As I am visiting my smart parents, I don’t have my usual responsibilities after my smart boys are in bed. So I get to relax (usually only in 20 minute segments though) and enjoy all that dish network has to offer (that is when I am not making wedding cakes, finishing paintings, planning flowers, or other things). From this cinematic experience, I have gleaned a profound truth...
Almost all love story movies- follow the same basic recipe (and yes I will expose the secret here on the internet)
The movie begins with boy and girl meeting, but some circumstance prevents them from immediately forming a lasting relationship
(Here is where the bulk of the variations come in...bad first impression, misunderstanding, pride, other relationship entanglements, societal pressures, parental disapproval, ugliness, one sided attraction, or the ever common friendship to love)
the movie progresses (usually the couple is thrown together numerous times, often through unfortunate incidents which bond them together, there is the exchange of are longing looks, flirtation, the intentional touches as they pass, etc)
and the movie begins to wrap up with one party doing some grand gesture, or embarrassing act, and making some speech in which they profess their love for the other
(usually to buy 20 minutes the movie does not end here)- the receiving party is holding some offense and ignores the act/speech- only moments later to be overcome by the true sincerity of the act and proceeds to chase after the first person. They eventually kiss and the camera pans around them in circles?? The question I ask is it essential that see them kiss from all angles?? I really don’t get the point of the spinning- I don’t feel like I am spinning when I kiss someone- that is unless I am kissing them on some sort of amusement park ride where I am indeed spinning)
Really I don’t know how they get people pay $9.50 to see all these variations on a theme, especially when they are cheesy, poorly acted, or so implausible (like that movie the lake house- advertised lately- haven’t seen it- but come on people in love in with each other in different time? That’s a big stretch for me)
Maybe I should be a screenwriter...
I heard once that there are only 14 stories in the world, or maybe it was 21. It was some variable of seven. Anyways, no wonder so many of these movies start to look the same.
ReplyDeleteI think Jane Austen can be blamed for four of those story lines, and Shakespeare for at least seven more.
I just wonder how often some author writes up some book, play, screen-play, has someone read it and discovers---this story has already been written exactly. I bet it happens a lot. There are only so many ways you can tell it.
ReplyDeleteI can see where you're coming from, but do you think your love of Bollywood may have skewed your perception a bit? ;)
ReplyDelete