David Lynch And Alfred Hitchcock

By that he meant that the success of an artistic project depends on the stylistic qualities of the author, and not on the work itself. Based on the specific argument, Truffaut stated in a provocative way that “there are no good and bad movies, only good and bad directors”. Thus, Truffaut praised the remarkable visual style that is reflected in the director’s body of work (the film) through a consistency of themes. He also believed that even if a film is produced collectively, the director’s artistry outshines any further interference from the film

Over the fifteen weeks of the first semester of film school, we were taught many interesting types and styles of early world cinema which were extremely informative and influenced the filmmaking style of the whole class and made us better filmmakers instantly. One such ‘ism’ which inspired me the most was German Expressionism which is a unique characteristic of Weimar Cinema. In this essay I am going to talk about the history of this ‘ism’, its impact on cinema, some significant works and how it inspired me and influenced my filmmaking style.

In his book How to Read a Film, James Monaco introduces a discourse through the section “Expressionism and Realism: Arnheim and Kracauer”, explaining two opposing stances towards film-making, mainly by addressing Arnheim and Kracauer’s prescriptive theories on Expressionism and Realism. By contrasting the two stances on where the esthetics of film should lie on, Monaco concludes with a suggestion of a goal films should reach for. Monaco starts by giving a simple definition of Realism and Expressionism, whereas Realism underlines the actual reality that is filmed, Expressionism focuses more on the capability of the filmmaker in addressing and remodeling the reality. He continues by giving a brief history on reasons why Expressionism was more

In films made by a director labeled as an auteur, spectators are able to associate the films together and may already harbor certain expectations because of the identifiable pattern and trends each of the films posses. In earlier accounts of the term, an auteur was studied through something called an auteur theory, which identifies the director as the primary author and creator of his or her film. A well-known auteur that is commonly referred to when discussing its concepts is Alfred Hitchcock. His films contain similar structures and motifs, which manifest the authorship he takes in the films he would make and produce. Hitchcock proves to be an auteur and a renowned “master of suspense” because of his employment of continuity editing

The Auteur Theory, a theory formulated by François Truffaut states the idea that the true author of a film is the director. The Auteur Theory revolves around how the director leaves an implicit mark on the film and because of this cinematic, literary, or thematic signature or motif, they are credited as the author of the film. While there are numerous people involved in the production of a film, with some directors it is truly prominent who can be described as the author of the film such as with Mel Brooks.

Over the past century, film has served as a powerful means of communication to a global audience and has become a vital part of the contemporary culture in a world that is increasingly saturated by visual content. Due to the immediacy and the all-encompassing nature of film, the process of watching a film, is widely perceived to be a passive activity by the general masses. However, quoting Smith in his article about the study of film, “nothing could be further from the truth.” The study and understanding of film as an art form enhances the way we watch and appreciate films. It requires the audience's active participation and interaction with the film in order to fully comprehend the directors' intention behind every creative decision. With

A good example of an auteur film is The Godfather. Sarris states that an auteur is one that has a that can create both commercially and aesthetically pleasing films, and Coppola transformed a story fit for a low-budget gangster film, into something far more. As a result, The Godfather ends up becoming a successful blockbuster, but it’s also artistic, and reflective of our society.

The Great Gatsby is widely recognized as one of the greatest novels in American literature. Its characters, themes and perspectives have been encapsulated in the heart of millions of people across the world. With this being said, creating a secondary interpretation to this masterpiece is no easy task. As Baz Luhrmann ventures into the inexorable task of visualizing this masterpiece there are several instances where his own thoughts and biases have clouded the essence of Fitzgerald’s classic. The film version of the novel “The Great Gatsby” distorts the actions and events surrounding the three main characters of the novel Gatsby, Daisy and Nick in an effort to make the film more entertaining and easier to understand. Although this histrionic

Considering the collaborative process of filmmaking, especially nowadays in most film production, the concept of there being a singular creative supervisor is debatable. Nonetheless one cannot deny the existence of directional motifs and instances of thematic and stylistic elements within the work of filmmakers like Tim Burton and Alfred Hitchcock. These directors indicate that within traditions and genres lies the overall definition of an auteur: a director whose inventive traits are listed throughout his/her work like a signature.

There are many things that make “Citizen Kane” considered as possibly one of the greatest films every made; to the eyes of the passive audience this film may not seem the most amazing, most people being accustomed to the classical Hollywood style, but to the audience with an eye for the complex, “Citizen Kane” breaks the traditional Hollywood mold and forges its own path for the better.

Auteur theory (Sarris, 2004) is explained by way of the director as the author of the film, who gives the film its distinctive quality. An auteur uses a tool called the “camera-pen”, which is a different medium to create and adapt a story, without it being rewritten. Technical competence (Sarris, 2004) is therefore crucial for the technique of the auteur. A tool used in the film, The Great Gatsby, is Luhrmann’s sound design, and more specifically, the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound.

Baz Luhrmanns contribution to the art of film, brings about a flamboyant and revitalizing side to the industry. Through the use of cinematic language, his story telling techniques and belief in the theatrical cinema come to life.

Baz Luhrmann is known world wide for his eccentric and flamboyant film-making style. Luhrmann’s signature bright colours, fast-paced camera-cuts and zooms, and bold costumes are all key characteristics of his films and assist Luhrmann in putting forward the themes and motifs he regards as essential in each of his works. However, Luhrmann still receives much criticism for not staying true to the original source material of the stories he introduces to the big screen. One fails to realize the fact that, “Luhrmann’s films are not so much adaptations as re-imaginings” (Vogue Magazine) and through analysis of his various techniques, as well as his overall cinematic language in his films, “Strictly Ballroom” (1992), “Romeo + Juliet” (1996) and “The Great Gatsby”, one can see this clearly, through Luhrmann’s evolution as a director.

The essay begins with the definition of modern criticism which is to exhibit “the relation of art to the artist, rather than to external nature, or to the audience, or to the internal requirements of the work itself”. This one and a half century old theory of art competed against innumerable theories such as the mimetic theory, the pragmatic theory, etc., all of which have been thoroughly discussed in the essay. Abrams quotes theorists such as Santayana and D.W. Prall to show the unreal and chaotic nature of these alternate theories. After that, Abrams describes the criterion of a good critical

Baz Luhrmann is widely acknowledged for his Red Curtain Trilogy which are films aimed at heightening an artificial nature and for engaging the audience. Through an examination of the films Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby, the evolution and adaptation of his techniques become evident. Luhrmann’s belief in a ‘theatrical cinema’ can be observed to varying degrees through the three films and his choice to employ cinematic techniques such as self-reflexivity, pastiche and hyperbolic hyperbole.