The Golden Years of Film

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As some of you may know, I am involved in filmmaking. Mostly as a writer, producer and researcher.

Today I have been reflecting back to the ‘golden days’ of film. The glitz and glamour films, the big blockbusters – great epic films like ‘Gone with the Wind’, ‘Doctor Zhivago’ and such like. Those were the days of real entertainment.

When I was around thirteen or fourteen, I recall going to Christchurch to see ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘My Fair Lady’. These films just blew me away; the sheer magnitude of them just amazed me. The catchy tunes that would go over and over in my head, the wonderful costumes, the amazing sets, and of course the big orchestral numbers, all truly magical.

In my early teens, I would buy Film Annuals and would often try to emulate some of the fashions and hairdos of the actresses. I think many young women were in awe of these actresses and they certainly helped to inspire our choice of wardrobe.

When my children were young, we went as a family on a trip to Los Angeles, taking in Universal Studios. They were all full of wonder, soaking it all up and being able to see how the special effects were created intrigued them. However, I think in a way it took away some of the mystique for me. I think half the magic is not knowing how these things are done.

Going to see a film during my teen years was quite an event. I recall going along to a two o’clock or five o’clock session with my school friends. We would buy our Jaffas and ice creams, take our seats, and take it all in. On our way home, we would stop off for fish and chips, which rounded off our outing. Coming from a small South Island town it was such a special treat and one we looked forward to immensely.

The films of the 50s and 60s tended to be a lot longer. Interval always seemed to come at a critical point in a film and you would hear the sound of “Ah” from the audience. Some of the big blockbusters like ‘The Ten Commandments’, ‘Oklahoma’ and ‘Ben Hur’ felt incredibly long, but generally were full of action, which managed to grip you to your seat and hold your attention for the entire film.

Theatres generally were very full and well patronized. Not at all like they are today. Nowadays you are lucky to see a theatre half full.

I wonder what the issue is here. Is it the ticket prices or is it just the fact we can sit at home and watch a film a few months after its release? There simply does not seem to be the same draw card for people. It is sad really, as the theatre of yesteryear was a total experience, far more than just popping into a cinema to catch a film.

The beautiful old cinemas like the St James and the Civic in Auckland were the epitome of what going to see a good film was all about.

I really loved the musicals and soon after seeing one, I would rush out and buy the record just so we could enjoy the music in our home.

These days everyone seems to be into horror or Sci-Fi. I appreciate they are so much cheaper to make than say a period film but I think we are getting an overload of this genre. Some people, particularly the younger generation, might like that king of thing but surely we need to strike a balance. We do not have to have every film have a horrific ending. What is wrong with a happy ending for goodness sake?

I like lighthearted films; films that make me think, and I like ‘feel good’ films. They do not have to be soppy; they just need an engaging story line.

Working in the industry gives you a completely new appreciation of what is involved in making a film. I was totally green when I first went into this. Making our feature film took three years from woe to go; I think I envisaged it taking about half of that time.

I do not think the public really appreciate the amount of work that goes into making a film. From pre-production, to filming, to post-production. The hours and hours it takes to get just one scene how you want it. There are the retakes, the reshooting because the sound had issues, you are rained out or the scene just did not come out ‘quite right’. So many things can go wrong. You may film five hours of footage and only have twenty minutes that you can use, sometimes even a lot less.

Finding locations, props, wardrobe etc can be a total nightmare but it can also be fun. When you come across the ‘perfect’ outfit for your actor or that ‘perfect’ location it is a great feeling.

Casting the perfect people can be difficult; you have an idea in your mind that you want your character to look a certain way. Quite often, you settle for something quite the opposite. It is all part of the process.

In saying all this, it is however, an exciting and rewarding medium and seeing something that started as a kernel of an idea take shape is just amazing.

Sometimes I pinch myself and wonder how we did it and how we pulled it off.

Making films in this country can be difficult, especially for an independent filmmaker. Finding the funds is tough but if you believe in your project, you press on until you make it happen. Giving up would be the easy option but then if you did that you would never know what you might have missed.

Being creative is a gift and there are so many different and artistic people involved in the making of a film. From the writer who really does in my opinion not get enough credit, to the gaffer. Everyone is important, everyone has a role and everyone has to be professional. It is the people who form the pieces of the puzzle that make it all come together in the end.

When I look at the length of the film credits on most films, they seem to go on for ages. This gives you some indication on how many people were involved in the making of the film. Mind blowing really.

Let us hope we get some of the ‘glitz and glamour’ back in the films of the future, and that we can continue to see new and wonderful classics that stand the test of time.

Long live film, and truly magical motion pictures.
 
By Kay Rayner