It is fascinating to realize that even while Hollywood continually comes up with incredible special effects in films such as Avatar （2009）, the basic structure and development closely ＂follows＂ the guidelines for ...It is fascinating to realize that even while Hollywood continually comes up with incredible special effects in films such as Avatar （2009）, the basic structure and development closely ＂follows＂ the guidelines for drama and storytelling laid out by Aristotle in his The Poetics, written several thousand years ago. We are specifically speaking of three act （beginning, middle, and ending） structure, focusing more on plot than character, and the need for a final resolution （catharsis）. But throughout literary and cinematic history, not everyone has followed these rules. Ironically, we take a close look at the award-winning Greek director Theo Angelopoulos＇ Ulysse＇s Gaze （1995） staring Harvey Keitel, as an example of a very non-Aristotelian approach to filmmaking and storytelling. Angelopoulos＇ film is character rather than plot centered on the Harvey Keitel figure and the journey of the narrative can be broken down to between 8-10 acts, depending how you describe them. We discuss many of the standard American ＂how to write screenplay book＂ authors such as Syd Field, while bringing a variety of authors such as Lajos Egri （The Art of Dramatic Writing） who criticize both Aristotle＇s Poetics and the way it has been interpreted for centuries especially in Hollywood. We conclude that there is a middle ground as well, for while Casablanca （1942） has a clear three act structure, it does not give us a happy romantic ＂Hollywood＂ ending/resolution as Rick insists that Lisa leave with her husband.展开更多
文摘It is fascinating to realize that even while Hollywood continually comes up with incredible special effects in films such as Avatar （2009）, the basic structure and development closely ＂follows＂ the guidelines for drama and storytelling laid out by Aristotle in his The Poetics, written several thousand years ago. We are specifically speaking of three act （beginning, middle, and ending） structure, focusing more on plot than character, and the need for a final resolution （catharsis）. But throughout literary and cinematic history, not everyone has followed these rules. Ironically, we take a close look at the award-winning Greek director Theo Angelopoulos＇ Ulysse＇s Gaze （1995） staring Harvey Keitel, as an example of a very non-Aristotelian approach to filmmaking and storytelling. Angelopoulos＇ film is character rather than plot centered on the Harvey Keitel figure and the journey of the narrative can be broken down to between 8-10 acts, depending how you describe them. We discuss many of the standard American ＂how to write screenplay book＂ authors such as Syd Field, while bringing a variety of authors such as Lajos Egri （The Art of Dramatic Writing） who criticize both Aristotle＇s Poetics and the way it has been interpreted for centuries especially in Hollywood. We conclude that there is a middle ground as well, for while Casablanca （1942） has a clear three act structure, it does not give us a happy romantic ＂Hollywood＂ ending/resolution as Rick insists that Lisa leave with her husband.
