WHY DO WE WATCH MOVIES?

The following content is a transcript of the video essay of the same name from the youtube channel CINEMA BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT ( Link). 

I urge you all to first read this essay and if you found it not-so-interesting then watch the video. The purpose of this whole exercise is to provide you an insight into the art called cinema and the reason behind out attachment (and obsession as well) to it. 

So why do we watch movies?

When the avenues of entertainment have become more diverse than ever, 
When the next cool thing is just one click away, 
When the social media is allowing us to be the hero of our own story, 
When buying a movie ticket can cost more than a week’s grocery and you don’t even know how that movie will turn out, 

Then why do we watch movies?

We watch movies because they can make us experience moments that are outside of our everyday lives, 
They allow us 
- to step in the shoes of a soldier and witness the horrors of war,
- Walk in the rain with a couple falling in love and 
- fly a plane to break the speed record.

Movies have the power to transport us from the prehistoric hunters and gatherers to futuristic space travellers

Movies provide commonality across all manner of divide and speak for those who don’t have a voice,
- We participate in Clarice’s fears and 
- celebrate Bhuvan’s winning shot and 
- when Wiesler puts on his headphones we all turn into an unintended voyeur.

We watch movies because movies matter! 
because 
- they let us relate to other people 
- they let us suspend our disbelief,
- they inspire us , scare us,
- make us laugh , cry, dream, question. 

but most important of all, movies make us empathise. movies allow us an opportunity to look at human beings with all of their flaws and still accept them. 

As Bergman (Ingmar Bergman, Swedish film director) has said, “no form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to out emotions, deep into the twilight room of the soul” 

Now, if cinema is such a powerful medium then it is important for us to understand and watch movies more critically and be an active recipient of it so that we get the most out of it. Because when we understand the nuances of a medium, we can enjoy the most subtle moments within that medium. 

Watching movies critically and thoughtfully gives us better insights to deal with our social anxieties, broken heart and it helps us connect each other. 

Movies might not cure cancer or save millions of life but they definitely change them one conversation at a time. 
- the reason that girl in red coat in Schindler’s list is such a great symbol is because we all know what it’s like to be out there when someone is in grave difficulty fighting for their survival but we can’t do anything because we all are busy in our own survival. We’ve all felt that gut wrenching mix of sorrow and helplessness that Schindler feels as he stares out at that innocent girl walking through the massacre. Hence, by learning more about the oscar Schindler we get to learn about those people who came before us, those who are around us, those who are around us and most important of all, we learn about ourselves. 

So, the next time you go to watch a movie, go for your regular dose of entertainment. But for a few minutes, look at it as an opportunity, to discover what it is, to be human!

Some Movies mentioned in the video essay- 

- Taxi driver

- persona 

- shame

- barfi

- Schindler’s list

- blue is the warmest colour

- saving private ryan

- awaara

- the martian

- sairat

- aligarh 

- the silence of the lambs

- lagaan 

- the lives of the others

- chak de india

- psycho

- rang de basanti

- the wolf of wall street 

- masaan