Documentaries usually expose or show an event and show some truth.
Honestly, documentaries don't really interest me. They interest me because I do enjoy learning about something new or more about something I already knew. But it's pretty easy to predict what you're going to see in a documentary: some footage about the topic, some interview, another interview, more footage, a picture probably, and then other things whatever it ends. Waltz With Bashir had those elements, but it also had so much more.
To say Waltz With Bashir is not a documentary because it's animated seems strange to me. The animation doesn't limit the documentary in any way. In fact, it makes the documentary more significant.
What really resonated with me was that .5% of the documentary that was not animated. I can't fully put into words what I felt when I saw the footage, but it was pretty hard-hitting. We knew it was a documentary the whole time, so everything we saw was real and it happened. Seeing footage from an event in a documentary isn't a new concept, but it's more enjoyable has a larger impact on the viewer.
I completely agree with you that the animation does not limit the film and makes the real footage at the end that much more hard-hitting. By being animated and having the real footage at the end, the film accomplishes much more than a conventional documentary film. I find most documentaries that follow the pattern you presented (footage, interview, pictures, etc.) to be uninteresting and forgettable, but I think films like Waltz with Bashir that challenge the form are incredibly interesting. Also, films can follow the traditional documentary format if the topic is thoroughly investigated and the film is revelatory with its information (films like Food Inc. and The Invisible War). If it does this, it grabs my attention and is a rewarding viewing experience.
ReplyDeleteYour raise some interesting points but need to invest more time explaining/supporting them. For example, why is only "some truth" necessary in a documentary? Is 1% truth okay? I believe when "some truth" becomes the standard, you are entering the realm of propaganda.
ReplyDeleteThat the ending of a film hit you hard emotionally suggests it's great art, not a great documentary. Should documentaries on some level be a little boring? Aren't its objectives a little different? We could make the news a lot more emotionally impactful with some animation, but should we?