Breaking the 4th Wall In Animation

It has been weeks and I still can't get the last scene from Waltz With Bashir out of my head. The fourth wall break is so jarring and effective, I don't know if a movie has ever made that kind of impact on me before. But why? Breaking the fourth wall isn't uncommon in film.

Breaking the fourth wall is always supposed to pack some punch, especially when it's not expected or if it is uncommon. For example, in House of Cards, Frank is always talking to the audience, it gets to the point where we aren't surprised by it. In the last episode of the last season, we see Claire talk to the camera, this is extremely effective since Claire has never done this before. However, this scene is still not as jarring as Waltz With Bashir.

The fourth wall break in Waltz With Bashir takes you out of the world that we have accepted throughout this film. It takes you out of the animated world and into real life. This is unbelievably effective which makes me question if any fourth wall break can top a jump from animation to real life. Is animation the perfect style to have a fourth wall break?

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 12, 2018 at 8:02 AM

    Fourth wall breaks I think are most jarring when they seem aware of themselves and their medium. When they are making meta jokes and references. The jump to live action in Bashir I think is so jarring in part because if it's subject matter. It's easier to distance ourselves and focus on the narrative and art of the film while it's in animation. But as soon as it switches to live action and we are shown that all we have watched is real. And it is pushed right in our faces. It takes advantage of societies expectations and perceptions of the animated medium and exploits it in the switch to live action. I think it's very effective.

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  2. william barnesNovember 12, 2018 at 12:06 PM

    I agree, the ending of Waltz with Bashir was so impactful and critical to wrapping the film. It shows this created world was real. The seemingly harmless, drawn tragedies on screen get transformed into real struggle. It really encapsulated the whole film in such a powerful way. It was a 10/10 ending for sure.

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