week 9. (more to follow when I actually have time to think!)

What does Bordwell mean by his claim that Hollywood narratives have “passages of overtness balanced with less self-conscious ones” (p. 50)?


Bordwell means that for the most part filmmakers follow a set of guidelines that creates the "classical hollywood film," using standard narrative tricks such as appointments and deadlines to create tension. Frequently, however, filmmakers own style seeps through, adding a uniqueness that makes the movie stand out from the standard Hollywood film - this is the less self-conscious part.