Do you rememÂber the first time you saw the fourth wall broÂken? Few of us probÂaÂbly do, but maybe we all should, givÂen how radiÂal a deparÂture from estabÂlished draÂmatÂic conÂvenÂtion — specifÂiÂcalÂly, the conÂvenÂtion dicÂtatÂing that a work of draÂmatÂic art not acknowlÂedge the fact that it is a work of draÂmatÂic art — fourth-wall-breakÂage repÂreÂsents. Then again, a work of art can break the fourth wall subÂtly, too subÂtly to make an outÂsized impact on our conÂsciousÂness: take, for examÂple, all the brief but knowÂing glances movie charÂacÂters have directÂed at their audiÂences throughÂout almost the entire hisÂtoÂry of cinÂeÂma.
A fair few of those glances appear in the superÂcut of 400 breakÂages of the fourth wall above (which may well conÂtain the first one you ever witÂnessed). It draws from films from a variÂety of time periÂods, HolÂlyÂwood clasÂsics and blockÂbusters as well as lessÂer-known picÂtures.
TogethÂer with the Press Play fourth-wall-breakÂage superÂcut below, it proÂvides an overview of just how wide a variÂety of ways filmÂmakÂers have found to momenÂtarÂiÂly breach what VinÂcent CanÂby once described as “that invisÂiÂble scrim that forÂevÂer sepÂaÂrates the audiÂence from the stage.” Most films break the fourth wall for laughs, but othÂers have done it in serÂvice of emoÂtionÂal, aesÂthetÂic, and even intelÂlecÂtuÂal ends.
None of this is to say that the fourth wall stood perÂfectÂly intact before the colosÂsus of cinÂeÂma came along to smash it. The conÂcept goes at least as far back as 17th-cenÂtuÂry France, first used as a term by Molière and latÂer more fulÂly defined by EnlightÂenÂment icon Denis Diderot. But theÂatriÂcal perÂformÂers must have been breakÂing the fourth wall, or at least pokÂing holes in it, even before the fourth wall was quite up: long ago, we read in hisÂtorÂiÂcal accounts of theÂater around the world, audiÂences even expectÂed a cerÂtain degree of interÂacÂtion with the action onstage — or at least they expressed their thoughts on it, often forceÂfulÂly, attemptÂing to break the fourth wall from the othÂer direcÂtion.
Over time, we, the creÂators and viewÂers of draÂma alike, built the fourth wall, and it has selÂdom takÂen us long to expect its proÂtecÂtion in every mediÂum we enjoy: theÂater and film, yes, but teleÂviÂsion, video games, and even litÂerÂaÂture as well. “It is not a good idea to interÂrupt the narÂraÂtive too often,” writes J.M. CoetÂzee in ElizÂaÂbeth CostelÂlo, a novÂel that breaks the fourth wall and a host of othÂer conÂvenÂtion besides, “since stoÂryÂtelling works by lulling the readÂer or lisÂtenÂer into a dreamÂlike state in which the time and space of the real world fade away, superÂseded by the time and space of the ficÂtion.” A litÂerÂary stoÂryÂteller of CoetÂzee’s calÂiber would know. But what othÂer art form has been as often comÂpared to a dream, or felt as much like a dream, as film — and what othÂer dreams play out on, litÂerÂalÂly, a wall?
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Watch Them Watch Us: A HisÂtoÂry of BreakÂing the “Fourth Wall” in Film
CinÂeÂma HisÂtoÂry by Titles & NumÂbers
We’re Gonna Build a Fourth Wall, and Make the Brechtians Pay for It
Based in Seoul, ColÂin MarÂshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.