What are the little nuggets which make a Film, Film?
These are some examples from Films. I am not revealing the names of the Films to withhold the surprise.
Someone has come to meet a sculptor. The sculptor is working on a statue. He says, “I’m very busy. Wait.” He then makes one stroke of the hammer and says, “Okay I’m done.” Yes, this is an example of wit, and it is also an example of nugget that we are talking about here.
A couple has drifted apart. In the final scene they come together and they are hugging. In that room, there is a large music system of the old. You push a button and the record player comes out. So when the actors are hugging, the record player comes out on its own and starts playing. The guy says, “How did this happen? I didn’t touch anything.” To this the lady replies, “No, you touched something."
In Titanic, Dicaprio has been handcuffed and tied to a pillar in the hold of the ship. Water is rising fast. Kate Winslet comes looking for him. She sees an axe and is about to hit Dicaprio’s handcuffs to break it. Dicaprio asks her to practice. Kate Winslet’s practice strike is miles off the target. Dicaprio tell her, “Okay, that’s enough practice”. Her next strike break the handcuffs. This scene cranks up Dicaprio’s heroism and takes the romance to a completely different level. (Yes, when Kate Winslet initially goes to rescue Dicaprio, he asks her to look for the key to the handcuffs. While Kate Winslet is trying to retrieve the key, it falls into the swirling waters. Now this is more an element of ‘creating suspense’ and is almost expected).
Also in Titanic, an official takes out his gun to stop the crowd rushing towards the lifeboats. He crowd stops, seeing the gun in his hands. Turning around, the man looks at the gun’s chamber. We see that there is not a single bullet in the gun.
Can you recall some more similar scenes from the Titanic?
l A conman with a gun is chasing our good souls for a pile of cash they are carrying. The conman has a dog. The dog puts our good souls in acute trouble on more than one occasion. Finally, there is a face-off and the conman is eliminated. When our good souls are entering the train to proceed to their respective desinations, the dog approaches them wagging his tail. Our good souls take him into their team.
Yes, these are only a few examples. This is because such examples are so few.
I'd very much like to know what you think.
Do add to this. Let’s have a discussion.
-