“Who do you think comes first: the setting or the… characters in the narrative?”
“It’s like the chicken and the egg. There’s nothing that comes first… A really good movie considers the setting, the characters parallel to each other.”
- A. Fernandez. 2020
Just a heads up that we do talk about movies so there may be some spoilers! (We do avoid spoilers but just in case!)
Architecture in film heavily influences the audience’s connection with the narrative. Whether it’d be the camera framing, costume design, music and ambience, each element must work together to deliver a succinct message. In this episode, Adrian and I discuss the role architecture plays in film, and we explore some of our favourite films in which may not be evident however, celebrates architecture in their own way.
Below are some of the films that we’d like to recommend, some of these may not have been discussed in the podcast, but we’d hope that you could find some joy in understanding how architecture aids the narrative! Let us know which ones you’ve seen or would like to see!
Notes:
Recommended films
Joe Wright, Pride and Prejudice. 2008
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Amélie. 2001
Hayao Miyazaki, Howl’s Moving Castle. 2004
Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away. 2001
Jon M. Chu, Crazy Rich Asians. 2018
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel. 2014
Tim Burton, Corpse Bride. 2005
Wes Anderson, Isle of Dogs. 2018
Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen, Singing in the Rain. 1952
Aardman Animations, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. 2005
Aardman Animations, Chicken Run. 2000
Baz Luhrmann, Moulin Rouge!. 2001
Wong Kar-wai, In The Mood For Love. 2000
Chris Marker, La Jetee. 1962
Vittorio De Sica, Bicycle Thieves. 1950
Kogonada, Columbus. 2017
Wim Wenders, Wings of Desire. 1988
Bong Joon-ho, Parasite. 2019
Godfrey Reggio, Koyaanisqatsi. 1983
Nathaniel Kahn, My Architect. 2004
Jacques Tati, Mon Oncle. 1958
Sam Mendes, 1917. 2019
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist. 2011
Alex Garland. Ex-Machina. 2014
Alfred Hitchcock, Rear Window. 1984
Other key players in the film industry
Lisa Joy
Johnathan Nolan
Roger Deakins
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Music: Uniq - Japan https://soundcloud.com/uniqofficial
About Adrian Fernandez
Adrian Fernandez is a recent architectural graduate who after realising that he was more interested in the praxis rather than the practice of architecture, pivoted to one of his other interests, film. In this realm, he works as a Special Projects Coordinator at ACMI and teaches filmic history at the VCA, where he is also somewhat hopelessly pursuing a Masters by Research in critical film theory. He also maintains a tentative foothold in the world of architecture, primarily through teaching Design Studios at Monash University and engaging in very often drunken debates about the merits of the Australian suburb.
Disclaimer
This podcast is a journal of personal reflections and casual discussions. Opinions shared does not represent the shared opinion of the speaker’s affiliated organisation. We do not provide advice for listeners. As information and facts change over time, we will not be responsible for any inaccuracies as time progresses.
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