What Makes a Great Film?
There are a lot of good films out there. Occasionally, a great film comes along. The best of the best tend to have a commonality between them that helps them to become a great film. All films are promoted, but a great film has a different hype surrounding it. It’s subtle and is wrapped in a particularly concentrated shroud of secrecy, mystery and anticipation which on most counts is fully respected by the audience. The promoters of great films refrain from in-your-face trailers leaving people non-the-wiser as to the precise timescale the director has placed on events of the film or film series. Everything about a film going from good to the realm of a great film is in the build-up, its viewing, being in awe and surprised at every turn.
My Approach to Film
My favourite films, which happen to be some of the highest-rated movies of all time — according to IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes — are ones I had little knowledge of before viewing them which, I believe, enhanced the experience.
I refrained from watching the trailers. I abstained from reading the RadioTimes previews, or Heavy Spoilers Analyses, or Reviews in the papers from the sour critics who can’t find “joy at the circus.” — P T Barnham The Greatest Showman (reasons for watching; the score, Hugh Jackman, Zak Efron and Zendaya).
The i paper, though, is my go-to outlet for a review of a new and highly touted film because their reviews don’t offer much in the way of spoilers which are so common nowadays on the clickbait culture of the internet. Their opinions aren’t based on trivial emotional reactions to the masterpieces (or not, as the case may be) on show. They leave honest and introspective articles about what makes the film great whilst referring to the context of what’s come before and what may come after, rather, how this film will fit into the cinematic history books.
Often I’ve found that, when viewing the most captivating movies, I go into the cinema without knowing the full depth of the cast. Outside of what’s presented on the promotional posters, I do little research to find information the director may not wish me to know until I’ve seen the film. That leaves me the chance to be left wide-eyed at the surprise of certain individuals turning up on screen, the likes of which I may not have expected.
When the world (and media) was building up to Bardenheimer, I wanted to keep as much of Oppenheimer — I still haven’t watched Barbie — a mystery as possible, insofar as covering my ears as if I was watching in a horror movie when Oppenheimer’s trailer rolled as the precursor to the other great film I happened to be watching, Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse. (Reasons for watching; legacy of the first film’s soundtrack and successful, immaculate use of Visual Effects (VFX) to enhance the storyline. It’s an art piece Da Vinci would be proud of).
Illustrating this perfectly was when Harry Styles played a part in the film Dunkirk — his first appearance on film, and with freshly shaved hair. It was fresh to think ‘Oh who’s this new guy? He’s good.’ Only to realise 30 minutes later, ‘Oh! It’s Harry Styles. Wow.’ That sort of thing.
I avidly watch The Graham Norton Show. In my athlete life, it marks the onset of the off-season. A time to recharge and relax. So what better way to find out which films are coming up, and the publicity surrounding them? Especially, to become aware of those niche, inspiring & emotional pieces that I’m unlikely to see as the algorithm believes my interests lie elsewhere — Poor Things etc. Unlike most previews or reviews, however, Graham Norton does just enough to entice without giving anything away. That initial mystery, I believe, is a major component of experiencing a film as great.
In the Cinema or on the TV?
For me, there are two ways of watching a film. Either, I’ll watch it in the cinema with an immense, immersive sound system. Or I’ll wait for its commercial release on the silver screen. Once upon a time, I had to buy a DVD of a film that I wanted to watch but missed the theatre run. Now, the nostalgia of the DVD is reserved for the truly great feats of cinema — The Magnificent Seven is one of them, and the first I’ve delved into here — the movie that I want to watch endlessly, no matter the external contracts the streaming services have with each film studio. Unfortunately, It is also potluck — no, not putlocker — whether a film that I want to see, but not enough to warrant an £11 ticket, will be released via the streaming platforms of this earth.
So, I must formulate an equation to rival Einstein’s E=mc² to help me decide whether I’ll see a movie at the cinema, buy it on DVD or cross my fingers it will appear on Netflix in four years. In my opinion, The Score, The Director, The Actors and The Hype surrounding it are the key components that take a film from good to great. The accumulation of all four scoring highly, usually indicates if the film will be a cinema hit!
The Score
I can’t get enough of good music. The warmth I feel when listening to music with a deep reverberating sound is something to behold. Movie Music, or Scores — typically without the spoken word, although this is debatable in Dune II — are special creations as they provide a depth that those found at the top of the pops lack.
Whilst I have a good sound system at home, it can never compete with the audio experience the Light Cinema provides. Therefore to get the best experience of the soundtracks I always look to the composer listed on the credits before viewing the movie. Once I know who the composer is, it’s clear to me, whether the film will be more impactful to experience with the full feature with high-quality surround sound.
Scores can transcend emotions. They lend themselves the ability to be heard endlessly at any time and any place. No matter what else is going on in my life. Why? Because whatever my emotions happen to be, the music will heighten them and provide the opportunity to deal with them (when feeling down), or have an ergogenic effect during exercise. That’s to say I’ll perform better with elevated emotions helping to achieve optimal levels of arousal. They can help me fall asleep, explaining why they top my Spotify Wrapped charts year-on-year. Or they can wake me up and feel alive before competing.
They have a way of hitting just the spot precisely in the middle of my chest as my adrenaline is released. The goosebumps of a good soundtrack, in my experience, can never be matched by that of the chart-topping songs. That’s why I want to do the composer justice and listen to their music in the way they intended to be heard, with 8D Audio surrounding you in space and time! That’s before I even mention the added effect of a visually captivating, equally emotional scene to heighten those emotions further. When the visual matches the auditory stimulus, the effect is profound.
The top composer I keep an eye out for? Hans Zimmer. He’s the master, the composer who has graced my ears, effectively, since birth — The Lion King was released in 1994, I know right!? There are other select composers, alongside Hans Zimmer, who I look out for, because he has many alumni who he has personally trained and are beginning to come through the ranks by producing some truly epic and moving scores. Ludwig Göransson is one of them. He has been influenced and, I believe, directly worked with Hans Zimmer. Therefore I know his music will have a similar edge to Hans Zimmer. And every movie Hans works on is worth seeing, such is the impact his creations have on the movie’s overall feel.
The Director
Of course, the director has to be taken into account. After all, they are the person with the vision. They have the ambition to cast the talented cast, musical directors and the entire crew of support staff. Some have managed to earn the trust of all filmgoers because, no matter the chatter, you go and see their films in the manner they intended them to be viewed — on the big screen. Denis Villeneuve (the director of Dune; and many, many epics I was not aware he had directed) is one of those directors.
Think of the directorial equivalent to actors like Tom Cruise and Christian Bale, or characters like James Bond and The Joker. When they are featured they will produce something that must be experienced with all the senses — even the sixth. This is something my local cinema — the Light Cinema #notsponsored — leans into exceptionally well through their immersive big screen, laid-back chairs, and exquisite sound system. I can notice all the
Denis has a way of lacing intricate details throughout his epically long blockbuster movies. Blade Runner, Dune, Arrival & Sicario to name but a few! You must see his films in cinema trim so that every detail can be seen — felt. His ability to manufacture his visions is tremendous. Other directors include Christopher Nolan whose visions I adore. His films are always a hit, with challenging concepts of time & love woven into each feature film.
His brain, as David Nicholls does with the notion of Love, is beautiful as I attempt to comprehend the unravelling of truths about time and space. He regularly tackles how we, as humans, perceive time and how our understanding of the reality of time could be stretched. It’s a mentally draining experience watching his films — Tenet being the prime example — but each minute is worth it as I leave the cinema with a new perspective on the reality around me. What is possible? I think after I leave the cinema.
Quinten Tarantino has a way with words that is remarkable. Intricately conducting sensational casting to help portray his concept perfectly. So whacky and ludicrous is the idea that I must be prepared to pay attention to the details of the dialect. It’s fascinating revisiting Pulp Fiction with a slightly more experienced brain that can digest the little nuggets of exceptional cinema, as John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson riff off against each other. It’s sheer brilliance. I haven’t had the opportunity to watch any of his movies in the theatre yet. All his work has preceded my time, that’s to say I was just 18 when he released his most recent, gruesome, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
When a director’s plan comes together, amplified by an outstanding score it’s truly something to behold, so these two factors probably hold the most weight when deciding a great from a good film.
The Cast
Each chapter of this article has referenced the cast at some point or another. It’s a crucial piece of the movie puzzle. They’re the face of the show, after all. They deliver the script and convey the words with emotion. It’s certainly a factor to consider when seeing a film in the theatre, though not the sole reason to pay the £11 charge. Especially, with the recent business trend from Netflix to find niche, up-and-coming actors who nobody knows and launch them into the spotlight.
Of course, many actors are incredibly talented at their trade so I would go and buy a ticket out of respect for their commitment to the role. For me, Christian Bale tops that list of actors. He becomes so engrossed in his role that it rarely goes wrong for him (unless the editing and writing go wrong… cough cough Marvel). But, the actor is at the top of the pyramid. If the writers don’t perform, if the director doesn’t have a clear vision they cannot do their job — hence why the score and director precede the actors in this list.
The best actors, come into the film and truly understand the character. There was a line from Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights. He shared a moment in his early career where he knew the character inside and out. He knew what his character would do. Thus he produced a moment that will transcend his career. Alright, alright, alright… Iconic.
It’s rare, but the actor’s best moments are often when they stray from the original script and produce a realistic reaction to the goings on screen. I touched on that in my recent write-up of Steve McQueen’s character in The Magnificent Seven.
In other cases, the actors lift the director to new heights. Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe did that as their manic portrayal of Poor Things gained recognition and an Oscar for Best Leading Female Actor. But more often than not, a great actor will be drawn, or paired with a world-renowned Director. Think Cillian Murphy and Christopher Nolan. Overall, great films are a culmination of all their parts. Without one it will surely crumble and be a flop at the box office.
The Hype
Would you agree that word of mouth is the best way to learn about a product, service or person? I certainly think so. Nothing can make me trust a product better than someone I know and equally trust recommending it to me. When I know a potentially great film is around the corner I aim to go into the screening with an open mind. Ready to expect anything, it could be good, it could be bad I’ve heard both opinions from direct friends, not just strangers haphazardly reviewing it on the internet.
However, if I heard it through the grapevine then it’s likely it could be a hit, though I’m ready for anything. Anything at all. A perfect, recent, example is Poor Things. I didn’t manage to see it in cinema simply because it was such a niche and unhinged concept that I hadn’t known it existed until the Oscars came around and it was released on the Disney+ streaming service. The same goes for their second film Kinds of Kindness.
Poor Things featured phenomenal writing and the actors brought the prose to life. Yes, I nearly nodded off in the beginning. But like any book, I made it to the film’s equivalent of the first 100 pages. By the time the movie finished, the existential questions were looming and my eyes were wide open, captivated. I was ready for conversation. I truly thought ‘What Poor Things.’ It was a moving piece of work led by a director with a direct vision leading a phenomenal cast to portray these complex characters, and all of it was accompanied by chillingly electrifying music and prevailed in the wake of word-of-mouth.
The Afterparty
Reviews offer the greatest test for any film fanatic. Especially when late to the party. I have heard some opinions of Dune II. I did not agree. I thought it tied nicely and fascinated me more than I thought possible. I wanted to find the book(s), read them and investigate the complicated multi-faceted actors who seemingly — although doubtfully — spring out of nowhere. I’m sure given Denis Villeneuve’s intricate eye for detail that would’ve featured or at least been mentioned somewhere, sometime in Dune I. But that’s an essay in and of itself.
The afterparty includes conversation with fellow cinema-goers, friends and family. They spark the imagination and encourage revolutionary ways of thinking about how to approach my life. For example, when writing this ‘What Makes a Great Film?’ essay, I originally riffed about the concepts addressed in Dune II. It doesn’t make sense here, so I’ll rewatch and produce an essay on that film, because I feel I have much to say.
This is what I love about great films. They knock my shoes off. They’re thought-provoking. They feature some deeper message than just telling the story be it fiction or reality. Interstellar; Love & time. Dune; Power & Faith. Oppenheimer; Power & Time. Hacksaw Ridge; Duty & Rules. They all question something that is a challenging concept for humans to grasp, but tell it in a manner that is not too abstract to miscomprehend the subject. Interstellar is the most liberal of those. The Gentlemen; Politics & Class. They’re intellectually stimulating, and in my eyes then a perfect use of my spare time.
Of course, there are only great films with the context of what has gone and what may come. There are good films to provide this context, and there are bad films too. There’s also the category of feel-good movies which can be great for when I’m sick and my brain non-functioning. But even then, great films offer a distinct inspirational uplift in challenging, tiresome moments — a great time to switch off. A great film, like a great score, should be able to be viewed in any frame of mind, repeatedly. After all, it has to cater to all those who can absorb art.
Save the reviews, leave the rotten tomatoes score and wait patiently for the singular, 3-hour version of the shallow and spoiling 2-and-a-half-minute trailer. This for me will create a sanctuary for cinema. A place I can go to the lost in the awe of great visions that will inspire me to dream! That’s what a great film does to the mind and body. It unites, inspires and leaves me wondering.
