Lockdown and the love of film
For the past year or so, most of
us have been locked inside, not that I need to remind anyone of this fact. It
is, for the most part, gloomy. There is, however, one upside to this whole
situation: we are all getting more comfortable with our sofas and Netflix
subscriptions. Globally, we are watching more films at home than ever before,
and for good reason. Watching a film can be an escape, a distraction or a
simple comfort, things that we need more than ever right now. But does this
newfound affinity with film have a deeper, more personal connection than simply
an enforced lockdown lifestyle choice?
Of course, film has not suddenly and
magically appeared at our fingertips to help us in our time of need. For the
most part, we have all had a library of films at our disposal before now, be it
one or several of the numerous subscription services, an amassed collection of
DVDs, or the endless sea of internet content on platforms such as YouTube. Even
those who, in better days, are not regular moviegoers, find themselves glued to
the screens, watching gripping narratives unfold. This newfound fascination
with film could be explained away by the simple statement that “there is really
nothing else to do” which is perfectly true. Right now our collective
entertainment and engagement opportunities are sparce and desperate (looking at
you, Tik Tok). But, I believe there is more to it than that. Film has always
offered viewers the possibility of enriching other worlds, the chance to be
whisked away to elsewhere for ninety minutes, if you’re willing to suspend
disbelief. When the same four walls day-in-day-out are getting beyond boring,
this seems like the perfect tonic.
Okay, so sure, people are
watching more films now because they’re bored, that sounds reasonable enough.
Without activities to engage with, the human mind wanders to all sorts of thoughts
and places, some of which are acutely captured in films. Almost all films are
allegories for different thoughts, fears, feelings, desires and everything else
in between. The medium has almost unlimited applicable sources for inspiration!
People have always gone to the movies not to watch what’s playing out on the
screen, but to feel what’s inside themselves. Films are nothing more than
literal projections of what is going on inside your skull. Take Pixar’s Inside
Out, a film which presents these ideas in a slightly more on the nose way than
most films. But with its explicitness, you visualise these little people
running around inside you, monitoring and controlling your emotions. While an
entertaining family movie, for the targeted young audience, it is also the
perfect way to better understand themselves and their emotions.
This is the real magic and
essential essence of film, the chance it offers to elevate your own self-understanding,
which is why it is such a critical piece of the entertainment kit in the
endless purgatory that is lockdown.
So, why has lockdown acted as a
catalyst for everyone’s love of film? It is more than just a time filler when
we have nothing better to do; it is more than just passively watching what is
on. Viewing a film is an escape (albeit short-lived) from the reality of what
is happening around us, and a tool to help us delve into our own souls to
understand why we are who we are. And, in so doing, film offers the chance to come
out on the other side of lockdown as better versions of ourselves.
Comments
Post a Comment