Cinema has put a great effort into making the art form the subject itself. The idea of putting the camera in front of the person who is working behind it. And truly the experience of making this art form is inspiring and entertaining itself. The amount of effort it takes to make a show successful is commendable. Adding fiction to the process to make it more interesting and affecting.
Here are top films about filmmaking
1. CINEMA PARADISO
Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, Cinema Paradiso is set up in World War II about an orphan child, Toto. The film is divided into three stages of his life discovering Toto’s love for Cinema.
Toto, a young boy living in a war-torn village, Scillian. He escapes his real-life tragedy by going to the film theatre in his village named, Cinema Paradiso. In the theatre, he meets the projectionist of the place, Alfredo, who introduces Toto to the world of films and inculcates the boy’s love for it. Years later, Toto takes over as the projectionist of the theatre. At the same time, he falls in love with the village’s local girl. But complication takes place which makes Alfredo convince Toto to leave the town for his love for the films.
Though the language of the film is Italian, it still manages to reach the heart of the people. The film is an emotional ride of a deep relationship between a man and a child on the basis of their passion for something so beautiful. The story tells about the power of dreams and how something you love can push you to fulfill one’s dream.
2. 8 1/2
Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2 (Eight and a Half) is an autobiographical based partly on Fellini himself. It is fiction about Guido Anselmi, a director in his 40s who is putting his head, heart, and soul into making his new film.
Guido Anselmi is a forty-three- years old film Italian director who escapes the town to an erotic spa as a treatment of his liver. He conjures his anxiety about his marital and extramarital swains. He is also fighting with the demanding relationship with his producers, writer, and his cast of his past and upcoming films. While struggling with his fantasies of an ideal woman, he fears about his upcoming film which is going thin according to him.
The film showcases modernism in the world of cinema. Fellini approached the title about his accomplishment of making six feature-length films. With those are his two short-length films counting as one and one film he co-directed counted as another half-film.
3. THE DISASTER ARTIST
James Franco, The Disaster Artist is based on the true story of the aspiring filmmaker Tommy Wiseau’s infamous film, The Room. The room is a terrible film of Hollywood.
Two strangers, Tommy and Greg meet in an acting class where they end up being best friends. With Greg being more talented but a nervous wreck and Tommy being far less self-conscious with an Eastern European accent. Both the characters find a common dream of making it to the L.A. After having no luck in succeeding at their dream of acting, the duo decides to direct, product, write and act their own movie.
The film was a perfect autobiography of the real one. It made several nominations, winning some of them.
4. Boogie Nights
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights is a story about a world of low shadows popular stars of pornographic films living in his success as well as failure within two decades.
Edie Adams, the guy from San Fernando Valley earning his living as a busboy. Eddy is discovered by his extended “family” member, Jack Horner. He makes Eddy the bright light of the 1970s porn industry in the name of Dirk Diggler. Under the shadow of his extended family of Jack and Amber Waves, Dirk finds comfort until self-delusion, narcissism, drugs, and changing industry throws them into the abyss of destruction and egotism.
With his debut, Anderson shows his capability of producing a remarkable life to fiction. The film is jam-packed with every element of filmmaking making it a great film of all times.
5. MANK
David Fincher’s return after six years has paid off by his Academy winner film, Mank. The story of savage intelligent and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he attempts to finish the world’s greatest film, Citizen Kane.
World’s greatest artist, Orson Welles hires a screenwriter, Herman J. Mackiewicz a.k.a Mank to complete the script of the going-to-be world’s greatest film, Citizen Kane. Welles has arranged a house for Mackiewicz on the edge of the California desert, provided with cigarettes, alcohol, and British typist Rita. Welles expects the script to be completed in 60 days. The story moves back and forth with Mank’s career in Hollywood with his attempt to complete the script in time. The film also deals with the 1934 California’s Gubernatorial Elections to which Mank disapproves of their ideologies.
The non-linear film has propped up as one of the best films depicting Hollywood’s history. It creates an opinion in the eyes of the audience about working in the film industry.
