Not only does Claude Lelouch's film Viva la vie (Long Live Life) have one of the coolest opening credits (see video) but one of the characters has a phenomenal summation of the 'three kinds of filmmakers:'
- Those who tell stories.
- Those who refuse to tell stories.
- Those who explain how stories are told.
The character then goes on to give an example of each: Spielberg, Fellini, and Godard respectively.
I saw the clip of the monologue in an IG post with the hashtag "cinemaisphilosophy'
...Is it?
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This is a brilliant breakdown. To be totally honest, looking at where I am right now with my writing, I have to plant my flag firmly in the first camp—the Storytellers. When you’re building a sci-fi saga that deals with massive stakes, you don’t really have the luxury of refusing to tell the story or deconstructing the medium mid-scene. The narrative has to be the engine that carries the philosophy, not the other way around. I have respect for the Fellinis and Godards, but I think the hardest trick isn't breaking the form—it's using the classic form to smuggle in the heavy philosophical ideas without losing the audience. I’m betting on the story.
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great points Adam Spencer - each 'category' mused by Lelouche's character here has distinct engines, rules ( not having rules is a rule in itself), and... philosophy :)