A STUDY OF THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE: THE WIZARD OF OZ, CITIZEN KANE, CASABLANCA, CHINATOWN

Ryota Nakanishi

Nov 2021 · Ryota Nakanishi

About this ebook

A STUDY OF THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE - THE WIZARD OF OZ, CITIZEN KANE, CASABLANCA, CHINATOWN covers the history of cinematic practice of the three act structure during both the World War II period (1939-1945) and the Post-War period (1945-present). This is accomplished through a pure and comprehensive analysis highlighting the most popular classical films during the period and Hegelian dialectics, which vigorously analyses the narrative development of each film in detail. Ryota explains narrative factors leading to stability and dynamics in Hollywood cinema tales and includes close analyses of plot points, sequences and acts. As it ranges across decades, examining classics like The Wizard of Oz, Citizen Kane, and Casablanca as well as Roman Polanski’s masterpiece Chinatown, this book provides a vivid and engaging interpretation of how Hollywood moviemakers have adapted to the Western tradition of cinematic storytelling that continues to engage audiences around the world. Moreover, throughout this book the author treats the three-act structure as a film narrative structure in completed form. Thus, it differs from ordinary screenplay-instruction books.

About the author

Ryota Nakanishi is a Hong Kong writer and intelligence analyst of politics and international relations with a primary focus on Hong Kong, China.