Book/Movie Review
Question 4
The meaning of film auteur as per film criticism of “Towards a History of Film Theory” by Andrew Sarris
In his critic in “Towards a History of Film Theory”, Andrew Sarris refers to film auteur as the core principle and strategies of faltering priorities that describe the concept of personal authorship within the cinema identifying the key importance while taking accountability of appreciating the director’s work through a systematic examination so as to determine characteristic structures, theme and official qualities (Sarris, 105). In line with this, this is simply systematized priorities, a collection of value which transforms a film storyline into a directorial biography (Sarris, 105). Auteur focuses on examining a film in a stylistic and thematic manner while giving credit to the director and as well identifying areas of weakness of the director.
Reasons for Andrew Sarris utilization of classical Hollywood cinema as an effort of explaining auteur theory
Sarris uses classical Hollywood cinema in order to clarify this figure because most critics have examined Hollywood cinema from a plot, theme and sociological perspective or even just entertainment view point (Sarris, 106). This methods of examination tends to be inadequately bring out the important aspects as it fails to differentiate efficiently each director’s style and thematic preoccupation. Moreover this approaches fails to appreciate the work of directors. Therefore, Sarris sought to use film auteur approach which appreciates directors’ work. In essence, he wanted to let Hollywood films to speak for themselves in an inviting way of exploring possibilities instead of using an elucidation approach (Sarris, 107). Sarris uses classical Hollywood cinemas to explain his concept of film auteur by letting the film speak for itself, he focuses on appreciating the director’s work and as well identifying the director’s point of weakness as well as determining the characteristic structures, theme and official qualities.
Ways in which Ray’s acknowledgement of fluctuation of Nicholas with regards auteur indicate the auteur theory to be a very subjective system?
Nicholas Ray as a director has had various fluctuations in his film. However, Sarris acknowledge these fluctuation as an auteur which ultimately indicated that the auteur theory is very subjective system in the following ways: First, the subjectivity of auteur theory towards Nicholas Ray work is evident in when Sarris tends to be more personal by claiming that Nicholas Ray has lost track and senses about his career (Sarris, 107). Second, Sarris gets more personal as he asserts that Nicholas Ray has undergone very many frustrations and not even one of his films has any kind of inspiration. Third, Sarris emphasis tends to focus on Ray’s individualism as he associates’ Ray’s characters moral which he claims to be lacking moral ambiguity with Ray’s personal character (Sarris, 107). Sarris has further asserted that Ray’s inflicted with physic illness which he blames them on Ray. Fourth, Sarris has attacked on Ray that his reputation does not rely on unjustified rationalization as his films are of personal anguish which just focus on barely entertainment (Sarris, 108). Based on all these, it indicates that the auteur theory is very subjective. Sarris has acknowledged Nicholas Ray’s work in a personal level. The mistakes and weaknesses of the character in Ray’s films have been blamed on Ray. Sarris has been unapologetic and upfront with any kind of achievement and weakness have been subjected to the director who is Nicholas Ray (Sarris, 108). This proves that auteur theory, indeed lets the film speak for itself while the achievements and weaknesses are subjected to its director.
Thematic concerns that Ray’s King of Kings (1961), Rebel Without a Cause (1955) as well as ,Bigger than Life (1956) share in common
One of the thematic concerns that Ray’s Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Bigger than Life (1956) and King of Kings (1961) have in common is the lacking inapt romanticism depicted in the film. Ray has tried to bring out a theme of romance but has failed to effectively and appropriately bring it out. Instead, his films are having more moral ambiguity as his characters are filled with the psychic ills. This is so inappropriate way of depicting romanticism (Sarris, 237). In Bigger than Life film, Ray portrays James Mason to be suffering from misunderstanding of grandeur; instead of bring out a scene of romance. In Rebel Without a Cause film, Ray depicts James Dean and other adolescents sitting at the planetarium discussing about the universe. Here, Ray has failed to bring a scene of romance. This is a critical thematic issue as it is a serious fallacy (Sarris, 108). Another thematic concern in common is the lack of thematic meaning. Ray’s nervous direction seems to be lacking a thematic meaning. Ray has shown to be having fluctuating themes that are renders his films to lack thematic meanings. Ray has a tendency of being kinetic in his films. Despite having a theme in each and every film, they lack thematic meaning due to his fluctuations which distorts the meaning of the theme. Having a theme but lacking a proper meaning is a weakness that Ray has in his production (Sarris, 238). A plot of a film with a thematic meaning is tends to be successful and effective. Audiences prefer films with a thematic meaning that in one way or another makes a significant influence to their lives positively.
Two formal elements constituting visual formats and methods in mid-1950s to 1960 directed by Nicholas Ray
The visual style portrayed in Nicholas Ray’s films in the 1960s and mid-1950s include exciting visual style of same plot, theme and mood cutting between physical movements. Actually, his visual style evolved around considerable social issues (Sarris, 109). Moreover, Ray’s films usually had inspirations as they were based in real life events. To set out his theme clearly, Ray would exploit fallacies in his films. For instance in Johnny Guitar film which was Ray’s most personal film whereby in its setting he empathized with Fenin and Everson as he tried to relate the “western” culture to William Hart tradition. This was the biggest fallacy about the genres of all times (Sarris, 109). In his films, Ray undisputedly recorded his personal anguish which enhances artistic expression for beyond a decade. Nicholas Ray inflicted the use of paranoia in his characters in his films to create an emphasis on emotional feelings. For instance, in a Lonely Place, paranoia is impacted on Humprey Bogarts to emotionally influence Gloria Grahame (Sarris, 109). In the setting of his films, Ray centered on moral ambiguity. His intent of imagery was to represent the moral standards of the society.
Question 5
Significant approaches determined by Rainer Werner Fassbinder that unnaturalness and “exactitude of desperation” is presented in Imitation of Life (1959) by Douglas Sirk making the film great
With regards to Rainer W. Fassbinder, has presented the idea of unnaturalness as well as precision of desperation in order to mark the film interesting through the story of Lana, Annie and Sarah whereby the former is black while the latter is almost white. Sirk has used these ladies to vividly bring out the theme of unnaturalness and desperation. This is exploited in Lana’s situation whereby she hesitates and pretends that it is most natural thing for a black woman to bear a white child yet in real sense it is not natural. Moreover, the ladies desperately try to come up with thoughts and desires that suits their interests and in favor of each of them. Unnaturalness is depicted when the women claim that life is better when someone is white unlike when he or she is black since the white obtains a better deal. In another instance Sirk has used precision of desperation to enhance and facilitate the film to be interesting in the film in the situation whereby Annie told Lana that she has several friends yet in the real sense she is pretend as Lana knows her quite well that she has a few friends as they live together under one roof. Nonetheless, in the film, Lana pretends to be surprise by various events including the when her daughter accused her of having been neglecting her. She also pretends to be surprised when Annie dies. Sirk has applied unnaturalness to Lana in the situation when her husband died and she does not feel bothered or affected. Upon death of someone close and a loved one such as a husband critically affects someone. It is unnatural that Lana did not feel affected. Sirk used this situation to make the film grate as it would make the viewers surprised of the unexpected unnaturalness of Lana’s act. Furthermore, unnaturalness is depicted in the instance Sarah Jane has to defend herself from her mother’s terrorism. This is unnatural since mothers tend to care and protect their children and not turn against their children. Sirk has used this to create an unusual scene to make the film interesting and unique. Additionally, according to Rainer, Sirk has depicted Sarah Jane to be mean to her mother neglecting her to be poor and hopeless. This is unnatural as people tend to automatically care and support for their elderly parents. According to Rainer, Sirk used this situation to avoid the viewers from predicting the outcome of the film and instead divert their thoughts and expectations.
Ways that contradiction, discontinuation and distortion is explained in “Towards an Analysis of the Sirkian System” critic by Paul Willemen in Imitation of Life
According to Paul Willemen, contradiction in Sirk’s film Imitation of Life is presented through displacements and discontinuation of the plot structure and characterization contradiction. Paul Willemen identifies that Sirk displaced and discontinued the plot structure at some point in the film to bring out contradictions that would enhance the greatness of the film (Nichols, 276). This discontinuation and displacement have been used to remind the viewers they are living in a world where privacy does not exist. This signals the characters in the film notifying them that they are under monitoring therefore their most ideal wat of protecting themselves is by identifying their own unique appearances. For instance Sirk has used distortion in the situation where he mentions that Sarah Jane is cruel to her mother and neglects her to be poor then switches to say that Sarah Jane had to protect herself against her mother’s cruelty (Nichols, 277). These are two contradicting situations that are aimed at creating a distortion of the flow of the plot structure in the film. In the Imitation of Life film, distortion is depicted in the situation where Lana falls in love with John and John who has sacrificed his artistic ambitions so as to support Lana and secured a photography job, Lana instead declines John’s proposal to marry him and opt to pursue her career (Nichols, 277). This is a substantial distortion of the plot of the film. The audience obviously expected that Lana would consider the sacrifice that John has made and as well sacrifice her career ambitions just like John did for the sake of their love. This distortion is significant in creating surprises to the audience thus making the film more interesting.
Contradiction in characterization is mirrored in the persona developed in the plot of the film. The persona acts as a trap, since they undertake the pretense which eventually dominates resulting in conflicts and contradiction beyond the point of defense (Nichols, 276). Therefore the person is depicted to show them in a more vulnerable manner. Coincidentally, the audiences are offered what they would like to see events such as extreme suffering, anxiety, joy and also appealing sexual images yet the criticism and contradiction of these situations is incorporated in the film (Nichols, 276). In the film, characterization contradicts Lana is depicted as a young lady then at some point later depicted as a mother. This characterization causes significant contradiction. The impact of contraction of characters is that the audiences perceive nothing but distortions and challenges inflicted upon the spectacle in the beginning (Nichols, 277). In essence, the audience expectation and ideologies is revealed and is diverted to attract the audience’s curiosity. The audience expectation awareness is forced against their wish. This situation is represented in the film even though the characters are privy that they are being monitored through certain surveillance projected as pressure conforming to behavioral standards entrenched on them by the environment.