Unified Uncertainty and the Auteur Theory of Film Criticism
analytical Essay
1080 words
Unified Uncertainty and the Auteur Theory
There are no rules and regulations when it comes to creativity. The imagination of the artist and the creator determine what guidelines to follow, but that freedom consequently creates controversy when the piece needs to be evaluated for its true value. When French film director Francois Truffaut advocated the Auteur theory in 1954, it greatly influenced film criticism. The Auteur theory states that the director of a motion picture is the primary author of the film and that all elements reflect their personal creative vision. Theorists John Caughie and Andrew Sarris both express their concerns about the specifications of what makes a director an “auteur”, believing it to be an undefined and obscure theory.
For many artists and creators, they are only as successful as their latest piece of work. John Caughie states that "It is tempting to present the principles of the politique as a set of rules: the late work of an auteur is necessarily more interesting than the earlier work, the worst work of an auteur is necessarily worth more than the best work of a metteur en scene, etc.; but such a schematization, though it has a substantial foundation, avoids the seductiveness of Cahiers' auteurist practice..." (Caughie 38). Caughie believes that the principles of the policy of auteurism are criticized differently than any other art form, including romantic criticism, which creates confusion as to whether the criticism deserves legitimacy or not. Caughie comments on the idea that the quality and the type of feedback on films is relative to the popular and socially acceptable styles of interpretation, "It is this diversity of stimuli, rather than a singular philosophical source, which seems to a...
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...fully understandable, according to film theorists John Caughie and Andrew Sarris. Caughie explains that the foundations that critics base their reviews off of are from too many diverse sources, which makes their findings not precise. Sarris is a firm believer that a true auteur has great technical competence, distinguishable personality, and interior meaning. The auteur theory itself is commonly regarded as correct but is still subject to conjecture, giving the viewers and critics the power to establish their own verification of the admirable auteur.
Works Cited
"Auteur Theory." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 July 2014.Web. 08 May 2014.
Caughie, John. "The Theory in Practice." - California State University, Long Beach. Web. 08
May 2014.
Sarris, Andrew. "Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962." – California State University, Long
Beach. Web. 08 May 2014.
In this essay, the author
- Explains the auteur theory, which states that the director of a motion picture is the primary author of the film and that all elements reflect their personal creative vision.
- Analyzes how john caughie believes that the principles of the policy of auteurism are criticized differently than any other art form, including romantic criticism.
- Argues that the auteur theory claims neither the gift of prophecy nor the option of extracinematic perception. the definition of "auteur" does not have any set rule on whether the director has to stay within their known cinematic style.
- Opines that the auteur theory exists, but individuals will never come to a unanimous conclusion as to what the exact components and requirements are to be considered an "auteur."
- Explains that the definition of an auteur has been a controversial topic for filmmakers since francois truffaut introduced it in 1954.
Related
- analytical
- argumentative
- Spike Lee Kevin Smith and Alfred Hitchcock as Film Auteursanalytical essaySpike Lee Kevin Smith and Alfred Hitchcock as Film Auteurs In the film industry, there are directors who merely take someone else’s vision and express it in their own way on film, then there are those who take their own visions and use any means necessary to express their visions on film. The latter of these two types of directors are called auteurs. Not only do auteurs write the scripts from elements that they know and love in life, but they direct, produce, and sometimes act in their films as well. Three prime examples of these auteurs are: Kevin Smith, Spike Lee and Alfred Hitchcock.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that auteurs are directors who take someone else's vision and express it in their own way on film. they direct, produce, and sometimes act in films.
- Describes kevin smith's journey from an unknown, low-budget filmmaker to a well-known and respected filmmaker. his films are about normal, middle-class life adding elements of humor, drugs, and the daily struggle of blue-collar workers.
- Explains that kevin smith was born and raised in red bank, new jersey. he grew up going to the same quick-e mart in which his first widely received film, clerks, took place.
- Explains that smith plays the same character in all of kevin smith's films. jay and silent bob are based on characters smith made up in his comic book.
- Analyzes how smith's films deal with a few twenty-somethings trying to overcome the basic obstacle of avoiding boredom. in his last film, "dogma," he tried to vent his anger about his religion and how boring it is.
- Explains that smith has taken everyday occurrences, added humor and obscenity, and crafted them into scripts and produced full-length films in which he also acted. after the film was fully shot, smith edited all of his films.
- Explains that spike lee stirred up controversy with the content of his films within the film world and had to create them with little outside help.
- Explains that shelton jackson lee was born in 1956 as the son of a jazz musician and an art professor. he became interested in the arts after graduating from moorehouse college. his graduate film, "the bed-stuy barbershop: we cut heads," received an academy award.
- Analyzes how lee's next film, "she’s gotta have it," reversed the stereotype of black men cheating on their girlfriends with, sometimes, many, different women. it attacked black versus white racism by telling the tale of a school where the "haves" were the light-skinned blacks
- Analyzes how spike lee's next film, "do the right thing," gained a lot more respect in the film world than "school daze," but was almost not released because people were frightened that it might cause mass riots.
- Explains how spike lee introduced america to the african-american's perspective and culture by himself, using fellow black-rights activists like oprah winfrey, janet jackson, tracy chapman, and magic johnson.
- Explains that alfred hitchcock is very serious about his films. he has felt the need to protect himself from actors, producers, and technicians who might offset the meaning of his works.
- Analyzes how hitchcock uses his reputation of "the man with the master mind" to direct his films with sheer brilliancy.
- Explains that hitchcock added special effects to make a silent film more realistic. he used film-staining techniques, ordinary household items, and many other techniques to keep audiences amused.
- Explains that hitchcock mastered the filmic language and used a great number of tools to make his films reach near-perfection. he trusted nobody besides himself in the process of filmmaking.
- Explains that kevin smith, spike lee, and alfred hitchcock are among the top filmmakers of history, the rank of film auteurs.
- Cites andrew, geoff, spike, and lisa jones. uplift the race: the construction of schooldaze.
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that the auteur theory consists of three equally important premises: technical competence, interior meaning, and personal signature of the director.
- Explains that spike lee is an american film director, producer, writer, and actor known for his films that deal with controversial social and political issues.
- Explains that do the right thing was spike lee's first landmark film, which brought awareness to the racial tensions when people in a brooklyn neighborhood coexist.
- Explains that spike lee's personal signature in do the right thing is his leading role in the movie. he also frequently casts himself in his movies, including actor john turturro and joie lee.
- Analyzes how lee uses signs and symbols to display messages in his films, such as the opening sing of rosie perez dancing to "fight the power" by public enemy.
- Analyzes how spike uses more clothing symbolism with the characters of pino and vito, both sons of sal's pizzeria.
- Analyzes how lee's technical competence was increased compared to his first movies. the camera angle was used to create a feeling of uneasiness during the scene of the riot.
- Explains that lee's technical ability was the production of the song "fight the power" by public enemy. he used different music pieces to match the feelings of characters or the moods of scenes.
- Analyzes how spike lee used color in the opening scene of rosie perez dancing to "fight the power." the color technique is use of light and color increases visual power.
- Analyzes do the right thing's themes of racism, intolerance, and racial tension. the movie is written in a double-scene style of acceptance and alienation.
- Analyzes how lee created the racial slur montage scene in the movie to show how racism is destroying americans and the extremes racism can go to.
- Explains that spike lee's inside man is an american crime drama film. it stars denzel washington as detective keith frazier who is called in to get to the bottom of a bank robbery heist in manhattan new york.
- Analyzes how lee's signature move is the dolly shot, where the camera follows a subject and motion of the subject or its surroundings is involved.
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In this essay, the author
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In this essay, the author
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that alfred hitchcock is one of the most well-known names in the world of cinema. auteur is the french corresponding word for the english word 'author'.
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- Analyzes how alfred hitchcock based his film 'rear window' on a window that looks out upon many apartment flats. jeff, the leading character, watches the lives of those around him without their knowledge.
- Opines that alfred hitchcock has made a great life as an outstanding director and auteur to the world of cinema and has been an inspiration to others.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes alfred hitchcock's films, rear window (1954) and the birds (1963), which center on a leading man and the supporting roles of women.
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- Analyzes how hitchcock views mothers as knowledgeable but distant, as they advise the man but stay back from the most of the action. in rear window jeff's mother takes the form of his caretaker and she advises him to settle and get married.
- Analyzes how hitchcock believes that only with both support systems is the leading man able to solve the mystery or save his loved ones.
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