Breaking the fourth wall: The art of engaging and alienating audiences in cinema

Spoiler alert: The article contains spoilers for Deadpool and Wolverine; read with discretion

Deadpool and Wolverine hit the screens later in July and the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe presentation took the theatres by storm. It evoked a sense of nostalgia with the revival of Logan/Wolverine and other significant superheroes from the MCU and Ryan Reynolds' Wade Wilson/Deadpool returns with his wry humour.

Reynolds, who has co-written and co-produced the film, has made sure to include a lot of digs at Disney alongside his classic snarky commentary and akin to his previous stints as Deadpool ever so often breaks the fourth wall while narrating the story of how he got the ‘worst version' of Wolverine back to life and saved his universe.

While some cinemagoers enjoyed the constant breaking of the fourth wall with Deadpool and Wolverine, some opined that Reynolds' went overboard with the 'breaking of fourth wall' in this stint.

‘Breaking the fourth wall' is an interesting narrative technique that yields the power to either make or break the film for the audience. Mid-Day reached out to filmmakers, writers and scholars to discuss the method.

Adnan Ali, a filmmaker and writer, told mid-day that ‘Breaking the fourth wall' is a storytelling device that allows storytellers to break an invisible fourth wall between the audience and the performers.

"Breaking the fourth wall " allows storytellers to blur the lines between fiction and reality, involve the audience more directly in the narrative, and add layers of humour or introspection to their work. This technique involves characters speaking directly to the audience or acknowledging their existence as part of a fictional world," said Ali when asked about the concept.

Origins and evolution

The theatre is where the idea of "breaking the fourth wall" first appeared. There, an imaginary barrier between the audience and the actors is referred to as the "fourth wall." This method has undergone a great deal of development in the film industry, emerging as a distinguishing feature for films that aim to break with conventional storytelling conventions.

The first examples of this approach in film date back to the silent era, but the technique did not become widely used until the middle of the 20th century. It was employed to great advantage by directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and, subsequently, Woody Allen, who established a closer relationship between his characters and the audience.

The global cinematic techniques also influenced Indian filmmakers, who initially adhered to conventional narrative structures. The breaking of the fourth wall began to find its place with the larger overhaul of Indian filmmaking.

Directors from the 70s and 80s like Manmohan Desai who made several Bollywood films including Amar Akbar Anthony, and Kundan Shah, the director of cult classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro broke the fourth wall.

More recently, directors like Anurag Kashyap and Farhan Akhtar have used this technique in films like Dil Chahta Hai and Gangs of Wasseypur blending it with the narrative to enhance storytelling.

Uma Vangal, a filmmaker and film professor, said that one of the reasons the fourth wall is broken is when the actor wants the audience to connect with them. Vangal pointed out that it is evident in the films of superstars.

"In Bollywood, I think breaking of the fourth wall begins with Rajesh Khanna, who was once a superstar. The head tilt he gave looking at the audience struck a chord with them. Similarly, Amitabh Bachchan established a relationship with the audience as an angry young man. Down south, Rajinikanth was one actor who broke the fourth wall to reach the audience while remaining in the cinematic story. Challenges for him were manifold since he was a Marathi-speaking lad when he first began who was from Karnataka and working in Tamil film industry," said Uma Vangal.

She opined that actors Salman Khan and Chiranjeevi still largely have the element of ‘breaking the fourth wall' in their movies even today.

Vangal further added that Hollywood rarely employed the technique because there's a disruption in the storytelling. She noted, "The Westerns used this technique often and similar things appear in Christopher Nolan's filmmaking."

"Nolan breaks the auteur agreement while breaking the fourth wall. His films have the essence as if he's inviting the audience to look into his mind. Nolan believes that the audience is his co-collaborator; however, he does not fully open up to the audience. He is very self-conscious, the filmmaker gives control to the audience and thus his stories are open for interpretation," said Vangal.

The director's vision

When asked about the motivations behind the usage of this technique, filmmaker Ronak Kamat said the primary reason the technique is used is to tell what a character is thinking. He said voiceover and narrations are "old-school techniques" of relaying to the audience what a character thinks.

The Goa-based filmmaker told mid-day, "Different filmmakers do it for different reasons. For instance, Annie Hall did it for comedic effect while in The House of Cards, the fourth wall was broken to build more thrill and intrigue. The same technique was also used in Fight Club to make the audience understand the whole split personality thing that they were trying to play at."

Kamat added that the filmmaker has to ensure the execution of the breaking of the fourth wall is precise. He said that many filmmakers previously have done so in a very specific way and executed it well thus making it difficult to break the fourth wall uniquely.

"What are you offering other than just talking to the audience? Are you offering something different? Is there a reason why the character is doing that?"

Deciding when to break the fourth wall

Responding to a question about the appropriate time to break the fourth wall, Adnan said, "The decision to break the fourth wall is determined by the narrative's needs. It's a tool that can improve storytelling by making it more interactive and lively. Breaking the fourth wall might be useful when a character is presenting a story or giving intimate ideas that would not normally be relayed to other characters."

In my view, everything boils down to the narrative's necessities. A character may occasionally turn to the camera and pose a rhetorical question to the audience, adding an interactive element to the plot. It is a flexible tool, but it should be used with caution to avoid disrupting the narrative flow, he added.

Meanwhile, Uma Vangal opined that it is a "crucial choice" a filmmaker has to make as to when to break the fourth wall.

"We reveal information in little packets throughout the film instead of giving out all the information. It is essential as to when do the filmmakers break the fourth wall. It has to, however, come once the audience's relationship with the character has formed," said Vangal.

She added that it is easier to break the fourth wall in certain genres like horror or in films with themes of good versus bad.

"For instance, Akshay Kumar's films are tanking these days because he has been essaying similar roles so often that he is struggling to get the audience to connect with his characters. A similar scene can be seen with Rajinikanth in the South," added Vangal.

Character development and breaking the fourth wall

When asked whether ‘breaking of the fourth wall' can be used to develop a character's depth, Adnan said that the technique does not deal with development.

Character development is typically achieved through interactions with other characters, conflicts, and journeys through the plot. Breaking the fourth wall is more of a cinematic strategy to keep the story interesting than a way to develop character depth, Adnan pointed out.

Balancing narrative and audience engagement

Breaking the fourth wall can increase audience involvement, but it must be done carefully to minimise distraction. When overdone or badly executed, it has the potential to break immersion and disrupt narrative flow. For example, if a character repeats information already delivered in the scene, it feels repetitive. Instead, the technique should provide novel ideas or viewpoints, said Kamat.

He added, "Subtlety is crucial. In House of Cards, Frank Underwood does not always speak directly to the camera; often a simple glance or grin is enough to convey his ideas, preserving the story's nuance and depth."

Challenges and considerations

Despite its potential, breaking the fourth wall comes with risks. Directors and writers must ensure it serves the story rather than detracts from it.

"This approach (breaking the fourth wall) has several obstacles. The actor's performance is critical; they must strike a distinct tone when addressing the audience. Additionally, ensemble staging is essential. When one character breaks the fourth wall, the other characters in the scene must act normally to maintain the appearance of normalcy," Ronak told mid-day.

He added, "Filmmakers must also innovate to differentiate their usage of the method. With so many legendary instances, providing a fresh perspective is critical. For example, in Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort addresses the viewer on a hectic trading floor, with the background actors completely unaware of his aside, resulting in a dramatic visual effect."

In movies, breaking the fourth wall is still a daring and powerful move. The film's triumph depends on the director's vision, the writer's talent, and the audience's openness to participating in a story that recognises them. Breaking the fourth wall will surely remain an intriguing and controversial weapon in cinematic evolution, one that has the power to make or break the very films it attempts to improve.