When talking about Billy Wilder as a director a popular, controversial topic is whether or not he is considered an auteur. There have been many critics who have attempted to prove that Wilder is not an auteur but many have fallen short on providing a strong and convincing argument. Billy Wilder is an auteur for many reasons; the most obvious reason though is by comparing his four most famous movies. Wilder was very involved in the process of making the film and was often the writer, producer and
Sunset Boulevard is a satisfyingly humorous film-noire film about the inner workings of the vicious “jungle”, that one would know of as Hollywood. It was perhaps the purposely over acted antics of antagonist Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), that makes Billy Wilder’s black comedy so memorable. Sunset Boulevard fits the definition of film-noire thanks to Wilder’s use of the typical film-noire style characters, the all too familiar storyline and Wilder’s visual style of the film itself. The characters in
In 1943, James M. Cain wrote one of his most selling novella “Double Indemnity”. The following year, Billy Wilder, a movie director, with the help of Raymond Chandler, a screenwriter, took the book and adapted it to the big screen while keeping the original title. Eventually, the movie became very popular and nowadays, “Double Indemnity”, widely regarded as a classic, is often considered as a paradigmatic film noir since it has set the standard for films that followed in that genre. The movie adaptation
but in reality is it? Many people dream of being in the limelight of Hollywood; where there is an endless amount of money, power, and fame. We fail to see what's behind fame; the dark, twisted, and ugly truths hiding within those very words. Billy Wilder explores and divulges the dark yet unknown harsh realities of fame, following Hollywood's transition from silent pictures to talkies; with his film Sunset Boulevard. Sunset Boulevard is a 1950 American classic film noir, starring Gloria Swanson
Seung Kwan (Daniel) Min Film Studies Dr. Venell Some Like It Hot The first impression of the title, Some Like It Hot, directed by Billy Wilder, led me to think of it as an erotic pornography. However, this classic film turns out to be more than 50 years old and the era’s sexy symbol Marilyn Monroe star in the film as one of the main characters. The film, Some Like It Hot, was made in 1959, way before I was born; therefore I expected it to be rather old-fashioned, watching it in the 21st century.
turns off the set in disgust. Billy Wilder expresses his distaste for films being interrupted by commercials in this scene. Looking at this through semiotics one can understand what Wilder was trying to
Spectatorial Address of Some Like It Hot A film of the fifties, Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, USA, 1959) provides insight into the state of the film industry, recently wracked by legislation and censorship, the implementation of pre-existing technology in part to combat the new limitations, the importance of the star system, and the two-sided response to the social norms, both contradicting and reinforcing the status quo. Billy Wilder seemingly celebrates disregard for moral values of the time as a source
and the self-deceptions that center their world” (p. 437) affect the protagonists in the film. Double Indemnity’s use of Los Angeles as its primary location exposes the innate decadence and decay of the city through film noir stylistic elements. Billy Wilder directed Double Indemnity and the film became the archetypal noir film because it embodied all the characteristics of a typical noir film, which include “claustrophobia, paranoia, despair and nihilism” (Place and Peterson, p. 327) course kit source
Date: 5/15/2015 Billy wilder Introduction: Born Samuel Wilder on June 22 1906 in Austria. Wilder started working as a sports reporter in Austria before moving to Berlin. His love of detail in his writings is shown in his films. In 1929, Wilder was hired as a scriptwriter for the film Menschen Am Sonntag and was still writing in Germany until Hitler’s rise to power. In 1933, Wilder then moved to Paris. While living there he wrote and co-directed
It Hot Research Paper Some Like It Hot is a timeless comedy directed by Billy Wilder. The classic film features Marilyn Monroe as Sugar, Tony Curtis as Joe, and Jack Lemmon as Jerry. Wilder reminds his viewers of how valuable a true friendship is through his use of certain film techniques and characterization. The film techniques and characterization develop the theme by controlling what people see and how they see it. Wilder created a genius and hilarious film that will be endlessly loved by generations
novel, both Huff and Nirdlinger pursue their love for each other and faces the drama from everyone around them. The novel was successful enough that Hollywood adapted the book into a film in 1944. The film Double Indemnity would then be directed by Billy Wilder with the assistance of Raymond Chandler. Eventually, the film became successful and was nominated for several Academy Awards. Despite the successful ending, the film had to find ways to either bypass or follow the rules of Hollywood’s
The Culture of Hollywood Overview A new edition to the course lineup, this week's film classic, Sunset Boulevard. This film will focus on the culture and environment of the Hollywood studio system that produces the kind of motion pictures that the whole world recognizes as "Hollywood movies." There have been many movies from the silent era to the present that either glamorize or vilify the culture of Hollywood, typically focusing on the celebrities (both in front of and behind the camera) who populate
A big film noir that hit the big screen during the film noir period was, Double Indemnity (1944) directed by Billy Wilder. Film noir was a style of filmmaking that became prevalent in the United States after World War II. This film style, “used harsh shadows, flashbacks, and voiceovers, and would usually show a fatalistic view of society.()” The film Double Indemnity was a success with the use of the stylistic techniques of film noir by using: harsh shadows, flashbacks, voiceovers, and showing the
with apprehension, tension, and anxiety; that is only developed by the unpredictable and mysterious things that happen throughout the film. I think this is a psychological drama with some horror and some very dark comedy. The way John F. Seitz and Billy Wilder shot and produced this film was phenomenal. In my opinion this film is better than most of the drama films today. At some points I thought that the acting was over dramatic or melodramatic, but overall I enjoyed the film. Sunset Boulevard possesses
Film Analysis Essay Sunset Boulevard is a hollywood classic film that digs into the aftermath of the sound era caused. Sunset blvd came out on August 10, 1950. The film was directed by Billy Wilder, produced by Charles Brackett, and starred William Holden and Gloria Swanson. Sunset blvd shows us the aftermath of Norma Desmond and how she is stuck in the past of silent hollywood. The darkness and bitterness that many silent movie experienced after they were kicked to the curb once sound came. The
A film about murder and the promise of love and money, Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity is a classic film noir movie. The protagonist, Walter Neff is a single insurance salesman who catches the hots for Phyllis, one of his customer’s, Mr. Dietrichson’s, wife. In the opening sequence of Double Indemnity, Wilder heavily illustrates the themes and plot that will be presented throughout the film. Wilder achieves this by symbolism, dialogue, and lighting. The film begins with a title sequence consisting
Sunset Boulevard Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard” is a 1950’s film about famous, but forgotten, Norma Desmond, a silent film star, who has been living in exile, in her gloomy rundown mansion. William Holden stars as Joe Gillis, a struggling Hollywood screenwriter looking for work with no success. During a car chase between Joe Gillis, and the repo men who are after his car, his tires blow out leaving him stranded in Desmond’s deserted mansion. Desmond spends her time watching her old films, dreaming
psychologically disturb and disorient it viewers. The film, Double Indemnity, is a prime example of film noir in that it accomplishes the goal of film noir to unsettle its audience through its style, setting, characters, and themes. Directed by Billy Wilder and released in 1944, Double Indemnity, was adapted from James M. Cain’s novella of the same name, a piece of American hard-boiled fiction. Fred MacMurry plays Walter Neff, an insurance salesman, and Barbara Stanwyck is Phyllis Dietrichson, the
themes that create a unique style of film. Although some have argued that Sunset Blvd. fails to represent some of these elements, it has become known as one of the most iconic film noirs ever made. Sunset Boulevard (1950), written and directed by Billy Wilder exemplifies the film noir style through its use of visual elements (lighting, shots and angles), memorable characters, themes and overall structure of the film. First and foremost, film noir refers to the visual style of a picture. The imagery
The Thematic Intentions of Sunset Boulevard The film Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder and staring the main characters of Norma Desmond, Joe Gillis, and Max Von Mayerling is ideal example of how important film making techniques help depict a movie’s core theme intentions with vivid clarity. Classic Hollywood is the first thing that comes to mind when one speaks about this film’s style. This signature category combined with the visual style of realism and it’s continuity editing; detailed