The Bridge of Awe

"Art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self."

-Jean-Luc Godard













Movies for art or movies for entertainment; it's an impossible conundrum.  Jean-Luc Godard despises mainstream films.  He feels the studio systems in his native France and Hollywood shackle directors, making them no more than anonymous cogs in the meat grinder.  The catalyst behind the French New Wave was for the director to author their own film; to create art as an act of love.  Love in film is expressed through the mending of acting, photography, music and editing. This is a nice and prim view of film from a cinephile's standpoint.  Too bad parents don't share this same vantage point; on a Saturday afternoon with their screaming brood they're just looking for quick entertainment.  Even if it cost $30, momentary silence is priceless.  When Michael Bay's latest deafening, pyroshow disguised as a movie grosses a billion dollars worldwide or a sentient raccoon headlines a multi-million dollar blockbuster, what does love have to do with it?  Don't get me wrong, I love seeing a walking, talking, gun-toting raccoon as much as the next guy but the hotel scene in Godard's Breathless is one of my all-time favorite scenes.  Casual moviegoers do not just live for spectacle; people still desire to see romantic comedies, thrillers and the buzz-worthy indie film.  There's also nothing wrong with a film snob who devours Lars von Trier's filmography but still loves chowing down on some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action.  The chasm between artistry and entertainment is bridged by awe. 

Growing up, we are forced to abandon our imaginations; those wonderful playgrounds of awe.  Movies represent a yearning to see something grand.  It can be hard to relate to Superman; after all, he crushes bullets with his eye.  He's an alien who flies through the sky and shoots lasers from his eyes.  For all intents and purposes, he's a god in Earth's atmosphere.  Relating to Superman isn't at the top of most people's list when watching him, audiences want to be in awe of him.  It's not just superheroes: It's one man fighting a hoard of terrorists while trapped in a skyscraper; it's two detectives racing against time to stop a killer obsessed with the seven deadly sins; it's three women teaming up to take down their cheating lover.  Critical or artistic merit aside, film reveals our uncontrolled id, the shadow self.  If imagination is the vision of tomorrow, art is the looking glass.  Film opens the door to our true self and with 50 Shades of Grey around the corner, this is a scary proposition.