Film to me... (1 of 4)
Over the last few years, I've noticed that my love of films has gone deeper than I'd ever imagined. I think about them more, I figure out what they mean to me, how they make me feel, and I'm no longer just watching films because I'm trying to watch a film a day like I used to.
Yes, I have a goal of 250 this year (and yes I will probably go over that this year) but for me, this goal is to watch films that are outside of my usual comfort zone, and these include things I've not actually watched before. You'll be surprised by how many 'classics' I haven't watched, and don't worry, I'm as horrified at myself as you guys are of me, don't you worry.
Now, I have a film insta, but the problem I noticed - and the reason why I started this blog again - was that I was severely limited by characters. I put the reviews on my Letterboxd account as well, but on here I can go even deeper, and create sections for my love of film scores and music as well, bringing back my top 10s, although this will probably be restricted to 5 per week, due to busy work schedules.
But for now? The first post always has to be the basics on film right? So naturally, I asked Chat GPT (as you do) and he (yes, I call it a he) came up with 4 sections, which I will be answering in 4 corresponding blog posts...
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Section 1: Film and Identity
1 - What was the first film that made me fall in love with cinema?
Okay so the first film I can remember caring the most about was Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. I started my film journey way before this, but this was a film that sparked my deeper interest in film, and specifically film scores and soundtracks.
For me, especially now, the soundtrack is a HUGE part of film. If it has a great soundtrack, I'm statistically more likely to enjoy it, and Fellowship of the Ring in 2001 was one of the first soundtracks I truly immersed myself in, starting off my love of both film and their scores.
2 - What does film mean to me personally?
Film means the world to me. It fills my mind constantly, and I'm listening to soundtrack scores like 95% of the time. I have a big collection, and it's always the first thing to be unboxed (much to sister's chagrin). I keep a list, so that collection can grow, because in this ever-growing digital world, I'm adamant to keep my Blu-Rays around.
3 - Do you watch films for escapism, emotion or craft? Or all three?
I think if I answered this question when I first started out on a film journey, I would say escapism. It's what we all say right? Especially with fantasy. You're escaping into a different world, or into your favourite book. If you go to a cinema as well, it's 1-2 hours where you can escape that bad day you've had and just spend the time thinking and immersing yourself in something else.
There are some films I know that ellicit emotion from me. In my older, wisdomous 34 years, I'm starting to cry more at things - not sure if anyone else has experienced that? If I know I need a cry, I'll go straight to particular films, but if I just want the escape, I'll go somewhere else.
Now though, I think I am looking at things more critically, and the more I watch a film, the more I notice about it, which is a testament to the craft itself. People who say they just watch films once I just can't fathom. Each to their own and everything, but I can't do that. There are so many ways to experience films, especially in the cinema, and you can't get that from just 1 viewing of it.
4 - Which film has shaped you the most as a person?
Oh god, there are just too many. If I had to pinpoint any, I'd go with the obvious one to start, and that is...
Star Wars. Yep, you all saw that coming. I saw it in the cinema with my aunt when I was maybe 8 or 9, and I was hooked since then. As a kid, Star Wars was just a fantastical space world that could have been possible outside of our known galaxy, and now that I'm older, the world-building within it as well its lore and mythology have grown exponentionally, now no longer restricted to the 3 original Star Wars films.
Next is Gladiator. Now, I didn't see this until maybe 2003, so I was 3 years behind the game in terms of experiencing it, but it's what's defined my musical passions. It's probably where my love of Hans Zimmer's music began. It's one of those ones that always makes the top 5 if people ask me, because of the power of the themes within the score - Hans wrote 19 themes within it (he told us at his concert last year). It's also the film I regret not seeing in the cinema - as I wasn't old enough - but I was lucky enough to see it at the Royal Albert Hall last year, which definitely counts, especially with a live orchestra accompaniment, so I can check that box now, finally.
And lastly, I think I'll say Titanic. It scared the living daylights out of me, but it certainly piqued my interest in and around the Titanic itself. Although Rose and Jack aren't real, you still saw a personal story happening within a historic disaster, which adds extra emotion. I remember running in and out of the dining room where my parents were watching it, not able to stand the perilous situation at all. Again, not old enough to have seen it in the cinema, and still haven't yet, but Cineworld always do throwback cinema weekends, so they'll have to include Titanic in 2027... with its 30 year release!
5 - What kind of stories will always pull you in?
Big, epic stories will always pull me in. Superhero movies will always pull me in. Fantasy will always pull me in. Anything scored by Hans Zimmer will always pull me in.
I don't hate films to be honest. My parents have noticed that if i don't like a film, I'll say it's alright and if I don't particularly like it, I'll still find a reason to watch it again... Netflix christmas films, for example, inherently crap, but they're so cheesy you can't help but love them.
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So there we have it. Film and identity, and what films means to me... the perfect start to a film lover's blog, but stay tuned for section 2, which is cinema habits! Very important...!
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