for me the performance is the first thing I started noticing as i "became a cinephile", as indeed its the most human aspect of cinema. loved the series, and really curious about your next creations! <3
Congratulations on putting together such a great body of work with these studies! I find it so remarkable the collection of ideas and films you remember the most intimate details about—it's truly a super power! Love your words here on intentional stillness contrasted with explosive expression.
Thank you, Connor for sticking with this series. I’ve been “working” on it since September, and even though I’m not done yet, I already feel this big sense of catharsis. It feels really good. Proper good.
I’m also so glad I revisited Black Swan because Portman’s performance is exactly what I think of when I talk about a physical performance.
I love the call-out on quieter performances. Doing very little is sometimes the most expressive choice an actor can make and it runs counter to how most people think about acting. This art form started with theater where you need the big emotions to reach the back row but cinema broke through all that once cameras got close enough to catch the more real/intimate/subtle in a performance
I’m so glad to have this kind of feedbacks, because if I only look at numbers (which is wrong, I know and unhealthy, I KNOW.) I would think people are not really into this series, afterall.
I fell in love with the movies because of the people on screen who make it come alive :) Acting, as much as people disregard it as a "real" job, is perhaps the most soul-nourishing one, imo. (I'm biased, maybe) It's an art, through and through. And I do have countless performances that have left imprints on me, so it's tough to even name drop, just one or two, but all I know is that with this series I've fallen even more in love with the movies, so thanks!! 🤍🤍
And congratulations on the completion of your series; it's a resounding Substack Blockbuster.
You just did a marathon of my series!!! Thank you so so so much, you’re the best, and I really, really appreciate that you took some of your time.
Now, to answer: No, I have not seen Chalamet Supreme not Hamnet, I really want to, but I just had to watch a couple of recommendation I had from someone here. I actually think i’m going to watch them both this week-end, that is, if I’m feeling better.
I kind of know what to expect from Marty Chalamet Supreme because of the directors and their body of work so far, but I’m not really familiar with Chloé Zhao.
Just like you, I don’t really watch horror, but I forced myself to watch several just to study how the genre use cinematic language (I wrote a piece on it, but not published, it’s sleeping)
And you hit the nail, sound really is the main ingredient of the horror genre. It’s all about emotional unease, and uncomfortable silence building a sense that something is deeply wrong. Really, sound is psychological. The idea being to disturb you or to threaten you.
thank you so much for this series !! really feels like i actually learned a decent amount without being too pretentious !! cheers, i hope you have a fantastic day !!
Thank you, mate; but this is only the beginning haHaHaHaHA (evil laugh).
Next up is: How to Watch a Film Using Cinematic Language.
After that, I want to review four films from different genres using that exact approach. One post on Get Out, one on The Florida Project, one on In the Mood for Love, and one on Interstellar.
“Acting is a lot about listening. A reaction shot can be more powerful than the line that caused it. Watching how someone receives information, processed it or hides their feelings adds depth to the scene” – yes I love this and couldn’t agree more. When I’m watching actors I always try to look out for what they are doing with their face not only when they aren’t talking, but even when, ‘as an audience’, we aren’t necessarily ‘meant’ to be looking at them e.g. when someone else is talking and they aren’t the focal point at all. I find it fascinating and it can draw me in to the story even more, or draw me out completely e.g. if it looks like they are just waiting to deliver their next line…
Damn, that Manchester by the Sea scene was a hard watch and I will be watching in the very near future, and you already know I appreciated the Black Swan example!
I feel like paying attention to performance comes most naturally to me when watching a movie, but so many insightful points and what a great way to finish off an invaluable series (a series that I will definitely be revisiting when creating future pieces!) Congratulations and thank you!
for me the performance is the first thing I started noticing as i "became a cinephile", as indeed its the most human aspect of cinema. loved the series, and really curious about your next creations! <3
Congratulations on putting together such a great body of work with these studies! I find it so remarkable the collection of ideas and films you remember the most intimate details about—it's truly a super power! Love your words here on intentional stillness contrasted with explosive expression.
Thank you, Connor for sticking with this series. I’ve been “working” on it since September, and even though I’m not done yet, I already feel this big sense of catharsis. It feels really good. Proper good.
I’m also so glad I revisited Black Swan because Portman’s performance is exactly what I think of when I talk about a physical performance.
Cathartic things are some of the best things, truly. Loved getting to see inside your brain and your thoughts throughout this work.
I love the call-out on quieter performances. Doing very little is sometimes the most expressive choice an actor can make and it runs counter to how most people think about acting. This art form started with theater where you need the big emotions to reach the back row but cinema broke through all that once cameras got close enough to catch the more real/intimate/subtle in a performance
Just wonderful stuff ! I learn so much from your posts !
I’m so glad to have this kind of feedbacks, because if I only look at numbers (which is wrong, I know and unhealthy, I KNOW.) I would think people are not really into this series, afterall.
Cheers mate!
You really did save the best for the last!!
I fell in love with the movies because of the people on screen who make it come alive :) Acting, as much as people disregard it as a "real" job, is perhaps the most soul-nourishing one, imo. (I'm biased, maybe) It's an art, through and through. And I do have countless performances that have left imprints on me, so it's tough to even name drop, just one or two, but all I know is that with this series I've fallen even more in love with the movies, so thanks!! 🤍🤍
And congratulations on the completion of your series; it's a resounding Substack Blockbuster.
Excited to read what's next. Good luck!!
You just did a marathon of my series!!! Thank you so so so much, you’re the best, and I really, really appreciate that you took some of your time.
Now, to answer: No, I have not seen Chalamet Supreme not Hamnet, I really want to, but I just had to watch a couple of recommendation I had from someone here. I actually think i’m going to watch them both this week-end, that is, if I’m feeling better.
I kind of know what to expect from Marty Chalamet Supreme because of the directors and their body of work so far, but I’m not really familiar with Chloé Zhao.
Just like you, I don’t really watch horror, but I forced myself to watch several just to study how the genre use cinematic language (I wrote a piece on it, but not published, it’s sleeping)
And you hit the nail, sound really is the main ingredient of the horror genre. It’s all about emotional unease, and uncomfortable silence building a sense that something is deeply wrong. Really, sound is psychological. The idea being to disturb you or to threaten you.
thank you so much for this series !! really feels like i actually learned a decent amount without being too pretentious !! cheers, i hope you have a fantastic day !!
Thank you so much! That was exactly the goal, nothing pretentious, a real and simple way to understand why we feel a certain way during a scene.
Really good stuff!
Thank you Connor!
You covered a lot of ground very concisely. Great end to a great series!
Thank you, mate; but this is only the beginning haHaHaHaHA (evil laugh).
Next up is: How to Watch a Film Using Cinematic Language.
After that, I want to review four films from different genres using that exact approach. One post on Get Out, one on The Florida Project, one on In the Mood for Love, and one on Interstellar.
That sounds awesome! Looking forward to it.
stillness is full of feeling ~ j’adore 😍 lovely and insightful analysis, I’ll come back to this when writing my film essays
Thank you neighbor!
“Acting is a lot about listening. A reaction shot can be more powerful than the line that caused it. Watching how someone receives information, processed it or hides their feelings adds depth to the scene” – yes I love this and couldn’t agree more. When I’m watching actors I always try to look out for what they are doing with their face not only when they aren’t talking, but even when, ‘as an audience’, we aren’t necessarily ‘meant’ to be looking at them e.g. when someone else is talking and they aren’t the focal point at all. I find it fascinating and it can draw me in to the story even more, or draw me out completely e.g. if it looks like they are just waiting to deliver their next line…
Damn, that Manchester by the Sea scene was a hard watch and I will be watching in the very near future, and you already know I appreciated the Black Swan example!
I feel like paying attention to performance comes most naturally to me when watching a movie, but so many insightful points and what a great way to finish off an invaluable series (a series that I will definitely be revisiting when creating future pieces!) Congratulations and thank you!