Widescreen Format Film Analysis: The Robe

The Classic Hollywood Cinematic Tradition

The employment of numerous techniques and storytelling forms, such as schemata to represent the subject matter of the film, narrative logic, group film style and space, editing, and composition, were all part of the classic Hollywood cinematic tradition. Early Hollywood cinematic sets relied heavily on the use of sound and camera movement to create the desired structure and style. For instance, the employment of the extensive format style in Hollywood cinematic styles developed during the 1950s to 1960s period. These legendary movies weren’t like the early cinematic movements that made use of traditional screen displays. Some of the traditional films produced from these golden cinema age films include; “the Robe,” “How to Marry a Millionaire,” “Ben Hur” among others. In this discussion, an analysis of the traditional widescreen format used in the film “The Robe” will be taken into consideration.

The Widescreen Process and Cinemascope

The film, “the robe” was produced in 1953, on the widescreen process referred to as the Cinemascope. Produced by fox cinema, the film utilized the use of combined anamorphic lens technology. The technology features of widescreen format included aspect ratios of width to height of 1.85:1. The success of the production of this film saw a countrywide change in cinema theaters to accommodate the widescreen format changes. The change was also viewed as one that would control the competition the cinema was facing from television film experience. Widescreen technology formats such as the cinemascope revolutionized the classical Hollywood cinema; the technology was significant in defining the rivalry between cinema and television. Also, the cinematic scope technologies present the various meanings to the film “The Robe.”

Analysis

After the production of the film “The Robe” by fox century, other productions from that period were produced under the cinemascope technology. Before this technology, cinema theaters across the country experienced competition from the television industry which offered narrow screen. The fox cinema company used the widescreen process to project images similar to those offered by television aspects but on a widescreen. The film “the robe” was first chosen to introduce the widescreen processes due to its epic nature and roman setting (Smith). The film is presented by depicting the vast Roman empire setting on widescreen to depict the strength of the ancient roman administration.

Enhancing Theatrical Experience

The aspect of using widescreen technology was also used to increase the theatrical experience that would not be achieved in the television experience. The process involved the use of wide screens of up to 55 to 65 feet and 25 feet tall. The pictures of the screen thus included scenes that would not be captured in the small television screens with narrow screens of 13 inches. According to Belton (Belton), viewer experience in the theaters offered a superior experience to that available at the time. Some of the changes to increase theatrical experience also included the audio formats for the widescreen processes. However, the development of the widescreen processes to counter the growing rivalry with television did not seem to concentrate on its comparisons but rather with its similarities with television.

Success and Impact of The Robe

The film “The Robe” also describes the American classical Hollywood culture of creativity. The introduction of the widescreen process also led to the invention of other processes to ensure the new technology’s success. For instance, the production of the film included the use of a monaural sound in the film’s soundtrack as opposed to the usual stereo sound that had previously been used in cinematic films (Belton). However, the various historical mistakes depicted in the movie portray the production culture from the 1950s which did not take into account the factual correctness of the plot. For instance, through the film, it is indicated that Marcellus was transferred to Palestine where before entering Jerusalem he locks eyes with Jesus. However, at the period of the events in the film, the region was referred to as Judea and changed to Syria Palestine hundred years later.

Transition to Widescreen Format

Also, the film “The Robe” served as a transitional film from the traditional standard academy format to the new widescreen format. The new production format came with new styles such as us of long cuts that had not been used previously. The techniques used with the new technology appealed to the audience more compared to the 3D technologies. The popularity of the new production method led to the adoption of widescreens throughout Hollywood. Fox productions shared the widescreen production techniques with other companies such as the MGM, and Warner Bros. alternative techniques such as Tohoscope and Franscope also emerged and dominated the cinematic production processes for the decades that followed.

Mise en Scene Technique and Narration

Bedwell considers the use of mise en scene technique as the same thing with the theory of narration. Indeed, regarding the use of this method in the film “The Robe,” the use of widescreen format in the film also offered the ability for the directors to narrate the story of the film using mise en scene techniques. For instance, at the opening scene of the film, it shows Caligula in charge of a gladiatorial games ceremony (Bordwell). The setting is made possible by the widescreen that captures the presence of the spectators producing a beautiful scene in the process. In comparison to the academy production of the similar film, the scene is presented in a “flat” manner, i.e., the gladiator row is presented as being far from the presiding officer.

Visual Language and Ideology

The visual language used in the film also adds to the effects of the widescreen technologies to present effect on the film’s meaning and ideology. The film the robe was based on the novel “magnificent obsession.” With the use of cinemascope technologies, the production of this film used different visual and audio techniques to bring out the biblical ideology that is the center of the story (Martin). For instance, at one scene, a man identifying himself as Judas tells Marcellus about the arrest f Jesus. The scene is depicted by the use of thunder and lightning cracks as he relays the message. The use of the dark lighting and sound serves to create the ideology of serious religious event as narrated in the bible story of arresting Christ.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the film, “The Robe” was the first film to be produced under the new cinematic technologies of cinemascope which presented widescreens. Based on the classical analysis of the Hollywood cinema by Bordwell, and John Belton, the widescreen format was essential in increasing the theatrical experience. The widescreen experience produced wide screens as compared to those offered by home televisions. Also, an analysis of the classical aesthetics in the film reveal the film depicted a deeper meaning such as the American culture in the film industry. For instance, cinemascope technologies indicate the competitive nature of the American cultures in the Hollywood filmmaking. Lastly, the film uses visual language and traditional lighting to convey the meaning of the film, i.e., the biblical sense of the film.

Works Cited

Belton, John. Widescreen cinema. Harvard Univ Pr, 1992.

Bordwell, David. “Widescreen Aesthetics and Mise en Scene Criticism.” The Velvet Light Trap 21 (1985): 18.

Martin, Adrian. Mise en scène and film style: From classical Hollywood to new media art. Springer, 2014.

Smith, Douglas. “Reading The Robe: Bazin and Widescreen.” Paragraph 36.1 (2013): 86-100.