An Argument Against Auteur Theory. - 2750 Words

Auteurism: A Disease of Greatness. The term Auteur seems to bless a privileged group of filmmakers with an almost messiah-like legacy. Men such as Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford and Fritz Lange are believed to inhabit the ranks of the cinematic elite, and not surprisingly most critics are more than willing to bestow upon them the title of Auteur. By regarding filmmaking as yet another form of art, Auteur theory stipulates that a film is the direct result of its directors genius. With the emerging prominence of auteur based criticism in the 1950?s, the role of the director became increasingly integral to a films success. However most would argue that this form of criticism didnt reach its apex until 1960s, when Andrew Sarris released his†¦show more content†¦He merely didnt adhere to a set of criteria which could safely classify his work as art. When asked why he was not respected by American critics, as he is in Europe, Corman responded, Ordinarly there is a great deal of snobbery from American film critics, they will accept a film by Stanley Kramer as a work of art before they see it, or a film from a European director...but they unloose their ire against low or medium budget Hollywood productions3 Considered one of the greatest of all American directors, John Ford would no doubt be regarded an auteur by those who choose to utilize the phrase. One can imagine Ford carefully weaving beautiful images of monument valley, to fulfill his artistic allegories, or demanding the most effective of performances from a cast who manage to convey the emotions which stir inside this most American of auteurs. Just as Corman seems to put a great deal of philosophical thought into crafting what many consider to be simple films, Ford seems to suggest that his cinematic choices are often over-analyzed. In an interview with fellow western film director Burt Kennedy, Ford was asked about some of these choices, which have come to define much of his style, and his answers are surprisingly simplistic. When questioned about his connection to Monument Valley, and the reasoning behind choosing that location, Ford responded I knewShow MoreRelatedAuteur Theory 11662 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"†¦ As f ar as I know, there is no definition of the auteur theory in the English language, that is, by an American or British critic† (Sarris 1962) was the opening line to Andrew Sarris’s famous â€Å"Notes on the Auteur Theory in 1962† essay. This essay is what brought the â€Å"auteur theory† in to the spotlight in the USA. And to today, this theory is still in hot debate. Trying to figure out whether or not the director is the lone â€Å"auteur† of a film is a tough claim to make. In an article for Slate MagazineRead MoreScorsese1744 Words   |  7 PagesUse a range of auteur theories to examine the work of two significant directors you have studied on this module. One director should have produced the majority of their work prior to 1960 and the other should have produced it from the 1970s onwards. Discuss the origins and main developments of auteur theory then examine the works of Howard Hawks and Martin Scorsese with relevance to their status as auteur directors. In having their films examined as auteurs of the cinema, both Howard HawksRead More Auteur Theory: Howard Hawks and Martin Scorsese Essay examples1722 Words   |  7 PagesUse a range of auteur theories to examine the work of two significant directors you have studied on this module. One director should have produced the majority of their work prior to 1960 and the other should have produced it from the 1970s onwards. Discuss the origins and main developments of auteur theory then examine the works of Howard Hawks and Martin Scorsese with relevance to their status as auteur directors. In having their films examined as auteurs of the cinema, both Howard HawksRead MoreProposal for a Animation Dissertation3013 Words   |  13 Pageschapter to Marshall McLuhan’s theories of the postmodern effect of globalisation through the Internet and how new media has changed the face of film and the way practitioners can operate within visual culture. 2. Auteurism – career momentum that outlasts the diminishment of practitioner’s talents. This dissertation would have explored the effect on a director that being branded an auteur can have. The paper would have formed a discussion on how being branded an auteur early in a filmmakers careerRead MoreThe Genre Of Cult Film1741 Words   |  7 Pagescult film, and how it is completely subversive to the high concept films of popular culture. In addition to this, those who construct and encode ideologies and messages into cult films need to know and implement a repertoire of elements that will go against the pleasures of recognition and provide a more sophisticated and untraditional narrative experience. Whether through manipulating time and space, or providing powerful subject matter, it is through these technical and visual codes that the text willRead More Definition Essay - Genre1750 Words   |  7 Pagesremains loose, since Aristotle establishes genre in terms of both convention and historical observation, and defines genre in terms of both convention and purpose. In Anatomy of Criticism (1957) Northrop Frye wrote, We discover that the critical theory of genre is stuck precisely where Aristotle left it. The very word genre sticks out in an English sentence as the unpronounceable and alien thing it is (Frye, 13). It is a French word imported directly into the English language, derived from theRead MoreVoltaire s Candide - Denouncing Providence1503 Words   |  7 Pagesoptimistic philosopher’s theories surrounding providence and human will. His main purpose in Candide was to ridicule a German optimistic philosopher known as Gottfried Leibniz, who stated that God is beneficiary, and we are in the best of all possible worlds, relating to predetermined harmony. Medicinae doctor, Thomas J. Papadimos in Voltaire s Candide, medical students, and mentoring writes that Voltaire wrote Candide â€Å"as an objection to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz s theory that God created the universeRead MoreAnalysis Of Francois Truffaut s The 400 Blows ( 1959 ) A nd Jean Luc Godard s Breathless ( 1960 )2650 Words   |  11 Pagesknown as a pioneer of the French New Wave, and additionally, a significant contributor to the â€Å"auteur† theory – or â€Å"la politique des auteurs†. This was the notion that a good director ought to leave an authorial trace upon the work by implementing his/her personal style and imbuing the frames with his/her unique vision of the finished product (Hayward 467). One valuable illumination concerning this theory is that it urges â€Å"one look to the specifically filmic elements of the work in order to read theRead MoreExploring The Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Term Queer 2598 Words   |  11 Pagesmodern society, the derogatory meaning behind the term has become much less used, and instead has been reclaimed in a positive light to describe the entire LGBT+ community. Coined from this comes ‘‘queer’ Theory’, which effectively reopened the links between gender a nd sexuality. With ‘‘queer’ Theory’ seeking to prove that identities do not determine who we are, with its constant fluidity, the term itself resides amongst previous gay and lesbian studies, but also looks at the sociological influencesRead MorePost Modernism Of Baz Luhrmann s Film Adaptation Of William Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet3440 Words   |  14 Pageshas played a role in Luhrmann’s version of Romeo and Juliet. Postmodernism has been given many definitions. Some say it’s simply the outlook that the generation of late twenty first century has on life which entails the mistrust and dismissal of theories that existed before such as religion, ethics and law. According to these youths, the difference between right and wrong or what the meaning of life is based solely on that individual’s perspective. In film, the idea of postmodernism is somewhat similar