What makes for a perfect film?

[Paralyzer Z]

There are those movies that will forever be considered classics, from all the way back to the Wizard of OZ (1939), all the way to Rocky(1976), we always hear about them and how great they are. The question is Why? Now I am not in anyway criticizing these movies that are considered the greatest because chances are I have not seen a majority of them (like Citizen Kane or Gone with the Wind) but what truly separates them from all the other films in the industry? Is it the plot or it's level of creativity? Is it the acting, or the action? Is it how funny it is, or how emotionally invested you get into to it? Has there ever been a truly perfect movie? I have learned a lot about the industry within the past year due to research and find the history of it very interesting. let the movie debate begin!

Has there ever been a perfect movie?

What is the most important element in making a classic motion picture?

What do you look for in a movie that in your opinion would be a classic?

 

[GrandSword]

Sometimes all the planets align and you get a movie that hits all the right notes.

Casting, script, direction, lighting, props/costumes, score, editing/pacing etc. A great movie is the sum of all these parts.

Although I'm not in the industry some of my friends are and usually they say when you see a good to great movie, it is usually when the studios/ producers don't get involved and trust the Director and the Writer's visions.

Has there ever been a perfect movie?

I think this is all a matter of opinion and what you as a viewer take into account as being important. I can say my favourite movie is probably Raiders of the Lost Ark. I love action movies and this one is a smart, entertaining ride all the way. It is fantastically shot and amazingly cast. The pacing of the movie works wonderfully and I'm invested in all the characters. Is it a perfect movie? Well it's as close as one gets I think.

Some of the others I think are up there are The Terminator, Aliens, The Dark Knight, Momento, Fight Club, Blade Runner, Interview with a Vampire and the Empire Strikes Back. But of course I love Sci Fi and action and these are probably not the same for everyone.

What is the most important element in making a classic motion picture?

I'd have to say it's the Director. He is the one who pulls it all together and leads the orchestra. As you can see above from my favourites, Directors like Spielberg, David Fincher, Niel Jordan, Chris Nolan, James Cameron and my favourite Ridley Scott put together amazing pieces of cinema.

What do you look for in a movie that in your opinion would be a classic?

The story is always the most important part I guess, but if you are going with the word "look" then I guess it is how the visuals are repesented on screen. Take Blade Runner for example, just a visually stunning expereince from start to finish and was done on a very tight budget and without CGI etc. that is used today. The Director is the key to this so when it comes to what I look for, it is the actual world in which the story takes place makes a classic... and that goes for all considered a "classic" likes those you mentioned such as Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane etc.

I'll use... ahhh... Tron: Legacy as an example... not an amazing story, but the visuals are so good, you can excuse the script to some extent, and walk away happy you saw the film...

Of course these are my opinions as you asked OP.

Cheers!

GS

 

[Davi323]

What makes a perfect film? Scarlett Johanssen getting naked in it.

barring that, a perfect film needs to excel at multiple aspects of filmmaking. It needs to be visually striking, have great acting, and have an excellently told story. It needs to tug at your emotions, and make you want to talk about the film afterwards with your friends.

I don't know if I have ever seen a perfect movie, but I can tell you a movie that I think comes fairly close. The Godfather.

Visually striking? Yep. It's a vivid recreation of the time in which it was set.

Have great acting? Yep. Brando, Pacino, Duvall and Caan. (okay, maybe not so much Caan).

Great story? Yep. It's one of the few movies in which it can arguably be the equal to or better than the book upon which it was based.

Tug at your emotions? Yep, but not for the reasons others do. The thing is, the Godfather is really a giant brain fuck. Michael Corleone, as the obvious protagonist, is set up in situations that make you want to root for him. He defies his father and enlists in the army, he does everything he can to avoid being dragged into the "family business"...so, you want to like the guy for trying to do the right thing. And then, something happens. After Vito Corleone is shot, Michael develops an edge. He gets darker. It's subtle, not so obvious at first, but by the end, the guy is using his child's baptism as an alibi for his ordering the executions of the other mafia Dons that pissed him off. By the end, Michael is most definitely a villain...but he is treated as the hero, idolized by many. (Kind of like the way lots of people cheered when Hannibal Lecter was escaping in Silence of the Lambs)

Actually, now that I mention it, Silence of the Lambs is also a movie that probably comes pretty close to my stated definition of what would make a perfect movie too...

 

[Dagger Dias]

Everyone is going to have different opinions on what a classic or perfect film is. I personally look for a number of things. A cast that are talented in their acting roles is a must. Bad actors can ruin even the most epic story. A great storyline is also important. I need memorable characters and moments in order to want to watch a film more than once. Finally, it needs a happy ending. In my opinion sad endings ruin the entire film. I'm sure people will disagree there, but when I want to be entertained, which is the reason why I watch movies, I don't want to see something that makes me cry. I want action, adventure, heroes defeating villains to save their damsel, some funny and awesome moments along the way, leading up to a happy ending. Cliffhangers are tolerable if a sequel is meant to be spawned. A good soundtrack never hurts either.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

I have never seen a perfect movie, but for lack of trying... Admittedly I can be a bit of a harsh critic, but I don't think one exists. There are several amazing movies - truly ground-breaking. A+, Five Star, and "two thumbs up" movies? Sure! But every classic has something than can be perfected. Everything can improve...

There's a variety of pieces that have to all go smoothly to make a great movie, but the number one thing that needs to be as near-perfect as possible is the story being presented. The Harry Potter movies have some flaws in acting, sometimes directing, and the occasional slip in logic that doesn't quite live up to Rowling's novels...but the story presented is excellent throughout the series. If you don't have a decent plot, it doesn't matter who is acting it out...nobody is going to want to watch it!

I think casting is also of great importance. You can develop an amazing script, but if you don't get just the right person for the part, it can fall flat. Some movies that are decent, but could be on a whole different level get held back simply by the actors in it. And I'm not talking just an actor's experience or charisma on-screen, I'm talking their look and ability to fit a part. I once saw a play, Mother Courage I believe, in which the one, odd little girl who never spoke a single word until the very end was the best part of the nearly three hour long production! It was because she fit the role, looked, sounded, and had the ability to make you believe she was really that character, and not some teenager playing the part.

It's all about putting the pieces together to tell a masterpiece of a story. I don't go to the theater to see explosions or pretty effects...which is frustrating when a movie relies solely on those gimmicks - I go to be moved. I go to see a plot unfold that will wrap me in its characters and deliver me at the end with some sort of closure. You figure out how to do that, and it doesn't matter which particular aspects of your product are the best...I'll watch it.