The Narrative in Classic Hollywood Movies

In classical movies, the narrative is told in chronological order. There is also a cause-effect logic that leads the audience from one scene to the next.

The movie starts with introducing the characters, then one event leads to the other until the conflict arises. The characters work on overcoming this conflict until they reach a resolution at the end.

This type of storytelling is called the three act structure.

For example, let us look at the Titanic. Yes, classical movies don’t have to be black and white.

The movie starts with an old woman telling her story, and then we get introduced to the two main characters: Jack and Rose. We follow their story from the moment they get up to the boat until [Spoiler Alert] the sinking and Jack’s death.

Another main characteristic of classical narrative movies is that they are easy to understand and follow. That is because it is straightforward cinematic storytelling.

The main interest in classical movies is the story itself.

So, the core of a typical classical movie would revolve around characters that face a problem and work to solve it.

When someone asks you: “what was the movie about?” It will be very easy to answer the question if the movie followed the classic narrative.

This will not be the case if the movie was modern. You would be answering: “you would have to watch. I don’t want to spoil” or “there is actually no story per se”.

Let us discuss the narrative of modern movies to make sense of such answers.

The Narrative in Modern Movies

Modern cinema is a movement in cinema that tries to be as far as possible from classical films. (Here modern cinema is a type of film and it does NOT mean new). That is why it is very easy to differentiate between classic and modern film narratives.

Modern cinematic narratives are stories told in a somehow complicated way and out of chronological order.

Such film narratives neglect the three-act structure.

They do not necessarily end with a resolution, and can have open endings instead.

For example, look at Tarantino movies. (Tarantino movies are good examples here although they are post-modern).

The way Pulp Fiction tells a story is very complicated because the scenes are arranged out of chronology.

Pulp Fiction

In such narratives, the movies tend to be harder to understand and they require more attention and close interpretation to be understood.

See also an example of the narrative of Citizen Kane.

Movies that belong to modern cinema (or art-house cinema) are usually character-driven. In contrast to classic Hollywood movies that are story-driven.

This means that the narrative of modern movies focuses more on the characters and their psychological state or dilemma.

So if you want to watch a philosophical movie or a film about existential crisis, look for modern film.

Finally, to sum it up:

The difference between classical Hollywood and modern film narrative: