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What is a film？ Film can be understood from different perspectives：
A film， a movie or motion picture， is a series of still images which， when shown on a screen， creates the illusion of moving images．A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera， by photographing drawings or miniature （模型布景） models using traditional animation techniques， by means of computergenerated imagery and computer animation， or by a combination of some or all of these techniques and other visual effects．Contemporary definition of film is the art of simulating （模仿） experiences that communicate ideas， stories， perceptions， feelings， beauty or atmosphere by the means of recorded or programmed moving images along with other sensory stimulations．
Film， one of the most influential mass media， is called the seventh art．It merges all the other six forms of art： literature， painting， sculpture， music， architecture， drama， and adopts the technical achievements in natural science and applied science like acoustics （声学）， optics （光学）， electronics， mechanics， computer， etc．； hence it has grown in a short while into a comprehensively expressive and significantly popular art form．
Film is an audio-visual art．It creates images， narrates stories， expresses feelings，states philosophy and attracts the audience by its sounds， colors and moving pictures，especially the latter．Owing to this sensuous （感官的） nature， the audience is compelled （强迫） to accept certain roles or implied meanings， and is even controlled by the information the film conveys．
Seeing a film or appreciating a film ．
Most people go to the cinema， enjoy the movie， and consciously or unconsciously absorb something that the director intends to impress on the audience's mind．This group， we say，“see”the film．It is quite different to “appreciate” a film， to have insight into the infinite content of the finite form．An appreciator has to go through perceiving and comprehending processes， which then lead to emotionally and associatively thinking activity．Film appreciation is a sort of reprocessing of artistic works， a sort of recreation．It's a further involvement and exploration of aesthetic （审美的） activity．
The seers and the appreciators have different ways of accepting film．A seer is content with his or her perception （直觉）， while an appreciator is trying to explore the more profound artistic and social value by interpreting the information， the association， the symbols and metaphors （隐喻，暗喻）．
There are both emotional satisfactions but of different natures．The pleasure of seeing a film comes from the seer's emotional activities evoked （唤起） by the plot， and that of appreciating a film results from the appreciators．managing to discover the mystery of the film， and the subsequent sense of success， that is， a sort of self-value affirmation （断言，肯定）．
There are different levels of film knowledge．A seer is content with the pleasure realized when he or she enjoys the film， but an appreciator is not．When he or she takes a film as an artistic object， he or she means to go beyond the film itself， by commanding his rational （理性的） knowledge rather than perceptual （感性的） knowledge．
An appreciator must be a seer first．Normally before seeing a film， most people are totally ignorant about the plot， the characters， and the cast．But after going to the cinema， they are quite taken with the pleasure of seeing the film， obsessed with the director's inventions in telling the story．They have lost their own thinking by completely accepting the surface information the film conveys．But a few seers are not content with remaining at this stage， so they manage to consult reference materials of all perspectives to learn the film synopsis （剧情介绍） and background， to know the filmmaking staff （ playwright， director， cameraman， actor or actress） and their style， to grasp film knowledge like montage （剪辑画面，蒙太奇） etc．Thus， some seers have become appreciators．
Then， an appreciator will make selective use of the film， extracting the part， or element that needs further comprehension， and make an analysis．This is the process by which the appreciator can sort out all the information and relationships； beyond that，he or she can also rearrange and synthesize （综合处理） the information．All this calls for the appreciator absorbing new knowledge， theory， life experiences and being artistically accomplished， so that the film can be appreciated from more comprehensive and profound points of view．
Last， an appreciator will go over the film which is truly worthy of better study．This is quite different from seeing a film again because of its attractive plot．The appreciator adopts the plot， the characters， the pictures embodying （体现） the director's ideas， but is not controlled by all these．The film reviewing for the purpose of appreciation is actually a further involvement， a better assimilation （吸收，同化）， a more subtle understanding．It can really be a learning process．
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium．The concept is often used interchangeably with that of the film reviews．A film review implies a recommendation aimed at consumers， however not all film criticism takes the form of reviews．
Film was introduced in the late 19th century， but it wasn't until the 1920s that critics started analyzing film for its merit and value as more than just entertainment，giving viewers a place where they could better understand the stories．In the 1930s， the film industry developed concepts of stardom （明星界） and celebrity in relation to actors， which led to a rise in obsession with critics as well， to the point that they were often seen on“red carpet” and at major events with the actors．It was in the 1940s that new forms of criticism emerged， the essays analyzing films with a distinctive charm and style to persuade the reader of the critic's argument．It was the emergence of these styles that brought film criticism to the mainstream （主流）， gaining the attention of many popular magazines； this made film reviews and critiques an eventual staple among most print media．
In general， film criticism can be divided into two categories： journalistic criticism which appears regularly in newspapers， magazines and other popular mass media outlets； and academic criticism by film scholars who are informed by film theory and are published in academic journals．Academic film criticism rarely takes the form of a review； instead it is more likely to analyze the film and its place within the history of its genre， or the whole of film history．
For journalistic criticism， the film critics for working for newspapers， magazines，broadcast media， and online publications， mainly review new releases， although also review older films．An important task for these reviews is to inform readers on whether or not they would want to see the film．A film review will typically explain the premise （前提） of the film before discussing its merits．The verdict （结论） is often summarized with a star rating．The plot summary and description of a film that makes up the majority of any film review can have an important impact on whether people decide to see a film．Poor reviews can doom （判决） a film to obscurity （晦涩，冷门） and financial loss．A number of websites allow the Internet users to submit movie reviews and scores to allow a broad consensus review of a movie．Some websites specialize in narrow aspects of film reviewing．Blogging has also introduced opportunities for a new wave of amateur （业余的） film critics to have their opinions heard．These review blogs may focus on one genre， director or actor， or encompass （包含） a much wider variety of films．Friends， friends of friends， or complete strangers are able to visit these sites，and can often leave their own comments about the movie and ／ or the author's review．These websites give amateur and professional movie reviewers an equal platform （平台） to express their opinions and comment on each other's work and allow smaller bloggers the opportunity to showcase their work to a wider audience， and submit （提交） their ratings on movies which help to establish an overall score for that particular movie．
Some well-known journalistic critics have included： James Agee （ Time magazine， The Nation ）； Vincent Canby （ The New York Times ）； Roger Ebert （ Chicago Sun Times ）； Mark Kermode （BBC， The Observer ）； James Berardinelli and Philip French（ The Observer ）； Pauline Kael （ The New Yorker ）； Manny Farber （ The New Republic ）；Peter Bradshaw （ The Guardian ）； Michael Phillips （ Chicago Tribune ）； Andrew Sarris（ The Village Voice ）； Joel Siegel （ Good Morning America ）； Jonathan Rosenbaum （ Chicago Reader ）．
Academic film criticism is more often known as film theory or film studies， academic critique explores cinema beyond journalistic film reviews．These film critics try to examine why film works， how it works aesthetically or politically， what it means，and what effects it has on people．Rather than write for mass-market publications their articles are usually published in scholarly journals and texts which tend to be affiliated （附属的） with university presses； or sometimes in up-market magazines．
Most academic criticism of film often follows a similar format．They usually include summaries of the plot of the film to either refresh the plot to the reader， or reinforce （加强） an idea of repetition in the film's genre．After this， there tends to be discussions about the cultural context， major themes and repetitions， and details about the legacy （遗产） of the film．
Some notable academic film critics include André Bazin， Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut （ all writers for Cahiers du Cinemart ）； Kristin Thompson， David Bordwell， and Sergei Eisenstein．
Montage originates from a French architectural term， which has been borrowed by the film-making field and refers to the choosing， cutting and combining of separate photographic material so as to make a connected film．
Montage can be divided into narrative and expressive montage．Narrative montage is based on the development of the plot， by which the audience is attracted and enabled to follow the chronological （按时间顺序的） order， to learn the causes and effects easily．If subdivided， narrative montage consists of consecutive （连续的） montage，paralleled montage， crossing montage and reviewing montage．But they are not used separately．In film， they merge into and supplement （补充） one another to manage the subject more freely and thoroughly．Expressive montage is a more abstract， general， suggestive and symbolic method， calling for the audience's initiative， meditation （沉思） and analysis．It includes contrastive montage， metaphorical montage， psychological montage and rational montage．Unlike narrative montage， expressive montage combines all the shots directly， even without concrete images， and probably forces the audience to understand in their own way the internal implications carried out by the abstract codes．
Pictures are the record on the film by the camera and can be restored on the screen．They are codes coming from reality and are reproduced through material and techniques to present and interpret reality again．The elements that form the pictures are shots （镜头）， colors and lights．
Shots are the primary unit for recording， whose composition are scenes， focal length， pose， movement and editing．The different scenes （long shot， full scene， medium shot， semi close-up and close-up） have different functions and produce different visual effects．For example， the long shot provides a broad view so that the space dimensions （维度） and macro-situation can be sensed； the full scene， with an omniscient （博识的，无所不知的） view， forms a picture of the whole； The medium shot illustrates the centre of a view， on which the sight is concentrated； semi close-up gives prominence （突出，显著） to the subtleties （微妙） of some part； as for close-up， it is the magnification and exaggeration of some particular picture．The employment and alternating of the different scenes directly affect the film's rhythm and style．
The color of a film is not color film．It is an important means of film making．The film artists become more ingenious （机灵的） about the color treatment．Some will use filters （滤镜） in front of the camera， some will change the original color or contrast warm and cold， bright and dark to form a certain style， and others even design a theme color permeating （渗入） the whole film to form a unique tone and style．
The light， from the view of camera technique， is the first element； no light， no film．The treatment of light is also a method to produce atmosphere， to present the theme， to express feelings．For example， hard light is focusing and is apt to create a mysterious， anxious and thrilling atmosphere， while soft light is even and harmonious to show the easy， joyful and natural state．Good films always have their basic light style to help convey the theme．
Sound is comprised of human voice， acoustics and music （or sound track） which should coordinate with the pictures to maintain the unified （统一的） effect in the film．Sound track is not only imitation and duplication of that in the real world， but also the film artist's interpretation and recreation of the aural （听觉的） perception．It's true that， if everything that makes sound waves is recorded on the film indiscriminately （不加区别地）， the result is more noise than sound．But just as the right images should be selected for the camera， dramatically pertinent （恰当的，切题的） sounds should be selected for recording．The magic of recording makes it possible to treat sound imaginatively， poetically．This means getting away from naturalism whenever dramatic purposes call for it．Thus， you can use a sound which is false from the point of view of realism， but is psychologically true and most expressive．
Actors and actresses normally provide their own voices in films．Human voice is an important part in characterization．An excellent actor or actress knows how to use his or her voice properly to meet the needs of presenting the character， and this really demands innate （天生的） talent and acquired training．For decades people may well remember the face of the heroine or hero in the film， but her or his voice， nightingalelike， remains in people's memory forever．
Usually cartoon makers like to hire movie stars to provide the voice for their animated （动画的） characters．Therefore it is not just children that are intoxicated （使陶醉） by the cartoons， but the adult fans are wowed by the star-idols．
Film covers different topics and it's hard to say which genre （体裁） each film belongs to．The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to film：
Biography — portrays a real-life character in his or her real life story；
Crime — places its character within realm （领域） of criminal activity；
Fantasy — films set in imaginary worlds， often with a sword and sorcery （巫术） theme；
Film Noir （黑暗电影）— portrays its principal characters in a nihilistic （虚无主义的） and existentialist （存在主义的） realm or manner；
Historical — taking place in the past；
Science Fiction — placement of characters in an alternative reality， typically in the future or in space；
Sports — sporting events and locations pertaining （与……有关系的） to a given sport；
War — battlefields and locations pertaining （关于） to a time of war；
Westerns — colonial period to modern era of the western United States．
Action — generally involves a moral interplay （相互作用） between“good” and“bad” played out through violence or physical force；
Adventure — involving danger， risk， and ／ or chance， often with a high degree of fantasy；
Comedy — intended to provoke （引起） laughter；
Drama — mainly focuses on character development；
Erotic — sexuality or eroticism （性爱，色情） and sex acts， including love scenes；
Horror — intended to provoke fear in audience；
Mystery — the progression from the unknown to the known by discovering and solving a series of clues；
Romance — dwelling on the elements of romantic love；
Thrillers — intended to provoke excitement and ／ or nervous tension into audience．
Biographical — a biopic is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person， with varying degrees of basis in fact；
Documentary — a factual following of an event or person to gain an understanding of a particular point or issue；
Experimental — created to test audience reaction or to expand the boundaries of film production ／ story exposition （阐述） then generally at play；
Musical — a film interspersed with singing by all or some of the characters；
Silent — a film with no synchronized （同步） recorded sound， especially with no spoken dialogue．
Live Action — film using actors；
Animation — illusion （幻想） of motion by consecutive （连续的） display of static images which have been created by hand or on a computer；
Television — a film that is produced for and originally distributed by a television network．
Short — may strive to contain many of the elements of a “full-length” feature， in a shorter time-frame；
Serial — series of programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential （连续的） episode-by- episode （集） fashion；
Feature film — Film that is “full-length”．
Children's film — films for young children， as opposed to a family film， no special effort is made to make the film attractive for other audiences；
Family — intended to be attractive for people of all ages and suitable for viewing by a young audience．Examples of this are Disney films；
Teen film — intended and aimed towards teens although some teen films such as the High School Musical series may also be a family film．Not all of these films are suitable for all teens in which some are rated R；
Adult film — intended to be viewed only by an adult audience， whose content may include violence， disturbing themes， obscene （猥亵的，淫猥的） language， or explicit （明确的） sexual behavior．This includes various forms of exploitation films．Adult film may also be used as a synonym for pornographic （色情的） film．
Films are rated regarding the degree of violence， profanity （亵渎语言或行为） or sexual situation such as G （General Audiences．All ages admitted）， PG （Parental Guidance Suggested．Some material may not be suitable for children）， PG －13 （Parents Strongly Cautioned．Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13）， R（Restricted Under 17， requiring parent accompanying or adult guardian）， NC －17（No One 17 and Under Admitted） or X in contrast to unrated films．
The director is the soul of film art， responsible for the success or failure of making a film．The director's style is greatly influenced by the time， nation and school， but the most important thing is still his ／ her personal style．
A director has a distinctive film-making style that differs from other directors， similar to an author's own distinctive writing style．Through the analysis of film techniques，differences between filmmakers．styles become apparent．
There are many technical possibilities to use in a film．As a result， no single film can have every single technique．Historical circumstances limit the choices for the director．During the silent film era， filmmakers were not able to use synchronized （声、像同步化） dialogue until sound became possible in the late 1920s．Films before the 1950s had to be black and white； now directors have the choice of shooting in color tints （色彩，色调） or in black and white．
There are many techniques that a director has to choose which techniques to use and which ones not to use．One of the most noticeable ways to adjust film style is through mise - en - scène （场面调度；场景布置）， or what appears on the screen．Lighting， costumes， props （小道具）， camera movements， and backgrounds are all part of mise-en-scène．There are countless ways to create a film based on the same script simply through changing the mise-en-scène．Adjusting these techniques creates meaning and highlights similarities in the narrative．Many filmmakers will relate the overall film style to reflect the story．
For actors， there are two fundamentally different acting styles．The performance style that emphasizes the reality of the actor has been called the “ presentational style （表现风格）” because the actor presents himself to the audience as himself．Performances of this kind are relatively “autonomous”： that is， they stand out from the underlying logic of character and narrative．Conversely， the style that downplays （轻描淡写） the reality of the actor has been called the “ representational style （再现风格）”because the actor does not present himself but instead represents the character he is playing．Performances of this kind are“integrated”： That is， they tend to submerge （沉浸，下潜） the identity of the actor in that of the character．
Some performers （e．g．Marilyn Monroe） will lean more towards the presentational style while others will lean more towards a representational style （ e．g．Dustin Hoffman）．There is also probably a slight tendency for Hollywood to employ the former technique， and for European films to employ the latter．However， many actors will combine the two styles， even within a single film — sometimes drawing attention to themselves as actors so that the character becomes secondary， and sometimes immersing themselves so fully in their roles that the actor is forgotten and the character is all that matters．Hollywood often encourages the play between the two styles of acting because it is responding to different kinds of cinematic pleasure： the pleasure of immersing oneself in the fictional world of the film and the pleasure of seeing one's favorite actor“playing himself”．
Most films conform （符合） to the Classical Hollywood narrative film style， which has a set of guidelines that the films tend to follow．The story in this style is told chronologically in a cause and effect relationship．The main principle in this film style is continuity （连续性） editing， where editing， camera， and sound should be considered“ invisible” to the viewers．In other words， attention should not be brought to these elements．
While many films conform to these guidelines， there are other films that ignore the guidelines and bring attention to the film techniques．The films violate the standard rules of film in order to have an innovative style or bring attention to certain techniques．
The director decides what is and is not on the screen．They help guide what the audience looks at and notices．Although the audience may not consciously notice film style， it still affects the viewer's experience of the film．
When viewers go see a film， they have expectations about a film．Based on previous experience watching films， the audience expects that there are certain techniques that are commonly found in films．For example， after a long shot there will be a cut to a closer view．If a character is walking across the stage， the audience expects the camera to pan or follow the character's movement．Viewers expect to interact with and be a part of the film， rather than simply being shown a group of images．These expectations come from experiences with both the real and film worlds．The audience expects films to appear like real life， and be shot according to a certain style．Classical Hollywood narrative film styles and the conventions （惯例，常规） of other genres help to guide the audience in what to expect．
Film style is distinct from film genre， which categorizes films based on similar narrative structures．For instance， Western films are about the American West， love stories are about love， and so on．Film style categorizes films based on the techniques used in the making of the film， such as cinematography （电影摄影） or lighting．Two films may be from the same genre， but they will probably look different based on the film style．For example， Independence Day and Cloverfield are both sci-fi， action films about the possible end of the world．However， they are shot completely differently，with Cloverfield using a handheld camera for the entire movie．Films in the same genre do not necessarily have the same film style．Therefore， film genre and film style are distinct film terms．
Stated simply， the theme of a film is its main point， it is what the scriptwriter and director want to tell us．In more precise terms， theme is the controlling idea of the film．This idea takes the form of a generalized comment about life—a special understanding of human experience that has significance beyond the specific narrative and the individual lives of the characters who act within it．In addition to constituting a general comment about life， the theme is also the central and controlling idea： it unifies the film and makes it intellectually and emotionally coherent．Theme is not a peripheral （非重要的） or momentary observation cast off by one of the characters， nor is it a side effect of the narrative．It is that center of gravity （重力，引力） around which all the other elements of the film （genre， character， narrative， style） imperceptibly （觉察不到地） revolve．
Nevertheless， a film cannot be reduced to its theme．A film is a work of art， not a philosophical treatise （论文） or speculative essay．A work of art， when it conveys an idea， must convey that idea artistically．This means that we should not expect to find a film's theme spelt out （讲清楚） to us unambiguously （清楚地，不含混地） in the form of a statement or argument．Instead， theme will emerge gradually from， and be expressed through， the film's genre， characters， narrative， and style， theme only properly exists when it is fully integrated into the film as a whole．
It would be wrong to assume that there is only one theme in every film．It is quite possible that the scriptwriter／ director has intentionally allowed for the coexistence of more than one theme．It is also possible that different viewers will have different ideas as to what constitutes （组成） the theme．Since theme is never expressly stated in the film， it is the job of the critic or viewer to work it out （解决，确定） through interpretation．This act of interpretation inevitably （必然地） involves a selective focus on certain features of the film at the expense of others， and the process of selection depends on a subjective sense of what is important．The selectivity and subjectivity of the act of interpretation will mean that one viewer's idea of the theme will rarely be identical with another's．
Themes are， by nature， variable and diverse； there is no pleasure in watching a film whose themes are outdated and predictable．Nevertheless， since they are generalized comments about life， themes often revolve around certain constants in human nature and human experience．Also， because they reflect and respond to the interests and concerns of the audience， themes tend to revolve around contemporary social issues such as social ／ cultural change， the emergence of unforeseen （无法预料的） social problems， the impact of new technologies， and the future of the nation as a whole．
Here is an overview of some of the forms in which theme is expressed in Hollywood（and other English-language） films．
Themes commonly reflect the most basic and universal human concerns such as love ［whether romantic or affectionate （亲切的，有感情的）］， the nature of humanity， ethical （伦理的） concerns， the meaning of human existence， and the possibility（or impossibility） of a divine （神圣的） force guiding human affairs．
Examples： universal themes such as the nature of love （ The English Patient ） and the nature of beauty （ American Beauty ）．
Theme is a“generalized comment on life”， but it is rarely expressed as a statement of that kind．More commonly， films will present a protagonist whose life style is，at the same time， a life philosophy； and through the relative success or failure of that character， we assess the validity （合理性） of that philosophy．Conversely， we may observe the validity of the opposing life philosophy by watching the fortunes of the antagonist （对手）．
Examples： Forrest Gump （in Forrest Gump ） and Kurtz （in Apocalypse Now 《现代启示录》） both embody relatively coherent life philosophies．
The West is a fundamentally Christian culture， and although the influence of formal religion and the established Churches has declined over recent decades， the power of the Christian faith to determine the shape of one's spirituality and ethical （伦理的，道德的） values remains strong．Some films focus on the spiritual aspects of religion［such as the desire to transcend （超越） the everyday world or to know God］ while others focus on the ethical values that derive from religion ［such as the notions of sin （原罪） and of evil］．
Examples： The Matrix reflects a Christian ideal of transcendence； Se 7 en 《七宗罪》is concerned with the notion of sin； And The Shining presents an idea of supernatural evil．
Themes commonly emerge as responses to specific historical periods or events， especially if they are foundational and ／ or controversial and ／ or have a continuing relevance today．In the West， the history of the Roman Empire has been a regular topic because it brought the West into being as a coherent political and geographical entity （实体，存在）（e．g． The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire 《罗马帝国的兴衰》， Cleopatra 《埃及艳后》， Gladiator 《角斗士》）．With regard to modern history， the Vietnam War， probably the most controversial （有争议的） American war of the twentieth century， is such a common thematic concern that it has also become the basis of a subgenre （亚流派）．
Examples： the Vietnam War is the explicit subject matter of Apocalypse Now and the history of late twentieth-century America constitutes an important stage on which the theme （s） of Forrest Gump are played out．
Films are produced by men and women from certain nations for consumption by target audiences who also belong to certain national groups．For this reason， they often respond on a thematic level to national concerns．They may do so by presenting characters who embody certain aspect of their “national character”， or by exploring the consequences of national values and attitudes．
Examples： Forrest Gump （in Forrest Gump ） and Michael （ in The Godfather ） represent different aspects of the American national character； James Bond embodies aspects of the English ideal； and The Godfather 《教父》and The Shining both show the possible consequences of the American Dream．
Cinema is a living art form， and as such it tends to respond rapidly to social， cultural， and technological changes．Films concerned with “change” （of whatever kind） provide the audience with a space in which to visualize （视觉化） and adapt to its consequences．
Examples： the idea of “ hyper - reality （超真实）” underlies The Matrix ， the effects of the media on human emotions is a thematic concern in American Beauty 《美国丽人》； And the modern phenomenon of serial killing is the subject matter of Se 7 en ．
Films sometimes provide a forum in which certain pressing （严峻的） social problems can be presented．In part it is a“consciousness-raising” activity that brings social problems to light．In part， it is a way for the audience to deal imaginatively with the problems — to consider possible causes， to imagine possible consequences， and to hypothesize （假设） possible solutions．
Examples： the dysfunctional （机能失常，作用失常） family is a thematic concern of American Beauty ， and criminality （犯罪行为） is an issue in The Godfather ．
Narrative refers to the way that a story is told．It is principally concerned with the way that events are organized in time and space — the way in which the scriptwriter and director take the raw elements of a story and arrange them in the most attractive and interesting way．Hollywood has developed its own set of informal principles to guide the creation of film narratives．
Commonly used film narrative techniques ：
1．Conventional linear narrative （常规线性叙事）： Narrating according to normal time pattern， such film as Jurassic Park 《侏罗纪公园》．
2．Multi-linear narrative （多线性叙事）： The film consists of many small stories，one of which is linked to the other at one time， such film as Crash 《撞车》．
3．Recalling narrative （回忆叙事）： The cross-narration of reality and memory according to the memory of the hero or the non-hero， such films as Titanic 《泰坦尼克号》， Big Fish 《大鱼》， Citizen Kane 《公民凯恩》．
4．Circular structure narrative （环形结构叙事）： The beginning of the film and the end of the film reflect each other， such films as The Rainstorm Is Coming ， Pulp Fiction 《低俗小说》．
5．Flashback linear narrative （倒叙线性叙事）： Narrating according to the antinormal time narrative．The films narrating like this are few and far between．For example， 5 × 2 《爱情赏味期》（also Cinq fois deux ； English： Five Times Two ） is a 2004 French film directed by Francois Ozon， which uncovers the back story to the gradual disintegration （分裂） of a middle class marriage by depicting five key moments in the relationship， but in reverse order．The whole film begins with the divorce of a young married couple； The family life conflict is the second section； Marriage is the climax； Acquaintance （相识） is the end．
6．Random linear narrative （乱线性叙事）： The whole film is illogical．It can be said that all the fragments （片段）， plots and characters are all jumbled up （混杂乱成一团）， leaving no one to know the past and the future．Audiences can only understand the film relying on their own memory， such films as The Wall ， the French film Notre Musique （English： Our Music ）．
7．Repetitive linear narrative （重复线性叙事）： The whole film will have a recurring point in time， and each story will begin again at this point in time， such films as the German film Run Lola Run ， the Japanese film Rashomon 《罗生门》， the Chinese film Hero ．
Story in itself is of little cinematic value until it is worked up into a coherent plot．Decisions have to be made about how the raw material of the story is presented．Which parts should be presented directly， and which left to the audience to assume？ Which characters should be the focus of attention and identification？ How should causality （因果关系） be presented？ From which point of view should the story be told？ At what point， and on what note， should the plot be wound up （结束）？
Hollywood has developed over the years a set of widely accepted narrative principles and conventions that together form what have been called， variously， the “Classic Hollywood Narrative System” （CHNS）， the “Classical Hollywood Cinema”， and the“Classical Design”．
The basic principles of the CHNS are as follows．
At the center of the narrative is the figure of the protagonist （主角），who is the major causal agent in the film ［i．e．the pattern of causes and effects that we observe in the film is instigated （鼓动，促成） primarily by the actions of the protagonist］．The protagonist is motivated by the desire to pursue a goal， and is opposed in that pursuit by an antagonist （对手，反派）（or forces of antagonism）； the resulting conflict is what sustains the interest of the audience and drives the narrative forward．Throughout this process， the audience is encouraged to identify with the protagonist and share his point of view．
Events in the film are strictly related according to the logic of cause and effect．Events in the film occur because they have a cause， and these events in turn become the cause of other events．Even if the film presents a fantasy world （e．g．by means of animation or other special effects）， the laws of this world will be internally consistent． Coincidences （巧合） and other“uncaused” events are rare．
Although some“points of view” may dominate the narrative， the overall effect is of narrative objectivity．This means that although the story may be presented primarily from the perspective of one or two characters， the audience will also be given a broader perspective from which they can form a more objective view of the events depicted in the film．
There is nothing in the film that has no reason for being there， Anything that appears in the film will be there for one of several reasons — either because it is part of the causal sequence of the plot ［ compositional motivation （结构动机）］ because it makes the film look more realistic ［ realistic motivation （真实动机）］ because such things occur in that kind of film ［ inter - textual motivation （互文性动机）］ or because it has some kind of aesthetic value ［ artistic motivation （美学动机）］．
Elision （省略） is precisely the process by which the “boring bits” （irrelevant information and uninteresting material） are cut out．This is acceptable because the spectator （观众） will assume that a character's intentions will be fulfilled unless an obstacle is placed in his path： intentions are interesting only to the extent that they might be frustrated．For this reason， we rarely see film characters going to the toilet （unless， as in Pulp Fiction ）， there is the danger of getting shot in the process．In this way our minds are focused on significant action within the film．
The main plot and subplots are all fully resolved and closed by the end of the film．This means that the chain of causes and effects initiated by the protagonist at the start of the film culminate （达到顶点） in a final spectacular climax．The fate of each character is known， and all major enigmas （迷） and uncertainties have been cleared up．The audience is left feeling that the action has reached its natural and logical conclusion and there are no remaining“ grey areas ” （灰色地带） in the narrative that still remain inexplicable （无法说明的，费解的）．
Although the CHNS is prevalent in Hollywood， it is by no means true that Hollywood films will always observe these principles； nor is it always the case that other cinemas （European， Indian， Asian） unanimously （一致地） reject them．There may， in fact， be something universally appealing about this kind of narrative； it may be the case that CHNS is effective because it organizes the narrative as the human mind organizes its own fantasies and hopes．
Characters in films can be divided into three basic “functions” （ or categories）：main characters， secondary characters， and minor characters．Each of these functions has a certain role to play．
The main character is the most important character in a film， and the character of greatest interest．Usually the main character is also the “ protagonist”， the character whose actions trigger the chain of causes and effects that drive the plot forward．
The motivation and goal of the protagonist is what provides the impetus for the story， and when that goal is concluded the story ends．The protagonist is thus the character that the audience will focus on through the course of the narrative．The audience will， accordingly， be encouraged to see the action from the perspective of the protagonist， and the chief “point of view” will be that of this character．The audience will be most likely to identify emotionally with this character： to share his dreams， to sympathize （同情） with his problems， to pity his predicament （困境）， to share his elation （得意） when the action is successfully concluded or to feel his pain when his goal is frustrated．The protagonist will be involved throughout the whole course of the narrative， and thus will be on screen most of the time．
Secondary characters are those who interact with the protagonist and have significant impact on the development of the narrative．They can often be divided into three main functions： the opposition character， the mirror character， and the romance character．
The opposition character （also known as the “antagonist”） is the character who opposes the intentions of the protagonist； antagonists stand in the way of protagonists and create obstacles for them．Antagonists are usually individual figures， but they often also represent and embody the whole system against which the protagonist is fighting．Occasionally， there may be no single human antagonist but only “forces of antagonism”．The final climax of the film is normally a direct confrontation （对峙） between the protagonist and the antagonist／ forces of antagonism．
The mirror character （also known as the “support”） is the character most clearly aligned with （与……结盟）， and supportive of， the protagonist．Mirror characters offer support to the protagonist through the difficulties he encounters， often because they share with him certain beliefs and attitudes．They have the important dramatic function of engaging in regular dialogue with the protagonist， helping him to formulate （规划，设计） his goals and at the same time helping the audience to better understand the protagonists character and situation．
The romance character （or“love interest”） is the character with whom the protagonist is or becomes romantically involved．The romance character may be the prize to be gained when the main plot is resolved （ as is usually the case in the romance genre）； or the relationship between the protagonist and the romance character may function as the main subject of the subplot （次要情节）［as is usually the case in other genres such as science fiction or the gangster film （警匪片）］．Either way， the romance character will alternately （交替地） support the protagonist and oppose him，help him out and at the same time create difficulties for him．In this sense， the romance character can be viewed as a character combining the functions of both support character and antagonist．
Spectators come to engage and identify with characters in a three-stage process of recognition， alignment （结盟，合作）， and allegiance （忠诚）．Recognition is the translation of the fictional construct into a fully believable character， and occurs when we recognize the character as a type we might encounter either in life or in fiction．Alignment with a character occurs when the events of the story are presented from the point of view of the character．The final stage， allegiance， occurs when the spectator makes a judgment about whether or not the character is attractive and appealing．
Film characters are not merely static （静止的）“ types”，“ archetypes ” （原型）， or“functions”， but figures that are transformed as they progress through the narrative．
Character development does not occur instantaneously （立即发生地） at one definite point in the film．Instead， it occurs gradually over the entire“arc” of the narrative， and for that reason it has been called the “ transformational arc” （ and also the“growth line”）．It occurs because the character has a definite motivation （动机） and definite goal， but meets with definite conflict （冲突） and obstacles in the realization of that goal．When a character meets with conflict in the pursuit of a goal， the character is forced to critically reconsider his motivation — and the result is character growth．It follows that the key elements of the transformational growth arc are thus motivation and conflict．
Films profit from the innate human interest in why a person should act as they do．What makes a film （like other forms of drama） different from life is that， as a dramatic form， cinema is not able to describe or explain motivation， but must instead reveal it through “character-inaction”．Motivation is revealed in cinema by presenting a character taking action in pursuit of a goal．
There are two kinds of motivation that can drive a character to formulate a goal and take action to achieve it．There is， first of all， outer motivation．Put simply， this is what the character wants to achieve — the goal．Then there is inner motivation， which is the deep motivation that explains why the character wants to pursue the goal in the first place．Outer motivation is usually clearly visible and explicit； inner motivation， on the other hand， is usually invisible （看不到的） and implicit．
Conflict is that which causes problems for the character in the pursuit of his goal．Conflict， it is often said， is what makes drama： It is through conflict that the action can advance， and it is through conflict that character is revealed．
Conflict too， can take two main forms．Outer conflict is conflict with external （外部的） forces： These can be either other characters with different goals and intentions，or non-personal forces such as society， a bureaucratic （官僚政治的） system， a value system， or even nature itself．Inner conflict is conflict against part of oneself： This could include a battle to overcome low self-confidence or low self-esteem； a struggle against psychological illness， or a struggle against bad habits or unhelpful attitudes and beliefs．
In essence， then， the engine driving character development and the “transformational arc” comes from the change that occurs within a character when his intentions are confronted with an obstacle and he must adapt to deal effectively with it．
A film festival is an organized， extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues （场所，地点）， usually in a single city or region．Increasingly， film festivals show some films outdoors．Films may be of recent date and， depending upon the festival's focus， can include international and domestic releases．Some festivals focus on a specific film-maker or genre ［e．g． film noir （黑色电影）］ or subject matter （e．g．horror film festivals）．A number of film festivals specialize in short films of a defined maximum length．Film festivals are typically annual events．
The oldest film festival is the Venice Film Festival， and the most well-known is the Cannes Film Festival （戛纳电影节）．The Berlin is the largest film festival worldwide， based on attendance．The Venice Film Festival in Italy began in 1932， and is the longest continually running film festival．Raindance Film Festival is the UK's largest celebration of independent film-making， and takes place in London in October．North America's first and longest running short film festival is the Yorkton Film Festival， established in 1947．The first film festival in the United States was the Columbus International Film ＆ Video Festival （哥伦布国际电影电视节）， also known as The Chris Awards （克里斯奖）， held in 1953．It was followed four years later by the San Francisco International Film Festival， held in March 1957， which emphasized featurelength dramatic films．The festival played a major role in introducing foreign films to American audiences．Today， thousands of film festivals take place around the world，from high profile festivals such as Sundance Film Festival and Slamdance Film Festival，to horror festivals such as Terror Film Festival， and the first U．S．film festival dedicated to honoring music in film： the Park City Film Music Festival．Digital feature film distribution began in 2005， along with the world's first online film festival， the GreenCine Online Film Festival．Major and older film festivals of the world include：
Venice Film Festival （1932）
Cannes Film Festival （1946）
Festival del film Locarno （1946）
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival （1946）
Edinburgh International Film Festival （1947）
Melbourne International Film Festival （1951）
Berlin International Film Festival （1951）
Toronto International Film Festival （1976）
Montreal World Film Festival （1977）
The Academy Awards， affectionately known as the Oscars， are the oldest， best known， most influential， most prestigious （声望很高的） and famous annual film awards of merit given to film actors， artists， directors， cinematographers （摄影师） and technicians by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science．
The awards were first given in 1929 at a ceremony created for the awards， at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel．The Oscar statuette （小雕像） was modeled after Mexican film director and actor Emilio “El Indio” Fernández．Over the years that the award has been given， the categories presented have changed； currently Oscars are given in more than a dozen categories， and include films of various types．As one of the most prominent （主要的） award ceremonies in the world， the Academy Awards ceremony is televised live in more than 100 countries annually．It is also the oldest award ceremony in the media； its equivalents， the Emmy Awards for television， the Tony Award for theatre， and the Grammy Awards for music and recording， are all modeled after the Academy Awards．Current Awards include：
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Animated Feature
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Documentary Feature
Best Documentary Short Subject
Best Film Editing
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Best Original Song
Best Original Score
Best Original Musical
Best Animated Short Film
Best Live Action Short Film
Best Sound Mixing
Best Sound Editing
Best Visual Effects
Honorary Academy Award
The following is the full list of the Best Picture （The year in the list is the time when the film was awarded）：
第 01 届 1929 Wings 《翼》
第 02 届 1930 The Broadway Melody 《百老汇的旋律》
第 03 届 1931 All Quiet on the Western Front 《西线无战事》
第 04 届 1932 Cimarron 《壮志千秋》
第 05 届 1933 Grand Hotel 《大饭店》
第 06 届 1934 Cavalcade 《乱世春秋》
第 07 届 1935 It Happened One Night 《一夜风流》
第 08 届 1936 Mutiny on the Bounty 《叛舰喋血记》
第 09 届 1937 The Great Ziegfeld 《歌舞大王齐格菲》
第 10 届 1938 The Life of Emile Zola 《左拉传》
第 11 届 1939 You Can't Take It with You 《浮生如梦》
第 12 届 1940 Gone With the Wind 《乱世佳人》又名《飘》
第 13 届 1941 Rebecca 《蝴蝶梦》
第 14 届 1942 How Green Was My Valley 《青山翠谷》
第 15 届 1943 Mrs ． Miniver 《米尼弗夫人》又名《忠勇之家》
第 16 届 1944 Casablanca 《卡萨布兰卡》又名《北非谍影》
第 17 届 1945 Going My Way 《与我同行》
第 18 届 1946 The Lost Weekend 《失去的周末》
第 19 届 1947 The Best Years of Our Lives 《黄金时代》
第 20 届 1948 Gentleman's Agreement 《君子协定》
第 21 届 1949 Hamlet 《哈姆雷特》
第 22 届 1950 All the King's Men 《当代奸雄》
第 23 届 1951 All About Eve 《彗星美人》
第 24 届 1952 An American in Paris 《一个美国人在巴黎》
第 25 届 1953 The Greatest Show on Earth 《戏中之王》
第 26 届 1954 From Here to Ete rnity 《永垂不朽》
第 27 届 1955 On the Waterfront 《在江边》
第 28 届 1956 Marty 《马蒂》又名《君子好逑》
第 29 届 1957 Around the World in 80 Days 《环球旅行八十天》
第 30 届 1958 The Bridge on the River Kwai 《桂河大桥》
第 31 届 1959 Gigi 《金粉世界》又名《琪琪》
第 32 届 1960 Ben-Hur 《宾虚》
第 33 届 1961 The Apartment 《桃色公寓》
第 34 届 1962 West Side Story 《西区故事》
第 35 届 1963 Lawrence of Arabia 《阿拉伯的劳伦斯》
第 36 届 1964 Tom Jones 《汤姆·琼斯》
第 37 届 1965 My Fair Lady 《窈窕淑女》
第 38 届 1966 The Sound of Music 《音乐之声》
第 39 届 1967 A Man for All Seasons 《永远走红的人》
第 40 届 1968 In the Heat of the Night 《炎热的夜晚》
第 41 届 1969 Oliver 《雾都孤儿》又名《奥利弗》
第 42 届 1970 Midnight Cowboy 《午夜牛郎》
第 43 届 1971 Patton 《巴顿将军》
第 44 届 1972 The French Connection 《法国贩毒网》
第 45 届 1973 The Godfather 《教父》
第 46 届 1974 The Sting 《骗中骗》
第 47 届 1975 The Godfather ， Part II 《教父 2》
第 48 届 1976 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 《飞越疯人院》
第 49 届 1977 Rocky 《洛奇》
第 50 届 1978 Annie Hall 《安妮·霍尔》
第 51 届 1979 The Deer Hunter 《猎鹿人》
第 52 届 1980 Kramer vs ． Kramer 《克莱默夫妇》
第 53 届 1981 Ordinary People 《普通人》
第 54 届 1982 Chariots of Fire 《火的战车》
第 55 届 1983 Gandhi 《甘地》
第 56 届 1984 Terms of Endearment 《母女情深》
第 57 届 1985 Amadeus 《莫扎特传》
第 58 届 1986 Out of Africa 《走出非洲》
第 59 届 1987 Platoon 《野战排》
第 60 届 1988 The Last Emperor 《末代皇帝》
第 61 届 1989 Rain Man 《雨人》
第 62 届 1990 Driving Miss Daisy 《为戴茜小姐开车》
第 63 届 1991 Dances with the Wolves 《与狼共舞》
第 64 届 1992 The Silence of the Lambs 《沉默的羔羊》
第 65 届 1993 Unforgiven 《杀无赦》
第 66 届 1994 Schindler's List 《辛德勒的名单》
第 67 届 1995 Forrest Gump 《阿甘正传》又名《福雷斯特·冈普》
第 68 届 1996 Braveheart 《勇敢的心》又名《惊世未了缘》
第 69 届 1997 The English Patient 《英国病人》又名《英伦情人》
第 70 届 1998 Titanic 《泰坦尼克号》又名《铁达尼号》
第 71 届 1999 Shakespeare in Love 《沙翁情史》
第 72 届 2000 American Beauty 《美国丽人》
第 73 届 2001 Gladiator 《角斗士》
第 74 届 2002 A Beautiful Mind 《美丽心灵》
第 75 届 2003 Chicago 《芝加哥》
第 76 届 2004 The Return of the King 《指环王 3：王者回归》
第 77 届 2005 Million Dollar Baby 《百万美元宝贝》
第 78 届 2006 Crash 《撞车》
第 79 届 2007 The Departed 《无间道风云》
第 80 届 2008 No Country for Old Men 《老无所依》
第 81 届 2009 Slumdog Millionaire 《贫民窟的百万富翁》
第 82 届 2010 The Hurt Locker 《拆弹部队》
第 83 届 2011 The King's Speech 《国王的演讲》
第 84 届 2012 The Artist 《艺术家》
第 85 届 2013 Argo 《逃离德黑兰》
第 86 届 2014 12 Years a Slave 《为奴十二年》
第 87 届 2015 Birdman 《鸟人》
第 88 届 2016 Spotlight 《聚焦》
第 89 届 2017 Moonlight 《月光男孩》
第 90 届 2018 The Shape of Water 《水形物语》
All good films are social products of cultural phenomena and ideological （意识形态的） trends of certain times．An appreciator should note the national， contemporary and the social characteristics of a film whose task is to mirror the reality and the current issues with which most people are concerned．
Each nation has its own films to reflect the social life and national spirit， which are definitely branded （在……打上烙印） by the typical national characteristic．American films， though born of different directors in different times， have something in common： the local features， the characters， the costumes， the languages， the culture，are all typically American．For example， the war films Destination Tokyo （1943） and Saving Private Ryan （1998）， both depict a small combat group's excellent performance under the leadership of their captain．All the members are young， strong， just and devoted to their duties， but none of the respectable heroes are perfect．Sometimes they complain， sometimes they feel scared， sometimes they condemn （谴责） the government； they are human， not saints．They conform to American aesthetic standard and cultural psychology： American people don't need faultless heroes； their ideals are those who fight for freedom and justice and will never give up．Thus， the unique American film style is formed．
The Western films are typical American formula which is loaded with characteristics and spirits of the American nation．The films set in the American West that embodies the spirit， the struggle and the demise （遗赠） of the new frontier．The Western genre sometimes portrays the conquest of the wilderness and the subordination （征服） of nature in the name of civilization or the confiscation （没收） of the territorial （领土的） rights of the original， Native Americans， inhabitants of the frontier．The Western depicts a society organized around codes of honor and personal， direct or private justice rather than one organized around rationalistic， abstract law．The main characters in the Western films are commonly cowboys， gunslingers （带枪歹徒）， and bounty （赏金） hunters riding horses in dusty towns and cattle ranches．They usually wear hats and often use revolvers or rifles as everyday tools of survival．The Western films are the national identity of American new frontier， which not only attract the American audience but also enjoy an everlasting popularity all over the world．
The film is a product of the times and it can quickly reflect the times and that's why the film has strong vitality （生命力，活力）．Film is more direct and sensitive than any other forms of art to keep pace with the times．Each film should set at a certain time at certain historical stage．The film theme and its artistic and aesthetic elements should conform to those elements dominant in those periods．Taking love and romance films as an example， love is always the eternal theme of literary works．Since the film came into being， many love tragedies and comedies between man and woman based on different stories from different countries at different times have put to film screens．The love films， produced in different times， if they can really touch and win the audience， must be consistent with the dominant values of love and reflect the theme of the times．
Casablanca （1942） and Titanic （1997） are both classified as American romantic drama film and produced in 1942 and 1997， respectively．The film Casablanca set during World War II， and focuses on Rick， a man torn between“love and virtue”．He has to choose between his love to Ilsa and helping her husband， Laszlo， a Czech resistance leader， escape the city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis．The film really narrates a love tragedy resulting from the war．In that particular time， personal emotions conform to the national interest．In the disaster film Titanic ， though made several times before， the director still finds a way to add a completely modern notion to it．The young couple， Jack and Rose， is separated by death， but the survivor Rose does not become a sad widow．She keeps her love to Jack in her heart and goes on living optimistically．That is what we advocate （提倡） today about the true implication of love．This kind of film is duplicated （复制） over and over again， but the audience accepts them as some ingenious （别出心裁的，有独创性的） novelty．That's because film always presents the time spirit and the up-to-date concerns of people．Those films that can catch up with the latest become great successes．
Social life provides the foundation and material for film production．Film is reflection and evaluation of the social life．It shows different facets （层面） of the prism （棱镜） of society and offers all kinds of judgment and evaluation．A classic film， can not only truly reveal the contradiction of social life， but also help the audience understand the nature of social life in-depth．To appreciate a film is to see below the surface and to find the core of social issues， and then to discover the realistic values of the film．
Forrest Gump （1994） is treated as a contemporary American social and cultural classic because of its meaningful and serious contemplation （思考） of its history and society．Gump lived through the campus sit-in （静坐示威）， sex liberation， the drug culture， the struggle for racial justice and equality， protests， the assassination （暗杀） of JFK， the Vietnam War， the Watergate Scandal （水门丑闻） etc．The film doesn't simply describe a series of historical events and people； it depicts （描写） the changing trends in American society．It declares its negation （否定） of the protests，drugs， sex liberation， Hippies （嬉皮士）， even women's liberation and Feminism （男女平等主义） and its reconfirmation of honesty， good-will， hard work， chastity （贞操）， love， family， the traditional moral virtues， which enhance the American Dream．
Film has been exerting its peculiar fascination （魅力） on people for generations ever since it came into being， for it has strikingly wonderful features which make it unique and different from any other forms of art．Man seems to have entered into a new era characterized with IT， and people enjoy having wide selections of entertainment forms thanks to the rapid development of information technology， yet film still has its artistic charm and appeals to people of different ages from all walks of life．
It is an accepted idea that film is an art of motion pictures．However， some people argue that film is not merely composed of pictures， but it must have its own soul．What is the soul of film history shows that all forms of art have maintained essential and inseparable ties with the realities of human existence， and art is a special product of consciousness （意识） made by human beings inspired in social practice．Furthermore， in the realm of human consciousness man has always managed to infuse （灌输） his idealized value into the products of consciousness so that art may demonstrate his achievements and rational power．Therefore， all the great artistic works， including those classic films， reflect universally acknowledged and accepted sense of value and eternal-seeking ideals and themes in the realm of human consciousness， such as love， peace， justice， freedom， dignity， friendship， honesty， bravery， etc．
Along with the social development， people's cognitive ability and level of understanding have greatly improved， which， undoubtedly， has a great impact on film appreciation．Audience go to movies not merely for entertainment and emotional satisfaction，they sometimes need to be inspired by what they see on the screen．As a result， film seems to become diversified in theme and philosophical in content．For example， Apoc alypse Now （1979） tells a story about the Vietnam War， yet it does not simply condemn war crime but tries to set the audience thinking about peace and war， civilization and primitivism （原始主义）， humanity and brutality （野蛮） by themselves．
There are two characteristics of such a tendency in film-producing．First， social problems generally concerned are focused on．In contemporary American and British films， important and susceptible issues which attract people's attention are boldly dealt with．A number of films on the Vietnam War came out in the 70's and 80's， such as The Deer Hunter 《猎鹿人》（1978）， Apocalypse Now （1979）， Born on the Fourth of July （1989）， etc．The appearance of these films corresponded with the fact that people were not only strongly against war， but also eager for peace at that time．
Second， great interest in human nature is shown．In a film， the life story of an average man， which is usually more credible （可信的） and life-like than that of a great man， often appeals to the audience．It is true that most people are common， earthly ones with common， earthly desires， and they only take interest in something that they are familiar with and that they think true．So films become more and more human， and even those films concerned with the life of a great man， such as the British film Gandhi 《甘地》（1982）， portray a hero as a man．
Contemporary American and British film becomes much closer to life than ever．Such a tendency indicates that too much polishing and modification in a film may do harm to the credibility （可信性） and truthfulness of a film．But Close-to-Life Style does not mean that a film should be an accurate record of real people and real events like some early films．During and after the World War II， directors of the films were after the truthfulness of the story in a mechanical way and paid too much attention to details and forms．The True-to-Life Style puts a stress on the truthfulness of a film in content．What directors strive for is that a film is a record of life in content．In other words， plots， characters and setting in a film must be simple， natural and real， just as in life．
Generally speaking， the Close-to-Life Style in contemporary American and British may be viewed from three aspects．First， the story of such a film usually has an open ending just as life has no ending．The process of an event instead of the consequence is carefully shown on the screen， and a film is not merely a source of entertainment， but provides food for thought and space for participation．For example， the open ending of the American film Basic Instinct 《本能》（1992） suggests that the story may develop in several possible directions．
Second， the plot of a film which is lightly plotted or even plotless suggests the emphasis and interest have been shifted most frequently to character or idea．In the American film Kramer vs ． Kramer （1979）， the conflicts between husband and wife are not explicitly dramatized but inferred （推论） by the audience from what they do or say，and the film is intended not to show who's right or wrong but to show the conditions and changes in their heart and mind after separation．
Third， in contemporary American and British film， actors or actresses concentrate on simple and natural acting and manage to avoid exaggeration．They usually portray the roles they are cast in through the expressions on their face as well as in their eyes instead of exaggerated acts．For example， towards the end of Bridges of Madison Coun try （1995）， an American film， when the heroine， in her husband's car， sees her lover leaving， she sits there motionless with no expression on her face or in her eyes， but such expressionlessness is none other than a kind of expression， which conveys so much to the audience．
Whoever you are， a producer， a director or an actor ／ actress， you must have a good sense of business if you'd like to become successful in the film industry．In 1977，George Lucas， a well-known contemporary American director， took a big risk by investing ＄ 8，500，000 to shoot a film Star Wars ， but he was amply rewarded． Star Wars later became the greatest box-office success in film history．Most important of all， the film and its derivatives （派生产品） such as toys and cartoons， made the profits as high as 5 billion U．S．dollars．In 1997， Titanic became another great box-office success．
It is not surprising at all that there have been disputes on the advantages and disadvantages of commercialization．As to the advantages， commercialization can bring about a great advance in film industry．Only when returns on an investment are realized， can more investments be made in the film industry．And in some sense， a successful film should be the one that can attract people to the cinema and that should become a great box-office success， because film is not highbrow （文化修养高的） art but a popular one， and it must reflect the thoughts， emotions and dreams of ordinary people and suit their tastes．In other words， commercialization helps realize both economic returns and social effects．As far as disadvantages are concerned， problems of vulgarization （低俗化） in some films are beyond doubt， since making money is of utmost importance to some film producers who care for nothing but profit．As a result，some producers try to cater （迎合） to the low tastes of some people to a greater or less degree， and those films are full of too much violence and sex．
Of course， it is impossible to evade the advantages and disadvantages of commercialization， but the question is how to strike a balance between art and commercialization and how to bring about a unity between higher standards and popularization．It is certain that to emphasize commercialization should not be at the expense of art itself， or vice versa．