Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz and released in 1942, exhibits the qualities of both classic Hollywood narrative and art cinema. These two cinematic structures are the equivalent of formalism in literature, but also refer to other frameworks, notably feminism, postmodernism and new historicism. Art cinema and classic Hollywood storytelling marry in Casablanca in a way that influences the film's character development and narrative trajectory. The fact that the classic Hollywood narrative is so identifiable in this film speaks to its historical time and place; the use of experimentation that would become a staple of art cinema is indicative of the fact that Casablanca uses unconventional textual devices to convey meaning, character and history, and also that Casablanca is a film that demonstrates the slow evolution of cinema standards at that time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayThe classic Hollywood narrative was and arguably still is the standard template for films and films made in Hollywood. It consists of a few basic elements according to which Casablanca is largely built. Eshowsky.com has narrowed them down to a few basic categories. Specifically, some of these components are elision, cause and effect, motivation, hero/protagonist, and narrative closure. The hero/protagonist is the central figure of the film, he is often the hero and is surrounded by a multitude of secondary characters. The film is constructed with a moral, and we are generally supposed to accompany the hero/protagonist in his quest. Elision refers to economic editing which requires that each scene flow unambiguously into the next and that each action be immediately clarified for the audience. Cause and effect, narrative conclusion, and motivation are the elements for which elision exists. Cause, effect, and motivation refer to the fact that in classic Hollywood storytelling, every piece of dialogue, every action, and every scene is designed to lead to an ultimate ending. Nothing happens without a reason. The ultimate ending is governed by narrative closure, which states that the ending is clear and leaves no one guessing. Films using this model usually contain a happy ending. Art cinema had its heyday in the late fifties and sixties, and some of its early influences can be seen in Casablanca. Filmreference.com offers a reliable and succinct article on the narrative system. In short, art cinema is essentially the opposite of classic Hollywood narrative and consists primarily of authorial expression, oblique or non-linear narrative structure, and an inclination toward character psychology and realism. Often the ending is unclear and lacks any sort of closure. The intention is to show a truer depiction of human relationships, psyches and events and usually contains multiple themes and no clear morals. Casablanca is primarily built on a classic Hollywood narrative framework, and so any experimentation carried out in the language components of the film is subtle. and done in service of the broader framework. Although they need to be pointed out unless the viewer has the basic information to be able to detect them, they are significant in that they show not only the slow evolution of cinematic styles, but also some of the thematic elements of the work. , and how they apply to several literary settings. For example, Rick's moral hesitation, particularly in his relationship with Captain Renaud,shows both experimentation and the slight postmodernist tendency detectable in the film. Rick is seemingly a cold and, as we learn, tormented character throughout the film. He has a tense friendship with the police chief, a devious man who cooperates with the Nazis so as not to be harassed. However, when Rick succeeds in defeating a Nazi threat, Renaud switches allegiances like a weathervane. Interestingly, instead of pushing him away, Rick accepts his friendship. This ambiguity of character and fluctuating moral sense in the name of pragmatism are typical of postmodernism. The fact that the American is the reluctant hero, the Frenchman the weasel, and someone purer like Victor Lazlo is only a supporting character can be read in a new historical framework. We are supposed to rely on Victor Lazlo, the legendary hero. of history. In a perfectly classic film, it's likely that Lazlo would be the hero/protagonist. However, the flawed Rick is the main character; this can be attributed to the fact that Rick is American (while Lazlo is Czech), which is arguably why he became a more dynamic and relatable character. Lazlo even questions Rick about his true sense of morality and his sympathy for the oppressed. Here we see how art cinema serves the classic Hollywood narrative: ultimately it must be the hero/protagonist who saves the day, but he is ambiguous and tormented; Rick gets advice from someone who is everything he should be. This is not uncommon within CHN, but normally the hero/protagonist would surely exhibit these qualities from the start. Rick could possibly represent America's attitude toward the Nazis. Rick tries to remain neutral as long as he can until the war comes to him; The United States attempted to stay out of the theater of war until Japan persuaded it to enter. Lazlo, coming from an occupied country, could easily represent the plight of occupied countries and the American mentality that it is their duty to save them. Rick could therefore be a metaphor for American involvement in the war. It's even possible that this film is a call to arms for Americans, given that the film was made in 1942, when America had already entered World War II. In this context, it would seem that cinematic experimentation is used in a manipulative way for propaganda purposes. Equally significant is the use of character psychology in the film. Again, this is done in service of the overall classic narrative structure. Generally speaking, the characters in this film don't get much representation of their psyches. However, an exception is made for Rick, whose psychological state receives special attention because it contributes to the development of the narrative. For example, when Rick drinks in his empty American Café, he begins to reminisce about his lost relationship with Elsa and how it fell apart. This is done through montage, a non-American way of using images to evoke meaning or emotion. This demonstrates some of the practical experimentation that takes place in this film. Rick is shown to be lovesick and emotionally and morally conflicted. However, his psychology gives us enough information to understand where the film is going, and his desire for Elsa comes into play throughout the film. The fact that the decision was made to introduce this part of the story through the psychology of the characters denotes a slight shift in filmmaking styles, but also reinforces the ingrained classic Hollywood narrative so present in this film. An example of pure classic Hollywood storytelling is the lighting and>.