people or things that are easy to be ignored to enrich the emotion of the whole movie, and praise the great humanity.
Miller. In layman's terms, it's still a Cinderella story, but she also has her own growth history. From a simple girl with a movie dream, she slowly walked into the studio because of her photo with star George, and became one of the many extras. She gradually emerged on the screen, and finally turned into a butterfly and turned into a Hollywood darling. The inner struggle of this character is particularly real in the capture of the camera. At first, it was out of admiration for George, but after tasting the sweetness of the sound film, he became proud and even said: the old man makes way for the new man. This undoubtedly gave George, who was in decline, another blow. Then, after she saw the dying George on the screen in George's last silent film "Tears of Love", she suddenly realized that she should go to this man who had helped him and loved him What did George do, so the brilliance of humanity was projected on Miller again. She was silently helping George, buying all the items that George auctioned, taking George back to her own home for recuperation, and even helping George to pay on the screen, etc. . The director seems to be paying tribute to the artists of the silent film era through Miller, the darling of the new era, representing the artists of the audio age.
Who is the real artist?
Who is the lonely star?
When we explore this question, let's review this black and white silent film. Ninety-nine percent of the passages in the whole film have no human voice, and the performance of the voice is set off by the background music. The use of background music is particularly important in the silent film era, and I really appreciate the use of background music in this film. Following the rhythm of the camera, the speed and atmosphere of the music are constantly changing, and the early montage techniques are very well expressed. The editing of the film is full of artistic sense, and the background music and the characters also create a metaphorical montage effect, so that the hearts of the characters can be expressed. Richer and fuller.
The director is always showing us artists and making different lonely stars. In the beginning, George, as a representative famous actor of the silent film era, his witty and exaggerated actions were deeply loved by the audience, showing George's style as a performance artist in front of and behind the camera. At this time, George is a well-deserved artist. However, the good times did not last long, and the emergence of new technologies produced sound films. As an artist, George was obviously skeptical and dismissive of sound films. In the end, his invincibility reduced him to Mr. Frustrated. After George sold all his belongings to the street , the director deliberately aimed the camera at a store: lonely star. Such a symbolic lens language directly declares that the era of George as an artist is gone, replaced by the new Hollywood favorite of the sound film era, Miss Miller. At this time, Miller, who represented the image of the artist, gradually appeared on the pages of major newspapers. Her portrait advertisements were hung all over the streets, and no one knew it. It was at this time that she inadvertently said that the old man should make way for the new man. It was carefully passed to Mr. George's ears behind, and he got a sentence: I have made way for the newcomers. At this time, she may have figured out something, and she may be worried that one day she will be replaced by a newcomer. Maybe it is out of conscience. After all, this former artist has helped her, and at this moment, her heart is also a lonely star .
The criteria for judging artists has gradually become a topic that the director wants to express, so he makes the two images of artist and lonely star transform each other, so that people continue to dig, who is the artist? Is it a great performance? Obviously not. Through the reverie of who this girl is, the director made Miller's image gradually fuller. After becoming famous, Miller had frivolous pride, but she woke up immediately and was determined to help George, the former artist, to return to the screen. Respect George silently and from the heart, and desperately try to pull the mighty, arrogant George back from his downfall, re-establish his confidence in the movie, and come back on stage to complete another transformation. And the director finally turned this silent film into a sound film at the end, which is to announce to the world that Miller has successfully brought the older generation of artists back on stage and realized the value of his life.
At the end of the film, the film transitions from serious silent to lively sound. It can be said that the director used this to show that the era of silent films was eventually replaced by sound films. However, the former silent film artists can still stand in front of the camera of sound films and become new artists. The transition here is natural and full of warmth, allowing old and new art to interact with each other. Blending, in fact, also has the same meaning. Movies are not castles in the air. Its development is inseparable from the efforts of the older generation of filmmakers. This film pays tribute to the early silent film era and to the older generation of film artists. Whether it is a former silent film artist or a current artist, they all have one thing in common, that is, they are full of humanity, warm people's hearts, and convey truth, goodness and beauty. The director told us through the silent film "The Artist" that the film will still move forward and appear in more forms. Please don't forget those eras, the artists who used to be, the artists of each era are great, let us pay tribute to them!
View more about The Artist reviews
