The Power of Film

S01E01 Popular and Memorable

January 4, 2024 8.0 40 min

A large proportion of the most commercially successful American films are quickly forgotten. A tiny fraction, however, are truly memorable, lasting from one generation to another. Using iconic scenes from many of these classic films,...

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S01E02 Trapped

January 11, 2024 8.0

Nearly all memorable stories, whether told in movies or in real life, are about traps. The most memorable are generally about the loss, sacrifice, and ultimate triumph the central character must engage in to escape...

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S01E03 Character Relationships

January 18, 2024 8.0

There’s no such thing as an interesting character; there are only interesting character relationships. But, as is true for religions, myths, and the longest-lasting dramas, the structure of most memorable dramatic plots centers on a...

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S01E04 Heroes and Villains

January 25, 2024 8.0

Memorable films tend to be a compensation for what we don’t see much of in the real world— justice, commitment, and altruism. Film drama frequently treats the central characters as if they were heroes or...

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S01E05 The Power of Paradox

February 1, 2024 8.0

In almost every memorable film, things are not what they seem, and learning the truth about characters and situations creates much of the tension in the film. Often, the truth of the film is quite...

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S01E06 Love and Meaning

February 8, 2024 8.0

Although it’s often said that in order to succeed, a Hollywood film has to have a happy ending, when you look at the most memorable love stories it’s astonishing how many of them end with...

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