What is Movie: Definition and 283 Discussions

A film, also called a movie, motion picture or moving picture, is a work of visual art used to simulate experiences that communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere through the use of moving images. These images are generally accompanied by sound, and more rarely, other sensory stimulations. The word "cinema", short for cinematography, is often used to refer to filmmaking and the film industry, and to the art form that is the result of it.
The moving images of a film are created by photographing actual scenes with a motion-picture camera, by photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques, by means of CGI and computer animation, or by a combination of some or all of these techniques, and other visual effects.
Traditionally, films were recorded onto celluloid film stock through a photochemical process and then shown through a movie projector onto a large screen. Contemporary films are often fully digital through the entire process of production, distribution, and exhibition, while films recorded in a photochemical form traditionally included an analogous optical soundtrack (a graphic recording of the spoken words, music and other sounds that accompany the images which runs along a portion of the film exclusively reserved for it, and is not projected).
Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures. They reflect those cultures, and, in turn, affect them. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment, and a powerful medium for educating—or indoctrinating—citizens. The visual basis of film gives it a universal power of communication. Some films have become popular worldwide attractions through the use of dubbing or subtitles to translate the dialog into other languages.
The individual images that make up a film are called frames. In the projection of traditional celluloid films, a rotating shutter causes intervals of darkness as each frame, in turn, is moved into position to be projected, but the viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision, whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after its source disappears. The perception of motion is partly due to a psychological effect called the phi phenomenon.
The name "film" originates from the fact that photographic film (also called film stock) has historically been the medium for recording and displaying motion pictures. Many other terms exist for an individual motion-picture, including picture, picture show, moving picture, photoplay, and flick. The most common term in the United States is movie, while in Europe film is preferred. Common terms for the field in general include the big screen, the silver screen, the movies, and cinema; the last of these is commonly used, as an overarching term, in scholarly texts and critical essays. In early years, the word sheet was sometimes used instead of screen. 'Film' in general is not a good term to refer to a long standard commercial video production since it’s ambiguous in general and therefore requires context for correct interpretation.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. DennisN

    Is Arrival the Next Sci-Fi Blockbuster or Just Another Hollywood Rehash?

    Thought I'd share this in the SF forum... What interests me regarding this movie is that language seems to be an important theme in the story and that the director also directed Sicario, which I liked. Trailer 1: Trailer 2:
  2. Omega0

    The Martian - Movie - The bubble

    Hi, I love the movie "The Marsian". I did not start reading the book (I'll do soon). What do you think about discussing the physics? I am wondering why the NASA in the end suggested to cut a hole in the rover and to build that plastic foil bubble on top. There must be a really good reason to try...
  3. S

    Question about movie "The Martian"

    Yeah, yeah, it's just a movie, but I was still wondering: 1. Would hydrazine decompose completely when dripped over rhodium, as Mark Watney did in the movie? That stuff is really toxic even in tiny amounts, isn't it? 2. Wouldn't Watney have died from displacement asphyxiation ? He was...
  4. D

    Looking for a movie on spies and a TV show from the 50's

    I am looking for the name of a movie which was an absurd combination of spy stuff and a TV show from the 50ies where young couples could win travels and fridges in a quiz. Any help?
  5. Kevin McHugh

    Iconic Movie Quotes Game: Guess the Movie, Actor & Character!

    Let's play a game. You post a famous quote from a movie. Memebrs can guess the name of the movie, the actor/actress, and the character's name. One point for each. Post several quotes, and keep score! "You do know how to whistle don't you? You just put put lips together an blow." "Badges? We...
  6. Nick tringali

    Is a force field like the one in Independence Day possible in real life?

    When the US fighter aircraft fire on the alien spacecraft , the pilots learn that the spacecraft is protected by some type of an invisible force field. Does our current understanding of how the universe works allow for such a thing?
  7. Lymsleia

    I just watched the movie The Martian, is it possible?

    not about technology, but the 'rescue attempt' if something like in movie (or in novel) really happen. if state were to spend a several billion to rescue one single man form mars... are they going to do it? or is it possible for them to keep silent and let the Mars kill him to save money? I...
  8. jedishrfu

    The Man Who Knew Infinity Movie

    A movie on the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan staring Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Knew_Infinity_(film) with a planned April 29, 2016 release date. The trailer looks pretty good. The producers are Manjul Bhargava and Ken Ono, two well-known and...
  9. TheMathNoob

    What Does the Police Officer's Pursuit in Thelma and Louise Symbolize?

    I am doing a textual analysis about the final scene in the movie. At the end, once Thelma and Louise decide to drive off the cliff, the police officer goes after them. What does this represent? why did he do it?
  10. ZapperZ

    Deadpool - Superhero Movie for Adults

    If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing an amazing superhero movie! It is unlike any other, and the irreverent nature of it was just completely refreshing! You can tell this is not going to be your ordinary movie just from the opening credit, and there is an amazing amount of creativity from...
  11. P

    Why is Dr McCoy always mad? (into darkness movie)

    What is supposed to be the back story about why McCoy is always sort of pissed off all the time and kind of cynical in the movie? I get that he's based on another actor playing McCoy but does the character have some back-story that was in some episode or something, for being mad all the time? I...
  12. Quasi Lunatik

    About the use of wormhole in the interstellar movie

    I am new to this forum and don't quite know if these types of questions are appreciated here or not but i have a question about the use of wormhole in the interstellar movie. We saw that they used the wormhole to travel to a distant place on the universe. When the main characters went to the...
  13. kelvin490

    MATLAB MATLAB movie2avi cannot made video

    I am trying to test the function movie2avi using simple codes in R2014a as follows: clear; close all; figure; Z = peaks; surf(Z); axis tight manual; ax = gca; ax.NextPlot = 'replaceChildren'; loops = 40; F(loops) = struct('cdata',[],'colormap',[]); for j = 1:loops X =...
  14. DiracPool

    Name the Character: Movie Guessing Challenge!

    Ok, I got an experimental idea for a game. I'm going to post a picture from a movie and the first person that guesses it can then post a new picture. Pretty inventive, huh? Oh, and the rules are you can't upload the picture to that google image recognition thing (of course). Be honest. Name...
  15. A

    How come a book has more detail than its corresponding movie

    When a book is made into a movie, the book usually has more detail than its movie. However, we say that a picture is worth a thousand words. How is that a movie is not able to convey everything that is present in the book? I often see movies removing a lot of detail than its corresponding novels...
  16. robbertypob

    Interstellar Movie - Conservation of Angular Momentum

    OK, so I'm right in the middle of watching Interstellar and I've just seen the part where they have docked with the 'mothership' and they fire up their engines to get it to rotate. This is so they can generate a centrifugal force to simulate gravity. My question is - first the ship was not...
  17. K

    Interstellar Movie: Wormholes & String Cosmology Explained

    Hello. In the movie Interstellar with Matthew McConaughey, there is a scene where wormholes are being explained. The characters say that the wormhole passage is a passage way through 5 dimensional space. Also when they are going through the wormhole they say they are passing through the bulk...
  18. Electgineer

    Movie with electrical /electronic engineering theme

    Please do you have the idea of any movie with electrical /electronic engineering theme.
  19. E

    Help with name of a nuclear movie

    Does anyone know the title of this nuclear movie where the president was told to commit suicide in a graveyard with pistol in front but it was empty and nuclear detonation occurred just the same. I've been searching for it for a year and couldn't track the title. In that movie, you can see...
  20. Jimster41

    NASA NASA Movie of trip through star cluster

    I'm guessing folks have seen this... but if not. Pretty awesome. I have the annual Astronomy Magazine Calendar, and it never get's old. But this is a step up. Probably a better site for the vid...
  21. M

    Physics in vertical jump and basball hit

    Homework Statement Okay so these are from movies. I am trying to prove them right or wrong using physics. how can I figure out the pounds of force of a vertical jump when I have the: height of the jump = 6 feet Time to reach top = .797 sec Mass of person = 100lbs 2. How can I figure out this...
  22. V

    Exploring Science in Movies: Finding the Perfect Film for Your Classroom Project

    Hello, I am in search of some movie suggestions that incorporate different concepts such as sound waves, magnetic fields, doppler effect, transmission of light, inverse square law. The movie doesn't need to necessarily incorporate all of those concepts. I am working on a school project and need...
  23. jedishrfu

    Interstellar Movie Poll: Rate the Sci-Fi Epic

    There's been a lot of polarizing discussion on Interstellar with many people critical of the story, the science and the technology so I felt it would be good to launch a poll in the community. Up front, I have to say I liked the movie and plan to get a copy when it comes out. I know its not the...
  24. B

    Interstellar -the movie, planet with slower time

    Referring to all the people who have watched the movie, i got a question. It is about one of the planets where time passes drastically slower (1 hour on the surface is 7 Earth years ) due to gravitational time dilatation. Earth moves together with the sun with speed of circa 500 km/s trough...
  25. diogenesNY

    Intersellar - NY Times article on its science

    Today's _Out There_ column ( in the New York Times) by David Overby takes a look at the physics of _Interstellar_ and the reception thereof by various audiences. Interesting article. It can be found on page D1 of the print edition. Links- (One is the article's formal permalink, the other...
  26. D

    Interstellar the movie and real physics

    Just viewed the new flick. I'm guessing the author of the novel upon which the movie was based was a physicist and that the story is consistent with known physics. So, I thought I might get a few details straight. In the movie there is no "them" no other beings other than humans who are helping...
  27. jedishrfu

    New Book by Prof Kip Thorne on The Science of Interstellar

    I found a new book on The Science of Interstellar by Kip Thorne https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393351378/?tag=pfamazon01-20 What caught my attention was a photo of John Wheeler at the black board teaching about black holes. You could see the incredible detail in each pane of the board almost like...
  28. R

    Interstellar Movie Questions

    Hello everyone! I recently watched the new Interstellar movie, and have some questions that I would like answered. Warning: Spolier Alert! My questions will contain spoilers, so if you haven't seen the movie yet, and plan to do so, leave now. Also, if you are going to rant about the movie, do it...
  29. H

    Interstellar: A Visual Masterpiece with Disappointing Writing and Physics

    I saw "Interstellar"in IMAX. Fantastic visuals, but lazy dumb writing and very bad basic physics. Kip Thorne should be embarrassed to have is name so prominently associated with the movie.
  30. Razorvox

    Interstellar Movie: What Do You Think?

    Hey everyone, relatively new here. Wondering what you think of the trailers for Interstellar. After seeing Gravity, I think I might enjoy this more as it's about exploring vast distances, not a fan of clooney or bullock either. But as far as the effects go, Gravity is going to be "very" tough to...
  31. P

    Movie Making Software Similar to Windows Movie Maker XP but for 7?

    Does anyone know of a movie maker program that`s similar to the one on windows XP but that can work for Windows 7 and on a netbook? I tried making movies with the new windows movie maker, but it trims in seconds and it`s to much of a hassle to make more then one using it. I`ve downloaded...
  32. K

    Doubt in a scene from the movie Gravity

    Doubt in a scene from the movie "Gravity" In the movie gravity, there is a scene where Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) detaches herself from the broken but moving arm of space shuttle (till 0:45 in the following link): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= As soon as she does, she spins so...
  33. J

    Saving Private Ryan: Realistic War Movie?

    Saving Private Ryan is known as a "realistic" war movie, as opposed to the happy-go-lucky WWII films like The Longest Day. Apparently some people equate excessive gore with "realism." I'm fine with excessive gore as long as it's realistic and fits into the "point" of the film. I find Saving...
  34. Russ Edmonds

    My expansion cloud chamber movie

    Hi all, below is a video showing a compilation of many expansions of my Wilson cloud chamber. The tracks shown are mostly alpha and cosmic rays. The chamber uses a rubber bulb from a turkey baster as the expansion piston. The object in the chamber is a cork with a radium paint coated pin. I'm...
  35. F

    Question about the tether scene from the movie Gravity

    Question about the tether scene from the movie "Gravity" In the movie there's a scene where two astronauts are joined together by a rope. One is accelerating to pull the other. The astronaut would accelerate, the rope would tense and give a jerk to the other astronaut. Then the rope would...
  36. MarkFL

    MHB Math related images for movie and book titles

    I thought it might be fun if we created our own math related images that can be translated into a movie title, or perhaps even book and song titles. The first person who guesses the title correctly then gets to create their own image. So, I will start with a movie title:
  37. T

    What's your favorite movie ending of all time? With a TWIST

    I saw this thread on a G+ post, and I thought, why the heck not? The OP suggested Planet of Apes. I actually got chills the first time I saw Lady Liberty sticking out of the sand. When I was like, seven years old. Now, I find it so corny that I literally blow a reflexive raspberry every time I...
  38. T

    Using humans as batteries: is this movie quote accurate?

    Hi there I have just re-watched The Matrix (great movie) and one quote really stuck out to me: "The human body generates more bio-electricity than a 120-volt battery and over 25,000 B.T.U.'s of body heat. We are, as an energy source, easily renewable and completely recyclable, the dead...
  39. K

    Deja Vu: one amazing science fiction movie

    De javu is the best science fiction movie i have ever watched,,, the characters are amazingly matching although it is so confusing about this moves from past to present and vice versa but the movies is great :cool:
  40. DiracPool

    Let's Test Our Movie Trivia Knowledge

    I haven't seen a movie trivia thread in here. So I'll give this a go. The rules are: if you answer the current question correctly you get to ask the next one. Simple, huh? Only one question at a time, please. If no one correctly answers a current question within 24 hours of the posted...
  41. C

    Coriolis movie of draining pool?

    So we all know the Coriolis effect isn't demonstrated in a bathtub or toilet. Are there any videos online of the size of pool needed to demonstrate it? I saw one in grad school--black and white from the '50s--an indoor, above-ground pool with a drain in the center, allowed to settle for a week...
  42. L

    What are the Psychological Factors Influencing Movie Preferences?

    I have realized patterns throughout talking to people about: movie genres, movie quotes and actors. From my school, people with high academic achievements, broad general knowledge and good thinking skills tends to like more 'artistic', highly rated and 'award winning' movies. I will call these...
  43. AnTiFreeze3

    Movie Review: Gravity (with George Clooney & Sandra Bullock)

    I felt I had to be a little explicit with the title, because just "Gravity" is a little too vague for a forum like this :smile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufsrgE0BYf0 Thoughts? I think it certainly has a nice 2-person cast with Clooney and Bullock, but I'm wondering if the plot might be...
  44. P

    Projectile Motion in the movie Matrix?

    I need to prove that the scene where Neo jumps off the cliff in the Matrix is wrong. Obviously he can do that because he is not in this world. But using projectile motion, how would I prove that its wrong? Which equations do i need to use?
  45. D

    Looking For Help With A SciFi Movie For Accurate Physics

    Hi there, I'm new here. My favorite fields of science are physics, theoretical physics, and fringe science. Fringe was my all time favorite show next to Star Trek. I'm a total nerd. However, I'm no scientist. In fact, I'm a music and video producer, photographer, and graphic artist. Last time...
  46. robphy

    IBM's A Boy And His Atom: The World's Smallest Movie

    IBM's "A Boy And His Atom: The World's Smallest Movie" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0 ...how it was made www.research.ibm.com/articles/madewithatoms.shtml
  47. S

    MHB Movie/TV Clichés: Jerry Springer, Judge Judy, Cowboy-and-Indian

    Not long ago, they would show us a waterfront scene. To impress us with how "rough" the neighborhood is we would see a hooker helping a drunken, staggering sailor down the street.Today, they show us a residential area at night. (Maybe the hero is sneaking up on a meth lab, or the villain is...
  48. Greg Bernhardt

    Star Wars old cast is coming back for a new movie

    My gut feeling says this is a bad idea, but the star wars crazed kid in my is giggy! http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/star-wars-stars-reuniting-sequel-lucas-lets-slip-172815308.html
  49. Astronuc

    Lincoln - Movie by Steven Spielberg

    I saw the movie Lincoln last night. It is brilliant! Two commanding performances by Daniel Day-Lewis (as Lincoln) and Tommy Lee Jones (as Thaddeus Stevens). I think both actors captured the essence of the respective persons. Particularly poignant is Lincoln's commentary on Euclid's...
  50. D

    Dark Waters 2003: Submarine Lost Power Scene Real?

    Hey folks i have a doubt of this old movie, 3 of the main characters are on submarine and the submarine lost power so one of the mans pick the Inflatable Boats and by the hatch throw below of the submarine and then the submarine inflated to the surface. I mean really fake right this scene...
Back
Top