v Cinema, Types of Cinema and
Impact of Cinema
Basic Introduction:
Cinema has several meanings like a movie, film making,
etc. But many people refer it as a movie theatre. There have been several
definitions of cinema. There is one definition of cinema that it happens to be
the greatest medium of entertainment. There is another definition of cinema
that it is a medium that does reflect the true mood of the society and also
that changing reality.
In accordance
with several experts, the Indian cinema does fit in the last definition and in
the best manner. Without a doubt Indian cinema has played a major role hitherto
and through decades it has also the most appreciated medium of entertainment.
The origin of film is very debatable;
some say it was the invention of the first magic lantern (a simple image
projection device you will learn about later) while others belie e film started
from the ancient puppet shows held in Rome and Asia. The list of film's
possible origins goes on and on, but we know that without science, motion
pictures would not be in existence. In fact, cinema is one of the seven arts
that completely rely on science. In order to make a movie, you need to have a
sufficient light source to capture and display the image. Without the study of
light, movie making would probably not happen. It was a scientist named
Athanathius Kircher who came up with the idea of projecting hand drawn images
in the mid17th century. After the invention of the first magic lantern,
lanternists such as Robert Barker travelled the world, enchanting the lives of
many people with his "magic" ability of making images come to life.
Who knew this would lead to the first movie ever made?
A SHORT HISTORY OF INDIAN CINEMA
Following the screening of the lumiere moving pictures in London (1895) cinema became a sensation across Europe and by July 1896 the lumiere films had been in show in Bombay. The full length motion picture in India was produced by Dadasaheb Phalke, a scholar on india’s languages and culture, who brought together element form Sanskrit epics to produce his Raja Harish Chandra (1913), a silent film in Marathi. The female roles in the film were played by male actors. During the early twentieth century cinema as a medium gained popularity across India’s population and its much economic section. Tickets were made affordable to the common man at a low price and for the financially capable additional comforts meant additional admission ticket price. Audiences thronged to cinema halls as this affordable medium of entertainment was available for as low as an Anna (4 paisa) in Bombay. The content of Indian commercial cinema was increasingly tailored to appeal to these masses.
Young Indian
producers began to incorporate elements of India’s social life and culture in
to cinema. Others brought with them ideas from across the world. This was also
the time when global audiences and markets become aware of India’s film
industry. As sound technology advanced the 1930 saw the rise of music in Indian
cinema with musicals such as Indra sabha and Devi Devyani marking the beginning
of song and dance in India’s films. Studios emerged across major cities such as
Chennai. Kolkata, and Mumbai as film making become an established craft
by 1935, exemplified by the success of Devdas, which had managed to enthrall
audiences nationwide. The Indian Masala film slang used for commercial film
with songs, dance, romance etc. came up following the Second World War.
The partition of
India following its independence divided the nation’s assets and a number of
studios went to the newly formed Pakistan. The strife of partition would become
an enduring subject for film making during the decades that followed. After
Indian independence the cinema of Indian was inquired by the S.K.Patil
commission. S.K.Patil, head of the commission, viewed cinema in India as a
‘combination of art, industry’ and showmanship while noting its commercial
value. Patil further recommended setting up of a film Finance Corporation under
the Ministry of Finance. This advice was later taken up in 1960 and the
institution came into being to provide financial support to talented filmmakers
throughout India.
The Indian
government has established a films Division by 1949 which eventually become one
of the largest documentary film producers in the world with an annual
production of over 200 short documentaries, each released in 18 languages with
9000 print for permanent film theaters across the country. Commercial Hindi
cinema further grew throughout the1980 and the 1990.
There have generally been six many major influences
that have shaped the conventions of Indian popular cinema.
Ø The first influence was the ancient Indian
epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana which have exerted a profound influence on
the thought and imagination of Indian popular cinema, particularly in its
narratives.
Ø The second influence was the impact of ancient
Sanskrit drama, with its highly stylized nature and emphasis on spectacle,
where music, dance and gesture combined “to create a vibrant artistic unit with
dance and mime being central to the dramatic experience.
Ø The third influence was the traditional folk
theatre of India, which became popular for around the 10th century with the
decline of Sanskrit theatre. These regional tradition include the yatra of
Bengal, the Ramila of Uttar Pradesh, and the Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu.
Ø The fourth influence was Parsi theatre, which
“blended realism and fantasy, music and dance, narrative and spectacle, earthy
dialogue and ingenuity of stage presentation, integrating them into dramatic
discourse of melodrama.
Ø The fifth influence was Hollywood, where
musicals were popular form the 1920 to the 1950, Though Indian filmmakers
departed from their Hollywood counterparts in several ways.
Ø The final (sixth) influence was Western
musical television, particularly MTV, which has had an increasing influence since
the 1990, as can be seen in the pace, camera angles, dance sequences and music
of recent Indian films. An early example of this approach was in Mani Ratnam’s
Bombay (1995).
v Types of Cinema:
§ Hindi Cinema:
The Hindi
language film industry of Mumbai also known as Bollywood is the largest and
most popular branch of Indian cinema. Hindi cinema initially explored issues of
caste and culture in films such as Achhut Kanya (1936) and Sujata (1959).
International visibility came to the industry with Raj Kapoor’s Awara. Hindi
cinema grew during the 1990 with the release of as many as 215 films. With
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Hindi cinema registered its commercial presence in
the Western world. In 1995 the Indian economy began showing sustainable annual
growth, and Hindi cinema, as a commercial enterprise. The salary of lead stars
increased greatly. Many actors signed contracts for simultaneous work in 34
films. Institutions such as the industrial development Bank of India also came
forward to finance Hindi films. A number of magazines such as Filmfare,
Stardust, cineblits, etc..., became popular.
§ Gujarati Cinema:
The film
industry of Gujarat started its journey in 1932. Since then Gujarati films
immensely contributed to Indian cinema. Gujarati cinema has gained popularity
among the regional film industry in India. Gujarati cinema is always based on
scripts from mythology to history and social to political. Since its origin
Gujarati cinema has experimented with stories and issues from the Indian
Society. The scripts and stories delt in the Gujarati films are intrinsically
humane. The include relationship and family oriented subjects with human
aspirations and deal with Indian family culture. Thus, there can be no turning
away from the essential humanity of these Gujarati cinema. The first Gujarati
movie, Narasinh Mehta, was released in the year 1932 and was directed by
Nanubhai Vakil.
§ Bhojpuri Cinema:
Bhojpuri
language films predominantly cater to people who live in the regions of western
Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. These films also have a large audience in the
cities of Delhi and Mumbai due to migration to these metros from the Bhojpuri
speaking region. Besides India, there is a large mar ket for these films in
other Bhojpuri speaking countries of the west Indies, Oceania, and South
America. Bhojpuri language film’s history begins in 1962. Although a smaller industry
compared to other Indian film industries, the extremely rapid success of their
films has led to dramatic increases in Bhojpuri cinema’s visibility, and the
industry now supports an awards show and a trade magazine Bhojpuri City.
§ Bengali Cinema:
The Bengali
language cinematic tradition has had reputable filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray,
Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen among its most acclaimed. Recent Bengali films
that have captured national attention include Rituparno Ghosh's Choker Bali,
starring Aishwarya Rai. Bengali filmmaking also includes Bengal science fiction
films and films that focus on social issues. In 1993, the Bengali industry’s
net output was 57 films. The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the
1890, when the first “bioscopes” were shown in theatres in Kolkata. The
‘parallel cinema movement began in the Bengali film industry in the 1950. A
long history has been traversed since then, with stalwarts such as Satyajit
Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak and others having earned intern national acclaim
and securing their place in the history of film.
v Commercial Cinema:
It primarily
aims at providing entertainment to the people.it includes the ingredients of
popular cinemastar high budget, abundance of music, song and dance. It mostly
resorts to phantasy to provide entertainment to people. For example, films like
Vaqt, Sholay, Muqhddar Ka Sikandar are few example of such films.
v Art Cinema:
It is more
realistic and relevant in the needs of people and society. This form is not
very popular. It is also called ‘parallel cinema’ ‘alternative cinema’ or ‘New
main stream of commercial cinema’. Their dominant characteristic were their
social concern, purposefulness, realism, narrative style, exclusion of
unrelated songs, dances and fights and other familiar devices of commercial
package. Their acceptance by the intelligent and cultivated audience in the
country and the high praise which some of the really good new trend films won
abroad brought a much needed selfconfidence
to adventurous or innovative film makers. National corporation provides
institutional aid for the production of these films. Satyajit Ray, Shyam
Benegal, Govind Nihalani, Mrinal Sen, are some of the known art cinema
proponents. However, or distributer. Many of them remain at award winning level
only and reach the masses due to these difficulties. With the popularity of
television, some of such films are telecast on television. Chakra, Ankur,
Nishant, Ardha, Satya, Damul some of the example of art cinema.
v Feature Films:
Feature film
means fictionalised film exceeding, 200 metres in length in 36mn or
corresponding length in other gauge or on video. Feature film means full length
cinematography film produced wholly or partly in India with a format and a
story woven around a number of characters where the plot is animation or
cartoon depiction and does not include an advertisement film. Feature films are
about a story enacted by a people cast and to convey a moral but firstly to
entertain to audience. They continue to be most popular form of entertainment.
Feature films could be commercial or art films. These are produced for mass
information and entertainment. These films create cultural waves and to certain
modify behavior. These films have the elements like comedy, drama, suspense,
science, fiction, detective or horror.
v Documentary
Films:
Documentary dramatizes an idea or
theme uses the factual material in order to dramatize its idea, it tells its
simple story in terms of beings and human interests. Sometimes can be exhibited
in school, village and labour areas through mobile vans so that a number of
children can take advantages of these this film. As expressed by Goswami
“Making film for children is a hard task than making films for adults. The
producer has to take great care at every step. Only the best should be shown to
children. Their whole can be adversely affected if they see the wrong films in
the formative state of their mental development.”
***
Impact of cinema:
Now a day movies
have a great impact on not only youth but also on children. Impact mainly
depends on us, any movie will have bad and good and it is ourselves should able
to distinguish between them. People watching too much of movies .People get
very much attracted to the roles that involve interesting characters. They try
to imitate such roles.
Cinema has
become the most influential art form of 20th century from its marginal
beginnings. India holds eminent position in film making in the world. It
produces highest number of films every year. Whatever may be the quality of the
film, they continue to be the popular mass media. Earlier, cinema was a simple
means of mechanical recording, preserving and reproducing moving visual images.
With the development of film technology, the art of cinema developed a language
of its own. Kumar says, that cinema is called “the seventh art”, and its
language has developed over the past 7080 years to a specialized and
sophisticated level, opinion differ, however on whether cinema is a ‘pure’ art
form or a ‘bastard’ art.
·
Positive Impact
The positive
impact is any kind of good behavior of a character can affect the mind of a
person and he/she can try to inculcate it in his/her life. Sometimes even sad
movies help us to be thankful for what we have. It might make us feel lucky and
leave a positive impression on our lives. If there is any kind of educational
value or a great person’s life in the movie, people might try to do the same for
a happy ending in their lives just like the movie.
·
Negative Impact
The negative
impact is People try to copy stunts which the heroes of the movies do; Thinking
that they are brave which lead s them to injure themselves. It can range from a
minor bruise to a major fracture. Movies play an essential role in teaching a
person; Especially a child to accept ideas like a criminal attempted to murder,
a victim attempted suicide, to hit a person in a cruel way or to do things
using violent ways.
Some children
are fascinated by fiction movies which can affect their mind and they are not
able to differentiate between real life and fiction life. Some horror
movies can fear people and children a lot that they get scared of everything
and never try to face it. Cinema effects health. Long movies can affect a
person’s eyes. Watching a movie can make him very restless.
THE CINEMA AND its IMPACT:
Science has made
spectacular advances. The twentieth century has many scientific inventions to
its credit. The cinema occupies an important place among them. In the beginning
cinema pictures were movies only i.e. there was only movement but no sound.
Such pictures were called silent motion pictures. The silent motion pictures
were shown with the help of projectors. But with the invention of the
photoelectric cell, it became possible to introduce the sound track in the
films. The pictures thereafter were not only ‘movies’ but ‘talkies’ as well.
The talkies became very popular within a very short time.
Before the
advent of the cinema, the drama or stage acting was regarded as the most
popular source of entertainment. There were apprehensions that stage acting
would be ousted by the cinema. There is no doubt about the fact that the drama
suffered a setback for some time, but ultimately these fears have proved
untrue. The drama still continues to enjoy its place of prestige, because the
physical presence of human being on the stage has direct emotional appeal to
the spectators. There is, however, no denying the fact that the cinema has
acquired great popularity with the masses. The cinema is a powerful and
effective means of communication.
Because of its
audiovisual character it has a great mass appeal. Such a powerful and effective
means of communication can be gainfully utilized in variety of ways. This most
popular source of entertainment for millions of people can be used as an
instrument for creation public awakening. It can help to a great extent in
enlisting public cooperation in the task of nation building.
In our society
there are many practices and traditions which are based on ignorance and which
have withheld the progress of our society. Rigidity of caste system,
untouchability, dowry system and purdah system has done enormous harm to our
society. Cinema films can do a lot to eradicate these evils. They can be used
for promoting national integration, Prohibition, inter caste
marriages, family planning, eradication of illiteracy,
etc; Such themes can help the transformation of our society. The cinema can be
used as an instrument to help people get rid of obscurantism and also to guide
them along the right path it can help in removing ignorance from our society.
Not only this, several much needed social reforms can be introduced and brought
about with the help of the cinema. The cinema exercises a great influence on
the mind of the people. It can achieve splendid results in the field of
expansion of education. There are certain subjects, such as science and
geography, which can be more effectively taught with the help of talkies.
Lessons on road
sense, rules of hygiene and civic sense can be taught to the students and the
‘public as well in a very effective manner with the help of cinema pictures.
Many successful experiments have been made in various countries on the utility
of films as a means of education. Feature films have been produced for school
and college students and students are being benefitted by them.
Cinema films
have the power to influence the thinking of the people. They have changed the
society and social trends. They have introduced new fashions in society. They
may be described as pacesetters. They can create a direct impact on our social
life. Films can go a long way towards arousing national consciousness and also
in utilizing the energies of the youth in social reconstruction and nation
building by a skilful adaption of good moral, social and education themes, and
by introduction of popular sentiments, films can, to a great extent, formulate
and guide public opinion.
Because of their
audio visual appeal cinema films are the most powerful means of publicity and
advertisement. Small publicity pictures or skits when shown on the screen
easily catch the imagination of spectators. The cinema has so far remained
unchanged as the most popular audiovisual mass medium, but now with the arrival
of television and its impressive pace of advancement, the cinema can no longer
afford the luxury of complacence. It has, therefore, to improve its performance
and to maintain a high standard. In our country cinematography has been
developed as an art and the film industry is an organized industry. It is a
foreign exchange earner industry. Many Indian films have won international
awards.
This gift of
science has some disadvantages, too. It is a force and has the power to
influence the society. So a film which depicts scenes of moral degradation or
which violates our moral standards does immense harm to our society. We know
many young people have gone astray under the misleading influence of indecent
pictures. Filthy, immoral and crime pictures very easily catch the imagination
of impressionable youth. Such films can be accused of producing delinquency.
The films produced on the western trends or the films which try to preach x
western moral standards are producing a bed effect on our younger generation.
So the producers of films and the film sensors owe a great responsibility to
society. The film producers should try to resist the temptation to mint money
by producing formula pictures; They should rather produce good pictures of
educative and reformative value. A good film is higher than any education and a
bad film is more injurious than poison.
‘Cinema’ and
‘films’ are used interchangeably but there is a difference between these two
terms. Cinema has specific means to create imaginary time and space, and
utilization of these means defines how cinematic a film is. Imaginary time can
be created through movement by means of montage, camera movements and movement
within the frame and through sound of human voice, music and noise. Space can
be created through image with the help of size of shoots, camera angle, deapth
of field, montage and through sound ‘off screene’. Films are made of stories dance,
music, drama, photo graphy, painting, architecture and many other things that
we call cinema. Filems mean the particular movies that we see with all the
elements they contain and cinema means the sum of the means made possible only
by film technology which distinguish cinema.
THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE CINEMA:
1. Recreation is an essential part of life.
2. Cinema of recent birth but has attained phenomenal popularity.
3. Heaters to the people
4. Its value in cultural and educational spheres.
5. Social and political importance of Cine
6. It has led to the development of cosmopolitan outlook and can be used
for the growth of international understanding.
7. Commercial importance.
8. Its evil effects.
9. Far reaching effects upon the youth of the country.
Recreation is as
much necessary for healthy growth for healthy growth as work. Life will be dull
and unpleasant if there is no occasional amusement to cheer it up. Therefore,
from the earliest limes recreation in different forms has been introduced in
healthy and civilized society. Dance, drama, singing, puppet show and various
other forms of entertainment have found favor with the people. Today life of
man has grown complex, full of worries, cares and anxieties. The mechanized Way
of life has bred monotony; Therefore his modes of entertainment have also
undergone revolutionary change. The latest and the most popular form of
recreation as Cinema. It’s phenomenal popularity and development is due to its
mass appeal and that it is well within the financial limitation of common man.
The people belonging to different walks of life patronize it and find it equal
to their varied Interests.
The power or the
motion pictures as an instrument of culture and education is immeasurable. We
know that a motion picture based on a classical novel will induce thousands of
people to read or reread the book; the introduction of a classical composition
into the picture stimulates the demand for recording of that composition.
Lessons of history, geography and everyday science life imparted through it.
The man of today is batter informed than his ancestors due to cinema. Thus they
give food for thought and imagination to the common people by showing on the
screen grand objects; Sublime beauties and epoch-making events. The great personalities
of former times come to life and their message is communicated to the people
the lives of saints and seers set high ideals before the people. They enlarge
our vision and broaden our minds.
FILMS DEPICT
Historical, mythological and social themes bearing on Indian lives, whether of
the past or the present make a special appeal to the people? The Cinema has
been found to be the most effective method exposing social evils such as dowry
system, etc. Civic sense and public morality is engendered through them. The
political awareness, fight for the rights and the general awakening of the
masses is largely contributed by cinema. As a means of propaganda, publicity
and advertisement its services are invaluable and it must be preserved and
fostered at all costs.
Cinema has also
thrown down the barriers of time and space. It has made man truly cosmopolitan
in outlook. A grand sight in cold Norway is reproduced vividly to people in hot
Africa. A political or social revolution in one part of the country is shown the
world over. Moreover, it can be used as medium for the enlightenment of other
nations about our own culture, customs, manners and policies. It has often been
said that one of the potent causes of international misunderstanding, hot and
cold wars, is that people of different country do not have the means to
understand and appreciate each other adequately. In this respect cinema can
serve the goodwill mission of presenting the correct image of the country and
the people abroad. Thus, Cinema can be used for establishing mutual
international understanding and paving the way for permanent world peace.
However, it cannot be neglected that they are the major single factor which
earn substantial and much needed foreign exchange.
Commercially
also Cinema has opened up a lucrative pro fission. Besides encouraging young
men and woman to enter the field of acting, in has provided employment to
millions of people as technicians, designers, photographers, dressmakers and
various allied agencies. The artist right
from the storywriter to a poster designer have found a
ready market for their talent Poet and even literary men who had been looked
down upon for ages have found with Cinema a fresh lease of life and lively
hood.
Apart from its
various advantages, Cinema is not free from its evil effects, Film artistry is,
unfortunately, compelled to compromise with people’s popular tast and appeal to
their lower instincts, Too many films dealing with sex problems and with the ways
of the criminals are now
shown, These are apt to affect public morality. The
substandard catering of music I and recreation is likely to injure public taste
and outlook and is not ultimately good for the art.
The Cinema has
far reaching effect upon the youth of the country. The films make them
prematurely sex conscious and they start reaching the sense of romantic
pictures in their regular life. A sense of dissatisfaction with life is
engendered among them. Vandalism and increasing acts of rowdyism in the student
community are attributed to their indiscriminately frequenting the Cinema
halls. Again the youth imitating all sorts of fashions from the films lead to
the development of expansive tastes and manners. They grow divorced from grim
and dismal realities of life and start living in the fairyland pictures on the
screen. In this respect the role of government is significantly felt.
***
In the last fifty years cinema has
become not only a serious art form a field of study by itself. Continuous advancement
in film technology and high level of conceptualization of the film take viewer
to the world outside his day to day world providing entertainment. This has
made cinema a popular medium of masses. Indian educations and sociologist have
shown a surprising lack of interest in the film as an education force and
social challenge. Hardly an academic. Systematic scientific studies have been
undertaken on the social and psychological impact of the films in India. There
is no data available on the systematic use of the documentary and the feature
film in social education programs in India. However, experience in Canada, USA,
and USSR indicate the documentary and film have contributed to bringing about a
better social order and in building up a national community having common thing
about nation. Many social scientists have shared their informal experiences and
observation regarding the impact that films have created.
Limitations:
The
main limitation of films is its fixed space. The move as a fixed space, some viewers
are likely to fall behind. If they are the unable to keep pace with the pace of
the film. Since films are mostly the dramatized presentation. There the chances
of sophisticated treatment or exaggerated version of a situation or issue. For example
if ad adolescent has seen a film with generation gap.Theme. It is likely that
he will take this melodrama in literary sense and feel that he also has to face
to face many problems due to generation gap in his relationship with his
parents and teacher. It is very difficult to define the limits of what is ‘controversy’
in films. For, example the film ‘Andhi’ was banned during the emergency period
in India. It was labelled as controversial film. When released people did not
find anything controversial on objectionable in the film. The commercial films
are made with the audience’s preference in mind but there is hardly any
feedback mechanism. The production of film or a replication of a film are costly
and require huge amount of finances highly sophisticated equipment for
production as well as projection. Film production also requires trained
personnel such as Director, Photographer, Sound effects, Musician editor etc.
once the film production is complete; it is very expensive to make any changes
in the film. Each film require individual distribution network which requires
investment of large amount of money and time.
