Film from the persepective of surrealist-style painting

[jack]

Sometimes obviously or sometimes subtly painting does something more than a camera. Whether by painting a subject at different times, or from different perspectives, or in the colours you think they *should* be in, these incongruities aren't viewed as mistakes, but a form of expression.

Conversely, obviously sometimes there are mistakes. If one element of the picture breaks the rules of the rest, eg. by being drawn in warped perspective, it draws your attention, which is good if that was the intent, and bad if it was a mistake.

This can be seen as an analogy to fiction, be it film or book. Almost all fiction glosses over little details of real life, like bathrooms and parking spaces, and this is just part of the medium. To us it conveys the story more effectively than if it were more true to life, but an alien having film explained to him would probably be as amazed as he would that brush strokes are visible in impressionist painting.

Fantasy or science fiction have their own styles that work in those contexts, but would jar your attention in something else. That insertion is greatly effective if you WANT to highlight an event's amazingness, but is dumb if you just thought it would make a good ending. The same applies to history; if you change history to make a good story, that's one thing, but if you change it because you never researched it, that's bad.

For instance, if you're watching space opera, and all of a sudden smuggling cattle is economically viable, you "go what da' hell?" and stop watching. But if the milleu is from the start an equal mix of space opera and cowboys then nothing stands out and it all fits.

So in conclusion (1) Firefly is amazing and should never have been cancelled and (2) I like unrealistic things because I'm sophisticated, but the unrealistic things other people like are moronic^[1].

[1] Irony. That is, I think there's some truth in what I say, but depending on what you think is deliberate or obvious you'll think it applies to different things. Hence vehement discussion :)

Comments

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

You should arrange to go out and meet Dad in n minutes when he's ready.

Well, when will you next be in cambridge? I have firefly and a spare bedroom? :)

There isn't more at the moment, it's a very nought-dimensional character[1]. But I think the name is cool enough to carry her all by itself, I mean she will BE a squeeing fang girl, and that'll say everything about her.

[1] There's some plot, but it's mainly at the metaphysics stage. I did some more beta-using last night, it's going well. Thanks again.

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

Yup, but he's snoring. I figure I'll try and wake him in an hour, or when his battery runs out - whichever comes first :) Meanwhile I'm writing Teal'c POV - I don't think I'm getting it, somehow.

Don't know - I'll see how things go. THanks for the offer of the spare room though - I might take you up on it.

I agree that the name's enough. You definitely need one to counterbalance your obnoxious foul-mouthed character (can't remember his name)

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind, can I ask a question. If you were there with a girlfriend, and she was asleep, what would you do?

Re: T. Am writing up some ideas in email now...

I would need warning to get all the stuff off it :) Besides, one day you'll have a place in london and *I'll* need a spare room to stay in :)

DR4CUL4R? But squeeing fang girl will be annoying *too* and indeee dlikely talk in l33t too, just be annoying in a different way :) I just want her 'cos it's funny.

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

With a girlfriend? I'd be pushier, but once my Dad is asleep it's really hard to wake him. Plus he's working, so I can't really object to his getting tired. And he's diabetic, so that tires him too...

He's acutally waking up right now, so I'm trying to persuade him to get going.

Right, we can do spare room swaps. Yay!

I know SFG will be annoying, but it should be funny. I think I was trying to say that you need obnoxious teen males and girls.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Ooh, good, I hope it goes well. But the point is, you subconciously assume he has to OK the decision; if your friend had wanted a nap, mightn't you have gone out for an hour *then*?

Right, we can do spare room swaps. Yay!

I'm sure there's a "spare room for my friend" joke there somewhere :)

I know SFG will be annoying, but it should be funny. I think I was trying to say that you need obnoxious teen males and girls.

Indeed. Though Maurice and friends are obnoxious teens at heart :)

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

It feels rude to wander out. But you're right.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, just leaving while someone is asleep isn't ideal; you never know whether they'd rather have been woken up or not.

But next time, if you know he's going to be a while, regardless of if he *admits* that, say you'll go to foo for a bit and meet him at bar:00 if you want to do that.

And don't be scared to spend time apart, you'll see enough of each other. It's something mum makes a point of when visiting me; if we don't spend every second together we have more fun when we are.

[nakedtoes.livejournal.com]

Yup. It's only one day though, so I'm trying to be nice. Though I'm getting pissed off.

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Yup. It's only one day though, so I'm trying to be nice.

But the point is that behaving liek adult friends *is* nice because it makes life easier for both of you. If you don't you both get pissed off and snappy and then that escalates as it's harder to talk normally afterward.

Though I'm getting pissed off.

See? :)