Movies Definition and 134 Threads

A film, also called a movie, motion picture or moving picture, is a work of visual art used to simulate experiences that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere through the use of moving images. These images are generally accompanied by sound, and more rarely, other sensory stimulations. The word "cinema", short for cinematography, is often used to refer to filmmaking and the film industry, and to the art form that is the result of it.
The moving images of a film are created by photographing actual scenes with a motion-picture camera, by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques, by means of CGI and computer animation, or by a combination of some or all of these techniques, and other visual effects.
Traditionally, films were recorded onto celluloid film stock through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen. Contemporary films are often fully digital through the entire process of production, distribution, and exhibition, while films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack (a graphic recording of the spoken words, music and other sounds that accompany the images which runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it, and is not projected).
Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures. They reflect those cultures, and, in turn, affect them. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment, and a powerful medium for educating—or indoctrinating—citizens. The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication. Some films have become popular worldwide attractions through the use of dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into other languages.
The individual images that make up a film are called frames. In the projection of traditional celluloid films, a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame, in turn, is moved into position to be projected, but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision, whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after its source disappears. The perception of motion is partly due to a psychological effect called the phi phenomenon.
The name "film" originates from the fact that photographic film (also called film stock) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures. Many other terms exist for an individual motion-picture, including picture, picture show, moving picture, photoplay, and flick. The most common term in the United States is movie, while in Europe film is preferred. Common terms for the field in general include the big screen, the silver screen, the movies, and cinema; the last of these is commonly used, as an overarching term, in scholarly texts and critical essays. In early years, the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen. 'Film' in general is not a good term to refer to a long standard commercial video production since it’s ambiguous in general and therefore requires context for correct interpretation.

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  1. D

    Converting 2D Movies to 3D: How is It Done?

    How do they convert movies that were shot in 2D to 3D? I recently saw that they were rereleasing Titanic in 3D... Doesn't this require multiple camera angles? or is it more like doing a 'cutout' of the actors and placing them on a Z-Plane? The other method I can think of is recreating the sets...
  2. T

    Okay, you did good on books. how about scary movies?

    Im in the mood for a scary movie. so far it looks like I am watching poltergeist. Any suggestions? I want really scary
  3. D

    Physics movies (mainstream movies with physics in them)

    A movie called "The Big Bang" will be coming out soon, and although it's more of a detective/action movie, it seems to be somewhat set on a particle physics backdrop. (Incidentally, the tall evil-looking "Russian" is practically from my home town, and it's interesting to see a guy I use to...
  4. L

    Favorite sci fi or fantasy movies

    What are yours? Dune TRON (The new one, haven't seen the origional one.) Labyrinth Chronicles of Narnia Star Wars and various cartoons such as The Point The Last Unicorn The Hobbit anyone have any others that are similar to those above?
  5. A

    Making Movies for Presentations

    Not sure which forum this would be appropriate. I would like to start making professional looking videos to include in powerpoint presentations for conferences etc. Like make particles moving around, time dependent functions moving, etc. Does anyone know a good way/program to do this?
  6. qspeechc

    Things We Wouldn't Know Without Movies

    I got these 24 from http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/6268.htm" . 24. It’s easy for anyone to land a plane, providing there is someone in the control tower to talk you down. 23. Once applied, lipstick will never rub off – even while scuba diving. 22. During all police investigations, it...
  7. J

    Movies of the kind of Lumet's 12 Angry Men and Hitchcock's Rope

    Sydney Lumet's 12 Angry Men was filmed on one set in a room and consisted mostly of dialogue. Likewise, entire of Alfred Hitchcock's Rope was set in one apartment. what other movies can you think of which also used a small closed locaility as their filming location? Thanks.
  8. J

    Online movies, subtitle, subviewer and pause

    I'm not an English speaker but love to watch English movies online. In the past I used to watch movies on DVDs with subtitles enabled. Subtitling is important for me to understand storyline, improve English and enjoy the movie fully. I didn't prefer to watch movies online simply because they...
  9. A

    Any way to rip DVD movies into my hard drive?

    I don't want to "pirate" any movies, but would like to rip DVD's that I bought into my computer so I can put them on my iPod. Are there ways to rip copy protected DVD's with many chapters/episodes etc? Which software allows me to do it? Is it legal?
  10. Ƒ

    Physics in Movies: The Blues Brothers & The Man With The Golden Gun

    Is it just me or does physics seem unrealistic when involved in movies? I have two examples: The Blues Brothers (with a classic scene) and the James Bond Classic The Man With The Golden Gun
  11. BobG

    News What are the implications of accepting a date as a favor?

    Andy treats Betty to an expensive dinner and an incredibly popular movie and are among the last lucky few to get a ticket. Unfortunately, being among the last to get a ticket, plus the need to buy popcorn and drinks, mean there are only 4 seats available by time they actually get inside the...
  12. J

    Why Does Ghosting Occur in Polarized 3D Movies?

    I watched Avatar in Real3D and IMAX 3D. This is the first 3D movie I have seen at the theater. However, it was also clear that this 3D technology has a fair bit of room for improvement. Specifically what I noticed was that the perceived images have a bit of ghosting in them. This is most...
  13. Pengwuino

    Are Older Movies Worth Upgrading to Blu-ray for High Definition Quality?

    So I finally entered the 21st century and got a HDTV and blu-ray player :D. Now, my fascination with high definition can finally be unleashed! This brings me to a new problem however! I see that older movies are put on bluray now. Now, the thing I'm wondering is whether or not say, a movie...
  14. N

    Do Movies Teach Us Realistic Life Skills?

    * All cars blow up in a big fireball when they wreck. * You should ALWAYS hold a pistol sideways in your hand. * If you are diving or doing somersaults, you can't be shot. * Good guys always get wounded in the left shoulder or the leg. * Whores have hearts of gold. * A...
  15. Greg Bernhardt

    Medical Will 3D Movies Work for Someone with Monovision?

    we want to see avatar 3d, but my mom has monovision. will the 3d not work for her?
  16. Monique

    Making Paper Movies: Experiences & Ideas

    Does anyone of you have experience with making paper movies? :biggrin: The ones where you have a booklet with images and when you flick through it you have the illusion of a movie. I'm making a booklet and have the idea of making a moving worm in it, but I am wondering whether every page...
  17. A

    How 3D Movies Work: Explained in Detail

    Just some mount ago I saw 3D movies first time and I was pretty amazed. By googling I could not fully understand how such effect is done, why do I have this feeling that things are closer or further away and I could look around them.
  18. A

    What Makes Cheesy Sci-Fi/Horror Movies So Entertaining?

    I admit I have a thing for watching bad scifi and/or horror movies (usually the former). Why? Because they are fun in their own way. There's no need to take any of it seriously or even really attempt to follow what is going, which in and of itself would be an accomplishment with more than a few...
  19. Ivan Seeking

    What makes American History X and Apocalypse Now must-see movies?

    Movies that are great or noteworthy. Please provide a little information about the movie - a name alone has little meaning to someone who has never seen the movie. God's Little Acre (1958) UR This rollicking look inside the rural Deep South brings to life the primitive, ribald rustics of...
  20. Pengwuino

    Why do movie studios cut films short?

    "cutting" movies short One of the things I enjoy after seeing a god awful movie is looking up the reviews for the movies. I notice in a lot of the movies, that a typical excuse for a bad movie is that the film was cut short by the company producing the film. Now, does this mean the film was...
  21. TheStatutoryApe

    What Are the Worst Movies You Have Seen?

    Well we have talked about good movies several times. Now let's talk about the bad ones. I recently rewatched Johnny Mnemonic and I could not believe I did not remember how bad it was. My friend remembered watching this movie when he was a kid and though it would be great to watch it...
  22. N

    What movies the particles of light?

    Light travels at almost 190,000 MPH per second. Light is a particle just like dust or any other thing. What is making it travel that fast? How does light travel threw space if there's nothing to travel threw? Shouldn't that mean that sound can travel threw everything too? If light can...
  23. EnumaElish

    Physics in Movies: Realism vs. Entertainment

    I watched Fred Claus on cable; while watching it I figured that http://www.main.com/~anns/other/humor/physicsofsanta.html is purely Newtonian -- it does not account for time dilation, or relativity. I also rented "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" from Netflix. It shows an alternate future...
  24. D

    Identify Movies: Does Someone Know These Screenshots?

    Does someone knows to which movies these screenshots belong?
  25. M

    Just got netflix, recommend me some movies

    I need to fill my queue with some good movies soooooooo list some movies worth watching, especially ones that are less known.
  26. W

    Why aren't there more thought-provoking SciFi movies like 2001 Space Odyssey?

    Ever since 2001 Space Odyssey was considered one of the ultimate Scifi movies of all time, it's been 40 years and nobody shot anything close it. The movie is very complex, it projects the significance of humanity, space exploration, and mysteries of advanced technologies while posing much...
  27. F

    MATLAB Help with matlab, structures and movies

    Hi, I made an m-file which which outputs movies at the end. The movie frames are made from images of a 200 by 200 matrix. I wanted to input the movies into a second program which then analyzes each frame. The problem is the frames are structure files and I don't know how to convert the frame...
  28. J

    Why does a proton slow down as it movies into higher potential?

    Homework Statement No real problem statement, just a question. I was reading through my textbook and found this statement: "A positive charge slows down as it moves into a region of higher, more positive potential." I spend some time thinking about it and I can't figure out why... does...
  29. Ivan Seeking

    Movies for hardcore sci-fi geeks

    A few favorites that I've mentioned before are: Metropolis [the rerelease by Giorgio Moroder] Solaris Brazil The Man from Earth I just caught one that I'd never heard of before, called Primer. It drags at times but the plot is excellent. http://www.scifi.com/sfw/screen/sfw11536.html...
  30. T

    Not all animated movies are good.

    We keep getting hit by these awesome animated movies like Wall-E and anything by Pixar, but don't be fooled. Two recent cartoons are just crap. The Tale of Desperaux and Igor are not worth the price of renting them. The both have huge stars doing voices, but well known voices just can't save a...
  31. O

    What Are the Scariest Movies You've Ever Watched?

    So what are the scariest movies you have ever watched? For me, I just watched the exorcist recently in the dead of the night and it scared the crap outta me. I wasn't able to get to sleep for the rest of the night. It has got to be the scariest movie i ever watched. i have watched other...
  32. 6

    Physical Proof that these movies obey Laws of Physics

    Hey guyz... Im still kind of stuck on a couple of stuff...i still got a these movies left to PROVE! that it obeys the laws and fundamentals of physics... 1)Apollo 13 2)The terminator 3)October Sky 4)The Day after tommorw HELP!please this is an ISU..its worth 15% of my mark...i need it...
  33. 6

    Good examples of Physics in movies

    Good examples of Physics in movies... hey guys... im kind of new to this site...and I am really facing diffictuly with my upcoming project due this wedesday... i need to give atleast (minimum) 7 examples of good physics in movies...with proof of phyics... please i need HELPP! ASAP if you...
  34. Ivan Seeking

    Movies you would like someone to make

    I have always wanted to see AC Clarke's, Childhood's End, made into a movie. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood's_End
  35. F

    Are there any must-see movies at the theaters coming up?

    that look good at theatres?
  36. C

    Action Scenes in movies that depict projectile motion?

    Action Scenes in movies that depict projectile motion?? What are some actions scenes in movies or cartoons that depict projectile motion? This is for a physics project but I can't think of any good scenes to do. I would do the tunnel-helicopter scene in Die Hard 4 but the ramp isn't frictionless...
  37. rootX

    What are some emotionally impactful and thought-provoking films?

    Please recommend me movies! I like something >romantic (I like to call them "love" movies not romantic because I don't like girlish romance) >melodrama, >peaceful >has some kind of sacrifice >self-less >leaves a long term effect on you >natural (like Gone with the wind, but I never...
  38. M

    Are Horror Movie Characters Doomed by Bad Writing or Their Own Panic?

    Are they just not that bright to begin with, or is their panic making them loose all sense of rationality so they cannot spot the easiest things? I honestly can't tell.
  39. D H

    PF Males' Top Guy Movies: Debating Men's Journal List

    My son is getting married this weekend and my house happens to be full of women right now. Too much chick talk! The conversation switched to movies, and one of the women mentioned the Great Escape. My response: "Best guy movie ever!" (So it dates me). A second later, Magnificent Seven came up...
  40. H

    What Are Some Modern Genius Movies for Inspiration?

    Does anyone have those corny genius movies or ones where a student works really hard to succeed. Things like A Beautiful Mind and Good Will Hunting. I'd likd some that are modern, ie. atleast made since 1990s and preferably 2000s. I need some inspiration now is all =)
  41. A

    Bad Science in Movies: Examples & Reviews

    So I saw a pretty bad movie the other day, "Sunshine", something about how we have to send a giant nuclear weapon to the sun to keep it from burning out in the future. There's plenty of bad science in there, such as the premise of the film, but there was one part when the crew had to jump out of...
  42. D

    Music Is it legal to play personal music and movies in my shop to customers?

    I own a beauty salon and I'm wondering if I need to pay royalty when playing music and movies that I own. I want setup video and music on demand for waiting customers.
  43. U

    Best Science Movies: My All-Time Favorite & More

    My all time favorite (as far as I can remember) is The Andromeda Strain, although the book was much better(when isn't it?). Anyone else have some faves?
  44. Greg Bernhardt

    Where to Find Dvds and Movies Near You

    How do you get your dvd/movies? I used netflicks for a long time, but I usually go on movie binges, so I need a blockbuster near me.
  45. wolram

    Can Shooting Locks in Movies be Realistic?

    To gain entry, myth busters showed that one would need armour piercing bullets to wreck a pad lock, and that one may be showered in shrapnel in the process, so are any of the shooting locks movies possible?
  46. hagopbul

    Top 11 Movies for Literary & Ideological Value

    The best 11 movies in my opinion rated by there value to literature and idea: I. The matrix (1,2,3) II. Crash III. V for vendetta IV. Children of men V. Fountain VI. Lord of war VII. Passions of the Christ VIII. Run Lola run IX. Pirates of the Caribbean (1,2) {silly, movie but...
  47. Ivan Seeking

    Will Smoking Scenes Trigger an R Rating in Movies?

    http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=69586 If smoking scenes will demand an R rating as does violence and sex, then I assume that the person would have to be smoking an entire pack at once, blowing smoke from every orifice in their body, chomping on a bale of chew, and wearing...
  48. P

    Movies & TV: Teaching Kids How to Behave in Society

    I have just realized that one purpose of movies and television shows is to kind of give the community a message of 'how to behave' in society. Obviously it must also be entertaining. The goodies always tend to win in movies which is trying to give us the message that doing 'good' is...
  49. A

    Are there any science-based movies that don't involve sci-fi?

    What are some movies with a storyline based on scientists? I know some related to computer science, though I am seeking more of a physics based movie. Also, I am not seeking sci-fi. The closest movie to what I am seeking is October Sky.
  50. I

    Bad Physics in Movies: Proving Mathematically

    "Bad" Physics in movies. OK, so, I have to do something for my physics class involving disproving the physics of something that happens in a movie. I have come up with several ideas to make this work, including scenes from: * Transporter 2 (A man jumps out a window about 3 stories high...
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