Bazin Reading: The evolution of film language

This article took me a moment to get acclimated to the language, but I found it to be a very refreshing read. The author considers film as an art rather than an industry for profit, and highlights various techniques employed by filmmakers to create impactful theatrical moments. Bazin begins with the assertion that filmmakers in 1920-1940 either “put their faith” in image or in reality. The technique of parallel editing allows for two actions in separate spaces to be happening at the exact same time. One of the more fascinating points to this article was when the author speaks about metaphors in film and the association of ideas. No meaning exists in an image itself; rather, meaning is constructed in the viewer’s mind based on context. For example, Bazin uses the image of girls and flowering apple trees to mean “hope”. The author also highlights the difference between showing and telling, and when each is appropriate. Rather than using a montage scene to represent the passing of time, showing the full length of an event can be equally as effective if not more so, depending on context.