The Artist (2011)

Going into this film, I expected it to be an adjustment compared to more modern films that have diegetic sound. It was definitely a different experience from watching a film with sound, but the music that acts as a commentary to whatever's happening and it helps keep you hooked on the story. The film is set in the late 1920s, and follows Peppy and George, with Her rise to fame with the development of sound in film, and his fall from fame as a result of it. I like the irony that the silent film tells the story of a fictional silent film star falling from fame as sound makes its way into films. Although the story is fictional, it has roots in truth and a lot of silent film stars didn't continue in the industry after sound was made possible. The plot is easy to follow, and the characters are likeable so the audience is interested in what is happening to them. Furthermore, the audience is satisfied with the ending, which I think is a nice conclusion to the story.

My main criticisms of the film is that the story itself, is very predictable. This might be a result of its context of silent cinema, As a modern audience I'm used to story conventions that are used in film now and that developed from stories told in Cinema's history. A lot of tropes and conventions are re-used over and over again which make a lot of films predictable. While I understand that The artist might do this on purpose, that doesn't make it more enjoyable to watch from a modern perspective. The film uses a lot of techniques that originated from the silent era, for example the use of black and white image or use of title cards to narrate the story. These techniques enhance the film and enhance the fact that it is silent. However, One of the conventions of silent film is over-acting in order to show emotion effectively. This is not something featured in the artist, which I admire because it means its more accessible to its modern audience. If there weren't enough modern conventions people would recognise it enough and therefore wouldn't be interested in watching the film.

I wouldn't say it was my favourite film, but it was mildly enjoyable. The story was enjoyable and I liked the characters, however the film wasn't very exciting, so if you're a fan of action films, or more modern films, The artist might not be for you. I think it finds its audience in criticism, It was very much celebrated when it was first released and won a number of awards. All the right people liked the idea behind the film, so nobody cared whether it was actually entertaining or not. I did like some of the more comedic elements of the film though, the subtle irony throughout made it more enjoyable. I think one of my favourite scenes was where George destroys the reels of his old films, and sets them on fire. It is a very emotional scene and its lack of diegetic sound doesn't make it lesser. The music adds to the dramatic effect and amplifies the character's experience for the audience.

The idea behind the artist, to make a film that celebrated the history of cinema, was great. The final product just wasn't interesting enough to be very entertaining.