Often times, a certain movie communicates important themes to its viewers by manipulating their knowledge of certain characters and ideas. A commonality I've observed while watching these movies were the certain avoidance of a character's past, and how the character's backstory was often revealed gradually throughout the film. Supporting actors are key in movies without narrative dialogue because they help further the plot, recalling information about a protagonist naturally. Films like The Fugitive Kind (1960), Wendy and Lucy (2008), Fool for Love (1985), and Paris, Texas (1984) all rely on family members to reveal important plot points, and the information is released in small sections for the audience in hopes of creating a natural environment for the viewer.
By excluding footage of Val's past life, there is a certain rawness to the character. The director purposefully does not show these scenes because it is what the character is trying to escape. It is difficult to focus on the "new" in life when a previous wound is still at the forefront of any thought. "A character’s backstory directly impacts their front story by the beliefs and people they were raised with, their education, emotional development. Often something in their backstory caused a wound—either physical, psychic, or both. Anything in their past that now directly interferes with a character achieving their dream or goal in the front story is called a backstory wound". Because these "backstory wounds" are only revealed through conversations, an audience member is more likely going to connect with the characters because talking about your issues is the only way to find relief - it is unrealistic for a flashback to be played because that's not how memories work. A viewer can easily relate with the character on screen because the viewing experience becomes personal. Another form of revealing a character's past is through other characters
The scene and meaning is subjective, and it is up to the viewer to determine what to make of the information they are presented with. We can infer there is some tension and disconnect between the two sisters, and it leads to the audience questioning why isn't Wendy asking her sister for help, and what happened between them previously. By including this scene, the viewer sees some the character's backstory and can infer previous events in the protagonist's life.
Viewers are entranced by the stories and start to develop emotional ties to the characters. Flashbacks are hidden within the film to create a more natural environment, like I've previously mentioned, sometimes flashbacks within a film can stray the viewer away from relatability. By using the family visiting the motel to symbolize May's past, the flashback is not something of a dream and the reality of the situation is not lost on the viewer. It is helpful to watch movies written by the same writer to notice certain similarities, especially how a character's backstory is revealed.
Directors and writers use a multitude of elements to reveals a character's past in films, thus making the audience experience interactive. At times, the viewer can imagine themselves in a similar situation to the characters on screen and they are able to relate to the character’s experience. It is extremely interesting to discover the various elements filmmakers can implement on screen to get their message across to their audience.
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Author(savannah hink) |