Twitter FacebookTHE GREATEST FILMSThe "Greatest" and the "Best" in Cinematic Historywww.filmsite.org Film T erms Glossary Illustrated Film Terms Glossary - Index (alphabetical and illustrated) Introduction|A1|A2-B1| B2| B3-C1| C2| C3| C4-D1| D2-E1| F1| F2-I1 I2-L1| L2-M1| M2-O1| O2-P1| P2-S1| S2| S3| S4| S5-T1| T2-Z Film Terms Glossary Cinematic T erms Definition and Explanation Example (if applicable) sword-and-sandal epic a term for a movie, usually a Roman or Biblical epic, characterized by the weapons (swords) and footwear(sandals) of the period Examples: the many Victor Mature films, such as Samson and Delilah (1948), The Robe (1953), and Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954). sword and sorcery a term for the class of fantasy moviescharacterized by the presence of wizards and warriors, magic and sword fighting Example: Conan the Barbarian (1982). symbol an object in a film that stands for an idea, or that has a second level of meaning to it, e.g., a window or train=freedom, a rose=beauty, a cross-roads=a decision point, etc.; the more a symbol is repeated, the greater its significance Example: in M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense (1999)- the visual clue or symbol of cold air indicating the presence ofghost spirits symmetry within a film when two or more distinct plotlines 'mirror' each other or develop variations on the film's theme or plot; aka mirroring Examples: David Lynch's Lost Highway (1997), and Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) synchronous sound refers to sound whose sourcecan be seen in the image's frame,or whose source can be understood from the context ofthe image tag line a clever phrase or short sentence to memorably characterize a film, and tease and attract potential viewers, or sell the movie; also creates a catchy 'soundbite' often repeated or presented in a traileror on a film's poster, sometimes along with the film'sleitmotifExamples: "This is the weekend they didn't play golf" (Deliverance (1972)), "The Night HeCame Home!" (Halloween (1978)), "Where were you in '62?" ( American Graffiti (1973 )), "Small town. Big crime. Dead cold" (Fargo (1996) ), "This is Maggie the Cat..." (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof(1958) ), "It's Terrific!" (Citizen Kane (1941)) a single continuously-recorded performance, shot or version ofa scene with a particular camera setup; often, multiple takes GREATEST FI LMS THE BE ST OSCA RS QUOT ES GENR ES SC ENES HI ST OR Y POST ERS DIRE CT OR S & ST AR S RE VI EWS VI DE O