We live in an era of computer generated images in film (CGI). Without a doubt, this technology has revolutionized the way films are made and changed the way audiences perceive stories on screen. But I can't help but feel that something is missing.
There has always been nostalgia surrounding older movies. When sound was introduced in The Jazz Singer in the late 1920s, it drew many to the theater to experience the new technology, but there were those who longed for the silent era. When color became widely used in the early 1930s, again, crowds flocked to see the spectacle of Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, but some lamented black and white. So as I write this, I have to take a step back to reflect a bit: Am I just being nostalgic for the films of my youth, or have movies indeed lost their charm?
I watched this great video on YouTube by Markus Rothkranz entitled Hollywood Tricks and Practical Effects. In his video, he gives us a deep dive behind the scenes on his film To The Ends of Time shot in 1994, in a time when visual effects were achieved with matte paintings, miniatures, puppets, and forced perspective. Markus made his movie for somewhere in the realm of 2 million dollars, an extremely low sum even at the time, and yet, he and an extremely small, but dedicated crew handled everything from costumes and sets, to art and lighting. Even the movie poster was painted by Markus. As I listened to him explain how they created sets using toilet paper rolls, Christmas decorations, and paintings created in just 20 minutes, I couldn't help but long for the charm of pre-CGI films.
There was a time in the not-so-recent past that all visual effects were done practically, meaning the effect was done in the real world, in front of the camera. This was, of course, before computers allowed digital effects to be created that are indistinguishable from reality. If you look at any of the films we now consider part of the great movie canon, the practical, or "in-camera," effects can be quirky to say the least--E.T.'s lips are a little robotic, the burning of Tara in Gone With the Wind is clearly one image overlaid on another, then another, and numerous times throughout the original Star Wars trilogy, you can spot the use of miniatures.
But do we care?
Even back then, with the untrained eye of the average movie-goer, those effects were not in themselves convincing. It took great storytelling to "sell" the shark in Jaws, the flying Delorean in Back to the Future, or the artificial gravity walk in 2001: A Space Odyssey. It was pretty obvious that puppets were used in Gremlins, but the movie didn't work despite the puppets. I put to you that it worked because of the puppets.
Charm doesn't just mean delightful; it also means to inspire admiration. Somewhere in our subconscious, we know the Death Star isn't life-sized, we know the shark isn't a trained animal, and we know that someone's hand is up Stripe's ass moving his mouth. But the minute imperfections in any practical effects, subtly remind us that there is a human-being creating something that is delighting us, and therefore we are inspired. Charm is achieved!
I don't want to discount the fact that there are insanely great artists working in the digital realm today. But unfortunately, their craft has become so seamless as to render themselves invisible. We don't know what is real or CGI, and therefore we are not subtly reminded of the artist. There is no one to admire. Instead, we sing the praises of the technology itself.
This modern era of perfection on screen also requires less of our minds. We don't have to work as hard to suspend disbelief, and so our sense of engagement is throttled back. We may be entertained, frightened, pleased, or tickled, but we are disenchanted.
Despite all the amazing computer generated imagery in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I think this series' use of practical effects bolsters its charm level. Watch it again. Or again and again, in my case. You can spot the little people used as doubles. The wide focal plane in the forced perspective shots is something not missed by our subconscious and tips us off that something isn't quite right. Do we care? Nope! The amazing storytelling of Peter Jackson sells those effects as to render them enchanting. Admirable. There are more modern examples of practical effects being used along with CGI, but I'm going out on a limb to say that they lack a certain amount of charm due to their ability to achieve perfection. The Shape of Water, Everything Everywhere All At Once, 1917, these are all amazing, awe-inspiring feasts for the eyes done by filmmakers at the top of their game. But they also lack a bit of indefinable charm.
Many cultures have engaged in the practice of putting intentional imperfections in their art. Read this fascinating article by Conversations for Change. Native Americans added a bead that didn't belong into a necklace, Persian and Amish rug-makers continue weaving despite a mistake being made. The imperfection can be a sign of humility before God or a recognition that only mistakes lead to perfection. Either way, I see it as an acknowledgment of our humanness. Our entire reason for sharing stories in any culture is to immerse ourselves in the imperfect human experience, but ironically, perfection in storytelling makes us appear less human.
I don't think it's just nostalgia that makes me long for the days of practical effects. Lots of things can increase our involvement in a movie: Going to a theater forces us to put aside distractions, the almost imperceptible background sounds of a scene subconsciously affect our sense of space. Likewise, the blemishes and glitches in practical effects remind us of the humanness of the story, inviting us to empathize with the characters.
Am I alone here? Do you believe CGI only adds to the movie-viewing experience, or do you too feel that something is missing--something almost imperceptible that eludes the tip of your finger?
As of this post, I haven't watched To The Ends of Time, but it's on my list for this weekend. I'm going to shut off the lights, turn off my phone, suspend my disbelief and wrap myself in the coziness of imperfect art. I can't wait to be charmed!
Some cool videos to watch on practical effects
In Camera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2emwlEVW-oM
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