The reliably insightful Simcha Fisher has me thinking about sentimentality and pain, about the difference between manipulation and earned tears. I love a movie that can really hurt me, burrow into my heart and shatter it and then stay there, somehow making it more whole. But how does a story do that? And how does it make sorrow more than a reflex?
A few suggestions:
1. The pain must be more than thwarted desire. I think this is why most "chick flicks" don't work for me: The be-all and end-all is that, in the end, they get each other (laughs) or they don't (tears). I need something more than that. Some sense, however tiny, of sacrifice. Some hint, however faint, that the love we are seeing is a reflection of a higher love. Romantic love can be selfish, and it's not that I'm opposed to happy endings (see the first item, below), but giving needs to precede receiving.
2. Surprise me, if you can. At the very least, do not tell me how to feel. Jose's death in For Greater Glory does not move me as much as Fr. Vega's "I will always be a priest" speech, and I think that's because of how they were each filmed (or I have some serious issues, take your pick). Jose's death is all slow-mo and close-up, the equivalent of screaming at the audience "This is important! This is moving!! Be moved!!!" It indicates a lack of trust in both the moment and the audience. I wanted to be moved, was fully prepared to be moved, but my contrarian nature rebels at being commanded to be moved. On the other hand, for Fr. Vega, the marvelous Santiago Cabrera just says the words, calmly giving us a glimpse of a soul torn in half.
3. (Closely related to #1) Tell me something more than "Life is sad." I know that. We all do. I have problems of my own - I don't need to cry over fictional ones. There is nothing profound or brave about telling me that life is pain (unless you follow it with "Anyone who says differently is selling something."). Loss is the ultimate truth. Except that it isn't. And if you can make both of those statements at once, and show me that they are both true, then I will gladly cry.
So here follows, in no particular order, a list of some moments that do this for me. I have made no attempt to describe them. The point is that they are parts of a whole that give the whole meaning, so to describe them would be to write the movie again. If you've seen any of them, hopefully you know what I mean, and if you haven't, I won't diminish them by summary.
(Aside: I have limited this to film because that's what I write, and therefore what I analyze, not in any way to suggest that literature or other media can't have the same effect. They can and do.)
Lost, "The Constant": "Penny, you answered."
Serenity: "My turn." (I know I've mentioned this one before, but it belongs on the list.)
Star Trek (2009): "Tiberius? No way, that's the worst."
The Prestige: "Jess, look at me. I will come for you."
Finding Neverland: "I'm not Peter Pan. He is."
Scrubs, "My Screwup": "Where do you think we are?"
The End of the Affair (1999): "Maybe there's no other kind." (I am not giving this movie an unqualified endorsement, but this scene works.)
And now for a sub-list (not exhaustive) from Doctor Who. I'm working on some theories about why this show gets me so often, and so well, but for the moment, let it suffice that it does:
"Father's Day": "No, love. I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault."
"Doomsday": Silence. The Doctor and Rose, a wall and a universe apart.
"The Family of Blood": "Could you change back?" "Yes." "Will you?" "No."
"Last of the Time Lords": "It's just a bullet, that's all, just one little bullet."
"The Fires of Pompeii": "Save someone!"
"The End of Time": "Was she happy?" "Yes. Yes, she was. Were you?"
"Amy's Choice": "It can't be. Rory isn't here." (This one comes close to contradicting #1, though I think it works well enough with #2 and #3. Any Whovians out there who have thoughts on this, please discuss!)
Now it's your turn. What moments are on your list? And why do they work for you?
I agree with all your points, Sharon, but perhaps most with #2. The moving moments in any story have to be natural and flow from the context. Movie directors cannot wield what I call "The Iron Frying Pan of Awareness", wherein they smack you so hard with the point they're trying to make that you can practically hear the metallic "WHANNNGG!!!" afterwards. That is God's instrument, and He's really the only one who knows when and how to use it. The visual media industry...not so much. I find, most of the time, that the moments that are a natural part of the story or that are even unexpected work much better than the scripted, emphasized ones. Although some of the classic movies had amazing directors...
ReplyDelete"An Affair to Remember": "Why didn't you tell me?"
"The Great Escape": "Thank you for getting me out." Also when Willy and Danny make it to the boat.
"The Empire Strikes Back": "There'll be another time! The princess! You have to take care of her! Do you hear me?" (Okay, so it was a long time ago that I saw this for the first time, but I remember it!)
"Inception": (this one might be off) "I can't even remember you when you were old anymore!"
"Beauty and the Beast": "I let her go."
"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows": when Holmes releases Adler's handkerchief.
My preferred TV show is "Supernatural", and there are a bunch of moments that always make me wince, even if I don't choke up.
"Dead in the Water": "I think about that every day, and I do my best to be brave."
"Home": "I need your help, Dad."
"Scarecrow": Meg: "What'd he say?" Sam: "Goodbye."
"Faith": Dean: "But now some guy is dead because of me!" Sam: "I didn't know!"
"Salvation": "I want you to go to school! I want Dean to have a home! ...I want Mary alive."
"Devil's Trap": "You did that, and you didn't complain--not once!"
"In My Time of Dying": "We were just starting to be brothers again."
"Everybody Loves a Clown": Dean with the crowbar.
"Croatoan": "Who says I want to?"
"Heart": "Sam, I got it."
"All Hell Breaks Loose 2": Dean standing in the doorway, staring at Sam.
I could keep going, but I think that's plenty.
GREAT list, Anne! Thank you for rectifying my glaring omission of The Great Escape (probably my favorite movie ever, and yet I didn't include it...Perhaps I missed it because it was too obvious? Yeah, that's what I'm going with...).
Delete"The Iron Frying Pan of Awareness" - LOVE. Just love. I'll be using that one.
And clearly I need to catch up on Supernatural. Thanks for the recommendation.