Utilization Of The Screen Medium By Films For Lincoln By Steven Spielberg

Enriched Narrative Style of Lincoln

Discuss about the Utilization of the Screen Medium by Films for Lincoln by Steven Spielberg.

Movies are entertainment for audience who watch them. It is the ultimate media for entertainment for the people. Movies are often the best way to communicate a message but its one real hectic job to complete. The movies are the best way to exhibit visuals which are intended to a certain job. Film Scholars state that 35mm Screen is the best way to exhibit one’s skills and abilities as a director. As a director one should understand that cinema is a one way of emoting self expressions (Tan, 2013). The exhibition of self expression from the filmmaker is able to interest audience and this is when one can understand the true worth of that screen. It is stated by Film critics that the silver screen is the best medium of showing the imageries and also the pragmatic aspect of one subject and hence it is of paramount importance that the nuances of filmmaking is properly utilized. Filmmaking is a multi faceted concept and addressing of a concept has to be done in the best possible way (Plantinga & Carl, 2009). The Art of filmmaking is mainly a narrative style but has different forms and hence it could be said that most of the filmmakers will have to act as per their knowledge. Filmmakers are of different genres and hence their approach to films is different. An artist of the stature of a Filmmaker is a creative person and mainly focuses on using the big screen to the fullest. In the history of Cinema the big screen has experienced number of top directors and quality filmmakers who have presented the audience with number of great films (Sklar, 2012).

Steven Spielberg is rated as one of the best contemporary filmmakers who have ever lived in the planet. He has done quality work over the years showing the world several interesting concepts mainly science fiction and has taken to another level. Steven Spielberg is an exceptional talent who has taken filmmaking to another level. His signature narrative and filmmaking style has been lauded in the international arena giving him all the possible accolades in filmmaking (Bywater, 2009). Steven Spielberg’s recent take on the legendary leader of America Abraham Lincoln. “Lincoln” as the movie was named directed in the year 2012 has been critically appraised by different film critics and different film magazines. Spielberg’s take on the story of Lincoln presented in the screen have been put under scanner which has mainly reflected the momentous part of the revolutionary leader. The Story framed by the Screenplay Writer Tony Kushner has been critically acclaimed and has been put forward in a fascinatingly theatrical manner with rhetoric and strategy compiled well (Elsaesser et al., 2015). There have been number of films based on American History but “Lincoln” has been able to display the nest of the high politics which was mainly helmed by the white ruling class headed by a figure that has right mix of Shakespearean characters. The character of Lincoln played by Talismanic Daniel Day Lewis has been able to portray the sheds in the character of Lincoln pretty effectively that goes with the narrative style of Spielberg. The World Changing movement in the American History has been impeccably narrated and sequentially well knit by the director to engage the viewers especially those with love for the movies (Cutting et al., 2010).  

Steven Spielberg’s Direction

One of the key aspects for the success of Lincoln is its enriched narrative style that has been successful in grabbing the audience right from the word goes. The chain of events occurring in a particular time and space has been chosen by the filmmaker in the best possible way which has provided ample space to the director as well as the characters to prove their mettle as actors. The plot of the movie dramatically narrated is the best part of the movie (Klevan et al., 2011). Spielberg has this uncanny knack doing something in the unconventional way and this is what makes him different from the other filmmakers. The story is same old wine but put fantastically in the new bottle. The direct communication and links to the real life characters has been a significant hook for the audience in the movie. The dialogues and the story had been kept very precise but the treatment is what wins the match (Vasudevan & Ravi, 2011). The treatment to the story in Lincoln is somewhat different from the historical pieces since it is more complete with rhetoric and strategic filmmaking with fine camera movements and technically defined nuances of the actors. The plot set amid the American Civil War that is inexorably concluding is a cult one and the decision to ban slavery is the epicenter of the movie, but turmoil and constrained passage that the 16^th president who is arguably the most revolutionary leader in the country had to pass through to pass the landmark amendment to ban slavery has been shown wonderfully well. Spielberg has always a been a visionary and it has reflected in his films like Extra Terrestrial, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park and the Indiana Jones Series have come up with ideas that have critically analysed as ahead of time (Gallese et al., 2012 183-210). The Story or the narrative style in this movie is inclined towards Poetic Justice that ultimately addresses the virtue and vice effectively. Even though the plot is known to almost each every American as well as the other nations in the world it has perfectly organised to the give that cinematic expression which the audience eagerly wait to experience. The Narrative Construction in the movie has been sequentially framed by the director starting off with the right velocity introducing Lincoln in inner turmoil contemplating the possible fate of the war. The plot and the story being addressed perfectly by the director clearly make the work easier for the actors to understand the scenes which make this movie performed to good effect. The clinical finish by the impressive cast only does justice to the script. The methodical approach to acting by Daniel Day Lewis in the movie helps to address the dilemma highlighted in the character of Lincoln successfully (Burch & Noel, 2014). The Plot of the movie framed by Spielberg very much encompass the main character Lincoln that makes the treatment of the story much easier yet rambunctious due to the understanding of the foregone conclusion of the movie. As stated earlier Spielberg has this uncanny knack of approaching a story, he kept the record with this movie as well with the introductory scenes being highly gory that kept the audience in the edge of their seats from the very first scene. The Narrative style in the movie tried to show the mental capacity of the lead character to fight all the evils internal and external to emancipate the slaves in the country (Hansen et al., 2009).  Over the Top Drama though has been critcised by the historians but it has been taken up well by the audience that makes it effective in the box office. Spielberg doesn’t distort the story or history by any means but he adds that much needed spice to commercialise the movie successfully. From the political perspective the script doesn’t do much but does enough to persuade the audience about the active role of the congress especially Lincoln and his movements through the house addressing scenes and Lincolns deep and profound shots taken from very different angles that helps to understand the tumultuous inner self of the character (Hayward & Susan, 2013).

Effective Utilization of the Historical Genre

Generically speaking the film is completely based on the historical incidents that have shaped up contemporary America, its leaders and its people. Historical Genre movies especially in Hollywood has been one of the celebrated forms of movies and hence it could be stated that for producers and directors it is a very reliable subject to make movies and hence it could be said that properly treating historical story would surely bring success to the production houses as well as the actors and the directors (Gomery et al., 2011). In this scenario “Lincoln” does justice to the story framed by Kushner the screenwriter for the film. Lincoln uses the features of the Historical genre very effectively using the time and space to exhibit the literary touch in the movie. The script does justice of the location set and also works on the kind of language spoken during that time that mostly shows armed men in action. The historical genre and the Western genre are known for their dialogues and this stands to be one of the significant features of this genre that has been effectively displayed by the screenwriter in the script.  The Amount of hard work put in a scene could be learned from the different interviews given by the crews and cast of the movie available in YouTube and other versions but it could also be understood by watching the movie. There are number of scenes in “Lincoln” that reflect on the hard work put in by the crew especially the last bit of the movie was stated to be tricky as not much is known about what exactly Lincoln spoke about with Mary his wife and this bit was the toughest to write as stated by Tony Kushner the screenwriter for the movie (Rosenstone & Robert, 2014). This is the essence of historical genre since few things are known and few remain conjectural and anecdotal open to interpretation. This feature was perfectly used by the filmmaker in this movie to show both the essential characters in the movie to speculate about their future which is extremely important for the movie. Since the Historical genre has often salvaged pride for the production houses the genre has always received paramount importance. All across the globe movie lovers as well as the movie makers understand its importance and hence it becomes extremely important for a filmmaker to use the resources effectively in order to get the best possible result from the concept or the subject and for this having a wonder personal style of filming is important (Burgoyne & Robert, 2008).

The Success of Lincoln

Steven Spielberg is considered an institution for his rich vision in motion picture and immaculate movie making style which helps him to handle any given story with panache. As children we all loved Jaws Series from the great man and also in later 90s Extra Terrestrial which has set a new benchmark for the genre of science fiction (Guynn & William, 2013). The film critics and even personally I have tried to read his film making techniques that has taken moviemaking to another level as well as helped to learn the art of moviemaking to a lot of amateur filmmakers. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that no description could decipher an artist of Spielberg’s magnitude but he has a signature filming style that helps a filmmaker of his stature to engage audience in the screen (McBride & Joseph, 2011).  Technically it is not possible to assess Spielberg’s style of filming but his personal style involves more and closer ups and side in shots with camera panning from left to right or right to left. Spielberg believes in capturing the miniscule detail through the lens and his over the shoulder shots and “character approaching” camera shots are some of the signature filming nuances that the director uses to captivate audience in his work (Gordon & Andrew, 2008). It is extremely important to mention that movies like Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Even Lincoln uses a lot of track in camera shots and sideways shots to show the audience the minute detail of the character’s expression which helps the audience to understand the situations perfectly well and get into the groove to understand critical position of the characters in the movie that not only helps to engage and enthrall the audience with the film but also ensures that they are with the movie until the final credits of the film are shown in the last minute (Wasser & Fredrick, 2010). Hence to conclude it could be said that the merger of the director’s personal style, the historical genre of the plot, pragmatic approach to the script, excellent narrative style has helped the 2012 blockbuster Lincoln to reach the pinnacle of success and also receive critical acclaim. The movie has been able to use the media of motion picture and the silver screen effectively to captivate and fascinate the cine-goers receiving their appreciation as well which clearly reflects the potential of “Lincoln” as a movie to utilise the screen medium to the last degree (Barsam et al., 2015).

References

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Cutting, James E., Jordan E. DeLong, and Christine E. Nothelfer. “Attention and the evolution of Hollywood film.” Psychological Science 2010.

Elsaesser, Thomas, and Malte Hagener. Film theory: An introduction through the senses. Routledge, 2015.

Gallese, Vittorio, and Michele Guerra. “Embodying movies: Embodied simulation and film studies.” Cinema: Journal of Philosophy and the Moving Image 3 (2012): 183-210.

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