Film Theory

In the midst of preparing to write a paper for film class I am reminded of why, about two years ago, I threw my hands up in disgust and left university for the promise of a brighter future in the real world. Of course, that future never materialized, so about 7 months ago I threw my hands up in disgust and headed back to school.

I started off with a class in Environmental Ethics, where we sat around and discussed - in a room isolated from the world - issues of arguably global importance. This lulled me into a false sense of actually enjoying university again, luring me back to university for the year to finish my degree.

My Film Studies degree. This bears some resemblance to my summer class - in that it takes place in a room isolated from the world. But to makes things more interesting we're now discussing things which aren't of any importance except inside that classroom.

Without devolving into an overly long, esoteric discussion about my renewed disillusionment with university education, suffice it to say that my disillusionment with university education has been renewed. I am tired of reading self-important tangental tirades about comparable, contrasting and opposed binaries. I am tired of being told by one person how millions of audience members from around the world will and already have responded to very specific details in a given film. I am sick and tired of reading flawed searches for a mathematical formula to film analysis which does not exist. 2 + 2 = 4, but a blue filter and a quick pan do not objectively equal anything. Arguments can be made for authorial intention, and audience interpretation, but it will never be definitive and never can be. And even if it could, should I, or anyone else care?

No film has, to the best of my knowledge, ever had a significant, lasting impact on the world. I would love to be corrected on this. I'm not holding my breath.



Of course, ultimately, these objections don't matter. It's too late for me to drop out without losing $3500. B.A. Film Studies, minors History and Philosophy, here I come.

Only 8 weeks of class left.

I need a new plan.