The 2016 American comedy-drama film, Swiss Army Man, starring Daniel Radcliff as a farting corpse, has been denoted by many as a film about gender transitioning. This article could explore the symbolism and themes of the film to highlight different interpretations the film may have. Although Swiss Army Man is a relatively straight forward story, its interesting and slightly fantastical plot could be relate to a number of different societal issues. What do you think the meaning behind the film is?
Such films often provide good fodder for thought. Would make for a nice read. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
As a society, especially in the U.S., we love Christmas movies. Most of us grew up with "the classics," from Home Alone and Miracle on 34th Street to Rankin-Bass specials, A Christmas Story, and A Christmas Carol. Yet, the modern Christmas movie has positively exploded. Hallmark, for instance, has reams of them, which the public gobbles up every year.
Our enchantment with Christmas films has so influenced us that we even watch them in the middle of summer (see Hallmark's Gold Crown Christmas preview week/Christmas in July for examples). The question is, why have these films, specials, and so forth gripped us so tightly? Is it simply nostalgia and the need for something warm and happy, or is something else going on here? Has Christmas-based entertainment lost its edge, or has its year-round accessibility given it a new one?
Analyze the relationship of Jess and Jane in Bend it Like Beckham, is this the true relationship of the film? Is the relationship between them heterosexual or homosexual? Is the character of Joe created to enforce normal roles?
Interesting topic. Would help to clarify the proposed thesis: If the relationship is heterosexual, then does that suggest____? If homosexual, then ____? – Nate Océan8 years ago
Definitely a topic to be investigated, but perhaps be careful not to monopolize on this relationship as homosexual or heterosexual, but rather the reason Juliette's mother thought she was gay: the fact that she wasn't a girly girl and played soccer was a contributing factor. I think the underlining concern is not sexuality, but gender roles and expectations. While Juliette's mom tries helplessly to buy her daughter a pretty bra instead of a sports bra, Jess has to hide the fact that she is playing soccer because her family's Indian culture doesn't think it appropriate for a girl to be playing soccer. – Gaby7 years ago
Whoa-- mind blown. Never ever thought about it like this. This could be an outstanding topic to write about. – JulieCMillay7 years ago
A great soundtrack is so much more than just a collection of good songs. It can pull the story along while somehow effortlessly blending into the background. The right one often helps define a movie. Analyse the effect the much-recognised soundtracks had in such films as Forrest Gump, Drive, The Departed, Pulp Fiction, The Dark Knight and others.
Great topic! I would recommend choosing around three examples for clarity (one that works because of the score, one that doesn't work because of the score, one that is strengthened by the score). Also, score VS soundtrack, which did you mean? The score is in the film, the soundtrack is a supplementary collection, typically for advertising. – m-cubed8 years ago
Interesting topic...Would be great to do an analysis on animated movies vs live-action, and whether that plays a role in how important the soundtrack is??? – MikeySheff8 years ago
I buy soundtracks based on their content of music acquired by production. I have several soundtracks in my current Vinyl record collection. If you collect them always purchase VINYL RECORDINGS when available you will be glad you did. – WilliamBailey8 years ago
Amazing topic, I would look at live action and animated films, as well as the musical score and songs added into the movie because there can be a difference in the mood the two different types create -GingerSavvy – GingerSavvy7 years ago
As a musician, when the soundtrack is good I definitely have a bias towards the movie. I think the soundtrack definitely makes a difference. Of course, there are times where the acting and plot is not as good as the soundtrack as well. Because music is so important in films, it makes a big difference! – birdienumnum177 years ago
I would definitely agree on soundtracks making a great movie. Try focusing on the elements on why those soundtracks you listed are great. Just what is it about them that can resonate with a viewer and make a film truly memorable? – DanielMichael7 years ago
Sound production plays such a huge yet underappreciated role in film and TV, I would honestly love to see an article or essay written about it. Also possible use examples like the recent Lady Macbeth, or RAW, and other films which utilize extremely tight or sparing use of music. – Cat7 years ago
Have been waiting for someone to tackle this. Great, great topic. I personally believe film soundtracks can absolutely make or break films. There are so many avenues and arguments to explore about this idea. Hopefully someone writes about it. – JulieCMillay7 years ago
Analyse how representations of males and females differs through male gaze and female gaze. E.g. the comparison between male and female superheroes, and what is perceived to be the female gaze, e.g. perceptions of very muscular superheroes.
The very premise of these gendered cinematic gazes came from the landmark 1975 essay by Laura Mulvey, "Visual Pleasures and Narrative Cinema" (https://www.asu.edu/courses/fms504/total-readings/mulvey-visualpleasure.pdf). This would be necessary to cite in the final article for two reasons: 1) to ensure that the author has a thorough understanding of the theoretical concept/terminology in order to discuss it sufficiently; 2) to ensure that the final product not just be a rehash of her now forty-two year old argument. If there has been a noticeable shift in gaze in recent cinema, I recommend that be made the article's focus. – ProtoCanon7 years ago
This could be fascinating. It would be very important to note that the playing field isn't level in terms of the male/female gaze. What gets presented as "catering to the female gaze" is often just a male power fantasy which is assumed to appeal to women for superficial reasons (Superman, Wolverine, Sherlock, eg - not that these men do no appeal to women, but to draw a line between Superman and Harley Quinn would be a gross false equivalence). Additionally, films which are marketed squarely at women are often produced and directed by men (look at the directors of some of the most famous chick flicks of the last decade). – Cat7 years ago
Male dominance for long has suppressed the creative medium into an elaborate masculine fantasy. It is high time that the gender divide must end. Was wanting someone experienced to write about this for a long time. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
Plays are written to be watched rather than read; what is the effect when the text of the play is considered, rather than the performance itself? Do intricate stage designs prove an obstacle, or do they provide insight into something that would've been missed in the moment onstage?
This is a topic with potential. Could you provide some examples? – Munjeera7 years ago
I agree with Munjeera - a topic with a great deal of potential. Perhaps it might also be helpful to examine the difference between writing styles for plays written to be performed before an audience and those written for a radio performance. – Amyus7 years ago
Thank you both for your comments! Two examples I was particularly thinking of were Miss Julie by Strindberg, and Angela Carter's The Skriker. The first one has long, detailed set descriptions and stage directions, and I was just thinking about the effect of reading them vs. seeing them. Do we gain something with the time we can take to pore over the words, or do we lose something that would've only been there in the moment? In contrast, The Skriker is much more of an unreadable play. It's almost incomprehensible unless you're reading along to a performance, which is what I had to do when I read it for one of my classes. I wondered why it resisted reading that way, and again, what the difference might be in reading/struggling to read and watching. – Sohini7 years ago
Reading a play allows us to take a closer look at the text, which can definitely give us a better understanding of the themes that we might have missed while caught up in the immediacy of a performance. Of course there are many elements to a performance which add a lot, and can even allow for additional interpretations of a given play. In order to really understand a play as a literary text, however, I think it's necessary either to read the thing outright, or to see it enough times that one can become intimately acquainted with the writing. There are also a large number of plays that are difficult to perform, ie Faust which contains scenes such as Walpurgis Night/Walpurgis Night's Dream that are laden with fantastic and surreal imagery that would be impossible to replicate on stage. – Ben Woollard7 years ago
I would love to write about this topic since my Ph.D. is in theatre with a specialization in dramatic literature. – crleiter7 years ago
Reading Shakespeare is a major grouse for most school kids. Looking forward to read people's opinions on this topic. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
As an introvert, I can't help but think about my hidden talents and gifts. And as an advent comic book reader I couldn't help to review old comics like Jean Grey from X-men, The Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, and Batman. I'm sure I'm missing quite a few other heroes, but the connections are there and could be analzyed a bit further. For instance, how introverted superheroes are extremely sensitive, intelleigent, powerful, and, potentially, deadly beings/mutants. These superheroes can also encourage people who don't necessarily enjoy being social that they can explore and utilize their gifts and/or talents and should contribute these 'powers' to the greater society.
An extremely interesting topic. It's intriguing to wonder how a hero can be quite introverted, and have a greater effect on the surrounding world as well. It's a point to make that introverted characters may have extroverted personas, kind of like mask or 'another identity' that masks their inner one. Could make them ambiverts or really great actors. I'd want to explore the dynamics of lesser-known heroes as well. – HollyDavidson7 years ago
Essentially, most superheroes are introverts in their public lives in order for them to be able to maintain a balance between their multiple roles. A good topic which would make for an interesting read. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
Cancer is one of the most popular topics in literature, film, and television today. From Laurie McDaniel's teen romances centered on cancer, to My Sister's Keeper, to The Fault in Our Stars, cancer automatically generates gripping plots. Characters dealing with cancer instantly face huge stakes physically, mentally, and emotionally. Readers turn pages as fast as their fingers or e-readers will allow, eager to see if the heroes they are rooting for will make it to the end of the story.
However, the popularity of cancer raises some questions. Is the topic overused? Are characters with cancer truly three-dimensional, or have we gotten to the point where they are used as inspirations and little else? Do the high stakes associated with cancer actually turn readers and viewers away, and what could authors and directors do to keep the topic fresh? Explore these and any other related issues; the possibilities are endless.
Great topic. Also used in A Walk to Remember. – Munjeera7 years ago
Ahhhh! I can't believe I forgot that one! That would be an interesting one to explore because Nicholas Sparks wrote it as if the cancer was a big plot twist (which it is when you first read the book. Unlike in many instances, you don't know from the outset that Jamie is sick). – Stephanie M.7 years ago
Writing as someone who has experienced a cancer scare and has had two family members also undergo cancer treatment, I regard this topic to be highly relevant, especially with regard to our modern 'lifestyles'. However, the tendency to view cancer as the 'disease of the week' by some TV series and soap operas has lead it to be somewhat overused, plotwise. It's difficult to know what to suggest to any prospective author or director who may be considering covering this topic as everyone who has contracted cancer has a different story and a different way of dealing with it. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and as you quite rightly pointed out - the possibilities are endless. Just how far can we go without the exploration becoming too morbid or intrusive? The key, perhaps, is the person and not the disease. – Amyus7 years ago
I love your point. Yes, the media does tend to reduce cancer to the "disease of the week." We know a lot more about the cancer experience than we did in say, the '90s, when a sick or disabled character was only the focus of the occasional Very Special Episode. But despite our increased knowledge, I think we have embraced the idea that all cancer experiences are much the same. I'd love to see more characters with cancer who (1) Have lives/interests outside their diseases (2) Handle cancer in multifaceted ways and (3) Legitimately struggle with obstacles other than, "This disease may/is going to kill me." – Stephanie M.7 years ago
You could also explore the way cancer has been portrayed in other languages so as to get a more complete perspective of this global affliction. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
Do you, by chance, have suggestions for world literature that deals with this topic? :) – Stephanie M.7 years ago
Extractor. Architect. Forger. Chemist. Christopher Nolan's transposition of recognisable careers into his film demonstrates how successful world-building can be founded upon the subversion of respectable professions into elements of a criminal network. While casual viewers may not realise these terms are associated with each character in the film, the components that make each one recognisable or relatable are integral to the overall plot. Does each 'profession' occupied by these characters show a darker side of these common, everyday jobs?
Wonderful topic! It would be great to have an additional insight into what was essentially a path-breaking complex film. – Vishnu Unnithan7 years ago
The TV show modern family appears to be a dramatised portrayal of a dysfunctional family. The show although, appears to focus a great deal on the need for adaptation to the various changes in social constructs especially in relation to family dynamics. Does modern family replicate the struggles that people come across today? How are we reacting to these rapid changes? Is modern family able to indeed create a parallel between TV and Reality?
Whereas piracy seems to have been effectively policed in other western countries, Australia just can't seem to get it under control. In a time when social media makes spoilers too accessible, is it surprising that Australia remains one of the hotspots for illegal downloading. Furthermore, in today's day and age, is there any reason that movies would be released at a later time in Australia than they would be in other countries?
There's definitely room in here for somebody to talk about licensing fees. Technology has evolved too fast for laws to keep up, and the people who have the power to remedy the issue don't know how. This could be a really interesting topic to cover - I know i'd like to read about it. – smoldoggo7 years ago
Great topic suggestion. Suggest looking at current legislation at the Commonwealth Level, what are the gaps, what are other countries doing to combat this etc. – mattcarlin7 years ago
It might also be interesting to balance this subject with a mention of the obscene level of profit made by Hollywood, surely an incentive for many to illegally download media. – Amyus7 years ago
Such an interesting topic to address, definitely worth the amount of research! (it would need a lot to establish a reputable stance on it) – JulieCMillay7 years ago
Sci-Fi television has seen its fanbase grow immensely over the past decade. Many shows such as Doctor Who and Supernatural have an intense cult following on the Internet, which has only existed since the advent of Tumblr. Now, these same fans are flocking to old shows like Firefly and fueling their obsessions through binge-watching. How have the same Sci-Fi shows had different effects on viewers depending on whether they grew up watching them weekly or discovered them for the first time as an adult (or teenager)? And how has the Internet and social media influenced a new generation of Sci-Fi lovers?
As a young viewer, the entrenched messages and the profoundness of the story line I believe tends to hold a subdued stance. An adult may find more practical value in the artistry, the potential, and the timelessness of the substance behind the entire production. An interesting point, hope to read it soon. – lofreire7 years ago
I find this topic interesting and worthy of investigation, but I'm unclear on how exactly one can go about evaluating the central question. The way I see it, there are really only two options: anecdotal evidence (which makes for a weak argument) or conducting extensive research interviews (which is, quite frankly, too much work for a typical Artifice-level article). If there is a third route, I'd be happy to be proven wrong; I just think it would just be a shame to see this good topic wasted in the event that the prospective author should choose the former. – ProtoCanon7 years ago
Interesting topic. I think there's definitely scope to look at if and why the timing of when you are exposed to something might have a more pronounced effect in the science fiction genre than in other genres. I suppose it might be something to do with the degree of foreign-ness of the subject matter. For example, I might have a different/more difficult time trying to get a friend to watch old star trek episodes with me, than i would trying to get the same friend to watch Gilmore Girls with me. If I grew up with both and loved both, but she did not grow up with either, I wonder if and why one may be more accessible than the other for my friend as an adult. I would be curious to see what kind of research there is out there on this in terms of genres and the effect of growing up with shows from particular genres such as science fiction, as opposed to finding them later in life. It's an interesting topic, I look forward to seeing what happens with it! – HRadford7 years ago
The 1960s overflowed with social injustices, civil rights, and the Vietnam War. The civil rights movement and the Vietnam War took center stage. Activists exercised democracy in action, demonstrating their rights under the First Amendment. These protests were breeding grounds that forged a path to songs by musicians with a social conscience. Protest songs of the 60s were instrumental in shaping domestic policy. "Times They are a Changin", by Bob Dylan became a theme song of the civil rights movement. "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire influenced legislators to reduce the voting age to 18 with the line, "You're old enough to kill, but not for votin". Jimi Hendrix's solo, spell binding guitar rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" at Woodstock was symbolized to be the most influential protest song of the 60s. What other songs contributed to change in America by utilizing American values?
I would recommend looking into Peter, Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger and others who collaborated with them for more on this topic. – LisaM8 years ago
It doesn't get any more accurate or pointed than Dylan's "Masters of War," or "Only a Pawn in Their Game." Dylan just added another trophy - the Nobel - to his shelf, by the way. Not bad for a guy who couldn't get a band in high school. – Tigey8 years ago
This topic would make a great regular column. There's so much ground to cover. Practically limitless, really. – albee8 years ago
Absolutely! I felt this way, but had to put the brakes on. – Lorraine8 years ago
To quote the seagulls from "Finding Nemo, "Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine." This should be fun. – Tigey8 years ago
This would be interesting to hear more about. Many American think of Creedence when it comes to Vietnam "era" music. I would like to know about other pieces that impacted the movement and vice-versa. – dekichan8 years ago
This topic is a very good topic, it could even make a great column. – jhennerss7 years ago
Very interesting topic. You might need to define pop music a little more specifically. Look into Tom Lehrer, a musician famous for his satirical songs about the Cold War. My favorite is a song about Wernher von Braun. – Jennifer Waldkirch7 years ago
I think this topic needs to be examined more critically. For instance, singing about social justice in and of itself does not make the world more just. Holding individuals and institutions accountable in legal terms is what can further the cause of social justice. In fact, baby boomers of this generation have been criticized for leaving the world in the greatest states of inequality since the French Revolution. Both the links below extrapolate on the topic of baby boomers and social justice. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/07/generation-y-pay-price-baby-boomer-pensions http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/john-izzo/baby-boomer-legacy_b_2665590.html It would actually be fair to argue the opposite of the topic which is that the music did not further any social justice cause at all. Social justice is more than singing "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Given that in some countries the majority of people do not celebrate Christmas, there could actually be a topic written on how some "social justice" songs actually reveal an "us and them" ethnocentric attitude by the West. Perhaps the topic could be described in the opposite sense of how music reflected the times rather than the other way around. John Lennon received an enormous amount of criticism for many actions and ideas which are acceptable as normal behaviour today. Also keep in mind that many people who fought the social justice fight gave up their lives and experienced incarceration. It was the people of the time, not necessarily the music, who created change in the world. Were musicians just taking the cues from people who sacrificed much to achieve freedoms we all enjoy in the world today? Did the times influence the music or the other way around? I would be open to hearing any responses on this topic. – Munjeera7 years ago
Reports on successful steps taken to influence political leaders would be both interesting and useful. – Delan7 years ago
A look into the plain English writing movement and how this has impacted newspapers, and social media as well as academic, professional and contemporary writing.
Has the plain English writing movement improved writing standards and expectations?
Or has is simplified and 'dumbed' down writing skills such as comprehension and interpretation?
I did update this but it didn't work.
Plain English (or layman's terms) is a style of communication that uses easy to understand, plain language with an emphasis on clarity, brevity, and avoidance of overly complex vocabulary. The movement began in the 1970's to improve legal documents. The purpose was to remove the confusion to the layperson because of the obscurities of the style of writing. Fast forward to today and we are seeing organisation who's sole purpose is to teach anyone involved in writing documents or online content how to write in layman's terms. The movement has penetrated universities, government and others. – mattcarlin7 years ago
I think that depends on what/why you are writing. Plain language is less precise, and is often less poetic and eloquent (although not always- I'm thinking writers like Hemingway). That said, it makes the writing accessible to a larger population. Personally, I find it frustrating that many people would rather have easy content than improve their comprehension abilities, but it's undeniable that in certain circumstances plain English is for the best. There is probably an argument to be made that overuse could lead to an increasing lack of intellectual acuity in the content and in the readers, as well. – Ben Woollard7 years ago
Oooh, there are so many different angles to approach this from. I'd recommend a sociolinguistic one for the reason that form VS function, linguistic shift etc are easier to frame and explore if you look at it from the perspective of how language is commonly used. The prescriptive VS descriptive debate is a longstanding one and there will be a lot of literature on the topic to wade through, but otherwise, should be fascinating to read and write about. – Cat7 years ago
Does setting a word count goal block the creative process or does it push us beyond our accepted limitations? Many writers will sit down and write so many words a day, all in the name of the perfect length novel. But does needing a certain amount of words create a certain amount of rubbish? How many of those words were really necessary? On the other hand, those who tend to overwrite might be cutting excess words with the help of a proper word count, using it to determine where they got a little carried away. When are word counts useful? What is their effect on progress? Who might find it troublesome or helpful and how so?
Very good topic. I would suggest for the writer who picks this up to look into requirements for getting published in the different genres i.e. Science Fiction and fantasy word count requirements vary from historical romance and so on.
It would be worthwhile investigating this for research into the article. – mattcarlin7 years ago
You make a good point. What's the point of setting a word count, marching through it with gritted teeth, only to end up deleting half of it in editing? It's very frustrating when all that hard work goes down the drain, but I think reaching a word count target can be comforting when you're trying to convince yourself that you can do it at all. It might seem like a dream to finish a novel, but setting that concrete 50,000 word goal lets you divide that into manageable pieces. And even if the end result is not its best, at least by the end you know you can actually do it. You've proved to yourself that you're capable. As long as the word count is taken as a guideline instead of a rule, I think it can be quite useful, at least for those still gaining confidence in their endurance in the writing process. – Sohini7 years ago
There are two kinds of guardians of the galaxy. The first is portrayed in the movie with Starlord, Gamorra, Groot and Rocket. The other guardians are portrayed in the game Destiny. Memes have been circulated on social media lately hypothesising which group of guardians are the coolest. Destiny, you and a fire team take on hoards of enemies and constantly take on boss levels to push back the darkness and restore the travellers light. In the movie, a band of four misfits come together to stop tyrants from taking over or destroying the galaxy. A critical reflection of our humanistic desire for good to overcome evil – who would you prefer to fight this battle for you?
*Orange is the New Black* released its latest season this month, and it struck me the way the program continues one trend — to humanize and rationalize the criminality of the inmates. Like Piper, who is written as a hapless entrant to the Litchfield Pen., it seems as if each inmate is offered a flashback account of poverty, racism, LGBTQ bigotry, and bad luck that result in incarceration. In this season, explicitly focused on the inhuman treatment of the inmates and the dehumanizing treatment of Poussey's death, this narrative choice is especially potent. Yet, there's also the occasional lapse in the narrative — like when instead of killing and dismembering a hitman-guard an inmate enslaves another or dreams of eating human flesh. How effective is the humanizing narrative in this season and cumulatively in *OITNB*? Is the narrative goal for viewers to understand the prison system to be horrid, in part because the inmates are mostly undeserving of incarceration?
I too found the message to also be a little inconsistent. Were they still trying to be sympathetic? Were their terrible actions on (mostly) innocent people justifiable in the writer's eyes? (especially considering how many of the inmates never cared about Poussey) Still, it was refreshing to see a darker, more complex OitNB. The series was starting to get cartoonish. Every inmate was a victim of circumstance (even if they did something terrible it was always somebody else's fault), while every guard and person outside the prison were villains. It just added a level of realism that when these people were put in charge of the prison, they were no better (amd in a lot of cases worse) than the guards they hated (it might also be a good idea to use the Stanford Prison Experiment as a parallel). – AGMacdonald7 years ago
To what extent do you think a writer's experience (life, personal, certain events) shapes their fictional work? I always like to ponder what aspects of a fictional piece is relatable or true to the author. Of course their are many reasons that shape an authors work, whether it be inspiration from other pieces of work, a dream which has expanded into a novel, or just a thought that popped into their head. If you write fictional pieces, can you see pieces of your life experience sewed into them?
I think this is a fundamental truth in fiction writing. No matter how detached the author is from the character/situation there will always be some residue of the authors experiences and life choices that subconsciously find their way into the work. – ReidaBookman7 years ago
I think this connection is sort of inevitable in any writing. This is why the separation of art and artist can be so difficult for some. In the same way, I think many writers, (including myself) use writing as a form of personal therapy. – wcbraymen7 years ago
It depends on the topic of fiction, but ultimately writers can attach themselves to the characters, the story line, the setting and the morals of the fictional work, especially if they are writing in a form that is appealing and truthful to themselves, consciously and subconsciously. – HollyDavidson7 years ago
Love this topic. I find it hard to write anything fictional without relating it back to my life and experiences in some way. I don't believe an author can truly be 100% detached from anything they write, and if they are, there's no magic. – CarliStas6 years ago
Analyze video games such as Mass Effect, The Witcher, GTA, or any modern video gaming series that enables players to chose the outcome of the match, with long-lasting consequences in vein to real life, then suggest ways this technology could improve in future titles.
Don't forget to mention that some games can also carry consequences into their sequels (like Dragon Age). I think it would be interesting if we could use this system to create a game like Dungeons and Dragons, which offers the closest to actual freedom than any game (board of video) has previously offered. – AGMacdonald7 years ago
We have already published three articles on this topic: https://the-artifice.com/bioshock-and-the-illusion-of-choice-in-gaming/ -- and -- https://the-artifice.com/life-is-strange-the-illusion-of-choice-part-ii/ -- and -- https://the-artifice.com/video-games-morality-choice/ – Misagh7 years ago
This would be interesting to research. A basic understanding of how games are coded and structured would probably help, I know that how player choice runs is different from game to game, and different companies often develop a kind of trademark use of the feature. Bioware and 2k would both make good case studies. – Cat7 years ago
Filmmaking is a business. Hollywood knows that, and so does the general population. For a long time, Hollywood has been ensuring guaranteed hits by extending already existing popular franchises. This would traditionally take the form of a sequel like Die Hard 2; Mad Max 2; Terminator 2 (you get where I am going with this), but in recent years there has been a number of prequels cropping up: Fantastic Beasts, Star Wars, Terminator, Star Trek (both the new films and the upcoming television series). This article would explore the idea of why Hollywood thinks prequels are such a marketable storytelling device? Is it because people love throwbacks and little Easter eggs? Do we love a good origin story? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Yes! I'm very excited for this topic. Part of me wonders if prequels aren't the new sequels. Perhaps the film industry is counting on our nostalgia for popular franchises to make more money. Or perhaps people feel like the original film starting in the wrong place. Maybe we simply have unanswered questions that could only be remedied by a prequel. I'm curious to see what people think! – ReidaBookman7 years ago
A very interesting topic! Are audiences sick of prequels, because they view them as resulting from a lack of creativity in Hollywood? Numerous discussions I've had with viewers of 'The Original Content' have actually commented on the fact that they struggle to enjoy prequels because they feel it takes away from the initial cast or narrative. I think individual enjoyment of 'the prequel' is generational, but I'm fascinated to see what you think! – Madi7 years ago