E.T.
Question for film buffs... Page 2
Frankenstein?
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Quote: Lazzard @ March 29 2012, 11:49 AM BSTLooking for examples of films where the story of the 'big' character is told through another's eyes..
Conan the Barbarian.
Quote: Lazzard @ March 29 2012, 11:49 AM BST..i.e. where the protagonist isn't actually the person who the story's about..
Oh..
Quote: Lazzard @ March 29 2012, 11:49 AM BST..if you get my drift.
Ummm.. errr.. no I don't.
Thanks for all the responses.
The reason I ask is that you often end up with a passive protagonist in these situations - and that's hard to do well.
Another one that comes to mind is 'Brideshead Rervisited'.
The protagonist is the rather passive Charles Ryder, whereas the story is 'about' Sebastian and the Marchmain family - they're are the interesting bit.
Charles arc is tiny compared to the events that surround him - something you often get in novels - not so much in films.
Same with "Withnail & I" - and to a certain extent "My weekend with Marilyn".
The project I have in mind is bit huge, and I've been putting it off for years - so I'm dreading starting in the wrong place!
Thanks.
One of the most interesting films I've ever watched is Lolita (the 90s version was a masterpiece), which employs the novel's narrative viewpoint. So you have the protaganist narrating his story but the subject of the story is Lolita, which is the complete opposite to most film examples mentioned above where the secondary character is just narrating the story of the protagonist.
Although the narrating character in those movies has much more air time than the protagonist, becoming the 'main character', they still aren't the protagonist, it's important to remember. In the Third Man, Harry Lime was hardly in it, although he was the clear protagonist. In Spielberg's brilliant Duel, we never even saw the protagonist, just the lorry/truck he drove.
Several good points - thanks.
I'm thinking voice-over more and more at the moment.
"Sunset Boulevard" is another I just thought of while writing this.
So, a historical drama, with a weak protagonist, voice-over and a deal of flashback.
Could I make this thing any more un-buy-able?
Quote: Lazzard @ March 30 2012, 12:15 PM BSTSo, a historical drama, with a weak protagonist, voice-over and a dealof flashback.
Could I make this thing any more un-buy-able?
Well, Big Fish got made and that must've looked as unbuyable on paper, yet it's never been out of the IMDB top 250 I don't think.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ March 30 2012, 12:29 PM BSTWell, Big Fish got made and that must've looked as unbuyable on paper, yet it's never been out of the IMDB top 250 I don't think.
I can see you're a glass half-full kinda' guy.
I shall take that positivity and use it later!
Not wanting to derail the thread, but there's a school of thought that says that any work of creative art is actually about the artist who created it.. that any creative work is essentially a self-portrait, be it a book, a film, a painting, etc.
It's a thought.
Quote: Stylee TingTing @ March 30 2012, 3:44 PM BSTNot wanting to derail the thread, but there's a school of thought that says that any work of creative art is actually about the artist who created it.. that any creative work is essentially a self-portrait, be it a book, a film, a painting, etc.
It's a thought.
On one level that's probably true.
All I know is a film aint a film until someone shoots it.
Sadly.
Hugely confused about exactly what you are looking for so I will just throw some films out and you can decide if they are what you are looking for or not - Shadowlands, Legends of the Fall, Apocalypse Now, The Usual Suspects, 13 days, Schindler's List, 24 hour party people... That's it. Good luck.
Quote: Pechman @ April 9 2012, 2:31 PM BSTHugely confused about exactly what you are looking for
Join the club, mate.
I think 'Being There' Woody Allen, ticks all your boxes?...
Quote: dellas @ April 9 2012, 4:14 PM BSTI think 'Being There' Woody Allen, ticks all your boxes?...
A little confused at your reference, if I'm being totally honest.