The Art of Storytelling

     In her exploration of the film Groundhog Day (1993) author Kristin Thompson asserts that the film, despite the originality of its premise and narrative method, adheres to numerous classical Hollywood filmmaking standards. Though high concept films are generally viewed as the antithesis of auteurism, films such as Groundhog Day fill a particular niche that proves that while a film may be fantastical it is, by no means, devoid of artistic value. Indeed, the simplicity of explanation of a high concept film grants the filmmaker the potential to be complex and poignant in their storytelling, showing audiences a new cinematic experience that otherwise traditional Hollywood filmmaking otherwise denies them. Groundhog Day features a single protagonist, Phil Connors, trapped within an endless loop of the eponymous holiday. In a departure from traditional Hollywood storytelling, which would insist upon spelling things out, plainly, for an audience, the reason for this myste...

Art has, predominantly, been judged on the basis of whether or not a viewer or audience derives pleasure from it. While artistic value and sensual pleasure are intrinsically connected, however, art does not gain its intrinsic value by simply being viewed as pleasurable to endure. In order to bridge this connection between art and pleasure, one must take into consideration certain caveats. If a work of art is capable of being pleasurable, is it able to do so, consistently? Is this manner of enjoyment consistent with the intention of the artist? Are the emotions generated by the work primarily positive, and if not positive, was the experience at least fulfilling? Many times upon engagement with a particular work of art, we may find that our initial exposure toward the work may produce much more pleasure at first as compared to numerous or repeated viewing of the work (Levinson 12). When the novelty and uniqueness of the experience has subsided, are we still enraptured by the work of ...